Welcome to this issue of SMITE Mechanics. In this issue we will be looking at one of the most important mechanics in the game: Diminishing Returns and how it affects Crowd Control.

Firstly, what are Diminishing Returns? In short, DR is when we increase something (movement speed, CC), it is subject to an arbitrary decrease.

One thing that we will also get out the way is the difference between a ‘Soft CC’ and a ‘Hard CC’. Soft CC doesn’t stop you from using abilities/auto attacking or change your movement patterns, while a Hard CC does. These are all the Soft CCs: Slow, Cripple, Root and Blind. Every other CC in the game is considered a Hard CC.

So, the first thing to take note of is how Hard CCs are split in regards to DR. Soft CCs (bar Slows, which has its own section) are not subject to DR, but all Hard CCs are. How DR works here is simple. DR works in three stacks, the first time a CC is applied you get 1 stack, the second another, and the third one last stack. The first Hard CC works for its full value, while the second is ⅓ less potent, and everything after that ⅔ potent. The only Hard CC that don’t follow these rules are Banishes, Carries, Grabs, Knockbacks, and Knock ups. Something important to take note of, DR Lasts for 15 seconds.

So now let’s give an example of Hard CC and how DR applies. A good example to explain DR on Hard CCs is is Geb. If you were to use a full rank Cataclysm after Shock Wave the Cataclysm would be reduced to 1.2s (from 1.8) due to the 1 stack already applied. While if you used Cataclysm first and then Shock Wave, because Shock Wave is a knock up it would not be reduced by the stack and instead hit for its full duration. This is one of the reasons as to why as a Geb you always want to use your ultimate into the knock up, it’s to make sure you don’t reduce the stun time.

This is the major reason as to why Knockup is the most valuable CC. It is not subject to DR, and is therefore the best at keeping a target still. On top of this, to use Purification on a knock up is extremely hard, as it has to be done almost preemptively. You cannot beads a knock up during its duration. There are many gods that have been strong because of their knock up, and some gods that continue to be today.

Now that we’ve talked about how DR applies to Hard CC, let’s move onto how DR applies to Slows. If you haven’t realised already when a high percentage slow above 40% (such as Fire Giant’s 80% Magma Blast) is applied, DR is applied. The easiest way to explain how Slow DR works is the following formula: Slow x 100/Slow + 60.

So if the Fire Giant charges up Magma Blast the formula for Slow DR would be: 80 x 100/80+60 = 8000/140 = 57.14. So the slow the Fire Giant applies after Slow DR is actually 57.14%. If you are to stack slows you would just add them together, so if you would use Slice and Dice at rank 5 (50% slow) and Roll Out (30%) then the formula would be the same as Magma Blast. 80 x 100/80+60.

In short, to use your abilities efficiently you want to use your most potent Hard CC first, and use Knock ups last when possible. You should also never wait for DR to run out. The point of noting how long DR lasts is to show that is lasts a LONG time, and it is not something you can ever wait out realistically. Also, by pointing it out you can see what harm can be done by throwing out your abilities without the intent of engaging. Not to say that you shouldn’t be throwing your abilities out, but any Hard CC on an ability will reduce the impact of your future engage. My next and final point is that you should abuse Soft CCs. Soft CCs apply no type of DR, meaning that will last their full duration unless Purification is used. Root is the best type of Soft CC to use, and it is also one of the more common CCs in SMITE. (A few examples being Nox, Khepri and Neith.)

And that about sums it up for Diminishing Returns on CC, I hope you've enjoyed reading through.

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