The Best Risk Of Rain 2 Characters

The Best Risk Of Rain 2 Characters

As someone who’s spent countless hours battling my way through the unforgiving landscapes of Risk of Rain 2, I must say that the Void Fiend is truly a force to be reckoned with. This character is not only incredibly strong but also incredibly adaptable, making him an absolute joy to play.


Risk of Rain 2 is a third-person shooter game with roguelike elements, boasting a wide range of playable characters. It emphasizes replay value, allowing players to explore the world of Petrichor V extensively, using various characters and character combinations.

In the game Risk of Rain 2, each survivor character can be quite overpowered when equipped with the right items or when played skillfully by a proficient player. However, certain survivors are more commonly chosen than others, which isn’t solely due to cosmetic skin mods. The disparity in quality among characters is particularly noticeable when a player doesn’t receive universally beneficial items.

Note: Some Survivor statistics adjust according to the chosen level of difficulty in the game. In all the provided tables, (D) represents Drizzle Level, (R) stands for Rainstorm Level, and (M) denotes Monsoon Level.

17 Chef

Unlock: Complete ‘Order Up!’ Achievement (Requires Seekers of the Storm DLC)

Base Stats
HealthHealth RegenerationDamageSpeedArmorRanking Reasoning
1101.5 (D), 1 (R), 0.6 (M)127 Meters per Second0Has a very underwhelming arsenal that struggles against high-health flying enemies.

In Risk of Rain 2, it seems Chef was designed without a specific player in mind, as his challenges might be too demanding for some. Players can unlock Chef by reaching the Reformed Altar and sacrificing three distinct items: Cautious Slug, Bison Steak, and Infusion. This task becomes manageable with the help of the Artifact of Command.

The equipment a Chef wields leaves much to be desired, especially its primary tool. It’s acceptable but not impressive. Its special abilities, however, are quite decent, even quite good in certain situations. Yet, the weak point lies in its secondary ability, Sear. This ability falls short due to limited range, but if players coordinate it with the utility ability, Roll, they can somewhat compensate for this issue. With the right items, a Chef can indeed be effective, but there are other robots that are generally preferred first.

16 Commando

Unlock: Unlocked By Default

The Best Risk Of Rain 2 Characters
Base Stats
HealthHealth RegenerationDamageSpeedArmorRanking Reasoning
1101.5 (D), 1 (R), 0.6 (M)127 Meters per Second0Very weak in the beginning but has one of the highest damage potentials the longer the run goes.

In the game Risk of Rain 2, Commando can be considered the equivalent of Mario, since he’s the default character that newcomers start with due to his straightforward mechanics that cater to beginners. However, because players are initially required to use him extensively, many overlook this Survivor and eventually move on without giving him a second thought.

Yet, that error lies in the assumption, since the Commando character often stands out as one of the top Survivors, demonstrating how preposterously overpowered item scaling can become when players choose wisely. He does require some time to build up momentum initially, given his relatively weak attack against enemies at the start. However, as he accumulates more on-hit items, his power will rapidly escalate.

15 Artificer

Unlock: Completing ‘Pause’ Challenge

The Best Risk Of Rain 2 Characters
Base Stats
HealthHealth RegenerationDamageSpeedArmorRanking Reasoning
1101.5 (D), 1 (R), 0.6 (M)127 Meters per Second0Very technical with a high-skill ceiling, takes a lot of work to make ‘overpowered’.

In the game Risk of Rain 2, Artificer seems to be the character least often chosen by players for an unusual reason. This character essentially requires players to float in the air rather than stay on the ground, making her playstyle quite distinct from that of other characters. As a result, mastering Artificer involves learning not just combat skills but also how to maneuver effectively while floating. In essence, among all Survivors in Risk of Rain 2, Artificer fits the role of the ‘Mage’ class the most accurately.

But, if you spend just a few hours with Artificer and actually get into the flow of her gameplay loop, it’s easy to see that she’s actually a pretty strong Survivor. She has some of the best single target damage tools in the game, the ability to execute with her Ice Wall, some of the most maneuverability thanks to Ion Surge, and doesn’t really ever have to worry about fall damage. However, to get to the realm of ‘overpowered’ with Artificer, it takes a lot of practice and the right items, which is why she ends up this low in the rankings.

