Quick Links
The Robomando inRisk of Rain Returnsfalls into the cherished tradition of many secret characters. Cartoonishly weak while able to pull off ludicrous feats when the stars align. Its skillset is mostly parody versions of more powerful survivors. Despite this, they have a single ability that completely breaks the game.
Robomando can completely circumvent one of the core mechanics of Risk Of Rain in a way that allows them to completely trivialize monsoon difficulty with a good understanding of how to use them. In multiplayer, they can be the best team player or the greediest lone wolf.
Robomando’s Skills
Robomando’s skillset is broadly a parody of the Commando, Risk of Rain’s poster boy. It is the only survivor to have no alternative skills or providence trials. There are a few notable differences that warrant looking over:
Shoot for 60% damage
NA
A much slower version of the Commando’s Double Tap. The most notable difference between Robomando and other survivors is that Robomandois unable to shoot behind them while retreating. This further cuts their ability to deal damage in any fight that requires controlled retreat, such as the wandering vagrant. Resembling the huntress, it can move at almost full speed while firing.
Deal 180% damage in a line and stun enemies
Four seconds
This move resembles Acrid’s Neurotoxin. It does less damage than neurotoxin, but the stun is a welcome addition compared to the commando’s full metal jacket. Similar to Single Fire, Robomando can move at near full speed while using this move butcan only aim in the direction they’re running.
This move is the Robomando’sprimary source of damage.
Evasive maneuver
Faceplant onto the ground in front of you. You arebriefly invulnerablefor the start of the fall.
Four Seconds
The Commando’s Tactical Dive is an important piece of his kit, giving him invulnerability for the entirety of his roll. The Robomando’s Evasive Maneuver is crippled in comparison. Unlike other mobility skills, itcannot be canceled or adjusted once thrown into motion. The Robomando is functionallystunned while diving and for a moment after landing. Diving off a tall ledge extends this stun as it only ends a moment after landing.
There is a narrow range of situations where evasive maneuver is stronger than just running and jumping. It can pass through enemies that deal contact damage, such asjellyfish and magma worms. Using an evasive maneuver in mid-air as a second jump is possible, but the extra air time means you’ll be stunned for longer.
Re-Wire
Channel in place for a moment to activate any item from the Contact Light’s cargo. This includesloot containers, shops, and dronesbut does not extend to shrines.
Five Seconds
This single ability is the only thing that makes the Robomando remotely playable outside of challenge runs. This allows the Robomando to sweep through an environment quickly, obtaining all the available items without needing to stop and fight enemies.
Over-Wire
When upgraded with an Ancient Scepter the robomando’s special gains a20% chance of providing double rewards.
Playing The Robomando
Robomando Strategy In Singleplayer
In single-player, the robomando’s goal is tospeed through levels, collecting as many itemsas possible and stopping to fight only when the teleporter boss appears.
Robomando’s attack and mobility are the weakest amongst the entire cast, but their ability to gain items quickly means that they can easily snowball if they can gain power faster than the difficulty increases from the timer.
Robomando’s advantage in item gains will decrease as time goes on. Enemies will spawn more quickly, and the ability to hack chests with re-wire will eventually be slower than opening them normally. The best approach with Robomando is togo straight from the Temple to the Contact Light and defeat Providence.
Robomando Strategy In Multiplayer
Robomando’s ability to open any container for free easily allows them to be the greediest player possible, opening all the best chests and collecting all the map’s items before other players farm enough gold to do the same.
Since that’sincredibly unfun for everyone except you, the better strategy is toshare your re-wired gainswith the survivors who can make the best use of the individual items. Most items have a specific character that can best use them, and a Robomando player who shares and communicates can leverage these advantages.
You’ll still want toaim for a single loop, as the advantage Robomando provides to a team will decline over time.
