Introduction
*Risk of Rain 2* is a thrilling and challenging roguelike shooter that throws you into a relentless fight for survival on an alien planet. The game’s core gameplay revolves around a continuous loop of scavenging for items, fighting hordes of increasingly powerful enemies, and ultimately, escaping or dying trying. What sets *Risk of Rain 2* apart is its dynamic item system and diverse character choices, each offering unique abilities and playstyles. One of the most engaging strategic elements within the game is the ability to leverage the game’s mechanics to summon allies. This allows players to customize their approach to the game from the ground up, and greatly affects how they choose to interact with the threats around them. This guide will delve into one of the most accessible and reliable early-game summons: the Beetle.
Summons represent a vital component of many successful runs in *Risk of Rain 2*. They provide added damage output, act as distractions for enemies, and create opportunities for strategic positioning. From the hulking Stone Titans to the diminutive but deadly Beetles, the game is full of summons, but, as one of the initial enemy types you encounter, the humble Beetle summons offer a stable and reliable foundation for many builds. They serve as a potent early-game damage dealer, drawing the enemy’s focus while providing a base for your own offensive and defensive strategies.
This article serves as a comprehensive guide to mastering Beetle summons in *Risk of Rain 2*. We’ll explore their mechanics, the optimal items to amplify their power, effective character builds that utilize Beetle summons, and gameplay strategies to maximize their effectiveness throughout your runs. Prepare to unleash the swarm and dominate your next *Risk of Rain 2* experience.
Understanding the Beetle Summons
The Beetle, a common foe in the game, is often the first enemy players encounter. Its role as a simple damage dealer quickly gives way to the use of Topaz Brooch, an item that can grant you an army of beetles at your service.
Sources of Beetle Summons
The Topaz Brooch is the linchpin of any Beetle-centric build. The Topaz Brooch grants a temporary barrier when you kill an enemy. This temporary shield, crucial early on, can easily be enhanced with multiple items. Each kill while having a Topaz Brooch grants a short-lived barrier. This barrier allows you to stay in the fight longer, and the best part is that Beetle summons can be created simply by killing enemies while having this item.
Additionally, as the game goes on, the presence of the Elite Beetle Guard can be found. They may be summoned via other items and offer a much more powerful Beetle Summon to the player.
Beetle Summon Mechanics
The Beetle Summons are far from complex in their functions. However, understanding the mechanics can help you take full advantage of them.
The Beetle Summons themselves have a limited lifespan. They vanish after a certain amount of time. This duration is fixed, but as you find more items, the duration is often a moot point. If enemies are being rapidly eliminated, the beetles will continue to be spawned as long as you have the necessary items.
The behavior of the Beetle Summons is also relatively straightforward. They will automatically target and attack nearby enemies, focusing on the most immediate threats. They do not have complicated strategies of their own, which makes them perfect as early game damage-dealers.
The scaling of Beetle summons, however, is where things get interesting. While their base stats might seem weak initially, their damage scales with difficulty settings. The more enemies that are swarming you, the more Beetle summons you’ll have. This allows you to create a swarm that overwhelms many enemies in the game.
Strengths and Weaknesses of Beetle Summons
Like all aspects of *Risk of Rain 2*, Beetle summons come with their own set of strengths and weaknesses. Recognizing these can help you develop effective gameplay strategies.
Beetle Summons shine brightly in the early game. Their consistent damage output, combined with the relative weakness of early-game enemies, allows them to swiftly eliminate threats. They act as a meat shield, drawing enemy fire away from you and providing a much-needed buffer, especially when you’re still gathering items. Their low health in the later stages is somewhat offset by the fact that they can be created frequently, meaning that it is always possible to have at least one Beetle Summon out to attack enemies.
Conversely, Beetle Summons have drawbacks. The biggest is their vulnerability in the late game. As the enemy pool grows stronger and the levels more difficult, the Beetles themselves become much easier to kill. They can also be an impediment, as the Beetles will frequently block your shots or distract enemies, making it harder to land your own.
Synergistic Items for Beetle Summons
The power of a Beetle summon build is largely determined by the items you acquire. Certain items will drastically improve the Beetles’ effectiveness, while others will be less helpful. Knowing what to prioritize is key to success.
Items that Enhance Beetle Summons
- Attack Speed items: Attack speed buffs will speed up the attacks of the Beetles. Items like Predatory Instincts will buff attack speed.
- Items that Increase Damage: Items that boost your damage output will increase the damage dealt by your summons. Items like Focus Crystal, Lens-Maker’s Glasses, and the Bustling Fungus will provide significant damage boosts, allowing you to maximize your Beetle Summon damage.
