Welcome to a guide on playing every single character in Risk of Rain 2 as of the release of the Survivors of the Void DLC. Quick disclaimer play whoever you want to play and use what abilities you like you can still get good runs on any characters or any abilities you choose, it is just some characters and abilities have a higher consistency than others.
Most of the information in this guide is from Woolie’s video Guide to Playing ALL Survivors in Risk of Rain 2 (Void DLC)
General Tips
Get in the habit of continually circling or strafing back and forth while keeping enemies directly in front of you. Sprinting and jumping are both huge components in dodging enemies so make sure you are doing both on a regular basis.
You need to focus down the biggest threats to your run first otherwise you’re going to get overwhelmed and die. Usually you should prioritise stone golems, lesser wisps, blind pests, elder lumerians and as well as any boss or elite enemies.
Watch the game for how many minutes you spend on each stage. Usually you should spend between 5 to 7 minutes per stage that should give you enough time to get loot and proceed without the difficulty ramping too much for you.
You do not need every item on a stage especially if doing so would add another couple minutes onto the game timer.
Delicate Watch
Increase damage by 20% (+20% per stack). Taking damage to below 25% health breaks this item.
Paul’s Goat Hoof
Increases movement speed by 14% (+14% per stack).
AtG Missile Mk. 1
10% chance to fire a missile that deals 300% (+300% per stack) TOTAL damage.
Kjaro’s Band
Hits that deal more than 400% damage also blasts enemies with a runic flame tornado, dealing 300% (+300% per stack) TOTAL damage over time. Recharges every 10 seconds.
Runald’s Band
Hits that deal more than 400% damage also blasts enemies with a runic ice blast, slowing them by 80% for 3s (+3s per stack) and dealing 250% (+250% per stack) TOTAL damage. Recharges every 10 seconds.
Ukulele
25% chance to fire chain lightning for 80% TOTAL damage on up to 3 (+2 per stack) targets within 20m (+2m per stack).
Hopoo Feather
Gain +1 (+1 per stack) maximum jump count.
Wax Quail
Acrid
• Focus on grabbing early movement speed as the majority of your run will be spent running in circles waiting for poison to kill
• Poison, Poison, Poison SPAM Neurotoxin
• You are a “ranged” survivor (only use melee in the first few stages)
• Leap into and enemy to briefly disrupt them
• Get Visions of Heresy for a more active primary ability
• Use Acrid’s leap ability to negate any fall damage
Energy Drink
Sprint speed is improved by 25% (+25% per stack).
Shuriken
Activating your Primary skill also throws a shuriken that deals 400% (+100% per stack) base damage. You can hold up to 3 (+1 per stack) shurikens which all reload over 10 seconds.
Visions of Heresy
Replace your Primary Skill with Hungering Gaze.
Fire a flurry of tracking shards that detonate after a delay, dealing 120% base damage. Hold up to 12 charges (+12 per stack) that reload after 2 seconds (+2 per stack).
Artificer
• Charge your secondary while sprinting
• Instantly cast ice-wall by pressing the sprint key
• Hover after using ion surge to keep enemies away but be aware of enemies such as wisps and stone golems
•Sprinting cancels Flamethrower
Ignition Tank
Ignite effects deal +300% (+300% per stack) more damage over time.
Bandit
• Backstab, backstab, backstab (Always be behind enemies)
• Use Smoke-Bomb while airborne for extra height and cancel early for even more height
• Double-Tap, Pause, Double-Tap Primary at medium to far ranges for better accuracy
• Grab some early movement speed items to make getting behind enemies much easier
Energy Drink
Sprint speed is improved by 25% (+25% per stack).
Laser Scope
Critical Strikes deal an additional 100% damage (+100% per stack).
Captain
• Primary-Attack-Machine
• Primary > Secondary > Primary for Burst Damage
• Use Hacking Beacons early into each stage (Chance shrines are the best)
Mocha
Increases attack speed by 7.5% (+7.5 per stack) and movement speed by 7% (+7% per stack).
Soldier’s Syringe
Increases attack speed by 15% (+15% per stack).
Tri-Tip Dagger
10% (+10% per stack) chance to bleed an enemy for 240% base damage.
Shuriken
Activating your Primary skill also throws a shuriken that deals 400% (+100% per stack) base damage. You can hold up to 3 (+1 per stack) shurikens which all reload over 10 seconds.
Symbiotic Scorpion
100% chance on hit to reduce armor by 2 (+2 per stack) permanently.
Commando
• Primary-Attack-Machine
• Use Phase-Blast immediately after Suppressive-Fire to resume attacking without delay
• Stay CLOSE to enemies to prevent damage fall-off
Mocha
Increases attack speed by 7.5% (+7.5 per stack) and movement speed by 7% (+7% per stack).
Soldier’s Syringe
Increases attack speed by 15% (+15% per stack).
Tri-Tip Dagger
10% (+10% per stack) chance to bleed an enemy for 240% base damage.
Shuriken
Activating your Primary skill also throws a shuriken that deals 400% (+100% per stack) base damage. You can hold up to 3 (+1 per stack) shurikens which all reload over 10 seconds.
Symbiotic Scorpion
100% chance on hit to reduce armor by 2 (+2 per stack) permanently.
Engineer
• Don’t rely on your Turrets for EVERYTHING
• “Wiggle” your reticle On/Off enemies to quickly fire all Thermal Harpoons
• Charge your Primary while sprinting
Bustling Fungus (Bungus) (Use with TR12 Gauss Auto-Turret)
After standing still for 1 second, create a zone that heals for 4.5% (+2.25% per stack) of your health every second to all allies within 3m (+1.5m per stack).
Huntress
• Continually circle around enemies and let your auto-aim do all the work
• Phase Blink whenever it’s off-cooldown to be as nimble as possible
• Balista is your main source of damage (Don’t waste it on small enemies)
Lens-Maker’s Glasses
Your attacks have a 10% (+10% per stack) chance to ‘Critically Strike’, dealing double damage.
Predatory Instincts
Gain 5% critical chance. Critical strikes increase attack speed by 12%. Maximum cap of 36% (+24% per stack) attack speed.
Harvester’s Scythe
Gain 5% critical chance. Critical strikes heal for 8 (+4 per stack) health.
Loader
• Look in the direction you wish to travel when Grappling
• Speed is King
• Did a dangerous enemy just spawn just punch it
• Get Visions of Heresy for a more useful primary
Backup Magazine
Add +1 (+1 per stack) charge of your Secondary skill.
Energy Drink
Sprint speed is improved by 25% (+25% per stack).
Focus Crystal
Increase damage to enemies within 13m by 20% (+20% per stack).
Visions of Heresy
Replace your Primary Skill with Hungering Gaze.
Fire a flurry of tracking shards that detonate after a delay, dealing 120% base damage. Hold up to 12 charges (+12 per stack) that reload after 2 seconds (+2 per stack).
Mercenary
• Expose, expose, expose
• Use the last charge of Blinding Assault to EXIT combat and wait for cooldowns
• You are a “Melee” character, if running Blinding Assault and Eviscerate (Melee Loadout)
• You are a “Ranged” character, if running Focused Assault and Slicing Winds (Ranged Loadout)
Focus Crystal (Use if using Melee Loadout)
Increase damage to enemies within 13m by 20% (+20% per stack).
Visions of Heresy (Use if using Ranged Loadout)
Replace your Primary Skill with Hungering Gaze.
Fire a flurry of tracking shards that detonate after a delay, dealing 120% base damage. Hold up to 12 charges (+12 per stack) that reload after 2 seconds (+2 per stack).
MUL-T
• Primary-Attack-Machine
• Use Blaster Canister and Transport Mode to interrupt enemies
• Don’t worry about low-damage enemies just focus on the high-damage ones
Mocha
Increases attack speed by 7.5% (+7.5 per stack) and movement speed by 7% (+7% per stack).
Soldier’s Syringe
Increases attack speed by 15% (+15% per stack).
Tri-Tip Dagger (Use with Auto-Nailgun)
10% (+10% per stack) chance to bleed an enemy for 240% base damage.
Symbiotic Scorpion
100% chance on hit to reduce armor by 2 (+2 per stack) permanently.
REX
• Expect your HP bar to be constantly be moving up and down
• Use your Tangling Growth followed by your Bramble Volley to fully-heal off only a few enemies
• Primary > Secondary > Primary for optimal damage
Weeping Fungus (Wungus)
Heals for 2% (+2% per stack) of your health every second while sprinting. Corrupts all Bustling Fungi.
• Have good aim
• Use Primary backwards after using Concussion Device to gain extra momentum
• Memorize enemy weakpoint locations
Lens-Maker’s Glasses
Your attacks have a 10% (+10% per stack) chance to ‘Critically Strike’, dealing double damage.
Crowbar
Deal +75% (+75% per stack) damage to enemies above 90% health.
Harvester’s Scythe
Gain 5% critical chance. Critical strikes heal for 8 (+4 per stack) health.
Predatory Instincts
Gain 5% critical chance. Critical strikes increase attack speed by 12%. Maximum cap of 36% (+24% per stack) attack speed.
Brilliant Behemoth
All your attacks explode in a 4m (+2.5m per stack) radius for a bonus 60% TOTAL damage to nearby enemies.
Void Fiend
• Stay in base-form unless fighting tough enemies (spam Suppress)
• Primary >Secondary (TAP) > Primary for burst damage
• Don’t take healing items as they get rid of Corruption
Shuriken
Activating your Primary skill also throws a shuriken that deals 400% (+100% per stack) base damage. You can hold up to 3 (+1 per stack) shurikens which all reload over 10 seconds.