Nova vs Oberon
Same Support / Healer fantasy — which support kit fits your squad and mission rota?
TL;DR — Quick Pick
Pick Nova if…
- You're sold on Nova's fantasy (Harness antimatter) more than another Support / Healer option.
- Oberon's pitch (“Healing and suffering do Oberon’s bidding”) isn't what you're missing — Wormhole is.
- You value Nova's orb-efficiency passive for longer ability spam on dense holds.
Pick Oberon if…
- You're sold on Oberon's fantasy (Healing and suffering do Oberon’s bidding) more than another Support / Healer option.
- Nova's pitch (“Harness antimatter”) isn't what you're missing — Renewal is.
- You value Oberon's orb-efficiency passive for longer ability spam on dense holds.
Verdict
Both fill the Support / Healer lane. Lean Nova for orb economy and Wormhole; lean Oberon for orb economy and Renewal. Mission Usefulness is a wash — decide on kit feel and passive, not the rating table.
At a Glance
Nova
Stat
Oberon
Support / Healer
Role
Support / Healer
NaramonAura
MaduraiMatch the priority to your main ability
Mod Priority
Match the priority to your main ability
Null Star
Kit Opener
Smite
Mission Usefulness
Mission
Nova
Oberon
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
Nova
- Wormhole carries mid-mission casts; Molecular Prime is the density payoff.
- Long holds where energy comfort matters — Nova's loop stays online without babysitting orbs.
- Nova shines on tile clears where ability damage — not just weapons — carries the pack.
Oberon
- Renewal carries mid-mission casts; Reckoning is the density payoff.
- Long holds where energy comfort matters — Oberon's loop stays online without babysitting orbs.
- Dense spawns where Oberon's cast cadence outpaces gun-only clears.
Mod Scaling Focus
Nova
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 Nova’s Strength-scaling abilities.
- DUR
- Extends channeled / timed effects — often comfort on Nova if the kit leans on buffs or zones.
- RNG
- Helps radius / targeting tools. Dump it if Nova is mostly self-buff or exalted weapons.
- EFF
- Keeps ability uptime comfortable, especially on longer Steel Path missions.
Oberon
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 Oberon’s Strength-scaling abilities.
- DUR
- Extends channeled / timed effects — often comfort on Oberon if the kit leans on buffs or zones.
- RNG
- Helps radius / targeting tools. Dump it if Oberon 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 Nova gets more mileage out of every pickup.
- Squad comps where someone has to own tile clear alone — Nova is the frame you trust for that job.
- Oberon can stay on the shelf; Nova is the one you'll actually Forma twice.
- Even after Helminth, Antimatter Drop and later abilities are still the reason Nova earned potato.
- Your endgame loadout screen should show Nova before it shows another same-role experiment.
- Energy / health orb rooms are common in your rota and Oberon gets more mileage out of every pickup.
- Your favorite clear starts on Smite and ends on Reckoning — Oberon is built for that arc.
- Nova's Wormhole loop asks for a different muscle memory than you want to practice.
- Madurai on the aura slot matches the school you're already building weapons around.
- Potato + Forma budget this month has Oberon's name on it.