- Items that Increase Summon Health: Keeping your Beetle Summons alive is crucial for their effectiveness. Items that increase their health, such as Leeching Seed and Armor Plating, are invaluable. This will help ensure that they last longer, deal more damage, and fulfill their roles.
- Items that provide healing to you/summons: Items that heal either you or your summons will prolong the life of the Beetle Summons. Rejuvenation Rack and Cautious Slug are both great choices.
- Other items to consider: Items such as the War Horn will boost your stats. Similarly, the Wake of Vultures will copy the abilities of elite enemies.
Item Prioritization
When selecting items for a Beetle summon build, prioritize items that increase attack speed, damage, and survivability. Early on, focus on acquiring Topaz Brooches and items that boost your damage output. As the game progresses, start focusing on increasing the Beetle’s health and survivability.
Items that are Detrimental to Beetle Summons
Some items can work against your summon build. Avoid items that deal widespread damage, as these may damage or kill your summons.
Character Builds That Benefit From Beetle Summons
While any Survivor can benefit from Beetle Summons, certain characters have kits that synergize particularly well with this strategy.
Survivors that use Beetle Summons well:
- Commando: The Commando’s rapid-fire attacks make them a natural fit for a Beetle summon build. Their ability to quickly eliminate enemies triggers Beetle summons, creating a constant stream of allies. Their relatively high mobility allows them to position effectively to take advantage of the summoned beetles.
- Example Builds:
- Early Game: Focus on Topaz Brooch, Lens-Maker’s Glasses, and Predatory Instincts for damage.
- Mid-Game: Prioritize leeching seed for sustain, and Armor Plating for health.
- Late Game: Focus on items that increase attack speed and sustain to keep the swarm going.
- Example Builds:
- Engineer: The Engineer’s turrets act as additional sources of damage, drawing enemy fire away from the Beetles, and allowing the summons to operate with more efficiency. The Engineer’s kit complements the Beetle summons by providing the Engineer more protection as the Beetles tear through hordes of enemies.
- Example Builds:
- Early Game: Focus on the Topaz Brooch, Bustling Fungus, and other healing items.
- Mid-Game: Focus on survivability to keep the turrets and summons alive
- Late Game: focus on damage boosts and items to keep the summons alive.
- Example Builds:
- Other Survivors: While not as naturally synergistic as the Commando or Engineer, several other survivors can still benefit from Beetle summons. Those with high mobility or those with defensive capabilities can leverage the summons to increase their survivability and damage output.
Gameplay Strategies
Mastering Beetle summons requires a strategic approach, particularly during the different stages of a run.
Early Game Tactics
In the early game, the priority is to survive and collect the necessary items. Focus on acquiring the Topaz Brooch, as this is the source of your power. After that, begin prioritizing attack speed buffs, which will lead to more summons.
Mid-Game Strategies
As you move into the mid-game, your Beetle summons will start to become less effective. Focus on scaling your build by obtaining more health and survivability items for your summons. This will allow them to survive for longer and help them stay in the fight. You should also start thinking of your build as a whole, and prioritizing the best items that can enhance your strengths.
Late Game Strategies
The late game is where things get truly challenging. Enemy health scales exponentially, and the Beetles will quickly become outmatched. To overcome this, you will need to focus on dealing as much damage as possible to compensate for the falling damage dealt by your Summons.
Advanced Tips and Tricks
To truly master a Beetle summon build, consider these advanced tips.
Optimal Item Stacking
The key to a successful Beetle summon build lies in item stacking. Prioritize obtaining multiples of the same item, particularly those that amplify your damage, health, or attack speed.
Effective Positioning
Positioning is vital in *Risk of Rain 2*, and it’s especially crucial when using Beetle summons. Use the Beetles to draw enemies into your line of sight. Staying back while your Beetles engage in combat is an effective strategy. Use the environment, terrain, and cover to your advantage to protect yourself and your summons.
Communication in Co-op
If you’re playing co-op, coordinate with your teammates to maximize your effectiveness. Communicate which items you’re prioritizing and where you plan to position yourself and your summons. This helps to create a seamless and coordinated attack.
Conclusion
Beetle summons are an excellent tool for any player looking to get started in *Risk of Rain 2*. They provide reliable damage, increase your survivability in the early game, and open the door for various strategic playstyles. This guide should have provided you with a solid understanding of their mechanics, best practices, and how to make the most of them.
Experiment with different item combinations, character builds, and gameplay strategies to find what works best for you. Remember that the key to success in *Risk of Rain 2* is adaptability and a willingness to experiment.
Have fun, and remember to keep summoning those Beetles!
