Learning goals
- Understand status immunity.
- Understand status resistance.
- Understand Overguard and special enemy contexts.
- Understand boss status limitations.
- Learn why testing matters.
Explanation
Some enemies resist, limit, or ignore certain status effects. A build can work well in normal missions but fail against a boss, Eximus, Overguarded target, or special unit. Enemies may have immunity, reduced status strength, reduced duration, stack limits, damage attenuation, weakpoints, invulnerability phases, vulnerability windows, or unique resistances.
What should I do?
When status does not work, check if the target is a boss, Eximus, or Overguarded unit, check if the status icon appears, check whether stacks are capped, check whether damage is attenuated, and try direct damage, weakpoints, armor strip, or a different mechanic before calling the build bad.
Common mistakes
Avoid these status mistakes before spending Forma, Rivens, arcanes, or expensive mod upgrades.
- Testing a status build only on normal enemies.
- Expecting crowd control to work fully on Overguard.
- Ignoring boss phases.
- Ignoring status immunity.
- Thinking Viral failed because the weapon is bad when the boss resists it.
- Using a primer on enemies that cannot be meaningfully primed.
Key Takeaways
- Status is powerful, but enemy rules decide whether it works.
Practical task
Enemy rules decide whether status works.
- Pick a target where status feels weak.
- Check whether it is a boss, Eximus, Overguarded unit, or special enemy.
- Apply a visible status if possible.
- Watch whether the icon appears and stacks.
- Test another status or direct damage approach.
- Write why the first status did or did not work.
You can identify one reason a status effect failed or was limited.