In the world ofOnce Human, Meta-humans must survive by fighting using different weapon skills, such as the Shrapnel skill that multiplies weapon damage by attacking other parts of an enemy. Specifically, it will deal 50% damage to an unhit part of the enemy, and can also crit and strike weakspots upon doing so.
When fighting bosses in Monoliths, strong builds are the key to surviving by taking them down as fast as possible. A crit-based Shrapnel build is one of the strongest in the game. Here is how to build the best Shrapnel build inOnce Human.

Best Gear Loadout For A Shrapnel Build
Best Weapons, Armor, And Alternates For The Shrapnel Build
Shrapnel’s main feature is increasing Crit Rate and Crit Damage to melt the HP of your enemies. Your primary armor will beThe Lonewolf Set,a set that provides increased Crit Rate and Crit DMGthrough the Lone Shadow stacking mechanic. TheBeretunique headpiece also increases the number of parts hit by Shrapnel, with theBastille Setproviding an increase of 10% Weapon DMG across the board when health is above 70%.
Lonewolf Set (4 pieces)

Beret (unique)
Bastille Set (1 piece)

Long Axe
The main piece of this build, though, is theSOCR - The Last Valorassault rifle, which increases the chance to trigger Shrapnel as well as the damage Shrapnel does. This weapon allows you to stack Crit Hits to amplify your damage by compounding number of hits with the number of crits.
The Lonewolf Set, Bastille Set, and SOCR - The Last Valorcan be found in the Wish Machine. ensure to save up yourStarchromto purchase all the pieces!
Additionally, you can open fights using theRecurve Crossbow, applying The Bull’s Eye status effect to enemies, which debuffs the target with 8% vulnerability. On top of this, the crossbow will also increase Crit Rate by 15% against the target, stacking even further with the Last Valor.
You may not have enough Starchrom to be able to purchase all armor set pieces from the Wish Machine as well as the main weapon. Alternatively, you can use three pieces ofThe Falcon Set, and two pieces of the Scout set, both of which can be found in the Mystical Crates in settlements. Each set increases general survivability while also increasing Crit DMG or Weapon DMG.
Lastly, the melee weapon choice is situational, but theLong Axealways makes a great setup weapon. By executing a heavy attack at the start of a fight, you’ll drop down aFortress Warfarebuff, a proximity effect that increases Weapon DMG by 20% and provides Super Armor. This weapon can also be used to knock down humanoid-sized enemies, granting further Crit Rate for each enemy hit. While not a primary tool for this build, it can still effectively create space and provide some extra survivability.
Best Mods For A Shrapnel Build
Your Main Mods And What To Look For
Your primary mods for this build focus on increasing damage dealt by Shrapnel.Obliterateincreases damage for each part hit by 15%, andExplosive Shrapnelturns Shrapnel into an explosive effect with an additional +300% DMG if it is a critical hit. TheVulnerability Amplifierincreases the vulnerability inflicted by The Bull’s Eye, adding an additional 8% onto the already powerful debuff.
Vulnerability Amplifier
A few additional mods to consider would be:Momentum Up(Helmet: increased rate of fire and damage),Crit Boost(Gloves: increased Crit DMG),Crit Amplifier(Gloves: Increased Crit Rate and Crit DMG), andDeadshot(Pants: each Crit increases Crit Rate). While these mods can be found and farmed from sources such as Weapon or Gear crates, Monoliths, or Silos, they can also be purchased directly fromNisa, theSproutlet Vendor. She can be found in all strongholds, and stands apart due to her unique appearance with a pink jellyfish on her head.
If you manage toconsistently keep The Bull’s Eye activeusing the Recurve Crossbow, the mask modTargeted Strikeis the more powerful option (when hitting marked enemies, Crit Rate + 10%, and Crit DMG +25%). However, if you are not able to consistently mark enemies, or for general gameplay besides Monoliths and Silo bosses,Explosive Shrapnelis the better option.
Besides these primary mods, it is important to focus on mod sub stats that increaseCrit DMG and Weapon DMGas much as possible.Magazine Capacityalso allows you to keep firing for longer, andDMG to Great Onesgrants you a specific increase tobosses found in Monoliths.
Best Deviations For A Shrapnel Build
Deviations The Boost Attack Or Help Defend
The best damage output for this build is theLonewolf’s Whisper, which provides high damage output while also increasing Weapon DMG against the targeted enemy. In cases where there are multiple smaller enemies, the Lonewolf’s Whisper will duplicate itself temporarily for each additional enemy killed.
Best Single Target Damage
Lonewolf’s Whisper
Attacks enemies with high damage, increasing damage dealt to targeted enemy
Highlights enemy weakspots and deals damage
Best Defensive
Festering Gel
Forms a fortification when thrown, providing healing to player and nearby allies
TheButterfly’s Emissaryalso does decent damage to enemy weakspots while highlighting them for players to see. Depending on the situation, the Butterfly can be preferred due to its ability to more easily navigate difficult or blocked terrain.
How To Build The Best Fortress Warfare Tank Build In Once Human
In Once Human, there are many options for builds based around different weapons and skills. Here is how to build the best Fortress Warfare tank build.
If a fight is particularly tough, theFestering Gelis the perfect option for keeping yourself topped off or surviving difficult AOE damage, such as Arachsiam’s (Hard) poison mist. Deploying the Gel will create asmall fortification wallfor the player and allies to hide behind, as well as providing a significant AOE heal. The Gel alsoheals Sanity lossand can be used instead of a consumable to recover Sanity during a fight.
Best Cradle Setup For A Shrapnel Build
Which Skills To Choose & Which To Pass On
Each season ofOnce Humanhas different Cradle Override options, but a few remain the same. TakingAutomatic Weapon Enhancementincreases the damage of your rifle while also refilling a portion of your magazine after defeating an enemy.Tactical Comboalso increases Weapon DMG +25% for 4s after reloading.
For further damage, keep an eye out on the Shrapnel-specific Cradle Override features for each season. There will be several overrides that affect one or two skills,such as status skills like Burnor Power Surge. Be sure to choose your season scenario’s Shrapnel skills, such as theTracking Bulletseason override, which increases Shrapnel DMG +25% and Shrapnel Crit DMG +35% for 15s.
Overall, Shrapnel is a flexible but powerful build inOnce Humanthat can be tweaked depending on your circumstances. By focusing on Crit Rate and DMG, you may execute high DPS ranges with exceptional burst damage. Feel free to experiment with different combinations to find what works best for you.