14 REX

Unlock: Completing ‘Power Plant’ Challenge

The Best Risk Of Rain 2 Characters
Base Stats
HealthHealth RegenerationDamageSpeedArmorRanking Reasoning
1301.5 (D), 1 (R), 0.6 (M)127 Meters per Second20High risk, high reward Survivor to the extreme.

Considering all the effort it takes to unlock REX, you might expect it to be a higher-ranked Survivor. Unfortunately, while REX has a ton of damage potential, CC tools, and unique abilities, it a bit too high of a risk for the reward it offers. Because a lot of REX’s abilities use its health as a resource, players are constantly having to keep an eye on their health more than usual, and those who are trying to learn REX will be frustrated by the number of times they’re caught at low health by a stray Pest or Wisp.

Moreover, due to its frequent utilization as a resource, REX seldom activates the ‘one-shot’ defense mechanism which prevents enemies from instantly killing Survivors with a single attack. This is somewhat disappointing given how distinctive this Survivor is, but when equipped correctly and played skillfully, REX can deal more damage than most other Survivors. However, the probability of this happening consistently is generally quite low on average.

13 Mercenary

Unlock: Completing ‘True Respite’ Challenge

Base Stats
HealthHealth RegenerationDamageSpeedArmorRanking Reasoning
1101.5 (D), 1 (R), 0.6 (M)127 Meters per Second20Very mobile, a lot of safe options, can stagnate very easily.

On challenging levels like Monsoon where even one enemy strike can be lethal, you might find it unexpected that the melee class, Mercenary, performs exceptionally well. For starters, it’s the character that seems most agile and responsive at the start of a game. The Mercenary is equipped with a double jump from the get-go and has multiple dash abilities, making navigation around the map effortless without relying on speed enhancement items.

Beyond his capabilities, the Mercenary boasts substantial damage due to his Expose debuff, along with a plentiful supply of invincibility frames (iFrames) to dodge incoming damage. His fundamental Special, Eviscerate, grants immunity to damage for approximately 2 whole seconds upon each use. Even when players opt for his alternative Special, Slicing Winds, they can still depend on the iFrames from either Focused Assault or Blinding Assault to navigate through challenging encounters. Despite being a melee class, the Mercenary’s gameplay style carries more inherent risk. However, with Survivors of the Void’s recent additions like Safer Spaces, playing melee Survivors has become less daunting overall.

12 The Huntress

Unlock: Unlocked by Default

The Best Risk Of Rain 2 Characters
Base Stats
HealthHealth RegenerationDamageSpeedArmorRanking Reasoning
901.5 (D), 1 (R), 0.6 (M)127 Meters per Second0One of the weakest characters at the start of a run & desperately needs the proper items, but very powerful once they’re obtained.

As another agile survivor akin to the Mercenary, Huntress boasts the advantage of multiple evasive maneuvers alongside the ability to primarily engage enemies from a reasonable distance. However, it’s important to note that Huntress begins with the lowest base health among all survivors. Contrary to her in-game description, Huntress initially possesses one of the lowest damage outputs compared to other survivors, and also has average proc coefficients, which means it may take some time to create an enjoyable build setup, much like the Commando.

Yet, there’s an explanation behind Huntress being adored by more dedicated fans than Commando, and that’s due to the fact that when Huntress acquires Backup Mags and a touch of Critical Chance, she becomes remarkably stronger. Furthermore, her main weapon automatically locks onto adversaries, freeing players from the burden of having to concentrate on targeting while they struggle to stay alive.

11 MUL-T

Unlock: Completing ‘Verified’ Challenge

The Best Risk Of Rain 2 Characters
Base Stats
HealthHealth RegenerationDamageSpeedArmorRanking Reasoning
2001.5 (D), 1 (R), 0.6 (M)117 Meters per Second12Incredibly versatile Survivor with a lot of different build options.

In the vein of being a spiritual follow-up to Risk of Rain’s HAN-D Survivor, the newcomer MUL-T is another robot character that players can command. Unlike HAN-D’s melee combat style from 2013’s Risk of Rain and its sequel Risk of Rain Returns, MUL-T offers four distinct ranged attack options instead. Unlike other Survivors who possess a ‘Secondary Ability’, MUL-T allows players to select two primary abilities to cycle between (or utilize both with Power Mode once it’s unlocked).

