Once Human: Shrapnel Build [Best Weapons and Armor]

In Once Human, the Shrapnel build is one of the most powerful builds, featuring a weapon-based Shrapnel effect that makes it exceptionally deadly. This effect might be a bit confusing initially, but once you grasp how it functions, Shrapnel can destroy any enemy you aim for. The shrapnel effect basically causes the bullets to break apart inside the target, causing extra damage by hitting different parts of the body.

Shrapnel build is a mid-late game build that mainly focuses on increasing Critical Hit stats and improving Shrapnel trigger rates to increase damage output. In this guide, you will get to know about the best armor, weapons, Cradle boosts, and Deviant for a powerful Shrapnel build to tear enemies apart.

If you’re looking for additional Once Human guides, here are some other useful articles:

• Once Human: A Miracle Chase Quest [Walkthrough]
• Once Human: How to Get Salt
• Once Human: Top 10 Best Weapons
• Once Human: Lost in Madness Quest [Walkthrough]

Once Human Best Shrapnel Build Weapons and Armor

This build mainly focuses on boosting Critical Hit stats and enhancing Shrapnel trigger rates. When a bullet splinters inside an enemy, it targets their weak spots, dealing extra damage. Additionally, each time Shrapnel proc is successful, you’ll automatically reload your weapon, saving you time.

Shrapnel Build Basic Stats

The Shrapnel build prevents you from hitting weak spots directly with your bullets. This is due to the Fateful Strike module which trades weak spot damage for increased crit chance and crit damage. However, Fateful Strike doesn’t impact Shrapnel hits on weak spots, so you’ll still trigger effects that depend on hitting weak spots. If you’re fighting a boss like Shadow Hound or Treant, you may want to replace this with the Momentum Up module instead of Fateful Strike since it targets weak spots better and has great damage output.

Here are some Shrapnel-build weapons and armor listed with their best mods below:

Best Armor

Armor is crucial in Once Human as it boosts your ability to withstand heavy damage and improves your endurance. If you’ve accumulated 15,000 Starchrom, consider purchasing the Lonewolf set. For optimal performance consider obtaining all four fragments of this armor and combining them with one piece of the Bastille set and the Beret hat.

Lonewolf Armor Jacket

This set is quite expensive, and most players do not have enough Starchrom, so you can combine the Agent and Scout sets to increase weapon and weak spot damage. However, the Beret is free and you can obtain it by opening mystic crates in the Mirage Monolith. This will increase the Shrapnel hit proc by one.

Best Shrapnel Build Secondary and Melee Weapon

The best secondary weapon for the Shrapnel build in Once Human is the Recurve Crossbow. It serves as a support weapon by applying The Bull’s Eye effect to enemies, which boosts damage output by 8%. Additionally, it provides a +30% Critical Hit Rate buff to other weapons when targeting marked enemies.

Recurve crossbow

For finishing off enemies and conserving ammunition, the Long Axe is an excellent choice for a melee weapon. It’s particularly effective because it activates Fortress Warfare with a heavy attack when you hold down the Quick Melee prompt. Additionally, you will get free super armor and extra Weapon DMG while standing on the battlefield. This particular melee weapon is most useful when encountering tanky targets like bosses in Securement Silos.

Long Axe In Once Human

Best Primary Weapon

The primary weapon is crucial for taking down high-level bosses due to its high damage and versatility. For the Shrapnel build in Once Human, the best primary weapon is the Golden Scar, specifically the SOCR – Last Valor. When fully calibrated and paired with complementary armor mods, a high-level Shrapnel build with this weapon can be incredibly powerful and devastating.

SOCR – Last Valor

This weapon is outstanding because it can trigger additional Shrapnel hits based on your critical hits, making it perfect for players focused on Shrapnel. Furthermore, this assault rifle can achieve over 200k DPS with a single magazine, making it an excellent choice for a powerful Shrapnel build. To maximize the effectiveness of this weapon, players need to upgrade it to calibration level 10. However, reaching this level is resource-intensive and requires a significant investment of materials and Starchrom.

Here are some attachments to increase the performance of your primary weapon:

Recommended Deviant for Shrapnel Build

In Once Human, deviants are essential for managing your base and supporting you in combat. For the Shrapnel build, the best choice is undoubtedly Lonewolf’s Whisper. This deviant is particularly a combat deviant which is perfect for weapon-based builds, as it increases your Weapon Damage by 21.6% when active. Additionally, after defeating an enemy, it creates a clone that attacks your opponents, drawing their attention and allowing you to focus on their weak spots.

Lonewolf’s Whisper Deviant Location

You can acquire Lonewolf’s Whisper by defeating the Shadow Hound boss in the Monolith of Thirst. This deviant is quite rare and doesn’t appear often, but your chances of encountering and obtaining it improve significantly on Hard or Pro mode. Playing on these higher difficulties also increases the likelihood of getting a higher-level version of the deviant.

Lonewolf’s Deviant

Best Weapon Mods

Choosing the right mods is crucial for enhancing your weapon’s performance. For the primary weapon, the best mod is Shrapnel Souvenir, which increases crit damage but if you are using Shrapnel Souvenir never aim for weak spots, since hitting weak spots with Shrapnel instead will refill your magazine slowly. For the secondary weapon, Spreading Marks is ideal as it applies the Bullseye effect to enemies, marking them and increasing damage output by 8%. On the melee weapon, use Final Territory, which activates Fortress Warfare with a heavy attack, providing free super armor and extra Weapon Damage.

SOCR – Last Valor Weapon Mod

Cradle Setup

• Automatic Weapon Enhancement
• Long-Range Weapon Enhancement
• Deviation Master
• Rapid Aid
• Tactical Combo
• Sprint
• Deadly Combo
• Steady Hand

Cradle Setup For Shrapnel Build

The Deviation Master increases damage against Deviants by 50%, making it highly effective in those encounters. Tactical Combo boosts Weapon Damage by 25% after switching weapons. Deadly Combo enhances Shrapnel damage, while Steady Hand improves Weakspot damage by 40%, significantly boosting your effectiveness in targeting enemy weak points.