Here's what you need to know about damage calculations when breaking monster parts: the increased damage you're seeing isn't from any hidden bonuses (this is why some players get confused when trying to optimize their builds). The damage boost comes from the armor simply losing its defensive properties, which makes perfect sense when you think about it - you've literally broken through their protection!

When you're hunting, the damage is always calculated using the basic components that experienced hunters know well: your weapon's raw and elemental values, motion values from specific attacks (those big overhead smashes feel satisfying for a reason), and the trusty sharpness modifier. What's interesting is how the hitzone values change once you break through that tough exterior - those white or blue damage numbers suddenly turning yellow or orange is actually showing you the true damage potential of your attacks.

The wound system works alongside these mechanics (and is particularly effective when you're coordinating with teammates), but even that follows the standard damage calculations. For example, when you're working on a great izuchi's tail tip with blunt damage, breaking it reveals a 0.8 hitzone value that was always there, just waiting to be exposed.

Tip: pay attention to those damage number colors - they're actually telling you exactly how effective your attacks are against different body parts!