Perks in AOTR
Perks are how you turn a good weapon into a build. Offense, defense, and support lines all compete for the same attention—pick the row that matches what you will actually press in a raid, not a theoretical spreadsheet from last month.
Offense, defense, support
Offense rows reward accuracy and risk: crit, burst windows, and damage that shows up in Thunder Spear and ODM loops. Defense helps new players survive escort and tower content while learning timing. Support is often about sustain and utility. Mix based on your family—Helos may want pure damage, while hybrid routes sometimes grab one defensive safety net. Always pair with artifacts that fix gaps in your roll.
Examples (illustrative)
Adds critical hit chance to all weapons you use.
Best for: Thunder Spear, ODM, and sword-focused builds that stack crit.
Reduces damage taken in dangerous encounters.
Best for: Newer players and escort or tower objectives.
For weapon-specific ideas, return to Thunder Spears and the builds subpage. For value questions on rolled gear, see values before you trade.
Perks FAQ
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How often do perks get rebalanced?
Whenever a major update lands. If your build depends on a single line, read patch notes the same day and test in a safe zone before re-queuing PvP.
Helpful pages: Thunder Spears
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Do I match perks to my family?
Yes. A Shifter-first family cares about different passives than a pure ODM line. The families pages explain shift rules at a high level; perks fill in the weapon math.
Helpful pages: Families