STR And Attack

Okay, I've been trying to figure out exactly how STR and Attack fit into a melee build.

I know that you're supposed to stack STR for WS's (Barring non-STR modded WS's) and attack for melee (Where ACC+ or Haste+ is n/a), but how does it actually affect your DMG?

If I recall from somewhere, doesn't STR raise the amount of DMG you can do, while Attack allows you to hit on the higher end of that scale?

IE; Base Damage is 45-50 DMG. STR+ will raise that to 45-55, while Attack+ will increase it to say, 48-50.

Also, please use simple terms, I tried the wiki, and the base damage pages melt my brain.

Thanks in advance~

Str is the roof and atk is how close you can get to it. In simple terms. And even nonmodded ws (such as gun ws) benefit highly from str.

<Lazerz>

Atk is checked vs def. Str is checked vs vit. Increasing your str raises your fstr which increases the max and min range of your dmg (checked on your weapon rank too). Atk raises where your general dmg is in that range. Certain ws (such as gekko and steel cyclone) get a massive pdif boost, which translates to a large atk boost. This is why you stack str and not atk. Atk will be capped against most mobs (excluding some hnms, depending on gear) and str will raise the damage range on those ws.

tl;dr I'm right XD

Edit: I probably didn't clarify and got some things wrong in that. Someone else can fix it. It's almost 6 am and I'm going to sleep lol.

What Serj said, yeah. Zicdeh has it backwards. STR increases the potential max damage, and Attack increases how closely/often you'll hit said max damage or close to it.

ITS INTERNET I RITE NOOB

<Deleting failinfo>

Additional Info: Weapon rank [<floor>(Weapon DMG / 9)] Also has a considerable effect on melee damage. This is particularly visible on Dagger type weapons, which have very low damage ratings. If you ever wondered why (Before Trial of the Magians) the Perseus' Harpe was so highly sought after, it's because its was the only Rank 4 Non-relic dagger available.

This is right, however also consider what the WS is. For example Asuran fists needs to hit 8 times for its max potential, so better to go with acc+ first on most multi-hits.

very nice example but let's add also it varies from monster to another

I see where my mistake was, the actual Outcome winds up being the same, but only because there is no progress to be had. It's nice to have this bit of info for when the Level cap raises and additional potential becomes available.

Still slightly incorrect, if you're capping acc even on MNK the extra acc is still lost, and you're still not going to go over the 95% cap, and Asuran Fists will have 66% chance of landing all 8 hits at best with any gear/merits/food/etc.

Same as even WS, put enough acc to cap only for your WS (And if you're eating pizza like a good 1H, it's not that much) and then STR/att/mod/whatever. Not directed only at you but I swear I see MNKs gearing their asuran to cap acc during perfect dodge even when they have a Pizza burning.

STR adds to base damage and Attack multiplies your existing damage. Whichever of the two stats is better depends on food/buffs/job/WS or TP?/situation/quantity of each/etc.