• Please make sure you are familiar with the forum rules. You can find them here: https://forums.tripwireinteractive.com/index.php?threads/forum-rules.2334636/

Tactics Rioter Headshots: Sometimes Worthwhile. Helmet Override Threshold 125dmg

Azukki

Grizzled Veteran
  • Jul 7, 2009
    1,514
    132
    Despite the helmet, the best way to kill a Rioter is still with one good headshot. If an individual hit on his head does over 125 damage, he will be decapitated. Notably weaker hits than that will allow his 450 health helmet to protect him, meaning a total of 575 damage must be dealt before his helmet and head come off, making headshots terrible. In borderline cases, you may destroy the helmet efficiently in one shot, but the head will not quite come off with it.
    Shooting the unarmored legs kills him with 300 damage, so that's better if you've just got weaker weapons.

    S&W .500s and the 464 SPX Centerfire have just enough base damage to be perfect for rioter heads in vanilla survival HoE. With perk benefits, perk skills, and/or weapon upgrades, many weaker handguns, sharpshooter rifles, and explosives' direct impacts can get enough damage to also override the helmet.
    SMG bullets, assault rifle bullets, and shotgun pellets are all too weak for the rioter's helmet, shooting the legs is best with those.
    Crossbow bolts and Eviscerator blades can be strong enough to oneshot the rioter with a hit to either the head or the legs, so you may prefer the legs for ammo retrieval. With the excessive power of an M99 or RPG impact, the Rioter may die with one easy shot to the torso, despite the armor.

    Killing rioters should be a bit of a higher priority for you if you have a weapon and skillset that is efficient for headshotting them, saving your swat/comm/supp/med teammates some hassle.
    In the early game, demos particularly could use your help with the Rioters near them: the HX25 is horrible for Rioters.
     
    Last edited: