Astral Bond

What triggers the bonuses?

Damage dealt by the Operator or Drifter grants the Companion +60% damage and +30% Void Damage to its attacks for 10 seconds at maximum rank. When the Companion deals Void Damage, the Operator or Drifter gains +30% Amp and Energy Efficiency for 5 seconds. The entry lists these as bonuses; it does not specify how either percentage scales with other effects.

When does it fit?

Use it when you can deal Operator or Drifter damage often enough to refresh the Companion window, and the Companion can land Void Damage to trigger the return bonus. The stated trigger is damage dealt, not simply entering Operator or Drifter form. At rank 0 the bonuses are +10% Companion damage, +5% Void Damage, and +5% Amp and Energy Efficiency; rank 3 raises each to 40%, 20%, and 20%.

Investment and alternatives

This is a rank 0–5 Companion mod with Madurai polarity and base drain 2. Its rank 5 effect is the listed 60% damage and 30% Void Damage, with the 30% Amp and Energy Efficiency return. Compare its Operator/Drifter damage trigger with Seismic Bond’s requirement for an active channeled Ability and Companion melee hits, or Momentous Bond’s Eximus kill trigger. Covert Bond instead requires Finisher and Mercy kills for its stealth effect. These are different conditions, not automatic replacements.

Limitations and tradeoffs

• The benefits depend on dealing damage as the Operator or Drifter and, for the return bonus, on the Companion dealing Void Damage.
• The two effects have different durations: 10 seconds for the Companion bonus and 5 seconds for the Operator or Drifter bonus.