Nyx — Walking Bubble
Optimised build. Assimilate lets you move and shoot inside Absorb. Energy drain, halved radius, immortal if the pool holds.
Codex Checked · Compared against current game data for this update. · Update 43.5 · 5 Sept 2026 · PC · Current
Endurance, AFK-ish Defense, people who want to be a slow tank with a gun
Wrong drop or mechanic?
Don’t build this yet
First Bolts first
This loadout sits at Optimised. It wants Forma, Helminth, or shards you may not have. Play the Starter until those systems are open — then this page is the upgrade, not the homework.
Open First BoltsWhy this build?
Optimised for Endurance, AFK-ish Defense, people who want to be a slow tank with a gun
Health: Not yet — Helminth, Steel Path, or Archon Hunts still closed. Play the Starter.
- Assimilate is the immortal Nyx people clip. It is also slow and hungry.
- Efficiency mods are survivability mods. Duration mods are dead weight.
- If you want to actually run, play Psychic Bolts instead. This is a camp.
Don’t use this for: Capture / short missions · Exterminate speedruns
Helminth, shards, and a finished configuration
You don’t need the shards to run the loop. They are a later ceiling, not a gate.
Bring: Hitscan primary — You walk slowly and shoot. A beam or a rifle. Dispensary or Zenurik keeps the drain honest.
Alternative if…
- Star Chart only → First Bolts
- This is too much Forma / cost → Naked Room — Steel Path
- You wanted the ability loop, not guns → First Bolts
My test
Did this still work for you?
Your note, in this browser. Separate from Codex verification — the stamp on the card is editorial, this is yours.
Readiness
Inventory unknown
Not checked — add your collection. You have not failed a test.
- Required mods 0/9 · required — 0/9 named
- Forma 0/4 · required — 4 on the card. Codex does not track installed Forma.
- Helminth · optional — Not required
- Arcanes · recommended — 0/2 recommended
- Shards · optional — Optional unless the card says a breakpoint
Investment: 4 Forma · Reactor · 2 shards · 2 specialised mods. Typical farm ~4–6 hours. Trade if a route is vaulted.
Codex Checked · Compared against current game data for this update. · Update 43.5 · 5 Sept 2026 · PC · Current
Medium confidence. A solid recommendation with more situational dependencies. Confidence is not verification. Verification is separate: Codex Checked against Update 43.5.
Your next step
Next: Naked Room — Endgame
Unlock Helminth, Steel Path, or Archon Hunts before this upgrade is honest.
Naked Room — EndgamePlan
Today → next → later
Inventory unknown — mark “I own this” on a few mods. Until then this is a plan, not a score of zero.
- TodayPlay First BoltsThe Starter is the loadout you can actually take into a mission tonight.
- NextGet Brief RespiteThe Index / Nightwave
- After that4 FormaOne slot at a time. Rank 30 after each polarize.
- LaterAmber · Energy maxHelminth and shards are the last rungs. They are not the Starter.
- FinalWalking BubbleOptimised · Endgame · 4 Forma
Upgrade from here
Naked Room — Endgame
Locked behind Helminth, Steel Path, or Archon Hunts. Tick those on Progress first.
Open Naked Room — EndgameFarm the gap
- Nyx augments — Assimilate · Chaos Sphere · Pacifying Bolts · Mind Freak
Helminth & shards
What to put on the body
- 2 Amber · Energy max — A fatter pool is a longer bubble.Archon locked
- 1 Violet · Equilibrium — Orbs keep the drain honest.Archon locked
Tonight
What is actually up
30 minutes, one hour, or two — matched to this loadout, not a dump of the Origin System.
30 minutes
Farm Brief Respite
One named gap. The Index / Nightwave
60 minutes
Brief Respite, then Forma
Finish the missing named card, then spend a Forma if a polarity is still fighting you.
120 minutes
One Archon Hunt
If you are logging off after this, stop at the named component. Do not start a second Forma session tired.
- Farm Brief Respite
The Index / Nightwave
Who this is for
Play this build from zero
You bought Assimilate and you are ready to walk at 40% speed forever.
- Time to a playable copy
- After Assimilate, Primed Flow, and an energy plan (Energize or Dispensary pads).
- First mission to practice in
- A long Defense. If the bubble drops at minute five, your efficiency is wrong.
2 button drills · 13 parts · tick the lists as you go
Before you start
0 of 3 done
Put it on the Warframe
0 of 4 done
Keep this up
Assimilate loop
Pocket card. Stick this on a second screen; the long version is the mission below.
- 1Bolts (2) as you walk in.
- 2Assimilate Absorb (4). You can aim and shoot. You walk like you owe the bubble rent.
- 3Chaos (3) if you want the bank to fill from friendly fire.
- 4Never let the energy bar hit zero inside a pack. Energize, Dispensary pads, orbs. If the bubble drops, Rolling Guard and recast.
First mission — press these buttons
- 1
Bolts, then 4
4You can aim. You cannot sprint. Shoot.
