Kasane Russel is one of two characters you can play in Scarlet Nexus and wields throwing knives which she controls with her Psychokinetic powers. Kasane can launch her blades with great force and call them back to her with ease due to her unique abilities, making her viable in many situations.
Kasane will get stronger as you progress through the game via her Brain Map, Scarlet Nexus' skill tree. The Brain Map allows you to unlock dozens of abilities for Kasane, which will help her out greatly in combat. Additionally, you will also get to upgrade Kasane's throwing knives, making her even more of a threat during enemy encounters.
Updated August 15, 2021, By Seth Palmer: As we learn more about Scarlet Nexus we've updated this guide to reflect extra skills that are worth considering, squad mates to prioritize building bonds with and the best weapons and plugins to seek out.
In order to get the best build for Kasane take a look at our guide that includes a skill overview, essential Brain Map choices and an introduction to SAS Upgrades as well as information on Kasane's best weapon and plug in choices.
Kasane's Aerial Combat Skills
Thanks to Kasane's throwing knives, agility, and Psychokinesis, she can perform ridiculous melee combinations that allow her to juggle enemies in the air with each of her attacks. However, that won't be all that viable from the start of Scarlet Nexus. While you can perform some aerial attacks from the offset, you won't be able to rely on it.
Fortunately, with the Expand path in the Brain Map, Kasane will become much more agile and deliver much deadlier airstrikes and combinations. It will take some time and effort, but unlocking the following skills will make Kasane a force to be reckoned with both on the ground and in the air.
- Double Jump - This ability allows you to perform a second jump on top of your initial one, which will enable you to catch the higher-flying enemies to begin aerial combos and attack chains.
- Aerial Dash + Consecutive - By default, Kasane cannot dash while in the air. Fortunately, you will be able to unlock up to two air dashes, making it easier to close the gap on targets and catch an enemy before they touch the ground to keep an aerial combo going.
- Slam Attack - The Slam Attack is an excellent ability for finishing off an aerial attack combo. This trait allows you to downward strike with your weapon, sending the enemy into the ground with great force.
- Aerial Follow-Up Attack + Expand - Essentially, the Aerial Follow-Up Attack allows you to throw a nearby object at an enemy during an aerial attack combination with your Psychokinesis, enabling you to deal optimal damage while in the air. Expanding the Aerial Follow-Up Attack in the Brain Map will allow you to throw two objects while in the air!
- Mid-Air Dash Attack - The Mid-Air Dash attack in Scarlet Nexus allows Kasane to perform a forward, striking attack with her throwing knives while in the air. This dash attack is an excellent way to keep combos going and keep the enemy off the ground.
- 3rd Aerial Weapon Combo Hit - The 3rd Aerial Weapon Combo Hit will be one of the last abilities you learn in the Expand tree but it is more than worth it. This skill allows you to attack three consecutive times with your throwing knives while in mid-air, enabling you to carry out incredible combos and damage.
Other Brain Map Skills To Consider In A Kasane Build
While Kasane can be viable in the air, she is also an incredible ground fighter. Kasane's Psychokinetic powers grant her the ability to be versatile while also efficient in almost any situation. Equipping these additional Brain Map Skills is a sure way to make an excellent Scarlet Nexus Kasane build.
As touched upon earlier, the Brain Map skills allow Kasane to harness more of her powers and become as close to unstoppable as you can get. However, like the aerial combat abilities, other traits in the Brain Map are essential to obtaining a deadly Kasane build.
- Attack Up - Attack Up is an essential skill to learn in Scarlet Nexus and can be gained very early on in the game. This trait gives Kasane a five percent damage boost for her weapon attacks, which scale with each new weapon she obtains, ensuring you deal the most damage at any given moment.
- Power Up One & Two - The Power Up skills focus on Kasane's Psychokinesis abilities, allowing her to deal up to ten percent more damage. This skill is essential as you will be using Kasane's unique trait throughout all of Scarlet Nexus.
- Follow-Up Attack - While it may not seem like it, the Follow-Up Attack skill is crucial and should be one of the first traits unlocked in the Brain Map. Follow-Up Attack increases the damage dealt on knocked down enemies, which will often happen in Scarlet Nexus.
- Perfect Dodge Attack - Since there is no parry system in Scarlet Nexus, you will have to dodge every incoming attack with a flashy dodge. However, with this ability, you will be able to capitalize on perfectly timed dodges with a powerful strike from your weapon. You will be dodging quite a bit in Scarlet Nexus, so getting rewarded with a free, devastating hit, is a win-win!
- Charge Attack - The Charge Attack ability in Scarlet Nexus allows Kasane to build up a powerful strike with her throwing knives. After charging the attack, Kasane will swing her blades in a wide area out in front of her, dealing damage to multiple targets in the path or substantial damage to a giant foe.
- Concurrent SAS Activation One & Two - Concurrent SAS Activation is genuinely one of the best skills in Scarlet Nexus. The first Concurrent SAS Activation will allow Kasane to simultaneously enable two different SAS Abilities, while the second will let her allow all four. This trait is powerful and will allow you to cause incredible amounts of chaos wherever you go.
