Deep Rock Galactic is a co-op PvE FPS about dwarves being sent underground to extract resources from the planet Hoxxes IV. The planet will fight back to complicate this process with wave after wave of the planet's local wildlife. It is currently in its second season with season 3 plans announced. Teamwork is crucial for mission success as each class has their own unique abilities that encourage cooperation. Each class has a job they must do, and this guide will go over the Gunner class and its responsibilities on the team.
Synergies With Other Classes
- Scouts provide much-needed light which allows the Gunner to see where the enemies coming from.
- The Engineer's decoy grenade that attracts and clumps up enemies which keeps the heat off while creating excellent blobs to shoot into or throw explosives at.
- Driller's flamethrower helps keep the Gunner from being swarmed by melting anything that gets too close, and they can dig tunnels that can help funnel enemies into single-file for easy kills.
Weapons
The default guns the Gunner starts with are the "Leadstorm" Minigun and the "Bulldog" Heavy Revolver. The minigun is the main attraction here with its large ammo capacity and DPS output, but the other primary weapons still follow the theme of a really big gun. Once the minigun gets spinning, a heavy stream of bullets tear through Glyphids and armor alike. It doesn't need to reload, but it can overheat if fired for too long, preventing you from shooting again until the gun has cooled off. Effectively managing the heat on your minigun means the bullets never have to stop for too long.
- The Swarm Silencer: This playstyle is focused on gunning down as many bugs as possible, but it specializes in tearing through the smaller, more plentiful foes. Using the Cold as the Grave mod--kills reduce weapon heat--and the Blowthrough Rounds mod--improves bullet penetration--allows a constant stream of bullets for as long as things are being killed while punching through targets for more damage. For that reason, it is not as effective for armored threats as overheating will still occur while focusing on a larger threat.
- Titan Toppler: This playstyle focuses on eliminating major threats that spell doom for the mission if left unchecked. To get through armor and larger health bars, the Hot Bullets mod--adding fire damage to bullets fired in the 'red' on the heat meter--helps deal additional damage even if there is no weak spot to hit as enemies will still catch fire. It requires steady heat control to use effectively.
The sidearms are all pistols and are more suited toward taking out isolated bugs that aren't part of a swarm. The Gunner is at his most vulnerable when enemies are close as it's hardest to deal with small enemy swarms that surround while shooting the minigun. Pistols are easier to use while in close quarters or while running away, but the minigun will be the gun in hand for the majority of the time.
The Gunner also has explosive choices for grenades, with sticky bombs that stick to walls and enemies alike before exploding, fire bombs that melt everything in an area for a while granting area denial, and cluster grenades which explode into smaller grenades that explode again clearing the area of most signs of life. Each has its strengths and drawbacks, so it depends on personal taste and mission type.
Gadgets
The Shield Generator and the Zip-line launcher are wonderful gadgets that help make the Gunner one of the more well-rounded classes for solo and multiplayer as both gadgets are useful solo and help the team. The shield can be very helpful for holding a spot or saving a downed ally. The firepower and utility make Gunner one of the most self-reliant classes as it has the tools for most situations.
The Shield Generator is a bubble shield that also replenishes the shields of anyone inside it. Great for when there are many ranged foes and someone gets downed--or for when things are getting overwhelming and the team needs a breather. The Shield Generator can buy time to make a stand and thin the overwhelming number of enemies without threat of death for a while. Shield regeneration can be life-saving in a pinch.
The Zipline Launcher creates a zipline that can angle up or down which gives the Gunner some level of mobility that feels great going down but is quite slow going up. Being hit while on the zipline will result in a potentially bad fall, so mind the gap. Ziplines can help the Gunner and their team easily get to hard-to-reach locations, but they have another use. During boss fights--or missions that require holding a room or take place in one big room--the ziplines can grant the Gunner a bird's eye view of the battlefield, allowing him to fire on enemies below in relative safety. Layered zip-lines set up around the room allow the Gunner to shoot from a great vantage point without having to worry about being swarmed.
Perks
- Resupplier: It may not seem like much, but resupplying faster can be life-saving during a chaotic wave where being out of ammo is the worst-case scenario. Gunner's usefulness is almost entirely dependent on being able to shoot. This perk ensures you'll get ammo as fast as possible so the slaughter can continue.
- Second Wind: Speed is very valuable for dodging enemy attacks and not falling behind the team. Gunner relies on positioning to mow down swarms, and moving faster helps greatly with repositioning and getting from point A to B.
- Thorns: This perk does damage to enemies that attack you with a melee attack. At its second level, it does enough damage to kill Swarmers which can otherwise spell doom for a Gunner in high numbers. This perk kills small enemies and softened up anything that gets too close.
- Heightened Senses: Always putting out DPS and thinning the swarms of bugs is Gunner's most important job, so being incapacitated by a cave leach or grabber can spell doom during hectic moments. Being able to free yourself from the grabs can keep the bullets coming as well as avoid disaster.
Role On The Team
The Gunner clears waves while the team works on the objectives. The Gunner has good tools for protecting teammates or holding a location, and the zipline can be used to reach objectives and materials that are high up, as well as a way to tactically retreat. Setting up ziplines that enable allies or yourself to complete the objective, or just making the area more traversable is a good use of time in between waves. Above all, the Gunner primarily shoots enemies, so being on the lookout for Nitra is essential to keep the minigun fed. This class both has and goes through the most ammo, so be a little greedy with resupplies during large holdouts as running out of ammo is bad for you and the team equally since other classes lack the Gunner's firepower.
Role In Combat
The Gunner stands in the front line, supplying a steady stream of lead to any unlucky swarm of bugs trying to stop the team and their objective. This class has everything it needs to be entirely self-sufficient, but it also has useful tools to help the team survive rough conditions with the shield and ziplines. Positioning is vital since shooting drastically lowers the speed you can move which makes picking the right time to run and the right time to hold your ground essential as the gun takes a bit to warm up before it starts shooting.
No other class has the same level of steady DPS that a Gunner brings on a mission. The minigun is excellent for killing bosses or pushing back waves alike. The grenade options are also excellent for eliminating large amounts of clumped-up enemies quickly. During big enemy waves, try to stand in a spot ahead of (or above) allies. Doing so not only avoids friendly fire but also provides the clearest line of sight before getting the gun spinning. The bubble shield can provide a second wind as well as a bastion to keep firing from safety. In most situations, the Gunner should be shooting. The other classes are most suited towards hit and run tactics, and the Gunner holds the line.