Loader’s unique design and playstyle make it enjoyable and engaging to explore dangerous alien environments and learn amazing skills.
Nonetheless, Loader is a character worth getting to know, whether you’re a longtime player or new. Here’s more about this character.
How To Unlock Loader
To play as Loader in Risk of Rain 2, players must first complete the Guidance Offline quest, which involves defeating the Alloy Worship Unit in the Siren’s Call section. To access this boss, players must first destroy at least five vulture nests scattered throughout the landscape.
The Alloy Worship Unit can be challenging to defeat, as it can fly and is difficult to hit up close. To defeat the boss and unlock Loader, use a survivor with a powerful long-range attack.
Abilities
One of Loader’s notable weapons is her gauntlets. These gloves may deal tremendous damage and allow the wearer to grip onto objects or surrounding foes.
In this section, we will take a closer look at Loader’s abilities, so that players can fully understand how to utilize this formidable Risk of Rain 2 character to its fullest potential.
PASSIVE: Scrap Barrier
Loader does not sustain any injuries as a result of falling. When Loader uses her gauntlets to defend himself, she is briefly immune to any damage that might be dealt to him.
It provides a powerful defensive tool that can protect the player from incoming damage. When activated, the ability causes Loader to generate a temporary barrier that absorbs incoming damage and reduces the amount of damage taken by the player.
PRIMARY: Knuckleboom
Does 320% more damage to adjacent foes when you swing your weapon. When activated, the ability causes Loader to perform a powerful uppercut that launches enemies into the air and deals damage to any foes in the area.
Players can use the ability to knock back enemies that are charging up powerful attacks, allowing them to avoid taking damage and gain the upper hand in combat.
SECONDARY: Grapple Fist
Loader’s gauntlet is a versatile tool for both combat and traversal. When activated, the ability allows Loader to punch enemies from a distance and pull them towards the player.
This can be used to close the gap between enemies and deal damage up close, making it a powerful tool for defeating single targets or groups of foes.
UTILITY: Charged Gauntlet
Build up your stamina for a piercing punch that deals 600–2700% more damage.
SPECIAL: M551 Pylon
Loader’s M551 Pylon ability can deal 100% more damage to up to six surrounding enemies when thrown.
The pylon can be charged while Loader is performing other actions, such as jumping or grappling, making it a versatile tool that can be seamlessly integrated into gameplay [1].
Whether players need to take down a large group of enemies or a single boss, the M551 Pylon provides a powerful solution.
Loader’s Best Items
For Loader in Risk of Rain 2, prioritize mobility and area-of-effect damage items over those that only slightly enhance damage output, such as speed-boosting or damage-boosting items. Here are the ff:
Old Guillotine: Old Guillotine is an item in Risk of Rain 2 that can be particularly useful for Loader. When equipped, the item allows players to instantly kill any enemy with less than 13% health remaining.
This can be especially powerful for Loader, who excels at dealing high amounts of damage with a single attack.
Kjaro’s Band: After more than 400% damage has been dealt, foes will be struck by a flame tornado, which will deal a cumulative total of 300% damage throughout time. Because Loader is capable of dealing damage easily in excess of 400%, this equipment is incredibly handy.
Shattering Justice: For Loader, Shattering Justice is especially effective due to their ability to quickly deliver crowd control effects with their Knuckleboom abilities.
By using these attacks to stun or knock back enemies, players can trigger the additional damage from Shattering Justice and deal even more damage with each attack.
Soldier’s Syringe: It enables a significant boost to their offensive capabilities. When equipped, the item increases Loader’s attack speed by 15%, allowing them to deliver attacks more quickly and deal more damage overall.
Will-o’-the-wisp: Loader can deal a lot of harm but isn’t very good at regulating a large group of people. Pick up a few Area-of-Effect (AoE) items, such as Will-o-the-wisp, which, when used to defeat an adversary, creates a lava pillar with a 12-meter radius that deals 350% base impact.
Paul’s Goat Hoof: This can be highly effective for Loader, providing a significant boost to their mobility. When equipped, the item increases Loader’s movement speed by 14%, allowing them to move more quickly and traverse the game’s environments with ease.
Energy Drink: The improvement in their mobility freedom will be substantial. Loader’s base movement speed and leap height are both increased by a set percentage which is 25% when using this item, making it possible for them to access previously inaccessible regions more swiftly.
Focus Crystal: Loader is a melee expert and can substantially benefit from using a Focus Crystal, a tool that was also used by another survivor. To opponents around 13 meters from you, this item deals 20% more damage.
A Focus Crystal allows the survivor to optimize their damage in battle and deliver devastating attacks.
Lens Maker’s Glasses: This item grants a 10% probability for hits to perform a Critical Strike, which results in dealing twice the normal amount of damage.
Backup Magazine: The effect of this enhancement is to add an additional charge to your Secondary skill.
Types of Builds for Loader in Risk of Rain 2
Attack Speed: For a Loader Attack Speed build, use the Drowned Artifact and Artifact of Command, and get Fuel Cells, Lens Maker’s Glasses, and a 57 Leaf Clover for items. Obtain an early Legendary from the Newt Altar, buy three Gesture of the Drowned from the Bazaar Between Time, and combine with two War Horns and a Spinel Tonic and for a 70% bonus to attacks.
Balance Lens Maker’s Glasses and Tougher Times for defense, use Infusions for increased Attack Speed and don’t use Shaped Glass.
One-Shot Build: In Risk of Rain 2, use Crowbar, Unstable Tesla Coil, Genesis Loop, and Armor-piercing Round to assemble Loader for a one-shot. Charged Gauntlet and Spiked Fist are ideal, and Shade Glass adds damage.
Will of the Wisps, Guitar Bands, and Elite Ukulele boost damage. Attack the Vagrant early and mid-game. Using Old Guillotine with Armor-piercing Bullets and Crowbar increases damage.
Loader’s Rotation
To optimize your gameplay as Loader, follow a specific rotation. This involves using Grapple to increase movement speed, then charging your Gauntlet mid-grapple, and releasing it at the point where you reach maximum speed during the swing.
This process should be repeated for maximum effectiveness. It’s also worth noting that Loader’s Gauntlet and Grapple combo deals significant damage, making it unnecessary to rely heavily on other abilities.
Additionally, their low cooldowns don’t leave much time for using other skills. This is why Loader is often referred to as Risk of Rain 2’s one-punch woman.
However, there may be situations where it’s appropriate to use Loader’s other abilities, such as when running to the teleporter or when facing weaker, non-tank enemies that can be defeated with just punches.
Tips And Tricks
- Loader is a survivalist with burst damage and high cooldowns on most skills except her Primary.
- She excels at grappling and killing enemies and can one-shot teleporter bosses.
- Spiked Fist is better for stunning and damaging foes than Grapple Fist.
- Her Utility Abilities are comparable, but Thunder Gauntlet deals significantly greater AoE damage than Charged Gauntlet.
- Thunderslam, her Special Ability, has an 8-second cooldown and deals 2000% damage.
- Her M551 Pylon can damage up to 6 foes but has a weaker 100% damage and a 20-second cooldown.
Wrapping Up
Loader is a versatile and strong survivor that can be a valuable addition to any team or a capable solo player. With her damage output and mobility, she can easily take on any challenge thrown her way.
