diff --git a/app.js b/app.js
index 67b21d7..b3d95d2 100644
--- a/app.js
+++ b/app.js
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ const PROFILE_IDS = Object.freeze({ LIFESTEAL: "lifesteal", REGEN: "regen" });
 const COMBAT_STYLES = Object.freeze({ MELEE: "melee", RANGED: "ranged", SKILL: "skill" });
 const PIECE_TYPES = Object.freeze({ ITEM: "item", MOUNT: "mount", PET: "pet", SKILL: "skill" });
 const REPLACEMENT_TARGETS = Object.freeze({ MOUNT: "mount", PET: "pet" });
+const OPTIMIZATION_TARGETS = Object.freeze({ DAMAGE: "damage", LIFESTEAL_REGEN: "lifestealRegen" });
 
 const PROFILES = {
   [PROFILE_IDS.LIFESTEAL]: {
@@ -73,6 +74,7 @@ function createDefaultState() {
   return {
     profile: PROFILE_IDS.LIFESTEAL,
     combatStyle: COMBAT_STYLES.MELEE,
+    optimizationTarget: OPTIMIZATION_TARGETS.DAMAGE,
     recommendationCount: 8,
     pieces: slots.map((slot, index) => createDefaultPiece(slot, index)),
     newItem: createDefaultNewItem(),
@@ -128,6 +130,7 @@ function normalizeState(candidate) {
     ...candidate,
     profile,
     combatStyle: Object.values(COMBAT_STYLES).includes(candidate?.combatStyle) ? candidate.combatStyle : COMBAT_STYLES.MELEE,
+    optimizationTarget: Object.values(OPTIMIZATION_TARGETS).includes(candidate?.optimizationTarget) ? candidate.optimizationTarget : OPTIMIZATION_TARGETS.DAMAGE,
     recommendationCount: Math.min(20, Math.max(3, Number(candidate?.recommendationCount || 8))),
     newItem: normalizeNewItem(candidate?.newItem),
     pieces: fallback.pieces.map((piece, index) => normalizePiece(piece, candidate?.pieces?.[index], index)),
@@ -208,6 +211,7 @@ function renderControls() {
   $("#profileSelect").innerHTML = Object.entries(PROFILES).map(([id, profile]) => `<option value="${id}">${profile.label}</option>`).join("");
   $("#profileSelect").value = state.profile;
   $("#combatStyle").value = state.combatStyle;
+  $("#optimizationTarget").value = state.optimizationTarget;
   $("#recommendationCount").value = state.recommendationCount;
 }
 
@@ -661,8 +665,9 @@ function renderEffectTotals(totals, currentDps, currentSurvivability) {
   `).join("");
 }
 
-function getDamageOptimizationEffectIds(combatStyle) {
+function getDamageOptimizationEffectIds(combatStyle, optimizationTarget = OPTIMIZATION_TARGETS.DAMAGE) {
   const ids = ["critChance", "critDamage", "doubleChance", "damage", "attackSpeed"];
+  if (optimizationTarget === OPTIMIZATION_TARGETS.LIFESTEAL_REGEN) ids.push("lifesteal");
   if (combatStyle === COMBAT_STYLES.RANGED) ids.push("rangedDamage");
   else if (combatStyle === COMBAT_STYLES.SKILL) ids.push("skillDamage", "skillCooldown");
   else ids.push("meleeDamage");
@@ -689,9 +694,24 @@ function createEmptyEffectTotals() {
   return Object.fromEntries(EFFECTS.map((effect) => [effect.id, 0]));
 }
 
-function findOptimalDamageSetup(totals, effectCount, combatStyle) {
-  const effectIds = getDamageOptimizationEffectIds(combatStyle);
-  let best = { dps: calculateDps({ ...totals, effects: createEmptyEffectTotals() }, combatStyle), counts: Object.fromEntries(effectIds.map((id) => [id, 0])) };
+function calculateOptimizationMetric(candidateTotals, combatStyle, optimizationTarget) {
+  const dps = calculateDps(candidateTotals, combatStyle);
+  return optimizationTarget === OPTIMIZATION_TARGETS.LIFESTEAL_REGEN
+    ? calculateRegenDetails(candidateTotals, dps).lifesteal
+    : dps;
+}
+
+function getOptimizationMetricLabel(optimizationTarget) {
+  return optimizationTarget === OPTIMIZATION_TARGETS.LIFESTEAL_REGEN ? "Optimal lifesteal regen" : "Optimal DPS";
+}
+
+function findOptimalDamageSetup(totals, effectCount, combatStyle, optimizationTarget) {
+  const effectIds = getDamageOptimizationEffectIds(combatStyle, optimizationTarget);
+  const emptyTotals = { ...totals, effects: createEmptyEffectTotals() };
+  let best = {
+    metric: calculateOptimizationMetric(emptyTotals, combatStyle, optimizationTarget),
+    counts: Object.fromEntries(effectIds.map((id) => [id, 0])),
+  };
   const counts = Object.fromEntries(effectIds.map((id) => [id, 0]));
 
