Understanding Hit Ranges, Buckets, and 1% Cash Loss Mechanics in PIMD

Introduction

In PIMD, hit ranges are determined by four key factors:

1. Profile Stats (Strength + Intelligence)


2. Miscellaneous (Misc) Stats


3. Tutor Bonus (TB)


4. Relationship stats



Each of these elements influences both hit range calculations and cash loss mechanics in PvP. By understanding how they interact, players can optimize their setup to maximize the cash loss damage inflicted on opponents.


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How Hit Ranges Are Calculated

Hit range matchmaking is based on a player's maximum misc holding capacity rather than their current misc. The capacity is determined as follows:

Profile Stats: Allow a player to hold misc up to 2× their total stats.

Tutor Bonus (TB): Allows a player to hold misc up to 4× their TB.


Important Note:
When determining hit ranges, only the maximum misc capacity is considered. Even if a player reduces their current misc, the matchmaking bucket remains based on the cap.


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Understanding Buckets

Hit range is divided into multiple buckets, which serve as tiers for matchmaking:

Matchmaking Buckets:

Players can hit others within their own bucket and up to 3 buckets below.

Conversely, players can be hit by those in their bucket or up to 3 buckets above.


Bucket Width Considerations:

The bucket immediately above you is 4× wider than the bucket immediately below. This means that as your matchmaking bucket increases, reaching a higher pseudo bucket becomes extremely challenging.



Reaching the Top of a Bucket

For maximum PvP effectiveness, a player should aim to be at the top of their current bucket by:

1. Increasing misc stats up to the maximum holding capacity.


2. Ensuring that you occupy the highest possible position within your bucket, as this forces opponents to lose 1% of their cash per hit (compared to the standard 0.2%).

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Pseudo Buckets and Cash Loss Mechanics

In addition to standard matchmaking buckets, there is a system of pseudo buckets that influences cash loss, even though they do not affect hit range matchmaking.

How Pseudo Buckets Work

Calculation:

A player's pseudo bucket position is based on their actual misc (which can include values beyond their cap), rather than the maximum misc capacity used in matchmaking.

If a player lowers their misc, they remain in the same matchmaking bucket but drop into a lower pseudo bucket.


Impact on Cash Loss:

In PIMD, triggering the 1% cash loss per hit hinges on being at the top of your pseudo bucket. If you are at the top, you force an opponent to lose 1% cash per hit provided they are sufficient buckets below you if they are at top of some pseduo bucket or if they are not sufficient buckets below but rather close then they should be at top of any pseduo bucket.However, if an opponent is at the top of their pseudo bucket—especially when their pseudo bucket equals their matchmaking bucket (i.e., they are maxed on misc)—you must not only be at the top of your pseudo bucket but also be in a pseudo bucket sufficiently higher; this means your matchmaking bucket should be three buckets above theirs, and your pseudo bucket should be one level above your matchmaking bucket. At lower stat levels, maxing misc can position you in a higher pseudo bucket than your matchmaking bucket, whereas at higher stats (around 200 mcs or more), maxing misc aligns your pseudo bucket with your matchmaking bucket.

However, as the matchmaking bucket increases, the effect of extra misc (even over cap) on pseudo bucket positioning diminishes. In fact, at higher stats, achieving the extra misc needed to trigger 1% cash loss on an opponent with maxed misc may require having more than 2× your max misc cap.


Old Calculation Method

There is an outdated, rough estimate provided by ata-strange for determining bucket number:

Old Method:

Sum your rs stats, profile stats, misc max cap, and TB.

Convert the total number to binary and count the number of digits in that binary number.

That count is considered your bucket number.



Originally, only your current actual misc was factored into matchmaking bucket calculations. However, matchmaking later shifted to using the maximum misc cap for hit range matchmaking as well as for determining outcome of PvP actions i.e fight , dance, prank, eavesdrop- , except in cases where a player’s misc is less than 100 mcs. In such cases, the current misc is used instead, although at higher stat levels the effect is negligible.


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PvP Plunder and Cash Loss

PvP plunder is directly tied to cash loss mechanics. For example:

Scenario:

If you have 400 mcs and target an 80 mcs account without being able to max your cap, the best strategy is to lower your misc strategically.

Your enemy won’t necessarily announce when they’re losing the most cash, so you should monitor your PvP plunder.


Strategy:

Higher PvP plunder results in the opponent losing less cash per hit, while lower plunder means they lose more.

Attack when your regeneration (regen) is full for consistency.

Gradually lower your misc until your plunder reaches its lowest point; this signals that the enemy is facing maximum cash loss per hit.



Key Insight:
Cash loss is not determined by build type—as once believed—but rather by your bucket positioning and your relative pseudo bucket status.


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Optimizing for PvP Success

To maximize cash loss and overall PvP effectiveness:

1. Maximize Your Misc Stats:

Aim to reach the top of your matchmaking bucket by increasing your misc up to your maximum cap.



2. Manipulate Pseudo Buckets:

Lower your actual misc strategically to drop into the top position of a lower pseudo bucket while staying in the same matchmaking bucket.

Ensure that you are positioned high enough relative to your opponent’s pseudo bucket to trigger the 1% cash loss effect.



3. Monitor PvP Plunder:

Check your plunder readings regularly during fights.

Attack when your regen is full and adjust your misc to keep your enemy’s plunder—and thus their cash loss—at the lowest possible level.



4. Targeting Strategy:

Decide whether to increase or decrease misc based on both your bucket position and your opponent’s pseudo bucket.

Constantly reassess during PvP engagements to adapt your strategy for maximum financial damage.


Conclusion

Mastering the intricacies of hit ranges, buckets, and pseudo buckets is essential for effective PvP in PIMD. By understanding that hit range matchmaking is based solely on your maximum misc capacity while cash loss is affected by your actual misc through pseudo buckets, you can fine-tune your strategy for maximum cash loss damage. This guide emphasizes the importance of:

Maximizing misc stats to occupy the top of your matchmaking bucket.

Strategically lowering your actual misc to drop into a lower pseudo bucket while maintaining top postion in that pseudo bucket, thereby triggering the enhanced 1% cash loss condition.

Monitoring PvP plunder to gauge when your opponent is losing cash most efficiently.

Recognizing that achieving the extra misc needed for the 1% cash loss effect on an opponent with maxed misc could require more than 2× your max misc cap—a significant challenge at higher stat levels.


By keeping these nuances in mind and continuously adjusting your tactics during PvP engagements, you can gain a competitive edge and optimize your cash loss potential against your opponents.

Note : If the opponent is in the same bucket as you or even in a higher bucket but not at its top, then hitting them while you’re at the top of your bucket will trigger the 1% cash loss.

 

There was 1 typo instead of "they should" I meant" they shouldn't "be at top under impact on Cash Loss section of this guide.

If you are targeting a player whose pseudo bucket is close to yours, ensure they are not at the top of any pseudo bucket to make them lose 1%.