Building a Complete Character

A Starforged Ascendant build starts with 10 Artefact slots.

• Seven belong to the Character.
• Three belong to the Drone.

From there, each system adds another layer.

Here is one example.

Start with the Weapon

Take a Rifle-based Character using Kinetic Marksman.

Kinetic Marksman fires a fast projectile that can pierce through an enemy and continue into another target. That immediately gives the build a reason to think about positioning. Aligning enemies can turn one shot into several hits.

Add a Power Core

Now add a Zero Point Power Core.

Zero Point brings Psychic damage and can slow hostile targets while reducing their chance to hit.

The Rifle still performs its original job. The Power Core adds a new reason to land those shots consistently. The Character is now applying ranged pressure while making the enemy group easier to manage.

Add movement and control

The Weapon is only one part of the loadout.

Grav-Step can move the Character to a new location and pull nearby enemies toward the landing point.

That can help line targets up for the Rifle. A Belt Skill such as Gravity Seed can create a gravity well that keeps enemies grouped in one area.

The player now has several ways to create the firing opportunities the Weapon wants.

Shape it with Talents

Talent investment can reinforce those choices.

The Rifles tree develops the Weapon style, providing simple components like damage bonuses or more complicated abilities like fire control zone, which rains down your rifle shot at enemies within the area. The Reflex tree will strengthen accuracy and evasive play, adding some much needed defensive layering. The Zero Point tree develops the Power family already being used. While, medium armour tree leans into the desired archtype of a nimble ranged assassing, with a build your own set approach.

Each player can spend 98 points across these trees as the Character progresses, with most trees needing 20-25 points to gain full effectiveness. The outcome is that you will need to chose:

1. Your weapon or drone
2. Your power core
3. Your main stat(s)
4. Armour type

Configure the Drone

The drone is a combat platform in its own right. Allowing each player to build a companion to support your preferred playstyle.

A Core Lance Drone Weapon adds another long-range piercing attack. Switching to Bulwark Mender would shift the Drone toward support without changing the Character's main Rifle setup. The Chassis and Thrusters then decide how the Drone moves, supports the fight and which Merge becomes available.

That can push the same Character toward defence, recovery or aggressive combat tempo.

Another player can use the same underlying systems to build around Melee, Heavy Armour, Fossil Power and Bastion Ascendance.

Both Characters use the same ten equipment slots.

Their combat will feel completely different. That is the core of Starforged Ascendant buildcraft.

Choose your Skills. Choose there power. Choose your Talents. Build your Drone.

Then take the whole thing into a Mission and see what it can do.