Overview
Don’t know Direct Current from Power Array? Hyper Feed from Magic Mag? LMG Turret from DMR Turret? What the heck is Brawndo? Find out here!Read item descriptions to make informed item purchase decisions. 🙂 Learn about class-specific item choices.Dec. 16, 2020: Synthetik Ultimate releasedSynthetik Ultimate is out! 🙂 Adds several new items, gradually adding to guide. So far: Crux of the Laser Caster, Lifeblood, Missile Control, Orb of Fusion, Orbital Relay, Refresher and Underbarrel Mod Chip. Each has [Ultimate] tag in front of their names.Item CategoriesThis is an alphabetical list of items with screenshot snippets. I generally categorize items into three categories: Active: Has a number (keyboad) or letter/symbol (controller) to indicate what button you press to activate the item. These typically have a cooldown, explained on the item’s mouse rollover information panel. Passive: Either an “always on” benefit, or periodically “triggers,” with a designated cooldown period. A small looping animation in the upper right corner of an item icon will indicate this. “Ultimate” update added Synergy items, which are passives that benefit other equipped items’ abilities. Consumable: Has a limited number of uses, after which it disappears from inventory; or has a one-time use benefit based on the kills you get after activating the item, after which it disappears from inventory.Searching This GuideYou can do a quick text search to find the item you’re looking for here (Ctrl/F to search), or scroll through the alphabetical list of items at lower right, below.Item Rarity LevelsThe different color borders of each item’s information panel indicates its rarity level. I’d describe it as this: blue=common, purple=medium rare, red=rare. OK, maybe I’m thinking about my steak dinner last night. 🙂 A more dim color (seems kinda dim green?) indicates a class-specific item.Item Upgrade LevelsIf a screenshot shows “100%,” that’s for the default item version. If the screenshot shows less than 100%, that’s a “damaged” item. More than 100% means I had upgraded the item, or the item had a bonus modifier.
Acid Grenade
Grenade toss cause green health meters for enemies caught in its radius, causing damage over time.
Air Com
Activating the Air Com lets you choose a huge area to drop the air strike on. “Red” rarity items like this are extremely, well, rare. 🙂
Air Horn
I can best describe the sound this item makes when triggered as a cross between an air horn, a trumpet and a fart. 🙂 You’ll have to decide if putting up with that noise is worth its benefits.
In this screenshot, the Ultra modifier is why it’s listed at 175% despite not being upgraded yet.
Akira
Spectacular visual showstopper can make it a bit difficult to see what’s happening.
Auto-Overclocker (Engineer/Demolisher)
Notes: Class-specific item
Auto Taser (Riot Guard/Breacher)
Notes: Class-specific item
Bandana
Tooltip description screenshot courtesy voicebeyondstars. 🙂
I’ve not yet run into this one myself, so I don’t yet have insights to offer on it.
Battlecry Module (Riot Guard/Breacher)
Notes: Class-specific item
Biting Throwing Stars
Very useful item ability. Affected enemies’ health meters turn green to indicate the toxic damage over time.
Black Berserk Charm
(12/20 update) I finally got this. I didn’t like it 🙂 On Commando at least, having zero shield is an invitation to getting offed quickly before this item’s improved health regen and health pool can save you. So I’d probably takes a pass on this one, from a survivability standpoint.
Black Market Teleporter
This is obviously a true lifesaver as long as its not in cooldown when you get in trouble. I always get it if I can afford it.
Although this item shows a hotkey in your tray, it works automatically, like a passive ability, as long as the cooldown period has ended.
*You’ll see this bright animation around your character, and the game camera view will pan back to the level’s Entry teleportation pad.
Blood Bolt
Extremely powerful with no real drawback. Note this only unleashes when you fire your weapon, so even a stealthy character can enjoy it. A keeper. 🙂
Blood Rite
Bloodthirsty Ring
Once you get 50 kills, the ring icon will show the looping “Passive” animation on it. Then just drag the ring to the item tray recycling icon. A new reward item will pop up in your inventory or, if your inventory’s full, the new item will drop on the ground.
Brawndo
So far, I’ve only encountered this item as a loot drop from enemies. I’ve not encountered it at an item vendor kiosk. A fun guitar riff sound plays while Brawndo is boosting your character’s powers. 🙂
Composite 4
You get a certain number of “stacks” of this item to use, and upgrading this item increases that number. You’re able to replenish it after the cooldown time passes.
This item ability drops a yellow icon on the ground. Click it with your mouse cursor to detonate it.
The early iteration of this had virtually no cooldown at all and unlimited stacks and seemed way overpowered. The current iteration is a terrific tactical tool, but the stacks limit and cooldown keep it from being overpowered. I use it on turrets, and can be useful as a trap for oncoming enemies.
