Mortal Shell 2 Proxima the Broodseeker Guide – Location, Abilities, Skills and Best Build

TL;DR:

• Proxima the Broodseeker is one of the first two Shells you can unlock in Mortal Shell 2 – no boss fight required.
• She is found in the Shattered Beacon, north of the Blackridge Pass Beacon in Fainweald.
• Her hook ability, Biosampler, pulls enemies to her (or pulls her to them) and inflicts Lightning on impact.
• Grafted Armor gives her a 15% passive chance to cut incoming damage in half with no stagger – making her tankier than most early Shells.
• The best beginner build pairs Duality Stone and Arbiter’s Prize with the Axe and Dagger for a nearly infinite Resolve and Biosampler loop.
• She has 12 skills across 4 Bond Tiers and 5 memories to unlock.
• The Collector skill at Tier 3 lets her harvest Specimens from enemies and sell them for Coins – great for passive income while you play.
• [Balance Patch 1] Shell map locations now cost Gloom instead of Glimpses – refunds for any Glimpses already spent are available at the Shell Keeper’s alcove in Blackmarrow.
• [Balance Patch 1] Tarforge smelting costs 75% less Gloom, making it much cheaper to swap weapon builds mid-run.

Mortal Shell 2 Proxima the Broodseeker is the second Shell most players will pick up after the prologue, and she is worth grabbing early. Unlike Tiel, who rewards precise dodge timing, Proxima rewards staying aggressive. She has higher health, built-in damage mitigation, and a hook that lets her control distance in ways other Shells cannot. Whether you like closing gaps fast or soaking hits while you grind out a combo, Proxima fits.

This guide covers everything – where to find her in Fainweald, how her Biosampler and Grafted Armor work, her full skill tree across all four Bond Tiers, and the best builds to run from early game through endgame. If you want to see how she compares to every other Shell, check out our Mortal Shell 2 Tiel the Acolyte guide as well, since the two are often picked as a pair early on. You can also see the full roster in our Mortal Shell 2 all Shell locations guide.

Latest Update – Balance Patch 1 & Hotfix 2 (August 2026)

Mortal Shell 2 launched on August 20, 2026 and has already received several updates that directly affect how you play Proxima. Here is everything that changed and how it applies to this guide.

Balance Patch 1 (August 21, 2026) – Live on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series

Economy changes affecting Proxima’s progression:

• Shell map locations now cost Gloom, not Glimpses. This is a major change for early unlocking. Previously, finding Proxima on your map required spending Glimpses – the same currency you use to bond with her and unlock skill tiers. Now it only costs Gloom. If you already spent Glimpses on Shell maps before this patch, pick up the full refund at the Shell Keeper’s alcove in Blackmarrow.
• Tarforge smelting costs 75% less Gloom. Swapping your weapon build (for example, moving from the early Axe and Dagger into the Axatana mid-game) is now dramatically cheaper. There is no longer a meaningful penalty for experimenting with the advanced build early.
• Gold drops significantly increased. Enemies across Fainweald now drop more gold, and enemies in Mammon drop double. This reduces the need to grind separately for Tarforge upgrades that complement Proxima’s builds.

Enemy and boss changes relevant to Proxima’s early game:

• Most enemies have been returned to their Open Beta health values. Mace cultists, Caerinid spiders, halberd-wielding rusted knaves, and infested stalkers all had their health cut by around 20–52%, bringing them back to their test build numbers. The early Fainweald areas are meaningfully easier now.
• The Lost Child received a 10% damage reduction and 15% health reduction. The Monolith received a 19% damage reduction and 10% health reduction, with attack timings reworked to reduce unfair pressure. Both are now more manageable on a first encounter.

Weapon and Tarstone changes relevant to Proxima’s builds:

• Axatana light attacks now have improved target tracking, making the advanced build’s charged light attack window more reliable against mobile enemies.
• Triarch Repeater no longer requires a minimum amount of Resolve to fire. This is a quality-of-life improvement for the advanced build, which uses the Triarch Repeater as a sidearm – you can now fire it freely even when Resolve is low.
• Bulwark Stone received a substantial increase to its damage reduction. While not used in the core Proxima builds listed here, it is now worth considering if you want additional survivability on top of Grafted Armor.
• Parasitic Stone, Grudge Stone, Clerik’s Stone, and Squall Stone were all buffed. Exact values have not been officially published, but they are more viable alternatives to the core build Tarstones now.

