What is the best Anthem Interceptor build? It’s certainly a question that will be burning on the mind of players looking to dive into BioWare’s grandiose space romp who sway toward the space ninja persona. True to that archetype, the Interceptor is a swift and sleek assassin who can call upon close-range gear abilities and dual-knife attacks to ensure lethality in confined spaces. The Interceptor does come with a trade-off, however, and can be considered a glass cannon due to its fragile nature. Due to a lower than average health and armour pool you’ll want to utilise your skill-set to stay on the move. Also, you’ll want to be wary of bigger enemies like Titans and Stronghold bosses who will stomp you out at closer ranges. The Interceptor truly thrives against groups of enemies where you can jump in and deal damage while buffing the entire team. To help you tailor your game to those strengths we’ve whipped up a handy guide to the Interceptor and some builds to get you started. Venom Bomb Anthem Interceptor build Primer: Venom Bomb Venom Bomb Detonator: Tempest Strike Tempest Strike Support: Target Beacon Target Beacon Weapon 1: Vassa’s Surprise Vassa’s Surprise Weapon 2: Rolling Carnage Any great combo in Anthem starts with priming the enemy for a detonation attack. With the Interceptor, you’re going to want to start with the Venom Bomb as it affects a wide area and inflicts the acid debuff, which does damage over time and reduces enemy resistances by a third. Another bonus is that you can fire the bomb at mobs while you’re on approach before going in for the kill. Something’s brewing: Here’s our best Anthem Storm build If you’re looking for something that’s more effective against the more hardened baddies rather than the mob, then Cryo Glaive is something you may want to think about. The ice-themed ability freezes a single target and prevents them from dealing damage for a short spell while giving you an ice aura when detonated. Another benefit of denying enemies damage dealing capabilities for a few seconds is that it may just provide a large enough window for you to get away. One of the runaway favourite abilities in the early-meta for the Interceptor is the Tempest Strike. The aerial roundhouse kick sends you spiralling into your foe heel first and will detonate primed enemies. On top of that, it also gives you an elemental aura. Another cool quirk of the Tempest Strike is that the ability won’t go on cooldown until it has landed, meaning that if you launch it in mid-air you can cancel the animation with a jump. Pairing the Tempest Strike with the Venom Bomb has proved an early favourite among players as it allows the Interceptor to slice their way through hordes of weakened enemies. As your melee attack is also detonator, you can get to work on the rest of the mob once you’ve landed the Tempest Strike, too. You can also launch a Target Beacon at a tough enemy so that your whole team deal additional damage. Finally, when it comes to weapons your primary should be Vassa’s Surprise, which works beautifully with a melee-focused class like the Interceptor as it will reload your magazine after striking an enemy with your melee attack. The Rolling Carnage shotgun buffs your damage whenever you dash, making it a great weapon to enter the fray with, so take that as your second pick. Endgame Anthem Interceptor build Ability 1: Ruthless Stalker Ruthless Stalker Ability 2: Sudden Death Sudden Death Support: Target Beacon Target Beacon Weapon 1: Glorious Result Glorious Result Weapon 2: Truth of Tarsis Truth of Tarsis key Component: Elusive Talisman If you’re at the Anthem endgame then you’ll want a build with a bit more detail and damage potential, which is where this ridiculous Interceptor build comes in. Making use of the Target Beacon support ability, which amplifies single target damage on the enemy you attach it to, the rest of this build is all about stacking buffs in order to deal damage in the millions. This build also makes use of endgame gear like Masterworks and Legendary weapons, so it won’t be easy to adapt. Nearly every part of this build revolves around a damage buff: Ruthless Striker, Sudden Death, Target Beacon, Glorious Result, and Truth of Tarsis all buff damage in some respect. Add the right Components on top of that – anything that increases critical damage rolls – and you’ll hit single targets for an astonishing amount of damage. But there is a careful setup to this build that makes it even stronger, especially against bosses. First you’ll want a teammate showering the boss with and Acid elemental to debuff their armour, then you’ll want to throw down your Target