[Question] Excalibur builds and viability

[WrongNote]

Hey guys, I'm looking to find out if Excalibur is a viable frame for end-game content. Basically what I'm looking for is a build whereby I can go into pretty much any mission (every mission if possible) with this build and be good, whether that be solo or otherwise. Any help would be hugely appreciated. I just returned after a long break, so any new mods I won't have access to currently, but I'm more than willing to put in the grind for them.

[artemisfortune]

This game doesn't have end-game that takes much planning quite yet. I'm willing to bet whatever your old build is could probably work.

[Sir_Alex_Traffo]

If you build a Chromatic Blade Excalibur you'll definitely be able to face any content in the game with no issues; sure, you might struggle on a solo Defense, but that's because luckily there are best frames for certain missions and the diversity is key in this game.

This is the build I use:

http://warframe-builder.com/Warframes/Builder/Excalibur/t_30_0402023202_2-1-10-3-8-5-5-0-5-6-3-5-12-5-10-59-2-3-479-7-10-481-6-10-613-9-5_5-9-2-6-59-9-6-6-f-f-12-8-481-7-479-7-3-9-613-5_0/en/1-0-5

The blank slot is for Chromatic Blade; set the color of your energy to an element you won't put in the melee one and build the weapon for damage, elemental combo and speed; if you have Naramon you can try a crit build, otherwise just go Madurai for the extra damage.

My build is just an example, I like to have a decent range if I need to use Radial Blind, though it'll last a few seconds only so it's more like a "OH SHUT" button, plus it helps against Sentients or very tough enemies.

That said, I feel like unless you're using the "randomize build" option, you can't really go wrong with almost any build in this game at the moment, unless you're building Excalibur on Radial Javelin. :D

Edited July 8, 2017 by Sir_Alex_Traffo

[WrongNote]

9 minutes ago, JSharpie said:

This game doesn't have end-game that takes much planning quite yet. I'm willing to bet whatever your old build is could probably work.

Thank you, that makes me feel a lot better :p

[WrongNote]

3 minutes ago, Sir_Alex_Traffo said:

If you build a Chromatic Blade Excalibur you'll definitely be able to face any content in the game with no issues; sure, you might struggle on a solo Defense, but that's because luckily there are best frames for certain missions and the diversity is key in this game.

This is the build I use:

http://warframe-builder.com/Warframes/Builder/Excalibur/t_30_0402023202_2-1-10-3-8-5-5-0-5-6-3-5-12-5-10-59-2-3-479-7-10-481-6-10-613-9-5_5-9-2-6-59-9-6-6-f-f-12-8-481-7-479-7-3-9-613-5_0/en/1-0-5

The blank slot is for Chromatic Blade; set the color of your energy to an element you won't put in the melee one and build the weapon for damage, elemental combo and speed; if you have Naramon you can try a crit build, otherwise just go Madurai for the extra damage.

My build is just an example, I like to have a decent range if I need to use Radial Blind, though it'll last a few seconds only so it's more like a "OH SHUT" button, plus it helps against Sentients or very tough enemies.

That said, I feel like unless you're using the "randomize build" option, you can't really go wrong with almost any build in this game at the moment, unless you're building Excalibur on Radial Javelin. :D

Thanks very much, I'll certainly give that build a try :D

[Sir_Alex_Traffo]

3 minutes ago, AkagamiShanks said:

Thanks very much, I'll certainly give that build a try :D

Feel free to experiment and give it your touch, just consider that the current meta for Excailbur is Chromatic Blade!

[AlphaPHENIX]

I guess you can go for power strength and spam Exalted Blade like the noobies these days.

Any way, Radial Blind is the most useful ability and the augment is also worth it (saves up a slot on Power Strength if you don't plan to rely on Exalted Blade).

If you are going for a full melee build then Surging Dash augment will help with keeping the combo counter up, speaking of which Exalted Blade is upgraded by the mods on your melee so keep that in mind.

I would say to just get enough survivability and go with what you want from there, he is the jack of all trades frame for a reason.

[WrongNote]

Just now, AlphaPHENIX said:

I guess you can go for power strength and spam Exalted Blade like the noobies these days.

Any way, Radial Blind is the most useful ability and the augment is also worth it (saves up a slot on Power Strength if you don't plan to rely on Exalted Blade).

If you are going for a full melee build then Surging Dash augment will help with keeping the combo counter up, speaking of which Exalted Blade is upgraded by the mods on your melee so keep that in mind.

