Perceptive fans of rogue-like games know that Risk of Rain 2 has been an indie gem since its release, combining RNG-filled, permadeath runs with third-person shooter gameplay. The game already had a plethora of playable characters to choose from, but the new expansion, Survivors of the Void, introduces two new ones along with plenty of fresh areas, items, and modes.
One of these new characters is Railgunner, the spiritual successor to Sniper from the series’ first entry. Her capabilities center around dealing big damage to big enemies via aimed shots, making her an excellent choice for taking down the game’s bosses or methodically picking off individual targets. She’s a character with a high skill floor and a high skill cap, but anyone up to the challenge will discover a unique and fun playstyle with which to complete runs.
Railgunner Ability Overview
| Skill Name | Skill Type | Skill Description |
|---|---|---|
| Magnetic Accelerator | Passive | All of Railgunner's Critical Strike Chance is converted into Critical Strike Damage. |
| XQR Smart Round System | Primary | Railgunner fires aggressive tracking rounds for 100 percent damage. |
| M99 Sniper | Secondary | Railgunner activates her long-range scope, highlighting enemy Weak Points and transforming her weapon into a piercing 1000 percent damage railgun. |
| HH44 Marksman | Secondary | Railgunner activates her short-range scope, highlighting enemy Weak Points and transforming her weapon into a quick 400 percent damage railgun. |
| Concussion Device | Utility | Railgunner throws out a device that pushes her and all nearby enemies away. She can hold up to two charges by default. |
| Polar Field Device | Utility | Railgunner throws out a device that slows down all nearby enemies and projectiles. |
| Supercharge | Special | Railgunner fires a piercing round for 4000 percent damage and 150 percent Weak Point damage. After firing, all of Railgunner's weapons are disabled for five seconds. |
| Cryocharge | Special | Railgunner fires a freezing, piercing round for 2000 percent damage. |
Best Items For Railgunner
Although items are distributed randomly across stages in Risk of Rain 2, collecting specific ones is a critical part of clearing the game, especially on higher difficulties. Runs are also more enjoyable when it feels like your build is all coming together into a cohesive collection of offensive might.
In Railgunner’s case, she works well with a surprising selection of items due to her various passives. Railgunner gets guaranteed Critical Strikes when she hits an enemy’s Weak Point; as a result, any items that increase Critical Strike Chance, such as Lens-Maker’s Glasses, will be directly converted to extra Critical Strike Damage instead. For this reason, the Ocular HUD is also a great option for Railgunner’s Equipment slot.
Items like the Crowbar, Armor-Piercing Rounds, and Kjaro’s Band are also solid pick-ups since Railgunner has high single-instance damage. These items will make her shots pack even more of a punch against tanky foes, allowing you to defeat most bosses with ease.
Backup Magazine also functions extremely well with Railgunner’s M99 Sniper secondary weapon. This item will allow you to fire off multiple aimed shots before reloading, which will greatly increase the uptime on your main source of damage. One reload will even restore all charges of your sniper (although you still only get the Perfect Reload damage boost on the first shot), making Railgunner’s attack pattern even more fluid.
Don’t pick up a Backup Magazine when using Railgunner’s HH44 Marksman secondary weapon, though. Since this gun does not have a reload mechanic, the item is effectively useless.
Strategies While Playing Railgunner
Here are some pointers to get the most out of your runs with Railgunner:
- After firing Railgunner's M99 Sniper, you'll have a chance to perform a Perfect Reload by clicking again when the reload bar's cursor is in the highlighted zone. Pulling this off will let you fire again more quickly, and will also grant your next shot a 500 percent damage bonus. The Perfect Reload zone becomes bigger when you have more attack speed.
- Railgunner’s primary fire with the XQR Smart Round System is not the worst for clearing out groups of small enemies, but you generally want to be aiming down your scope as much as possible for guaranteed critical strikes on enemy Weak Points.
- Rounds fired from the M99 Sniper secondary weapon and the Supercharge special weapon will pierce through enemies. Try to line up as many monsters as possible before firing to inflict heavy damage to all of them.
- Railgunner’s Concussion Device is a great get-out-of-jail-free card when you’re surrounded by enemies. It doesn’t do damage, but it will knock you and your enemies away from the blast. It can also be used for increased movement while traversing the stage.
- Supercharge will disable all your damage-dealing weapons for five seconds after firing, and will also go on full cooldown even if you choose not to fire. Pick your moment wisely, then, and try to make the shot count.
- The HH44 Marksman secondary and Cyrocharge special are enjoyable options if you want more uptime on your shots and the ability to freeze large groups of enemies, albeit at the cost of some damage. Try them out, though, if that playstyle sounds appealing to you.
- The Polar Field Device is a good alternative to the Concussion Device during times when space is restricted and movement is less important than raw defense. The new Simulacrum mode is one such place where this alternate utility has high potential.
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