Super Stim Shotgun guide

### Introduction

A super stim shotgun is a powerful all-around build. It's strong against the horde, alphas, eggs and structures. It requires a good micro though, as the combat is close-range and it's easy to over-extend and die. But getting good at it is rewarding, as you'd be able to make game-impacting plays, such as holding the greater nydus, 1v1 that pesky cheesing Abomination or kill the Queen Egg. Afaik, the build idea and popularization belongs to Tin.

### Build Items

Let's start with a list of items to get eventually. The order and priority would be covered later and is quite flexible.

* Hellfire Shotgun (tier 1), Spec Ops Shotgun (tier 2), High Precision Beams (tier 3).
	+ Beams add DPS and make fighting safer, especially versus Anubalisk/Anubalight, Abomination and Queen.
* Super Stim (+ extra charge)
	+ Allows to output tons of damage in 30 seconds, allowing to kill a big chunk of a horde and/or take down alphas/eggs.
* Mining Droid (+ 2 speed upgrades)
	+ An economic investment is usually necessary to complete the full build. It would help with extra psi, turrets etc. as well.
* Stimpack
	+ Mobility is very important both for maneuvering in the fight, going somewhere to defend and extra DPS. It also doesn't require energy, which is crucial as super stims require a lot of it.
* Bio-Mechanical Repair Drone
	+ It helps to survive the horde when defending, provides an emergency healing, a sustainability during on-creep missions and prolongs the life of security units.
	+ It can be used to distract zombies, e.g. ultralisks in a sublevel (if the Containment is infested).
	+ If Spec Ops Bio-Mechanical Drone is acquired (not critical), turn off an upgrade by default to have healing ready ASAP. Don't let the drone upgrade kill you.
* Hostile Environment Suit (+ upgrade)
	+ This is almost always the best suit for this build, as zombie often gets volatile infested and/or virulent creep. Sustainability versus volatiles is crucial. Cancelling virulent creep is critical for on-creep missions and defending when zombie uses creep towers. Fighting in a darkness also becomes safer.
* Medic Shield
	+ Helps to save money on repair drones, provides a source of healing if you are out of repair drones, allows to get healed by stepping away from a fight for a bit.
	+ Combat Shield is also good. A choice can be a matter of a personal preference.
* External Battery Pack
	+ Increases the energy from 100 to 120, allowing to bank for 2 super stim charges (55 each) and sometimes even get a 3rd one during long fights.
* Optical Visor
	+ Helpful to evaluate an elevator usage safety. This often comes up during on-creep missions, e.g. to kill an egg. It helps navigating in the dark. Also, it's useful to keep following an Underseer once you encountered it.
* Mining Charge (+ upgrade)
	+ Super Stim is powerful, but lasts for only so long. Holding a greater nydus and/or alpha pushes can be much easier with nukes.
	+ Once it's clear where zombie's attacking, get a nuke there (but not too close). Nukes can also be pre-placed in critical locations like Security, Power, Fuel.
	+ The placement location should be a bit away from security units, as volatiles' AOE can take them down otherwise.
	+ Watch for nuke HP and pings from teammates, so you don't forget to blow it.

### Build Order

The items can be grouped by a priority. Within the same priority, the order would depend on circumstances. Even then, adjust the priorities if there's a need for that.

#### Starting pack

Get the mining droid and the shotgun.

Don't be greedy with the droid speed upgrade.

#### Getting the core

Get the super stim and the 2nd tier shotgun.

The order depends on the threat pushing your way. Super stim is excellent for an early horde clearing even with the tier 1 shotgun. The 2nd tier shotgun's HP percentage damage would help to push an alpha away.

The core already allows to hold zombie pushes with a variety of compositions, including alphas. I don't recommend going for on-creep missions yet due to a lack of sustainability. But some carelessly placed eggs or overextending alphas can still be killed.

#### Repair Drone, Stimpack and Advance Droid Engines

For holding a horde or going for an on-creep mission, get the repair drone first. For moving somewhere else pick stimpack first.

Get the mining droid speed whenever. It's good to get when there's no urgent need for something else in this priority group.

