Overload Shotgun Guide

# Dalas's **Overload Shotgun Guide**

## **Intro:**

This is a fragile, defensive build that leverages shotgun's long fire interval to allow stutter-stepping between shots, even when overloaded.  A close-range glass cannon.

### **Strengths:**

* **High damage**, vs both Hordes and Alphas.
* **Sustainable damage**, because of Power Converter.

### **Weaknesses:**

* **Fragile**.  Shotgun is short-ranged, but this build gets CAS instead of HEV or Shield. Position carefully.
* **Defensive**.  Unlike Superstim Shotgun builds, Overload Shotgun can't chase down retreating Alphas or rush down Anubalisks / Geneweavers.

## **Build Order:**

### **Opener**, in exact order:

* Place a **Mining Droid**
* **Shotgun T1**
* **Overload**
* **Shotgun T2**

### **Core**, in any order:

* **Shotgun T3** (usually Incendiary Bullets for +20% DPS, but the extra range from Precision Beams is important vs T2 Abominations)
* **Combat Accelerant Suit T1, T2** (CAS) (+10% DPS; and the +20% movement improves stutter-stepping, boosts rotations, and lets you outrun Alphas during Overload) ***Is CAS a bad choice?**  Shouldn't you pick HEV/Shield for a close-range weapon like the Shotgun? In my opinion, CAS stutter-stepping lets you avoid damage instead of tanking it, making HEV/Shield unnecessary.*

### **Utilities**, in rough order:

* **Combat Shield** (helps with this build's fragility. No stimpack, so medic shield is less valuable)
* **Auxiliary Battery** (consider swapping to Quantum Backpack for hangar sieges, once you have PC)
* **Flashbangs T1, T2.** (strong vs both Alphas and Hordes. Low energy cost (15 per use), so it doesn't cut into your Overloads)
* **Power Converter T1** (PC) (compensates for Overload's high energy usage (25 per 15s).) T2 adds very little, so I don't recommend upgrading unless you've maxed everything else.
* **Heal Drones T1** (very powerful, but costs a lot of gas to deploy frequently, so try to delay buying this for as long as possible.)
* **Optical Visor** (if power is dying, or if zombie likes underseers. The radar is crucial during blackouts to protect your fragile, short-range marine)

### **Luxuries**, in any order:

* **Heal Drones T2** (if you get these, turn off the auto-upgrade. They can't heal while upgrading, which gets you killed if you deploy a drone in an emergency)
* **Droid Speed 1** (optional. Droid Speed is best early, but it slows down your early-game build, and it's crucial to get Overload + T2 Shotgun as quick as possible) This build kills enough to make up for the lost income anyway.
* **Mining Charges**, **Turrets**, **Psi Disruptors**, **Power Converter T2**, etc.

## **Strategy:**

**Position Carefully**, and stutter-step to keep zombies in range but not too close (right click to move, then S to stop and shoot).  With a little practice you'll be able to move between shots without reducing your DPS, even during Overload.

**Focus on Holding Rooms**, not hunting Alphas/Structures. Remember that this build is a defensive glass cannon.  You're not Superstim Shotgun - trying to run up to that Anubalisk will probably get you killed.

**Flashbang** is extremely powerful and has many uses.  It freezes hordes (-75% speed/atk) and is still surprisingly effective vs Alphas (-25% speed/atk).  Use it to plug up a choke point, to save yourself from a surround, to help kite an Abomination, to slow a fleeing Underseer, etc.

**Conserve Your Energy**.  Even with PC, Overload chews up a lot of power (25 per 15s).  Don't Overload unless necessary, so that you have enough energy for Flashbangs when you need them.

And the usual stuff - predict zombie movements, rotate but don't overrotate, divert fuel, don't die, etc.

**Good luck!**

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