Perks & Classes

KF2 OP Survivalist Build: Crossbow, Hemoclobber, Kaboomstick

The Survivalist is a generalist: it can use any weapon with some efficiency, and it is very tanky thanks to heavy armor and general damage resistance. Do not be fooled by the generalist label, since the perk can deal a lot of damage and be one of the most resilient in the game. This build uses three weapons that work together: the Crossbow, the Hemoclobber and the HRG Kaboomstick. For a second opinion, see the ranged Survivalist arsenal.

The start

Before the match, choose your starting weapon and grenade in the loadout screen. It matters little which ones you pick, but the Crovel, Winchester 1894, Caulk n' Burn and Medic grenades are the best starting options in the author's opinion.

Starting loadout selection Pick your starting weapon and grenade before the match.

The weapons

Crossbow (buy first)

Crossbow The Crossbow.

The crossbow is a tier 2 Sharpshooter weapon. It is cheap, precise, deals lots of damage and lets you pick up bolts from the ground, which gives a kind of infinite ammo. Aim for legs and abdomen when you can so the bolts are easy to recover, especially on open maps.

  • One bolt decapitates Bloats, Husks, Gorefiends and Sirens.
  • It is one of the best weapons for soloing Scrakes: the first headshot always stuns and the high piercing damage finishes them.
  • Bolts pierce several Zeds, so be careful not to enrage a big Zed standing behind the line of fire.
  • Upgrade it to tier 4, or tier 5 if possible.

Hemoclobber (buy second)

Hemoclobber The Hemoclobber.

Once an overpowered weapon, it is still strong in the right hands. It handles trash and medium Zeds, but its main use is the heavy attack: you recover 15 health and deal a lot of damage to the target and the Zeds around it. Healing teammates and yourself and landing parries are its strongest points. The heavy attack uses ammo but works with an empty magazine. When you buy it, switch your grenade to the flashbang, since you already have a pseudo healing grenade.

HRG Kaboomstick (buy last)

HRG Kaboomstick The HRG Kaboomstick.

It is powerful against hordes of trash and clears the way for the team, but its best use is killing Quarter Pounds and Fleshpounds. Its alt fire, shooting both barrels at once, can also propel you out of danger. Use it so that a Fleshpound never hits you while you damage it. Upgrade it only once, to tier 4. Do not be afraid to spam it in a pinch.

Skills

Phase one: before the Kaboomstick

Use Heavy Weapons Training, Melee Expert, Ammo Vest, Spontaneous Zed-plosion and Madman for the Zed time skill.

Skills before the Kaboomstick Skill selection for phase one.

Phase two: with the Kaboomstick

After buying the Crossbow and Hemoclobber you still need the Kaboomstick, so swap Ammo Vest for Weapon Harness. It gives 5 inventory capacity and lets you carry all three weapons.

Skills with the Kaboomstick Skill selection for phase two.

Gameplay

With this loadout you can stand at the front: you are tanky, fast and have a reliable way to heal. Stay proactive and aware of everything around you.

  • Deal with Scrakes quickly, since you can solo them easily.
  • Be there with the Kaboomstick against Fleshpounds.
  • Use ammo freely, it is cheap and the crossbow bolts can be picked up.
  • Heal teammates with the Hemoclobber, or use its melee speed boost to run from danger.

The author reminds that even the best loadout will not help without experience.

FAQ

What three weapons make up this Survivalist build?
The Crossbow, the Hemoclobber and the HRG Kaboomstick, bought in that order.
Which skills does the build use?
Heavy Weapons Training, Melee Expert, Ammo Vest, Spontaneous Zed-plosion and Madman for Zed time. Ammo Vest is swapped for Weapon Harness once you buy the Kaboomstick.
Why is the Crossbow good against Scrakes?
The first headshot always stuns and the bolts pierce heavily, so the crossbow is among the best weapons for soloing Scrakes.