As a professional Remnant 2 player and content creator with over 500 hours invested, I‘ve tested the full arsenal extensively. And without question, equipping top-tier mutators tailored to your build takes things to another level.
This definitive guide will cover the 10 best mutators for sheer combat potency. I‘ll break down what they do, where to acquire them, and why each cracks the upper echelon.
What Are Mutators and Why They Matter
For those unfamiliar, mutators are powerful weapon augmentations you can slot into guns and melee implements. They mutate different attributes like damage, fire rate, critical chance etc. based on the specific mutator used.
You start finding basic ones fairly early on. But the truly game-changing mutators drop rarely from specific bosses and quest lines. They fundamentally expand what weapons can achieve, but require heavy investment to unlock their full potential.
Upgrading them from their initial +0 state to +10 potency costs a fortune in materials. Hundreds of crystals and thousands of scrap. But the astronomical bonuses gained make them well worth the grind for serious players.
Equipping the right mutators to complement your overall setup adds multiplicative scalability past base stats and mods. This additional layer of customization and synergy is how top-level players break builds wide open.
Let‘s get into the cream of the crop – the pinnacle mutators worth obsessing over!
Comparison of Top Mutator Effects
Before analyzing each individually, here‘s a comparative glance at what the best ranged and melee mutators offer at base and peak upgrade levels:
| Mutator | Type | +0 Effect | +10 Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bulletweaver | Ranged | 10% fire rate for 7s after mod use | 20% fire rate for 7s after mod. 15% mod gen for 7s when reloading from empty. |
| Timewave | Ranged | Applies 3.5s slow around you on mod use | Applies 7s enemy slow. 15% more damage to slowed enemies. |
| Weapon Lord | Melee | Basic attacks buff next charge attack by 7%. 5 stacks max | Now 10% buff per stack. At max stacks, 100% crit on next charge attack. |
| Dervish | Melee | 20% melee damage for 10s when activating a skill | Now 40% buff. Melee kills also reduce skill cooldowns by 5%. |
You can already see just how ridiculously strong the scaling bonuses get at +10. The craziest builds stack multiple late-game mutators together for exponential synergies.
Now let‘s analyze the very best mutator picks currently and why they make the cut.
#1 Bulletweaver: Pure Sustained Ranged Carnage
- Type: Ranged
- Drop Location: Atrophy and Rot Stalker boss inside Endaira‘s End dungeon.
For raw ranged DPS and mod uptime, nothing beats the Bulletweaver. It adds substantial fire rate after mod activation, doubling down on mod-centric damage. Particularly devastating for crit-stacked builds.
I‘ve recorded clean kills over 4x faster using this beauty compared to base weapons. You melt even endgame elites before they can react.
The bonus mod gen on empty reloads at +10 further enables near 100% uptime on the juiced fire rate too. Once you get a feel for reloading rhythmically between mag dumps, you achieve a state of weaponized zen!
Recommended Pairings
I strongly recommend the Bulletweaver with:
- Beam Rifle w/ Thermal Bomb mod
- Rapid Fire Frame crossbows
- Hunter armor set (bonus mod gen)
- Mind‘s Eye trait (free crits from stealth)
Monitor your reload timing closely to abuse that delicious perpetual fire rate and melt times will plummet. Glass cannon builds in particular can erase bosses without being touched using this mutator combo. But make sure to pack Mod Generation and Reload Speed bonuses from gear to further enable this playstyle.
#2 Timewave: Offense Meets Defense
- Type: Ranged
- Drop Location: Restless Spirit miniboss inside Tower of the Unseen dungeon
While the Bulletweaver brings pure offense, the Timewave offers a balance of amplified damage and strong crowd control. Dropping an AoE slow bubble on demand helps tremendously in dicey fights while ensuring you dish extra pain to immobilized enemies.
The 7 second duration at +10 upgrade gives you ample room to go ham on whole groups caught inside the bubble too. This mutator shines when mobbed by packs of elites – freeze them then light them up!
I lean on the Timewave to counter many lethal enemies like the nightmare-inducing Spectral Crows. Slow those devils then pour on some thermite love!
Recommended Pairings
Some favourite combos include:
- Beam Rifle w/ Cold Spear mod – combo for added slow
- Hot Shot mod – melt armor on immobilized targets
- Howler‘s Immunity armor – skill spam slows for days
- Hunter armor – bonus mod gen keeps bubble ready
Between the intense DOT damage and unrelenting mob slowing, you dictate engagements using this beauty. Prioritize cooldown reduction and mod generation on gear to abuse this mutator‘s immense crowd control utility.
#3 Weapon Lord: Risk Equals Reward
- Type: Melee
- Drop Location: Sold by Dwell at Ward 13 merchant
If you crave adrenaline packed melee combat, the Weapon Lord satiates those desires. It rewards successive basic attacks with charge move buffs, incentivizing ultra-aggressive in your face play.
The most dedicated martial artists can accumulate 5 stacks quickly to unleash positively disgusting crit-charged annihilators. We‘re talking well over 100k+ damage on the Butterfly Edge blades. Enough to erase bosses with a solitary swing!
Now this does require some skill to leverage compared to passive options. But the sheer burst damage possible outclasses any other melee mutator when mastered. Just be warned – botch the timing or positioning mid-combo and you might be the one getting erased!
Recommended Pairings
To fully exploit this risk/reward beast:
- Weapons: Greatswords, Hammers, Dual Axes
- Void/Radiant armor sets
- Executioner weapon mod
- Spirit trait (for cooldown reduction)
I Cabinet Key ultra aggro melee using this setup and routinely execute endgame elites in under 5 hits. It takes practice building momentum between dodges and strikes to unleash that magnificent crit nuke finisher. But once it clicks, no other build provides this feeling of raw martial prowess!
Closing Thoughts
I hope this guide has provided quality insight into the very best mutators Remnant 2 currently has to offer. These standouts provide the most concrete and consistent combat performance boosts from my extensive experience.
Be sure to check my YouTube channel for upcoming videos on additional killer builds featuring these mutators. I also plan to release more written guides analyzing traits, weapons mods and projectile skills that pair excellently as well.
Stay tuned fellow Remnant slayers – now get out there are start perfecting those weapon fusions! The most formidable armies await…
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