Tidal Surge
Used by Hydroid
Tidal Surge
Crash through enemies in a ferocious wall of water.
Introduced in Update 13.0 (2014-04-09)
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
- Crash through enemies in a ferocious wall of water.
Info
- Tidal Surge is Hydroid’s ability 2.
- Crash through enemies in a ferocious wall of water.
- Use it with the rest of the kit — especially Tempest Barrage, Plunder — instead of casting it in isolation.
- Ability Strength, Duration, Range, and Efficiency each matter differently; check Mod Scaling below before dumping all four.
Augment
Tidal Impunity
Tidal Surge Augment: Clears Status Effects and grants 12s of Status Immunity for yourself and allies that come in contact with it. Reduce…
HydroidTidal Surge Augment: Clears Status Effects and grants 12s of Status Immunity for yourself and allies that come in contact with it. Reduces Tidal Surge's Energy cost to 15.
Max rank drain ~9; see rank table on the augment page.
Cast Changes
- Modifies Tidal Surge with: Tidal Surge Augment: Clears Status Effects and grants 12s of Status Immunity for yourself and allies that come in contact with it.
- 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 Hydroid.
- Skip it if the base Tidal Surge already does what you need and you’d rather keep the slot for survivability or strength.
Tips & Tricks
- Read the battlefield first — cast Tidal Surge when it actually solves the room, not on cooldown habit.
- Pair Tidal Surge with movement and energy economy so you’re not stranded after a big spend.
- On Steel Path, confirm whether Tidal Surge still carries without strip, Viral, or a squad buff.
- If you never press 2, it’s the first Helminth candidate on Hydroid.
Ability dossier · Tidal Surge
Synergies
- Tidal SurgeTempest Barrage
Use Tidal Surge to set up Tempest Barrage, or follow Tempest Barrage with Tidal Surge while enemies are vulnerable.
- Tidal SurgePlunder
Use Tidal Surge to set up Plunder, or follow Plunder with Tidal Surge while enemies are vulnerable.
- Tidal SurgeTentacle Swarm
Use Tidal Surge to set up Tentacle Swarm, or follow Tentacle Swarm with Tidal Surge while enemies are vulnerable.
Mod Scaling
Strength
- Strength matters if Tidal Surge scales effect power; otherwise dump it for other stats.
Duration
- Duration is low priority on Tidal Surge unless an augment or lingering effect needs it.
Range
- Range is usually dumpable on Tidal Surge unless you feel the hitbox is too tight.
Efficiency
- Tidal Surge 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 Tidal Surge still clears or enables clear when enemies are dense and overlevelled. |
| Mobile Defense / Excavation | Use Tidal Surge to control or delete the swarm on the objective, then reposition. |
| Exterminate / Capture Speed Runs | Cast Tidal Surge only when it saves time — skip it on empty tiles. |
| Spy / Rescue / Quiet Routes | If Tidal Surge 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 — Tidal Surge is tuned for Hydroid’s loop — don’t judge it as a standalone subsume without the rest of the kit.
Tempest Barrage
Plunder
Tentacle Swarm