Boltshark X-80

[Vaati]

What special ammo do you guys run on it, i feel like pheromones and chemical isn't all that much but the taser rounds dont sound all that.

[The man, the myth, the leg]

pheromones
already strong by itself, but amazing with cryo bolts

tazer bolts are kinda underwhelming, havent tried explosive bolts, but from what i heard they also arent amazing

[zverozvero]

I run Pheromones. On any big target or even guard/slasher in a pinch its very good LURE equivalent. Fun on Goo bombers too in Mactera swarms.
And i also pair it with cryos.

Tazers and explosives are rather strong but i like pheromone destracted bugs better.

[Vaati]

Originally posted by The man, the myth, the leg:

pheromones
already strong by itself, but amazing with cryo bolts

tazer bolts are kinda underwhelming, havent tried explosive bolts, but from what i heard they also arent amazing

Cryo bolts an overclock cause its not on the mod list?

[The man, the myth, the leg]

Originally posted by Vaati:

Originally posted by The man, the myth, the leg:

pheromones
already strong by itself, but amazing with cryo bolts

tazer bolts are kinda underwhelming, havent tried explosive bolts, but from what i heard they also arent amazing

Cryo bolts an overclock cause its not on the mod list?

ye
it turns regular bolts into AOE cryo bolts

[SCamp]

For generalist: Taser bolts and then I run Specialist OC (33111). The build has 1 less ammo than if I took normal ammo. Then I use them like regular bolts for single-target, but with the utility of electricity (I can stick 2 onto a high-HP enemy and deal a ton of damage while just ignoring them). One alone will effectively stop a bulk det. The build is very potent in elimination missions with IFG, and it locks down dreads. (I rarely use the electric-arc. Usually only against swarmers/shredders/naedocytes when being lazy.)

If I'm screwing around, I take Pheromone for CC.

===

Chemical Explosion is pretty bad, IMO. It could do well in an enemy-funneling situation with teammates but usually it's outshined by Taser bolts:

- Poison element doesn't work on robots.
- OK single-target damage but no utility.
- Awkward AoE mechanic relies on the bug dying with/from the poison effect. If the bug dies from the arrow, no explosion.

Would like to see it buffed and have the ammo lowered. Example buffs:

- have the bug release a neurotoxin cloud on death.
- afflicted bugs pass neurotoxin to bugs that are near it.
- CE arrow shot at a low-HP target causes the bug to enter the explosion animation rather than outright killing it.

[Age of Nicius]

Pheromones all the time unless i Run bullets of mercy or Elimination

[Guardian_Angel]

Pheromones are the safest pick, and work well with fire and cryo bolts.

Chemical bolts deal a respectable amount of damage in a fairly wide radius, along with stun and fear, but the conditions of make them actually work are quite limiting, and you don't get that many of them either. They work more like ammo savers for your primary ammo even in the best of times.

Electrical bolts, on the other hand, are very nifty. Nearby electric bolts generate an electric arc between them, which deals a lot of damage and slow for the cost. Sticking both bolts into a praetorian brings it down to near death-state just by itself.
Then comes their universality, as they ignore almost all electrical immunities on enemies - you can electrocute just about every enemy with them, which means slowing down dreadnoughts, q'ronars, oppressors etc. It is insanely strong versus dreadnoughts and hiveguards, as you basically apply a permanent 80% slow to them, as well as constant chip damage.
And last, but not least, the arc can be used to set up complex electric fences against swarms. The damage from the electric arcs is high enough to munch through all three types of grunts, and the slow keeps them in place.

[Johnno]

Taser bolts and Cryo OC, just can't pass on the utility of slowing/stopping big enemies, and freezing.

Two taser bolts into a dread or bulk, slows them to a crawl, same with oppressor. One cryo bolt into a spitballer or nexus freezes them. List goes on.

[Zargothrax]

Incendiary bolts are slept on in favor of cryo bolts, they're a really nice option when dealing with large swarms to soften them up and also effortlessly delete swarmers. I usually run phero bolts but I know there's potential in the chemical bolts too, still have to get into using those more though.

[Echo]

i don't. It feels underwhelming without the top OCs no matter what i try

[Frisky]

taser
putting 2 bolts on a bulk det and watching it struggle to move will always amuse me

[Angarvin]

i run taser and cryo

Originally posted by Zargothrax:

Incendiary bolts are slept on in favor of cryo bolts, they're a really nice option when dealing with large swarms to soften them up and also effortlessly delete swarmers.

cryo bolts do the same thing. they also delete swarmers. and when dealing with large swarms they freeze them in place and "softem them up" by applying 300% damage modifier.
however unlike pyro bolts, cryo bolts have the option of dropping flying units like breeders and brundles, freezing spitballers, brood nexuses, wardens and praetorians.

one could argue tho that pyro bolts are better when dealing with robots.

[Chibbity]

Phero is the best, hands down.

Taser is nice too.

[Zargothrax]

Originally posted by Angarvin:

cryo bolts do the same thing. they also delete swarmers. and when dealing with large swarms they freeze them in place and "softem them up" by applying 300% damage modifier.
however unlike pyro bolts, cryo bolts have the option of dropping flying units like breeders and brundles, freezing spitballers, brood nexuses and praetorians.

True, cryo is inherently better against flying enemies, but I still say they aren't as effective as incendiary bolts when it comes to large swarms. 1-2 bolts is all it takes to ignite an entire swarm regardless of how large it is since the flames will quickly spread from one bug to the next. This also makes them more ideal against swarmers than cryo, though both get the job done just fine.

Cryo bolts will only freeze the bugs walking over them and affect nothing else, not to mention frozen bugs will be quickly overtaken by the ones behind them and thus making them tougher to hit.

Maybe it's just me, but if you're trying to ignite rival bots using incendiary bolts then you may need to reevaluate your priorities.

[Aimee]

Taser requires a lot of work, and sometimes dont connect (bug?), but are by far my favorite.
Any big target, including dreadnaughts lose almost all movement speed when inside of an electric arc. Nemesis although a rare enemy, is completely unable to move in it as well.

It can also work in blocking a flank or tunnel for a bit, and there is no limit to how many arcs you can place down.

On big targets, you can even make an arc on the creature themselves. Hitting one of their legs and then hitting another leg or the body. This is a bit tricky on moving targets, but fun.

I do think that the actual strong ''special'' bolts come from overclocks for the Boltshark though. Firebolt is realy strong for waveclear.