Item Choices For A Robomando
Robomando’s approach to items is broadlyquantity over quality.You broadly want to be grabbing every item available, but when you are offered options, such as in shops, there are certain staples that Robomando can make better than average use of:
For common items, Robomando can use all the normal staples to increase survivability, damage, and mobility. Goat hoofs, rusty knives, and hermit’s scarfs are always reliable choices.
Backup Magazine
Allows your secondary ability to hold an additional charge.
De-escalate is Robomando’s main source of damage, and the stun is also a good tool for survivability. Robomando’s playstyle focuses on running away, so a stack of backup magazines ensures they’ll be able to output damage when they do decide to fight.
Bundle of Fireworks
Fires damaging rockets whenever you interact with an object
Robomando’s entire playset is geared towards looting, making the bundle of fireworks a good choice for once. The remake removes the need to stay near a charging teleporter, meaning you’re able to activate the teleporter at the start of a level and thenfight the boss by running away and re-wiring containers.
Uncommon items have a much wider range of effects.Items that improve damage will always be useful, but some choices are worth keeping an eye out for.
Notes
Guardian’s Heart
Creates a shield over your hitpoints that regenerates after several seconds of not taking damage.
Robomando aims toengage and disengage repeatedly, making the guardian’s heart one of the best items for extending their weak health pool.
Golden Gun
Deal up to 40% bonus damage depending on the amount of money you’re carrying.
Robomando only needs to spend money on shrines, meaning the majority of the time they’ll be able touse the golden gun at full power.
Arms Race
Upgrades all drones with explosive attacks.
Drones are risky for any other character, asthe cost to repair them increases each time they get broken. The Robomando never has to pay for anything, so it can make full use of drones without worrying about them dying.
Red Whip
Increases move speed by 60% when not in combat (not using skills or being attacked).
The Robomando spends as much time as possible out of combat to squeeze more use out of it. You’ll still wantmobility items that function in combat.
Rare Items don’t appear in shops, so you won’t normally be offered choices between them outside using the Command artifact. Knowing which rare items fit well into Robomando’s playstyle can still be helpful.
Ancient’s Scepter
Upgrade’s the robomando’s Re-wire into Overwire, granting a 20% chance to duplicate items.
A permanent 20% boost to all item gainsis great if you can find it early in the game. If your first chance at a rare item comes at a later level, this loses value.
Classified Access Codes
Spawns the Atlas cannon, which deals significant damage to bosses when the teleporter is activated.
The only enemies that Robomando ever has to fight are the teleporter bosses. Classified access codes let you skip nearly half of this encounter as long as youexplore to find the cannon before using the teleporter.
Laser Turbine
Using any skills charges the turbine, damaging all enemies when fully powered.
The laser turbine’s damage isindependent of the survivor’s skill damage. Since the robomando’s skills do comically little damage, the laser turbine is a good item for them. The ability to move at near full speed while using attacks also means theturbine can be charged easily while dodging.
Active items often come down to personal choice, shoring up a weakness or exaggerating a strength.
Gold-Plated Bomb
Drops a bomb containing half of your accumulated gold.Damage scales with the amount of money.
Not needing to spend any money means that this item goes from painfully bad to just okay. You won’t be collecting large amounts of money to fuel it, but there isn’t a significant cost toblowing up your hard-earned gold,either.
Captain’s Brooch
Spawns a chest. It costs twice as much to open, but theRobomando can re-wire itanyway.
An extra item every two minutes lets you keep ahead of the difficulty timer more easily. If youfind this in an Equipment Machine, you can rewire it multiple times to spawn a bunch of chests quickly.
Shield Generator or Unstable Watch
Freeze time or become invulnerablefor several seconds.
Outside of particular enemies that can ignore stopped time, these operate broadly the same. They give some breathing room to a character that struggles to evade attacks without items andlets you comfortably hit back at the same time.
In the final providence trial, Judgment, Robomando can use the Captain’s Brooch tospawn an infinite number of items,as the timer does not increase enemy strength.
