Killing Floor 2 is a survival shooter that drops a crew of 6 highly trained killers into a hot zone crawling with ZEDs, failed experiments that escaped the facilities of Corporation Horzine. Promising to purge the city of these vile creatures, the team fight through a total of 10 waves, each getting tougher as stronger mini-boss like ZEDs get dropped into the mix. Survive the waves and you get an opportunity to kill their leader, the final boss, winning you the game. Read more about the game in my review . For today, I’m going to touch on 10 rookie mistakes you should avoid to become a better player.

#1 Difficulty Level

There are 4 difficulties in KF2 – normal, hard, suicidal and hell on earth. If you’re just starting out, I recommend picking normal difficulty to learn the ropes and stick close to the team at all times. Hard mode is a feasible option once you start to get familiar with maps and unlock level perks that make you a stronger fighter. Don’t join the Suicidal or Hell on Earth difficulties unless you really know what you’re doing, the difficulty is punishing! Here’s a handy guide to check when you’re ready to graduate to the next level:

#2 Class Types

When you pop into a lobby with other players, be sure to check what classes have been selected. Don’t blend into the crowd by picking the same class, instead, pick one to increase the survivability of the team. Too many heavy DPS? Pick Commando or SWAT, their main role is to mow down the weaker ZEDs so DPS can focus on taking down the larger ones. No healer? Go field medic and help to sustain your team’s health through the waves.

Each class has its own weakness, for example the Berzerker can decapitate stronger ZEDs because of his speed boost and ability to run through ZED time. Place him in a group of weaker ZEDs like the Clot however, and they will grab and trap him, leaving him vulnerable to damage.

Refer to this guide to pick the right class for your team:

The heavy DPS class will focus on taking down bigger ZEDs like the Scrake and Fleshpound while regular DPS will support them and focus on Sirens, Husk and Bloats. Horde Clearers will mow down Gorefast, Stalkers, Crawlers and Clots and the medic will focus heals on the team.

Once you’ve got the classes and game difficulties under control, there are smaller details to remember to make sure you’re always at the top of your game. They are:

#3 Always tap ‘Q’ when you’re low on health

If you’re low on health, with no medic in the team, spam ‘Q’ to heal yourself. It has a cooldown period but in certain situations, it could be the difference between life and death.

#4 Run faster with your knife equipped

Once a wave ends, it’s time to head to the trader. If you’re lucky, it spawns close by but if it’s far away, you’ll need to move fast to make sure you buy the ammo needed for the next wave. One trick to boost a little speed is to equip your knife when you run. This is extremely important if you’re playing a Support that tends to move slower than others because of your heavy equipment.

#5 Reload all guns after you buy ammo

I’ll admit, even I’m still guilty of doing this. I get it, in your over excitement at reaching the trader to do more shopping, it might slip your mind to reload all your guns. Sadly, that’ll see you charging up to a Fleshpound ready to unload your whole magazine into him, only to find your gun empty, yet to be reloaded. Boy, the feeling of being caught with your pants down GETS REAL. So remember, reload ALL your guns before the start of a new wave.

#6 Use your pistol

All classes come equipped with a basic pistol, use it to pop the heads of weaker ZEDs and conserve the ammo of bigger guns for larger ZED types.

#7 Leave 1 ZED to roam

This is a trick more experienced players use to buy time to get to the trader. The trader only starts the countdown before it closes when the wave ends so why not capitalize on this? Leave the last ZED to roam while you explore the map searching for free armor and more resources.

#8 Aim for the head

Since smaller ZEDs like Clots and Gorefasts make up the larger count in the horde, it is imperative you aim for their head. Headshots kill them instantly, saving you ammo and dosh for later rounds.

#9 Learn to kite

No, I don’t mean standing in a park flying some fabric in the air. I’m talking about learning how to run through the map when the going gets tough. This usually happens when most of your teammates have died and there are tons of ZEDs after you, further supporting my point in #1 of the need to familiarize yourself with the map’s paths on easier levels. With this knowledge at your fingertips, you can find a route to kite safely while taking down ZEDs, carrying your team to the next level.

Always look forward and kill anything standing in your way when you’re kiting. You don’t want to turn around to see a bloat blocking your path, trapping you right between it and the incoming horde. So check if the road ahead is clear before you turn back and gun those ZEDs down.

#10 Boss time!

You’ll meet 1 of 2 bosses in the game, Hans Volter or The Patriarch.

Hans Volter is best dealt with in an open environment, allowing your team space to dodge his toxic bombs that inflicts a lot of damage. When threatened, he will put up his shield to minimize damage from the team but this is easily broken with hard hitting guns such as the  AA12 (Support). Once he’s low on health, he will target one of your teammates to drain life from. Since he always get his target, let him drain someone quickly so you don’t waste bullets and end the fight faster.

The Patriarch equips himself with a machine gun and rocket launcher, making it wise to avoid tight spaces like narrow hallways where his weapons do the most damage. Find a semi –open location with structures to hide behind instead and dodge his bullets. He will cloak and run away 3 times to regenerate health, so be sure to unload every single bullet in his face when he has no more heals left.

TL;DR

• If you’re just beginning, play on normal or hard difficulty to get familiar with maps and their routess.
• Play a class that covers the weakness in your team.
• Leave 1 ZED alive each round as you roam through the map picking up free armor, ammo and weapons.
• Reload all guns after buying ammo from the trader and always, always aim for the head to maximize damage and save ammo.

Source for images: Killing Floor 2 Official Site