This is a Heavy Attack spamming build, with the goal of creating huge Gas stacks. Best paired with a Pull or Roar subsume Warframe. [Nautilus] also works nicely for a grouping substitute.

An open goal with this build is to avoid using a Faction mod. To equip one here, swap Galv Elementalist for the Faction mod. And remember, Roar can replace a Faction mod.

While Sac Steel works well on a Heavy Attack build like this, this build is focused on “Gas maxing” and thus needs a free slot for Elementalist.

What Lifts or Knocks Down?

• Standing combo, final attack
• Standing block combo, final attack
• Heavy Attack, both hits (also has forced Slash procs for bigger Affliction damage!)

Evolutions

2- Dreadful [Reach], for wider Heavy Attacks and thus greater output (yes I know about the low Follow Through but there’s more going on here).

3- Nimble Scythe is an easy, low-effort way to build Combo quickly.

4- Swift Transmute recommended, but slot is your preference. Thalys does not have to be evolved for this build to work, it just greatly appreciates the bonuses.

5- Chain Shatter triggers a proper damaging explosion with Status Chance to boot, improving odds of Gas proccs to amplify. Explosive Growth has CC but it does not procc Afflictions and shard damage is awful. Void Splinters grant a passing benefit, sometimes.

Mod Breakdown

• Galvanized Steel: combines a Critical Chance and Critical Damage benefit into one mod, compressing slots nicely.

• Galvanized Elementalist: more Gas procs, higher Gas damage.

• [Berserker Fury]: highest Attack Speed bonus in a single mod slot. I would hope you’re killing enemies often enough to have full stacks.

• Blood Rush and Weeping Wounds: huge stat bonuses on a weapon that can easily, naturally achieve persistent 12x Combo.

• [Virulent Scourge] and [Volcanic Edge]: Gas status. With a dash polarity you can swap [Virulent Scourge] for [Primed Fever Strike], but this won’t improve the Gas damage due to Warframe jank. Good for better weapon damage though, relevant on Acolytes.

• Condition Overload: bread-and-butter damage bonus. Run Primed Pressure Point (and only its Primed version) if you’re lacking a primer.

Bait Mods to Avoid

• Opportunity’s [Reach] creates wide Heavy Attacks, but we need the many Heavy Attacks from Discipline’s Merit. Consistent spam is better than a big hit radius.

• [Lasting Sting] extends the duration of the Gas clouds… but with no grouping and such a tight mod requirement, plus the unreliable benefit of longer lingering clouds, it’s not a good idea for this build.

• Heavy Attack Speed extensions. You don’t want to lose combo by doing a raw Heavy Attack even when the weapon generates combo so quickly. Rely on Discipline’s Merit.