Diabotical is a fast paced arena shooter that is very similar in gameplay and mechanics to the Quake franchise which is free on the Epic Games Store. If you're new to the Quake series, however, you might not be familiar with the weapons and bonuses available in the game and how best to use them on the fly. Diabotical can be a very punishing shooter for inexperienced players, so learning which weapons to prioritize recovery and control is essential.
Arms
Melee
The melee weapon has an extremely short range but can be used to knock back opponents and deal quick damage. The only weapon that doesn't require any ammo, it can deal 50 damage per hit with 250 knockbacks. You'll always have this weapon in your loadout, and it's best used to knock back enemies that get too close, or to finish off that final damage in close range combat.
Submachine gun
The machine gun is the standard starting weapon. Along with melee, this is the only weapon you spawn with when playing a game mode that requires weapon pickups. It can be useful at all distances to take out some damage from opponents, although more powerful weapons on the map are certainly more useful in most situations. The machine gun is best used as a last resort or just to take away some health when the enemy is already severely weakened.
Blaster
The blaster shoots hot plasma balls towards your enemies and can be very effective at dealing high damage per second. With splash damage and knockback, this weapon is ideal for dealing serious damage to an unsuspecting foe, as long as you can hit your shots. The accuracy of the Blaster isn't the best, especially when enemy bots are moving quickly across the map. This weapon can also be used to jump small walls, as it has enough splash damage to give you a “rocket jump”. It just means that if you pull it to your feet while jumping, you will go higher.
Super shotgun
Have you played Doom or Quake games? If so, you've basically used the Super Shotgun. This pistol deals incredible damage at close range, but has no damage from medium to long range. Falling at any distance is great, but in a close combat scenario the Super Shotgun will kill in 1-3 hits depending on your opponent's health. It's also a great weapon for finishing off a weakened opponent with a close range shot.
Rocket launcher
Dealing 100 damage on a direct hit, the Rocket Launcher is one of the three most useful weapons in the game. Use it for movement while blasting the ground for a rocket jump, or shoot it at a nearby wall for you bounce in the opposite direction. The rocket launcher has a splash radius of 125u and splash damage ranging from 5 to 95 damage depending on the amount of explosion that comes in contact with the enemy. Note the location of this weapon on each map, as you'll always want this weapon to be part of your path as you walk away to collect items on each respawn.
Arbre
If you've played the Quake franchise, The Shaft is the Lightning Gun. The LG has been a staple of Quake for as long as its existence, and the Shaft is no different for Diabotical. The well projects a beam of light directly out of the weapon, dealing massive damage at close and medium range. This weapon has incredibly fast recoil and rate of fire, and is best used at the start of an engagement to deal massive damage quickly. Following a fast moving enemy with Shaft's beam can be tricky, but the best players will be able to Shaft someone and immediately follow them with a rocket launcher or PNCR fire.
Point'N'Click Rifle (PNCR)
Third member of the Holy Trinity of Quake, the PNCR is the equivalent of the Railgun of Quake. It is a long range weapon that strikes instantly when fired and greatly rewards accuracy. It can be difficult to hit players with very fast movements, but using PNCR at long range or even to finish off a weak opponent can be very effective. Deals 70 base damage per hit and a maximum of 100 damage, knockback combines with damage to make this one of the best weapons in the game. Combine with the tree or rocket launcher to maximize damage per second .
Grenade launcher
This weapon fires bouncing grenades in a lobed arc, dealing massive damage on a direct hit as well as decent damage on splash. If an enemy is sitting in a small room, especially clustered with teammates, this weapon will be perfect for flooding the room with grenades and killing everyone. With 100 damage on a direct hit and up to 125 DPS, the Grenade Launcher is a niche weapon that can be very effective if used in the right situations. Massive knockback and splash damage make this one of the most powerful weapons in the game at near-mid range.
Crossbow
Similar to the PNCR, the crossbow is an ideal long range weapon for high damage with a single accurate shot. Although unlike the PNCR, the crossbow bolt turns towards your opponent, which means your aim should compensate based on distance. Give a range of 70 to 90 per hit and take a second crossbow to turn it into a PNCR. Since there is already a powerful precision weapon, the developers chose to make the crossbow the unimproved version of the powerful sniper weapon.
Power ups
Power-ups are items that appear on the map during a match and anyone can collect and benefit from them. Listen to the power-up announcement, as it's worth it for your team to prioritize retrieving these items.
Siphonator
This bonus allows you to passively regenerate 5 health every second, and any damage you deal to enemies heals you for 50% of the damage dealt. The Siphonator also allows you to befriend your teammates and heal them for 50% weapon damage. If you have collected this bonus, limit yourself to 1v1 fights to make sure you have a significant advantage over your opponents, and look for teammates with low health to help them return to 100%. This power-up lasts for 30 seconds, so move quickly and make sure you're ready when it first appears on the map.
Avant-garde
This one is defensive like the Siphonator, but does not provide health or armor. Instead, the Vanguard reduces user damage taken by 50% and eliminates personal damage. This means that when using this power-up, it is best to rush the enemy team and take as much damage as possible. You can certainly take any 1v1 fight, but taking this damage for your teammates in a multi-player fight is extremely valuable. Carrying the MacGuffin on the map and racking up those coins while using the Vanguard isn't a bad idea either. The siphonator lasts a total of 30 seconds after picking up.
Vindicator
This power-up gives the user a triple damage bonus to all weapons. It lasts for 30 seconds and triples all damage, so get into as many fights as you can as quickly as possible. PNCR and Rocket Launcher are usually single hit attacks if your opponents don't have Mega Armor or Health.
Diabotic
Being named after the title of the game, you know it's going to be a good one. The Diabotic power-up provides the user with quadruple damage for 30 seconds. Heavy metal music plays as you cross the map, leaving corpses in your way. Enemy players can easily find your location as they can hear the music as well, but will stumble upon one of your weapons quite quickly since you take 4X damage. This power-up, while valuable, will also put a massive target on your head as everyone in the game wants the quad. Use this bonus to move around the map as quickly as possible, killing as many people as you can find before the time runs out.
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