Overheat Vs. Short Circuit

[lessthanoff]

Am I missing something here, or is Overheat just objectively worse than Short Circuit in every way? Or maybe it's a glitch?

Overheat: 29 Damage every second ; Total duration: 2 seconds (pretty sure this used to be 5 seconds, but now it is saying 2 seconds) ; Upload Time: 2 seconds.
Total Damage = 58 over 2 seconds

Short Circuit: Instant 78 Damage; Adds damage for mech-type enemies and drones; Upload Time: 1.5 seconds
Total Damage = 78 instantly, or more for robots

They both take the same amount of ram, and it's faster to use short circuit, so in what universe would I ever want to use Overheat over Short Circuit if it's less damage, takes longer to do less damage, is slower to upload, and costs the same amount of ram?

https://imgur.com/a/REJAGDd

https://imgur.com/a/ondPxQS

[Alt]

Shouldn't be. My overheat deals more damage over time than Short Circuit (unless enemy is a robot). Better to just test it on some gonk of the street.

[Kangaxx]

Contagion + Overheat = Badaboom

[the Literal Worst]

i think you have to take into account duration as well probably (havent done the math so maybe its just as bad after, idk). there are a bunch of perks to increase duration.

i will say i use short circuit more, but that's cause i'm mainly nonlethal

[the Literal Worst]

Originally posted by Kangaxx:

Contagion + Overheat = Badaboom

is there an actual interaction there? or just 2 dots

[Lord Testosticles]

I use overheat a LOT more than short circuit. It does a lot more damage, at least when you're at level 30 and using the 3rd or 4th tier versions. Plus, at 4th tier it has a great synergy with contagion so it has that going for it. I never use short circuit except on bots. Otherwise overheat really works better.

[adobo]

Pretty sure most humans are weak to fire than shock.

[Kangaxx]

Originally posted by the literal worst:

Originally posted by Kangaxx:

Contagion + Overheat = Badaboom

is there an actual interaction there? or just 2 dots

When you use overheat after contagion it explodes.

[Crix]

wow, I get like insta kills on the short circuit.

[lessthanoff]

Originally posted by Kangaxx:

Originally posted by the literal worst:

is there an actual interaction there? or just 2 dots

When you use overheat after contagion it explodes.

So is overheat just worthless until I get contagion? Or until I get higher tiers of it?

[Tokenn]

What tier are you at? Also, Contagion spreads to secondary enemies near your target.

[weiss]

depends how you are skilled tho
at the start is overheat and short circuit basicly the death of every enemy (except is a skull aka higher level then you) there are implants and co. which can increase damage over time. so, if you want to focus on overheat damage, focus on implants matching your skill tree with that stat on them.

i do heavy damage with overheat. i only need to do 1 to kill most enemies. i usually snipe the rest of them int/tech mixx ^,^

[lessthanoff]

Originally posted by Tokenn:

What tier are you at? Also, Contagion spreads to secondary enemies near your target.

Tier 1, and I don't have contagion. Mostly asking if a.) my game is glitched, and it's supposed to be 5 seconds, not 2, which is what it used to be before 2.0 I'm pretty sure. Or, if it's not a bug, b.) if there is literally no reason to use overheat anymore in the early game, when it's inferior to short circuit in every way?

[Mad Max]

Overheat does more damage than Short Circuit but is a DOT.

My Hack Combos:

Goons/Trash Mobs: Cyberware Malfunction -> Short Circuit

Elites/Bosses: Cyberware Malfunction -> Overheat -> Overheat -> Cripple Movement/Disarm

Enemies are Stacked: Cyberware Malfunction -> Contagion -> Overheat

(If you want to be sneaky, replace Cyberware Malfunction with Sonic Shock)

Endgame you can just spam the Overclock -> Synapse Combo (Just keep in mind, it's Lethal)

[Sentient_Toaster]

Originally posted by the literal worst:

Originally posted by Kangaxx:

Contagion + Overheat = Badaboom

is there an actual interaction there? or just 2 dots

That specific interaction requires T4 (or above) Contagion.

With that, any overheat or burn is enough to trigger the explosion.

[.Master Jiren, The Strongest]

a year ago when i played this game short circuit was objectively the best aside from a well placed contagion. But in 2.0 i was using short circuit and noticed it isnt doing hardly any damage to human enemies, so i started using overheat and it OTK's everyone i use it on except for big bad bosses.

Additionally theres really no way to improve short circuit. it just does what it does and thats about it. But overheat is both damage over time and duration based which means it benefits from anything that increases duration of combat quick hacks and increases damage over time. it also benefits from damage versus mechs if you can swing it and it also benefits from anything that just increases flat damage. So overheat benefits from everything while short circuit does not. Unless theres a way to make short circuits duration increase so that it becomes OP like it used to be.