Core Upgrade Kit
Lets you choose one of three powerful passive character stat boosts. I think most times, you choose one; and then it shows another set of 3 boosts you can choose from (which may or may not be identical to the first set of three choices).
[Ultimate] Crux of the Laser Caster
Powerful showstopper when triggered, though it isn’t really that often, in my limited experience. Still a keeper, imho. 🙂 A countdown timer on the item icon will indicate when the beam attack is ready to auto-trigger.
Custom Upgrade Kit
Decoy (Sniper/Assassin)
Notes: Class-specific item (I think?)
I believe other classes eventually can get a “Shielded Decoy” item at vendor item kiosks and in loot, but I don’t have a screenshot for that one yet.
Devils Dice
Direct Current
Divine Reconstructor
I’ve only encountered this item a couple of times, and I don’t have much knowledge of it.
DMR Sentry Turret
DMR is NOT the same turret as the more powerful light machine gun turret Engineers can start with. This fires at a slower rate.
Despite its description, in my experience DMR Sentry Turret targets point blank range enemies just as well as it does enemies at medium-long range. So don’t worry about that wording in the description.
Dragon’s Masterkey (Engineer/Demolisher)
Notes: Class-specific item
Eclipse
The stream of beams falls in an extremely small target location. It’s probably most useful on stationary targets such as turrets, although you may also have some success “leading” moving enemies into the beam. Targeting it in a narrow corridor in front of oncoming enemies, for example.
Facemelter
Passive (triggers periodically)
Effective and fun to use, Facemelter features a spectacular, sporadic explosion effect.
Although effective with precision weapons like sniper rifles and pistols, it also works great with basic shotguns because you’re constantly getting headshots without needing to aim precisely. 🙂 That ensures Facemelter will trigger regularly without any fuss.
Fan of Knives
Cool defensive attack with a short cooldown, so it will trigger fairly regularly. Note that you need to be willing to let your character get attacked, in order for this retaliatory item ability to trigger.
If your character is fragile, or you just prefer to dodge and never get hit, this item ability may not be useful to you.
Fangs of Mordigan
Tooltip screenshot courtesy of enderfour. I’ve not run into this item yet myself, so I can’t speak to how it works/how effective it is.
Fast Sling
Not the sexiest sounding item ability, but switching between weapons gives you a nice weapon buff, which is always useful.
Field Supply (Engineer/Demolisher)
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Notes: Class-specific item
Fire Prism
Useful attack alongside your regular weapon fire. Makes an occasional neat “pew pew” sound effect, and you’ll notice the occasional red laser bolt alongside your regular weapon’s fire.
Flare Gun (Engineer/Demolisher)
Notes: Class-specific item
Flash Grenade (Sniper/Assassin)
Notes: Class-specific item
G87 ‘Beamer’
This is arguably so powerful, maybe it should’ve been a red high rarity item, imho.
Gold Nugget
Luck I believe means improved chances for better loot and maybe better chances of armor plate dropping from downed enemies. I have encountered Gold Nugget as a dropped loot item, but I don’t think I’ve encountered it at an item vendor kiosk.
Originally posted by “Mister Maf” on 2/27/2020:… luck does a lot of things besides loot quality.
It also improves crit chance and boosts the proc chance for tons of stuff that relies on RNG. Akira with heavily boosted luck for example just goes off constantly.
GPS
Although it’s nice to see everything marked on your map — including enemies, indicated by red dots — I have a hard time justifying a slot for this when more powerful or lifesaving items are available.
Guardian
This becomes available when you refer at least one friend to Synthetik (i.e., that person bought the game). I *think* this is only available as a starting-item choice for any class. I haven’t seen it at item vendor kiosks.
Guardian is an effective tank; however, his movement speed is slow, and if you tend to rush through a level, he can’t keep up with you. The 80 second cooldown is also pretty long.
Gun Drone Spawner
I don’t find this terribly useful due to its light damage output.
Hard Light Cover
Available as starter item for Raider and Heavy Gunner. I believe this occasionally shows up at item vendor kiosks later in a game session.
HE Grenade
Plenty useful basic grenade toss that does good damage in a wide area.
Healing Crystal
Heart Core
In my experience, we more often obtain this in loot drops than at item vendor kiosks.
My tip is, don’t us this when you’re about to tackle a bunch of hitpoint sponge enemies. You only have 12 seconds to get an HP boost from your kills, so use it before tackling a few easier enemies that you can off in that short a period of time.
