Level Difference Penalty

Level Difference Penalty or Level Differential Correction or Level Difference Adjustment happens when a player is in combat against an enemy two or more levels above them, and the player's abilities have a reduced effect based on the level differential. This combat mechanic exists in many pre-Adoulin areas, but has started to be removed on a zone by zone basis where newer battle content such as The Voracious Resurgence Missions are located.

• Level Difference Penalty is colloquially referred to as Level Correction, however that term can also refer to generic Coefficient modifiers written as α (alpha), when the coefficient represents a level scaling modifier. Examples include Blood Pact damage, Blue Magic damage, and Defense. Though Level Correction is generally understood to refer to Level Difference Penalty.

Examples:

The level differential between a level 95 monster and level 85 player would be (85 + 1 - 95) = -9 or a differential of 9.

The level differential between a level 86 monster and level 85 player would be (85 + 1 - 86) = 0 or no differential.

Stats Affected

• The Level Difference Penalty adjusts the outcome of functions that are based on the difference between the player's and enemy's stats.
  • It's unclear whether the higher level combatant receives a buff or the lower level combatant receives a penalty but based on Matsui's version update notes coining the term as a penalty it's thought to be the latter.
• Higher level players also receive an advantage against lower level enemies.
  • Lower level monsters appear to have lower attack ratios against higher level players.
  • The opposite isn't confirmed, monsters don't appear to have lowered defense or evasion when fighting higher level players.
• Your level determines the cap of your Combat Skill ratings which affects basic parameters like Accuracy, Attack, and Evasion, but also parameters like Shield block rate and Spell Interruption Rate. It would only be considered a level difference penalty if there's an extra modifier that skill ratings and stats don't account for.
• Appears to be in place to hamper power leveling through high-end equipment or temporary effects.
  • As such, your level has a more significant impact than any individual food, equipment, merit, vorseal, or buff in the affected zones.
  • The difference can be verified in areas like Abyssea, where a lower-level player can use Atmas to boost their attributes to the same amount as a higher-level player, but they won't be as successful in combat against the same enemies.

Level Difference Penalty Effects

Attribute	Rate
pDIF - Atk Penalty	Reduces Attack and physical damage limit: -5% Melee pDIF per level -2.5% Ranged pDIF per level
pDIF - Def Penalty	Reduces the effect of Defense and lowers the Defense cap. Monsters don't have a physical damage limit increase: Monsters have a flat pDIF qRatio cap of 4.0, even critical hits can't exceed 4.0.
Hit Rate	-2% Hit Rate per level -2% Evasion Rate per level
Magic Hit Rate / Resist Rate	-4 Magic Accuracy per level (estimated) -4 Magic Evasion per level (estimated)
Spell Interruption Rate	Activation rate adjustment unclear.
Intimidation Rate	Killer Effects activation rate adjustment unclear.

Zones Without Level Difference Penalty

Zones Without Level Correction

Zone(s)	Content Introduced	Version Update
East Ulbuka Territory	Seekers of Adoulin	March 27, 2013
Escha - Zi'Tah	Rhapsodies of Vanadiel Missions Ch. 1	May 14, 2015
Escha - Ru'Aun	Rhapsodies of Vanadiel Missions Ch. 2	Aug 5, 2015
Reisenjima	Rhapsodies of Vanadiel Missions Ch. 3	Nov 10, 2015
Maquette Abdhaljs-Legion	Ambuscade, Legion	Apr 5, 2016
Walk of Echoes [P]	High Tier Avatar Battlefields, High Tier Mission Battlefields, Odyssey	Jun 10, 2019
Wajaom Woodlands	Peculiar Foes I-III, The Voracious Resurgence Missions Pt. 4	Jun 10, 2021
Mount Zhayolm
Caedarva Mire
Beaucedine Glacier	Peculiar Foes IV-V, The Voracious Resurgence Missions Pt. 5	Sep 10, 2021
Palborough Mines
Alzadaal Undersea Ruins
Arrapago Reef
Aydeewa Subterrane	Peculiar Foes VI, The Voracious Resurgence Missions Pt. 5	Dec 10, 2021
Quicksand Caves	The Voracious Resurgence Missions Pt. 6	Feb 10, 2022
Crawlers' Nest (S)	Opened Crawlers' basement as Apex Monster area.	Mar 20, 2022
Western Altepa Desert	Peculiar Foes IX, The Voracious Resurgence Missions Pt. 7-1 (postponed to Apr)
Batallia Downs	Peculiar Foes X, The Voracious Resurgence Missions Pt. 7-2	May 10, 2022
The Eldieme Necropolis (S)	Peculiar Foes XI-XII, The Voracious Resurgence Missions Pt. 8	Jun 10, 2022
Qufim Island
Bhaflau Thickets	Locus monsters	Jul 11, 2022
King Ranperre's Tomb	Locus monsters	Sep 12, 2022
Bibiki Bay	Locus monsters	Nov 10, 2022
Mine Shaft #2716	Peculiar Foes X, The Voracious Resurgence Missions Pt. 10-1
Throne Room	The Voracious Resurgence Missions Pt. 10-2 (Postponed to Jan)	Dec 12, 2022
Xarcabard	Peculiar Foes XIV-XV	Feb 10, 2022
Newton Movalpolos
Everbloom Hollow	The Voracious Resurgence Missions Pt. 11	Mar 10, 2023
The Celestial Nexus	Crystal Paradise (Battlefield)	Sep 11, 2023
Al Zahbi	Increased Besieged content level (Postponed to future update)	Jun 10, 2024

Content Level

• In zones that have a Level Difference Penalty where Content Level 100+ is implemented, the penalty is negated by making the NM level 99 and adding bonus stats to resemble the content level similar to level 99 players wearing item level equipment.
• Even if the zone was changed to have the level difference penalty removed, previous content in the zone isn't readjusted by default.
  • Example: UNM Lumber Jill in Batallia Downs is still level 99 after zone updates for Voracious Resurgence Missions.
• At level 50 and above, Enmity against higher level enemies is reduced.
• Against level 99 enemies with large HP values, players can't take advantage of the reduced enmity specification and hit the enmity cap.
• The Peach Power battlefield in The Ashu Talif had a level difference adjustment issue, but an update states this has been corrected.
  • This update is expected to have no impact on the difficulty of the battlefield.

Ability Interaction

• Certain abilities have a potency or success rate influenced by level difference.
• Attuner, Target Marker - Automaton Attachments
  • Was considered to be effective against HNM-class enemies above, otherwise compare to Tension Spring, Stabilizer.
  • Adjustments were made to allow this attachment to function in content like UNM and HTMB
• Flashy Shot - RNG ability
  • Adjustments were made to allow this ability to function in UNM and HTMB content in June 25, 2015 Version Update
• Charm - BST ability
• Lockpicking Tools THF ability
  • Based on a dungeon level instead of an enemy level.
  • Impacts severity of traps.
• Activation rate of additional effects on weapons can be affected by level difference.
  • Dainslaif is an example of an item with 100% activation on lower level enemies, but is unreliable on higher level enemies.