Dear Settlers,

Many players have commented on the recent change in the description of buffs from a multiplier to an added percentage. The general question is why this change was made, as it does not change the output of a buff. The reason for the change is that with the addition of zone-wide buffs, it is now possible to stack the effect of buffs on a single building. When buffs are stacked on a single building, the effects are additive, not multiplicative.

With the addition of the Training Field from the summer event, players now can apply two buffs simultaneously to certain weaponsmith buildings. As shown below, the training field can provide an additional +200% to the output of a weaponsmith. This can be applied in addition to a building buff.




This picture shows a level 4 bronze weaponsmith with a steak buff on it. The normal output is 4 swords per cycle, and it has a +100% buff, giving an total of 200% output (x2), or 8 swords.




The addition of the buff from the training field provides an additional +200%, bringing the total buff to +300%. This gives a total of 16 swords per cycle. Using the old nomenclature of x2 and x3, the output of the weaponsmith should have been x6; it is only x4.




In another example of the same effect, this level 3 iron weaponsmith is buffed with a damascene hammer buff, which gives a +200% bonus, for triple the normal output.




Adding the buff from the Training Field for an additional +200% gives a total of +400%, or a total of 500% output.




Hopefully, this adequately explains why the descriptions of the buffs were changed, as the effects of the buffs are additive. As the developers have implied, this may soon be true for other buildings as well.