Heart Seeker
I love this item — the tiny “needle” homing missiles are quite potent despite the pixel-size, and it’s fun to watch their little blue micro-trails on screen. TIP: As with any auto-firing item, if you’re playing as Assassin, you may not want this item equipped. 🙂
Heat Sink
Heat Spreader
Heavy Steel Trap
Now a showy item ability, but they do decent damage and being able to place a few can be helpful in certain situations.
‘Helsing’ Power Bolt (Sniper/Assassin)
Notes: Class-specific item
High Command
Item description and “in action” screenshot snippets courtesy of moat on Discord channel. 🙂
This summons a “Red Guard” type vehicle “pet.” Long cooldown. On rare occasions, this will summon the cool X-25 Compact Tank. 🙂
Hyperfeed
Your weapon has to have at least one round for this to be useful.
Icarus
In the above screenshot, the Super modifier results in the 125% power rating.
Incubus
DANGER, Will Robinson! Incubus via lfe steal drains life from ALL units in a level, including YOU.
So be careful using this item, and WARN your co-op partner if you choose to use it in multiplayer. I wouldn’t recommend using it unless you have exceptionally strong health regeneration from items and/or upgrades.
Infinity Drill Piece
Expensive but pretty freaking awesome “green line” weapon that can pulverize multiple targets. My advice — BUY IT if the vendor kiosk offers it! 🙂
Intensity Chamber
Although this can be helpful if your weapons are prone to running out of ammo, personally I find it too fussy to use because of the need to NOT equip the weapon you want more ammo for.
Kunai Throwing Knives
This spread of 3 sharp knives is pretty useful, especially against turrets and clusters of enemies. Upgrade them for maximum usefulness.
Laser Mine (Engineer/Demolisher)
While effective, these proximity-based mines requires some thought in placement because you don’t really have precise control. It tends to spread 3-4 mines, or drop them almost on top of each other, depending your timing. NOTE: These mines will not detonate if you or your co-op partner step on or near them.
I like to mine narrow passages and then lure enemies back through it. I’m not sure if enemies can “sense” the mines, but sometimes they’ll wander around them and make you crazy. 🙂
Last Stand
I thought I’d like this, but in my experience Black Market Teleporter is more useful in terms of getting you out of an emergency jam automatically (if it’s not in cooldown mode).
[Ultimate] Lifeblood
Helpful healing item, especially in co-op.
Lightning Boots
LMG Sentry Turret
Engineer gets this type Turret as a starter item; however, the item is also available as loot and at item vendor kiosks. I think?
Engineer also has a later level passive that provides a chance for more than one turret when activating the turret item.
M205 Launcher
M26 MA Shotgun System
Terrific cone attack ability that’s especially useful against hard targets (turrets etc.) and groups of enemies. You’ll see the bleeding damage in the fading health meters on affected enemies.
Madness Button
Be careful using this if you’ve already used the teleport “level selector” to choose a “red” level with an increased Terror rating. If you then also use the Madness Button, you’ll likely get overwhelmed. Unless you want that. 🙂
Magic Mag
Magnum
Powerful and fun to use, you’ll fire a burst powerful Magnum pistol rounds at either one target or a spread. I use it for “panic” situations, and also for finishing enemies off if my main weapons are jammed or out of ammo.
Maverick MKV
Note the chance to trigger is based on your equipped weapon’s magazine size. So sometimes this is useful and triggers often; sometimes on smaller magazine weapons, it’s not so useful because it doesn’t fire very often.
Metal Detector
This is more useful in the later levels, such as the military floors, when enemies start using more high-damage explosive mines instead of just stun mines that don’t inflict damage.
Methadone (Riot Guard/Breacher)
Notes: Class-specific item
[Ultimate] Missile Control
Passive synergy item provides bonus benefits for any missile attack item, such as Missile Drone.
Missile Drone
The Engineer/Demolisher class can unlock this starter weapon by spending data. It’s useful, but the homing missiles don’t track very well — they seem more like “dumb fire” missiles.
NOTE: I just saw this drop tonight as a loot drop, so it’s *NOT* strictly an Engineer-Demolisher item.
Module Core
This is typically a reward for accomplishing an objective on a level or eliminating the boss on a Boss Level. You won’t see this at item vendor kiosks.
Onslaught System (Heavy Gunner)
Although it’s ostensibly meant to support the Heavy Gunner’s starter light machine gun, Onslaught is truly useful for any weapon.
Tip: You need at least ONE round of ammo for the “grants strong ammo rengeration” to work. It won’t generate ammo out of thin air. 🙂
Orb of Fire
Pretty useful periodic spreading fire wave that can hit multiple targets for damage over time.
[Ultimate] Orb of Fusion
Boosts any ORB item abilities, such as Orb of Fire, Orb of Wind and Orb of Iron.