I would say to just get enough survivability and go with what you want from there, he is the jack of all trades frame for a reason.

 

1 minute ago, Sir_Alex_Traffo said:

Feel free to experiment and give it your touch, just consider that the current meta for Excailbur is Chromatic Blade!

Thank you both very much, I'll give everything a try and see what I enjoy the most and feels most comfortable

[Alcatraz]

I use this build for anything and everything out there. I do sorties with this build, I have done raids, high level 1 hour index I've done it with this build too.

I use quick thinking, vitality, and primed flow together so that when I do take hits I don't drop dead from 1 shot, rage to regain energy from the damage I do take, and I use a specific melee build to keep my health up, which repeats itself. Use health to gain energy, gain health using melee/exalted blade and keep going.

Since you are a founder, you'll be able to use the same amount of forma as I did.

https://goo.gl/6NuUr5

Switch Streamline out for Chromatic Blade augment when you wish to use the augment.

I put a more indepth description in the warframe-builder link if you go there and click for description.(click build title beside the 2 stars)

I use Nikana/prime just for the looks, but in it I use mods specifically for exalted blade.  https://goo.gl/ayPel9   In this link is the mods for a very specific build, does not work with chromatic blade augment, that augment actually ruins the build. The mods are meant for level 100-200+ enemies. Description has my other build that I actually use all of the time, but I will show you it here right now in a screenshot of it.

Life strike is unranked for the specifc reasoning that you deal so much damage that you can fully heal yourself upon 1-2 channeled hits with your Exalted blade that you won't need it max rank, and if it was max rank it would use a ton more energy.

Or you can use this set up with Chromatic Blade. Because with Chromatic Blade you will be dealing a lot of status effects so you will be constantly healing yourself with Healing return so that you do not need Life Strike at all. Thus saving energy from using a channel attack.

 

The above elemental combo is for Grineer as they are armored, but; Change Shocking Touch to either Virulent Scourge, or to Molten Impact, and use Red energy color to use Heat that way you're dealing Gas damage with Chromatic Blade for fighting Corpus. They will love(hate) you for it ;)

I have over 500,000 kills with my Excalibur Prime, I use him almost every day, he performs very well in every kind of mission, just change a few mods to suit what you're taking on.

For an extra way to survive, consider ranking up the passive in the Naramon focus school when you complete "The Second Dream" quest.

I don't use it all that often because I regen my health and energy fast enough with how I have everything set up so I can take a good bit of damage without needing the Focus school passives.

Edited July 8, 2017 by Alcatraz

[Arcainyx]

@Alcatraz No Condition Overload on your weapon for a Chromatic Blade setup?  I'd heard that the increase in damage was worth a slot in that build.

[Alcatraz]

While that's true, this build I use deals more than enough damage, and it deals it very fast because of the dual speed mod setup I am running. I used to use Arcane Strike for that extra +20% melee attack speed, but I use Arcane Fury now which is basically the same thing as Condition Overload. Give +40% melee damage on critical hits.

My other build does use Condition Overload, but that build's specifically for really high level fights, Chromatic blade with this build in the screenshots is great for sorties. But I don't normally use Chromatic Blade altogether. Just don't need it all that often unless they like Grineer Sorties have Augmented Armor, then it's worth it. Or Corpus with Augmented shields, you go full up toxin damage, chromatic blade with green energy so you bypass shields completely.

Note: Chromatic Blade does nothing but elemental procs, I/P/S will not proc.

[WrongNote]

On 08/07/2017 at 9:58 PM, Alcatraz said:

I use this build for anything and everything out there. I do sorties with this build, I have done raids, high level 1 hour index I've done it with this build too.

I use quick thinking, vitality, and primed flow together so that when I do take hits I don't drop dead from 1 shot, rage to regain energy from the damage I do take, and I use a specific melee build to keep my health up, which repeats itself. Use health to gain energy, gain health using melee/exalted blade and keep going.

Since you are a founder, you'll be able to use the same amount of forma as I did.

https://goo.gl/6NuUr5

Switch Streamline out for Chromatic Blade augment when you wish to use the augment.

I put a more indepth description in the warframe-builder link if you go there and click for description.(click build title beside the 2 stars)

I use Nikana/prime just for the looks, but in it I use mods specifically for exalted blade.  https://goo.gl/ayPel9   In this link is the mods for a very specific build, does not work with chromatic blade augment, that augment actually ruins the build. The mods are meant for level 100-200+ enemies. Description has my other build that I actually use all of the time, but I will show you it here right now in a screenshot of it.

