Neutral Nova Exists

[(PSN)DrGrib]

This will not be news to most people here but I've encountered a few people on Hydron and Helene accusing me of using a Slowva because I'm not using a Speedva. The current Google results for neutral Nova don't seem great to me, so I thought I would make a dedicated post.

It is possible to make a neutral Nova. That is, a Nova with 70% power strength that results in a Slow 0% value for Molecular Prime. Most builds I see use Nova Prime, which is currently vaulted and not easy to access for new players. So here is the basic, no forma build I use:
https://overframe.gg/build/109958/

The key is a fully ranked Overextended (which brings power strength down to 40% and Slow down to -30%) plus a fully ranked Intensify (which brings power strength back up to 70% and Slow up to 0%).

Why not just use Speedva? Sometimes Speedva makes the enemies too dangerous in later rounds of Hydron and Helene, especially for squishy frames. I'm talking about Heavy Gunners, Hyekka Masters and their Kavats, and of course Nox. You don't want those enemies sped up if you have a squishy frame. I have seen Speedvas get squishy frames who could have survived normal speed enemies killed (and ironically killed my own Speedva).

Why use Molecular Prime at all if you aren't going to change the speed? This is probably obvious but in case it isn't: it makes the enemies weaker and makes them explode. Which is very useful, especially if you or your teammates are leveling a weak weapon as many people on Hydron and Helene are.

[-CdG-Zilchy]

3 minutes ago, (PSN)DrGrib said:

You don't want those enemies sped up if you have a squishy frame. I have seen Speedvas get squishy frames who could have survived normal speed enemies killed (and ironically killed my own Speedva).

I mean nice setup n all but I will correct one thing, Nova isn't a squishy frame, not with her 1st ability and shield gating. Sincerely, a Nova main. Also Hydron is a horrible way to level things and I recommend new players embrace other faster ways if they want to improve faster.

[GovernmentSecrets.gov]

This is a really good point OP. It's why I don't use Nova, if I opt for the safe logical route defense takes forever and if I opt for speed I eventually will end up needing to stop using my 4 because it's too dangerous for the pod. I'll definitely take this into consideration for a future build.

[-CdG-Zilchy]

4 minutes ago, --Councilor_Vay_Hek-- said:

This is a really good point OP. It's why I don't use Nova, if I opt for the safe logical route defense takes forever and if I opt for speed I eventually will end up needing to stop using my 4 because it's too dangerous for the pod. I'll definitely take this into consideration for a future build.

You can counter this with an ancient healer specter. When I did Steel Path solo all the defense missions were with a Speedva and an ancient healer to keep the pod alive. If it can survive the battering in SP then normal missions won't be any problem at all. 

[GovernmentSecrets.gov]

2 minutes ago, -CdG-Zilchy said:

You can counter this with an ancient healer specter. When I did Steel Path solo all the defense missions were with a Speedva and an ancient healer to keep the pod alive. If it can survive the battering in SP then normal missions won't be any problem at all. 

I knew build all those specters would come in handy some day lmao.

[KnossosTNC]

Yeah, my three Nova mod configurations are labelled "Slowva," "Neutva" and "Speedva," so I have long thought the same thing. Damage boost without the slowing effect.

Rarely use my Neutva and Speedva setups, though. Always prefered other options for Defense and Survivals, where they would be useful.

[Berzerkules]

Just now, KnossosTNC said:

Yeah, my three Nova mod configurations are labelled "Slowva," "Neutva" and "Speedva," so I have long thought the same thing. Damage boost without the slowing effect.

Rarely use my Neutva and Speedball setups, though. Always prefered other options for Defense and Survivals, where they would be useful.

Mine named Chaotic Good/True Neutral/Lawful Evil

[-CdG-Zilchy]

Just now, KnossosTNC said:

Yeah, my three Nova mod configurations are labelled "Slowva," "Neutva" and "Speedva," so I have long thought the same thing. Damage boost without the slowing effect.

Rarely use my Neutva and Speedball setups, though. Always prefered other options for Defense and Survivals, where they would be useful.

