Nothing comes close to this.
269%+ Critical Chance (red crits)
39.72x Critical Multiplier (red crits)

While this is a complicated build, with a lot to read, it is necessary as I will teach you many of [Mesa]'s quirks and go over a lot of the options [Mesa] has with reasoning and explanations behind the choices made.

Who Is This Build For?

Everyone, the goal was to make a strong build for players that have gone through the main story and for endgame. This build can do it all.

"I'm Missing Stuff!?"

As always, use regular versions of mods, see the Mods & Substitutes section below.
The good thing about this build is that if you are missing something it does not change how the build is played, but it will be weaker. Just use what you have, I go over MANY of the options available to [Mesa].

Build Versions

1. [Combat Discipline] + Arcane Avenger

2. [Growing Power] + Whatever (If Arcane Avenger is not an option, newer players)

Playstyle

The build sections will explain how all this is happening.

1. Always have abilities #1 & #3 up, #2 can be optional given the situation, but still try have all going.

2. (If using Zenurik Focus school) use Energy Pulse & Hardened Wellspring before using abilities for more damage and energy.

3. Swap to Epitah/Primer of choice to prime targets and activate Secondary Outburst

4. Use Peacemaker & get red crits!

Mesa Abilities Overview

Nourish

• Nourish is used for energy sustain, this means you will never run out of energy with this build.
• If using the Zenurik Focus School, Energy Pulse + Hardened Wellspring stacks with Nourish for pretty much infinite energy whenever.
• Ballistic Battery gets subsumed out in this build as it is not useful. The [Ballistic Bullseye] augment with [Cedo] is an okay option to nuke entire rooms if not subsuming.

Shooting Gallery

I see a lot of Mesa builds opting out of range, making this ability essentially useless, do not underestimate this ability.

• Enemies can't shoot, you can't die.
• Stuns all enemies within range, yes this includes enemies without weapons and melees.
• Also gives a damage buff because why not?
• Also applies to teammates because this wasn't already good enough.
• Also has the Muzzle Flash augment that can blind Eximus units. Options for this are touched on in the section below.
• Anything that gets close enough to potentially danger Mesa, this ability will handle.

Shatter Shield

• 95% damage reduction to help you stay alive.
• This stacks with other damage reduction and also synergises with the main aura mod Combat Discipline & Adaptation
• This is NOT make you invincible! Damage from sources such as AoE, melee attacks and DoT are not reduced.

Peacemaker

• Wherever you look enemies will die... well at least within 50 meters.
• Range does not scale Peacemaker's distance, in fact nothing does!
• The longer you hold down the trigger, the more damage Mesa will output, but jumping around and spamming also works pretty well.
• This a Exalted weapon which uses secondary weapon mods.
• [Mesa] should never go below 200% strength because this is the threshold where additive mods ([Hornet Strike], Galvanised Shot, etc.) are not worth it.

Mods & Substitutes

The Avenger build is stronger, but not everyone may have Arcane Avenger. If this is you replace Combat Discipline for Growing Power.

Combat Discipline

• For constant uptime on Arcane Avenger.
• Scales with damage reduction, thus make sure to always have Shatter Shield active, as you'll go from -10 health per kill to -1.

Equilibrium / Energy Nexus

• Equilibrium for extra energy from health orbs.
• Energy Nexus with Nourish is pretty good, especially with Zenurik focus school.

• Note for [Energy Nexus], energy [Regen] is not as good on Mesa as pure energy orbs, as when in Peacemaker it stops energy regen. It's still worth a try and is an option.

• Adaptation / Rolling Guard.

• Adaptation allows for ~99.5% reduction to bullet damage with Shatter Shield.
• Rolling Guard helps with status effects and works well with Mesa's Waltz.
• This is a debatable choice and completely up to preference. Personally I enjoy the synergy of Rolling Guard and Mesa's Waltz more.

Mesa's Waltz

• This is here for the fun factor, but can help save energy by not needing to recast Peacemaker to move, and pairs well with Rolling Guard
• [Power Drift] for extra strength (damage) & Primed Sure Footed for extra survivability are better in this slot.

Primed Continuity & Constitution

• For duration, this is important as efficiency is not that good.
• Abilities have ~50 seconds upkeep, which is more than plenty.

Blind Rage & Umbral Intensify

• For a lot of strength, Peacemaker scales well with strength and as stated before going under 200% is not viable.
• A quick note on [Precision Intensify]: unfortunately the +90% strength is applied conditionally, meaning it is useless on Mesa.