#### Beams, equipment and suit

The order depends on an in-game situation and a personal preference.

Grab the HEV suit first if there are volatile zombies of more than tier 1, or if there's a virulent creep. Don't go on on-creep missions without it in the later case. HEV suit also helps versus an impaling by Anubalisk/Anubalight.

Get beams for holding a horde or fighting Anubalisk/Anubalight, or Abomination.

Get the equipment whenever. The priority is Medic Shield > Optical Visor > External Battery Pack.

#### 2nd charge of Super Stim, Mining Charge, Turbo Droid Engines

If you are about to hold a big push, get nukes and then the 2nd super stim charge.

If not, get the mining droid speed upgrade.

#### Other stuff

You can always help your team with diverts, exploration droids, sensor towers, psi disruptors and turrets.

Grenades are generally low-priority, as the energy is better spent on super stims. Flashbang can be good for safety, e.g. when the fliers are released from the Containment cell.

Limit the spending here until the full build is acquired. Otherwise, you may fall behind on zombie fighting too much.

### Super Stim Usage

"To stim or not to stim - that is the question". Be conservative with its usage, as it gives a substantial debuff and costs whole 55 energy. Here are some examples of a good usage:

* The horde pushes you and teammates back hard. There's no holding without more damage output.
* There's an opportunity to secure a kill on an alpha. If you catch an Underseer close to a horde or a sublevel entrance, use the stim before it gets away. It's trickier with other alphas, as zombie can move them behind the horde upon seeing super stim. Instead, try to catch them on overextension or when they are without a horde.
* You are on an on-creep mission to snipe an egg or a structure. Once you are at the objective, superstim to get a kill and get out. It's too dangerous to spend a lot of time on creep - you may get cut off by rally changing, Hunter burrowing to you, Devourers coming to say hi, drop pods with lots of zerglings, and so on.
* Don't super stim when someone else is ~~under the drugs~~ using super stim. One is usually enough to pause the horde advance. It's more effective to step in once they are done, which also allows them to recover. Later, they'd be ready and then be ready to change you or someone else.
* Don't use both charges consecutively unless there's a big horde push to a critical location. The debuff would be worse and no super stim would be available for a few minutes.

### Strategy

This is a summary of common plays that this build is strong for, as well as gameplay tips.

* Use a stutter step micro to land shots and avoid zombies via the move command + S (Stop). Use S when shotgun is ready to fire its next shot. It'd take time, but you'd eventually get used to the rythm.
* Come to defend against massive horde pushes. Make sure the team doesn't over-rotate though.
* Come to defend against greater nyduses.
* Keep an eye on alphas and try to follow them. Catching them in a bad position can score a nice kill.
	+ Fighting alphas still requires a lot of micro and would probably lead to a number of deaths when learning.
* Once ready, go to on-creep missions to kill eggs and structures (such as extractor, virophage, lesser nydus, creep tower).
	+ Analyze the horde movement to find a safe angle to approach. Elevators are often useful, but make sure to get the Optical Visor first.
	+ Before you go, make sure horde isn't about to push into some important location. You can still go if there are enough people around there.
	+ Try hard to not die, as it may cost loosing a major room due to a decrease in holding power.
* A special glory is for killing the Queen Egg.
	+ If a zombie has captured the Containment, head towards the Overmind room at around the 1-min to fueling mark. See if there's an approachable angle with little horde. Wait in some room nearby.
	+ If the Queen ult is chosen, move in. You can super stim early for a faster movement speed. There are only 40 seconds to find the egg and kill it.
	+ Two charges of super stim can make this easier and safer.
* Use of the energy terminal (in Security on Subterranean) to restore energy and the healing terminal (in Omicron Refinery on Subterranean) to remove the super stim debuff.

### Conclusion

I'll end this guide with a personal story. Zombie had the Containment and I've been waiting around for a potential Queen Egg kill. Finally, I get the warning about a massive cocoon in the Overmind room right around the time of the ult selection! I move in, mentally prepare to get the Queen Egg only to find an Underseer egg instead! I had a good laugh and still scored a kill on the Underseer.