Anthem Interceptor Build Guide

Interceptor Beginners Build/Class Guide

The Interceptor is the Javelin of choice for those looking for some high-octane action in Bioware’s Anthem. With a lightning-fast playstyle, it rewards players who keep on their toes and use their mobility to their advantage.

The Interceptor doesn’t have the most straightforward playstyle, however, and relies on some potent combinations in order to really output damage to its full potential.

Today, I’m going to walk you through some ideal early-game builds, and how to utilize the Interceptor’s kit to skyrocket you ahead towards endgame.

https://youtu.be/aNM8fLK1zQg

Anthem’s Fastest Javelin

Firstly, the Interceptor of Anthem is known for its incredible mobility. Able to Triple Jump and Triple Dash in order to close gaps quickly, you’ll be flying around combat. To Triple Dash, simply hold down the dash button in order to chain dashes together. Take cover during your ability down-times to avoid damage and recharge your shields. Then, dash back into combat and unload.

The combination of jumps and dashes are incredibly useful, both for dodging enemy attacks where possible, finding cover otherwise, and for generally getting around quicker. Note that you can massively extend your flight time when you need that little extra distance by triple jumping just before you overheat. You can even add in your three dashes to cover ever more space in the air.

This also means that you are an ideal carrier for mission-objective components, such as Fragments, Fuel Cells, or Orbs. Where others will be stuck sprinting when holding parts that disable their flight, the Interceptor can still move remarkably quickly with its jumps and dashes chained together.

Make sure to keep this mobility in mind at all times, as it will save your hide more times than you can count.

The Interceptor's mobility is key to its success.
The Interceptor’s mobility is key to its success.

Ideal Weaponry for the Interceptor

The Interceptor’s speed means that shorter range guns and melee attacks are great ideas to equip, as you can close distance the quickest out of all Javelin types. You can equip all weapons, except the Colossus-exclusive heavy weapons – so make sure you give them all a try. Generally, it’s a good idea to run your most powerful weapons in order to do as much damage as possible, so while leveling, give each new weapon you unlock a try (it will also probably be one of the strongest you have so far).

Ideal weapons are those with quicker reload times, as you won’t be able to reload while dashing, sprinting, or jumping. We’ve found that Shotguns and Assault Rifles are ideal, but don’t shy away from a cheeky Light Machine Gun if you find a powerful one. Remember that walking over green Ammo Packs will automatically add that ammunition to your magazine, too – so for larger-magazine weapons, it’s often quicker to dash over the Packs than to reload.

Weapons that compliment your build are ideal - but try them all.
Weapons that compliment your build are ideal – but try them all.

A Build for Each Occasion

Today, I’ve got two builds to introduce you to: one for farming packs of smaller enemies up close, and one for chipping away at bosses from a range. Generally, you’ll want to pick the faster build when completing Contracts, Free Play, and Story Missions along the Critical Path. When completing Strongholds or when you know you’re going up against a big boss, the longer-range build will help you to contribute more in fights where getting close is not an option.

Get Toxic with Combos

Firstly, then: the Acid/Melee Build. You’ll want to equip shorter range primary weapons, but any will do really. Then, equip the Venom Bomb Assault System, which will prime enemies with the poison debuff that can then be combo’d using your second ability: the Tempest Strike. This ability is a combo-detonator, meaning that debuffed enemies hit with it will display the ‘Combo’ text and receive a large chunk of bonus damage.

Note that you can use any Support Systems or Components at this point, but we recommend the Target Beacon as it will buff your damage against Elites considerably, and the Amphibious Component, which will boost your acid damage, too.

The workings of this build are simple but effective, and absolutely chew through packs of lighter enemies. Approach them by throwing a Venom Bomb, which will prime enemies in an AOE. Then use your Tempest Strike to detonate the Poison Combo, dealing significant damage in a melee splash. It’s worth knowing that you can detonate the combo with your melee ability, too, and that this will proc the Interceptor’s Combo Aura, giving you an elemental effect based on the combo you triggered.

The coveted COMBO!
The coveted COMBO!

This is great for clearing both lighter and tougher enemies, but you will struggle to hit airborne targets with the combo. For Elementalists (the enemy Storms in Anthem), knock their shields out with your guns to ground them, and then combo them with your abilities. For flying Scouts, wait for them to land periodically, and then use your combo.

Obviously, this build is much less suitable for boss-killing due to its range, though many players are working around that at end game with a special Masterwork Sniper called the Truth of Tarsis. You don’t need to worry about that right now, but it’s something to bear in mind if you enjoy this build. There’s an Anthem endgame build guide coming for that soon, too.

What this build is great for is killing waves of enemies, making it ideal for Story Missions, Free Play, and Contracts. It’s a great build to use while leveling to 30, and will set you up nicely for farming Anthem’s endgame.

Are You Shur-iken?

Meanwhile, the Shuriken/Ranged Build is at the other end of the spectrum. This build focuses on using the Interceptor’s various Shuriken abilities in order to dish out damage at a much larger range, and is much more suited to battling tough foes from a safe distance.

Simply equip either the Cryo-Glaive or Searching Glaive Assault Systems (the former will freeze enemies, but the latter does more damage), and the Plasma Star Strike System. Together, these abilities will allow you to output a storm of ranged damage.

It’s recommended that you pair these abilities with longer ranged weaponry, such as the Marksmen Rifles or Sniper Rifles. This means you’ll be able to stay completely out of harm’s way, which is particularly useful for bosses with big AOE damage effects, such as those at the end of Strongholds.

This build also makes extremely good use of the Target Beacon Support Skill, which you should always cast on an enemy before firing off all your Shuriken abilities for a significant damage increase. As for components, any will do, just equip your most powerful for now (especially ones that increase your raw damage).

This build is ideal for those looking to farm loot from Anthem’s bosses, or for those trying to play their way through the Hard Difficulty, where staying out of enemies’ ranges is much more important. It’s a very safe build, but it’s also really fun to throw ninja-stars all day long.

The choice of builds is up to your preference and playstyle.
The choice of builds is up to your preference and play-style.

The Choice is Yours

Both builds are perfectly viable, and I used both of them at some point when farming my way up to level 30 and completing the Main Story (or ‘Critical Path’). Why not try them both out, and see which one suits you best?

Both are going to transition nicely into endgame too, with very similar builds (using Masterwork and Legendary variants of the Systems) being used to push the more difficult Grandmaster content.

Ideally, pick the right build for the situation you’re going into, and enjoy using them along with the Interceptor’s raw speed in order to maintain that ninja-like tempo and farm that sweet, sweet loot.


That’s it for today’s Anthem Interceptor Beginner’s guide. Hopefully these builds help you, I know they worked great for me while leveling up. And they’re a blast to play, too.

Thanks for stopping by. I’m FaultyOptics, and I’ll see you all next time for more gaming guides and news.

 

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