Flex Slot
All these are good options:

• Streamline is currently in this slot as it reduces abilities cost by ~20 energy, which for each cycle saves ~60 energy.
• [Energy Nexus] good for quick energy if using Zenurik + Nourish make sure to use Hardened Wellspring for +20% strength, giving more energy.
• Augur Message for extra duration.
• Stretch for survivability, giving more range on Shooting Gallery.
• Muzzle Flash for extra survivability.
• [Augur Secrets] for more damage.

Other Build Setups

Spammer Build

For doing bounties in open world missions, or just running through content where survivability doesn't matter as much.

• Replace Constitution & Umbral Intensify FOR Fleeting Expertise & Narrow Minded.

Regulators - Build Here

This and the next sections are where the build comes together.
You can find more information, faction specifics, archon shard specifics, and explanations in Regulators build.

• The general build focuses on corrosive for armour stripping, where heat procs are optional through a primer (see Equipment below)
• [Primed Pistol Gambit] + Arcane Avenger give 117% critical chance.

Arcanes

If Arcane Avenger are not an option use the Growing Power version of the build.

• Arcane Velocity on Mesa, enough said.
• Arcane Avenger for them nice crits. Growing Power gives more damage with avenger, but normally Mesa kills before she is hit, thus avenger would be wasted.
• Arcane Avenger applies to everything, e.g. Phantasma Prime has 11% crit chance (now 56% with avenger), using a critical mod like Ravage works well.
• Secondary Outburst for 20% extra critical chance and damage per combo, if you don't have this there are other options (see Equipment section)
• Melee Crescendo is touched on in the Melee Section

The Arcane Energise Setup

Now that energise is (slightly) more accessible, I wanted to include it. Do I think this is better? Not even close. Is it nice to have options? Yes.
The idea behind this is that we still have okay energy sustain from energise, while having our damage output through Xata's.
Everything stays the same except for 2 things:

1. The Helminth Ability

• Use Xata's Whisper. Roar / Eclipse would be the next options, but Xata's is easily the best.

2. The Arcanes

• Replace Arcane Velocity for Arcane Energise.

Companion

Pick your poison

• Adarza gives us the fat crits, unfortunately it dies a lot. This companion is fun and synergises with the build very nicely, but is a glass cannon.
• Panzer is the more solid option. Constant uptime on buffs, gives better energy sustain & efficiency, spreads viral, is immortal, all at the cost of worse crits.
• Anything else you like, share your suggestions.

Adarza Kavat - Build Here

• Cat's Eye gives a flat +60% critical chance.
• Gives a variety of other buffs outlined in the build.
• The primary of choice matters here and is explained in the companion build more in depth as to why.
• This means with Primed Pistol Gambit + Arcane Avenger + Cat's Eye gives ~152% critical chance.

Panzer Vulpaphyla - Build Here

• The highlight of this is and immortal cat, which means buffs never leave such as a constant +60% fire rate forever, no need to do anything.
• Spreads viral, and gives more health orbs for Equilibrium than Adarza.
• Provides better energy efficiency 30%, for a total of 75% - 105% (depending on Streamline use).
• No critical chance bonus.

Equipment

Read carefully this parts important.

Primary

• Anything can be used here, so choose something to fill a certain niche, or accomplish something Mesa can't... or just don't use a primary?
• Due to arcane avenger, weapons that would not otherwise be used for crits can now be used (Phantasma example before), or just get orange crits with high crit weapons.
• Note weapons such as [Phenmor] & Felarx that don't like to crit don't work as well with this build as we have lot of critical chance.

Rauta - this is a primary weapon that can be used to increase melee combo for Secondary Outburst

Secondary

Use whatever primer you like! My recommendation, and the best option I believe is below:

Epitaph - build here

1. As a primer

• Force procs cold, which adds more critical damage.

2. For using Secondary Outburst

• You will be priming targets then going into Peacemaker which will activate Secondary Outburst
• If you don't have secondary outburst, do not worry, there is another option in the Melee section.

You could use something of your choice here as well, Epitah just synergies well and is overall extremely good.

Melee

I have given 2 options and an optional arcane. The choice depends on what you have, and what you want to get out of Mesa.

• Option 1 is a more out of the box solution to Mesa, jump into the mission and you're good to go. Recommended
• Option 2 is if you don't have option 1 OR are replacing the initial combo from Option 1 with Melee Crescendo.
• Melee Crescendo is really only if you're chasing perfection and highly endgame, and requires a bit more setup, but the power threshold is higher.
• You can use Melee Crescendo with ceramic dagger for less effort.
• If you do not have Secondary Outburst / Ceramic Dagger incarnon use option 2 regardless.

