Bolt Charge is a new Arc Verb that was added with Episode: Heresy which provides you with a unique way to damage enemies.
This can be obtained in several ways such as with the new Arc Aspects as well as from the Bolt Charge Boon found inside of The Nether.
Gaining stacks of Bolt Charge is a great way to deal additional damage to enemies and can be beneficial in any fight, especially if there are several combatants.
What does Bolt Charge Do?
Once you have a stack of Bolt Charge, sustained weapon damage will generate more stacks of it and at maximum stacks, any ability damage will send out a powerful bolt of Arc Lightning.
Additionally, when you receive a stack of Bolt Charge, you will be granted Melee Energy, allowing you to release the Arc Lighting along with melee attacks if you wish.
Sources of Bolt Charge
Bolt Charge Boon (The Nether)
One of the easiest ways to gain Bolt Charge in The Nether Activity is to pick up the Bolt Charge Boon, which provides you with Bolt Charges while you are sprinting.
Dielectric (Artifact Perk)
When the Dielectric Artifact Perk is active, you will gain Bolt Charges when you defeat targets that are affected by Arc Debuffs.
Storm’s Keep Aspect (Titan)
The Titan’s Storm’s Keep Aspect provides Titans and nearby allies with a moderate amount of Bolt Charge stacks.
When Titans and their allies are behind a Titan’s Barricade, they will also gain Bolt Charges and the Titan who deployed the Barricade may discharge their Bolt Charges with their weapons.
Lightning Surge Aspect (All Arc Classes)
Causes sliding to activate your charged melee ability to blink forward and call down lightning to strike and jolt targets that are affected.
Enemies that are hit by the lightning strikes left behind after “blinking” will provide you with stacks of Bolt Charge.
Spark of Momentum Arc Fragment (All Arc Classes)
Causes your weapon to reload after sliding over ammo bricks and provides you with a small amount of Bolt Charges.
Spark of Discharge Arc Fragment (All Arc Classes)
Provides your weapon final blows with a chance to drop Ionic Traces and these allow you to obtain Bolt Charges when you collect them.
This works well with Spark of Ions (Fragment) since it causes Ionic Traces to drop when you defeat a Jolted target or defeat a target with Bolt Charge.
Spark of Frequency Arc Fragment (All Arc Classes)
Melee hits increase your equipped weapon’s reload speed and stability for a short duration, which also provides you with the chance to get Bolt Charges if you are Amplified.
Spark of Volts Arc Fragment (All Arc Classes)
Finishers make you amplified and grant you a stack of Bolt Charges, making it easy to stack up on Bolt Charges after finishing off an enemy.
Rolling Storm (Weapon Trait)
Grants a Bolt Charge because of final blows with the weapon and while amplified, additional Bolt Charges are granted. (Increased Bolt Charges are gained when you have none)
How To Activate Bolt Charge?
Unleashing Bolt Charges upon your enemies can be done by dealing any type of ability damage while you have a full stack of Bolt charges.
Additionally, Titans who are behind a barricade may release Bolt Charge by firing with any equipped weapon.
Bolt Charge Artifact Perks
There are certain Artifact Perks that may be activated via the Tablet of Ruin that will affect Bolt Charges, which include the following:
- Overclock and Load – While Amplified or having Bolt Charges, Arc Weapons gain increased reload and handling speed.
- Dielectric – Defeating Arc Buffed Targets grants a Bolt Charge.
- Flashover – Gaining the maximum amount of Bolt Charges makes you amplified. (Lightning bolts deal more damage)
- Defibrillating Blast – Stunning a champion grants a max stack of Bolt Charge. (Triggers an Arc bolt that heals you and allies while also causing Jolt to combatants)
Verdict
Bolt Charges are a great source of dealing extra damage to your enemies and with the other buffs that you have from Artifact Perks, this can cause pure chaos for your targets.
Collecting Bolt Charges can be done in several ways, making it easy to create a building that can have it as additional damage or focus on using it to deal heavy damage to targets.
Most buildings that involve Bolt Charges will often be Arc Builds but in The Nether activity, you may use the Bolt Charge boon to easily acquire them.
