INTRODUCTION

A standard lazy tanky Wukong for speedrunning and general use missions throughout normal starchart and base/early steel path. Falls off in late steelpath/endurance (over level 500).

Don't use [Umbral Fiber] since it only gives an additional 529 armor, compared to 1500 from defy, and a negligble boost to health and strength. [Adaptation] works fine unranked and saves mod capacity if you don't want to spend more forma.

UPDATE MARCH 2025
[Wukong] [Iron Staff] has been mega buffed due to now being able to use Acolyte mods ([Blood Rush] and [Weeping Wounds]) as well as Arcanes (Melee Influence). Since [Iron Staff] has a good base damage, very high range (3.5m base + 5.5m at max combo bonus + 3m from [Primed Reach] = 12m range) and 1 [Follow Through], [Iron Staff] is now one of the strongest 'standard melee' influence weapons in the game. This build below forgoes attack speed due to Arcane Strike on the frame. If you do NOT have Arcane Strike, you should add an attack speed mod (e.g. [Quickening], [Berserker Fury] or [Primed Fury]) over either Smite or Galv Elementalist slots.

PLAYSTYLE

1. Activate clone
2. Press 3 to absorb damage to stack 1500 armor
3. Use 2 to traverse the map and heal when needed
4. Enter 4 and hold down light attack, use tennokai when necessary

BUILD SPECIFICS

Duration
This is mostly for cloud walker so you can travel further with each cast, as well as lenghtening buff durations

Efficiency
High efficiency allows frequent casting of cloudwalker for traversal

Range
Range is not necessary for any abilities except defy and Defy is not useful as a nuke below level 1000.

Strength
Higher strength mainly scales Iron Staff damage unless you run a helminth.

Flexible slots
Aura - can be growing power, enemy radar. Steel charge is used simply for extra mod capacity.
Exilus - can be preparation, primed sure footed/[Handspring], [Vigilante Pursuit]. [Preparation] is preferred, particularly so you can start off using cloud walker for speedrunning missions.

Arcanes
Strike for [Iron Staff] attack speed
[Guardian], Reaper, Grace for more armor and passive healing.
Avenger for more flat crit chance

Helminth
Can go over 1 or 3, depending on if you want the extra 1500 armor for tanking or not

• Nourish for energy and viral procs
• Roar for buffing self, clone and allies and triple dips melee influence
• Wrathful Advance gives flat crit boost for iron staff
• Molt or infested mobility for cloud walker speed boost. Molt provides the highest speed boost at 105% (compared to only 25% for firewalker)
• Perspicacity for spy/rescue sorties for instant hack bypass

Archon Shards
2 amber cast speed shards
2-3 crimson duration shards