KF2 Sharpshooter Crossbow Build and the Secret Stun Technique

The author of this Russian-language guide calls it their first and probably last. It describes a Sharpshooter build centered on the crossbow, which thanks to a single skill stuns almost anything, bosses included. It begins with a nostalgic history of the crossbow in Killing Floor 1, then covers the build, weapons and tactics. This is a translated and paraphrased version.

History of the crossbow

The crossbow that started it all.

In KF1 the sniper got the crossbow at the start on reaching perk level 6, or bought it for 800 (sell value 225). It was the main weapon against large mutants (Scrakes and Fleshpounds) and the Patriarch, because the mighty M99 AMR cost 2625 plus 250 per round. With 6 players on Hell on Earth it killed a Scrake with two head bolts (and stunned on the first head hit) and a Fleshpound with three. With 3 players or fewer, one bolt killed a Scrake and two a Fleshpound. It was the sniper's only non-hitscan weapon, so you had to lead targets. Bolts in walls or floors vanished after 4 to 5 seconds, unlike in KF2 where you can pick them up. A bolt penetrated unlimited targets, but each next target took 75% of the previous damage (100%, 75%, 56%, 42%, and so on).

In September 2015 a friend gifted the author KF2, then in beta, with the Firebug and Demolitionist, and only Hans Volter as a boss with an endless shield. Around 9 June 2016 the update with the Sharpshooter arrived. Before that the crossbow was a non-class weapon that stunned a Scrake with one head bolt as in KF1, but by the Sharpshooter's release the stun was nerfed to roughly a 50/50 chance, in the author's impression.

On 16 September 2018 the author tried experimenting with the perk and the crossbow on HoE, and that first success became the basis of the build. At that time they carried the M14 EBR and the crossbow, since weapon upgrades did not exist yet. On 12 June 2018 Endless mode arrived along with weapon upgrades, and every weapon was nerfed so that upgrading restored the former normal damage.

The first successful crossbow run on HoE.

The build and the "secret technique"

The chosen skills.

The level 25 skills can be swapped freely because most of the game is played outside zed time. A good Commando on the team makes things even better.

• Marksman: 10% faster movement and 25% faster fire rate. Fire rate even works on the crossbow.
• Ballistic Shot: raises stun chance or power. It is the key to the technique and must never be changed.
• Tactical Reload: faster reloading, which turns the crossbow into a single-shot "machine gun".
• Ready: gives a grenade and 25% more ammo, useful on HoE.
• ZED Time - Eliminator: 5% chance to trigger zed time on a headshot and +35% headshot damage.
• ZED Time - Ranger: 5% chance to trigger zed time on a headshot and stuns the target on a headshot. It lets you stun raged Fleshpounds during slow motion.

Arsenal

You need a weapon for small ZEDs (Clots, Rioters, Gorefasts, Crawlers, Stalkers, Sirens, Bloats, Husks and robots) and one for large ones (Quarter Pounds, Scrakes, Fleshpounds).

Crossbow.

Crossbow. The core of the build. Thanks to Ballistic Shot it stuns even bosses. Unlike KF1 it penetrates up to 4 targets, and bolts stuck in walls and floors can be picked up. You can speed up the reload with a rifle butt bash (default V) when the bolt already counts as loaded; it takes practice, so at first just shoot without it. Max upgrade +3, weight 9 kg. Careful: in rare cases the stun works only every other shot on Scrakes and calm Fleshpounds (hits to the body always stun), and you cannot stun raged Fleshpounds or Quarter Pounds (except with ZED Time - Ranger). Bosses can be stunned only by head hits; the Matriarch and Abomination only after their head armor is removed; Hans cannot be stunned while shielded; King Fleshpound is fully immune.

Winchester 1894.

Winchester 1894. The starter weapon and the author's second favorite. At +1 it complements the crossbow: one or two head hits for small ZEDs (one body hit kills Crawlers and Clots). Leave one round in the magazine for a faster reload. Max +4, weight 8 kg.

SPX 464.

SPX 464. An updated rifle with more recoil, a scope, more damage and more stun power. Even 98 rounds may run short when firing a lot. Max +3, weight 8 kg.

M14 EBR.

M14 EBR. The fastest-firing rifle. It only fits if the crossbow is not upgraded to +3 (15 of 15 kg, with no room for a medic pistol). Without damage skills except the last one, you cannot kill Rioters by headshots. Max +2, weight 9 kg.

Boomstick.

Boomstick. Needed for the boss wave. Alt-fire while jumping throws you back farther, so you can dodge boss attacks. Take it instead of your rifle for the boss fight, but keep the crossbow.

9mm pistol.

9mm pistol. The extra starting weapon, handy for Clots on wave 1. Max +5, no weight.

HMTech-101 pistol.

