The Loader stands out in Risk of Rain 2 as one of the most mobile and high-impact melee survivors available. By converting movement speed into massive heavy-hitting attacks, she can easily glide across stages and deal devastating single-target damage to bosses. Designing an optimal build requires balancing mobility, burst damage multipliers, and survival mechanics to maximize her unique playstyle.
Optimal Skill Loadout Selection
Choosing the right skills is crucial for setting up the Loader's core gameplay loop. While Grapple Fist offers reliable traversal across the map, Spiked Fist provides valuable utility by stunning targets and pulling smaller enemies directly to you. For her utility skill, Charged Gauntlet remains the premier choice due to its extreme scaling with momentum and piercing potential against lines of foes.
Her special ability options depend largely on your personal combat preferences. The M551 Pylon offers excellent aerial crowd control and serves as a portable anchor point for grapples during chaotic fights. Alternatively, Thunderslam delivers an immediate area-of-effect slam that deals high burst damage to ground targets.
Essential Items for Speed and Burst Damage
Movement speed items directly amplify the damage output of the Loader's primary burst abilities. Items such as Paul's Goat Hoof and Energy Drinks increase your base velocity, ensuring that every charged strike lands with maximum force. Wax Quail also provides exceptional momentum boosts when jumping before releasing a punch.
To turn high initial damage into instant eliminations, prioritize damage-scaling items. Crowbars significantly boost your initial hit against healthy enemies, making them ideal for one-shot strategies. Combining these with Kjaro's Band and Runald's Band creates massive elemental bursts, as her charged strikes easily surpass the required damage threshold.
Survivability and Equipment Choices
Because the Loader engages enemies at close range, maintaining defensive layers is essential during longer loops. Her passive Scrap Barrier generates shields based on damage dealt, but adding Topaz Brooch or Aegis can further bolster her health pool. Focus Crystals also excel in her kit by offering passive damage boosts whenever you land close-range attacks.
For equipment choices, the Ocular HUD works exceptionally well by granting guaranteed critical hits during engagement windows. The Blast Shower equipment is another outstanding option, resetting item cooldowns like bands to sustain high-damage strikes. Selecting equipment that complements short, high-intensity bursts keeps the Loader dominating every stage.