Beacon followed by the Ruthless Stalker, which will both increase your damage output on the boss for the next 20 seconds. To set it all off you’ll need to unleash two hits from the Glorious Result, swap to Truth of Tarsis for a critical hit, dash (if you have the Elusive Talisman then this will reload for you), and unleash another shot before the buffs wear off. If used correctly, you can pretty much one-hit most bosses, making this one of the best Interceptor builds for Stronghold runs. Of course there is a hefty downside in how susceptible this Javelin build is to incoming fire, but a good Freelancer will have no problem mitigating this. Combo breaker: How to use Anthem’s primers and detonators So there you have it, the best Interceptor build to get you started in BioWare’s Anthem. If you’re struggling to mech up your mind and would like to try out a different Javelin, then our Anthem Ranger build guide is here. If not that, then maybe BioWare’s big mech boi is more your speed. If so, our Anthem Colossus build guide awaits you with open arms. There’s a lot to get acquainted with in BioWare’s latest space exploration, but the swathe of Javelins embody an array of personalities that’ll leave something for everyone.<doc-sep>How to use combos, primers and detonators in Anthem game Learn how combos work, as well as how to use Primers and Detonators in Anthem. While you can just shoot your way through each mission, knowing how to use Primers and Detonators in Anthem will allow you to string together various Combos. This allows you to deal a lot more damage to enemies, which ultimately will make your time as a Freelancer much easier. Today we’ll touch on Combos, how Primers and Detonators work, as well as cover which attacks do what. How do Combos Work? Before we dive into each aspect of Combos, we want to touch a little on how they work. As with any game that includes Combos, these attacks are basically a string of different attacks that when placed together will allow you to deal a ton of damage to your enemies. If you’ve ever played a fighting game, or even any of the Mass Effect games that BioWare is so known for, then you probably already have a good idea of what Combos are as a basic term. In Anthem, though, each Combo is started by using an attack called a Primer. These kick off the Combo, and when used with a Detonator attack, set off the Combo as a whole. It might sound complicated right now, but after a little explaining, we promise things will be easier to follow, especially as you put more time into the game and get used to how this system works. How to Use Primers and Detonators Attacks in Anthem are broken down into three categories: regular attacks, Primers and Detonators. Regular attacks will do exactly what it sounds like. They’ll deal small amounts of damage and work as your standard way to dealing any kind of hurt to your enemies. In Anthem this includes things like your melee attack and your various guns. Second, there are Primers. These attacks basically set you up for a Combo, and you cannot start a Combo off without using a Primer. Primers and Detonators can be found on the various gear that you can equip for your Javelin. For example, if you’re rocking the Storm Javelin, then equipping a Blast Seal like Ice Storm will equip you with a Primer. You can then use this in conjunction with a Detonator like Glacial Spear to actually trigger the combo and deal a massive amount of damage to your enemies. The icon next to Venom Bomb indicates that the piece of gear is a Primer. The final type of attack are Detonators. These are the things that trigger the Combos that you’ve set up. Unfortunately, without using a Primer first, these attacks will only deal standard damage. We do want to note here that Primers and Detonators are different than the elemental effects that some gear and weapons have, so make sure you’re paying attention to the emblems on the item’s tooltip to know what kind of attacks it brings to the table. Setting yourself up for Combos is all about making sure you have gear that supports Primers and Detonators. You’ll want to equip loadouts that give you both, that way you can then work to hit Combos while taking part in combat. For example, if you’re playing as the Colossus, then you might want to run the Firewall Mortar as your Ordnance Launcher and then include the Railgun as your Heavy Assault Launcher. Together you would then be able to trigger some different Combo hits against enemies that you come across. All Primers and Detonators Of course, if you want to set your loadout up to include Primers and Detonators, then you need to know which gear will