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Loader is a mobile melee Survivor inRisk of Rain Returnsthat uses massive gauntlets to fling around the battlefield, pummeling enemies with his giant fists. The Loader has a great base kit that offers versatility in any situation, with high damage, mobility, and invincibility.
At first, the Loader may seem a bit difficult to play, but that will get better with time. Eventually, you’ll be able to launch around each stage, quickly reaching the teleporter while one-shotting enemies that stand in your way. Below, we’ll take a look at everything you need to know about playing this character, from each of his skills to the best items to use.
Description
Knuckleboom
Batter nearby enemies for 120% damage. Every third hit deals 240% damage and knocks enemies upwards.
Debris Shield
Become invincible for 2 seconds while also increasing your movement speed.
Hydraulic Gauntlet
Fire your gauntlet and pull yourself upward, stunning and hurting enemies for 210% damage.
M440 Conduit
Place a lightning rod. After placing two, lightning surges between them, dealing 80% damage per second for 9 seconds.
Unlockable Skills
Additionally, you can unlock the following skills that replace the Loader’sKnuckleboom,Debris Shield, andM440 Conduit.
How To Unlock
Bullet Punch(replaces Knuckleboom)
Charge up and slam enemies forward, for up to 1000% damage.
Collect 300 items as Loader.
Short Circuit(replaces Debris Shield)
Crash down and stun enemies in a large radius, for 350% damage.
Defeat 3000 enemies as Loader.
S260 Conduit(replaces M440 Conduit)
Place a lightning beacon. Lightning surges to any nearby allies within a radius, dealing 80% damage per second, and massively increasing attack speed.
Increases overall damage and utility.
Lens Maker’s Glasses
Your attacks have a 10% chance to Critically Strike, dealing double damage.
Increases overall damage and chance to activateHarvester’s ScytheandWicked Ring.
Increases movement speed by 7.5% and attack speed by 6%.
Increases mobility and damage.
Rusty Jetpack
Decrease gravity while holding the jump button by 10% and increase jump height.
Provideshealth sustainwhile dealing damage.
Brilliant Behemoth
All your attacks explode for a bonus 20% damage to nearby enemies.
Increases overall damage.
Hardlight Afterburner
Add +2 charges of your Utility skill. Reduces Utility skill cooldown by 33%.
Lets you useHydraulic Gauntletmore frequently.
Wicked Ring
Gain 5% Critical Chance. Critical Strikes reduce cooldowns by 1 second.
Provides general utility through more frequent skill usage.
The Loaderdoesn’t need that much support from itemsto shine. His base kit is very strong and versatile, so you’ll mainly want to get items that make him better at what he’s already good at. This means movement items and anything with an on-hit effect like Mortar Tube, AtG Missile Mk. 1 will be good.
As a melee Survivor, you’ll also want to invest a bit intoitems that boost survivability, whether that’s through mitigation or healing.Leeching SeedandHarvester’s Scytheare two great healing options, whileTough Times,Repulsion Armor, and a number of other items can help reduce the damage you take.
How To Play As Loader
Loader is an extremely mobile Survivor that can perform well in a variety of situations. Whether you’retanking hits with Debris Shield, dashing around withShort CircuitandHydraulic Gauntlet, killing groups of enemies with M440 Conduit, or just punching Lemurians in the face withKnuckleboom, Loader excels in every category.
Hydraulic Gauntlet is the Loader’smost important tool. Using this skill, you can easilymaneuver over any obstacle, allowing you to quickly traverse through the stage. Plus, the Hydraulic Gauntlet has decent damage andstuns enemies for two seconds, making it just as useful in combat.
If youdon’t press any movement keywhile you use Hydraulic Gauntlet, you’ll insteadtravel through the enemy you’ve grappled to, increasing the distance you move. Use this to your advantage to quickly move around the stage.
Knuckleboom is a3-hit combo attack, with the third hit launching enemies into the air slightly. You canenable rapid fire in the accessibility settingsof the game, which allows you to hold down the attack key to perform all three hits of the combo rather than repeatedly pressing the button.
Debris Shieldis a very strong skill that makes youinvulnerable to damage for two seconds. Use this when surrounded by enemies to escape without taking damage.
You can also opt to useShort Circuitin place ofDebris Shield, which will drasticallyincrease your mobility and overall damageat the cost of no longer having access to invincibility. However, both skills are good, so choose the one that better suits your preferred playstyle.
Similarly,M440 ConduitandS260 Conduitare both great skills, so you’ll have to decide which one you like using more.M440 offers great area damage, whileS260 will drastically increase your attack speed. S260 Conduit also increases the attack speed of nearby allies,including Drones, making it especially good if you have lots of Drones.
