What is this?

This is a heavy attack focused, wide range, status dependant, Proton Snap, Gas+Elec, Influence, Incarnon build. Lots of words just to say it's an Influence build using the pretty forgotten [Proton Snap] mod.

[Proton Snap]?

Yes, yes, your eyes aren't deceiving you, this build uses [Proton Snap], but why?
To make it simple:

• Bonus status is additive, so it's a flat +50%.
  • When Elem Galv is on, the total status goes up to >100%, meaning guaranteed status!
• +100% Toxin is nice, it merges with Heat to make Gas, that's about it.

The downside? You have to wall latch for 2s every 20s, which to be honest, can be very annoying, but that's how it is.

What and how does it do things?

It starts with Rad (Heat+Elec) by default, which is alright, but it doesn't matter as we are using [Proton Snap] to "unlink" both Heat and Elec mods to make Gas instead (Toxin+Heat) while Elec is left alone (mods order is important here), allowing us to trigger Influence. Nourish (recommended) or any kind of Viral source is welcomed for even more damage.

[Proton Snap] could be swapped for Primed Fever Strike or Virulent Scourge to have a default Gas & Elec combination instead ; it won't reach 100% status, at most 96% with 3 60/60s and Galvanized Elementalist.

[Proton Snap] (100%) + [Molten Impact] (90%) + [Shocking Touch] (90%) add up to 280% elemental damage and >100% status chance from [Proton Snap] and Galv Elem.
The best alternative would be [Primed Fever Strike] (165%) + Volcanic Edge (60%) + Voltaic Strike (60%) to get 285% elemental damage (+5% damage), but status will be hard stuck to 81.6%. The Naramon polarity can be used for PFS if needed, you'd need to rearrange mods for both 60/60s.

Modding:

• STANCE: [Galeforce Dawn] is the only stance available.
• EXILUS: [Discipline's Merit] to abuse Heavy Attacks which are 360° of pure joy.
• Galv Steel is a must for crits.
• Galv Elem is a must for status.
  • Allows us to hit a base ~50% status and increases Gas, Elec and Bleed damage. Bleed is forced on heavy.
• (any) [Fury] is a must to compensate for slow attack speed, even in Incarnon form.
  • Berserker is best.
• [Proton Snap] is what allows Status to [Reach] 100%, the +50% is additive.
• Molten for Heat.
  • Defaults to Rad with Elec, but then becomes Gas 'cause of Proton's Toxin.
• Shocking for Elec.
  • Defaults to Rad with Heat, but then returns back to Elec, allowing us to trigger Incluence.
• [Reach] is optional, but I like having ~11m wide attacks.
  • Put a Smite if you prefer or Spring-Loaded if you can't afford [Primed Reach].
  • Smite would be best for more damage, but is faction dependant.
• CO is a must to make the most out of all the status.
  • Without Proton and Viral, we have a base +240% bonus damage, with Proton (or any Toxin mod) it goes up to +320% (because Elec becomes the 4th status) and Viral increases it to +400%.

Incarnon:

1. Incarnon form ; +3m [Reach] and +40% attack speed. Attacks apply "shards" on enemy, which deal bonus damage when its host is hit.
2. Either Dreadful [Reach] for more range (my pick) or Whirling Flurry for a better starting attack speed.
3. Nimble Scythe to generate combo on slide attack. ×12 are pretty common.
4. Swift Transmute as other choices are shit.
5. Anything really, depends on what you like, my pick is Chain Shatter since this is a Heavy attack focused build. Shards go kaboom!

Recommended frames:

• [Saryn] for Toxic Lash, y'know the drill. She also allows for Afflictions build.
• Any frame with Nourish (from [Grendel]) for Viral.
• Any frame with Wrathful Advance (from [Kullervo]) for stupid crits.
  • [Kullervo] loves melee weapons, you can even subsume Nourish over his 4 for stupid crits and Viral.

Alternative to Influence?

Afflictions

If you don't like Influence, Melee Afflictions can be used instead, but is HEAVILY dependent on Heavy attacks which cause knockdown (final attack from base attack also knocks down), but you have to keep in mind that bosses (also overguarded units) cannot be knocked down or lifted in any way, rendering this arcane useless against them.

Heavy attacks apply a guaranteed Bleed. If you still don't like Proton, you can always swap it for Fever. Gas and Blast work well with Afflictions.

Using Proton, you could switch between Blast and Gas ; Blast when Proton is off and Gas+Cold when on. Simply replace Elec by Cold.

Exposure

You could also try Melee Exposure which is mostly for raw damage, rather than "status"-focused build. You'd have to swap CO for Pressure, etc. Proton also becomes obsolete, BUT is a nice +50% status if needed.

[Primed Fever Strike] version