These primaries include the Nailgun, Rebar Puncher, Scrap Launcher, and the Power Saw. Though, overall, double Nailguns do seem to be the ‘meta’ loadout for this character, as it turns them into an on-hit nightmare for any natives of Petrichor V. MUL-T has a lot of base health, a lot of little ‘tricks’ players can learn to optimize MUL-T’s gameplay, and a Utility Skill that functions for both offense and defense. Their versatility is the primary reason MUL-T is ranked so highly, as it truly is the Survivor that no two people play the same way.

10 Acrid

Unlock: Completing ‘To Be Left Alone’ Challenge

The Best Risk Of Rain 2 Characters
Base Stats
HealthHealth RegenerationDamageSpeedArmorRanking Reasoning
1603.75 (D), 2.5 (R), 1.5 (M)157 Meters per Second20One of the safest Survivors with the slowest (but most reliable) playstyles.

In a bit of bias, we should mention that this following ranking might need a pinch of skepticism, but it’s hard to deny that this charming biohazard character, known as Acrid, is exceptionally dependable in both the original Risk of Rain and its sequel, Risk of Rain 2. Indeed, Acrid seems to have grown quite fond of Petrichor V over time.

From my gaming perspective as Acrid, I’ve got to admit, I’m quite unique in this fight. My go-to strategy is all about poisoning enemies, making them limp toward one Health Point, and then finishing them off. There are two other approaches – one with the Blight loadout and another that transforms me into a melee tank using Ravenous Bite. However, it’s the poison hit-and-run approach that most players seem to prefer.

9 False Son

Unlock: Complete ‘Purified Freedom’ Achievement (Requires Seekers of the Storm DLC)

Base Stats
HealthHealth RegenerationDamageSpeedArmorRanking Reasoning
1801.5 (D), 1 (R), 0.6 (M)137 Meters per Second0Good all-rounder with no lacking areas.

Unlocking the False Son, a durable close-combat character, can be a bit of a roller coaster due to its reliance on random chance. As his health increases, so do his ability charges, making items like Infusion and Bison Steak particularly beneficial for him compared to other characters.

False Son is a well-rounded character who has some good ranged options to go alongside his melee arsenal, making him a good choice in most situations. His passive ability makes it so that Lunar Spikes, his ranged ability, grant attack speed and armor when ready, and exhausting them gives movement speed and health regeneration boosts. As such, players should save their spikes for dicey situations where they need to quickly get away, and otherwise keep them in reserve for maximum damage output.

8 The Captain

Unlock: Completing ‘Washed Away’ Challenge

The Best Risk Of Rain 2 Characters
Base Stats
HealthHealth RegenerationDamageSpeedArmorRanking Reasoning
1101.5 (D), 1 (R), 0.6 (M)127 Meters per Second0A Survivor that’s very limited but not limited in their damage potential.

Captain is one of the later characters added to Risk of Rain 2 and he also has a pretty unique loadout and playstyle. Instead of having a damage-based Special Ability, Captain instead has two ‘Beacons’ he can call down once per beacon, per stage. These beacons can heal, hack nearby interactables, trap enemies in an endless stun, or recharge the player’s equipment, and a player’s favorite beacon really just comes down to preference.

Apart from his standard shotgun, Captain also possesses a versatile primary weapon that can be powered up for both short and mid-range combat. This gun discharges eight bullets per shot, making it ideal for activating item effects. Additionally, Captain has the ability to summon Orbital Strikes from the UES Safe Travels spaceship orbiting Petrichor V. He can even master the devastating ‘Diablo’ Strike, which inflicts 40,000 times the normal damage if it hits its target. However, Captain demands a highly skilled player due to his subpar movement abilities. Fortunately, his Defensive Microbots passive skill provides some assistance, but mastering him takes practice.

7 The Bandit

Unlocked: Completing ‘Warrior’ Challenge

The Best Risk Of Rain 2 Characters
Base Stats
HealthHealth RegenerationDamageSpeedArmorRanking Reasoning
1101.5 (D), 1 (R), 0.6 (M)127 Meters per Second0Absurd damage potential that takes a lot of skill to achieve.