Life strike is unranked for the specifc reasoning that you deal so much damage that you can fully heal yourself upon 1-2 channeled hits with your Exalted blade that you won't need it max rank, and if it was max rank it would use a ton more energy.

Or you can use this set up with Chromatic Blade. Because with Chromatic Blade you will be dealing a lot of status effects so you will be constantly healing yourself with Healing return so that you do not need Life Strike at all. Thus saving energy from using a channel attack.

 

The above elemental combo is for Grineer as they are armored, but; Change Shocking Touch to either Virulent Scourge, or to Molten Impact, and use Red energy color to use Heat that way you're dealing Gas damage with Chromatic Blade for fighting Corpus. They will love(hate) you for it ;)

I have over 500,000 kills with my Excalibur Prime, I use him almost every day, he performs very well in every kind of mission, just change a few mods to suit what you're taking on.

For an extra way to survive, consider ranking up the passive in the Naramon focus school when you complete "The Second Dream" quest.

I don't use it all that often because I regen my health and energy fast enough with how I have everything set up so I can take a good bit of damage without needing the Focus school passives.

Would I be able to use a skana prime instead of a nikana prime without affecting damage too much? I really love the skana prime and want to use it if I can?

[Alcatraz]

3 hours ago, AkagamiShanks said:

Would I be able to use a skana prime instead of a nikana prime without affecting damage too much? I really love the skana prime and want to use it if I can?

Actually the weapon itself does nothing for Exalted Blade, it is the mods that you put on the weapon that do anything. So in short, Yes you would be able to use it.

[WrongNote]

3 hours ago, Alcatraz said:

Actually the weapon itself does nothing for Exalted Blade, it is the mods that you put on the weapon that do anything. So in short, Yes you would be able to use it.

Wow, thanks very much :D  Also, sorry for the possibly stupid question, but do you use exalted blade instead of your other weapons? And should I be using radial blind while using exalted blade?

[Alcatraz]

44 minutes ago, AkagamiShanks said:

Wow, thanks very much :D  Also, sorry for the possibly stupid question, but do you use exalted blade instead of your other weapons? And should I be using radial blind while using exalted blade?

If you're going to be trying out and using my builds, I do often run around shooting groups of enemies with Amprex, or Wraith Twin Vipers. Once I lose some health and or picked up an energy orb to start Energy Conversion, then I cast Exalted Blade and go around and use it quite a bit throughout missions, but I don't solely use it, no.

Just if I want crowds dead and just speed through the mission I will for sure use Exalted Blade and just punch a hole through the enemy line as I go.

I don't use Radial Blind as often as others do, I don't really need it on the majority of missions even up to level 120. If the enemy is taking a lot of hits to die then I will use it. Use slide attack for a half cost radial blind from Exalted Blade itself at odd times when you're having a tough fight, or even use Radial Blind when you're in it deep and need a quick out if like you're taking too much damage and have to constantly use Life Strike.

Unless of course you're using Chromatic Blade + Healing Return, then you don't have to constantly use Life Strike, but replace it and just blind if you are taking a lot of damage.

I have 510,000 kills with my Excalibur Prime, aiming for 1,000,000 kills with him.

Welcome to PM me in game to chat, or ask other questions here so it can be more publicly shared

[WrongNote]

17 minutes ago, Alcatraz said:

If you're going to be trying out and using my builds, I do often run around shooting groups of enemies with Amprex, or Wraith Twin Vipers. Once I lose some health and or picked up an energy orb to start Energy Conversion, then I cast Exalted Blade and go around and use it quite a bit throughout missions, but I don't solely use it, no.

Just if I want crowds dead and just speed through the mission I will for sure use Exalted Blade and just punch a hole through the enemy line as I go.

I don't use Radial Blind as often as others do, I don't really need it on the majority of missions even up to level 120. If the enemy is taking a lot of hits to die then I will use it. Use slide attack for a half cost radial blind from Exalted Blade itself at odd times when you're having a tough fight, or even use Radial Blind when you're in it deep and need a quick out if like you're taking too much damage and have to constantly use Life Strike.

Unless of course you're using Chromatic Blade + Healing Return, then you don't have to constantly use Life Strike, but replace it and just blind if you are taking a lot of damage.

I have 510,000 kills with my Excalibur Prime, aiming for 1,000,000 kills with him.

Welcome to PM me in game to chat, or ask other questions here so it can be more publicly shared

Thank's very much for all of your help!