Create an effective soloing build for (almost) any combination of primary/secondary weapon.
Introduction
Due to the lack of cross-weapon synergies in Secret World Legends, this guide has taken a different approach to builds. Instead of treating builds as unique combinations of a specific primary weapon with a specific secondary weapon, this guide treats builds for primary weapons in isolation from secondary weapons. By focusing on providing primary build templates and secondary build templates which are strong on their own, this guide enables the creation of effective soloing builds for (almost) any combination of primary/secondary weapon.
How to Build
(The numbers in parentheses beside ability names in this guide represent the (row, column) of the ability on the actives/passives page; on the passives page, only square-shaped icons are counted.)
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Choose a primary weapon.
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Choose a build template from below for your primary weapon.
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Choose a secondary weapon from the primary build template’s list of compatible secondary weapons.
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Choose a build template from below for your secondary weapon.
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Merge the primary and secondary build templates. (Optional abilities (marked with “[from primary]” or “[from secondary]”) in a build template must be replaced by required abilities (unmarked) in the same slot from the other build template. If the other build template also has optional abilities in the same slot, you may choose from either build template.)
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Set anima allocation to 100% damage. (The game is balanced for the default anima allocation of 90% damage and 10% survivability.)
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Enjoy your solo adventures!
How to Equip
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For soloing, prefer a 3-pip (“Mk III”) primary weapon with “of Restoration” attachment, and a 3-pip secondary weapon with “of Alacrity” attachment. (2-pip extraordinary weapons are acceptable. The pips of a weapon only scale the attachment effect, and have no effect on weapon power.)
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Always prefer 3-pip (“Radiant”) talismans. (2-pip talismans have 10% less power rating than 3-pip, and 1-pip talismans have 20% less power rating than 3-pip. In almost all cases, the extraordinary effect of a 2-pip extraordinary talisman will provide less improvement in performance than the higher power rating of a 3-pip plain talisman.)
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A 3-pip (“Intricate”) Accurate Glyph will be required for sufficient hit rating (glance reduction) for end-game group content, and is also recommended for high-level solo content.
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A Signet of Cruel Delight is strongly recommended for self-healing in end-game solo content (scenarios, faction ranking missions). (A Signet of Thirst can be used as a budget alternative while at low crit chance, but falls far short of Signet of Cruel Delight later on.)
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Gadget: Asibikaashi’s Hoop (cleanse) or Ningishzida’s Rod (passive healing) or Boincan Flask (active healing) or The Mistress’s Bashosen (knockdown) or Electromagnetic Destabilizer (purge)
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Purchase items from the auction house! (Don’t try to rely on drops!)
How to Build for End-Game Group Content
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For damage-dealing builds, the build templates in this guide can be used as starting points. Replace all survival-related actives and passives with damage-related actives and passives, then refer to Guide: How to DPS for other important considerations.
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Healing builds are beyond the scope of this guide. Instead, please refer to Guide: How to Heal.
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Tanking builds are beyond the scope of this guide. Instead, please refer to Guide: How to Tank.
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Story mode dungeons are not considered end-game group content, as they do not require damage-dealing, healing, and tanking roles, but are instead balanced for three people using soloing builds. However, story mode raids do require damage-dealing, healing, and tanking roles, and therefore should be treated the same as other end-game group content.
See Also
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SWL Gear and Theorycraft: Comprehensive list of equipment, as well as various theorycrafting.
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Descendent’s Reticle HUD: Overhaul of the combat UI that puts the “Head-Up” back into “HUD”.
Assault Rifle
Fantasy archetype: Hunter or Priest
As Primary
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Generic Build
Difficulty: Moderate
Use power abilities until a grenade is loaded. While a grenade is loaded, use Placed Shot (1, 1) basic until the grenade is cooked. Then use Incendiary Grenade (2, 1) active for a powerful, multi-target damage-over-time.
Primary basic: Placed Shot (1, 1)
Primary single target: Burst Fire (1, 4)
Primary multi-target: Full Auto (1, 2)
Specialty/utility: Incendiary Grenade (2, 1)
Elite: Anima Suffusion (3, 5)
Passive: Anima-Tipped Bullets (0, 0)
Passive: Stability (1, 3)
Passive: Slow Burn (2, 1)
Passive: Secondary Explosion (4, 2)
Passive: Emergency Loader (4, 4) or Explosives Expert (4, 1) or [from secondary]
Primary weapon: MIRV Launcher (requires large target) or High-Yield Launcher or Auxiliary Loader or [any]
Secondary: Blade or Chaos or Dual Pistols or Elementalism or Hammer or Shotgun
Niche Build: KSR-43
Difficulty: Moderate
Use power abilities until a grenade is loaded. Then use Incendiary Grenade (2, 1) active for a powerful, multi-target damage-over-time. Try to always keep energy low to trigger Jungle Style (5, 3) passive.
