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Combat in R.E.P.O. can initially feel like a massively one-sided battle, with the monsters having every advantage and semibots only really having a chance once they manage to buy a decent weapon. However, there’s actually some decent depth to it, with most enemies becomingfareasier once you learn a few tricks.
This guide will discuss some of the less straightforward ways to turn combat in your favor, including an important technique for smashing up baddies even when you lack a “real” weapon.
R.E.P.O. Hunting Guide: Gnomes and Bangers
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Killing Like a Professional
When starting out, a R.E.P.O. player is often going to assume they need an actual weapon to effectively fight enemies. This is a reasonable but incorrect assumption. The best, most cost-effective way to kill enemies is usually through the use of items. You can whack enemies with items, which will deal damage if the item is weighty and carries enough momentum on impact. This may seem like a waste of resources, as itdoesdamage the item, but many items are durable enough that you’ll make more money than you lose if you use them to kill an enemy. You’ll just want toavoid using fragile itemslike Diamonds and Glassware.
In testing, it seems some enemies can be whacked with light items like the Cup, but you’ll usually want to choose a “Medium” or larger item, like the Clown Doll or Red Potion Bottle.This helps make your item have the minimum weight you’ll need to knock most enemies down and start dealing damage. The Clown Doll is a great choice, as it can also have its nose pressed three times to turn it into a bomb, but anything that can stun an enemy on hit and doesn’t lose value too quickly is usually fine.
Most monsters drop Monster Orbs valued between about $3K and $8K, with harder monsters dropping orbs that tend to be more valuable. If whacking an enemy with an item causes less damage to that item than the value of the orb you obtain from defeating the creature, the kill will usually be worthwhile. Importantly, real weapons also “lose value” on use, as they need Energy Crystals to recharge, so you’re basically always using resources as you fight.
Most people’s instinct when first fighting with items is going to be to swing them side to side, similar to how melee weapons are used. In actuality, you usually want to use your mouse wheel to move the item back and forth. This allows you to more consistently hit enemies; it’s easier to aim and also helps ensure the item has the momentum it needs to actually count as a hit when it strikes the enemy.
On a hit, assuming you used an item of the correct size, the monster will then get knocked down. In this state, it’s stunned, and you should try to punish it with as many hits as possible. While a creature is stunned, youcanstart swinging an item up and down rather than use the mouse wheel strategy, as this can sometimes deal more damage via what some in the community call a “Crush,” where you slam an item on top of an enemy while they’re on the floor. However, the mouse-wheel approach will still work; what really matters is whatever you can do consistently.
Dodging (and Tackling)
Most enemy attacks can be dodged with some practice.The best way to dodge attacks is to use either the Slide or the Tumble Roll.To Slide, you Sprint (Shift by default) and then Crouch while sprinting (Control by default). This causes you to do what’s effectively a baseball slide, letting you quickly lower your height and slide under furniture.
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Then there is the Tumble Roll. This is a move where you again want to be sprinting, but then you jump and press your Tumble button (defaults to Q) while midair. This will cause you to enter your Tumble mode while flinging in the direction you were aiming at.
Tumbling can also be improved through the use of the Dodge Roll upgrade. This upgrade increases the distance Tumbling will fling you and can make it much easier to dodge away from attacks.
In theory, the Tumble Roll ability can be used to tackle enemies if you use it immediately after running and jumping in the air. It seems to always deal 15 damage when it hits and can knock enemies down, but this seems very hard to consistently do in practice. In testing, it also wasn’t clear if it could be used on every enemy (ignoringthe Peeper, which literally sticks to the ceiling and wouldn’t be a good tackle target regardless). Whether itcanwork or not, it’s an extremely risky way to attack something if you have any other option, as it requires that you get into melee range and briefly sacrifice control, only to maybe deal a small hit of damage.
Using Weapons
While it’s very possible and often cost-effective to use items to kill monsters, weapons are admittedly a more straightforward way to fight. Most weapons slowly consume Energy when in use, requiring recharging once empty. The exception is consumable weapons, like Grenades, which are destroyed on use and can’t be recovered or fixed (although these weapons can be disarmed if you quickly press E when grabbing one that’s active; just ensure you’re fast enough, or it’ll explode in your face).
