Soma Prime Build Question

[Treble557]

So, I've gone with a more traditional crit build as with my soma from before (stopped playin for a year), and it feels kinda like its lacking some of the punch it used to have. 

I could mow down lvl 40-50 targets with it before, but now it seems that its effectiveness stops at around 35ish.

 

Here's my current build. 

 

http://i.imgur.com/AL1gzV7.jpg

 

 

For the final slot I used to just have heat damage. But now im fiddling with electric damage, slash boosting, the bane cards for the various factions... Not sure what really fits that last slot well tho. 

 

I've also been considering dropping hammer shot for corruption/ice ele and seeing how that plays out. Havn't gotten that far yet tho so im not sure how it'll work. 

 

 

What do you guys think? 

 

 

Also, another quick added on question.. Energy Siphon. It feels S#&$ty now in my loki. Like, its SO SLOW.. so slow. As in almost adds nothing so slow. 

 

Am I better off using -armor on enemies now as an aura or something?

[Kai_Shiba]

Remove hammershot, Vital sense is enough to get you covered.

 

Put two elemental mods to create a combined element depending on which faction you face. Then you'll be set

 

 

 

Also, I don't know what build you're running on Loki, but I have energy siphon on mine.

Edited January 7, 2016 by KJRenz

[(PSN)IIIDevoidIII]

Moved to Players Helping Players subforum.

[(PSN)Cwellann]

You need elements.  Get rid of heavy cal (especially at that rank) and put 180% corrosive (or whatever) damage in.  Personally, I like a third element for cross complimentary damage instead of hammer shot, but that's close enough for personal preference.  Serration/Point Strike/Vital Sense/Shred/Split Chamber should be permanently welded to that gun.

 

Energy Siphon alone is enough to maintain permanent invisibility on Loki.  Actually watching it certainly does feel like watching grass grow.

[Shiichibukai]

I feel the same. Lately the soma doesnt have that same feeling anymore. It really feels weak. Same as the normal Hek, some weapons seem to have been scaled down or something is wrong because they never have been that weak before - and no it is not my build

[Kai_Shiba]

I feel the same. Lately the soma doesnt have that same feeling anymore. It really feels weak. Same as the normal Hek, some weapons seem to have been scaled down or something is wrong because they never have been that weak before - and no it is not my build

 

What is your build?

[Treble557]

Really? Crit doesn't work anymore? That sucks. It felt good being away from ele builds.

 

Why ditch heavy cal especially tho? It doesn't inhibit my accuracy much at all at that lvl. What do I replace it with if im going with the two normal corruption and ice cards? are there special ones for those eles I could get to stack up the damage?

[Shiichibukai]

What is your build?

Pretty much the usual - Serration max, Split chamber,vital sense, point strike then it just dependso n w.e im doing. Elementals/shred or heavy caliber. 

So yea its not the build it just doesnt feel right like OP said you used to be able to just mow down enemy waves but now it really just drops down at early levels

[Kai_Shiba]

Really? Crit doesn't work anymore? That sucks. It felt good being away from ele builds.

 

Why ditch heavy cal especially tho? It doesn't inhibit my accuracy much at all at that lvl. What do I replace it with if im going with the two normal corruption and ice cards? are there special ones for those eles I could get to stack up the damage?

 

Sigh no no no. Crit still does work.

 

Your build is fine. Just get rid of Hammer shot. Vital sense is enough.

 

Then just slap 2 elemental mods depending on which faction you face.

[Shiichibukai]

Yea the build is fine somethings wrong with the Soma...or something :/

[Treble557]

Yea the build is fine somethings wrong with the Soma...or something :/

It certainly feels that way. 

I really don't wanna switch main weps. I love assault rifles. But... If the best one is weak suddenly, then I guess I can't use my fav weps :<

[Shiichibukai]

Well its not the "best" but one of the good ones, try Braton Prime its a good weapon too.

[Arenzo4]

Really? Crit doesn't work anymore? That sucks. It felt good being away from ele builds.

 

Why ditch heavy cal especially tho? It doesn't inhibit my accuracy much at all at that lvl. What do I replace it with if im going with the two normal corruption and ice cards? are there special ones for those eles I could get to stack up the damage?

crit works, but hammer shot isnt, also you use crit and elementals on crit weapons

 

http://goo.gl/XcTauf

that might work out better

[rapt0rman]

Nothing's wrong with the soma prime, You just gotta get on your elemental game.

 

I do highly recommend braton prime too though.

[Rydian]

Elementals add tons of damage.  Do not underestimate how much damage an elemental mod can add.

 

A single elemental mod will almost double the damage.

 

 

Add two and it's even better.

 

[(PSN)Cwellann]

crit works, but hammer shot isnt, also you use crit and elementals on crit weapons

 

http://goo.gl/XcTauf

that might work out better

^ Yep.  That's the one - works great, even in level 100 sorties.  Does get a bit ammo drainy, but restores or just swapping to your secondary for a little bit help with that.

