More Horizontal Progression please

[Ibi]

Yes, but Option 2 offers more healing.

If I'm a DPS, why do I care about healing? My role is to deal DPS so, again, option 3 is superior in all situations. Your definition of vertical.

Or, offer 4.

12% chance on hit to deal 1200 damage.

Now you have no healing, for more damage then the healing and damage one.

Okay, now option 4 is superior for a DPS in every fight. Still your definition of vertical.

You've still not answered the question I actually answered: How big does the advantage a piece of gear has, even if it's only on a single fight, for progression to be considered vertical rather than horizontal?

I'll try and make my point clearer.

Gear A: Attack +50
Gear B: Sometimes attacks three times
Gear C: Occasionally launches giant fireballs at the enemy

On paper, these all look like different ways to do damage. No matter which one you choose, you're getting some sort of bonus damage, and though it may vary how much.

Based on this information alone, this matches your definition of horizontal progression, correct?

Let's say on boss fights 1 through 4, they all perform pretty almost identically.

Still horizontal progression, correct?

Now boss fight 5 is introduced, and he's slightly weak to fire damage. Suddenly gear C is about 5% on this fight.

Am I still horizontal progression? Or am I vertical now?

What if boss fight 6 is introduced, and if it's attacked rapidly in succession, it takes more damage from each hit. It's also weak to fire. Gear B is a massive 25% better on this fight, but because of the fire weakness, gear C is 15% better.

Horizontal or vertical?

Then bosses 7 through 20 are introduced, and they're all about even again.

Horizontal or vertical?

Boss 21 is immune to fire.

Horizontal or vertical?