- Additional Plug-in Equip Slot One & Two - Kasane will begin Scarlet Nexus with one available Plug-in slot to use. Unlocking both Additional Plug-in Equip Slots will grant Kasane two additional Plug-in spaces, making her have three total. Plug-ins are essential as they will allow players to equip perk-like chips, giving them extra health, status ailment protection, and much more.
- Expand Back-step Attack - By default, Kasane will have access to a Back-step Attack that allows her to jump backward while launching her throwing knives forward, allowing her to evade an oncoming attack while also dealing damage. The Expand Back-Step Attack will allow Kasane to perform two Back-step Attacks in the same combo, allowing her to create distance and keep pressure on the enemy.
- Auto Heal - When things get hectic in Scarlet Nexus - which happens quite frequently - you may not be able to have time to stop and heal, putting you in grave danger. The Auto Heal Brain Map Skill will automatically consume health items for you whenever you are low on health, allowing you to stay in the fight and focus wholly on the target.
- Quick Item - Items are a crucial part of Scarlet Nexus and allow you to get out of sticky situations such as being shocked, burned, or confused. The Quick Item Skill will automatically consume Items for you whenever applicable, getting you out of a tight pinch without having to frantically scroll through your Item Hot Bar.
Best SAS Upgrades For Kasane (Requires Squad Interaction)
In addition to all the Brain Map abilities, the SAS mechanic in Scarlet Nexus essentially allows Kasane to borrow her teammate's skills and apply them to her combat tactics. For example, SAS will enable Kasane to do things such as go invisible, become immune to damage, deal shock damage, and much more.
In Scarlet Nexus, builds are more than just perks as each unique system bleeds into what your character is capable of. However, leveling up your SAS skills isn't quite as simple as unlocking abilities in the Brain Map. It is, instead, more time-consuming and character-driven.
To upgrade SAS, Kasane will have to socialize with her squad, give them gifts, and participate in Bonding Episodes in a similar vein to Fire Emblem: Three Houses. There are many characters with many different skills, all of them worthy of interacting with and leveling. We recommend strengthening your bond with every one of your allies, but if you want a few that are essential, they would be the following:
- Shiden Ritter, Electrokinesis - When Kasane's bond gets maxed out with Shiden, she will have the ability to stun and hold enemies in place during mid-air combos. Additionally, Kasane will have the chance to call in Shiden to unleash a Special Attack on an unguarded enemy, dealing large amounts of damage.
- Kagero Donne, Invisibility - With Kagero Donne's bond getting maxed out, Kasane can borrow his Invisibility for longer durations, even after hitting enemies. Furthermore, and similarly to Shiden, Kasane will have the chance to call in Kagero for a Special Attack on unguarded enemies for significant damage.
- Kyoka Eden, Duplication - Kyoka Eden holds one of the more unique traits in Scarlet Nexus and strengthening your bond with her the entire way is worth the time and effort. When at max bond, Kasane will create two duplicates of herself, allowing her to strike three times simultaneously and throw three of the same object at once. Like the others, Kasane will call in Kyoka on a downed enemy for a devastating Special Attack.
- Arashi Spring, Hypervelocity - Arashi's Hypervelocity allows you to match the speed of blazingly fast enemies, as well as run circles around slower enemies. When Kasane's bond gets maxed with Arashi, she will keep the SAS meter alive by using Psychokinesis follow-up attacks. Additionally, Hypervelocity will last longer in general, and Kasane will call in Arashi to unleash a powerful attack on a downed enemy.
Best Weapons And Plugins For Kasane
Equipment in Scarlet Nexus covers Kasane's weapons and Plug-ins, which directly affect things like her melee damage, health, status ailment resistances, and more. Plug-ins are essentially perks that give you a small bonus but can be incredibly important if used right.
While weapons only display their damage stat, more factors at play are hidden in the item's description. For example, some throwing knives have more blades, dealing optimal damage, while others may be heavier, taking longer to reach their target. However, no matter the difference, it doesn't matter too much, as the damage output is the main focus.
- Weapon: Hitori - The Hitori is a great weapon and one of Scarlet Nexus' Ultimate Weapons. Dealing 70 damage per hit, the Hitori stands above the rest and is the best weapon Kasane has at her disposal!
- Plug-in One: SAS Application Assist* - (SAS Application Assist* Plug-in is exclusive to those who own the Deluxe Edition of Scarlet Nexus) This offers a five percent bonus to Kasane's Power stat and makes her SAS stay active 1.2x longer. For those who didn't get the Deluxe Edition, the SAS Recovery Support Mk 2 is a great substitute and will have Kasane recover her SAS gauge more quickly.
- Plug-in Two: Power Enhance: Mk VI - Typically, you cannot stack multiple of the same Plug-ins and receive more of the same benefits. However, since the SAS Application Assist* Plug-in isn't technically a Power Enhance Plug-in, you're allowed to equip both. The Power Enhance: Mk VI will increase your power by 40, which is enormous. Pair that with the previous Plug-in, and your Power is suddenly exponentially higher.
- Plug-in 3: Forcefield: Mk VI - While most of this build focuses on the offensive side of combat, Kasane will still need some defense, which is where this Plug-in saves the day. The Forcefield: Mk V will grant Kasane +50 Defense, which is quite a significant jump and makes it one of Scarlet Nexus' best Plug-ins.