You will know it worked when: A bubble you walk inside. Energy ticking down.
- 2
Watch the energy bar
If it is falling faster than orbs arrive, you leave and recast after a pickup.
Common mistakes
Slotting Narrow Minded
Assimilate does not use Duration. Efficiency. Flow. That is the tank.
When this feels easy
- 1Arcane Energize is not optional hereThe drain is the health bar.
Parts checklist
0 of 13 owned. Tap How on anything you still need.
Dependencies
16 dependencies
Frame → mods → unlocks. Tick Collection and Progress. This is a decision graph, not a wiki tree.
- 1●nyxframe
- 2○Brief Respitemod
- 3○Preparationmod
- 4○Assimilateaugment
- 5○Primed Flowmod
- 6○Streamlinemod
- 7○Fleeting Expertisemod
- 8○Intensifymod
- 9○Equilibriummod
- 10○Rolling Guardmod
- 11○Arcane Energizearcane
- 12○Molt Reconstructarcane
- 13○Amber · Energy maxshard
- 14○Violet · Equilibriumshard
- 15○Steel Pathunlock
- 16○Archon Hunts (shards optional)unlock
Depends on
What this loadout needs
Required is a gate. Recommended is a ceiling. Optional is a later farm — don’t stall the card for it.
Required
- Brief Respite
missing · The Index / Nightwave
- Assimilate
missing · Arbiters / Cephalon Suda · 25,000
The whole build. Move and shoot in Absorb. Drain replaces duration.
Primed Flowmissing · Baro Ki'Teer
Streamlinemissing · Enemy drops and early missions
- Fleeting Expertise
missing · Orokin Vaults
Drain is efficiency. You can dump Duration; Assimilate does not use it.
- Equilibrium
missing · The New Strange / drops
Recommended
Optional
Strength
~125%+ (strip is enough; Absorb damage is bonus)
Duration
irrelevant — Assimilate is infinite until energy dies
Range
145% (radius is halved by the augment)
6.5 energy per second at max rank, efficiency-scaled. Primed Flow plus Energize or Dispensary is the whole survival plan.
From the mods
Live power
Additive from max-rank Codex mods. Efficiency clamped 15–175%. Umbral set is +11% Strength per extra piece.
- Strength
- 130%
- Duration
- 40%
- Range
- 100%
- Efficiency
- 175%
- Energy
- +275%
- Capacity
- 48 / 67
Weapon HUD
Arsenal numbers
Base × damage mods × crit expectation × fire rate × multishot. No faction, no quantization. Galvanized kill stacks are a slider, not assumed.
- Damage
- 35
- Crit
- 12% × 2.00
- Status
- 26%
- Fire rate
- 9.58
- Multishot
- 1.00
- Avg hit
- 39
- Arsenal DPS
- 376
Toggle common mods
Nyx mods
- AuraBrief RespiteThe Index / Nightwave
- ExilusPreparationSpawn with energy. Enter Assimilate immediately.Arbitration
- 1AssimilateThe whole build. Move and shoot in Absorb. Drain replaces duration.Arbiters of Hexis / Cephalon Suda · 25k
- 2Primed FlowBaro
- 3StreamlineDrops
- 4Fleeting ExpertiseDrain is efficiency. You can dump Duration; Assimilate does not use it.Orokin Vaults
- 5Intensify125% strip on Bolts. Growing Power also works.Drops
- 6EquilibriumThe New Strange
- 7Rolling GuardCleanse if you ever drop the bubble.Arbitrations
| Slot | Mod | Source | How |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aura | Brief Respite | The Index / Nightwave | |
| Exilus | Preparation Spawn with energy. Enter Assimilate immediately. | Arbitration | |
| 1 | Assimilate The whole build. Move and shoot in Absorb. Drain replaces duration. | Arbiters of Hexis / Cephalon Suda · 25k | |
| 2 | Primed Flow | Baro | |
| 3 | Streamline | Drops | |
| 4 | Fleeting Expertise Drain is efficiency. You can dump Duration; Assimilate does not use it. | Orokin Vaults | |
| 5 | Intensify 125% strip on Bolts. Growing Power also works. | Drops | |
| 6 | Equilibrium | The New Strange | |
| 7 | Rolling Guard Cleanse if you ever drop the bubble. | Arbitrations |
Hitscan primary
You walk slowly and shoot. A beam or a rifle. Dispensary or Zenurik keeps the drain honest.
Arcanes
Arcane Energize
The drain is the boss. Energize is the answer.
Eidolon
Molt Reconstruct
Heals on energy spent. You spend constantly.
Zariman
Archon shards
- 1
Amber · Energy maxA fatter pool is a longer bubble.2 · EDA - 2Violet · EquilibriumOrbs keep the drain honest.1 · ETA
| # | Shard | Qty | Source | How |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Amber · Energy max A fatter pool is a longer bubble. | 2 | EDA | |
| 2 | Violet · Equilibrium Orbs keep the drain honest. | 1 | ETA |