Covert Lethality Vs Other Mods

[Ojimaru]

I currently have a Karyst with Covert Lethality, but... I'm confused with what else to include into the weapon. I typically equip it when I run 'Frames that guarantees me melee or stealth finishers, so Covert Lethality will deal lethal damage regardless of enemy level or defences. So in that case, damage Mods won't benefit Covert Lethality, neither will attack speed Mods since finisher animations are not modified by such.

 

So, what else should be included into the weapon? Life Strike with Channeling efficiency mods? Does Reach help?

[Gelkor]

Finisher speed is currently affected by attack speed (relatively recent change).  I build for crit rate, speed, and berserker on my Ivara+Karyst accordingly.  Ostensibly finishers can't crit but I still keep noticing berserker procs anyways. *shrug*  Not sure if Reach helps finisher activation range but I use it anyways.

Edited January 12, 2016 by Gelkor

[SmashMeat]

Actually, I do believe attack speed mods affect finisher animation speed now

[xRufus7x]

Actually, I do believe attack speed mods affect finisher animation speed now

This is true.

[Rioma]

Reach and attack speed so you can break containers

[bjorndadwarf]

I've never tried, does Reach extend the range that you get the prompt from for a finisher?  I'm assuming not, but you never know with this game exactly how some mods will end up working. 

[Ojimaru]

Reach and attack speed so you can break containers

Ahahaha. That's so true. I had given up on breaking Grineer containers with the Karyst that I either shoot them or use slam attacks.

[Torhque]

-snip-

Ostensibly finishers can't crit but I still keep noticing berserker procs anyways.

-snip-

I noticed that this happens when you're on the very edge of the boundary for triggering a Stealth Finisher. Your melee weapon does a normal attack swing for a split-second before beginning the animation.

If that brief contact was a crit attack, then Berserker triggers.

[Gelkor]

I noticed that this happens when you're on the very edge of the boundary for triggering a Stealth Finisher. Your melee weapon does a normal attack swing for a split-second before beginning the animation.

If that brief contact was a crit attack, then Berserker triggers.

 

Huh, well that explains it then.

[Ojimaru]

Quick update: Thanks to Windows 10's new built-in recording, I managed to test and confirm that Melee Attack Speed increases the speed of Finisher animations.

 

Also, whether bug or not, Finisher animations do not incur Channeling Cost. (Tested with Quickening).

[elele]

Moa and ancients can't be executed with finisher. Unless you are doing pure grineer content you need all the mods on your dagger.

Moa and ancients can't be executed with finisher. Unless you are doing pure grineer content you need all the mods on your dagger.

[SmashMeat]

Moa and ancients can't be executed with finisher. Unless you are doing pure grineer content you need all the mods on your dagger.

Moa and ancients can't be executed with finisher. Unless you are doing pure grineer content you need all the mods on your dagger.

MOA have had finisher animations added to them, they can now be stealth melee killed from behind. Ancients have had them for a long time as well, although they are tricky to trigger.

[OniGanon]

Berserker doesn't affect Finishers. Only Fury/Spoiled Strike do that.

 

Finishers do not incur Channeling cost, but they also don't do any Channeling damage. Lifestrike works, though.

 

 

For a Karyst, it should be...

 

Covert Lethality, Pressure Point, Fury, Primed Reach, Lifestrike R0-1, 3x elements.

[Ojimaru]

Berserker doesn't affect Finishers. Only Fury/Spoiled Strike do that.

 

Finishers do not incur Channeling cost, but they also don't do any Channeling damage. Lifestrike works, though.

 

 

For a Karyst, it should be...

 

Covert Lethality, Pressure Point, Fury, Primed Reach, Lifestrike R0-1, 3x elements.

Well, attack speed bonus from Berserker affects Finisher animation speed, whereas Lethal Damage are not guaranteed Crits (despite sharing the same font colour) and therefore do not guarantee a Berserker stack. What I'll probably test next is to bump the Karyst's Crit Chance to 20% (True Steel and True Punishment) and see if I can accelerate the Finisher animations.

 

As far as I've tested, Reach (don't have Primed Reach) doesn't increase the trigger range for Finishers (neither do different melee weapon groups, for that matter). 

 

Last but not least, I'm not keen on building damage on the Karyst because in the event that an enemy is not setup for Lethal Damage, I'd rather just shoot them in the face.

[(PSN)MrNishi]

Finishers can Crit

Test showing Berserker proccing and larger 'Finisher Damage'

Meaning the Finisher animation proc's Berserker and damage was inflated : so it Crit

Finisher damage got larger and proc's Berserker

Same Enemy with same level yet damage was larger on the Finisher that proc's Berserker

If builiding around Covert Lethality have to concur with above recommendations:

Since Life-Strike cost no energy during Finishers any Rank is fine

Primed Reach or just Reach for those akwatds moments you perform a normal melee manuever instead of a Finisher.

Fury (Primed Fury after 300 Log-in days..lol)

Berserker

Pressure Point & some Elementals

Until they give us some more Melee mods

Blast with Pointed Wind is just fun or Stanceless/Homing Fang spam Quick-melee ;-)