I'm almost embarrassed to say that I have 3 Nova Primes with different loadouts on each lol. She's a very versatile frame and of course, gotta go fast(most of the time).

[SneakyErvin]

Neutral Nova is the most enjoyable Nova imo and the one I use in most cases when playing her.

When I dont pick neutral it is either a speed build for trivial defense just to get it done, or a slowva for things like Index or events such as Scarlet Spear. But like many thing in life, the best parts are found in between.

[Butterfly85]

Heh, neutral nova, seems apt given depending on situation and her mod set she is outright chaotic good/evil in the wrong mission

[KnossosTNC]

20 minutes ago, Berzerkules said:

Mine named Chaotic Good/True Neutral/Lawful Evil

Hehe. How come I didn't think of that one? Might be time to hand back my nerd card.

20 minutes ago, -CdG-Zilchy said:

I'm almost embarrassed to say that I have 3 Nova Primes with different loadouts on each lol. She's a very versatile frame and of course, gotta go fast(most of the time).

Yeah. She's a member of my "10 Forma Club" along with Saryn and Ember because I had to find a way to cram the three configs into a single frame. Nova is one of the few frames where the Aura Forma is actually useful.

I usually play solo, though, so the Slowva is the one most useful to me.

[vegetosayajin]

You have all the defences needed(with 300% duration, QT and adaptation) plus utility with rush and VS. You get exactly 70% power with power donation only.
That said if you incidentally go in a squad with a growing power user(let alone 3) it gets not so great, but it's still less offputting then a slowa.
The number of times this has happened is close to 0 tho.
In most cases this is my best setup for a random squad and it works wonderful.

[-CdG-Zilchy]

5 minutes ago, KnossosTNC said:

Hehe. How come I didn't think of that one? Might be time to hand back my nerd card.

Yeah. She's a member of my "10 Forma Club" along with Saryn and Ember because I had to find a way to cram the three configs into a single frame. Nova is one of the few frames where the Aura Forma is actually useful.

I usually play solo, though, so the Slowva is the one most useful to me.

NICE. Yeh that's pretty much it, her augments are good and interesting, her abilities have a ton of different uses and on top of that I use her for various speed running so I have builds for that too and I just end having exilus or D polarities in the way or too many Vs etc so I just decided "stuff it" and built some of the spare sets I had lying around. Frost is also in my 10 forma club due to having changed builds so many times over the years.

[NinjaZeku]

45 minutes ago, (PSN)DrGrib said:

The key is a fully ranked Overextended (which brings power strength down to 40% and Slow down to -30%) plus a fully ranked Intensify (which brings power strength back up to 70% and Slow up to 0%).

Why waste Capacity / Mod slots like that, though?

Just use a R2 Overextended, or Power Donation, bam, -30% Strength, with one Mod, right there.

[(PSN)DrGrib]

1 minute ago, NinjaZeku said:

Just use a R2 Overextended, or Power Donation, bam, -30% Strength, with one Mod, right there.

R2 Overextended is a good point. I only have the one that I maxed out to get Speedva until learning it's problems. As for Power Donation, I'm not doing Arbitrations yet and also if you run into another neutral Nova using the same strategy, it will cancel out, as someone mentioned above.

[ReddyDisco]

34 minutes ago, Berzerkules said:

Mine named Chaotic Good/True Neutral/Lawful Evil

that's good one, mine is a bit uninspired yeeeet/yeet/yt

[(PSN)Deeceem]

Edit: Nevermind. Somebody mentioned that already.

Small sidenote since you talk about pubs: if you have people with Power Donation or Growing Power or whatever else can buff your strength like an Equinox in your squad you become a Slow Nova again. Happens more often than I'd like and why I rather use Speed Nova with Overextended and Power Donation in pub faceroll missions.

[(PSN)DrGrib]

26 minutes ago, (PSN)Deeceem said:

if you have people with Power Donation or Growing Power or whatever else can buff your strength like an Equinox in your squad you become a Slow Nova again.