Primary basic: Placed Shot (1, 1)
Primary single target: Burst Fire (1, 4)
Primary multi-target: Full Auto (1, 2)
Specialty/utility: Incendiary Grenade (2, 1)
Elite: Anima Suffusion (3, 5)
Passive: Anima-Tipped Bullets (0, 0)
Passive: Jungle Style (5, 3)
Passive: Stability (1, 3)
Passive: Slow Burn (2, 1)
Passive: Secondary Explosion (4, 2) or [from secondary]
Primary weapon: KSR-43
Secondary: Blade or Chaos or Dual Pistols or Elementalism or Hammer or Shotgun
Niche Build: Hellfire Assault Launcher (no grenades)
Difficulty: Easy
Shoot things. (You must unlock Incendiary Grenade (2, 1) active for Hellfire Assault Launcher weapon’s extraordinary effect to function.) (This build template has lower damage output than other build templates which use grenades.)
Primary basic: Placed Shot (1, 1)
Primary single target: Burst Fire (1, 4)
Primary multi-target: Full Auto (1, 2)
Specialty/utility: Vital Shot (3, 1) or [from secondary]
Elite: Red Mist (1, 5) or [from secondary]
Passive: Anima-Tipped Bullets (0, 0)
Passive: Explosives Expert (4, 1)
Passive: Stability (1, 3)
Passive: Extended Magazine (1, 1)
Passive: Emergency Loader (4, 4) or Backup Plan (4, 3) or [from secondary]
Primary weapon: Hellfire Assault Launcher
Secondary: Blade or Blood or Chaos or Dual Pistols or Elementalism or Fist or Hammer or Shotgun
As Secondary
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Generic Build
Difficulty: Moderate
Use power abilities until a grenade is loaded. While a grenade is loaded, use primary weapon abilities until the grenade is cooked. Then use Incendiary Grenade (2, 1) active for a powerful, multi-target damage-over-time.
Secondary single target: Burst Fire (1, 4)
Specialty/utility: Incendiary Grenade (2, 1)
Elite: Anima Suffusion (3, 5)
Passive: Explosives Expert (4, 1) or [from primary]
Secondary weapon: MIRV Launcher (requires large target) or High-Yield Launcher or Auxiliary Loader or [any]
Blade
Fantasy archetype: Paladin
As Primary
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Generic Build
Difficulty: Hard
Maintain 100% uptime of Spirit Blade by paying close attention to chi, Spirit Blade charges, and remaining recharge time of Supreme Harmony (2, 5) elite.
Primary basic: Flowing Strike (1, 1)
Primary single target: Swallow Cut (3, 1) or Tsunami (1, 4)
Primary multi-target: Hurricane (1, 2)
Specialty/utility: Spirit Blade (2, 1)
Elite: Supreme Harmony (2, 5)
Passive: Immortal Spirit (0, 0)
Passive: Focused Breathing (5, 2)
Passive: Master’s Focus (2, 5)
Passive: Masterpiece (2, 1) or Hardened Blade (3, 1) or Draw Sword, Draw Blood (4, 4)
Passive: Resonance (5, 3) or Clairvoyance (4, 1) or [from secondary]
Primary weapon: Blade of the Seventh Son (requires high crit chance and Signet of Cruel Delight) or Razor’s Edge (requires high crit chance) or Stormbringer or Soulblade
Secondary: Chaos or Dual Pistols or Elementalism or Hammer or Shotgun
As Secondary
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Generic Build
Difficulty: Easy
Build up chi to trigger Chi Overflow for a powerful heal-over-time. (This build template is not recommended for end-game group content, due to its below-average damage output.)
Secondary single target: Swallow Cut (3, 1) or Tsunami (1, 4)
Specialty/utility: Soothing Spring (2, 2) or [from primary]
Elite: [from primary]
Passive: Focused Breathing (5, 2)
Secondary weapon: Mantric Blade or [any]
Niche Build: Soviet Techsword
Difficulty: Easy
Cut things.
