Apparently this has been the way it is since launch? I see no mention of it here when I search, but it’s been mentioned on other forums when I search Google.
How is this still a thing?
About to test this now
Until I got a response, I didn’t notice the mistake in the title. . I don’t know why, but I seem to have a problem with saying Reaper when I mean Find Your Center.
Just tested it I’m definitely getting the damage boost
Assuming you have an elemental stone, I’m guessing you’re wondering why the damage is lower, with the fp than when you hit the target yourself.
That’s because the elemental melee damage from illuminated fist is excluded.
The melee increase is there, but you won’t get the element with it, and if you’ve maxed tempest you’re missing a good bit of damage because the element isn’t transferred with it.
Especially if you’re playing normal, non m4.
Assuming you’re using sanctuary dummy, and your action skill element is shock
M4 uses the same elemental scaling as tvhm.
and I’ve run the calculation already if you have full tempest (5 points) your shock damage
will do 91% of kinetic damage in m4. in normal you’ll be doing more than kinetic damage.
If this is an intentional choice, it seems pretty absurd. I had figured the bonuses were not being applied at all because the damage was significantly different to the tune of 10k higher with an actual melee, and what I read elsewhere didn’t call out the elemental omission compared with Tempest. That’s why I asked though.
But the game is filled with so random bugs and other absurd choices it’s impossible to tell which this is. Either way it just seems dumb for the gun to be limited like that.
Just did a little more testing jab cross also increase the damage after first hit and it activates wrath also increase it
Yeah. Yeah, exactly I was upset about that too, but for some reason they really didn’t want this gun doing elemental damage. But because I’m stubborn I found my way around that. 
Now I don’t use facepuncher often, but when I do; it shoots 5 elements and does nearly 50k damage. 
and I can get crits.
That’s a wonderful finding. Great job.
That’s true it is recommended to run some type of white elephant when using it
I use uhh commander planetoid i think it’s called, the captain planet one. I found one with an elemental stone .
Plus I do different ase element with my shield and grenade and I get my action skill element from a little bit of infusion.
As long as I keep shooting eventually I’ll do at least 12k with each element and with phasezerk I can keep them up.
I didn’t even mean to find that, I only cheesed the phasezerk because I lost my breaker mod at the slots.
Commander Planetoid is the one.
I have a Shock Stone and Cryo Stone on the top, as well as a +28% melee in the bottom third. At level 53 they could give you another 175% melee. Don’t have a 57 yet. Toss on a Breaker Com with +1 Find Your Center and +52% melee… You can hit around 1200% melee boost with Amara, assuming you’re lucky enough to find Brawler Ward with 300% and 200% anointment.
For me the best breaker mod would be find your center and 4 in jab cross with the bonus stats being melee damage weapon damage and splash damage
Working on getting a 57 shield with 200% melee and the facepuncher with 300% weapon damage but no luck so far
What good is the higher level shield (assuming you meant Brawler Ward)?
Lower level means lower capacity, which means you receive the melee bonus faster. Personally I’m just fine with the level 53 in my bank.
well there’s slightly higher bonuses, but I believe his issue is he doesn’t have a good lower level one, and he can only farm it at the level he is. Plus it’s easy to break it yourself if you need to beforehand, then just keep your regen and life steal up and you’re fine.
Level has nothing to do with Brawler Ward’s melee bonus. 300% is 300%, same with the anointment. Not already having one is a perfectly logical explanation, but increasing the level won’t give you more damage.
that’s true but you may actually be able to pull more damage with a phasezerker mod
if you keep grasping you can keep the elements going indefinitely that’s how I got my damage to 50k per shot. That’s before even breaking my 300% ward. : D
yeah I was thinking about something else. Doing too much at one time. lol
I’m just talking theoretical max bonus for melee, not trying to claim it’s actually the best option.
You’re right in a lot of ways because the bonus elements can score critical damage.