There are many different ways to approach Anthem‘s Javelins, and the build that you use can have a direct effect on how each of the exosuits play. My personal favorite Javelin is the Interceptor, as its fast, acrobatic movements ensures that the game’s action is always intense.
While the Interceptor can be built with a focus on melee or abilities, there is another option. This guide will detail a build for Interceptor that uses guns as its primary source of damage.
To note, the guns that you use with this build don’t matter much. However, you will want to have, at least, Masterwork quality weapons.
Interceptor Weapon Damage Build
I am going to go over the components, abilities, and weapons that I use with this weapon damage focused build. I will also explain why I use them, what bonuses to look for, and how to play using this build.
Components
Components are very important when you reach max level in Anthem. They passively increase your health and shields, and you will notice a huge difference in your power level just by getting a couple of them.
There are only four requisite components for this build — the ones that increase weapon damage. The other two components you choose to equip are up to you.
Here is a list of the necessary components along with details on what they do and brief explanations on their role in the build:
- Elusive Talisman: Increases weapon damage by 25%. Dashing 3 times refills the equipped weapon magazine.
This is the most important component to have for this build, as its second effect plays a critical role in dealing weapon damage. Specifically, it allows you to get all of your ammo back instantly, without reloading, as long as you dash. This ammo also does not come from your reserves, which allows you to have endless firepower.
- Way of Salvage: Increases weapon magazine size by 30% and ammo drop rate by 50%. Collecting ammo increases weapon damage by 40% for 5 seconds.
This component is used specifically for the weapon damage increase it provides for picking up ammo. To note, if you are dashing to get ammo back, with the Elusive Talisman, you won’t be able to pick up any ammo to get this buff. This can be solved by simply firing off some rounds, or reloading manually, when you see ammo on the ground.
- Vengeance Matrix: Increases all damage dealt by 50% and damage taken by 25%. On low health, all damage is increased by 25% for 5 seconds.
This is a huge passive boost to damage, and it gives even more when you reach low health. Furthermore, the extra damage you will take with this component equipped won’t be a big deal as long as you have Masterwork or Legendary components.
- Way of Integration: Increases all damage done by 30% for 5 seconds on a gear hit streak of 2.
This component requires you to hit an enemy with your gear twice to receive the buff, which can be done by using abilities. It is a really useful effect when running something like the Plasma Star, which has multiple charges and recharges quickly.
Gear Abilities
Here are details on the Assault System, Strike System, and Support System for this Interceptor build:
Assault System
- Ruthless Stalker (Upgraded Searching Glaive): Thrown gadget that seeks out target. Grants Striker’s Fury.
- Striker’s Fury increases weapon damage by 60% for 20 seconds when you hit an enemy with Ruthless Stalker.
Strike System
There is no piece that directly increases your weapon damage, so the most important thing is to find a preferred Strike System ability that boosts damage in other ways. Here is what I think works best with the build:
- Sanadeen’s Respite (Upgraded Plasma Star): Throwing star that melts through armor. Hitting enemy weak points instantly restores 35% shields.
This one is nice because it allows you to recover shields easily, for increased survivability. It also recharges very quickly, and it has multiple charges. This means that you can keep up the damage buff provided by Way of Integration.
Support System
- Target Beacon: Locks onto a target, reducing their resistances by 33%. If the enemy is defeated, effect jumps to another.
This is great because it allows you to clear groups of enemies fairly quickly, or you can use it to do a bunch of damage to a boss. It also allows your teammates to deal more damage.
Weapons
As previously mentioned, there are multiple weapons that you can use with this build, as its focus is on increasing all weapon damage. In general, if the weapon fits your play style, or it has good bonuses, use it.
Here is what I’m currently using:
- Siege Breaker (Upgraded Whirlwind): This is a very fast firing sniper rifle that allows your shots to freeze enemies after a 3-hit streak. It shoots like an assault rifle, but you must aim in like other sniper rifles before you can shoot.
This is one of the best guns in the game, and it is made even better by this build, as you won’t ever run out of ammo. It lets you apply freeze, without having to run Cryo Glaive, which means you will have no issue taking out tough enemies and freezing everything.
- Truth of Tarsis (Upgraded Devastator): Shots explode on contact, and hitting enemies under a status effect will set off a chain combo.
There is a reason this gun is called Devastator — it is an absolute monster. Yes, using this weapon with the Siege Breaker allows you to set up and detonate your own combo just by using guns.
The main reason to use this gun, however, is the sheer damage it does. While it can only fire one bullet before needing a reload, the Elusive Talisman allows you to dash to instantly refill the mag. That component also means that you don’t have to worry about the gun’s very low ammo reserve.
To give a sense of this gun’s power, my shots were doing 130k damage or more after breaking the weak points and hitting enemies on Grandmaster 1 of Tyrant Mine. Considering you can fire the Truth of Tarsis every few seconds, a lot of damage can be accumulated in a short time.
Combat Tips
There are a few ways you can play this build, but these general tips should cover any situation:
- Start with Searching Glaive, Target Beacon, and your Strike System ability before shooting.
This will give you the most upfront damage. Again, I use Plasma Star for the Strike System, which will give you the easiest time of keeping the Way of Integration buff.
- Get into the habit of chain dashing constantly. This is done simply by holding down the dash button, or pressing it quickly three times. You will want to do this instead of reloading, even if you haven’t completely drained your ammo.
- Pickup ammo, even if you don’t need it. You want to keep the damage buff from Way of Salvage up as much as possible, so be sure to grab ammo when it drops. Remember, you will need to shoot or manually reload whenever you are at full ammo or you will not be able to pickup the ammo.
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That’s everything you need to know for my Interceptor weapon damage build for Anthem. For players looking to go a different route with this Javelin, it is a great opportunity.
