Putting together a Shrapnel build can lead to some pretty amazing damage per second in Once Human, especially when paired with a secondary Bullseye weapon. However, getting it all together can be a challenge.
This guide on the Shrapnel build will help you farm efficiently for the variation you want to use, and this build provides between 35k up to 100k damage per second (DPS). Sound good? Let’s go!
Table of Contents
- Best primary weapon for the Shrapnel Build
- Primary weapon accessories
- Secondary weapons
- How to use this build
- Best armor set for Shrapnel
- Best weapon mods for the Shrapnel build
- Chest armor mods
- Helmet mods
- Mask mods
- Gloves mods
- Bottoms mods
- Shoes mods
- Cradle overrides
- Damage tests
How good is the Shrapnel build in Once Human
The Shrapnel build I’m using has great sustained damage, even if the DPS is a bit lower. I tend to deal about 500k to 1.5m in damage on a single magazine, which is enough to melt most of the bosses you’ll be facing pretty fast.
That’s without the build being min-maxed just yet, so if that sounds appealing to you, let’s get into how to build it. The variation I’ll mention as we go is another build less focused on sustain and more focused on pure burst damage (can reach upwards of 60k dps), which is great for taking out those annoying mobs in Lea Labs.
Which weapons should you use in the Shrapnel Build?
The main weapon in Season One can only be the SOCR – The Last Valor assualt rifle. There’s no better Shrapnel gun at the moment in-game, so we’re going with that.
You can get this weapon by the Wish Machine by playing the mini-game or buy it in the store for 8000 Starchrom. Personally, it normally works out cheaper to go for the mini-game. The calibration I’m using for this weapon is the Precision style with Crit rate, however you can try any of the others as well, as long as it boosts your Crit rate or Crit DMG.
These calibrations can be rare and a pain for farm, but the best spot to try and find one yourself is the Shadow Hound boss fight on Hard or Pro.
Primary Weapon Accessories
To really take your Shrapnel build to the max, you’ll want to focus on Stability and accuracy. If you’re running the Sustained damage variation (which we’ll get into shortly), then reload speed is less important. If you’re going for the pure dps build, consider adding reload speed as well.
On average, these are the best accessories.
| Accessory | Name | Effect |
| Muzzle | Hammer Compensator | Stability + 19; Accuracy +9 |
| Optic | Compact Reflex Sight | Stability + 12 (and you’ll have a red-dot sight when you aim down your sights) |
| Tactics | Triangle Grip | Accuracy + 20 |
| Magazine | Amended Rifle Mag | Accuracy + 9, Reload Speed +6 |
| Ammo | Smart Rifle AP Ammo | Triggering Shrapnel, Bounce or Bullseye raises attack by 10 percent for 3 seconds |
If you need help finding any of these accessories, here’s a guide to finding the best assault rifle accessories in Once Human.
The best Secondary Weapon for the Shrapnel Build
Your secondary weapon can be one of two, namely the Epic rarity Recurve Crossbow B.P or the AWS.338 Legendary rifle (Bingo or Bullseye, depending on where you view it). I’m using the Crossbow with the Portable Style calibration, simply for the weapon switching speed.
The crossbow and sniper rifle gives you better damage when taking down bosses, but the DE.50 Wildfire pistol is great great for clearing out rooms full of enemies. Either way, here’s how to actually make this build work.
You’ll want to use the Vulnerability Amplifier mod on the crossbow and sniper rifle, or the spreading marks mod on the DE.50.
How the Shrapnel-Bullseye Build works in Once Human
Start with your secondary weapon, hit the targets you want to attack, and when they have Bullseye applied to them, summon your deviation (Lone Wolf’s Whisper is best for Shrapnel), switch to your SOCR and melt them. Bullseye outlines targets and inflicts vulnerability for 12 seconds, meaning your attacks will do more damage.
You can get Lonewolf’s Whisper from the Shadow Hound boss fight.
The Crossbow causes weapons attacking the target to have an additional 30 percent chance to crit for ten seconds, so you’ll have to hit the boss you’re trying to melt in the weak spot. The DE.50, on the other hand, spreads Bullseye to other enemies — great for taking out rooms full of enemies.
Finally, the AWS.338 Bingo guarantees a Bullseye proc when you switch to it, no matter where you hit the enemy. So if you’re using that, switch to the Bingo, hit the enemy, then switch back to the SOCR while calling your deviant.
The other way to use this setup is to attack the enemy until your Lonewolf stacks (that you get from the four-piece Lonewolf armor below) are at 10, and then apply the Bullseye. This will raise your DPS even more.
It’s not that tough once you’ve practiced a bit, so let’s get into the actual build now, shall we!
Which Armor to use for the Shrapnel Build in Once Human
The two most important parts of the Shrapnel build I’m using is the Lonewolf set (which you can buy from the blueprint shop at the Wish Machine), and the helmet. You’ll need four pieces of the Lonewolf set for plenty of additional Crit rate and DMG.
Next, either the Cage Helmet or the Beret are good for the helmet slot, but after extensive testing the Beret is definitely the better option. Both can be obtained from the Blueprint store, but you can also get the Caged helmet from the Wish Machine mini-game.
