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// guide · risk of rain 2

Loader guide, skills and build.

Hydraulic fists and a grapple: she flies across the map and hits harder the faster she arrives.

// at a glance

At a glance.

Loader
Health160 (+48 per level)
Base damage12 (+2.4 per level)
Armour20
Speed7 m/s
DifficultyMedium
TierS · Strong late into Monsoon and long runs, and forgiving.

On victory: «..and so she left, heart still racing.»

// unlock

How to unlock Loader.

Challenge «Guidance Offline»: Defeat the unique guardian of Siren's Call. (53.9% of Steam players have it).

// skills

Loader skills.

Damage is a percentage of your normal damage: 100% is a normal hit; 300% is triple.

Scrap Barrier passivealways on

Takes no fall damage, and every punch gives her a layer of temporary health that wears off.

Knuckleboom primaryleft click

A 320% punch to whatever is close.

Grapple Fist secondaryright click

You fire your fist like a grappling hook and it pulls you to where it sticks. This is how Loader moves.

Spiked Fist secondary alternative

The fist flies out spiked (320%) and stuns: it pulls you to big enemies and drags small ones to you.

To get it: As Loader, reach and proceed through the Celestial Portal in 25 minutes or less (12.7% of Steam players have it).

Charged Gauntlet utilityShift

A charged punch of 600% to 2700% that goes through enemies. The faster you are moving, the harder it hits.

Thunder Gauntlet utility alternative

A 2100% charged punch to one enemy, with a 1000% shock in a cone around it. Also stronger the faster you move.

To get it: As Loader, land a Charged Gauntlet hit at 300mph or higher (19.9% of Steam players have it).

M551 Pylon specialR

You throw a pylon that shocks up to 6 nearby enemies (100%). You can also grapple onto it.

Thunderslam special alternative

You slam both fists into the ground: 2000% and stuns. Stronger the higher you fall from.

To get it: As Loader, kill three other Loaders in the Bulwark's Ambry (9.6% of Steam players have it).

// loadout

Recommended loadout.

Knuckleboom+Grapple Fist+Charged Gauntlet+M551 Pylon

// items

Best items for Loader.

Kjaro's Band

Her charged punch easily passes 400%.

When you land a very big hit (over 4 times your damage), a fire tornado also comes out. Once every 10 s. Each extra band, more damage.

Stacking: Each copy adds the same, no cap.

Watch out: The hit itself must deal 400%: crits and Armor-Piercing Rounds do not count. It always fires with Runald's and they share the cooldown.

Runald's Band

Same, with a freeze.

When you land a very big hit (over 4 times your damage), an ice blast also hits that slows enemies a lot. Once every 10 s. Each extra band, more damage and a longer slow.

Stacking: Each copy adds the same, no cap.

Watch out: The hit itself must deal 400%: crits and Armor-Piercing Rounds do not count. It always fires with Kjaro's and they share the cooldown.

Crowbar

The first hit deletes small enemies.

You do 75% more damage to enemies that still have almost full health (over 90%), so your first hit lands much harder. Each extra crowbar adds another 75%.

Stacking: No cap: each crowbar adds another 75%. With two, the first hit already beats a critical hit.

Watch out: Only the hit that lands while the enemy is above 90% counts; missiles and lightning from other items do not get it. In a group, if an ally hits first, you lose it.

Tougher Times

She fights in melee: blocks keep her alive.

Sometimes a hit that would land does nothing: with one bear, 13% of hits. More bears raise the chance, but less each time: it never reaches 100%.

Stacking: Each bear adds less: one blocks 13% (not the 15% the game says) and ten block 60%. It never reaches 100%.

Watch out: Luck (Clover) does not affect it. A blocked hit does not trigger enemy effects either, like Overloading Elite bombs. It does not stop Void Reaver implosions.

Ukulele

Every punch can chain lightning.

25% of your hits release lightning that jumps to 3 nearby enemies. Each extra ukulele makes it jump to 2 more and reach further.

Stacking: The chance stays at 25%; each copy adds 2 more enemies and more range.

Watch out: The lightning has a very low proc coefficient.

// tips

Tips.

// faq

FAQ.

How do you unlock Loader in Risk of Rain 2?

Challenge «Guidance Offline»: Defeat the unique guardian of Siren's Call. (53.9% of Steam players have it).

What is the best Loader loadout?

We recommend Knuckleboom, Grapple Fist, Charged Gauntlet, M551 Pylon.

What are the best items for Loader?

Kjaro's Band, Runald's Band, Crowbar, Tougher Times, Ukulele.

// more guides

Other survivors.

Character tier list · Items · Lunar items

Sources: Risk of Rain 2 game names and challenges, the Risk of Rain 2 wiki (stats, cooldowns and tips); the explanations are our own and public Steam statistics, as of 31 October 2026. The tier is our own. Icons: Risk of Rain 2 (Hopoo Games / Gearbox).