Penetration Calculator
Will it pen? Pick a round and the armor you expect, set the durability, and get the exact chance from the datamined community formula, plus shots-to-break modeling.
- Datamined formula
- 175 rounds · 83 armors
- Free · No sign-up
Penetration calculator tool
The formula, in plain terms
Your round's penetration power is compared to a threshold that depends on the armor's class and remaining durability:
A = (121 − 5000 ÷ (45 + 2 × durability%)) × class ÷ 10
- pen ≥ A: you penetrate reliably; chance climbs toward ~95%
- A − 15 < pen < A: partial chance (the gritty middle ground)
- pen ≤ A − 15: no penetration, only blunt/minor damage
Cross-validated in independent open-source projects; the model and its limits are documented on the methodology page.
Frequently asked questions
How is penetration chance calculated?
Using the community-datamined formula (cross-validated in independent open-source projects): A = (121 − 5000 ÷ (45 + 2d)) × class ÷ 10, where d is remaining durability percent. If your penetration exceeds A, chance rises steeply (capped at 95% in practice); between A−15 and A there is a partial chance curve; below A−15 the round cannot penetrate. Enter your exact durability for precision.
Why does armor durability matter so much?
A damaged plate protects less. At 50% durability the threshold A drops, so the same round gains penetration chance. This is why spraying a plate with high-armor-damage rounds "opens" it up for your next shots, the calculator shows both the chance now and shots to break.
What about blunt damage?
When a round does not penetrate, a small amount of blunt damage still passes (depending on the armor's blunt throughput and your pen value). It is usually minor for torso armor but relevant for some setups. The model estimates it; treat as approximate.
Which armor should I pick in the calculator?
Use the armor the enemy is likely wearing: class 4 (Korund, Trooper, etc.) for budget kits, class 5 (Slick, Gzhel-K...) for mid, class 6 (Zabralo, Slick plate...) for chads and bosses. The armor list is searchable; current durability defaults to 100%.
Is this exact?
It is the widely-used community approximation of the game's penetration roll, the same math trusted by mainstream Tarkov tools. The game also hides some implementation details (penetration deviation, angle quirks); published limits are on the methodology page.