Hotfix 2 (August 26, 2026) – Live on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series

• General crash, stability, and performance fixes across all platforms.
• The Slayer Seal equipment menu lock bug has been fixed.
• Weapons stolen from enemies during ripostes are now returned correctly.
• PS5-specific: input settings issues and Open Beta save-file problems resolved (PS5 Update 1.000.006).
• Xbox-specific: missing Devout Edition and preorder skin entitlements have been fixed.

A larger balance patch is currently in development. Cold Symmetry has confirmed it will expand features including Night Mode, Tarstones, and Permanent Pickup items, with no release date announced yet. This guide will be updated when that patch drops.

Where to Find Proxima the Broodseeker

Proxima’s location is automatically pinned on your map the moment you arrive at Marrow Keep after the prologue. Zhirelle the Shellkeeper marks both Tiel and Proxima right away, so you always know where to go.

Proxima is located inside the Shattered Beacon in the Blackridge Cliffs area of Fainweald. Her body lies on a table inside the structure. No boss fight. No puzzle. No quest. You just need to reach the location and interact with her.

Note (Balance Patch 1): Shell map locations now cost Gloom instead of Glimpses. If you spent Glimpses on any Shell map before the patch, collect your refund from the Shell Keeper’s alcove in Blackmarrow first.

Step-by-step directions:

1. Fast travel to the Widow’s Overlook Beacon in Fainweald – your starting area after the prologue.
2. Head north along the sloping path from the Beacon.
3. Cross the ravine to reach the Blackridge Pass Beacon. Activate it if you haven’t already.
4. From Blackridge Pass, head northeast into the rocky elevated area known as Blackridge Cliffs.
5. Follow the uphill path and pass the Resolve Tree on the way up.
6. At the top of the hill, you will reach a clearing. The Shattered Beacon is there – it looks like a damaged, glowing Beacon structure.
7. Enter the Shattered Beacon and go to the back of the area.
8. Interact with Proxima’s body on the table to trigger her memory sequence and permanently unlock her.

If you need help navigating before fog is cleared, grab your map early. Our guide on how to get a map in Mortal Shell 2 will help you find map fragments so you can see the full world layout. Also make sure you have hit every Beacon along the route – check our all Beacon locations in Mortal Shell 2 guide so you don’t miss any fast travel points.

mortal shell 2 shell Proxima

Who Is Proxima the Broodseeker?

Proxima the Broodseeker is a female warrior clad in a full suit of heavy armor with a distinctive horned helmet. She is described as a bounty hunter and hunter archetype – someone who tracked something or someone through the ruined world and paid for it with her life. Cold Symmetry featured her alongside Tiel and Eredrim in the original gameplay reveal, which signals how important she is to the game’s early roster.

Her motto: “Purpose gives the soul its shape.”

In practice, Proxima plays like a hybrid tank-aggressor. She has more health than Tiel and her passive Grafted Armor gives her a flat chance to shrug off hits without staggering. Her Biosampler hook is the most unique ability in the early game – it is essentially a grappling hook that lets her yank smaller enemies toward her or pull herself toward larger ones, followed up by a Lightning strike. This control over fight distance makes her one of the easiest Shells to pick up and play well right away.

Proxima the Broodseeker – Abilities

Proxima has one active ability and one passive. Both define her entire playstyle.

Active – Biosampler

Proxima fires a hook from her left arm, pulling smaller enemies toward her or pulling her toward larger ones. The hook is followed immediately by a follow-up strike that inflicts Lightning stacks on the target.

This ability does several things at once. It closes distance instantly, interrupts enemy attacks, applies Lightning for elemental pressure, and – once you invest in skills – applies Stasis to lock enemies in place. It costs Resolve to use, but with the right Tarstones and skills, you can cycle it almost continuously during a fight.

Passive – Grafted Armor

Proxima has a base 15% chance to mitigate any incoming melee or ranged hit. When a hit is mitigated, the damage is cut by 50% and the hit does not cause stagger. You keep attacking without being knocked out of your combo.

This passive is simple but very powerful early on. It means roughly 1 in 7 hits you take becomes essentially free. Against aggressive enemies that try to interrupt your combos, it keeps you in the fight. The skill tree can push this mitigation chance much higher.

Proxima the Broodseeker – Full Skill Tree

Proxima has 12 skills across 4 Bond Tiers. You unlock new Tiers by spending Glimpses with Zhirelle the Shellkeeper at Marrow Keep to increase Proxima’s Bond level and unlock her memories. Shell Points from leveling up are then spent to activate individual skills. For help earning Shell Points faster, see our guide on how to level up using Gloom in Mortal Shell 2.

