Here's a table that compares the level of damage (only) that each offensive ability can do in a simulated situation of the monster having 1000 points of damage, and only 7 turns. The comparisons of the chart still apply effectively over increased turns within timed battles and for monsters of different rarities.
How to read the chart?
Each offensive ability is listed on the left side of the chart. Only monsters that have been won as end of event prizes (Reward monsters with an R in the upper left corner when pictured in your inventory) will have the bonus "+" behind their active for stronger actives.
Each active ability attacks a different number of targets for a different percentage of damage. If you're facing a battle where you know you'll have multiple monsters to face at once, you may be interested in an active like blast or lacerate that targets 5 and 3 monsters respectively. If you're intending to face a single monster in battle, an ability like snipe will hit one monster for the strongest single hit. (Note: toxic damage appears higher but actually accumulates over multiple turns).
The damage percent shows the percentage that your attack stat will be multiplied by when the active is cast.
Each active has a different number of turns to wait prior to their first activation. They also have a different number of "cooldown" turns before they can be activated again (usually the same or less than the turns for the first activation). Venom and Toxic apply their damage over a number of turns after activation. These differences can be seen in the "times activated" column.
What else should I take into account when choosing offensive actives?
Each active has other features beyond damage alone to consider:
Snipe and blast are purely damage attack actives.
Crush will do slightly less damage than snipe, but if the target his is of the same element it will be stunned for 3 turns (before activating again and maintaining the stun).
Lacerate and Wound will prevent a monster from healing. (Useful in defensive battles and against the leach of the leaf crystal boss).
Pound will cause a 1 turn stun of all enemies of the same element. (See post about how to use this to defeat the War Hog if you're stuck there).
Venom and Toxic apply a lesser damage (compared to blast and snipe respectively) but over multiple turns for a greater overall damage if enough turns can be played. These actives avoid defensive abilities like shield.
Vampire both attacks and heals for 66% of the damage.
Drain+ isn't listed in the above chart as it's a newer active. It's similar to Vampire but targets only a single monster for a 550% attack, but with the same 66% healing.
How many enemies will I be facing?
- Regular common/uncommon battles around camp: 3-5
- Troop hall raids: Some waves have 1 monster, others have 3 or 5
- Hall raids (around camp locations): 1 monster [If anyone can verify this, please let me know as it's been a while since I've done them]
- Event raids: Usually 1 monster (very occasionally 2), sometimes there are waves of multiple monsters first (leaf boss raids tend to have these, usually with poison at the final boss).
- Crystal raids: Four waves of 3 monsters each, followed by a single "major boss" (note that wind crystal is the exception with 2 major bosses at once)
- Battle Royale: 5 monsters
- Arena: 5 monsters
- PvP (player vs player): 5 monsters
- Celestial towers: 3 monsters in first 2 waves, then alternates with 1 single monster followed by a wave of 5 monsters. (Early levels have less waves).
- War Hog and Mortimer in the story line quests: waves of multiple monsters then one single boss. [Please correct me if someone has more recently battled these!]
- "Daily" bosses found around the first three areas of camp and played once per day: 1 monster
Where can I find a list of actives for other types of monsters?
The BCrank website has a complete and up-to-date list of every active ability in the game and includes the "old actives" that aren't considered here, as well as defensive and healing actives too.
http://bcrank.us/catalog/actives
