Kinetic Aspis

Kinetic Aspis
Character	Athena
Type	Action skill
Tier	0
Maximum Points	1
Minimum Level	3
Effect	Press [LB/L1/F] to raise your Aspis and absorb all frontal damage. The Aspis can absorb a finite amount of absorbed damage as energy, based on your level. The Aspis is thrown at the end of the active duration, or if you press [LB/L1/F] again. The Aspis creates an explosion upon impact, dealing base damage plus double the stored energy, before returning to you.
Cooldown	16 seconds
Game	Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel

Kinetic Aspis is Athena's action skill. It allows her to raise her Aspis shield for a short time, and use it to absorb incoming damage. Once charged, the Aspis can then be thrown at targets to release its pent up energy in a devastating attack.

Strategy

The Kinetic Aspis skill can be separated as two phases, the blocking phase and the throwing phase.

In the blocking phase, the shield will absorb the attack from the enemies within the 90 degree angles that Athena is looking at. It can also block damage from the explosions by directly pointing at the explosion during detonation. However, it will not protect other teammates if a rocket explodes on impact of the shield. It also cannot block certain types of environmental damage. For example it's impossible to use it as a 'boat' to get across a floor of Lava without being damaged, or to shield oneself from elemental charges coming from the ground.

To fully utilize the effect, the shield should be faced towards either the strongest enemy while in close range, or at the location where the most attacks come from while in long range. The shield is less useful when fighting in close quarters (though you will likely take a lot of damage without the shield in this case), or when running from enemies that are not-so-powerful. Sprinting is possible when the skill is active, aiming down sight with any weapons is not. Throwing a grenade or meleeing also briefly lowers the shield.

The blocking phase switches to throwing phase when the time expires, absorbs too much damage, or manually by pressing the skill key again. Athena will throw the shield at the enemies closest to the targeting reticle, or merely throw in a straight line when aimed at nothing. The shield can home on the target if they are moving, even if the Athena moved or turned away, but can be blocked by obstructions including other enemies. If specced into Wrath of the Goddess, the Aspis will home consecutively to nearby opponents, even through walls. The shield creates an explosion on impact, dealing twice the damage it absorbed, along with the base damage, to the enemy surrounding the explosion. It will then fly in a straight line back onto its owner's left arm.

Notes

• When absorbing too much damage, blades will appear on the edge of the shield.
• When returning, the shield can fly through solid objects.
• Cooldown starts upon throwing the shield, throwing early does not reduce cooldown.
• In close range, human enemies will announce the activation of this skill, but will not retreat or attempt to flank Athena.
• If crippled while in the blocking phase, Athena will be forced into Fight For Your Life for around two seconds, unable to attack but able to move in third person. The shield will also be instantly thrown and returned.