Bandit initially stood out as an unconventional figure during the early access phase of “Risk of Rain 2”. Although all his files were present and could be utilized through mods (a practice many players engaged in), he wasn’t officially incorporated into the game until the Anniversary Update. In essence, Bandit embodies the archetype of a ‘gunslinger’, similar to how Artificer symbolizes a ‘mage’. Gamers who appreciate precision shooting and enjoy immersive gunplay will find themselves drawn to the Bandit, as his damage output significantly increases when handled by skilled marksmen.

Bandit, another character in the game, lacks extensive mobility and instead depends on the short burst of air produced by simultaneously using Smoke Bomb and Serrated Dagger to navigate until he locates a Hopoo Feather. However, his unique ability to critically strike enemies 100% of the time when attacking from behind is incredibly powerful. In essence, Bandit can be average for beginners but becomes extraordinarily potent in the hands of an experienced player.

6 The Loader

Unlock: Completing ‘Guidance Offline’ Challenge

The Best Risk Of Rain 2 Characters
Base Stats
HealthHealth RegenerationDamageSpeedArmorRanking Reasoning
1603.75 (D), 2.5 (R), 1.5 (M)127 Meters per Second20One of the highest per hit damage ceiling characters, mobile & powerful.

In contrast to the Loader in the initial Risk of Rain game, the Loader character in Risk of Rain 2 plays quite distinctively. When optimally built or even with a single Polylute, the Loader resembles One Punch Man due to her dual Gauntlet Abilities and Grapple abilities. Instead of gathering multiple on-hit items like other Loaders, this one thrives more by stacking Crowbars, Bands, and Focus Crystals. If players manage to leverage the damage increase from moving at high speed before activating their Charged Gauntlet, they could potentially defeat Teleporter Bosses with a single shot, given the right strategy.

Instead of a Survivor who showcases her full potential only with a skilled player’s touch, Loader is essentially an unpolished gem when it comes to melee characters, besides Mercenary. Those unfamiliar with her gameplay mechanics or unable to effectively utilize her Grapple Abilities might perceive Loader as one of the weakest Survivors. However, once players grasp her mechanics, they often find themselves ranking her among their preferred Survivors, albeit perhaps not for singleplayer games.

5 The Engineer

Unlock: Completing ‘Engineering Perfection’ Challenge

The Best Risk Of Rain 2 Characters
Base Stats
HealthHealth RegenerationDamageSpeedArmorRanking Reasoning
1301.5 (D), 1 (R), 0.6 (M)147 Meters per Second0One of the most unique characters with some of the most outrageous builds.

The originator of the ‘Bungus’ meme, Engineer is such a powerful character. When playing Engineer, players are almost playing a tower defense game more than a roguelike, thanks to his turrets. And, because the Engineer’s Turrets inherit his items, the items that would be mediocre or just straight-up bad on other Survivors tend to actually be amazing on the Engineer. For example, any item that benefits from the player standing still or getting close to death, such as the Bustling Fungus or the Genesis Loop is as useful as it’ll ever be when given to the Engineer’s turrets.

Getting accustomed to the Engineer may require some initial learning, but many players who persist find themselves reluctant to switch from him, particularly in multiplayer. At first, his limited mobility and somewhat unreliable primary weapon can be challenging, but as players adapt to him, the Engineer transforms into one of the strongest and most accessible characters in Risk of Rain 2.

4 The Heretic

Unlock: Obtain All Four Lunar Items With ‘Heresy’ in Their Name in One Run (Visions, Hooks, Strikes, & Essence of Heresy)

The Best Risk Of Rain 2 Characters
Base Stats
HealthDamageSpeedArmorRanking Reasoning
440188 Meters per Second0Very rare to actually play this Survivor in a run, but designed to be overpowered.

In Risk of Rain 2, the Heretic isn’t missing from the character select menu because she’s hidden or forgotten. Instead, she is a secret playable character similar to Robomando in Risk of Rain Returns. You can control her only after meeting specific conditions during your gameplay. Once you collect all four Lunar items with ‘Heresy’ in their names (the ones that change your abilities), you will transform into the Heretic, making her playable for that particular run.

