Risk of Rain 2is a difficult game that only gets harder the longer a run progresses. Repeatedly dying and making no progress can be disheartening for new players, but as with all roguelikes, it’s part of what makes the game fun.
Simply using thebest characters inROR 2won’t be enough to salvage a run. There are plenty of things to learn in this game, and for those who want to make that learning process a little faster, here’s a collection of tips and tricks meant to help new players find their footing.
7Mind The Clock
The Difficulty Is Always Increasing
As players should know by now,Risk of Rain 2’sdifficulty rises over time,punishing overly-cautious players. The difficulty level chosen before starting a run only dictates how quickly things escalate, giving players less time to scrounge for items.
Players will need to learn how to spend their time wisely during a run. Ideally, stages should be completed as quickly as possible without forsaking too many chests in the process. A good rule of thumb is toget at least one item per minutespent on a level.
6Use Utility Skills Wisely
Utility Skills Can Help Players Dodge Everything
Moving and jumping around is a given for games like this, but not all incoming attacks can be dodged by just bobbing and weaving. Utility skills (Commando’s Tactical Dive, Bandit’s Smoke Bomb, etc) give players extra means of evading damage, whether by propelling themselves away, disrupting the enemy, or both.
Utility Skills can save players from the laser attacks of Stone Golems, fire breath attacks of Elder Lemurians, and even fall damage. Managing the cooldown of these abilities is something all players should practice.
5Play On Monsoon
Trial By Fire
Considering how difficulty is handled in this game, it is strongly recommended that players try Monsoon difficulty as soon as they’re comfortable with it. Failing is part-and-parcel of any roguelike, and Monsoon will teach players all the best ways to playRisk of Rain 2naturally.
The one thing all players must keep in mind is that time is of the essence. Those who spend too long in one stage without getting any items to show for it will eventually fail in the showdown againstthe final boss ofROR 2. Be fast, be deadly, be efficient.
4Blitz Through The First Three Stages
They’re Just Not Worth It
Continuing the time trend, players will want to get through the first three stages of their run within five minutes or so. The enemies here don’t give enough gold or EXP to warrant spending any more time on them. Grab four or five items, then hit the teleporter as soon as you can.
The fourth stage typically has more valuable enemies as well as a secret chest that guarantees a Legendary item. If players just so happen to get one of thebest red items inROR 2, they’ll be set for the rest of the run.
3Know Your Characters
Master Your Hero
Every character has a unique playstyle with small nuances that can make a huge difference. The Commando, for example, is one of the best characters for exploitingROR 2’shidden Proc Coefficientmechanic. The Mercenary can ignore incoming damage using his Special Skill, Railgunner converts critical hit chance to critical hit damage, Loader deals more damage based on her momentum, and so on.
Some items are also better on specific characters. Death Mark, for one, is much easier to activate with characters like Chef or REX. There are plenty of little details like this, and it will take time before players discover all of them for themselves.
2Use Scrappers And 3D Printers
Recycle Your Unwanted Items
Speaking of items, scrappers and 3D printers play an important role in regular gameplay. Players who want to make thecraziest builds inRisk of Rain 2will want to stack all the right items for their character, and they can do that by offering scrap to a 3D printer. Try not to go overboard, though.
This is more of an advanced tip, as it requires broader knowledge of characters and items they synergize with the most. For new players, here are some items that work great when stacked:
1Get The Artifact of Command
The Best Way To Learn Items And Builds
The Command artifact inRisk of Rain 2lets players pick whatever items they want. Instead of having a random item pop up when opening a chest, a weird-looking object will appear that will let players choose an item based on rarity. This is the best way to discover possible builds and item synergies, and everyone can do it on any difficulty.
Unlocking the Artifact of Command inROR 2will take a bit of effort, but it’s nothing that can’t be handled. Use the artifact to find strong item combinations or to create the most overpowered character possible without breaking the game.