[PickleMonster21]

I use this and I don't seem to have trouble with it. It's a more simple Soma Prime build though.

Edit: Also, my Serration is stronger than yours so that gives my stats a tiny edge over yours. I don't use Shred because I think once it gets going, it doesn't need that fire rate. Or the punch through, for that matter. Instead, replace it with an Elemental mod, and add another Elemental mod based on the faction you face.

Edit: You also have 6 Vs, so that may make modding a bit more difficult. Especially if you choose to go with a build like mine where you're using 2 -s and a D. Although you could replace the Elemental mods with Duel Stat Elemental/Status mods if you have them, or you could just swap the Elemental mods for Duel Stat mods if that's what you'd prefer.

Edit: If you use the Duel Stat mods, your Status Chance rises from 24.9% to 43.6% but your Elemental damage falls from 150.5 to 100.3.

Edited January 7, 2016 by PickleMonster21

[Treble557]

Interesting. No ice tho? I recall reading that corruption was a massive damage booster against armored, and ice balanced out its negative modifier. 

 

Yeah, I'll just dual mod it. Unless its possible to forma to re-do a V. I was prepping it for the all crit setup :<

Edited January 7, 2016 by Treble557

[Rydian]

Interesting. No ice tho? I recall reading that corruption was a massive damage booster against armored, and ice balanced out its negative modifier. 

The elementals I added were just tossing anything in to show the damage.  To gear up against each faction, if you only use two elements I'd go for Radiation on Grineer (it's stronger against the heavy armor dudes which are the issue), Magnetic on Corpus (if no Toxin to bypass shields, then stripping them works), and either Corrosive or Gas on the infested depending on whether the tanky dudes or the normal fodder giver you more trouble.

[taiiat]

1 - unless your Heavy Caliber is 8/10+ - don't even put it on.

(it's actually a downgrade for the Weapon, but if you insist on using it, must be atleast that Rank to not be a double downgrade)

2 - Hammershot is not advisable on this Weapon. 

 

so if you remove both (as optimally you should, but you can opt to do something you prefer by all means), replace them with 3 90% Elementals.

(inb4 Darzk points out again that in like 3 possible situations against a single Enemy Hammershot is beneficial - you know how silly that information is, shush you :p)

 

 

and the reason to dump Heavy Caliber is that Soma is a Crit Weapon. you need to be able to reliably shoot Enemies in their Weakpoints. you can't with Heavy Caliber. and should be able to do so even if the Enemy is far away. or anywhere in between.

5 second example:

we assume Multishot and double Crit in both situations. likely outcome anyways.

 

Serration and Heavy Caliber:

http://i.imgur.com/fY65YRD.png

~1907.136 Damage per shot before normalization

 

Serration on it's own but hitting a Weakpoint at all Ranges:

http://i.imgur.com/CXrvEs7.png

~3106.224 Damage per shot before normalization

 

 

oh yeah, and your intended loadout of using Heavy Caliber AND Hammershot:

http://i.imgur.com/T2YY6pu.png

~1647.072 Damage per shot before normalization

 

 

Edit:

oh balls. i forgot to add the Headshot Multiplier to the one without Heavy Caliber, i only added the Crit Weakpoint Bonus.

so remembering to tally both results in:

~6212.448 Damage per shot before normalization

Edited January 8, 2016 by taiiat

[Treble557]

A valid point on the DPS there. So, to add a third element to the wep I need to ditch a V if im ditchin heavy cal. 

 

Before I do this tho, could I please get an explanation on how 3 ele weps work real quick? Why you'd want one over a dual ele wep setup? do 3 setups not require switching for specifics and work better in orokin missions?

[rapt0rman]

It essentially allows you to deal increased damage to a wider range of enemy types (within a faction) and also gives you a wider range of procs (even though you won't be building the soma for status, it's still a lead hose).

Edited January 7, 2016 by rapt0rman

[Treble557]

Mmk. So tell me, what do people do for damage in void missions these days where everything is mixed. How does eleing a wep work out for that now with 2 or 3 ele mods?

[rapt0rman]

Probably the most  common 3 elemental set up for the void is corrosive+cold, Heavy gunners (in particular, because of their ferrite armor) and ancient healers are weak against corrosive, and the corrosive proc itself will strip a percent of an enemies armor. Meanwhile the cold deals bonus damage against shields, which lots of enemies in the void have.

Edited January 7, 2016 by rapt0rman

[(PSN)Cwellann]

Without 4 CP, Corrosive and Cold if you're more scared of Gunners and Ancients, Radiation and Toxin if you're more scared of Bombards.

With 4 CP, Viral and Heat.

Edited January 7, 2016 by (PS4)Cwellann

[(PSN)OrthoDox]

My suggestion would be to take off shred and make an elemental combo depending on the faction. Radiation or corrosive for grineer, magnetic for corpus. Heavy Cal should stay as its accuracy penalty barely touches the soma.