Understand Dark Sword
Useful when…
- Use normal attacks for a mix of Puncture, Slash, and innate Radiation damage.
- Use slam attacks when you want an area attack that deals Toxin damage.
What do its attacks do?
Normal attacks deal 120 Puncture, 60 Slash, and 80 Radiation damage, for 260 total per listed attack. They have 5% critical chance, a 1.5× critical multiplier, and 40% status chance. The listed attack speed is 0.833 and range is 2.5. The normal attack’s listed follow-through is 0.6.
How do slam attacks differ?
The slam attack is an area attack dealing 520 Toxin damage, with falloff from 0 to 7 meters and 50% reduction at the end of that range. The heavy slam deals 780 Toxin damage, with falloff from 0 to 8 meters and 30% reduction at the end. These are distinct from normal strikes and their Radiation damage profile.
What should guide investment?
The weapon has 40% status chance on normal attacks but only 5% critical chance and a 1.5× critical multiplier. A build that values status effects can make use of the former; a critical-focused investment starts from a comparatively low listed chance. It has no listed built-in upgrade track or ability.
What are the practical limits?
At 2.5 range, it is a melee weapon requiring close engagement. Do not assume the innate Radiation also applies to slam attacks: the listed slam modes deal Toxin. The listed build recipe requires a blueprint, 800 Ferrite, 2 Neurodes, 200 Plastids, and 75 Polymer Bundles; the snapshot tag does not establish current availability.
Limitations and tradeoffs
- Innate Radiation is useful in its normal attack profile, but its normal strike damage is primarily Puncture.
- High listed status chance contrasts with low critical chance and multiplier.
- Slam attacks switch to Toxin damage and have distance falloff.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Treating the slam’s Toxin damage as though it were the normal attack’s Radiation profile.
- Building around critical hits without accounting for the listed 5% critical chance and 1.5× multiplier.