Understand Volnus Prime
Useful when…
- Use normal attacks for the listed mix of Impact, Puncture, and Slash damage.
- Use regular or heavy slams for their separate area Slash damage profiles.
- Account for the 1.1-second heavy-attack wind-up when deciding whether heavy attacks fit your preferred pace.
- Consider its two Madurai polarities when selecting mods that match those slots.
Normal attacks and slam modes
Normal attacks list 250 damage: 115 Slash, 80 Puncture, and 55 Impact. They have 20% critical chance, a 1.8× critical multiplier, 34% status chance, and a listed speed of 1.2. A regular slam deals 500 Slash in an area and lists 30% status chance; its falloff begins at 0 m and reaches 50% reduction at 10 m. A heavy slam deals 750 Slash in an area and lists 30% status chance; its falloff begins at 0 m and reaches 30% reduction at 10 m. Keep these slam entries distinct from the normal-attack damage split.
Handling and mod fit
The listed range is about 2.9 m, follow-through is 0.6, and blocking angle is 50°. Heavy attacks have a 1.1-second wind-up; combo duration is 5 seconds. The weapon lists two Madurai polarities, which may help with slot planning when chosen mods match them. Its listed critical chance is 20% and its normal-attack status chance is 34%; the slam modes each list 30% status chance.
Mastery and alternatives
Volnus Prime requires mastery rank 14. Standard Volnus is also a hammer and has a lower listed mastery requirement of 9; its supplied description says it gains additional Slam Radial Damage when Gara wields it. That described condition applies to standard Volnus and should not be carried over to Volnus Prime. Vitrica is a heavy blade with described glassing and shatter mechanics, while Glaive Prime is described as effective both in close quarters and when thrown at distant enemies. Those weapons have different types and mechanics, so their descriptions alone do not establish them as direct substitutes.
Limitations and tradeoffs
- Requires mastery rank 14.
- Heavy-attack wind-up is 1.1 seconds.
- The two Madurai polarities are useful for mod planning when they match selected mods; they do not themselves specify final damage.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Treating normal-attack damage as the damage profile for either slam mode.
- Assuming standard Volnus's Gara-specific described bonus also applies to Volnus Prime.
- Reading the polarities as a guarantee of a particular build result.