INTRO : Will it Omega Blend??
We are going to talk about one of the best 2 forma weapons to make it out of 3.0. This beats out rivened zaws and optimized exalted weapons and even the super cheap 1 forma Lesion that self buffs attackspeed and damage. See: https://overframe.gg/build/7555/lesion/melee-30-1-forma-100-status-armor-strip-viral-slash-more-will-it-blend/ (if you dont like building combo meter try this spam and forget build).
This flexible [Orthos Prime] build has 100% status chance, 50% armor strip with heat, heat damage over time that stacks, slash damage over time that stacks and viral. Remember how its really hard to get corrosive + viral + slash? Well this weapon does it all with 1 forma. And you can use berserker instead of [Organ Shatter] if you like hitting faster (but you deal less damage overall in this case thanks to [Orthos Prime]'s 24% base crit).
Note: If the enemy is status immune, you should use a heavy attack weapon (like [Reaper Prime] or [Pennant]) instead. Eg. Kuva Lich.
MELEE 3.0 Changes
Mastery Rank increased from 2 to 12
Damage increased from 65 to 234
Status Chance increased from 15% to 36%
Critical Chance increased from 10% to 24%
Critical Damage increased from 2x to 2.2x
We also included the recent crit chance mods [True Steel] and [Sacrificial Steel] in our tests but we all know the answer is that they pale in comparison to [Blood Rush] since the real issue is that they additive now.
As you can see the 3.0 chances have improved [Orthos Prime] drastically. It hits several breakpoints. 24% crit chance means with bloodrush and gladiator set, it can reach 314% crit, for all red crits. 36% status chance means it only needs 3 60/60 mods to [Reach] 100% status. This lets us use [Body Count] or berserker (if you are using Naramon focus to sustain combo meter).
All tests done on L165 Corrupted Heavy Gunners and Demolysts using a [Wukong] gladiator setup. Below we attacked targets using E+E combo.
If you want to learn more about how to build a Gladiator set build, check out my 4 guide set on [Wukong] which will walk you through the concept from start to finish, on how its done on any other melee focused warframe.
https://overframe.gg/build/6182/wukong-prime/200k-crits-gladiator-synergy-4-guide-set/
The above build gives you nearly everything you want for 2 forma. Good [Reach], good attack speed (not including self attack speed boost on status proc which means its on all the time), damage scaling (with [Condition Overload]), armor strip 50% for those pesky L200 enemies (heat damage), big damage over time (slash + heat procs 100%). You also get better range than the [Lesion] which can also destroy enemies, just a little slower than this one.
2.7 range = 4.1m [Reach] approx
5.7 range = 7.1m [Reach] approx
As you can see, many weapons have lost out on range due to their internal range not being multiplied by [Primed Reach] even after their base range is improved. This also affected slide attack a lot as now the radius is much smaller without spring loaded blade (which is difficult to fit in any build), along with [Maiming Strike] no longer being multiplied by [Blood Rush], making it far worse. New bloodrush also is weaker even though it can "stack" to a higher amount, as it doesn't multiply off your crit chance anymore (which maiming strike would also be included in the formula).
Keep in mind you need 3 60/60 mods to achieve 100% status.
(Viral + Slash + Heat) [Virulent Scourge] + [Vicious Frost] + [Volcanic Edge] + [Molten Impact] = kills a kills a L165 corrupted heavy gunner in 2x E+E (Slashing Wind) combo faster than other setups. This generates a ton of Heat Dots, Slash dots, and viral damage to reduce max HP by 50% while taking advantage of the toxin bonus.
Now let's say you don't care about armor reduction. Below is a GAS setup that basically kills just as fast, in an AOE (gas damage) with stuns (electricity)
(Gas + Electric + Slash stun setup) [Volcanic Edge] + [Molten Impact] + [Virulent Scourge] + Volatic Strike = kills a L165 corrupted heavy gunner in 2x E+E (Slashing Wind) combo. This generates a ton of toxic damage in an AOE with stuns from electricity proc, and slash procs.
Will it omega blend? Yes it basically blends anything and everything including a demolyst that's been locked down and cannot move (L165 tested). Yes it has short range but its still decent for what it can do. Armored targets? 50% strip. Big targets? 5-20k heat + 5000 slash damage or more a second. Halve its HP because we can instant? Yes.
Why Bodycount??
Drifting contact gives you -2 seconds less of combo duration, and 40% status that is wasted as you already have 100%. Use [Drifting Contact] if you do not have Bodycount.
If you are using focus Naramon Power Spike to retain your combo meter, use Berserker instead. This is recommended if you absolutely want to get the most out of the build as it saves you a slot and increases your damage beyond godlike.
Please note, you should avoid holding down E key which will perform an attack that consumes all your combo meter!! If only this game allowed you to disable heavy attacks on certain stances...
Focus?
If you are using Power Spike from Naramon, you no longer need [Body Count]. This opens that slot up for:
- A Riven!
- Berserker (75% attackspeed will increase your damage and combo generation significantly)
Riven?
- Crit Damage (Damage always improves crit builds)
- Attackspeed (Faster hits = more status = more dots = more damage)
- Range (hit everything at the same time) or Heat Damage (higher DOT damage)
- -infested (or any throw away negative).
Since we are building a crit build with gladiator and bloodrush for all red crits, crit damage does the most damage for you here.
Attack Speed is a great way to get more damage. If Organ Shatter didn't do more than Berserker, we'd be using Berserker.
Range, everyone wants more range.
Heat/Slash, basically more damage that gets multiplied. Good value here.
Crit Chance/Damage. Neither of these will multiply anything but its additive and better than some other stats.
Arcanes?
Arcane Strike - 10% chance for 40% attack speed 12s
Arcane Fury - on crit 40% chance for 120% melee damage for 12s
You do NOT need arcanes for this to kill everything. Note that Arcane [Fury] doesn't multiply the damage, its additive so it may not be the best arcane for the warframe you like to use.
Tests were not done with arcanes.
Warframes?
Like I said in the intro, I am using a [Wukong] gladiator setup which gives you melee set bonus based on combo streak and extra lives if you die to a big one shot. And while you don't need gladiator setup, its recommended to break 300% crit. Below I list suggestions as to other frames that can deal even more damage (you can really use this weapon on any frame though as a backup "I need to kill something" melee weapon).
Chroma - 950% self-buff damage boost.
Mirage - 1050% self-buff damage boost with increased range thanks to mirror images turns this up to godtier if survivability isn't an issue.
Rhino - Easy self buff for 200% damage plus cheap 8000 iron skin for tanking. Let's face it, 2x damage is already more than enough.
Any tanky frame that can be up close and personal. Any melee based frame where you want a backup melee weapon when you're low on energy.
