Tectonics
Used by Atlas
Tectonics
Summon a Bulwark rock-wall, activate again to send the rocks crashing toward the enemy. Bulwarks attacked by enemies release an area-of-effect Slash powered by the Health it has lost.
Introduced in Update 17.5 (2015-10-01)
Ability stats
- See in-game / wiki ability card for rank values
- See in-game / wiki ability card for rank values
- See in-game / wiki ability card for rank values
- Summon a Bulwark rock-wall, activate again to send the rocks crashing toward the enemy.
Info
- Tectonics is Atlas’s ability 2.
- Summon a Bulwark rock-wall, activate again to send the rocks crashing toward the enemy.
- Use it with the rest of the kit — especially Landslide, Petrify — instead of casting it in isolation.
- Ability Strength, Duration, Range, and Efficiency each matter differently; check Mod Scaling below before dumping all four.
Augment
Tectonic Fracture
Tectonics Augment: Create up to 3 walls with 100% Health. Walls can no longer be turned into boulders.
AtlasTectonics Augment: Create up to 3 walls with 100% Health. Walls can no longer be turned into boulders.
Max rank drain ~9; see rank table on the augment page.
Cast Changes
- Modifies Tectonics with: Tectonics Augment: Create up to 3 walls with 100% Health.
- Rank up the augment to unlock the full effect values.
- Costs a mod slot (and capacity) — only equip it when the change matters for your loop.
Worth the Slot?
- Worth it when the augment’s change is central to how you play Atlas.
- Skip it if the base Tectonics already does what you need and you’d rather keep the slot for survivability or strength.
Tips & Tricks
- Read the battlefield first — cast Tectonics when it actually solves the room, not on cooldown habit.
- Pair Tectonics with movement and energy economy so you’re not stranded after a big spend.
- On Steel Path, confirm whether Tectonics still carries without strip, Viral, or a squad buff.
- If you never press 2, it’s the first Helminth candidate on Atlas.
Ability dossier · Tectonics
Synergies
- TectonicsLandslide
Use Tectonics to set up Landslide, or follow Landslide with Tectonics while enemies are vulnerable.
- TectonicsPetrify
Use Tectonics to set up Petrify, or follow Petrify with Tectonics while enemies are vulnerable.
- TectonicsRumblers
Use Tectonics to set up Rumblers, or follow Rumblers with Tectonics while enemies are vulnerable.
Mod Scaling
Strength
- Strength matters if Tectonics scales effect power; otherwise dump it for other stats.
Duration
- Duration is low priority on Tectonics unless an augment or lingering effect needs it.
Range
- Increases Tectonics’s reach, radius, or targeting distance.
Efficiency
- Tectonics costs energy each cast — Efficiency (or strong regen) keeps the loop comfortable on long missions.
Priority
Stack the stats that actually move this ability’s needle, then Efficiency for uptime.
Mission Use Cases
| Mission | How to Use It |
|---|---|
| Steel Path Survival / Defense / Disruption | Test whether Tectonics still clears or enables clear when enemies are dense and overlevelled. |
| Mobile Defense / Excavation | Use Tectonics to control or delete the swarm on the objective, then reposition. |
| Exterminate / Capture Speed Runs | Cast Tectonics only when it saves time — skip it on empty tiles. |
| Spy / Rescue / Quiet Routes | If Tectonics is loud or forces combat, save it for after the vault; if it’s stealth-friendly, use it to stay safe. |
Comparisons
- VS
Vs similar tools on other frames — Tectonics is tuned for Atlas’s loop — don’t judge it as a standalone subsume without the rest of the kit.
Landslide
Petrify
Rumblers