Why Railgunner Is The Best Risk Of Rain 2 Survivor (2024)

Risk of Rain 2 recently received its second DLC, Survivors of the Void, introducing its newest (and most powerful) Survivor: the Railgunner. As a roguelike, Risk of Rain 2’s levels and layouts change each time players begin a new run. However, success depends on skill and power, and on the items players collect along the way. Fresh gameplay mechanics introduced with the Railgunner enables players with all skill levels to triumph over their foes with enough time, patience, and practice. Thankfully, Railgunner comes automatically unlocked for anyone who purchases the new Risk of Rain 2 expansion.

Risk of Rain 2is a third-person sci-fi adventure game that takes place on an alien planet filled with loot from many shipwrecks. Players can select a playable character known as a Survivor with numerous abilities and basic appearance customization. As time passes, enemies become more challenging to defeat and deal more damage. Each run-through is randomized with loot, levels, layout, and enemy types, but all lead to a final confrontation with Mithrix, King of Nothing, located on the planet’s moon. Though the Railgunner is one of the game’s newest Survivors, she has already set herself apart from other crewmates with a powerful kit and dynamic applications.

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The primary objective of any fullRisk of Rain 2 run-through is to escape the planet. As a roguelike, it’s similar to Hades but lacks static boss fights and arenas. Instead, players are subject to the whims of randomized elements with the tools at their disposal. Some players try to clear as many stages as possible, while others survive as many enemy waves as they can before succumbing to death. However, most players try to achieve maximum damage outputs while moving toward the planet’s moon (and Mithrix), depending on their loadouts and items to carry them to victory. Those who choose Railgunner may find themselves better positioned to accomplish these goals than with other Risk of Rain 2 Survivors.

Railgunner Can One-Shot Risk of Rain 2 Bosses

Ultimate abilities are essential in any hero-based game (like Overwatch or Paladins), with players able to turn the tides of battle in a single keystroke. Risk of Rain 2 is no different, with each Survivor featuring a unique and powerful ability. However, Railgunner’s ultimate power can regularly one-shotting bosses, even in later levels and difficulties. Like all Survivors, Railgunner has two special abilities that players can unlock while playing Railgunner.

The first is Supercharge, which fires a piercing round for 4000% damage with 150% additional damage for hitting an enemy’s weak spot. After making contact, all the Railgunner’s powers are disabled for five seconds (except for a few items). Players using the Supercharger on the boss’s weak spot can one-shot many bosses without many items. However, there’s also another ability called Cryocharge that is equally capable of defeating bosses. Cryocharge is less likely to kill bosses in a single shot but still suits many players’ needs while battling the most powerful enemies of each level.

Railgunner Is A Long-Distance Risk of Rain 2 Survivor

Like many amazing roguelike games, Risk of Rain 2 depends on players defeating their enemies quickly and efficiently. As players navigate the planet’s surface, they must kill foes, loot crates, and locate the teleporter to bring them to the next stage. While most Survivors can only see a short distance without any abilities to enhance their vision, Railgunner comes equipped with a sniper rifle scope. Not only does this allow the Railgunner to defeat enemies from impressive distances, but it provides Railgunners with the opportunity to scout for the teleporter ahead of the group. While allies defeat enemies and collect loot, Risk of Rain 2's Railgunner can do the same and more efficiently detect the teleporter’s location. This ensures players don’t spend too much time at earlier levels and progress efficiently throughout the game.

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The Railgunner’s long-distance kit also features a new gameplay mechanic that ensures players can whittle down their opponents as efficiently as possible. Not only can the Railgunner assist her allies from across the map, but players can see a red square that identifies an enemy’s weak spots - hitting this spot and succeeding in the following quick-time event results in a bonus burst of damage against the next enemy. Additionally, the long-distance gameplay is far different from any other available Survivors, who all utilize close and mid-range combat abilities in their respective kits. As a result, Railgunner is the most powerful selection for players who’ve done all there is to do in Risk of Rain 2’s base content from release.

Railgunner’s Abilities Work For Solo & Party Risk of Rain Runs

Risk of Rain 2 allows players to customize their playstyle in several ways, featuring three unique difficulties, numerous artifacts that act as game modifiers, and over a dozen extraordinary Survivors to play. However, players can also decide if they want to play a game solo or in a party. Risk of Rain 2 supports online multiplayer and solo play, with solo runs considered more difficult.

However, playing as the Railgunner ensures players can enjoy both game modes with little difficulty. Railgunner’s power to one-shot enemy bosses with her ultimate combined with the extra damage dealt to enemies’ critical areas ensures players won’t be overwhelmed. Additional upgrades obtained with looted items ensure that the Railgunner’s slow fire rate is compensated by other area-of-effect and burst damage. The Railgunner’s Concussion Device ability also ensures that players can keep their distance from the enemy hordes without a team to back them up.

Risk of Rain 2’s player characters have different strengths and weaknesses, and players must be prepared to defend themselves without support from their teammates. Thankfully, with the Railgunner, parties that communicate with one another can rely on the Railgunner for long-distance assistance. Encounters with bosses become far briefer, but the Railgunner’s greatest contribution comes during the battle with Mithrix, King of Nothing. Once players reach the third phase of Mithrix’s boss fight, the boss takes all items from party players and returns them at specific damage intervals. Railgunners can efficiently bypass this mechanic by dealing immense damage and returning upwards of five items to each player at a time.

While Risk of Rain 2’s new expansionprovides players with only two new playable characters, many crewmates are available to cater to different playstyles. Railgunner may be capable of dealing hundreds of millions of points of damage each run, but she may not appeal to every player. Thankfully, the items scattered throughout the game’s levels aren’t restricted to a single Survivor. So long as luck is on their side, players can take advantage of the game’s many viable items, and character builds.

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