Lavos vs Nekros
Same Support / Healer fantasy — which support kit fits your squad and mission rota?
TL;DR — Quick Pick
Pick Lavos if…
- You want the squad gap filled by Lavos's vibe — The serpents of Lavos encourage him as he transmutes the battlefield.
- This slot should feel like Ophidian Bite, Vial Rush, and Catalyze, not a reskin of Nekros's Soul Punch, Terrify, and Shadows Of The Dead.
- You value Lavos's orb-efficiency passive for longer ability spam on dense holds.
Pick Nekros if…
- You want the squad gap filled by Nekros's vibe — There is a reaper whose name is Nekros.
- You'd rather build around Desecrate than live in Lavos's Transmutation Probe loop.
- You're buying into Nekros's passive — restore some Health with every enemy death within a radius.
Verdict
Both fill the Support / Healer lane. Lean Lavos for orb economy and Transmutation Probe; lean Nekros for Desecrate and Desecrate. Mission Usefulness is a wash — decide on kit feel and passive, not the rating table.
At a Glance
Lavos
Stat
Nekros
Support / Healer
Role
Support / Healer
NaramonAura
None
Match the priority to your main ability
Mod Priority
Match the priority to your main ability
Ophidian Bite
Kit Opener
Soul Punch
Mission Usefulness
Mission
Lavos
Nekros
Steel Path Survival / Defense / Disruption
Mobile Defense / Excavation
Exterminate / Capture Speed Runs
Spy / Rescue / Nightmare
Open World / Bounties
Long-Range Gunplay / Eidolon-Style Content
When Each Shines
Lavos
- Transmutation Probe carries mid-mission casts; Catalyze is the density payoff.
- Long holds where energy comfort matters — Lavos's loop stays online without babysitting orbs.
- Missions that reward committing to Lavos's full ability loop instead of dabbling.
Nekros
- Desecrate carries mid-mission casts; Shadows Of The Dead is the density payoff.
- Mod focus stays on match the priority to your main ability so the cast loop doesn't fall over mid-rota.
- Missions that reward committing to Nekros's full ability loop instead of dabbling.
Mod Scaling Focus
Lavos
Match the priority to your main ability — Strength or Duration first for most kits, then Efficiency, then Range.
- STR
- Raises damage and effect potency across Lavos’s Strength-scaling abilities.
- DUR
- Extends channeled / timed effects — often comfort on Lavos if the kit leans on buffs or zones.
- RNG
- Helps radius / targeting tools. Dump it if Lavos is mostly self-buff or exalted weapons.
- EFF
- Keeps ability uptime comfortable, especially on longer Steel Path missions.
Nekros
Match the priority to your main ability — Strength or Duration first for most kits, then Efficiency, then Range.
- STR
- Raises damage and effect potency across Nekros’s Strength-scaling abilities.
- DUR
- Extends channeled / timed effects — often comfort on Nekros if the kit leans on buffs or zones.
- RNG
- Helps radius / targeting tools. Dump it if Nekros is mostly self-buff or exalted weapons.
- EFF
- Keeps ability uptime comfortable, especially on longer Steel Path missions.
Who Should You Pull?
- Energy / health orb rooms are common in your rota and Lavos gets more mileage out of every pickup.
- Squad comps where someone has to own tile clear alone — Lavos is the frame you trust for that job.
- Nekros can stay on the shelf; Lavos is the one you'll actually Forma twice.
- Even after Helminth, Vial Rush and later abilities are still the reason Lavos earned potato.
- Your endgame loadout screen should show Lavos before it shows another same-role experiment.
- Desecrate into Shadows Of The Dead is the cast story you want to master — not a random subsume mashup.
- Squad comps where someone has to own tile clear alone — Nekros is the frame you trust for that job.
- Lavos can stay on the shelf; Nekros is the one you'll actually Forma twice.
- Even after Helminth, Terrify and later abilities are still the reason Nekros earned potato.
- Your endgame loadout screen should show Nekros before it shows another same-role experiment.