Orb of Iron
Orb of Wind
[Ultimate] Orbital Relay
This passive buff is awesome in conjunction with these Active power beam attack items:
- Eclipse
- G87 Beamer
- Power Array
- Redline
Obviously, if you disdain beam attack items, you can skip this item. 🙂
Order 322
Introduced in Update 25, Order 322 essentially turns any enemy unit into your pet for a brief period.
TIP: Use this on an enemy who has armor or a lot of hit points for maximum benefit. Your brainwashed pet isn’t likely to do a lot of damage, but can be helpful like a decoy in drawing fire from you.
Phaser
This “pet” soldier is reasonably useful in the early levels but tends to be fodder later on.
Power Array
Powershot
Originally posted by “Mister Maf” on 2/27/2020:Secret effect on the powershot (in the live client, haven’t tested in the beta) – reduces heat when it procs.
Psy Field
You’ll “aim” this item ability via a large, colorful pattern on the ground. Enemies that enter the pattern area will be affected.
Redline
Although this very rare item’s attack is devastating and effective, in the chaos of a battle, it can get tough to keep track of the targeting reticule to guide it. I believe this can also cause friendly fire to yourself, so use with caution.
Refractor Crystal
Find this tricky to use because you have to sort of anticipate when you’re going to get blasted, and then use this item’s ability to reflect the damage. The reflection is indicated by huge aura blast (see screenshot below).
Ring of Experience
Ring of Glass
Interesting way to eventually get a new item; however, I’ve found it near impossible to avoid taking the health damage that prematurely shatters the glass.
Provides no passive or active benefit, so I have a hard time justifying dragging it around.
Ripjack Hyper Blade
Can cause serious, major friendly fire to yoursef and your co-op partner. Beware! 🙂
Road Flare (Raider/Heavy Gunner)
You can only drop the flare at your character’s feel, so this isn’t a ranged attack as the item description suggests. I like this item, but it can be tricky to know the best time to drop one.
Worth noting — Road Flare does *not* cause friendly fire damage to you or your co-op partner. 🙂
Rosarius
R-Plating
Useful in improving survivability, but not exactly a visual showstopper ability. 🙂
[Ultimate] Refresher
Honestly, I found description confusing, and couldn’t really figure out when this would be useful.
RV Rebuke System (Riot Guard/Breacher)
Notes: Class-specific item
Scoundrel’s Dagger (Assassin)
Notes: Class-specific item
Shieldburst (Guardian/Breacher)
Active
Class-specific starter item.
Shielded Decoy
Despite the “Shielded” name, this decoy really can’t withstand much damage in its initial state. It may be more useful with some upgrading.
Shock Impulse
Passive (periodically triggered, I think?)
Easy to confuse with the Shieldburst item because of the similar tray icon.
Sidewinder
Although the description suggests a single homing missile, this appears to fire in salvos (see screenshot below). That may be an effect from upgrading it?
Smoke Grenade (Sniper/Assassin)
Notes: Class-specific item
Special Ammo Supply (Heavy Gunner)
Notes: Class-specific item
This is the Heavy Gunner’s only non-regeneration method to add ammo to its starter machine gun, which doesn’t get reloaded by ammo crates.
Spider Mines
Although available as a starter item for Engineer/Demolisher, this is eventually available as loot drop and possibly at item vendor kiosks.
Stim Pack
Like steroids. 🙂 Benefits both players in co-op.
Stinger Jet System
Stinger is *not* the most maneuverable “pet class” in the game. This can be a drawback on some of the more crowded environments that have narrow corridors.
Target Cogitator
Targeting Laser (Sniper)
Tomahawk
Although this doesn’t sound like a “sexy” item, the “wounding damage” is very useful, especially against high-HP turrets and enemies that have large HP pools.
Tsunami Talisman
Twin Link II
Umbra Adaptive Cloak (Assassin)
Notes: Class-specific item
Note that after activating this, you literally can’t see yourself on screen. Only a small caret symbol denotes where you are. So it can prove a bit tricky to line up a knife attack while invisible because you don’t see what direction you’re facing.
[Ultimate] Underbarrel Mod Chip
Unstable Current
Upgrade Kit
Uranium 235
This tends to show up as either loot or a vendor kiosk item very late in a session. It’s usually extremely expensive at the vendor kiosk. VIsually it’s tough to perceive what it does.
Z1 Sundering Shuriken
Rare item that is a bit tricky to use because you have to throw it against a wall for it to do its thing.
ZK77 ‘Sticky Bomb’
You’ll toss this sticky bomb alongside your regular weapon attack periodically. Note that this makes a Demolisher-class level explosion, and you need to steer clear of self-friendly fire.
ZR99 ‘Living Bomb’
This is one of the trickier item weapons to use, with a showstopper animation effect.