After playing Sonny 2 for a while and after reading some of the topics about builds here, I've developed 2 alternate builds, one derived from the Hydro Shattering Beast build and the other derived from the Bio Withdrawl Combo build.
Action Bar: Glacier x2 Flash Freeze x2 Vapour Cannon Guardian Form Recover Shatter (optionally, trade one of the Flash Freezes for Subversion)
All attribute points into Instinct
The idea behind this build: It's very simple. You don't need Hypothermia or Frost, because Glacier has a Cast Delay of only 1, which means that if you have 2 Glaciers in your action bar, you can repeteadely cast it, and it stacks. Also, Glacier does the same damage as Hypothermia or Frost and it also has the same Focus cost (none if maxed). And at last, Glacier has the best debuff of all the mentioned skills. When you stack 3 Glacier debuffs on an enemy, he/she'll be dealing considerably less damage. After you hit the enemy with 3 Glaciers, Shatter him/her, then Flash Freeze him, and remember to use Guardian Form to increase your damage and take less damage. Subversion is used against enemies that frequently heal and in the first battle in Z7.
Action Bar: Leading Strike Subversion Crystallize Slash Agile Exposure Shadow Blend Toxicant Form Withdrawl
The idea behind this build: Same as in the main Withdrawl build, with 2 differences: you have Subversion and you have Crystallize. Use Crystallize to stun one of the enemies in battles against multiple enemies or on one of your allies if he/she is taking too much damage or too badly debuffed, and Subversion to use against healing enemies and the first battle in Z7. But mainly, it's the basic Toxicant Form - Shadow Blend - Agile Exposure - Withdrawl combo, and Agile Exposure - Slash while the other skills recharge.
Your "alternate withdrawal" build is the basic speed bio build, except you have replaced one Crystallize with Subversion. You need 2 Crystallizes if you want to keep one of the enemies permanently stunned.
Halberd, well, I didn't know that. When I first saw the Withdrawl build, it didn't include Crystallize. It was all based on the Withdrawl combo, with maxed Slash and maxed Evolution.
I personally prefer mind freeze to shatter, especially in the PvP battles. Especially the psycos are crippled by it because so many of their attacks are reliant on their focus. What you could do is trade two spots for mind freeze and go like this:
guardian flash freeze mind freeze shatter flash freeze shatter mind freeze.......
something like that. If I'm not mistakened, if you follow this strategy (excluding the first turn) you will be hit 1-2 times by a non-focus-using move every 6 turns
I actually settled on something very similar to Kyandor's "Alternate Shattering Beast" on my first play through as a Hydro before hitting the forum to look for builds.
I think I'll tweak mine a little closer to his/hers and see how it works out.