Secondary single target: Swallow Cut (3, 1) or Tsunami (1, 4)
Specialty/utility: Soothing Spring (2, 2) or [from primary]
Elite: [from primary]
Passive: Focused Breathing (5, 2)
Secondary weapon: Soviet Techsword
Niche Build: Stormbringer
Difficulty: Moderate
Maintain 100% uptime of Spirit Blade.
Secondary single target: Swallow Cut (3, 1) or Tsunami (1, 4)
Specialty/utility: Spirit Blade (2, 1)
Elite: Soothing Spring (2, 2)*
Passive: Masterpiece (2, 1) or Focused Breathing (5, 2) or [from primary]
Secondary weapon: Stormbringer
Blood
Fantasy archetype: Warlock or Priest
As Primary
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Generic Build
Difficulty: Easy
Alternate between using either Runic Hex (2, 4) active or Eldritch Scourge (2, 5) elite for each fight, for a powerful, multi-target damage-over-time, which also provides healing. (In longer fights, alternate between them roughly every 10 seconds to stagger their recharge times.)
Primary basic: Torment (1, 1)
Primary single target: Maleficium (1, 4)
Primary multi-target: Dread Sigil (1, 2)
Specialty/utility: Runic Hex (2, 4)
Elite: Eldritch Scourge (2, 5)
Passive: Absolution (0, 0)
Passive: Paroxysm (2, 4)
Passive: Desolate (2, 5)
Passive: Flay (1, 3)
Passive: Lingering Curse (1, 1) or [from secondary]
Primary weapon: Eldritch Tome
Secondary: Blade or Chaos or Dual Pistols or Elementalism or Hammer or Shotgun
As Secondary
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Generic Build
Difficulty: Easy
Alternate between using either Runic Hex (2, 4) active or Eldritch Scourge (2, 5) elite for each fight, for a powerful, multi-target damage-over-time, which also provides healing. (In longer fights, alternate between them roughly every 10 seconds to stagger their recharge times.)
Secondary single target: Maleficium (1, 4)
Specialty/utility: Runic Hex (2, 4)
Elite: Eldritch Scourge (2, 5)
Passive: Paroxysm (2, 4)
Secondary weapon: Eldritch Tome
Chaos
Fantasy archetype: Monk
As Primary
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Generic Build
Difficulty: Easy
Build up paradoxes to trigger random paradox events.
Primary basic: Deconstruct (1, 1)
Primary single target: Breakdown (1, 4)
Primary multi-target: Schism (1, 2)
Specialty/utility: Twist Fate (2, 4) or [from secondary]
Elite: Pandemonium (1, 5) or Immutable (3, 5) or [from secondary]
Passive: Paradoxical Restoration (0, 0)
Passive: Resonance Cascade (4, 1)
Passive: Butterfly Effect (5, 1)
Passive: Blessing of Octed (5, 3)
Passive: Disintegrate (1, 3) or [from secondary]
Primary weapon: Otherworldly Artifact
Secondary: Assault Rifle or Blade or Blood or Dual Pistols or Elementalism or Fist or Hammer or Shotgun
Niche Build: Warped Visage
Difficulty: Easy
Build up paradoxes to trigger random paradox events which are guaranteed to create an additional doppelganger. (This build template has similar damage output to the Irregularity Architect build template.)
Primary basic: Deconstruct (1, 1)
Primary single target: Breakdown (1, 4)
Primary multi-target: Schism (1, 2)
Specialty/utility: Twist Fate (2, 4) or [from secondary]
Elite: Pandemonium (1, 5) or Immutable (3, 5) or [from secondary]
Passive: Paradoxical Restoration (0, 0)
Passive: Body Double (4, 2)
Passive: Resonance Cascade (4, 1)
Passive: Butterfly Effect (5, 1)
Passive: Blessing of Octed (5, 3)
Primary weapon: Warped Visage
Secondary: Dual Pistols or Elementalism or Hammer or Shotgun
Niche Build: Irregularity Architect
Difficulty: Easy
Build up paradoxes to trigger random paradox events which are guaranteed to create an additional singularity. (This build template has similar damage output to the Warped Visage build template.)
Primary basic: Deconstruct (1, 1)
Primary single target: Breakdown (1, 4)
Primary multi-target: Schism (1, 2)
Specialty/utility: Twist Fate (2, 4) or [from secondary]
Elite: Pandemonium (1, 5) or Immutable (3, 5) or [from secondary]
Passive: Paradoxical Restoration (0, 0)
Passive: Eye of the Ruinstorm (4, 4)
Passive: Resonance Cascade (4, 1)
Passive: Butterfly Effect (5, 1)
Passive: Blessing of Octed (5, 3)
Primary weapon: Irregularity Architect
Secondary: Dual Pistols or Elementalism or Hammer or Shotgun
As Secondary
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Generic Build
Difficulty: Easy
Build up paradoxes to trigger random paradox events. (Distortion (3, 1) active generates high hate, so should be replaced with Breakdown (1, 4) active in end-game group content.)