HMTech-101 (the medic pistol). No perk bonus, but it fits: crossbow +3, Winchester +1 and this pistol. 40 HP for a teammate at the right moment helps. Upgrade it to +1 with spare dosh. Max +4, weight 4 kg.

1858 revolver.

1858 revolver. Very fast firing thanks to the build. With the perk it carries 186 rounds, but only one-shots Crawlers and Clots to the body (+2). Its low weight allows crossbow +3, revolver +3 and the medic pistol. Max +4, weight 4 kg. It does not penetrate.

.500 Magnum.

.500 Magnum. Expensive rounds, but one or two head hits kill most enemies and it penetrates 2 to 3 targets. Max +1, weight 4 kg.

Cryo grenade.

Cryo grenade. Freezes enemies for a couple of seconds (large ZEDs recover faster). Beware, it hurts you too.

The author's pick: crossbow +3, Winchester +1, medic pistol +1.

Hunting, waves 1 to 10

Hunting through the waves.

The first four waves are simple: shoot, earn dosh, upgrade. Put your first money into the Winchester +1, then save for the crossbow and upgrade it. Do not die, and do not ask teammates for money. Scrakes appear from wave 5 (possible from 4), and Fleshpounds and Quarter Pounds from 7 (possible from 6). Hipfire and cancel the end of the reload animation with the bash (V). Avoid armor until wave 7 (wave 5 at the earliest if you struggle).

Head hits needed to kill large ZEDs:

Crossbow	Scrake	Quarter Pound	Fleshpound
no upgrade	5-6	5	up to 6
+1	4-5	3-4	4-5
+2	4	3-4	4
+3	3	2-3	3

Instead of spending the last bolt you can finish the remaining head with a rifle. Keep 2 to 3 grenades for emergencies. If you cannot kill a raged Fleshpound before it hits, pull out the knife and parry, then go back to the crossbow.

Bosses

Before a boss sell the Winchester and buy a Boomstick, refill ammo, heal and renew armor.

King Fleshpound.

1. King Fleshpound. Immune to your stun but still weak to your weapons. Kill his Quarter Pound escort first, then shoot his head while dodging with the Boomstick. Often it is better to parry his blow with the knife so that he cools down. At 20-25% health his shield goes up; crouch under the chest laser and break the shield. Shield hits do not draw aggro.

Abomination.

2. Abomination. Break the armor on his head (and body if you can) and shoot the head. Jump away with the Boomstick now and then. If he starts sucking you in, you can break it with an alt-fire shot to his face. Stun occasionally.

Patriarch.

3. Patriarch. At about 30% health he runs to heal. Stop him with a head shot (a 2 to 3 second stun) or two grenades. Best is to freeze him first, move to a good angle on his head and shoot; right after the freeze the crossbow stuns him again. Altogether you can hold him still for 4 to 6 seconds. The crossbow penetrates, so you can hit his head even from behind. Hide from rockets and bullets, and you can jump rockets with the Boomstick.

Dr. Hans Volter.

4. Dr. Hans Volter. Run from grenades, hide from bullets, shoot his head and stun now and then. Keep grenades for emergencies (two are enough to freeze). His melee attacks hurt, and a missed dodge is usually fatal.

Matriarch.

5. Matriarch. Find character-height cover you can run around. Break her shield, head armor and cannon. Her cannon cannot be dodged, so use cover. After she is stripped you can move freely. Her escort is robot acrobats; destroy them. She can be stunned and frozen even while invisible. Most random teams die here; if you know the Matriarch is coming and have no Medic, become one.

See also /en/gamedb/killingfloor2/tactics/matriarch-crossing-zeds-boss-guide/.

Q and A

• Why this build when there are two established ones (rifles and one-shots)? The build is tailored to the author and universal, plus it brings back KF1 nostalgia.
• Can I stun everything with the Railgun? The author believes only Scrakes, but may be wrong.
• My team aggros everything and I cannot hit heads. Stun with body hits (not bosses) and use cryo grenades. You cannot stun a raged Fleshpound, but stun it as soon as it hits teammates.
• Drawbacks? A narrow weapon pool (lever-action rifles and the crossbow), no one-shot on big ZEDs, and no damage skills except the last one.
• Can I use the crossbow in other builds? Of course, for instance with x5 headshots.
• What perks to stand with? Even Demolitionists and Firebugs, since you stun with body hits. The build works as support plus damage.
• Why not just ask for money? Learn to manage resources. With friends you can ask.

When to press V: once the bolt is already in the crossbow.

• Which boss is next? Use getall KFGameReplicationInfo BossIndex. See /en/gamedb/killingfloor2/cheats/boss-spawn-prediction-bossindex-console/.
• Why are Husks, Sirens, Bloats and robots listed as small? For an experienced player they are no big threat, and the crossbow can kill a robot with one bolt to its energy core.

The closing picture of the guide.

The author ends with a reminder: do not judge a player by their weapon, because a true hunter masters every weapon (except the harpoon).