"Anthem" combos: How Primer, Detonator & Combo Effects Work
The combo system of "Anthem" is a core feature of the game – but it's rarely explained to you. We take over! Here you will read how to set up combinations of primer and detonator abilities and trigger what abilities you can use and what combo effects there are.
Combos in "Anthem" are very powerful: with certain attack skills, you can fire at enemies one at a time, triggering related effects. Basically this works like this: Through a so-called "primer ability" an adversary is assigned an elementary status effect (fire, ice, electro or acid) and marked for a combo.
If this opponent is then hit with a detonator ability, this triggers the combo. The primer and detonator do not have to be fired by the same player – so you can also split combos between team members. After the combo has been triggered, the primer has disappeared again and the opponent must be re-marked for another combo.
How to recognize primer & detonator skills
Only the skills of your Javelins are suitable for combos, weapons are not yet intended as a primer or detonator. You will recognize primer and detonator by symbols displayed next to the name of the forge's abilities. Primers are marked with a circle with dots inside, detonator with a four-pointed star.
Symbolic: Primer (left) and detonator (right).
Unfortunately, the labels of primer and detonator capabilities are currently not uniform. Some abilities are primers but are not marked with the appropriate icon – such as the Rangers poison arrows, which afflict enemies with an acid status effect. Probably this will be improved later by patch.
Until then, the rule of thumb is that if a skill can give an opponent elemental effect, it's probably a primer.
Combos for shield opponents & bosses: Use primer correctly
Primer abilities do not work equally well for all enemies.
- Standard enemies that have only one (red) life energy bar can typically be immediately marked with a primer ability.
- For opponents with an additional (blue) shield bar, you must first deactivate the shield by damage before the primer works.
- Boss enemies are even harder to prime: Here, ideally, several Javelins must work together and stack together several primers.
Performing a combo on a full-grown titan is not that easy …
Combos with Melee & Ultimate Attacks
In addition to the Javelin's abilities, melee attacks are also usable as primers and detonators. The ranger's melee attack is the only one to be primed and takes on opponents with an electro-effect. The melee attacks of the other three Javelins, on the other hand, detonate marked targets.
The same applies to the Ultimate attacks: The Ultimates of Ranger, Colossus and Interceptor are detonator. The Ultimate of the Storm is primer and detonator at the same time and therefore automatically triggers a combo.
Good to know: The Rangers shock mace prepares combos.
Combo Effects: That brings the combo system
What exactly happens when a combo is triggered? That depends on which Javelin fired the detonator ability to the primed target!
- If the ranger fires a combo, the target gets a large dose of single extra damage.
- When the Colossus launches a combo, it inflicts damage on an area around the target, causing nearby enemies to be hit.
- If the Storm ignites a combo, the elemental effect of the primer is transferred to nearby enemies. If the target was frozen, then, for example, all opponents in the vicinity also freeze.
- If the Interceptor ignites a combo, it gains an Aura with the Elemental effect of the Detonator ability. For example, if he uses an ice ability to trigger the combo, he freezes enemies around him for a certain amount of time.
Since only the first detonator that reaches the target is counted, only one effect is triggered per combo. Whether a combo has been activated, you recognize a sound effect and the word "combo", which is displayed on the corresponding opponent.
Summary: Combos in "Anthem"
- To initiate a combo in "Anthem", hit a target with a primer ability.
- This proves it with an elementary status effect.
- Primers in the smithy are usually marked with a circle symbol.
- You or another player can then hit the primed target with a detonator ability (indicated by the star symbol), triggering the combo.
- In addition to the changeable abilities of the Javelins, melee and Ultimate attacks as primers or detonators do not work, but firearms do not.
- For opponents with shield and bosses it is harder to realize a combo.
- The triggered combo effect differs depending on which Javelin has fired the detonator.