Tripwire Interactive Forums
So with the new update out on KF2, the Zerker got a complete re-work, alongside the new weapon, the Zweihander. One of the features of the Zerker re-work includes melee alt-fires, which gave Zerker weapons a different attack rather than an M1 hit. For the Crovel and Pulverizer, the alt-fire does a shove which AoE pushes Zeds back. For the Zweihander, the alt-fire becomes a thrust. And in my opinion, the thrust is really good.
The thrust on the Zweihander gives it a massive range of attack, allowing the player to hit a Zed before they can hit you. This also includes the boss Zeds, such as Scrakes, FPs, and Hans.
This topic showcase methods one can utilize against the boss zeds, whether to effectively kill them or to cheese them out. These methods will capitalize on the usage of thrusting, and why it can be useful.
Dealing with FPs:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYu0IawAKXI
As evidenced by the video (or if you didn't watch the video and would rather prefer to read), you can interrupt Fleshpound attacks by focusing your thrusts and hitting the mallets. This makes it easier to dispatch an FP, especially in teams, because as long as the FP targets you, you can continuously hit the mallets, interrupting its attacks and saving you from getting hit while your team deals more damage.
Note: The video was not for the express purpose of showing how to kill an FP, but rather a tactic used to stun FPs.
Dealing with Scrakes:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pj8VuIvi2a4
Unfortunately, you can't stun Scrakes by hitting their chainsaws. However, that doesn't mean you are powerless against them. When I mentioned massive range on the Zweihander, I meant massive. Previously, Scrakes' chainsaw hitboxes were ridiculously disjointed. Now TWI could have fixed those disjointed hitboxes, or the Zweihander just ridiculously outranges those hitboxes. Either way, just keep thrusting into the head while spacing yourself away from the chainsaw. Parry when needed.
Note: This strategy also works for FP.
I don't have any footage of dealing with Hans, but it pretty much follows along with the Scrake video; just keep thrusting at him, occasionally using the M2 to knock him down, parry when needed, and you should be good.
Thoughts?
*NEW*
It has now come to my knowledge that Thrusting does Piercing damage, allowing a method of attack that allows to do full damage to Scrakes and double damage to Fleshpounds, rather than having to always utilize the M1 and M2 attacks.
Killing Fleshpounds Tactic:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SfB4tCo3gA
After a couple of hours of testing, I managed to come across a technique one can use to efficiently kill Fleshpounds without the need to cheese them using the first method mentioned. If you didn't watch the video, the technique consists of a combo and requires you to equip the Smash skill. Simply run up to a Fleshpound and M2, making sure to connect the heavy hit on his head to knock him down. Before he can get up, aim your thrust perfectly to his head to ensure a kill. This method, tested on HoE solo, allows the player to kill a Fleshpound in 2 hits. You can utilize this combo and the cheese tactic to make it easier and safer to eliminate FPs. Keep in mind, however, that the Smash skill is not guaranteed, and requires a "cooldown" before you can knockdown the same FP again. Meaning you can't constantly M2 and constantly knock the FP down. This method also kills FPs faster than using a Pulverizer on HoE solo; The M2 Pulverizer attack takes three hits at least (haven't tested on direct head hits), while this combo only takes two.
Cheesing Scrakes:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BVA25WpdeY
I have now found a tactic to continuously stumble a Scrake, much like stumbling the FP in the first video. If you didn't watch the video, the tactic goes: thrust into the legs, or at least below the waist, and then the chest. I have noted before that thrusting always stumbled Scrakes when hit to the chest at least once. During testing, it came to my attention that chest stumbling and leg stumbling use two different animations and are not on the same cooldown. Using this information, I was able to stumble a Scrake three times continuously by first thrusting into the legs, backing up, thrusting into the chest, backing up, and thrusting to the legs again. This method also require a "cooldown", as you cannot infinitely stumble a Scrake like so. The cooldown is roughly one full Scrake attack animation. Utilizing this method and the previous Scrake takedown method, one is able to take Scrakes down safer during their stumbling animation.
Changelog
9/1/2015
Added two new videos
The thrust on the Zweihander gives it a massive range of attack, allowing the player to hit a Zed before they can hit you. This also includes the boss Zeds, such as Scrakes, FPs, and Hans.
This topic showcase methods one can utilize against the boss zeds, whether to effectively kill them or to cheese them out. These methods will capitalize on the usage of thrusting, and why it can be useful.
Dealing with FPs:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYu0IawAKXI
As evidenced by the video (or if you didn't watch the video and would rather prefer to read), you can interrupt Fleshpound attacks by focusing your thrusts and hitting the mallets. This makes it easier to dispatch an FP, especially in teams, because as long as the FP targets you, you can continuously hit the mallets, interrupting its attacks and saving you from getting hit while your team deals more damage.
Note: The video was not for the express purpose of showing how to kill an FP, but rather a tactic used to stun FPs.
Dealing with Scrakes:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pj8VuIvi2a4
Unfortunately, you can't stun Scrakes by hitting their chainsaws. However, that doesn't mean you are powerless against them. When I mentioned massive range on the Zweihander, I meant massive. Previously, Scrakes' chainsaw hitboxes were ridiculously disjointed. Now TWI could have fixed those disjointed hitboxes, or the Zweihander just ridiculously outranges those hitboxes. Either way, just keep thrusting into the head while spacing yourself away from the chainsaw. Parry when needed.
Note: This strategy also works for FP.
I don't have any footage of dealing with Hans, but it pretty much follows along with the Scrake video; just keep thrusting at him, occasionally using the M2 to knock him down, parry when needed, and you should be good.
Thoughts?
*NEW*
It has now come to my knowledge that Thrusting does Piercing damage, allowing a method of attack that allows to do full damage to Scrakes and double damage to Fleshpounds, rather than having to always utilize the M1 and M2 attacks.
Killing Fleshpounds Tactic:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SfB4tCo3gA
After a couple of hours of testing, I managed to come across a technique one can use to efficiently kill Fleshpounds without the need to cheese them using the first method mentioned. If you didn't watch the video, the technique consists of a combo and requires you to equip the Smash skill. Simply run up to a Fleshpound and M2, making sure to connect the heavy hit on his head to knock him down. Before he can get up, aim your thrust perfectly to his head to ensure a kill. This method, tested on HoE solo, allows the player to kill a Fleshpound in 2 hits. You can utilize this combo and the cheese tactic to make it easier and safer to eliminate FPs. Keep in mind, however, that the Smash skill is not guaranteed, and requires a "cooldown" before you can knockdown the same FP again. Meaning you can't constantly M2 and constantly knock the FP down. This method also kills FPs faster than using a Pulverizer on HoE solo; The M2 Pulverizer attack takes three hits at least (haven't tested on direct head hits), while this combo only takes two.
Cheesing Scrakes:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BVA25WpdeY
I have now found a tactic to continuously stumble a Scrake, much like stumbling the FP in the first video. If you didn't watch the video, the tactic goes: thrust into the legs, or at least below the waist, and then the chest. I have noted before that thrusting always stumbled Scrakes when hit to the chest at least once. During testing, it came to my attention that chest stumbling and leg stumbling use two different animations and are not on the same cooldown. Using this information, I was able to stumble a Scrake three times continuously by first thrusting into the legs, backing up, thrusting into the chest, backing up, and thrusting to the legs again. This method also require a "cooldown", as you cannot infinitely stumble a Scrake like so. The cooldown is roughly one full Scrake attack animation. Utilizing this method and the previous Scrake takedown method, one is able to take Scrakes down safer during their stumbling animation.
Changelog
9/1/2015
Added two new videos