For the final piece of gear, anything from the Bastille range (Blueprint store) is great, since it adds +10 percent weapon damage when your HP is above 70 percent. You can use any part of the set except the helmet (of course), though I do recommend getting the boots.
With this setup, I’ve managed to reach upwards of 60,000 dps, and the proof is in the damage testing section later on in this article.
And that’s all the gear you need, but now we get to the fun part — the mods. It’s also the most important part, so pay attention!
Which mods to use for the Shrapnel Build in Once Human
All mods in the Shrapnel Build have one thing in common, they all need the same modifiers. These are, in order of priority:
- Crit DMG
- Weapon Damage
- Damage to Great Ones
For the fourth modifier, you can choose whatever you like best, but most seem to agree that magazine capacity is best.
No matter which variation of mods you decide to use, if they have these modifiers, it’ll serve you well. Now we’ll cover the specific mods on each piece of gear.
Best Weapon mods for the Shrapnel Build
On your SOCR, you’re going to want to use one of two mods. Either Shrapnel Souvenir (for sustain), or Obliterate (for burst damage).
I was lucky enough to get a Shrapnel Souvenir with +15 percent Crit DMG, which is huge. Sadly, I didn’t get a perfect roll here (those are incredibly rare). If you end up using Shrapnel Souvenir, never aim for weakspots, since hitting weakspots with Shrapnel instead will refill your magazine slowly.
For your secondary weapon, Spreading Marks is a good option, since there’s a chance that the Bullseye effect will spill over to other enemies while you’re marking targets. However, the mod you want to go for (that I haven’t found yet!) is the Vulnerability Amplifier mod.
Where to get the Shrapnel Souvenir mod in Once Human?
You’ll get the Shrapnel Souvenir mod from fighting the Shadow Hound boss on either Hard or Pro difficulty and using the Controller item for your reward. It’s a fairly tough fight, but he’s easy with a team. You can also solo him as you get stronger, just learn his mechanics and stay wary. This
Just use the portals to avoid his attacks and you’ll be fine.
You’ll also get the Obliterate mod from Shadow Hound.
Where to get the Vulnerability Amplifier mod in Once Human?
You’ll get the Vulnerability Amplifier mod from beating Arachsiam on Hard or Pro mode and using a controller. Arachsiam can be a tough fight, but using Long-Acting Activators can counteract the poison and give you a fighting chance.
This is also where you’ll get the Spreading Marks mod.
Best Chest Armor mod for the Shrapnel Build
If you’re going for pure DPS, then getting the blue Crit Amplifier mod from Securement Silo Sigma (on Normal mode) is your best bet. However, if you do find a defensive mod with good modifiers, no harm in giving that a go.
The blue Crit Amplifier mod will give you more DPS with the right attribute rolls though, so don’t hesitate to use it for your build! I personally like the Rejuvenating mod, which restores HP on every kill as long as you’re above 60% HP. If you can get Crit and Weapon DMG on one of those, definitely use it!
Best Helmet mod for the Shrapnel Build
You have two options when it comes to Helmet mods in the Shrapnel build, and that’s Momentum Up or Fateful Strike. The Momentum Up mod is great for the Sustained Damage build, while the Fateful Strike mod is best for the pure DPS build.
If you’re going with Fateful Strike, you’ll want to use the DE.50 or AWS.338 to inflict The Bullseye to targets, instead of the Crossbow, since it removes your ability to target weak spots. You also won’t be able to use
I just hope you find a Helmet mod with better sub stats than mine! They’re pretty bad (and I still manage 57k DPS with this build)
Where to get the Momentum Up and Fateful Strike mods in Once Human
To get these Helmet mods in Once Human, you’ll need to complete Securement Silo Alpha. I highly recommend higher difficulty levels, as you’ll get more Legendary mods with better attributes as well.
Best Mask mod for the Shrapnel Build
On the mask mod, you again have two options. The first is Shrapnel Carnage, which does provide slightly lower DPS, but can help you deal more damage on the Sustain build or by using the Gas-Tight Helmet (which I don’t really recommend). On my Sustained damage build, however, I’m running the Targeted Strike mod, which increased my DPS quite a lot (it went from 38k to 57k initially, a huge difference).
After the most recent update, Targeted Strike is still my go-to.
Where to get the Targeted Strike mod or the Shrapnel Carnage mod in Once Human
You can get the Targeted Strike mod by completing Securement Silo EX1 on the higher difficulties by using controllers on your rewards. It’s not a super difficult dungeon, so it can be done fairly easily solo on Hard mode.
Best Gloves mod for the Shrapnel Build
The best mod to use on your gloves is the Crit Amplifier, which raises your Crit rate by 10 percent and your Crit damage by 15 percent. On my build, I’m using the Crit Boost mod, which only raises your Crit rate by 15 percent. The only reason I’m using it is because I got better rolls on it (12 percent mag capacity plus 9 percent Crit DMG).
The Crit Amplifier is your best mod for Gloves, however, so keep farming for one with good attributes!
Where to find the Crit Amplifier mod in Once Human
You can get the Crit Amplifier mod from Securement Silo Sigma on Hard and Pro mode, and you’ll have to use a controller to get them.
Best Pants mod for the Shrapnel Build
The mod I’m using is the Deadshot mod, and it increases Crit damage as you burn through your magazine. It’s a really good mod to have on this build, and I haven’t even tried other mods extensively just yet.
Where to get the Deadshot mod in Once Human?
You’ll get the Deadshot mod from Securement Silo PSI in Once Human. If you’d like to see how to run that solo, I have a full guide on Securement Silo PSI which should help a lot.
Best Shoes mod for the Shrapnel Build
There are two options on the Shoes for the Shrapnel build again. The first is Slow and Steady, which grants you 10 percent bonus attack plus 10 percent more if your health is above 90 percent. The other option is Covered Advance, which offers plus 20 percent damage if you take no hits in combat for 4 seconds.
Both will grant you an additional 20 percent damage, so it mostly depends on which one has the better attributes. I’m using the Slow and Steady mod, since I managed to get a Violent variant with weapon damage as well.
Where to get the Slow and Steady or Covered Advance mods in Once Human
You’ll get these mods as part of your rewards when you complete Securement Silo PHI. Obviously I recommend the higher difficulties, as you’ll get more mods dropping which means a slightly higher chance of finding the one you want.
How to set up your Cradle Overrides
The Cradle Override has changed a lot in season two, so I’ve updated this, even though I’ve switched to the Power Surge build for this season. There are four critical components you’ll want in your Cradle, these are:
- Automatic Weapon Enhancement
- Deviation Master
- Tactical Combo
- Deadly Combo
This helps to bolster your damage and make sure you’re maxing out that DPS. The next four are a little more complicated, since Season 2 of Once Human has introduced the need for good cradle management. You’ll want to equip some of the new Cradle Overrides while exploring, in case you run into one of the special enemies.
If you’re using Shrapnel in a Void / Regen server, I highly recommend using the AWS.338 along with the Anti-Regen sniper Node. Pair this with the Anti-void rifle Node, and you’ll be able to tackle both types of enemy. Next, you can add Long-Range Enhancement, Bounty Hunter, Master Tactician, Lone Walker, or Side by Side, depending on the situation. Always double-check your cradle before heading out.
Here’s how I’d set mine up if I were running Shrapnel this season.
So that’s:
- Automatic Weapon Enhancement
- Deviation Master
- Tactical Combo
- Deadly Combo
- Long-range Enhancement
- Master Tactician
- Anti-Void Rifle
- Anti-Regen Sniper
This will help you get through pretty much anything in a Void / Regen server. If you’re playing on the other server, just make sure you have coverage. Some of the new enemies can be pretty tough if you’re not prepared.
Shrapnel Build Variation Damage Tests
In summary, here are the breakdowns of each of the builds I tried, plus their damage test results. For these tests, I will be using canned meat and Smart AP Rifle Ammo to get the highest possible DPS.
I will not be stacking Lone Wolf for these tests, since we’re aiming to see actual DPS as you enter a dungeon.
Test 1: Shrapnel Souvenir
This is my preferred build, since I like the sustained damage, which can reach up to one million! We’re using the Shrapnel Souvenir instead of the Obliterate mod. Here are the test results:
- Peak DPS: 52,000
- Total Sustain from one mag: 846,000
Test 2: Shrapnel Souvenir plus Shrapnel Carnage
Another variation of this build includes swapping out the Targeted Strike mod for the Shrapnel Carnage mod (found in the same place) on the Mask. This lowers DPS, but raises Sustained damage to insane levels. You’ll basically have a never-ending magazine.
We did get a little unlucky on this test, as the sustained damage can reach up to 1.5 million with enough weakspot Shrapnel hits.
- Peak DPS: 43,000
- Total Sustain from one mag: 1,067,000
Test 3: Shrapnel with Obliterate mod
For our final test, we only swap out Shrapnel Souvenir for Obliterate, since Shrapnel Carnage adds nothing on this build. Some of the other builds I’ve seen do a bit better with mag capacity sub stats, but here’s how mine runs.
Peak DPS: 59,000
Total sustain from one mag: 361,000
I did run four mags through, and it ends up at about 48,000 dps as it reaches a million damage, so it is better than the second build here. But whether you run Shrapnel Souvenir or Obliterate would be largely up to the sub stats you can get.
And that’s it, you’re basically a Shrapnel build expert now. Hope you find all the mods you need with no trouble!
Shrapnel is still a strong build
Despite being nerfed, Shrapnel remains a strong build in Once Human. It’s a dependable build that’s pretty easy to use, just remember the process and you’ll melt bosses down in no time at all.
It can take a long time to get it done, however, as the preferred calibration (Precision AR with Crit Rate) is quite rare, and I’ve seen it go for some pretty crazy prices. I personally paid 300k Energy Links for mine, and it was only thanks to a friend.
Overall, the Shrapnel build will serve you well in combat and make you a force to be reckoned with. Let’s hope they don’t nerf it again any time soon.
Good luck!
Published: Aug 29, 2024 06:53 am