Melee Weapons
Melee weapons are pretty simple; these are weapons you may purchase and which are used to attack enemies by holding them and then swinging them around (by moving your cursor) to whack enemies. They’re also the most dangerous to use, with these weapons requiring you to get close to an enemy in order to use them. At zero Energy, they become effectively useless, even if they stilllookfunctional. The best melee weapon is debatable, but it probablyisn’tthe Sledge Hammer. While it deals massive damage, it’s also slow and awkward to handle.The Baseball Bat is at least arguably the best melee weapon, as it is quick and has massive knockback, which causes enemies to often take extra physics damage beyond the damage from the initial hit as they smash backward into surfaces.
Explosives
Explosives (and similar weapons like the Stun Mine) are probably the most finicky weapons to use, although they’re very affordable and can deal massive damage from a safe distance away. Of the options available, the Duct Tape Grenade (only found, and only sometimes, inthe secret room of the shop), the Grenade, and the Explosive Mine are probably the best options in terms of damage and ease of use. Explosives can be a great “opening move” in fights, stunning an enemy while dealing damage, allowing you to then run in with something else and whack them more safely. Moreover, explosives often just kill outright, with most enemies dying from only one or two direct hits from the Grenade or Explosive Mine (the Human Grenade and Duct Tape Grenade do less damage per explosion, although the Duct Tape Grenade may hit your target multiple times).
Finally, all the firearms are incredibly useful. Even theTranq Gun, which deals no damage, stuns an enemy and allows you to then punish them with whatever damage-dealing weapon or item you have available. The Gun and Shotgun, in terms of damage, are top tier; the Shotgun can kill most enemies in one shot if you use it close enough and the Gun deals decent damage while having more shots. The lethal firearms both make excellent “problem solvers,” costing a little bit more than is ideal in terms of Energy Pip cost but letting you stop threats with very little risk to yourself.
Understand Your Enemies
Each enemy in R.E.P.O. has traits that make them a unique threat. The Trudge is a wall of health, capable of pulling in everyone nearby when he attacks. The Clown shoots a beam capable of massive damage, sweeping it across the room. Even Gnomes, weak as they are, travel in packs and respawn very quickly. Many semibot deaths (maybe the majority) really come down to one of two things:
To that first point, it’s a good idea to read about each enemy’s abilities if you genuinely want to master R.E.P.O.’s combat. While the capabilities of every enemy is a topic beyond the scope of this article, you’ll want to at least be prepared for Danger Level 2 and 3 enemies, including theBowtie, Mentalist,Reaper, Trudge,Headman,Huntsman, and more. If you don’t have the time or energy to read about each enemy, you may focus on those that are typically considered most difficult: the Clown, Trudge, and Huntsman. Of these, the Huntsman isprobablythe hardest enemy in the gameby most people’s standards, requiring a very different approach to killing compared to other foes.
As for surprises, you can first better avoid getting ambushed by staying aware and knowing the different sounds and other cues monsters make. Learn to stop if you hear an odd sound, gently put down the item you’re carrying, and focus on either fighting or avoiding the nearby threat. Too many players attempt to commit to getting an item in their C.A.R.T. or onto the extraction point, even when it’s just too dangerous to do so. You should also learn to immediately focus on an ambush if it’s too late, and you’re already in trouble.
Oftentimes, it’s better to literally just drop whatever is in your hands and put some distance between you and an enemy (or enemies) rather than trying to awkwardly run away while holding a valuable item. Quickly and efficiently escaping lets you survive to determine the best strategy for dealing with an unexpected threat. You can hide, assess the situation, and decide whether you may have a way to fight the creature that got the jump on you.
R.E.P.O. Hunting Guide: The Bowtie
Learn about what might be one of R.E.P.O.’s strangest enemies, the Bowtie, a creature of marshmallow consistency that’s a real blowhard.