Fundamentally, the Heretic character boasts four times the standard health, deals six additional base damages, moves slightly quicker, and can leap three times in one jump. On the downside, she has detrimental health regeneration, causing her to lose health instead of recovering it. However, her special ability, Shadowfade, aids in replenishing her health. In essence, the Heretic embodies the ‘high-risk high-reward’ archetype, as her strong attributes come with significant risks.

3 Seeker

Unlock: Unlocked by Default (Requires Seekers of the Storm DLC)

Base Stats
HealthHealth RegenerationDamageSpeedArmorRanking Reasoning
1151.125 (D), 0.75 (R), 0.45 (M)127 Meters per Second0High skill ceiling, but very powerful in the right hands.

As a devoted fan, I can’t help but express my excitement over the captivating newcomer introduced in the DLC – the enigmatic Seeker. This intriguing character is immediately accessible upon acquiring the DLC, without any need for additional achievements. However, mastering the art of playing Seeker demands patience and a keen eye, as there are subtle interactions that must be learned before one can truly harness her potential in their gaming journeys.

In the game of Seeker, it’s beneficial to employ Meditate as frequently as suitable to accumulate 7 tranquilities, which in turn grants numerous advantages. The value she offers might be considered the finest in the game, turning her into a flammable entity capable of flight, thereby making her invulnerable. However, be aware that this power begins to harm the player after a 2-second duration, and the extent of damage it inflicts upon explosion varies based on the amount of damage sustained during the skill’s activation.

2 Void Fiend

Unlock: Completing ‘Washed Away’ Challenge (Requires Survivors of the Void DLC)

The Best Risk Of Rain 2 Characters
Base Stats
HealthHealth RegenerationDamageSpeedArmorRanking Reasoning
1101.5 (D), 1 (R), 0.6 (M)127 Meters per Second0Most adaptable, most forgiving, & incredibly simplistic Survivor.

Discussing the second most powerful Survivor in Risk of Rain 2, let’s delve into the Void Fiend, the latest addition to the game. Acquiring this character might seem challenging due to the tough battle against Voidling and the time-consuming Simulacrum, but it’s definitely rewarding. The Void Fiend is exceptionally strong, boasting homing shots, agile movement, self-healing abilities, impressive burst damage, and a terrifying transformation into a close-range terror.

Unlike the Railgunner who has similar abilities as other Survivors with slightly superior performance, the Void Fiend offers a more secure gameplay experience. Although managing his Void Corruption meter might seem tricky or challenging initially, once players get accustomed to it, they can essentially play freely and customize him according to their preferences. Regardless of the build chosen, they usually complete the run without much hassle.

1 The Railgunner

Unlock: Unlocked by Default (Requires Survivors of the Void DLC)

The Best Risk Of Rain 2 Characters
Base Stats
HealthHealth RegenerationDamageSpeedArmorRanking Reasoning
1101.5 (D), 1 (R), 0.6 (M)127 Meters per Second0The highest potential DPS character, hands down, and she has all the right tools for the job.

To put it straightforwardly for a moment, while every Survivor in this game has the capacity for excellence and there isn’t really a ‘weak’ Survivor, the two Survivors introduced in the Survivors of the Void DLC stand out significantly due to their inherent strength compared to others. Railgunner, as an illustration, might seem ordinary with her basic stats, but upon activating any of her in-game abilities, it becomes clear that these base stats are misleading.

Using the right strategy and effectively employing her rapid reload mechanism, Railgunner can instantly appear at the beginning of any difficulty level, initiate the Teleporter with no equipment, and obliterate the boss within 2 minutes using nothing but raw power. Railgunner’s abilities bear similarities to Bandit’s guaranteed Crit system, allowing her to immobilize (and consequently eliminate) enemies much like Artificer, and she can traverse the map effortlessly with her Concussion Devices, akin to Acrid or the Mercenary. This character is truly versatile, boasting an impressive array of skills, not even mentioning her unscoped homing shots or her unique capacity to convert Critical Hit Chance into Critical Hit Damage.

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2024-09-12 05:55