Tier 1 Skills

Attunement (3 levels) – Reduces the Resolve cost of Biosampler so you can use it more often.

• Level 1: Biosampler costs 20% less Resolve
• Level 2: Biosampler costs 30% less Resolve
• Level 3: Biosampler costs 50% less Resolve

Exoshell (4 levels) – Improves when and how often Grafted Armor triggers.

• Level 1: +100% mitigation chance while actively using Biosampler
• Level 2: 25% mitigation chance while aiming
• Level 3: Brief +30% mitigation chance after dodging
• Level 4: +50% mitigation chance while sprinting

Ampereon (3 levels) – Improves Proxima’s resistance to Lightning and her ability to use it offensively.

• Level 1: +50% Lightning mitigation
• Level 2: Full Lightning immunity
• Level 3: Shock damage and radius are doubled

Tier 2 Skills

Biohazard (4 levels) – Directly upgrades Biosampler’s damage output.

• Level 1: Biosampler deals 15% more damage
• Level 2: Biosampler inflicts 3 additional Lightning stacks
• Level 3: Biosampler deals 180% more damage
• Level 4: Biosampler inflicts 5 additional Lightning stacks

Reflection (3 levels) – Gives Proxima protection against ranged enemies.

• Level 1: Projectiles have 15% chance to deal no damage
• Level 2: Projectiles have 35% chance to deal no damage
• Level 3: Nullified projectiles are reflected back at the attacker with 100% chance

Biohunter (3 levels) – Permanently increases Proxima’s damage against any enemy she has previously used Biosampler on.

• Level 1: 0.5% permanent damage increase per sample, up to 15%
• Level 2: 0.8% permanent damage increase per sample, up to 20%
• Level 3: 1% permanent damage increase per sample, up to 30%

Tier 3 Skills

Seizure (3 levels) – Biosampler now applies Stasis on top of Lightning, locking enemies in place.

• Level 1: Biosampler inflicts 20 Stasis stacks
• Level 2: Biosampler deals 50 splash damage and 100 Stagger Damage
• Level 3: Biosampler deals 80 splash damage and 150 Stagger Damage

Shellshock (3 levels) – Grafted Armor mitigations now generate Resolve and punish the attacker.

• Level 1: Proxima gains 10 Resolve when Grafted Armor mitigates damage
• Level 2: Proxima gains 15 Resolve on mitigation
• Level 3: Proxima inflicts 10 Lightning stacks on the attacker on mitigation

Collector (3 levels) – Proxima can harvest Specimens from slain enemies and sell them for Coins.

• Level 1: 20% chance to harvest a Specimen on kill
• Level 2: 40% chance to harvest a Specimen on kill
• Level 3: 35% chance to harvest 2 Specimens on kill

Collector is one of the most underrated skills in the game for players who want to keep their Tarforge upgrades funded without grinding for Coins separately. With Balance Patch 1 also increasing gold drops from enemies, you should have less need to grind for raw gold – Collector’s Specimens provide a complementary income stream on top of that.

Tier 4 Skills

Discharge (3 levels) – Biosampler now triggers a Lightning storm after the hit.

• Level 1: Biosampler knocks back the enemy and triggers a Lightning storm lasting 6 seconds
• Level 2: Lightning storm lasts 9 seconds
• Level 3: Lightning storm lasts 10 seconds

Fortress (4 levels) – Boosts the damage reduction granted when Grafted Armor triggers.

• Level 1: Mitigated damage effectiveness increased by 110%
• Level 2: Increased by 115%
• Level 3: Increased by 112%
• Level 4: Increased by 133%

Energize (3 levels) – Reviving Proxima now triggers extra effects.

• Level 1: Grafted Armor always mitigates damage for 8 seconds after a revive
• Level 2: Proxima releases a shockwave inflicting 15 Lightning stacks on revive
• Level 3: 30% chance to fully restore Resolve on revive

Proxima’s Memories

Proxima has 5 memories, which is fewer than Tiel’s 7. Unlocking all of them costs a total of 2,500 Glimpse and pays back 2,500 Gloom in return, making the investment cost-neutral in terms of currency. Each memory unlocks the next Bond Tier and its associated skills.

• A Bad Deal – 500 Glimpse → 500 Gloom
• A Life For A Life – 500 Glimpse → 500 Gloom
• The Endeavor – 500 Glimpse → 500 Gloom
• The Exchange – 500 Glimpse → 500 Gloom
• The Weapon – 500 Glimpse → 500 Gloom

Note (Balance Patch 1): Shell map locations now cost Gloom rather than Glimpses. This means the Glimpses you earn are now exclusively used for bonding with Shells and unlocking memories – which makes it easier to fund all five of Proxima’s memory tiers without diverting currency toward navigation. If you need to farm Gloom quickly to unlock these Bond Tiers, our fast Gloom farming guide for Mortal Shell 2 covers the most efficient methods.