give you access to each type of attack. We’ve included a table of the different Primers and Detonators below, which should make it a bit easier to determine how you want your Javelin set up. Ranger Gear Name Attack Type Gear Type Frag Grenade Detonator Grenade Gear Inferno Grenade Primer Grenade Gear Frost Grenade Primer Grenade Gear Seeker Grenades Standard Grenade Gear Sticky Grenade Detonator Grenade Gear Seeking Missile Detonator Assault Launcher Gear Pulse Blast Detonator Assault Launcher Gear Spark Beam Standard Assault Launcher Gear Venom Darts Primer Assault Launcher Gear Blast Missile Standard Assault Launcher Gear Shock Mace Primer Melee Multi-Target Missile Battery Detonator Ultimate Colossus Gear Name Attack Type Gear Type High Explosive Mortar Detonator Ordnance Launcher Burst Mortar Standard Ordnance Launcher Firewall Mortar Primer Ordnance Launcher Lightning Coil Detonator Ordnance Launcher Shock Coil Primer Ordnance Launcher Siege Artillery Detonator Heavy Assault Launcher Flamethrower Primer Heavy Assault Launcher Flak Cannon Standard Heavy Assault Launcher Railgun Detonator Heavy Assault Launcher Venom Spitter Primer Heavy Assault Launcher Heavy Smash Detonator Melee Siege Cannon Detonator Ultimate Storm Gear Name Attack Type Gear Type Lightning Strike Detonator Blast Seals Ice Storm Primer Blast Seals Flame Burst Standard Blast Seals Ice Blast Primer Blast Seals Living Flame Primer Blast Seals Frost Shards Primer Focus Seals Burning Orb Detonator Focus Seals Shock Burst Primer Focus Seals Glacial Spear Detonator Focus Seals Arc Burst Standard Focus Seals Fiery Strike Detonator Melee Elemental Storm Detonator and Primer Ultimate Interceptor Gear Name Attack Type Gear Type Searching Glaive Standard Assault Systems Venom Bomb Primer Assault Systems Cryo Glaive Primer Assault Systems Cluster Mine Standard Assault Systems Spark Dash Detonator Assault Systems Detonating Strike Primer Strike Systems Plasma Star Standard Strike Systems Wraith Strike Standard Strike Systems Tempest Strike Detonator Strike Systems Venom Spray Primer Strike Systems Blader Daggers Detonator Melee Assassin's Blades Detonator Ultimate Info source for tables: Reddit user FireDragon04 Now that you understand Combos, Primers and Detonators, all that’s left to do is get used to making the system work for you. You can also return to our Anthem strategy guide for more help with the game.<doc-sep>BioWare’s Anthem delivers a thrilling experience as players fly around a lush sci-fi dystopia in high-tech suits while fighting all sorts of enemies (basically, it’s the best Iron Man simulator we’ve ever seen). Early Anthem reviews haven’t been kind, but like Destiny or even Fortnite, this is a game that’s bound to get better as time goes on. In the meantime, however, there are a few tips and tricks that will make your current experience a whole lot better. There’s a lot of valuable information that Anthem doesn’t tell players, information that makes the gaming experience much more enjoyable once you’re in on the secrets. For anyone confused about how or why explosive Combos shake the battlefield when someone fires off certain abilities or bewildered by all of the gear slots and power levels, we’ve got five essential things that every Anthem player should know. That includes how often players unlock new Javelin suits, what to do with new loot, and how often they should visit the Forge. Never delete anything while in the Expedition completion screens. BioWare 1. Never “Salvage” Any New Loot, and Always Review It in the Forge Immediately At the end of every expedition, the player is awarded experience based on their performance, but they also get an assorted amount of loot. The only options when a bunch of guns appears is to hold one button to “Salvage” and another to “Exit.” Salvage actually dismantles the weapons into spare parts and exit puts them directly into your inventory. That seems a bit counterintuitive, and it’s probably a UI oversight that’s bound to change before long. Players should always keep everything that drops, only dismantling it once they’ve reviewed it in the Forge and confirmed that it’s under-leveled. Once players finish the expedition results sequence, they’re given the option of where to go. Always go to the Forge! This is where Javelins can be modified. So it’s always best to review all of the new loot and to re-equip any Javelins you might have before you get distracted by some new mission. Anyone who pre-ordered gets access to the Legion of Dawn cosmetic items. BioWare 2. Just Equip Gear With the Highest Power and Ignore Perks in the Early Game Power progression in Anthem is