I'm weaker than I should be.. No, really!

I just finished the Command Post missions (Nightfall) and decided to switch from Paragon/Monk to Paragon/Warrior. ..One reason being I wanted to effectively use a gold sword I had found before hand. It makes poison last 33% longer (more on this in a bit) and does 10-13 damage, definitely NOT max damage, but it's my first gold item so I'll happily use it anyways.

The thing is, once I switch over I allocated enough points to bring my swordsmanship skill up to 9 (my gold sword needed 8), I used it in combat against some Corsairs (I only have Nightfall) and I was doing 4-7 damage max! What's up with that?!

Also, how do I use the +33% poison duration thing?

you have to first consider the far lower damage that you are doing because of your weapon itself. Then consider damage mitigation that virtually everything in Elona has.

The poison duration is if you use a skill that poisons the mob when you hit them with your sword, the poison duration will last 33% longer, i.e. stated poisoning time = 10 seconds, actual poisoning time = 13 seconds.

So the reason I was doing hardly any damage was because they had some sort of resistance?

yeah, they were wearing armor.

Ah, thats another thing. Can anyone explain armor to me? Is there a way to see the total AR?

there is no total AR each time a enemy attacks you or casts a spell each piece of armor has a % of getting the hit. the chestpiece having the highest procent so if you chest is only 10AR and the rest 80AR u take lots of damage when hit on the chest

ok for example sword damage depends on enemy AI = armor

say ur attaking a corsair Cutthroat A.K.A tank = 80 Ai at least

ur Swordsmanship req was 8 ....u had it at 9 rite.....so ur damage was low as ur primary profession isnt a tank

Warriors can add points to STRENGTH which increases damage output.....

get it?

^^

Holy Crap, I found Nemo!..

Strength doesn't add that much damage, though it does add a small amount of around 1 HP a hit at 10 (in fact its a pretty poor attribute).

Anyway, you were doing less damage for 2 reasons.
1) Enemies have armor level that reduces damage, just like players. You will notice that your sword will do less damage against warriors and paragon enemies, then against casters like mesmers and elementalists of equal levels.

2) The damage numbers given on a weapon are based on attacking a armor level 60 foe with 12 attribute points in a weapon. Although you meet the requirement of the weapon (and thus can wield it properly), you still aren't doing as much damage as you could be. Each point in a weapon attribute raises that weapons damage, so long as you meet the requirement. It doesn't matter what the requirement of the weapon is, so long as you meet it.

Example having 16 points in swordsmanship with a req 9 sword will do the same damage as using a req 10 sword, but having 15 points in swordsmanship does less damage then having 16 points in it.

Ok, I think I understand about swords now.

P.S. so if I have a full suit of Elonian armor each of my.. digits has an 80% to get hit? Or does it mean if I get hit I have an 80% chance to not take damage?

OR, does it mean I simply take 80% less damage?

http://gw.gamewikis.org/wiki/Armor_level
You can see there how the AL affects damage you take.

Edit: typo