   function visit(effectIndex, remaining) {
@@ -700,8 +720,9 @@ function findOptimalDamageSetup(totals, effectCount, combatStyle) {
       counts[effectId] = remaining;
       const effects = createEmptyEffectTotals();
       for (const id of effectIds) effects[id] = counts[id] * effectById(id).cap;
-      const dps = calculateDps({ baseDamage: totals.baseDamage, baseHealth: totals.baseHealth, effects }, combatStyle);
-      if (dps > best.dps) best = { dps, counts: { ...counts } };
+      const candidateTotals = { baseDamage: totals.baseDamage, baseHealth: totals.baseHealth, effects };
+      const metric = calculateOptimizationMetric(candidateTotals, combatStyle, optimizationTarget);
+      if (metric > best.metric) best = { metric, counts: { ...counts } };
       counts[effectId] = 0;
       return;
     }
@@ -736,12 +757,16 @@ function renderEffectComparisonRows(optimumCounts, currentSummary) {
 
 function renderOptimalDamageSetup(totals, currentDps) {
   const effectCount = countActiveEffects();
-  const optimum = findOptimalDamageSetup(totals, effectCount, state.combatStyle);
-  const delta = percentChange(currentDps, optimum.dps);
+  const optimum = findOptimalDamageSetup(totals, effectCount, state.combatStyle, state.optimizationTarget);
+  const currentMetric = state.optimizationTarget === OPTIMIZATION_TARGETS.LIFESTEAL_REGEN
+    ? calculateRegenDetails(totals, currentDps).lifesteal
+    : currentDps;
+  const delta = percentChange(currentMetric, optimum.metric);
   const currentEffectSummary = summarizeCurrentEffects();
 
   $("#optimumEffectCount").textContent = `${effectCount} effect${effectCount === 1 ? "" : "s"}`;
-  $("#optimumDps").textContent = fmt(optimum.dps);
+  $("#optimumMetricLabel").textContent = getOptimizationMetricLabel(state.optimizationTarget);
+  $("#optimumDps").textContent = fmt(optimum.metric);
   $("#optimumDpsDelta").textContent = formatDelta(delta, "%");
   $("#optimumDpsDelta").className = deltaClass(delta);
   renderEffectComparisonRows(effectCount ? optimum.counts : {}, currentEffectSummary);
@@ -927,6 +952,10 @@ function bindEvents() {
     state.combatStyle = event.target.value;
     updateAnalysis();
   });
+  $("#optimizationTarget").addEventListener("change", (event) => {
+    state.optimizationTarget = event.target.value;
+    updateAnalysis();
+  });
   $("#recommendationCount").addEventListener("input", (event) => {
     state.recommendationCount = Math.min(20, Math.max(3, Number(event.target.value || 8)));
     updateAnalysis();
diff --git a/index.html b/index.html
index a938217..1e28468 100644
--- a/index.html
+++ b/index.html
@@ -91,12 +91,21 @@
 
       <section class="card optimum-card" aria-labelledby="optimum-heading">
         <div class="gear-title-row">
-          <h2 id="optimum-heading">Maximum damage setup</h2>
+          <h2 id="optimum-heading">Optimized effect setup</h2>
           <span id="optimumEffectCount" class="piece-score"></span>
         </div>
-        <p class="muted-copy">Best max-roll damage effect mix using the same number of filled effect slots as your current build.</p>
+        <div class="optimum-header-controls">
+          <p class="muted-copy">Best max-roll effect mix using the same number of filled effect slots as your current build.</p>
+          <label>
+            Optimize for
+            <select id="optimizationTarget">
+              <option value="damage">Raw damage</option>
+              <option value="lifestealRegen">Lifesteal regen</option>
+            </select>
+          </label>
+        </div>
         <div class="optimum-results">
-          <div><span>Optimal DPS</span><strong id="optimumDps">0</strong></div>
+          <div><span id="optimumMetricLabel">Optimal DPS</span><strong id="optimumDps">0</strong></div>
           <div><span>Difference vs current</span><strong id="optimumDpsDelta">0</strong></div>
         </div>
         <div class="effect-comparison-wrap">
diff --git a/styles.css b/styles.css
index 482d102..ce9e0cb 100644
--- a/styles.css
+++ b/styles.css
@@ -261,6 +261,18 @@ h3 { margin-bottom: 0; }
   gap: 0.75rem;
   margin: 1rem 0;
 }
+.optimum-header-controls {
+  display: flex;
+  flex-wrap: wrap;
+  gap: 1rem;
+  align-items: end;
+  justify-content: space-between;
+}
+.optimum-header-controls .muted-copy {
+  flex: 1 1 28rem;
+  margin-bottom: 0;
+}
+.optimum-header-controls label { min-width: 220px; }
 .optimum-results {
   display: grid;
   grid-template-columns: repeat(2, minmax(0, 1fr));