Been playing as a stalker for some hours now, and I am still at a loss on how exactly I can be effective in battle. Cloak is really easy to spot from a good distance (being a stalker lets me see how other infils are moving around) and it is very easy to get killed while playing this class, from things like simple screwups like killing someone and realising that he had allies behind him to getting killed because a heavy bumped into me and firing exactly where I am. So my question is -- If I become skilled with the Stalker, what could I do that and SMG/Auto scout/Sniper can't do? Ambushing: If I get really good at ambushing people, why wouldn't I be better with an SMG/AutoScout? I get an automatic weapon and a sidearm which almost gurantees my success in combat, especially because Stalkers prize being able to aim really well, which would be better served by an automatic weapon that spews bullets at the enemy. Hacking terminals to stop enemy from pulling the vehicles needed -- again, why would I be a Stalker when SMG infiltrators can do it as well? They get an SMG that gives them an actual chance to survive an ambush, and their cloak works just fine when running away. Intelligence gathering: It can be done with a sniper observing enemy movements, or an infiltrator using motion spotters. Again, SMG infiltrators can easily kill off darklight sidearm users because the darklight sidearm user would be at a disadvantage while a Stalker would have to seriously fight for it, and there is a high chance that I could get killed, my motion spotter destroyed, and no more intel given to my allies. This is made worse by the fact that spotting with a Stalker is a bad idea in most cases, so my allies can't see where that group of enemies has gone. Harrassing enemies: Placing mines down near capture points and generators gets me killed quite a lot (Seriously, I have unlimited cloak and I don't use it to spot mines.) But again, why not just use an SMG infiltrator for the job? If the enemy doesn't die from the mine, an SMG will kill them incredibly fast and take little or no return fire, while a Stalker might take some, especially if the enemy uses a medkit to heal themselves. Capturing and overloading: While a Stalker can stealthcap and overload generators, capture points often get filled with Heavies which makes for a terrible idea for ambushing, especially if I am indoors, so staying on the cap is a bad idea in most cases. But if I'm just going to take the cap and leave, why use Stalker? If someone is walking to recapture the point, an SMG can put them down in a short amount of time with less risk than engaging with a sidearm. So, with the amount of effort needed to be decent with Stalker, would that effort be better used getting good with an SMG infiltrator? Or is there something useful a Stalker can do that no other class can?
Hi, stalking is fun. I'm a main stalker, and my usual load out is power knife with black hand and for implants I use cat walk and ammo printer. What I mainly do is take out snipers, and vehicles. Yes vehicles. How? Well people are dumb,they ride around near their own tank mines and I wait for them go near it and blow it up. I also take out drivers who are fixing their vehicles. The main benefit of being a stalker is being able to keep your presence known and studying the field planning your next move. My favorite is waiting til the enemy forms a herd in a closed in area or and put on nightmare and vampire and get to work. Or just stay somewhere people cant go and use the black hand. My highest kill streak was like 35 kills, but the enemy was dumb and I behind them as my team set up post opposite from me. So they didn't see me and just popped head, black hand is amazing you have to try it. But make sure you learn how to use a knife. That's your main close up weapon.
Question about "Cloaking"...I started trying out the Infiltrator class today, and when using the "Stalker Cloaking" the description says I will remain cloaked when I do not move...over the past 10-12 hours I have been in a room by myself, cloaked, guarding an generator, etc. -- in runs 1-2 enemies and they blast me as soon as they come in the room, as though I am in plain sight. This has happened 4-5 times over the day. What am I doing wrong? Thank you for your time and assistance.
Some people use a anti-cloak detection hack, but thats rare. You need to realise that youre only 99% invisible while stationary- even moving your mouse makes you way more visible.