Actually, you make an important point that nuances my own suggestion that I don't think anyone else had mentioned. I hadn't considered that other people can make you slow again with Power Donation even if you aren't using it yourself. That is indeed an unfortunate risk.

[YazMatazO]

I love neutral Nova. It's the only Nova I ever play or would consider playing. 

[vegetosayajin]

34 minutes ago, (PSN)Deeceem said:

Small sidenote since you talk about pubs: if you have people with Power Donation or Growing Power or whatever else can buff your strength like an Equinox in your squad you become a Slow Nova again. Happens more often than I'd like and why I rather use Speed Nova with Overextended and Power Donation in pub faceroll missions.

For low level missions with pubs(sub 120) speedva is 90% the better choice no matter the mission.
And if I see it's a problem with the auras I just don't use 4 with my build. She is just as dangerous with only the first 3 abilities ;p
And if you see the squad is struggling no matter if it's neutral or slow you can always help them.

[BiancaRoughfin]

I currently use Neutral as my main build for Nova and so far had zero problems with people in mission wile using her. If anyone asks at start i just say Neutral, no Speed Bonus/Penalties.

Neutral nova is a great build, only problem is she relies on the Power Donation mod to work and if someone else in your team also is playing Nova with the game mod, it ruins the whole build so i made a topic highlighting this last month and proposed a Mod for Nova that would remove the need for Power Donation:

 

 

1 hour ago, vegetosayajin said:

 

Spoiler

You have all the defences needed(with 300% duration, QT and adaptation) plus utility with rush and VS. You get exactly 70% power with power donation only.
That said if you incidentally go in a squad with a growing power user(let alone 3) it gets not so great, but it's still less offputting then a slowa.
The number of times this has happened is close to 0 tho.
In most cases this is my best setup for a random squad and it works wonderful.

I made my build a bit different, i didnt add 300% duration, instead added Umbral Fiber to boost her armor, raised her natural damage reduction up to 49.7% and it ramps up to 79.9% when Arcane Guardian triggers. I also dont use Quick Thinking as i main Vararin so its easy to avoid death in most situations.

Spoiler

 

[vegetosayajin]

11 minutes ago, BiancaRoughfin said:

i made a topic highlighting this last month and proposed a Mod for Nova that would remove the need for Power Donation

This will be great if implemented but I doubt it will be soon or ever. We have to hope tho. ^^

 

 

12 minutes ago, BiancaRoughfin said:

I made my build a bit different, i didnt add 300% duration, instead added Umbral Fiber to boost her armor, raised her natural damage reduction up to 49.7% and it ramps up to 79.9% when Arcane Guardian triggers. I also dont use Quick Thinking as i main Vararin so its easy to avoid death in most situations.

How exactly does vazarin save you? Protective dash works on yourself(not a big vazarin user)? Because if it's the healing I have elevate on the op.
I found qt to be more "don't think about anything and just play", but I'm open for suggestions.
Also the full duration is on all of my builds, that full dr is irreplaceable to me.
 

[BiancaRoughfin]

1 minute ago, vegetosayajin said:

How exactly does vazarin save you? Protective dash works on yourself(not a big vazarin user)? Because if it's the healing I have elevate on the op.
I found qt to be more "don't think about anything and just play", but I'm open for suggestions.
Also the full duration is on all of my builds, that full dr is irreplaceable to me.

Yes Protective Dash works on your self giving you the 5 second invulnerability and the healing.

[TARINunit9]

4 hours ago, -CdG-Zilchy said:

I mean nice setup n all but I will correct one thing, Nova isn't a squishy frame, not with her 1st ability and shield gating. Sincerely, a Nova main. 

You need two augments, 400% duration, and Nat Talent in order for Null Star to actually defend you, otherwise you're rocking a whopping 45% damage reduction -- how awesome! -- that will degrade to 30% by the time the casting animation is over. Nova is a squishy frame

[Hierarch777]

So, it turns Molecular Prime into a radial 50% vulnerability debuff. This was an interesting read, thanks for the post, OP.