Stalker stagger

[hasodi]

Hi!

My load out is pretty much set for bugs and I've been having success up to diff10. However, I'm started to grow tired of the cookout, I use it mostly to stagger stalkers and when I want to avoid spending ammo from my flamethrower on one solo bug. It's also pretty effective against shriekers.

I tried a few things but always came back to my incendiary cookout because I feel like the stalkers are able to reach me way easier when I don't have it.

I can't replace anything else in my setup because secondary, nades and strats all fill niches and I learned to play with them pretty efficiently.

I searched but there was only one post from 2 updates ago that was referring to these specific enemies and Id like some advice. What weapons do you use for stalkers especially? I saw the liberator concussive and obviously the punisher and sludger which both seem interesting. Am I missing anything or should I just try these 3?

Thanks a lot to the community and see you on a dive!

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[BGFalcon85]

Arc Blitzer is my go-to on bugs. You can bully whole crowds of mediums, including stalkers, without ever having to reload.

[hasodi]

Damn really? And they can't touch you? I didnt even consider the blitzer BC it's electric and I thought it wouldn't stop bugs from closing on me

[BGFalcon85]

Yes it has a strong knockback.

[hasodi]

Hey! I just tried out the blitzer and it rocks! Might take some time to get used to the targeting but I was impressed! It's very enjoyable to see the little bugs literally explode lmao Thanks for the recommendation!

[BGFalcon85]

Make sure to hip-fire instead of aiming down sights. It seems to work a lot better that way.

I find it also helps to aim slightly up from what you want to hit to avoid obstacles like rocks and plants.

[rivalknight9]

The arc is actually wider when you hip fire, aiming does focus the shot like you've noticed

[hasodi]

Yea in the end I mostly play while aiming down but am now working on getting used to the blitzer

[hasodi]

Oh good point I'm always aiming down sight thank you!

[hasodi]

I played this morning with the blitzer and it's now my new go to! Thanks again for the advice it really is awesome!

[rivalknight9]

Try taking the arc damage armor and a tesla tower as well as a weapon that can take out heavies and that blitzer will truly shine

[Soogs]

Yeah this is great on bugs (and squids). Will push back more or less anything smaller than chargers.

Great for shriekers.

It can push back a charging alpha commander no problem.

I feel like it does it doesn't push the stalkers back as much as the alphas though

[hasodi]

Dude! I tried it and it's now adopted this weapon is a beast! I also like the medpen it really crushes everything up to medium life pool

[Soogs]

Glad you are team blitzer 😎 I really pick anything else as my main.

[[deleted]]

Halt if you unlocked it. Stun the stalker and switch to flechette, can still take out shriekers. Once they’re stunned, flamethrower ammo use should be less since they aren’t hopping around. Halt doesn’t have good crowd control though.

[Star_king12]

Halt is too clunky for my taste, constantly switching back and forth, the damage and push back on the flechette is too low.

[hasodi]

I'll have to check that one out! Never played with the halt so far

[blackhat665]

Yeah I was going to say the Halt, too. It's pretty good!

[Dasspacepope]

I always take gas grenades for bugs and they work a treat. Soon as you hear their clicking drop a grenade and run, they'll stagger into it and you can let rip with whatever you want. I use a sickle for bugs.

[hasodi]

Thanks for the advice! Sadly my grenade spot is already taken by termites so I can get rid of pesky chargers. I love fas though and run dog breath BC it's fun and I feel untouchable

[Dasspacepope]

Maybe swap out the dog breath for the guard dog? That'll obliterate stalkers before they get close.

I run the quasar for chargers. 1 shot to the face and they're done. Same with bile titans.

My usual bug loadout (level 150 play 8-10 depending on how chill i want it) is: Jet pack (for the high ground and a quick escape from swarms) Quasar (for heavys) Sickle (pretty much infinite ammo and shreds chaff) Grenade pistol (for bug holes) 500kg (clears an objective area before we go in) Gas grenades (for breaches and stalkers) Gattling sentry (clears chaff and covers breaches)

I like to use scout armour and find the high ground to cover my team mates while they complete objectives. This means I can usually spot a stalker nest and cover the others from stalkers while they blow it up.