Secondary single target: Distortion (3, 1) or Breakdown (1, 4)
Specialty/utility: Twist Fate (2, 4) or [from primary]
Elite: Pandemonium (1, 5) or Immutable (3, 5) or [from primary]
Passive: Resonance Cascade (4, 1)
Secondary weapon: Otherworldly Artifact
Dual Pistols
Fantasy archetype: Rogue
As Primary
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Generic Build
Difficulty: Easy
Shoot things.
Primary basic: Hair Trigger (1, 1)
Primary single target: Dual Shot (3, 1)
Primary multi-target: Controlled Shooting (1, 2)
Specialty/utility: Clean Slate (2, 2) or [from secondary]
Elite: Trick Shot (2, 5) or [from secondary]
Passive: Second Wind (0, 0)
Passive: Beginner’s Luck (4, 1)
Passive: Heavy Caliber Rounds (4, 3)
Passive: Win Streak (5, 2)
Passive: Bamboozle (2, 5) or [from secondary]
Primary weapon: Sov-Tech Harmonisers or [any]
Secondary: Assault Rifle or Blade or Blood or Chaos or Elementalism or Fist or Hammer or Shotgun
As Secondary
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Generic Build
Difficulty: Moderate
Use Dual Shot (3, 1) active while chambers are matched or energy is full.
Secondary single target: Dual Shot (3, 1)
Specialty/utility: Clean Slate (2, 2) or [from primary]
Elite: Trick Shot (2, 5) or [from primary]
Passive: Fixed Game (5, 4) or [from primary]
Secondary weapon: Sov-Tech Harmonisers or [any]
Elementalism
Fantasy archetype: Mage
As Primary
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Generic Build
Difficulty: Moderate
Alternate between using either Crystallised Flame (2, 2) active or Overload (3, 5) elite for each fight, for powerful, multi-target damage. (In longer fights, alternate between them roughly every 10 seconds to stagger their recharge times.) (This build template lacks a defensive active, so consider equipping Ningishzida’s Rod gadget or Boincan Flask gadget for healing.)
Primary basic: Fireball (1, 1)
Primary single target: Fire Bolt (3, 1)
Primary multi-target: Chain Lightning (1, 2)
Specialty/utility: Crystallised Flame (2, 2)
Elite: Overload (3, 5)
Passive: Cauterize (0, 0)
Passive: Crystallised Blaze (2, 2)
Passive: Elemental Force (3, 4)
Passive: Supercooler (5, 3)
Passive: Elemental Control (4, 1) or [from secondary]
Primary weapon: Cryo-Charged Conduit (requires high crit chance) or Totemic Hell Lord or Unstable Electron Core or [any]
Secondary: Blade or Chaos or Dual Pistols or Hammer or Shotgun
As Secondary
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Generic Build
Difficulty: Easy or Moderate (if optimizing Voltaic Shunt weapon)
Use Mjolnir (1, 4) active to build up heat. Maintain sufficient energy to use Mjolnir (1, 4) active whenever Voltaic Shunt weapon triggers.
Secondary single target: Mjolnir (1, 4)
Specialty/utility: [from primary]
Elite: Overload (3, 5) or [from primary]
Passive: Calorimetry (4, 2) or [from primary]
Secondary weapon: Voltaic Shunt or [any]
Niche Build: Orochi Thermal Inverter
Difficulty: Easy
Alternate between using either Crystallised Flame (2, 2) active or Blizzard (2, 5) elite for each fight, for powerful, multi-target damage. (In longer fights, alternate between them roughly every 10 seconds to stagger their recharge times.)
Secondary single target: Crystallised Flame (2, 2)*
Specialty/utility: [from primary]
Elite: Blizzard (2, 5)
Passive: Crystallised Blaze (2, 2)
Secondary weapon: Orochi Thermal Inverter
Fist
Fantasy archetype: Druid
As Primary
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Generic Build
Difficulty: Moderate
Build up fury to 60–80, then use Frenzied Wrath (1, 3) active for strong, energy-free attacks, and to trigger Second Wind (4, 2) passive.
