INTRODUCTION

General Use and Endurance [Nezha] build focusing on using a status weapon and combining it with [Divine Retribution] to "nuke" in a large range. Pillage is ideal but you can run a similar build with no helminth if you prefer (just add [Brief Respite] in Aura, Swap Transient Fortitude for Primed Continuity and Rolling Guard for Catalyzing Shields).

PLAYSTYLE

Cast Warding Halo to get 3s-iframe, knockdown/status immunity and 90% damage reduction, and recast when it breaks
Cast Divine Spears when a large group of enemies are nearby to crowd control them and allow Chakram to multiply/spread rapidly. Shoot them to allow DoTs to spread and kill all speared enemies.
Cast Chakram to debuff all the enemies with a damage vulnerability (basically a universal damage multiplier) and kill affected enemies to generate health and energy orbs which quickly fills up your energy to max. Make sure to spear first then aim chakram at a speared enemy so it multiplies.
Spam Pillage frequently to shield gate and strip armor

SURVIVABILITY

Shield Gating
For endurance steel path (up to level 9999), we need to rely on a combination of Pillage to shield gate (2.5 i-frames after 1100 shield breaking), Divine Spears to crowd control, i-frames from Warding Halo (3s i-frame on activation and 1s i-frame on breaking) and i-frames + status cleanse from Rolling Guard (3s with cooldown). You can also add in overguard from pistols running Secondary Fortifier which gives a further 0.5s i-frame from overguard breaking. Arcane Aegis is a final optional [Failsafe] that has a small random chance at making you effectively immortal for 12s.

NOTE: Currently, OVERSHIELDS counts to shield gate meaning if Pillage restores over 1100 in Overshield you will get the full 2.5s gate. If this gets FIXED, you will only be able to get the gate from [Nezha]'s maximum shield which is only 185, giving about 0.7s iframe only. In such a scenario, you will want to run a few Tauforged Azure Shield capacity shards (1 tau shard gives 1.4s gate, 2 tau shard gives about 1.8s gate, 3 tau shard gives 2.1s gate). [Primed Redirection] only gives a total of 518 shield which results in 1.6s gate, which is less than two tau azure shards.

Shield Tanking
For base steel path (up to level 500ish), you can very easily shield tank by using Pillage to frequently restore shields and having multiple layers of damage reduction to reduce the rate at which shields are lost. Shields have an innate damage reduction of 50%, warding halo gives another 90% and [Adaptation] can be added over [Rolling Guard] for a further 90% damage reduction for a final possible 99.5% damage reduction to shields.

BUILD SPECIFICS

Duration
Negative duration actually benefits [Nezha] as it allows Divine Spears to end earlier byitself which expedites all status damage and allows you to recast on a new group of enemies sooner. Duration doesn't affect Warding Halo and Chakram debuff has a high base duration, meaning at negative duration it is still approximately 5-10s long. Negative duration is also beneficial for Pillage since it causes the shield restore to occur quicker (after approx 1.5s at 70% duration), i.e. before 2.5s shield gate finishes.

Efficiency
We can either dump efficiency completely ([Blind Rage]) OR run near neutral efficiency ([Blind Rage] + [Fleeting Expertise]) due to the synergy between Chakram and [Equilibrium]. Killing an enemy affected by Blazing Chakram has a 100% chance to drop a health orb and a 35% chance to drop an energy orb. [Equilibrium] will convert the health orb into 55 energy, meaning every enemy you kill who has been debuffed by chakram guarantees 55 energy. If you can kill just 10 affected enemies, you generate 550 energy. depending on your playstyle. If you prefer a very active frequent cast playstyle, you want to maintain a neutral to positive efficiency with [Fleeting Expertise]. If you don't cast as much and feel you could sustain with 45% efficiency, simply swap [Fleeting Expertise] for either [Transient Fortitude] or [Augur Reach]. Running Arcane Steadfast or [Mystic Bond] can also be very helpful to further improve energy economy.

Range
High range allows Divine Retritbution to spread statuses in a large AOE (approximately 35m at 250% range).

Strength
Strength boosts the strip from Pillage, the vulnerability from Chakram and the end expedite multiplier on Divine Retribution.

Aura
Very flexible

Corrosive Projection reduces strength required to strip
Growing Power boosts more strength
[Brief Respite] for shield gating, but DON'T use this if running Pillage since you could interrupt your 2.5s shield gate if you cast 2 during the gate time

Exilus

Cunning Drift for maximising range
Controlled slide is purely preference if you don't enjoy the passive.

Flexible slots

Reaping Chakram - more health orbs for equilibrium and allows Chakram to deal DPS

Arcanes
Highly flexible based on preference:

Arcane Steadfast - works well for negative efficiency builds with a frequently cast high cost ability (eg divine spears)
Arcane Aegis - when this procs you basically become immortal passively to non-toxin damage for the duration of the effect which is 12s, a very good but OPTIONAL backup survivability tool
Molt Augmented - free +60% strength but only after 250 kills.
Arcane Avenger - procs on self damage from combat discipline and gives flat +45% crit chance.
Arcane Precision/Velocity - if running pistol
Arcane Fury - if running melee

Archon Shards
2 Amber Cast Speed Shards
3 Crimson Strength Shards for extra strength
3 Azure Shield Capacity shards (IF overshield couting to shield gate is ever fixed)

HELMINTH OPTIONS

Pillage: Strips armor and shield, cleanses status and also restores shields. Full stripping armor is still an effective 10x damage multiplier while shield restore allows you to effectively shield gate. Also works well with negative duration.
Nourish: boosts energy generation further, adds free viral to weapons, will need to add some more duration back in
Breach Surge: Chakram debuff allows breach surge damage to 'double dip', by magnifying the initial weapon damage that produces the spark, then magnifying the spark damage on hit, as long as all enemies taking the damage have been hit by chakram. This means you could potentially get sparks that do upwards of 30x or higher of original weapon damage. Breach surge also gives provides crowd control. Same mods can be used.
Grouping e.g. Pull, Airburst, Ensnare, Coil Horizon : works well with high range and negative duration.
Reave: Chakram debuff allows Reave to oneshot most enemies even up to level cap: https://overframe.gg/build/228690/
Roar: for more passive damage buff to multiply further with Chakram

ARSENAL

Any weapon with good DoT works well with Divine Retribution:
Primary:
Paris Incarnon: https://overframe.gg/build/463495/
Sporothrix (viral blast): https://overframe.gg/build/267473/
Phantasma (viral elec or viral heat): https://overframe.gg/build/374667/
Torid (blast corro): https://overframe.gg/build/
Strun (viral electric, corro blast, or pure blast): https://overframe.gg/build/465699/
Kuva Zarr (viral slash): https://overframe.gg/build/226265/
Kuva Tonkor (viral slash): https://overframe.gg/build/451007/

Secondary:
Furis Incarnon ( viral heat): https://overframe.gg/build/465709/
Spectra Vandal (viral slash): https://overframe.gg/build/638360/
Ocucor (viral heat or viral electric): https://overframe.gg/build/483134/
Lex Prime Incarnon (viral slash): https://overframe.gg/build/468567/
Kuva Nukor (viral heat or viral elec): https://overframe.gg/build/232817/