incredibly confusing because the game doesn’t do much to explain it, but the power of an individual Javelin is decided by the sum of all the various parts equipped. (For Destiny fans, this is basically your Light Level, except rather than an average, it’s the sum.) That’s two weapons, two active abilities, one passive ability, and up to six component slots, with the various slots being gradually unlocked as the player levels up. After every Expedition, players are awarded with gear at or slightly above their current power level. As players level up, the power level and overall rarity of their gear drops also increases. (These use the common rarity colors of grey for common, green for uncommon, blue for rare, purple for legendary, and gold for masterwork.) Uncommon and higher items also come with passive perks that stack on top of the gear’s base effect, adding a bit of armor, reducing cooldowns, etc. But because of how quickly better gear drops, players shouldn’t focus on optimizing abilities or building synergy in their character until after they’ve reached the soft level cap around 396. It’s quite literally wasted energy. Like any game of this kind, the entire game changes once the mad rush to the level cap is over. Building a better Javelin is only worth it in the endgame. BioWare 3. Crafting Is Pointless Until Later in the Game Speaking of the rush to hit the level cap, once players unlock crafting as an option, it might seem like a viable way to increase the player’s power levels. But the standard common blueprints players have access to are about equal to their current gear. Players have to complete specific challenges and increase faction loyalties with the Arcanists, Freelancers, and Sentinels in order to unlock more advanced blueprints. These, in turn, grant the privilege of crafting better equipment, assuming players have the required materials. In our experience, crafting does lead to better gear, but it’s easier and quicker to just ignore crafting and hoard materials for the duration of the game. Focus on faction missions, then story missions, and once you get to the endgame, you’ll have enough blueprints and materials to craft better weapons. The random loot drops are more than enough to get you there. Everyone eventually gets all of the Javelins. BioWare 4. Everyone Unlocks All 4 Javelins … Eventually Everyone begins the game as a Ranger in the opening tutorial mission. After that, they reach level 2 and have to select one of the four Javelins to start as. This next part isn’t clear in most guides you see out there, but it does mean players don’t get to keep Ranger. This anxiety-inducing experience feels a lot like picking Commander Shepard’s class in the Mass Effect games, originally a choice that lasted the entire game with no room for do-overs. Even if players restart Anthem, this first choice is still locked. Thankfully, everyone unlocks the remaining Javelins at a quick pace. The next three unlocks happen at level 8, 16, and 26. Reaching level 8 actually happens very quickly, and leveling up happens at a slower rate from there. Even if players feel trapped by a Javelin they don’t like that much, it won’t take too long for them to get access to something different. This handy chart can help players optimize their loadout in terms of Primers and Detonators. BioWare / FireDragon04 5. Learn About Primers, Detonators, and Combos BioWare’s previous games, namely Mass Effect and Dragon Age, utilized a system that allowed for explosive combos in the middle of combat. You might use telekinesis to make an enemy float in mid-air and then trigger an explosion by blasting them with a rocket. Anthem’s system is nearly identical, but it leans more towards elemental combos. In-game, primers are marked by a symbol that’s a circle with a ring around it and detonators look like four-pointed stars. (The above chart is also incredibly helpful navigating the differences.) Each Javelin can only equip one piece of gear/launcher/seal/system from each of the two types. And a number of abilities are neither a primer nor a detonator. So what’s the best course of action? In the ideal world, every individual player would equip their own primer and detonator of different damage types — but they’d also communicate verbally with teammates when they’re launching primers and detonators. This is how top-tier players in the endgame will approach combat. A Colossus with Flamethrower and Lightning Coil would be a good example of a primer and detonator of different damage types. But an Interceptor with Cryo Glaive and Corrosive Spray (two primers) is also viable, because Interceptor’s should be using melee attacks a lot anyway, and they count as a detonator. These are just some of the things that Anthem doesn’t tell players, but they’re definitely the most valuable when it comes to playing the game. Anthem is now available on PC via Origin, PS4, and Xbox One.<doc-sep>
