Diffraction Driver is the best new weapon in Mycopunk 1.0, which is an ion scattergun designed as a close-to-mid range weapon that sits between shotguns and more precise weapons. This guide will provide you with tips and tricks on how to upgrade the Diffraction Driver in the game.
Diffraction Driver Mechanics & Upgrade Grid
Diffraction Driver fires in a short-range cone of ion pellets, which is excellent for area damage against groups and close-quarters combat. You’ll be able to unlock it after reaching Player Level 10, and it comes with 29 unique upgrades. Note that if you hold secondary fire, it spins up the halo on the weapon, which tightens the cone and reduces spread, yet at the same time, it extends the weapon’s effective range, turning it into a more focused beam scatter for medium range.
The upgrade grid of Diffraction Driver consists of geometric pieces that you physically fit into the weapon’s grid:
- Standard upgrades take up smaller slots.
- Rare upgrades take up 2 cells.
- Epic upgrades take up 3 cells.
- Exotic upgrades take up 4 cells.
Note that placement order matters a lot, so press CTRL on PC or L3 on PS5 to preview the application order. Although many effects are stackable in the game, identical upgrades generally do not stack, so pick up a wide variety. Elemental upgrades are usually exclusive and take up the hollow nodes. You can also expand the grid size with the help of Oddity or Contraband pieces like Boundary Incursion or Edge Fault.
Top Upgrade Priorities & Build Archetypes
Use anything that further tightens the base cone or boosts the spun-up halo, as both are extremely strong. Also, focus on increasing damage and rate of fire, since scatter weapons burn ammo fast. Here’s what you need to pick up:
- Reduced spread mods;
- Range extensions that synergize with the halo;
- Horizontal and vertical spread negation;
- Flat damage, pellet count, or damage-per-pellet boosters;
- On-hit and on-kill effects that scale with the number of pellets;
- Magazine size and reload speed;
- Ammo capacity and regeneration.
Note that Diffraction Driver pairs really well with Fire, Acid, Shock, or the new Cryo elemental options. The cone applies status very consistently in the default mode, but the tightened halo is great for focusing status on Abominations. Here are three main builds that will make this weapon highly effective:
| Archetypes | Features |
|---|---|
| Crowd Clearer | Maximize base cone width, pellet count, and AoE on-hit or on-kill. Keep the halo for emergencies only. |
| Precision Scatter | Invest heavily in spread reduction, range, and damage. Spin the halo constantly for mid-range dominance. |
| Status Spreader | Focus on elemental synergies and high fire rate. Excellent with cryo Snowball grenade synergy or Acid for softening big targets. |
