Tier list of melee weapons and zaws for Condition Overload builds for update 25.8.1

In this guide, I share what melee weapons I think make the most use out of "Condition Overload" mod.

Introduction

Hey there!

I thought it could be useful for some to see a ranked list of melee weapons to use for condition overload builds, as such lists could help some players at least get a general sense of what to get next when looking for something powerful - and what weapons to use forma on and not, possibly saving some platinum.

Here is my tier list of melee weapons that make the most use out of "Condition Overload" mod.

The tests for this tier list were done in simulacrum against level 155 enemies using no auras, companions, arcanes, rivens or abilities to increase damage. Each melee weapon was optimized for Condition Overload and some were tested on how they perform against critical damage builds.

Only some zaws were tested; rest based on weapon type ranking.

EDIT: Will be updating this list slowly when I find the time

1. Best melee weapon types and stances for Condition Overload builds

Top melee weapon types and stances to use Condition Overload on (based on general effectiveness and usability of each type of weapon and their stances):

Weapon priority:

1. Polearm (Shimmering Blight>Bleeding Willow)
2. Staff (Clashing Forest)
3. Rapier (Vulpine Mask)
4. Heavy Blade (Cleaving Whirlwind)
5. Gunblade (Bullet Dance)
6. Dual Swords (Carving Mantis)
7. Nunchaku (Atlantis Vulcan)
8. Warfan (Slicing Feathers)
9. Nikana (Decisive Judgement/Tranquil Cleave)
10. Tonfa (Sovereign Outcast)
11. Two-Handed Nikana (Wise Razor)
12. Claws (Vermillion Storm)
13. Blade & Whip (Defiled Snapdragon)
14. Machete (Cyclone Kraken)
15. Sparring (Grim Fury)
16. Scythe (Stalking Fan)
17. Fist (Seismic Palm)
18. Sword & Shield (Eleventh Storm)
19. Glaive (Astral Twilight)
20. Sword (Crimson Dervish)
21. Hammer (Crushing Ruin)
22. Dual Dagger (Sinking Talon)
23. Whip (Burning Wasp/Coiling Viper)
24. Dagger (Stinging Thorn - Instakill on finisher)

2. Condition Overload melee weapon tier list by weapon type (including zaws)

List of melee weapons that make the most use out of Condition Overload (based on general effectiveness of a full status/dps hybrid build).

[number] = More information in the notes section

Polearm:

1. Lesion [1]
2. Pupacyst [2]
3. Cassowar
4. Tonbo
5. Vaykor Sydon
6. Serro
7. Orthos Prime
8. Sydon
9. Kesheg
10. Orthos
11. Guandao


Staff:

1. Tipedo Prime [3]
2. Broken Scepter
3. Tipedo
4. Bo Prime
5. Bo
6. MK1-Bo
7. Amphis


Rapier:

1. Destreza Prime
2. Endura
3. Destreza


Heavy Blade:

needs testing: Zenistar

1. Gram Prime
2. Galatine Prime
3. Scindo Prime
4. War
5. Galatine
6. Gram
7. Paracesis
8. Dark Split-Sword
9. Scindo


Gunblade:

1. Redeemer Prime [4]
2. Sarpa
3. Redeemer


Dual Swords:

1. Twin Krohkur
2. Nami Skyla Prime
3. Dark Split-Sword
4. Dual Kamas Prime
5. Dex Dakra
6. Prisma Dual Cleavers
7. Dual Ichor
8. Twin Basolk
9. Dual Keres
10. Dual Cleavers
11. Nami Skyla
12. Dual Heat Swords
13. Dual Ether
14. Dual Raza
15. Dual Zoren
16. Dual Kamas
17. Dual Skana


Nunchaku:

1. Ninkondi Prime
2. Ninkondi
3. Shaku


Warfan:

1. Gunsen


Nikana:

1. Nikana Prime
2. Skiajati
3. Dragon Nikana


Tonfa:

1. Ohma
2. Kronen Prime
3. Telos Boltace
4. Boltace
5. Kronen


Two-handed Nikana:

1. Tatsu


Claws:

1. Venka Prime
2. Ripkas
3. Venka


Blade and Whip:

1. Mios
2. Lacera
3. Jat Kusar


Machete:

1. Kreska
2. Gazal Machete
3. Nami Solo
4. Prova Vandal
5. Machete Wraith
6. Machete
7. Prova
8. Kama


Sparring:

1. Kogake Prime
2. Prisma Obex
3. Kogake
4. Korrudo
5. Hirudo
6. Obex


Scythe:

1. Caustacyst
2. Anku
3. Hate
4. Reaper Prime
5. Ether Reaper


Fist:

1. Tekko Prime
2. Ankyros Prime
3. Tekko
4. Furax Wraith
5. Ankyros
6. Furax
7. MK1-Furax


Sword & Shield:

1. Cobra & Crane *needs further testing (missing catalyst)
2. Silva & Aegis Prime
3. Sigma & Octantis *needs further testing (missing catalyst)
4. Ack & Brunt
5. Silva & Aegis


Glaive:

1. Pathocyst
2. Glaive Prime
3. Falcor
4. Orvius
5. Cerata
6. Halikar
7. Glaive
8. Kestrel


Sword:

1. Krohkur
2. Broken War
3. Dakra Prime
4. Skana Prime
5. Prisma Skana
6. Mire

Not much difference:

7. Dark Sword
8. Ether Sword
9. Heat Sword
10. Jaw Sword
11. Pangolin Sword
12. Plasma Sword
13. Skana
14. Cronus


Hammer:

1. Volnus
2. Wolf Sledge
3. Arca Titron
4. Jat Kittag
5. Synoid Heliocor
6. Fragor Prime
7. Fragor
8. Sancti Magistar
9. Sibear
10. Heliocor
11. Magistar

Dual Daggers:

1. Okina
2. Ether Daggers
3. Fang Prime
4. Fang


Whip:

1. Galvacord
2. Secura Lecta
3. Atterax
4. Scoliac
5. Lecta


Daggers (based on attack speed, not worth using with C/O)

1. Rakta Dark Dagger
2. Ceramic Dagger
3. Dark Dagger
4. Karyst
5. Heat Dagger
6. Sheev


----


ZAWS:

A good amount of status (32%+ recommended for 100% with 3 60% and Drifting Contact) and speed (0.8-1.0) on zaws seems to work the best for Condition Overload builds.

1. Plague Kripath (Polearm) - RECOMMENDED SPEED: 0.90+
2. Plague Keewar (Staff) - RECOMMENDED SPEED: 0.90+
3. Plague Kripath (Rapier) - RECOMMENDED SPEED: 0.90+
4. Plague Keewar (Scythe) - RECOMMENDED SPEED: 1.00+
5. Mewan (Polearm) - RECOMMENDED SPEED: 0.90+
6. Ooltha (Staff) - RECOMMENDED SPEED: 0.90+
7. Balla (Staff) - RECOMMENDED SPEED: 0.90+
8. Sepfahn (Staff) - RECOMMENDED SPEED: 0.90+
9. Cyath (Polearm) - RECOMMENDED SPEED: 0.90+
10. Sepfahn (Nikana) - RECOMMENDED SPEED: 0.90+
11. Dehtat (Polearm) - RECOMMENDED SPEED: 0.90+
12. Dehtat (Rapier) - RECOMMENDED SPEED: 0.90+
13. Dokrahm (Heavy Blade) - RECOMMENDED SPEED: 1.00+
14. Rabvee (Machete) - RECOMMENDED SPEED: 0.80+
15. Kronsh (Polearm) - RECOMMENDED SPEED: 0.90+
16. Cyath (Machete) - RECOMMENDED SPEED: 0.80+
17. Dokrahm (Scythe) - RECOMMENDED SPEED: 1.00+
18. Kronsh (Polearm) - RECOMMENDED SPEED: 0.90+
19. Mewan (Sword) - RECOMMENDED SPEED: 1.00+
20. Ooltha (Sword) - RECOMMENDED SPEED: 1.00+
21. Rabvee (Hammer) - RECOMMENDED SPEED: 1.00+
22. Balla (Dagger)

Notes

[1] Lesion - Has innate bonus Attack Speed (15%) and bonus Toxin damage (100%) effects, which are granted upon landing a successful attack with a status proc. The buff lasts 6 seconds and can only be refreshed after the buff wears off. Weapon range is good.

[2] Pupacyst - Strong combined elemental effect (Viral) along with high status chance and other weapon procs, but tends to have slow animations for some reason; slow enough that you might need a berserker or range mod to be mobile and land those hits.

[3] Tipedo Prime -

[4] Redeemer & Redeemer Prime - It should be noted that Redeemer and Redeemer Prime are rather status-dependent against armored enemies; while this list doesn't take rivens into account, it is recommended on the weapon so that 100% status can be made more use out of. I would recommend a 3 positive stat, 1 negative stat riven with Electricity or Toxin damage, Status Chance and one of the following stats: Combo Duration > Attack Speed > Projectile Speed. (Thanks Hullohoomans - apparently the Redeemer's effective range is increased with Projectile Speed mods instead, similar to shotguns).

How I ranked some of the weapon types and stances

add explanations here a bit later.

How I ranked some of the melee weapons and zaws on this list

Add explanations here a bit later

[Nomine]

Thanks for letting me know, I just fixed the typo. I'll consider updating the list a bit more tomorrow, as I'm rather busy right now.

[Ackooba]

Sword:

1. Krohkur
2. Broken War
3. Dakra Prim

Little typo there, Dakra Prime is missing the letter "e" at the end.
Very nice guide.