Best Build for Proxima the Broodseeker

Proxima has two main build paths. The first is a fast, aggressive Axe and Dagger setup built around the Duality Stone that works from the early game all the way through your first playthrough. The second is a late-game Lightning burst build using the Axatana and Voltaic Crown for NG+ content. Start with the beginner build and transition to the advanced one naturally. With Balance Patch 1 cutting smelting costs by 75%, you can switch between the two builds at the Tarforge without any meaningful resource penalty.

Beginner Build – Duality Stone + Axe and Dagger

This is considered one of the strongest starter builds in the entire game, not just for Proxima but overall. It comes online at just 14 Shell Bonding points and is built around one core interaction: Duality Stone makes every light-combo attack strike twice, which doubles your Resolve generation, which lets you fire Biosampler constantly.

Primary Weapon: Axe and Dagger

The Axe and Dagger’s fast attack speed is perfect here. More hits per second means more Resolve per second. The Duality Stone turns every attack in your light combo into two strikes, so your Resolve bar fills back up extremely fast. See our guide on how to get the Axe and Dagger in Mortal Shell 2 for the exact location. For a broader look at early weapon options, see our best weapons for beginners guide.

Key Tarstones:

• Duality Stone – Every light attack hits twice. This is the entire engine of the build.
• Arbiter’s Prize – Infuses your weapon with Bloodcurse. Every hit builds the Bloodcurse bar; when it hits 100%, a large chunk of the enemy’s health is stripped instantly. With Duality Stone doubling your hit count, you proc Bloodcurse at nearly double speed.
• Auspicious Stone – Increases melee Critical Hit chance.
• Headsman’s Stone – Increases Critical Hit damage for melee attacks.

For a broader look at Tarstone options, check our best Tarstones for beginners guide.

Priority Skills to Unlock:

1. Attunement (Level 3) – Reduces Biosampler cost by 50%. More frequent hook means more damage windows.
2. Biohazard (Level 3–4) – Pushes Biosampler damage to 180% and adds Lightning stacks. Core upgrade.
3. Seizure (Level 1–3) – Adds Stasis to Biosampler hits. Stasis stops enemies moving, giving you a free combo window after every hook.
4. Biohunter (Level 3) – Permanently increases damage against Biosampled enemies up to 30%. This stacks across the whole run.
5. Collector (Level 2–3) – Adds passive coin income to your normal combat loop without changing anything. Even more useful now that Balance Patch 1 has increased gold drops – Specimen income stacks on top.

Combat Loop:

1. Use Biosampler to hook an enemy, inflict Lightning, and apply Stasis.
2. While the enemy is frozen, land your light combo with the Axe and Dagger. Duality Stone doubles every hit.
3. The doubled hits rapidly rebuild your Resolve.
4. Use Biosampler again when Resolve is ready. Repeat.
5. Bloodcurse builds from the doubled hit count and detonates for burst damage during longer fights.

Advanced Build – Axatana Lightning (Mid to Late Game)

Once you are into the mid-game and can access the Axatana (found in the Forgotten Tower in the southeastern Ruins of Mammon), the build upgrades significantly. The Axatana’s dual-form attack and higher damage per hit pair exceptionally well with Proxima’s Lightning stack potential. Balance Patch 1 improved Axatana light attack target tracking, making the charged window more consistent against fast-moving enemies – this directly benefits the most important window in the advanced combat loop.

Weapons:

• Primary: Axatana – Higher damage ceiling than the Axe and Dagger. Use its charged light attack for huge single-hit burst. Light attack tracking has been improved as of Balance Patch 1.
• Sidearm: Triarch Repeater – Excellent ranged option for maintaining Lightning pressure from a distance. As of Balance Patch 1, the Triarch Repeater no longer requires minimum Resolve to fire – you can use it freely at any Resolve level, which removes the main friction point in this build.

Key Tarstones for the Advanced Build:

• Voltaic Crown – Infuses the Axatana with Lightning, which stacks with Biosampler’s Lightning hits for massive Shock buildup.
• Duality Stone – Still essential. Doubles hits means faster Resolve and faster Biosampler cycling even with the Axatana.
• Acolyte’s Stone – Lowers the cost of charged attacks and increases their Critical rate. Key for the Axatana’s power attack window.
• Voltaic Amber (Sidearm) – Infuses the sidearm with Lightning; use it when you have Lightning stacks built up on the target for bonus damage.