Primary basic: Thrash (1, 1)
Primary single target: Mangle (1, 4)
Primary multi-target: Savage Sweep (1, 2)
Specialty/utility: Frenzied Wrath (1, 3)
Elite: Regeneration (3, 5)
Passive: Vigour (0, 0)
Passive: Wild Nature (5, 4)
Passive: Smell Fear (4, 3)
Passive: Second Wind (4, 2)
Passive: Maul (1, 3) or [from secondary]
Primary weapon: Bladed Gauntlets
Secondary: Blade or Chaos or Dual Pistols or Elementalism or Hammer or Shotgun
As Secondary
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Generic Build
Difficulty: Moderate
Build up fury to 60–80, then use Frenzied Wrath (1, 3) active for strong, energy-free attacks.
Secondary single target: Mangle (1, 4)
Specialty/utility: Frenzied Wrath (1, 3)
Elite: Regeneration (3, 5)
Passive: Wild Nature (5, 4)
Secondary weapon: Bladed Gauntlets
Hammer
Fantasy archetype: Warrior
As Primary
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Generic Build
Difficulty: Easy
Smash things.
Primary basic: Smash (1, 1)
Primary single target: Demolish (1, 4)
Primary multi-target: Razor Shards (1, 2)
Specialty/utility: Pain Suppression (2, 1) or Thick Skin (2, 4) or [from secondary]
Elite: Eruption (1, 5) or [from secondary]
Passive: Forged in Fire (0, 0)
Passive: Unbridled Wrath (4, 1)
Passive: No Pain, No Gain (2, 1) or Rock Hard (2, 4) or [from secondary]
Passive: Annihilate (1, 4) or [from secondary]
Passive: Fast and Furious (4, 2) or [from secondary]
Primary weapon: Pneumatic Maul (requires high crit chance) or Hammer of the Red Road or Fuming Despoiler or [any]
Secondary: Assault Rifle or Blade or Blood or Chaos or Dual Pistols or Elementalism or Fist or Shotgun
As Secondary
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Generic Build
Difficulty: Easy
Smash things.
Secondary single target: Demolish (1, 4)
Specialty/utility: Pain Suppression (2, 1) or Thick Skin (2, 4) or [from primary]
Elite: Eruption (1, 5) or [from primary]
Passive: No Pain, No Gain (2, 1) or Rock Hard (2, 4) or Anger Management (5, 3) or [from primary]
Secondary weapon: Pneumatic Maul (requires high crit chance) or Hammer of the Red Road or Fuming Despoiler or [any]
Shotgun
Fantasy archetype: Shaman
As Primary
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Generic Build
Difficulty: Moderate or Hard (if optimizing Odds and Evens (4, 1) passive)
Use power abilities when shells parity is even, and Pump Action (1, 1) basic when shells parity is odd, to optimize Odds and Evens (4, 1) passive. Alternate between reloading Dragon’s Breath shells and Depleted Uranium shells to maximize damage output.
Primary basic: Pump Action (1, 1)
Primary single target: Raging Shot (1, 5)
Primary multi-target: Both Barrels (1, 2)
Specialty/utility: Reconstituting Shells (2, 1) or [from secondary]
Elite: Full Salvo (1, 5) or [from secondary]
Passive: Restorative Reload (0, 0)
Passive: Odds and Evens (4, 1)
Passive: Point Blank Shot (1, 3)
Passive: Withering Salvo (1, 4) or [from secondary]
Passive: Munitions Expert (4, 4) or [from secondary]
Primary weapon: Ifritian Despoiler (requires high crit chance) or SPES-C221 or [any]
Secondary: Assault Rifle or Blade or Blood or Chaos or Dual Pistols or Elementalism or Fist or Hammer
As Secondary
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Generic Build
Difficulty: Easy or Moderate (if not using Combat Reload (5, 3) passive)
Prefer reloading Depleted Uranium shells for a consistent damage bonus. (Rocket Pod (3, 1) active generates high hate, so should be replaced with Raging Shot (1, 5) active in end-game group content.)
Secondary single target: Rocket Pod (3, 1) or Raging Shot (1, 5)
Specialty/utility: Reconstituting Shells (2, 1) or [from primary]
Elite: Full Salvo (1, 5) or [from primary]
Passive: Combat Reload (5, 3) or Munitions Expert (4, 4) or [from primary]
Secondary weapon: Ifritian Despoiler (requires high crit chance) or SPES-C221 or [any]
).