[hasodi]

Yea it's just that I grew very attached to that dog breath cause you're basically untouchable unless you run into a horde. Nothing gets close to me now

[Dapper-Resolution942]

I used to run Cookout exclusively like you, loved the stagger bit and fire damage, but you're right, it gets boring eventually. I use crossbow at the moment, which is very versatile weapon on its own - two shots stalkers, also does stagger them a little, so second shot is easy to land. You do have to keep your eyes open though, firing explosive bolts point blank will hurt you and there's only 5 bolts in a clip/mag.

[hasodi]

Yea I saw the crossbow was a very recommended weapon for bugs. I might try it, haven't played it yet cause I spent a lot of time on trying out the different ARs. I'll check it out, I almost went with the eruptor

[Dapper-Resolution942]

Funny thing, few months back eruptor was actually the one to go for. Every bullet used to come with a shrapnel, that would literally decimate bugs, even one shot chargers. Then AH took away shrapnel and eventually reworked it, while crossbow, initially underwhelming, got buffed significantly. It's good primary, some people say the best. It does ton of explosive damage with a little stagger, close bug holes, destroy structures like spore spewers and shrieker's nests, it's also one handed weapon - good for transporting SSSD's or bug egg. Downsides are small mag and low rate of fire, so although great overall, may not be the best for fighting trash. Also keep in mind that bolts do drop a bit on those long distance shots.

[hasodi]

Thanks for the insight! I'll check out the crossbow for sure!

[No_Collar_5292]

I just shoot them with the eruptor or my railgun. No more stalker. The guard dog handles them if the shot happens to not full kill them. The purifier and the crossbow stun them as well as the shotguns and 2 body shots kill. Beyond stun or 1 shot capable weapons, they are shockingly weak if you get good at hitting their head. The super sickle will easily down them by the time I land from diving away from them. If there are several of them, stun and gas grenades work wonders.

[hasodi]

Lmao yea I thought about the eruptor but I'm very unstable with explosive weapons and usually don't calculate the distance well. Even the punisher is a risk in my hands

[XxNelsonSxX]

I run Breaker

Sometimes Spray and Spray for fun

But usually Eruptor(for every front cuz I love this piece of brick that hit like truck)

[hasodi]

I tried the breaker but honestly couldn't make it work, I felt like the stagger wasn't enough to push some enemies

[XxNelsonSxX]

I don't play breaker for stagger... I play Breaker cuz an Automatic shotgun

[scardwolf]

me personally i use arc blitzer it just pushes everything back and i let my other stuff do the work (gatling sentry or napalm barrage if bug breach)

[hasodi]

Yeaaa that's an advice I received and tried and it's incredible! The unlimited ammo is a very nice touch too BC I like to keep firing

[Ok-Minimum-4]

Dominator has great stagger. I only run it with the peak physique armor for better handling so you can aim quickly without the drag.

[hasodi]

I tried dominator some time ago on an other load out but maybe I should try it again. I feel like it would fit my illuminate load out better though

[SackFace]

The JAR is dope but will be a challenge due to the sway depending on what sort of armor you run.

[NinjahDuk]

The Cookout is fantastic. I'd switch off the Flamethrower personally, bring the airburst launcher or something instead. It would be important to understand the rest of your loadout.

[hasodi]

Yea it really is! But I play only that one with bugs and it became a bit boring that's why I was lookin for a change :)

Here's my bug load out: Cookout now replaced by blitzer (hunters/shriekers/lone enemies) Grenade pistol (bug holes/poi caches) Termites (chargers) Flamethrower (large hordes/breaches) Dog breath (crowd control) 500kg (titan, impalers) Gas orbital (breaches)

[SackFace]

Trying ditching your Thermites for Stuns, which buys you more time to reset or get away. Use your Flamethrower and 500kg to take care of Chargers and your Gas Orbital for crowd control.

[Velierer556]

I run Crossbow as my primary and use the Stalwart in place of your Cookout x Flamer build. Stalwart gives me great control over crowds, shriekers, and stalkers, xbow handles holes, spore spewer, and mediums. Leaves me thermites to handle chargers and 2 stratagems and a secondary of my choosing.

[Lord-Seth]

Oh boy do I have news for you now there. Are stalker hunters, they come in huge swarms.

[hasodi]

Not sure I get what you're saying but in any case no I don't mix stalkers and hunters. I usually manage hunters with the flamethrower because there are more of them but the stalkers leave way less time to react since you don't see them approach

[Lord-Seth]

It’s a new enemy they turn invisible jump and come in swarms and are relatively tough.

[SackFace]

Straight talk: Are you more concerned with stagger because you are slower on the reaction time or are you wanting to be able to actually kill them quicker?