let's step back, because let's be real, unlike Tripp, Ramsay or (Insert really good character here), Mozu isn't exactly a perfect character: they're squishy and die easily, and their damage isn't impressive without upgrading into it. what they do have, is a lot of oddly specific tools and pretty consistent damage between rapid fire rate and homing magic bolts and 2 auto lock abilities.

even shorter: a very peculiar skillset that boils down to one simple question for you, the player about to play as Mozu.

"How the heck do i maximize my ability to be Annoying?"

well, if you've played Quake, Unreal Tournament, Ultrakill, or even have a passing understanding of boomshoot mobility and why it's fun, it's quite simple: "Don't get hit! Go Fast" (just be sure to mind your Stamina cause jumping, dodging and sprinting use it and you do not want to run out at a bad time, that's not even just a Mozu tip, that's a tip in general for Gigantic)

you are an off tank disguised as a squishy af Ranged DPS and you just so happen to be pretty damn good at being a distraction and getting kills and damage in all the while.

so-

i'm glad you asked! simply put, Mozu is at his best when he is being annoying to his enemies.

you have
- a Tractor beam that does damage and slows your target down, perfect for helping a proper DPS secure a kill or finishing them off yourself (something one of Mozu's upgrades allows him to do even more efficiently!)
- a seemingly useless Arcane Vortex that actually is just instant cover from incoming ranged attacks, and can be specced to make you even tankier from frontal attacks, reflect bullets to thier sender, or even peel melee combatants like Tripp or Ramsay off you and your friends, with the added benefit of possibly (when placed right) annoying anybody trying to grab Power Orbs.
- a whole gosh-darn Teleport. seriously. this is your best emergency exit tool HOLY EFF. this thing can be upgraded to even telefrag weak opponents or help allies get out of bad situations, this is probably the best escape tool in the game were it not for having to aim it and the fact you can still be caught with your pants down once you are waiting on that CD!

oh yeah you also have HOMING RAPID FIRE MAGIC BOLTS and your choice of focusing on making the bolts better or adding a charge shot. the charge shot can be improved but there's something in there that's just always good for Mozu. Cooldown Reduction on Hit.

there's also Death Ray, which is best used as an opener or finisher. it's really hard to say how to use it other than try to do as much damage as possible.

now why does it make you an off tank?
first and foremost, you have a stupid amount of "counter options" for a Ranged DPS. up against ranged DPS hell? spec your magic bolts and arcane vortex against them! is your team unable to run from the enemy Tripp? become their guardian angel and spec for that! your job as a Mozu is to directly ♥♥♥♥ with the enemy team with CCs and the secret sauce

Mozu has an absurd running speed. some characters outspeed the annoying goblin, sure, but if Mozu wants out, the enemy team better hope they have a ranged DPS that can chase after him. if you specced for messing with Melee DPSes and Frontlines without slows/freezes, they cannot catch up to a decent Mozu who leaves behind Arcane Vortexes like middle fingers. failing that, Mozu has one last trick and i want you to lean in real close and listen to me.


Dimension Door is absolutely stupid in that it instantly repositions you to a target location once you let it rip, and it does not stop your momentum either. get in on foot, do what you want, and get out before you get punished for your otherwise absurd disregard for the concept of "Good Positioning": your definition of a 'good position' is someplace you can quickly look to a safe place to teleport out of harms way at a moment's notice. and even then, if somebody ELSE is in a bad position and running away on low HP... your Teleport is just extra de-facto range for your Tractor Beam, Magic Bolts, and Death Ray.

in short, the fact Dimension Door is a teleport paired with Arcane Vortex being surprisingly good for defensive use regardless of your build means you can channel Uncle Dane and Ninjaneer your way into spots you really should not be, and get out alive.

oh yeah, quick tip, don't forget you're still squishy AF: if you push your luck too hard the enemy can still quickly send you back to the Airship with a respawn timer.

so i bet you're wondering: how do i build Mozu?

yeah, the section's title is accurate. i play Rush 24/7 and not every match is perfect for Mozu or for any specific build. the most i can suggest is try both of the default builds for Mozu and see which one best suits your brand of "Annoying", and then fine tune it to what you call your best build for Mozu. and even then? there's bound to be matchups where you wish you had one upgrade or another.

i will, however, suggest some upgrades:

Omega Bolt and Bolt of Renewal: really the only reason this is on this list is because of that on hit Cooldown Reduction upgrade. you never know when it'll save your butt. also Massive Shock is Degen with burst damage tacked on when it expires. if it's good enough for Tripp, it's good enough for you. Piercing Bolt is VERY situational, depending a lot on how well you can place those bolts through multiple enemies and them being dumb enough to be that lumped together.

Magic Shell: i don't use it myself but some players SWEAR by this. damage resistance can be handy but it expires eventually.

Drawn to Life: this paired with the Channel Selector prerequisite turns Tractor Beam into a finisher when your Focus skill is unavailable.

Induction Field and Confusion: this combo of perks makes Melee DPSes cry. not so much for ranged DPSes, but it comes with the added bonus of making Power Orb obtaining infinitely more of a chore for your enemy if you get good.

Temporal Discontinuity: free Stamina when you come out of your teleport, AND reduces cooldowns? that's hard to ignore!

Will to Power: one of the generic Focus/Passive upgrades shared by multiple characters, this lets you, until you die, buff your damage and your front armor. the damage resist isn't much, but being able to do more damage means you are that much more annoying. both options kinda good from there too, but Refocus lets you spiral that damage buff faster and get back on your feet after dying.

"What about Talents?"
that's the hard part. all of them kinda good, but i haven't played a lick of Clash to tell you which of the three is the best, though i can recommend

All to Tether
even in Rush this will get value as it buffs range, and in Clash, it buffs Focus Gain. Focus Gain means more Death Rays. simple as that.

alternatively: Added Dimension
haven't experimented with this one as much, but it lets you be more annoying from further and in Clash, more often (as long as you're above 50% HP). just don't get too greedy.

the Too Long, Didn't Read is "Be annoying". not to your own team, but to the enemy team.

you know you're going places with Mozu if you're making people change comp mid Rush match to try to deal with you or become the instant center of attention when getting in somebody's (not you, Tripp) line of sight when your team is also right there with you.

Bully that Imani. stop folks from taking Power Orbs. 'accidentally' save your teammate with a well placed or timed CC. shoot those homing bolts of magic from weird spots that piss off the enemy enough for them to focus on you and ignore your frontliner or melee DPS about to swooce in to take advantage of your chaos.

be the most annoying goblin you can fathom and embrace the chaos you create.

that's how I've learned how to play Mozu, and i hope to see more of you all learn to appreciate (or hate) this little piece of crap goblin like i have.

just uh, keep an eye out for Tripp. she's kinda OP and all the annoying tools in the world will not save you if she catches you. and Ramsay. and anybody with slows or thier own CCs.

okay maybe you should mind your positioning a little bit around all of those characters...

now go out there and Death Ray some fools when they least expect it.