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The original was posted on /r/deeprockgalactic by /u/wavec022 on 2023-11-06 16:52:41.

So a good chunk of you folks may know this already, but I also see people in missions who don’t seem to, plus there are new greenbeards joining the team every day, so I figure at least someone will learn something new from this.

This tip is about the Engineer’s “Repellant Additive” mod for the Platform Gun and how to use it properly. TLDR at the bottom.

The description of the mod says “Enemies will avoid walking on the plastcrete foam whenever possible. However, there’s a bit more to it than this.

Enemy pathing will normally take the shortest route to get to you unless specially programmed otherwise (spitter, Menace, etc). However, if that route has a Repellant platform in it, then the route’s calculated distance is multiplied by 5 (I think it’s 5, it could be 10, or 3, but the exact factor isn’t super important). Therefore, the bugs won’t completely ignore the platforms; if there is no other way to you or the alternate route is super long, they will just go right over the platforms. So, if you make a circle around yourself with the platforms, and think you are safe, the bugs will just ignore the repellant and keep moving towards you.

However, what you can do is use the platforms more sparingly in order to cut off specific routes or funnel bugs into choke points. The important thing is that there still has to be a clear route for bugs to reach you without going over platforms.

In particular, especially on missions like Salvage, you can make a little “awning” in order to redirect bugs that spawn on the ceiling above and behind your team, to guarantee that they only come from the front. Another example is placing a line of platforms on one side of Doretta while leaving the other side open, in the Heartstone phase of Escort, so that bugs only attack Doretta from the one side and clump up for AOE abilities.

Correctly utilizing the bug repellant platforms can make large waves incredibly easy, even on higher hazard levels, and your team will thank you.

Just a little tip for Engineer players out there.

TL;DR: Engineer’s bug repellant is absolutely nuts for controlling a fight but bugs will ignore it if you try to cut off all possible routes. Instead, make “awnings” to cover your rear/above or try to funnel bugs into choke points.