Mastering Time: Which Slab Should You Infuse First in Deathloop?
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The chaotic, time-bending world of Deathloop presents players with a fascinating dilemma: what to infuse? With a limited amount of Residuum, the resource required to keep your hard-earned gear between loops, choosing which Slab to prioritize can significantly impact your success on Blackreef. While personal playstyle heavily influences the decision, there’s a strong argument for one Slab standing above the rest in terms of early-game utility and long-term potential: the Nexus Slab.
The Nexus Slab, obtained from Harriet Morse in Karl’s Bay, allows you to link enemies together. Any damage or effect applied to one linked enemy is shared by all others. This effectively turns encounters into tactical puzzles, rewarding strategic thinking and precise execution. Infusing Nexus early grants you a massive advantage in clearing areas, conserving ammunition, and eliminating Visionaries with ease. It’s a game-changer that drastically simplifies early runs while remaining powerful throughout the entire game.
Why Nexus Reigns Supreme: A Deep Dive
Here’s a detailed breakdown of why Nexus is the optimal choice for your initial infusion:
- Efficiency: Early in the game, resources are scarce. Ammunition is limited, weapon proficiency is low, and Colt is relatively fragile. Nexus addresses these limitations by allowing you to eliminate multiple enemies with a single shot or grenade. This conserves resources and reduces your exposure to danger.
- Crowd Control: Blackreef is often densely populated with Eternalists. Facing multiple enemies simultaneously can be overwhelming, especially in close quarters. Nexus transforms these encounters, turning a horde of enemies into a linked chain reaction waiting to be triggered.
- Visionary Elimination: Many Visionary encounters involve fighting through waves of guards. Nexus simplifies these battles by allowing you to clear out entire groups of Eternalists before engaging the Visionary directly. This significantly reduces the risk of being overwhelmed and allows you to focus on the main target.
- Synergy with other Slabs and Trinkets: Nexus pairs extremely well with other Slabs like Aether (for stealth), Shift (for mobility), and even Karnesis (for hilarious crowd control). It also synergizes well with various trinkets that enhance weapon damage or elemental effects. Imagine linking a group of enemies and then detonating them with a single explosive round, amplified by damage-boosting trinkets.
- Accessibility: Harriet Morse, the Visionary who carries the Nexus Slab, is relatively easy to reach early in the game. Her location in Karl’s Bay is accessible with minimal gear, making Nexus a readily available option.
- Scalability: The power of Nexus doesn’t diminish as the game progresses. Its effectiveness scales with your skill, weapon upgrades, and trinket selection. It remains a valuable tool for clearing areas, eliminating Visionaries, and completing challenging objectives throughout the entire game.
- Tactical Flexibility: Nexus isn’t just about killing enemies quickly. It also allows for creative problem-solving. You can use it to manipulate enemy behavior, create distractions, or set up elaborate traps. Its versatility makes it a valuable asset in any situation.
Beyond Nexus: Considering Other Slabs for Infusion
While Nexus is the top contender, other Slabs offer unique advantages. Here’s a brief overview of other infusion options:
- Shift: Provided by Charlie Montague, grants short-range teleportation. Excellent for traversal and escaping dangerous situations. Useful early on but gets less important once you learn map layouts.
- Aether: Drops from Egor Serling, grants temporary invisibility. Fantastic for stealth-based gameplay. Useful in specific scenarios but lacks the broad applicability of Nexus.
- Karnesis: Received by defeating Aleksis Dorsey, grants the ability to telekinetically hurl enemies. Highly entertaining and useful for crowd control, but more situational than Nexus.
- Reprise: Colt’s intrinsic Slab allows you to rewind time twice upon death. Vital for learning the game, but you cannot infuse it.
Ultimately, the best Slab to infuse depends on your playstyle and preferences. However, the versatility, efficiency, and scalability of Nexus make it the clear frontrunner for early-game infusion, providing a significant advantage in tackling the challenges of Deathloop.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some frequently asked questions about Slabs and infusion in Deathloop, providing further insights into the game’s mechanics:
1. What is Residuum and how do I get it?
Residuum is the resource used to infuse weapons, Slabs, and trinkets, allowing you to keep them between loops. You obtain it by killing Visionaries and absorbing the Residuum they drop, as well as by destroying shimmering objects around Blackreef.
2. How many Slabs can Colt equip at once?
Colt can equip a total of three Slabs: Reprise (which is always equipped and cannot be changed) and two additional Slabs of your choice.
3. How many upgrades can each Slab have?
Each Slab (excluding Reprise) has four upgrade slots, which can be filled with Slab Upgrades found throughout Blackreef.
4. Can you lose infused weapons and trinkets?
No. Once an item is infused, it remains in your inventory between loops unless you choose to sacrifice it for Residuum.
5. What happens if I die without infusing anything?
If you die without infusing anything, you will lose all the weapons, Slabs, and trinkets you were carrying in that loop.
6. Is it possible to infuse everything in the game?
Yes, with enough time and effort, it is possible to infuse all weapons, Slabs, and trinkets in the game. This requires careful planning and efficient Residuum gathering.
7. What are the best Slab upgrades to look for?
The best Slab Upgrades depend on your playstyle, but some universally useful upgrades include:
- Nexus: Influence (extends the range of the link), Shared Wounds (linked enemies take more damage).
- Shift: Reach (increases the teleportation distance), Airborne (lets you teleport while in midair).
- Aether: Ethereal Body (reduces damage taken while invisible), Phase (lets you move through energy walls while invisible).
- Karnesis: Suspension (enemies float in the air longer), Swarm (hurls multiple enemies at once).
8. Can I get multiple copies of the same Slab?
Yes, you can obtain multiple copies of the same Slab by killing the same Visionary in multiple loops. These duplicates can be sacrificed for Residuum.
9. Are some slabs better for PvP (as Julianna) than others?
Absolutely. For PvP as Julianna, Masquerade (allows Julianna to disguise herself as an Eternalist) is incredibly powerful. Nexus can also be effective for catching Colt off guard, and Aether allows for stealthy approaches.
10. Where can I find more information about Deathloop’s mechanics and lore?
You can find a wealth of information about Deathloop on the Bethesda website, various gaming wikis, and community forums. Educational games and their impact on learning are fascinating topics for discussion. Organizations like the Games Learning Society at GamesLearningSociety.org examine that and related areas of interest.
11. What happens if I kill a Visionary without claiming their slab?
If you kill a Visionary without claiming their Slab, the Slab will still be available when you encounter them in the next loop.
12. Can I change the slabs I have equipped during a loop?
No, you can only change the Slabs you have equipped between loops, at your base.
13. Is there a recommended order to eliminate the Visionaries?
While Deathloop offers a lot of freedom, there is an optimal path to break the loop on one day. The following order is generally recommended:
- Harriet Morse (Karl’s Bay) – for Nexus.
- Charlie Montague and Fia Zborowska (Winding Ridges) – Eliminate together, with optimal planning.
- Egor Serling (Complex) – For Aether.
- Wenjie Evans (Complex) – Multiple Wenjies will appear.
- Aleksis Dorsey (Updaam) – For Karnesis.
- Frank Spicer (Fristad Rock) – Get his weapon.
14. Does difficulty affect slab and trinket drops?
No, the game’s difficulty setting does not affect the frequency or quality of Slab and Trinket drops.
15. Can I give slabs to friends in Deathloop?
No, Deathloop is a single-player game with an optional PvP component (Julianna invading Colt’s game). There is no trading system.