INTRODUCTION
This is a general use [Styanax] build for steel path and endurance steel path with high range for full strip with Tharros Strike and Final Stand explosions. Survivability in endurance is from a combination of overguard generated by the augment Intrepid stand (which gives extra 0.5s i-frame gate from depleting overguard) and shield gating (another 1.3s gate) which is complemented by the shield [Regen] from Rally Point. Axios Javelin has questionable targetting and can be replaced with Nourish to boost energy gain, raw weapon damage, final stand raw damage and allows final stand to have a small chance of creating viral status.
[Styanax]'s passive is not specifically worth building excessive amounts of shield for since it is only additive to mods. Even with 2-3 shield mods, the maximum shield + overshield you can reach is about 4000, which equates to 100% additive crit chance or only half of a single Critical Delay, and 2/3rds of what [Zephyr] can [Reach] by simply jumping without having to maintain shields.
UPDATE JULY 2023
The new augment [Intrepid Stand] allows Final Stand to generate overguard on each enemy hit, which scales with strength. Since overguard now has 0.5s gate, [Styanax] is effectively immortal as long as you are hitting enemies in 4.
PLAYSTYLE
- Activate Rally Point and Nourish at the beginning to start passively generating energy.
- Cast Tharros Strike to full strip armor
- Cast Final Stand and aim at groups of enemies to kill them while simultaneously generating shields and overguard.
BUILD SPECIFICS
Duration
Duration is important for easier upkeep of Rally Point as well as the duration and therefore total damage output of Final Stand.
On the other hand Axios Javelin's implosion is fixed at 2s and the duration of pinning a single target is not worth worrying about, while Tharros strike is not affected by duration at all.
Efficiency
Nourish allows you to run negative efficiency, either at 45% or 75% depending on preference, even without Energize, since we can boost Rally Points energy restore to about 20 energy/s and triple energy gain from all sources like orbs. Without Nourish, you can keep this neutral or adjust to preference as Styanax can regenerate energy around 6 energy/s with rally point. Finally, [Equilibrium] is a huge source of energy since it converts health orbs into energy meaning each health orb is 55 energy. Every eximus kill guarantees 2 health orbs or 110 energy while [Synth Deconstruct] on Panzer causes lots of more health orbs to drop. [Primed Flow] is used to help energy economy.
Range
Extreme high range is needed for the pull range of Axios Javelin, range of Tharros Strike and Explosion range of Final Stand.
Strength
Strength is important for Tharros Strikes armor/shield strip, which requires either 200% strength to full strip in one cast or just 164% strength with [Corrosive Projection] in aura. Strength also boosts Rally Points shield on kill and energy regen, as well as overall damage of all his abilities.
Flexible Options
Natural Talent - speeds up cast animations, particularly of Final Stand. Use this if you don't have Amber cast speed shards.
Rolling Guard - grants i-frames and status cleanse.
Vigorous Swap - affects the damage of Final Stand, acting as a 2.65x damage multiplier, but requires you to swap weapons to activate, before pressing 4. This is additive to Arcane Arachne.
Aura
Corrosive Projection - reduces armor from 100% to 82%, meaning you only need to strip the remaining 82% armor with Tharros strike which is hit at 164% strength. This means you can full strip immediately without getting kills first.
Growing Power - boosts all abilities but needs additional aura forma.
Exilus
Totally flexible for [Cunning Drift], [Power Drift] etc. [Primed Sure Footed] is optional since you are knockdown immune with overguard active, but are still susceptible whenever it breaks.
Arcanes
Molt Augmented - gives +60% strength after 250 kills, boosting all abilities. Better used in longer missions.
Arcane Arachne - after wall latch, boosts Final Stand damage by 2.5x for 30s. For weapons, the +150% dmg is additive to Serration etc.
Molt efficiency - more duration with shields active (easy with styanax since 3 gives shields)
Arcane Avenger - adds +45% flat crit chance to weapons, often stronger than Styanax's passive.
ARCHON SHARDS
- TWO AMBER Cast Speed: Mandatory for speeding up final stand animation time
- THREE CRIMSON Strength or Duration: up to personal preference.
HELMINTH OPTIONS
Nourish - Subsume over 1 for a final stand focused build. Nourish gives approximately +100% Viral damage to 4 (which now has a 1.75x multiplier against Cloned Flesh) and even creates the occasional viral status proc and finally multiplies the energy gained by Rally Point to approximately 18 energy/s.
Resonator - Passively turns off enemy aggression but doesnt affect acolytes or overguarded enemies.
Roar - Subsume over 1or 2 for a Final Stand spam focused build, Roar double dips on the forced slash procs. Consider adding Streamline over Transient Fortitude. Note you become very vulnerable while in last stand so this works best in non-steel path. Consider [Adaptation] over [Rolling Guard].
