Specimens & Bosses

Scrake & Fleshpound Takedown Guide (Killing Floor 1)

In Killing Floor, "Big Zeds" (Scrakes and Fleshpounds) are the run-killers. Shooting them randomly causes them to rage and wipe your team. You need "Takedowns" — specific combos to kill them efficiently.

Fleshpound advancing on a rainy bridge A Fleshpound, chest light glowing, advances across a rain-soaked bridge.

The Scrake (Chainsaw Guy)

Scrake The Scrake, the chainsaw-wielding heavy that rages when hurt.

  • Behavior: Walks calmly until he takes significant damage, then sprints (Rages).
  • Weakness: Headshots. Can be stunned (flinch-locked).

Best Combos (6-Man Health on Hell on Earth)

1. Sharpshooter (Crossbow)

  • The Shot: 1 Headshot usually stuns him. 2 Headshots kill him.
  • Strategy: Wait for him to walk in a straight line. Crouch for stability. Shoot head -> Wait for stun -> Shoot head.

2. Sharpshooter (M14 EBR)

  • The Stun-Lock: Shoot him in the head rapidly. Every headshot makes him "flinch". If you time your shots, he literally cannot move (Flinch-Locking).

3. Support Specialist (Hunting Shotgun)

  • The Uppercut: Get extremely close. Jump and Alt-Fire (Double Barrel) into his chin/head. The recoil will push you back to safety.

4. Berserker (Katana)

  • The Stun-Lock: Heavy Attack (Alt-Fire) into the head stuns the Scrake continuously if you hit it from behind (backstab) or time it perfectly.

Combos by perk

Source: killingfloor.ru forum, "The Scrake" thread, 2011.

The thread author, SvinMan, wrote these for HoE with 6 players and level 6 perks. Replies argued about which difficulties each combo works on, so test them on your own server.

  • Rage: on Hard and below the Scrake rages when he has less than 50% health, on Suicidal and HoE less than 75%. Enraged, he runs so fast you cannot escape.
  • Two attacks: a saw swing (the first attack as he walks up) and the regular "sawing". The swing hits harder, so it is better not to run from an enraged Scrake. Kill reward: 48 pounds.
  • Sharpshooter: 1 M99 headshot; 2 crossbow headshots (you can save the second bolt with 5 Deagle, 6 Magnum or 7 MK23 headshots); 5 LAR headshots, each one stuns; 3 from the LAR plus 3 from a Magnum or Deagle; 1 from the LAR plus 6 from the M14 EBR; 7 quick M14 EBR headshots from almost point blank.
  • Berserker: 5 alt-fire headshots with the axe or claymore, each one stuns. After the second headshot the Scrake lowers his head, so aim slightly lower. Variant: 1 claymore alt-fire headshot from range, then 5 primary hits to the head.
  • Berserker with katana: 3 alt-fire headshots, the 4th makes him rage, a 5th just before he attacks stops him, then 2 primary headshots. By the author's formula, the number of headshots before rage equals the number of players divided by 2.
  • Firebug: 1 charged Husk Gun headshot (it stuns), then a full MAC-10 magazine into the head at point blank; or 3 charged Husk Gun headshots. Setting him on fire and waiting for the panic is not advised while the team is alive: a burning Scrake is a dangerous target.
  • Support: hit him at point blank with a perfectly timed katana or axe alt-fire and he freezes briefly; crouch and fire the double barrel into his head. Instead of the double barrel you can fire a burst from the Combat Shotgun or AA12. Another variant: a shotgun headshot, walk up, jump back on his swing and fire the double barrel (may fail in multiplayer because of ping).
  • Medic (last resort): a stream of M14 EBR headshots with the laser, ideally about 15 shots; while you keep landing headshots he does not attack. Or 5 crossbow headshots (he gets angry after the third).
  • Demolitions (last resort, needs distance): 1 pipe bomb stuns, then 5 M32 headshots; 2 pipe bombs and 3 M32 headshots; 6 M32 headshots; 3 LAW headshots, each one stuns.
  • Commando (last resort): 8 LAR headshots from range (he rages after the 6th); when he runs up, a katana alt-fire hit and a SCAR burst into the head.

