There are fifteen unique Survivors to choose from inRisk of Rain Returns, from long-range roamers like the Huntress and Sniper to close-range brawlers like Miner or HAN-D. Whatever you’re preferred playstyle is, there’s a Survivor for you.
There are strengths and weaknesses to every Survivor in Risk of Rain Returns, so choosing the one you like to play the most is the best option. That said, the Survivors below either have strengths so high they outway their weaknesses, or their weaknesses can be easily fixed with the right items. In no particular order, here are some of the strongest Survivors in Risk of Rain Returns.
Huntress is one of the two Survivors you have unlocked by default in Risk of Rain Returns, but don’t let her status as a “default” character fool you. Huntress is actually one of the strongest Survivors in the game, thanks to her ability to shoot while moving at normal speed.
This ability allows the Huntress to be incredibly mobile. If you get a few damage-boosting items that activate on-hit effects, then the Huntress becomes a fast and deadly Survivor that can fly through every stage, deleting enemies along the way.
Mercenary is one of the many melee Survivors in RIsk of Rain Returns. To compensate for his limited range, the Mercenary has invulnerability on his third and fourth skills, allowing him to remain mobile while dealing damage and avoiding damage.
The Mercenary is one of the hardest Survivors to do well with, but when you get the hang of him, you’ll feel unstoppable. His third ability, Blinding Assault, can be used three times in a row, as long as it hits an enemy, giving you much-needed invulnerability and mobility. Paired with his second and fourth abilities, the Mercenary’s damage output is quite strong, too.
Pilot is one of the two new Survivors added in Risk of Rain Returns. The Pilot has two unique abilities that set him apart from other Survivors in the game; his second skill Target Acquired, and his third skill, Rapid Deployment. These abilities allow the Pilot to dominate in aerial combat, something almost no other Survivor can do.
Target Acquired allows the Pilot to shoot diagonally; either upward if you’re on the ground or downward if you’re in the air. Rapid Deployment launches the Pilot forward, deploying a parachute that you may then hover around on. Flying around the map on your parachute while blasting enemies below with Target Acquired and the Pilot’s fourth ability, Airstrike, is not only really strong, but also very satisfying.
Chef has a very simple but very effective set of skills that can mince through enemies with little effort. The Chef’s primary attack throws a cleaver that pierces through enemies before returning to the Chef. With high attack speed, the Chef’s primary attack can deal substantial damage, and has a large range, too.
Where Chef really gets interesting is its fourth ability, Second Helping. When activated it will boost the next attack you use. This will turn the Chef’s primary attack into a large circle of cleavers, dealing damage in all directions. While the Chef may lack in defensive skills, it more than makes up for it with its high damage.
HAN-D is a melee-range robot janitor with the unique ability to heal himself using special Drones. These Drones are gained upon defeating enemies, and will fly out at the nearest enemy when activated, healing HAN-D in return. This ability alone allows HAN-D to sustain most attacks, even when in melee range.
When combined with his high-damage primary attack and fourth ability, HAN-D becomes a tanky brawler that can handle any situation. Plus, his third ability, Overclock, increases his attack speed, and the duration of this buff can be increased by attacking enemies, allowing you to keep up the attack speed buff as long as there are enemies nearby.
Bandit is a complex but immensely rewarding Survivor when played well. His fourth ability, Lights Out, will reset the cooldowns of all your skills if it kills an enemy. This means you can endlessly chain Lights Out against weaker enemies to keep up your invisibility or blinding effects from Smokebomb or Flashbang.
Playing as the Bandit means taking risks whenever possible for the ultimate payoff, but it’s definitely worth it. Chaining together a Dynamite, Smokebomb, and Lights Out back to back feels really strong, and allows you to blaze through stages, taking down the toughest of enemies in only a few seconds.
