Strongest researchable/skill tree AOE attack?

[PaleEnchantress]

I'd like to experiment with building heroes for aoe attacks instead of mobile aura givers. I'd love to hear about mods, or hero upgrades, or vehicles, that grant it. I am interested in any stand out o es but especially ones from my favorite factoons or tech. I use the improved hero upgrades mod and I am not familiar with all the upgrade paths so that could work too.

Favorite Factions: Syndicate, Kir'Ko, Assembly, Oathbound
Favorite Secret techs: Celestaine, Psynumbra, Heritor, Synthesis

[Seswatha]

Well, there are many different options, some of the more powerful ones in my opinion are:

-Fireburst ammo - turns firearms attacks into basically artillery, making an earlier mod for ignoring line of sight penalties somewhat redundant (it still gives pierce 3 shields). Note: you can alt + click to fire on an empty tile to catch more in aoe. if you fire at the primary target and miss it will still get hit for 75% damage from the splash. Vanguard have probably the best selection of units, vehicles and weapons to use this with but you can go this route with Assembly too, you can use sniper or chopper earlygame and get into a disassembler later. Note that only burn is applied in aoe, so if you use concussion mod it will only apply to the central target.

-Arc extension - allows to hit 2nd target for 50% damage with arc weapons, not as impressive as Fireburst ammo but unlike Fireburst ammo it does apply status effects to both targets making it possible to stun 2 enemies per attack.

-Arc Storm Projector - basically you can put in on any unit that likes to get into melee for huge aoe damage ability, becomes even scarier if you pair it with a Stun Module. Works best if you have Phomethean or Voidtech heroes that can close the distance fast with teleports. For Oathbound works well with Warlord and Champion battlesuits that also have a jump ability that also deals aoe damage.

-Heritor High Lord - Fully stacked judgement is possibly the most damaging ability in the game, at least in terms of raw damage, and you can give them as a vehicle to your heroes. Make sure to max out on essence charges when doing it, combo with Essence Ark buff for even more damage.

-Lightning blade - a random drop, though you can try fish for it with Assembly's unique buildings. Works best with Assembly as well since Assimilate will heal per unit per hit hit. A melee blade that can chain damage to up to 2 extra targets for 50% damage.

-Hoverbike (default Syndicate hero vehicle) shoots in a 3 hex line, so it's possible to hit 2 or sometimes even 3 units with it if very lucky.

-Engulfers have a grenade like attack and can be driven by a hero, it's only usable every 3 turns though.

Some more niche ones:
-Lightning Rider's secondary attack hits everything around it in a 2 tile radius, can be driven by a hero
-Wreckers 1 AP attack hits everything in front, can be driven by a hero
-Disassembler has a built in aoe attack, but only usable every other turn
-Wraith tanks have aoe dmg teleport and aoe shot, can be driven by a hero
-Barragers are aoe artillery that can be driven by a hero

Some powerful ones from the factions you didn't list:
-Promethean Phoenix walker vehicle
-Promethean Phoenix bombs mod
-Vanguard Gunship vehicle (+ fireburst ammo)
-Vanguard Walker vehicle (+ fireburst ammo)
-Vanguard minituarized missile array mod
-Shakarn impairing grenade mod (there are other grenades, this one is just very powerful)
-Shakarn refractor vehicle (using ebb + flow mechanic, best used together with Tactician to speed it up)

I'm sure there are plenty more I'm missing but these are the more powerful ones that you can use on heroes out of the ones I've recalled.

For top 3 general use I'd put Fireburst Ammo, Arc Storm Projector and Arc Extension. Phoenix bombs are also great but are the most expensive tech wise, while Shakarn impairing grenades are available very early and also quite powerful.

[Lacho]

Hi, just to plug some love for Shakarn Sonokarn charged omni beam with Sono Interference Module, Laser precision module and Plasma Disintegrator Module

[PaleEnchantress]

Originally posted by Seswatha:

Well, there are many different options, some of the more powerful ones in my opinion are...

The High Lord vehicle and Arc storm projector are beautiful. I know the chaining attacks are amazing but I am trying to get huge hideously flashy AOE attacks I can scream at my monitor while unleashing. It's a visceral experience I would like without needing to hunt down the paragon faction.

Units that do it is fun too but it's a lot easier to know what racial units can do it

[Reality]

Vanguard -
The AoE attack of assault bikes is no joke, many situations where I used 2 bikes together with massive impact unit mod to make multiple units lose a turn.
Walker vehicle comes with the free action missle
Firearms research has Fireburst ammunition which can be used on mainly troopers or the walker
Walker + jetpack + fireburst = 4 AoE attacks in a turn on someone started way out of your range

Using AoE with standard attacks usually requires holding alt key + click because fireburst weapons by default won't target empty hexes (this can Also be done with chain attackers like synthesis avatar/ psynumbra Malictor to grossly extend their range)

Amazon -the tech tree bombardon doesn't have AoE but the wild bombardon does have it (get it with the control animal spell or spamming clone predator)

DVAR rocket artillery takes long time to get but has the longest range of repeating AoE attacks. Barons/basic bulwark can AoE with fireburst weapons.

Shakarn have (line AoE ) in their basic raider and in the firebrand early on and good lategame AoE on the refractor and sonokarn later.

Kirko-
Barrager n has classic repeating artillery and is Much faster to research than similar units

Oathbound main area will come from the paladin champion Junp attack, although technically wardens and watchers have some too. Maxwells puzzle box unit mod should not be discounted even though it takes a full action to use - against lategame stuff it can outperform arc projector.

Syndicate hero bike has a line AoE attack by default... Unit wise very few use much by default... Some people swear that arc extension guild assassin are their favorite in game though.. Wraith tank and Mirage secondaries don't focus on damage.

Assembly can have AoE on entire army (fireburst for firearm half, arc extension for arc half ... And even the wreckers melee attack can hit 3 units) the standout is lightning riders who don't even need mods to get AoE.

[Stardustfire]

With oathbound a type of AoE are the Heros in the Flightsuit, kitted with Relentless and some other melee skill fun stuff and than jumping betwen enemy units not only gives you the benefit Reality named but on top a Monster that slice up all trying to attack or move near it