Tactics Best use of C4?

[infntnub]

I know the damage has a drop off based on time elapsed between detonations so you shouldn't just spam detonate (which I really wish they'd remove..), but from your experience, what is the best use for this?

It puts a nice dent into packs of QP's and that's really my favorite use, even offperk. What's your preferred way to use C4?

There seems like there needs to be some untapped potential for this weapon. It's still rare to see a player using this, even after 3 years..

Is there something that needs changed?

 

[Aleflippy]

The issue is that there's never a NEED to bring out the C4... I used to pick the C4 when I got the T4, as I had nothing left to do with my money. But now with the upgrade system, it's always possible to bring something more worthwhile to your arsenal. The C4 just feels... Off.

That's not to say that it's without use however : against a fleshpound or a group of quarterpounders, it certainly deals a handful of damage! But is it enough to warrant the 650 bucks to get it? I don't think so...

 

[Servalion]

Does anyone ever use the perk option to increase ammo count by 5? Because I feel like that's tailored entirely around the C4 to allow enough of it to be viable. Yet I'm certain that no one takes it. The day that the diminishing returns on rapid detonations were introduced killed off its usage almost simultaneously.

I almost feel like something about it needs to change. Maybe change that perk up to make C4 weightless while capping its max ammo at 3.

 

[Vapid]

I often end up grabbing C4 as an afterthought, simply due to the price and weight available after I've chosen my main loadout. I'm never really sure how best to use them outside of a massive horde of zeds packed into a tight corridor, though. Rarely do I ever feel I've got my money's worth out of C4.

I agree that something with them needs to change. Having a proximity alt-fire mode would be useful, perhaps.

 

[Aleflippy]

Or maybe make them able to be set as "mines" , by pressing the alt-fire button maybe?

I really miss the pipe bombs...

 

[Servalion]

Vapid
Aleflippy

I think you're both right on this matter. Why not have some Proximity function on it? Part of the problem is naturally we have to babysit the things with our hands on the trigger sometimes, which is killing time wasted until the trap is sprung. Oughta have an option to fling-and-forget. However, it'd need to have some sort of primer delay like 3-4 seconds before its armed and ready to blow. Otherwise, its too similar to Demo grenades.

I also wish we could throw them a bit farther. It always bugs me how short of a distance Demo throws its grenades compared to others. Dynamite ain't that heavy, and its stick design should actually aid in throwing it even further. Don't get me wrong though, I totally understand -why- it is like it is - it'd be OP with regular distance thrown while keeping the explode-on-contact effect if you're a good aim. Sorta like an explosive curveball.

 

[Azukki]

Does anyone ever use the perk option to increase ammo count by 5? Because I feel like that's tailored entirely around the C4 to allow enough of it to be viable.

The +5 extra ammo skill is tailored quite the opposite, it doesn't apply at all to C4. The Demolitionist passive benefit for ammo does apply, though, and that makes a world of difference for C4. Without that, you can carry only three C4, pretty useless. At high level you get several of them, still quite limited, but it's workable. They're alright for a FP, QP, or dense crowd here and there, while mostly using another weapon. They're terrible for scrakes, which resist explosions. Sticking C4 on a zed's face can look hilarious, but bashes are the only damage C4 can actually do to a zed's head health.

The only time I find it to be really practically worthwhile to buy C4 is for the boss, paired with RPG, hoping for Pat or KFP.
-- PATRIARCH: C4 is the perfect way to end a fight with Pat early. Stick them all on him, don't detonate any of them. Avoid his attacks while RPGing him. When he starts fleeing to heal, chase him and keep RPGing him as long as you can, until he gets around a corner. Detonate two C4s. Now wait three seconds, which will reset the stacking resistance feature. Detonate two more C4s, wait three seconds, repeat. Skip the waiting if you see the health bar is really really close.
-- KING FLESHPOUND: For this fight, explosive heavy hitters are perfect, RPG/C4 is simply a great loadout. Somewhat counter-intuitively, it seems best for demo to focus on Quarter-Pounder patrol, while letting teammates deal with the king. The more slowly and gradually the damage to the king comes, the more slowly and gradually the QPs spawn, which means one demo alone can handle the majority of them, which means the team won't get overrun by a dozen of them at once. The fight will become easy for everyone who properly anticipates the king's laser. (Never be mildly uphill from the king while he isn't raged, and you'll be able to just duck under the laser by crouching)
-- ABOMINATION: C4's mediocre for him. You might want to stick them all to him at the beginning when it's easy to get close to him, before things get messy. Then patiently occasionally detonate one at a time throughout the fight, 3+ seconds between, to get full damage, instead of letting stacking resistance do anything. No rush with the C4, you can get plenty done in the meantime with the RPG.
-- HANS VOLTER: The worst boss for C4ing. They're slow projectiles, and he likes to dodge. If you have C4+RPG, that's pretty inefficient for the other zeds that spawn during a Hans fight, and there's limited remaining inventory space to add something else for them. SW500 and MedSMG are possible, yet I find myself always just going medpistol. Sometimes I throw an HX25 on the ground, to swap C4 for that if the boss is Hans.

Something mild that could help make C4 appealing in demo loadouts more often would be if HX25 was lightened to 3. That way, they could fit together in more loadouts. C4+HX25+RPG, or C4+HX25+HuskCannon, or C4+HX25+M32 would become possible, maybe worthwhile.

 

[Servalion]

Azukki

Well, that blows that +5 doesn't apply to C4. And yeah, I thought Hans would have been good for C4, but he does tend to dodge a lot. Thats why you should wait for him to go for a leech rush if playing with others. He'll likely nab someone if you're not doing your part to whittle his shield down with the RPG, which is an ideal time to stick as much C4 as you can on him. And if others bust his shield down in the process, run to his ragdolled ass and slap a couple more on him as he recovers.

As for lightening the HX25, I was just about to suggest the very same. I don't even do Demo much (although that M32 sure is fun), and even I could tell it needs to be lighter. How that thing weighs more than a Desert Eagle or .500 is beyond logic. I mean its less than half the size of its larger counterpart, the M79, but still weighs 2/3rds as much? It's time for that thing to come down.

And yes, the spam filter sucks. (Although taking the time to list a reason for edits may help get by it.)

 

[infntnub]

I just wish we had the option to allow the c4 to function like pipe bombs in KF1.

Having to manually detonate/babysit them ensuring they explode when needed is annoying as heck.. especially on sui/hoe when things are moving much faster.

Area prevention should be just as suitable of a role for c4 as a pipe bomb, or am I wrong?

Motion sensor detonation should be well within reason for its functionality.