Melee stuns on the Scrake, per data from the Tripwire forum (posted by Sentry):

WeaponHitRequired Berserker level
Axealt-fire headshot5+
Axealt-fire headshot from behindany perk
Axealt-fire backstab2+
Axeprimary headshot from behind3+
Axeprimary backstab5+
Katanaalt-fire headshot from behind3+
Katanaalt-fire backstab4+
Chainsawalt-fire backstab2+

In the "Катана или бензопила?" (Katana or chainsaw?) thread on the killingfloor.ru forum, the katana was praised precisely because it stops Scrakes, and a reply added that from Berserker level 4 the chainsaw also stops Scrakes with its strong attacks.

The Fleshpound (Grinder Hands)

Fleshpound The Fleshpound, the grinder-armed brute whose chest light turns red when it rages.

  • Behavior: Rages if:
    1. He takes too much damage in 2 seconds.
    2. He hasn't hit anyone for a while (Time-based rage).
  • Weakness: Explosives (x2 damage in KF1) and Headshots.

Best Combos

1. Demolitions (M32 / M79)

  • The Carpet Bomb: Fleshpounds take massive damage from explosives.
  • Combo: Stick 2-3 Pipe Bombs in a choke point. Or spam M32 grenades directly into his feet/body.

2. Sharpshooter (Crossbow / M99)

  • M99: 1 Headshot (sometimes 2 on HoE).
  • Crossbow: Requires multiple headshots. DO NOT shoot him once and reload. He will rage. Coordinate with team.

3. Firebug (Microwave? No, Husk Cannon)

  • In KF1, Firebug is weak against FPs. Avoid raging them unless you have the Husk Fireball Launcher fully charged.

Tricks

Source: killingfloor.ru forum, "The FleshPound" thread, 2010.

  • Two Supports: each empties a full AA12 magazine into him at point blank.
  • Demolitions: pelt him with grenades, then while the Fleshpound rages, finish him with the M32.
  • Solo Support: lay two pipe bombs in a row about 3-4 meters apart. Shoot him in the head with the shotgun from next to the bomb nearest to him and back off while firing. He sets off the first bomb, then the second, and you finish him at point blank with the double barrel to the face.
  • Pipe bomb downside: a passing Clot often sets them off before the Fleshpound arrives.
  • Rage him early: if the Fleshpound is far behind a crowd, a Commando or Sharpshooter can "annoy" him. He goes berserk and plows through everything in his way, so you no longer need to spend ammo on Clots and Crawlers.
  • Siren: thread members call her the main obstacle and advise killing her ahead of time.

Why the Fleshpound rages at a Berserker

Source: killingfloor.ru forum, "Берс против фп (вопрос)" thread.

According to an explanation in the thread, on a classic server Fleshpound rage has two triggers:

  1. Too much damage. A hit from behind deals much more damage and enrages him. This is easy to fall for when two Fleshpounds walk together: one walks forward while the other backs up.
  2. The timer. If the Fleshpound sees someone from your team and cannot hit anyone for 10-15 seconds (1-5 seconds are added at random), he rages. To reset the counter, let him play his attack animation (whether it connects does not matter) or leave his line of sight, and the whole team has to be out of his line of sight.

Someone else can also enrage him: a sniper from afar, another Berserker, a medic grenade under him, or just a stray shot.

General Rules

  1. Don't Rage Scrakes early: If you are a Commando with a Bullpup, DO NOT shoot the Scrake. You will just make him angry and get your Medic killed. Let the Sharpshooter handle it.
  2. Call out targets: "FP Spawn!" or "Scrake Top!".
  3. Weld doors: Fleshpounds pause to break down doors (and destroy them). Use this time to pile grenades.