Option 1 - [Ceramic Dagger]

Build and explanations here

• With the Incarnon adapter gives free combo and with mods give x9 initial combo, aka +180% critical damage and chance for never even touching your melee.
• This means Primed Pistol Gambit + Arcane Avenger + Cat's Eye + x9 Secondary Outburst gives us ~222% critical chance!

Option 2 - ANY Furax

• Use any Furax with the Amalgam Furax Body Count mod.
• This gives +45% fire rate to secondary weapons, aka Regulators

Melee Crescendo

• Only use this if you have it, this is where the power ceiling can increase with some extra setup every mission.
• This arcane gives permanent melee combo on finishers. The idea here is to get to x12 combo to gain even more critical chance & multiplier from Secondary Outburst.
• This arcane is very expensive, but any rank actually will work here, just the lower the rank, the more effort required.
• Use the Vazarin focus school to rag-doll enemies with Void Snare in order to get ground finishers. Once your combo is at x12 you're done.
• As stated above using this with [Ceramic Dagger] lowers the effort needed to get to x12.

Archon Shards

Archon Shards are not needed in this build, but they do take it to another level.

x5 Tauforged Crimson Critical Chance Shards

• Gives guaranteed orange crits with 9% chance of red crits with ~209% critical chance
• With [Primed Pistol Gambit] + x5 Tauforged Critical Shards + x9 Secondary Outburst + Arcane Avenger + Cat's Eye gives a total of ~269% critical chance.

x5 Tauforged Topaz Critical Chance Shards

• Expensive. This setup gives more critical chance at the cost of additional setup, the choice is yours if you want to commit, but Crimson works just fine.
• This will not be as good out of the box, but is definitely better on longer run missions.
• We will need a way to effectively proc heat, which will be done through our Regulators. See details in Regulators build.

Focus School

• Zenurik has great synergy with Nourish.
• Vazarin for using Melee Crescendo

Overframe Site Issues

I'd like to put a section to state how this site misleads newer players into bad builds. All the builds above this one are old and just not good anymore, unfortunately the only way to beat this is upvoting the newer builds and downvoting the old, unless changes are made to the site. Consider voting for this build and any others you come across for other frames that have bad old builds at the top.

Conclusion

The only downside to using [Combat Discipline] over [Growing Power] is that Arcane Avenger is a requirement.
As said in the build, if Arcane Avenger is not an option for you, then use Growing Power, and replace Arcane Avenger for something else (or nothing).

Overall this is what we're dealing with:

• ~162% critical chance guaranteed, ~222% critical chance whenever Cat's Eye procs every 20s, this is without Archon Shards

• 14.4x base critical multiplier on regulators, 26.88x with orange crits and 39.72x with red crits

• +60% flat fire rate (105% if using [Amalgam Furax Body Count])

Please drop any suggestions.
Would appreciate an upvote :) enjoy.

Math

For anyone that cares.

[Regulators] have a base 25% critical chance and x3 critical multiplier

Base Guaranteed Critical Chance (No Shards)

[Primed Pistol Gambit] + x9 Secondary Outburst + Arcane Avenger
(25 x (1 + (1.87 + (9 x 0.20)))) + 45 = 161.75% critical chance

• [Cat's Eye] (60%) = 221.75% critical chance

Base Guaranteed Critical Chance (With Shards)

[Primed Pistol Gambit] + x5 Tauforged Critical Shards + x9 Secondary Outburst + Arcane Avenger
(25 x (1 + (1.87 + (5 x 0.375) + (9 x 0.20)))) + 45 = 208.6250% critical chance

• [Cat's Eye] (60%) = 268.625% critical chance

Critical Multiplier

[Primed Target Cracker] + x9 Secondary Outburst + [Tenacious Bond]
((3 x (1 + 1.1 + (9 x 0.20)))) x 1.2 = x14.04 critical multiplier

Yellow Crit
(1 + 1 x ((3 x (1 + 1.1 + (9 x 0.20))) - 1)) x 1.2 = 14.04x critical multiplier

Orange Crit
(1 + 2 x ((3 x (1 + 1.1 + (9 x 0.20))) - 1)) x 1.2 = 26.88x critical multiplier

Red Crit
(1 + 3 x ((3 x (1 + 1.1 + (9 x 0.20))) - 1)) x 1.2 = 39.72x critical multiplier