Dauntless is getting a new weapon set very soon: the aether strikers. Players have been waiting for a fisticuff-focused weapon for some time, and these new gauntlets will hit the game alongside its 1.0 release date on September 26. Developer Phoenix Labs has finally given a full rundown of what to expect when those fists land.
Aether strikers have three basic combos that can build up three types of mantra, respectively, and you can only activate special abilities with a certain number of mantras active. Tempest Form – a basic buff to attack speed – can be activated after one. Karma Breaker is a forward strike that deals damage over time and requires two mantras. The big three mantra attack is Adamant Bolt – an energy blast that deals bonus damage when all three mantras are active.
As you’re running through your attacks, an ever-present timer ticks down to show when your mantra expires, and it can only be extended with a fresh combo or a dash attack called Surge. You can get a better look at the flow of all these abilities on the official site.
This looks like a far more demanding weapon than most of what Dauntless already offers – the developers call it “our most technically difficult weapon to date” – so if you’ve grown bored of bashing monsters with more traditional armaments, aether strikers might be just what you’re looking for.
Once Dauntless 1.0 launches next week, you’ll be able to pick up the aether strikers from the Scarred Master. You’ll be able to build unique strikers based on each behemoth that you’ve managed to take down.