Advanced Combat Loop:

1. Open with Biosampler to close distance, apply Stasis, and stack Lightning.
2. Use the Axatana’s charged light attack during the Stasis window for big burst damage.
3. Build more Lightning stacks with follow-up light combos.
4. When Lightning stacks hit the Shock threshold, the enemy takes a burst of Shock damage.
5. Use the Triarch Repeater with Voltaic Amber when the enemy is vulnerable from Stasis. No minimum Resolve is needed to fire it as of Balance Patch 1.
6. Reset with Biosampler and repeat.

The Reflection skill at Tier 2 also becomes very worthwhile in late-game areas full of ranged enemies. At max level it reflects projectiles back at attackers, which solves annoying archer packs instantly. Pair your build with solid Seals for even more control – see our best Seals in Mortal Shell 2 guide for options that work well with Proxima’s mitigation-heavy playstyle. Note that the Guard Seal received a control improvement in Balance Patch 1 and can now remain active while walking.

Tips for Playing Proxima the Broodseeker

• Use Biosampler constantly. A lot of players treat it like a cooldown to save for emergencies. It should be your primary damage tool. Invest early in Attunement to reduce its Resolve cost, then build your playstyle around firing it as often as possible.
• Prioritize Seizure early. The moment Biosampler applies Stasis, the game changes. You get a reliable frozen window after every hook. That is when you land your biggest hits. Getting Seizure unlocked early makes every fight feel more controlled.
• Don’t ignore Grafted Armor. The 15% passive mitigation sounds small but it is free. Exoshell at Tier 1 boosts it to 100% while you are actively using Biosampler, meaning hook attacks are almost always safe to execute. Later, Fortress and Shellshock turn mitigations into Resolve generation and Lightning counterattacks.
• Grab Collector if you are short on Coins. It doesn’t change your gameplay at all but it adds a steady coin drip. At max level you get 2 Specimens per kill 35% of the time. Over a long session that adds up quickly for Tarforge upgrades – and with Balance Patch 1 already increasing gold from enemies, stacking both income sources gives you plenty of resources to experiment.
• Run Axe and Dagger until you get the Axatana. There is no reason to delay the beginner build. The Axe and Dagger is accessible early and the Duality Stone loop works immediately. Transition to the Axatana when you reach the Ruins of Mammon naturally. Thanks to Balance Patch 1’s 75% smelting cost reduction, swapping weapons at the Tarforge is essentially free now.
• Reflection is worth picking up late. Ranged enemies in Mammon can be very annoying against close-range Shells. Reflection at max level turns their attacks against them, which removes the main counter to aggressive Proxima play.
• Collect your Glimpse refund if you played at launch. If you spent Glimpses on Shell map locations before Balance Patch 1 shipped, visit the Shell Keeper’s alcove in Blackmarrow to get them back. Those Glimpses are better spent unlocking Proxima’s Bond Tiers directly.

Is Proxima Good in Mortal Shell 2?

Proxima is one of the easiest Shells to pick up in Mortal Shell 2 and one of the most reliable through a full first playthrough. She has more health than Tiel, passive damage reduction that does not require any action from you, and a hook ability that trivializes crowd control situations that give other Shells real trouble.

Her Biosampler loop – hook, Stasis, burst, repeat – is simple to understand and scales extremely well into the endgame. Once Biohunter and Seizure come online, she can perma-stagger most non-boss enemies before they get a turn. And unlike Shells with very high skill floors, she works well before you have invested any Shell Points at all.

The only real downside is that she requires you to actively manage Resolve to fuel Biosampler. If you let Resolve drain without having a Tarstone to refill it quickly, the loop breaks. The Duality Stone fixes this problem entirely for the whole game.

With Balance Patch 1’s economy improvements – more gold in the world, cheaper smelting at the Tarforge, and Shell maps no longer consuming Glimpses – getting Proxima properly geared and bonded is faster and less resource-intensive than at launch. She is an even stronger recommendation now than she was at release.

Want to plan ahead for New Game Plus? Read our Mortal Shell 2 New Game Plus guide to see what carries over and how Proxima scales in NG+ content. And for full trophy and achievement tracking, our Mortal Shell 2 trophy and achievement guide includes the Arrival trophy for unlocking Proxima.

FAQs – Mortal Shell 2 Proxima the Broodseeker