"Shrapnel Build Guide for Once Human"

In *Once Human*, the Shrapnel build emerges as a dominant force on the battlefield, leveraging explosive collateral damage through cascading shrapnel effects that strike multiple enemy parts with each hit. This guide delivers a complete breakdown of the optimal Shrapnel build, covering the most effective weapons, armor sets, mods, deviants, and cradle overrides to maximize area-wide damage and critical efficiency. Whether you're clearing hordes or taking down high-tier Deviants, this build ensures relentless offensive pressure.

What is the Shrapnel Build?

At its core, the Shrapnel build revolves around triggering chain reactions of shrapnel damage that bypass direct hits and strike untargeted enemy components. By stacking critical hit chance, magazine capacity, and shrapnel-specific modifiers, this setup turns every engagement into a storm of explosive fragmentation—imagine firing a single shot that erupts into multiple secondary impacts, shredding enemies from multiple angles. Below is the full breakdown of the build’s key components:

Primary Weapon – SOCR – The Last Valor

The cornerstone of the Shrapnel build, the SOCR – The Last Valor is a high-rate-of-fire assault rifle with a 4% chance per hit to trigger a shrapnel explosion that damages random unhit enemy parts. Critical hits not only double the shrapnel trigger chance but also grant a 30% bonus to critical damage, creating a powerful feedback loop of sustained area pressure. For peak performance, craft the Tier V version using blueprints obtained through the Wish Machine—either by completing mini-games or purchasing with 8,000 Starchrom from the Blueprint Shop.

Recommended Attachments:

• Large Brake: +4 Range, +20 Accuracy, -8 Stability
• Reflex Sight: 2.0x Zoom, +5.0% Aiming Speed, +5 Stability
• Tactical Laser Sight: +19 Accuracy, +12% Aiming Speed
• Extended Rifle Mag: +8 Magazine Capacity, -13% Reload Speed

Secondary Weapon – DE.50 – Wildfire

The DE.50 – Wildfire complements the build by applying “The Bull’s Eye” debuff, increasing enemy vulnerability and amplifying the effectiveness of shrapnel hits. Alternatively, the Recurve Crossbow can be used to apply the same debuff on weakspot hits, granting a 15% critical rate boost against marked targets for 10 seconds—perfect for priming enemies before unleashing a barrage from the SOCR.

Melee Weapon – Long Axe

While not the primary damage source, the Long Axe adds strong utility with its “Fortress Warfare” ability. Activated via heavy attacks, it creates a protective zone that grants Heavy Armor to nearby allies, significantly improving survivability during intense encounters and making it ideal for co-op play.

Armor Setup

The Lonewolf armor set is the definitive choice for the Shrapnel build, offering critical rate boosts and increased magazine capacity across all pieces. Its unique “Lone Shadow” effect stacks up to 10 times, increasing critical damage with each successive critical hit—perfect for maintaining high burst output. Each piece’s blueprint is available in the Blueprint Shop via the Wish Machine for 3,000 Starchrom.

Recommended Weapon Mods

• Shrapnel Souvenir: Automatically reloads the magazine upon triggering shrapnel, ensuring uninterrupted fire.
• Shrapnel Smash: Grants +1% critical hit rate per shrapnel trigger, stacking up to 20 times.
• Crit Amplifier: Increases critical hit rate by 10% and critical damage by 15%.
• Momentum Up: Boosts fire rate by 10% in the first half of the magazine and increases weapon damage by 30% in the second half.

Recommended Armor Mods

• Targeted Strike (Face): Increases damage against marked enemies.
• Crit Booster (Gloves): Further enhances critical hit chance.
• Covered Advance (Shoes): Improves movement speed while aiming.
• Bullet Siphon or Deadshot (Bottoms): Either improves ammo efficiency or increases critical damage output.

For an enhanced gameplay experience, consider running *Once Human* on PC using BlueStacks. With the precision of a keyboard and mouse and the advantage of a larger display, you can fully leverage the Shrapnel build’s mechanics for smooth, responsive, and immersive combat.