I'm a stalker main too, and I use the exact same setup as iStalk, the blackhand feels very good and accuracy with it is deadly, it's the kind of gameplay that really rewards the effort you put into learning. When I play solo this is my favourite class to use, here's why. Possibilites are almost endless! You can gather information, cheese medics/engineers (even in rooms filled with heavies if you use the right tools), if you flank you can pull some of the enemy forces attention towards yourself, chasing you to your mines, making them turn their backs on your team's heavies, deploy mines on sunderer's side terminals (that's evil), spot from a distance to provide awareness to your team doing the dirty job just by spotting, using recon darts, you can bait with the motion sensor just to knife them in the back, as you said you can hack terminals and deploy a surprise sunderer from another angle making the assault harder to counter, deploy ESF, galaxies, anything you can pull out from a terminal really, you have TIME to think whereras other classes require quick thinking you really have time to brain and troll people around and this can be hilarious to have people searching rocks with a darklight because you wanted them to go this way instead of pushing. And once you feel they give up with their research double HS one of them from another position with the blackhand. You can hide under sunderers and knife anyone trying to spawn from it and reload ammo/change class. You can be a real pain in the *** for the enemy team. Snipe/Cut medics engineers that pulled out from the frontline to fix stuff. I'm also trying to auraxium the Sirius from my regular infiltrator, it's a different game as it doesn't allow mistakes, but you'd be surprised by the TTK of the pistols/knifes if you're accurate and manage to land HS consistently (I'm still learning and sometimes horribly fail but I start feeling that the NS series forinstance is pure delight sometimes), I'd say SMGs sometimes lack of punch beyond 10 meters... some pistols really don't. If your squad uses IRNV scopes you can use the crossbow to spam their rooms with smokes leaving the enemy blind and trying to understand what's going on shooting each other because they're afraid to get rushed and die. Stalker gameplay gives many possibilites, is hilarious, is beginner friendly if you understand how to hide and where. if you lack accuracy like I did when I began playing on this game and you still rely on primaries to kill heavies, there are ways to farm even if you were drunk. Use implants that give you information about remaining health and finish wounded targets. Or worse, sit close to the NC vehicle terminal, NCs love to deploy lightnings and vanguards. And powerblade their *** or wait for them to do their little shopping browsing to land a couple HS on a non-moving target. When you get private messages from your enemy that's when you should smile and be proud of yourself. I don't know man, there is so much pain to deliver with this gameplay. When you see your team coming to push a room you can EMP grenade from the back at the worst moment for the enemy team... denying retreat with mines if you're a ******. Just be a ****** and enjoy the salt. It's not effort you have to provide, just pure sadism. Be the little ***** everyone hates, it's the funniest thing in the game and it's rewarding your team immensely.
The way I see it, Stalker infil is not done to build certs, it is done to be a squad asset through voip squad chat. You are a constant presence in an enemy base, and unless you are specifically spotted or hunted for you will remain a thorn in their side, hacking all the defenses and if done well preventing/slowing vehicle spawns at neighboring bases. Your score per hour takes a massive hit sadly.
I run Stalker Infil 99% of the time because it suits my playstyle. I'm more of a "sit back, analyze, attack" kind of player. I'm a bit older and my mouse skills are not like they were, so I can't really zerg and usually get my **** kicked a lot. What I CAN do though is tap into my ability to be patient. Most of my certs come from support type of actions. Sneaky point caps, motion detectors in fights, spotting, etc. Remember, one of the intended roles of an Infiltrator IS to be boring battlefield support. However, you are rewarded appropriately with EXP. Infils are NOT intended to be cloaked HA's. Another role I play a lot is counter-sniper (or other campers). Again, patience is key. You'll get the satisfaction of kills if that's what you're looking for. However, you won't get dozens. Personally I could care less about K/D. I like to see it over 50% but I mainly use it to judge my effectiveness. If it's seriously low then I'm probably in the wrong place doing the wrong thing. Stalker has the convenience of full time cloaking at the cost of only a sidearm to use. One shot kills don't come easy and they should'nt. Stalker is meant to enhance the "stalking" and not so much the killing. PS1 Infils essentially had Stalker cloaking. We had crap for weapons but could carry C4 and mines and other disruptive devices to make the battle miserable for the enemy. Enemies had Darklight and Audio abilities which countered us. Oh how I wish MANY times in PS2 I was still able to have some explosives on hand as I helplessly watched a Sundy spew enemy troops. Those good with sidearms can be a nightmare using Stalker. I'm good-ish, but not great. However, a Stalker infil with a powerful sidearm is nothing to laugh at. Remember, each armor has intended uses. Using Stalker? Then stalk Good luck!
If you are lucky enough to have a Minor Cloak implant, the options are boundless. With a Minor Cloak you can use your primary (sniper rifle or SMG), enjoy full health with a nano-cloak and wreak havoc at your leisure.
