Looking at new weapons and their available perk combos to figure out what's good and what's trash. Starting with Episodic Weapons.
Looks like all Episodic Weapons are again not craftable. They drop from the Dreadnought and can drop as "shiny" with multiple perks. It also appears there are Adept versions but I don't know or can't remember how we get them.
I am only going to list perks that I think are good on their own or combo well with another perk available on the gun.
These guns have two origin traits which is nice.
Willing Vessel (NEW)
Dealing damage or defeating targets with this weapon gradually grants increased stability, handling, reload speed, and charge rate. This effect gradually decreases over time but is gained more quickly while near allies.
Runneth Over (Kings Fall Trait)
Reloading near allies overflows the magazine. Bows receive faster draw time and Swords receive faster charge rate.
Adamantite - Strand Support Frame AR:
- First Column:
- Reciprocity - When you heal allies with this weapon you also are healed.
- Slice
- Unrelenting
- Subsistence
- Demolitionist
- Second Column:
- Elemental Honing - Dealing elemental damage grants a stacking damage bonus.
- Hatchling
- Circle of Life
- Tear - Precision kills cause nearby targets to become severed.
- Combos:
- I kind of feel like you can't go wrong with anything in the first column I've listed.
- If you want this gun to lean more into damage dealing then I'd go Subsistence+Elemental Honing.
- Thoughts:
- Being a support frame I'm only considering this for PVE really. It's only the second one we've gotten and it being Strand is a big plus.
- I'll for sure be looking for one of these to drop if I play enough.
Anamnesis - Void Lightweight Bow:
- First Column:
- To the Pain
- Archers Tempo
- Repulsor Brace
- Successful Warm Up
- Second Column:
- Explosive Head
- Sword Logic
- Impulse Amplifier
- Demoralize - Precision Kills make nearby enemies weakened
- Combos:
- I think this is another one where you can just pick two and you have a competent bow to use.
- Demoralize seems neat though if the AoE is big enough. I'd have to do a little build crafting to see if it can combo with void classes.
- Thoughts:
- Look, it's a bow. Besides the new perk I don't think it's something to chase or pay attention to.
Mirror Imago - Strand Adaptive SMG (900RPM):
- First Column:
- Overflow
- Moving Target
- Subsistence
- Grave Robber
- Recycled Energy
- To The Pain
- Second Column:
- Unrelenting
- Permeability
- Sword Logic
- Target Lock
- Hatchling
- Combos:
- PVE: Anything but MT and TTP in column 1 + Anything in Column 2
- PVP: MT or TTP in column 1 + Target Lock
- Thoughts:
- Big miss on not giving this gun Slice.
- It's also a 900 RPM adaptive frame which are generally not great SMGs
- We'll see how much energy Recycled Energy refunds.
Refusal of The Call - Strand Adaptive Glaive:
- Thoughts:
- It's a Strand Glaive. We don't have one yet. It's got good perk combos but I still think Glaives are poop.
- Glaives just didn't catch on. We didn't get enough of them when they came out and they took too many balance passes to even get them in a spot that's just okay
- Now there's no point to having them when our offensive and healing capabilities invalidate half the function of a Glaive.
Abyssal Edge - Strand Wave Sword:
- You want Relentless Strikes or Slice with either Sword Logic, Elemental Honing, or Surrounded.
- Swords boil down to two things for most players. Make the sword have more ammo so I can attack more and make it hit harder. There's only a few ways you get to that point.
- They keep trying to do all this stuff where you get buffs after blocking and you just don't need to do that in 99% of the situations where you're using a sword in this game.
Watchful Eye - Arc Agressive Frame MG:
- First Column:
- Eddy Current
- Field Prep
- Mulligan
- Dynamic Sway Reduction
- Overflow
- Second Column:
- Sword Logic
- Target Lock
- Surrounded
- Elemental Honing
- Killing Tally
- Rolling Storm - Final Blows grant Bolt Charges
- Jolting Feedback
- Combos:
- I mean pick your favorite of those listed above. I'm going for Overflow + Jolting Feedback
- Thoughts:
- This gun is cooking. Lots of good perk options to choose from.
- This is the second Aggressive Frame MG we've gotten?
Eyes Unveiled - Void Precision LFR:
- First Column:
- Field Prep
- Triple Tap
- Overflow
- Ambitious Assassin
- Second Column:
- Withering Gaze
- Adagio
- Frenzy
- Combos:
- Triple Tap + Withering Gaze seems like the best "no brain required" combo for DPS here
- It's got some combos that would work in PVP but if I'm playing PVP I'm probably using a rocket or GL as my heavy.
- Thoughts:
- Withering Gaze makes this thing worth a look. I know LFRs aren't the best for DPS but being able to weaken a boss without a tether is a big plus.
Division - Arc Heavy Burst Sidearm:
- First Column:
- Encore
- Grave Robber
- Pugalist
- To The Pain
- Eddy Current
- Perfect Float
- Second Column:
- Surrounded
- Eye of The Storm
- Swashbuckler
- Sword Logic
- Kill Clip
- Voltshot
- Combos:
- PVE: Grave Robber or Eddy Current + Voltshot
- PVP: Lots of options. I'd probably go for To The Pain + Eye of The Storm for maximum dueling potential.
- Thoughts:
- Heavy on the PVP perks here which is fine because if a gun has Voltshot or Jolting Feeback I am automatically taking that perk over anything else in PVP.
Psychopomp - Arc Area Denial GL:
- First Column:
- Stats for All
- Feeding Frenzy
- Ambitious Assassin
- Envious Aresenal
- Second Column:
- Unrelenting
- Rolling Storm
- Elemental Honing
- Frenzy
- Harmony
- Demolitionist
- Combos:
- I think you have a lot of good options here. I'm probably going for Envious Arsenal + Harmony. As long as you get a final blow with another gun this should be a good combo.
- I'm not sure how to interpret Elemental Honing. Do you need to do the SAME elemental damage to create stacks? Or does unique mean switching to a new damage type creates more stacks?
- Thoughts:
- This is probably the best gun of the bunch here as area denial frames are really good and this one has a ton of good perks.
Afterlight - Void Adaptive FR:
- First Column:
- Ambitious Assassin
- Lead from Gold
- Grave Robber
- Under Pressure
- Second Column:
- Successful Warm Up
- Vorpal
- Cornered
- Adagio
- Reservoir Burst
- Combos:
- PVE: Ambitious Assassin, Lead From Gold, Grave Robber and Reservoir Burst.
- PVP: Under Pressure and Successful Warm Up or Cornered
- Thoughts:
- Seems decent but I think if you have a fusion rifle you like already then there's no reason to chase this one.