Credits : BDFoundry(https://www.blackdesertfoundry.com/nova-class-guide/)

Awakening VS Succession

Nova Succession and Awakening can be unlocked after level 56 after speaking to the Black Spirit and completing the Awakening and Succession quests under the suggestions tab.

• The Awakening will unlock a completely new skill tree, which will be your primary skills from now on. The skills in the pre-awakening are mostly utility skills, and your main damage dealers will be your Awakening skills.
• The Succession skill kit enhances your Morning Star skills instead and only has a few awakening skills.

Most players tend to prefer Awakening and it is the more popular spec out of the two because it is currently much better at PVE grinding.

In PVP in comes down to preference and is difficult to compare the two because they are completely different playstyles.

Succession is much slower and some players feel it is similar to Guardian in that way as well as being more “new player friendly” due to its slower speed. It has good protection and control, making it strong in Arena of Solare PVP.  Awakening is much more fast-paced with far more mobility, and also more of a glass cannon class. She has high burst and the Vacuum skill for group PVP.

Awakening is considered more difficult because there is less room for error and you need to manage your Star’s Breath bar whilst managing cooldowns and rotating your skills well.

Skill Builds

Since the skill point update in late 2022, you can obtain all skills for approximately 1,000 skill points. Focus on your main skills first, then level the passives. The Weight Training skill should be leveled last, since it only gives you weight limit increase.

[Click to Show/Hide] Nova Awakening Build - 1005 Skill Points

[Click to Show/Hide] Nova Succession Build - 1002 Skill Points

Protected Skills

It is important to read through your skills to understand which skills have protection and crowd control effects. Read through your skills carefully to get familiar with what each skill does. You can also filter the different effects in the Skill Window (K).

Locked Skills

To lock a skill, press the lock icon on the top of each skill icon in the skill window (K).

These are the skills I recommend locking:
Evasion, Icy Fog (Awakening only)

To lock a skill, press the lock icon on the bottom right of each skill icon in the skill window (K).

Most players tend to lock Icy Fog for awakening to make the awakening dash flow better and then will use the Quoratum’s Closing skill to switch to pre-awakening instead since it has a frontal guard.

Skill Enhancement (Rabam) Skills

Skill Enhancement skills can be obtained in the Skill Window (K) under the “Skill Enhancement” tab at the top. At levels 56, 57, and 58, you will have 2 different options to choose between. These skills have no skill points cost, but you have to have other skills leveled up to be able to take them.

Level 56 – [SHIFT + X]

• Quoratum’s Closing – Requires [Icy Thorns IV] and [Quoratum’s Ascension IV]
  • (Preferred Choice)
• Frozen Chain – Requires [Icy Thorns IV] and [Chain Strike IV]

I would recommend Quoratum’s Closing because the skill is useful for switching into pre-awakening and will debuff the target with Movement Speed, Attack Speed, and Casting Speed -30% for 10 seconds. It has a forward guard whilst moving and stiffness on good hits. The only downside is that the skill cannot be canceled and that you are not protected the entire time, which is quite a large window for you to be CC’d so you need to learn to use it effectively. Frozen Chain on the other hand has a small super armor on the first hit and can inflict a float on a good 2nd hit.

Level 57 – [SHIFT + Z]

• Bitter Star– Requires [Bitter Reign V] and [Vengeful Star V]
  • (Preferred Choice)
• Binding Star – Requires [Bitter Reign V] and [Quoratum’s Binding III]

I would recommend Bitter Star. Neither of the skills have any protection on them and are quite underwhelming, but Binding Star has a long cooldown of 30 seconds which makes Bitter Star the preferred choice.

Level 58 – [Quickslot Only]

• Enter the Darkness – Requires [Command: Frozen Darkness V] and [Command: Frozen Earth V]
• Quoratum’s Earth – Requires [Command: Frozen Darkness V] and [Mauling Star IV]

Quoratum’s Earth can be useful as a filler skill in PVE or closer in PVP if you are succession nova. While Enter the Darkness is useful as an extra protected skill with a small amount of HP regen. I would personally recommend Quoratum’s Earth since it is a useful quick swap and has good damage with a Downsmash in PVP. However, both choices are viable and completely down to preference.

Crystals

Below is an example starter Crystal build for PVE. Some of the crystals are expensive. You can obtain the Rebellious Crystal by completing the main story questline. For more example crystal builds, including an end-game PVE crystal build, and PVP Crystal builds, check our Crystal Preset Guide.

• Ah’krad Crystal x2

• Rebellious Spirit Crystal x2

• Red Battlefield Crystal: Adamantine x2

• Ancient Magic Crystal of Crimson Flame – Power x2

• Dark Red Fang Crystal – Valor x2

• Corrupted Magic Crystal x2

• Max HP +350
• All AP +34
• All Accuracy +6
• Extra Damage to Monsters +20
• Hidden Damage Reduction -4
• Knockdown/Bound Resistance +50%
• Stun/Stiffness/Freezing Resistance +10%
• Critical Hit Level +4
• Critical Hit Damage +22%
• Skill EXP +10%

This is an example PVP Build for Novas using Damage Reduction Armors and going full Human Damage (glass cannon). For more example crystal builds, check our Crystal Preset Guide or the Class Discord.

• • Glorious Crystal of Gallantry – Olucas x2
  • Red Spirit Crystal x2
  • Crystal of Elkarr x2
  • Corrupted Magic Crystal x2
  • JIN: Magic Crystal – Viper x2
  • Red Battlefield Crystal: Viper x2
  • Red Battlefield Crystal: Carmae x2
  • Ancient Spirit’s Crystal – Swiftness x1

 

• All accuracy +70
• Ignore All Resistance +20%
• Max HP +200
• All AP +14
• Extra Damage to Humans +56
• All Damage Reduction -4
• Critical Hit Damage +22%
• Attack, Casting Speed +2%
• Attack Speed +6
• Casting Speed +4
• Critical Hit +2
• Movement Speed +2

Artifacts and Lightstones

There are a few different viable choices for both Artifacts and Lightstone combos. Nova is the “Melee Damage” type so you want to go for Melee Accuracy and Melee Damage for offensive artifacts.

For PVE Lighstones there are a few different options to min-max. For certain spots, you may want to use Species damage combos (eg. The Wild: Demihumans, The Wild: Kamaslyvia, The Wild: Humans). Species damage combos perform better if you are reaching the monster AP caps at a certain zone.

A more generic PVE combo is listed below that is recommended for your class and will work at any spot.

You can also find more information about Artifacts and Lightstones, and how to obtain them, in our guide. We also have a list of Best in slot Artifacts and Lightstones.

 

Artifacts for PVE:

Marsh’s Artifact – Extra AP Against Monsters

• (Extra Damage to Monsters +6)

Lesha’s Artifact – Monster Damage Reduction

• (Monster Damage Reduction +9)

Artifacts for PVP:

Marsh’s Artifact – Melee AP

• (Melee AP +4)

Marsh’s Artifact – Melee Accuracy

• (Melee Accuracy +8)

PVE Lightstone Combo
[Deathblow] Fire: Predation Fire: Predation Fire: Blade  Fire: Blade	Total Combo Effects: Monster AP +16 Critical Hit Chance +14%

PVP Lightstone Combo
[Target Openings] Fire: Rage Fire: Marked Wind: Lungs  Fire: Strike	Total Combo Effects: All AP +10 All Accuracy +16 Maximum Stamina +100 Critical Damage +6%