Welcome to our guide to Anthem's Interceptor Javelin, the fastest, sleekest, most agile mech of the four. The Interceptor is extremely mobile, and specialises in dealing close range damage with short-range gear abilities and dual-knife melee attacks. The Interceptor's fragility can make it a tricky class to master, and it doesn't help that the gear descriptions in the Forge are often ambiguous about what the skills really do, and sometimes they are just plain wrong. Let us clear the fog with some combo tips and notes on how best to use your Interceptor, based on about 25 hours we've spent with the game. Make the most of the Interceptor's mobility Triple jump: Hold down the jump button on the first leap to get a bigger jump. The second and third jump will always be the same height. Dash: A quick thrust that is great for dodging Titan attacks. Hold down the dash button to chain up to three dashes together. You can change direction between dashes to triple dash around a corner, or triple dash sideways to strafe out of the way of enemy fire. You can use your triple-dash even if your Javelin is overheated or your team is flight restricted. Use this speed advantage to grab orbs, fetch Shaper artifact pieces and revive allies while your friends are grounded. Fly farther: The Interceptor has access to the same cooling techniques as other Javelins—sharp dives and waterfalls—but it has an advantage over distance because it doesn't have to start flying right away. Triple jump, triple dash, and then activate flight to save some booster energy. Like Storm, the Interceptor can dodge in midair using the dash command. Interceptor Combos The Interceptor has no long range detonator abilities, which means you have to do most of your damage point-blank. As you will be fighting at close range a lot, prioritise Components that most boost your shield and armour capacity, ideally while lending boosts to your chosen elemental primer attacks. Melee damage bonuses are always useful for the Interceptor too. When you land a combo the Interceptor gains an aura that inflicts the primer's status effect on nearby enemies. This can be used aggressively, or as a way to stay alive. Here are a couple of solid builds for different situations. ACID INTERCEPTOR Destroy weak mobs and help your teammates inflict more damage. Venom Bomb is a reliable primer that affects a wide area of effect and inflicts acid status (Acid reduces enemy resistances by a third). You can throw it as you're flying and then use your very useful spinning air melee attack to land and detonate the combo. This clears weak mobs very effectively. This is a great go-to combo for blasting through the story, or for solo sessions where individually slicing up lots of enemies can become tedious. Pair Venom Bomb with Tempest Strike to be more effective against epic enemies and bosses, or go all-acid with the Venom Spray to destroy hordes even more effectively. FROST INTERCEPTOR Stay alive in tough situations. Cryo Glaive can only ice a couple of enemies, but it's a primer that will grant you an ice aura when you detonate it. Ice aura is good for an interceptor because it freezes nearby enemies and stops them from dealing damage. In harder modes and strongholds where enemies hit harder this might be the build to use. Again, detonate with Tempest Strike for big damage. Interceptor play style The Interceptor is a contradictory class in some ways. The dual knives and close combat specialty implies that they're a hero-assassinating rogue class but they actually clear mobs well, and very large bosses like Titans and Stronghold bosses tend to quickly stomp Interceptors at close range. In these instances the Interceptor becomes more of a support class, using combos to clear mobs while inflicting status effects on the boss where possible. In terms of support systems, the status-clearing Rally Cry can occasionally be useful in co-ordinated play, but Target Beacon, which causes a target to take more damage from all sources, is always useful, and should be your default support system. An enemy that is tagged with Target Beacon and Acid will be taking tons of damage from your teammates. Your ultimate locks you into melee attacks, but it makes you invincible and lasts for ages. Activate this to do damage to huge bosses that would otherwise swat you down, or use it to escape a certain death situation.