Good evening all,
This post is not intended for the more experienced FT players of the forum, rather it is intended to be an introduction to my Dao. It will, if you apply just a few key principles, give you a greater chance at success when playing FT. If you are a beginner, or struggling to find success, these will help you. I’m not great, but I think most of those who have played with me will tell you that I am a reliable teammate. There are other guides like this on this forum. This is simply the way that I play, and the various mantras that I have developed after playing this game since launch.
Without further ado.
1 - The most effective weapon you can use against the Predator is 4 of them
4 is better than 3, 3 is better than 2, etc. Sure, it is important at the higher echelons of skill in this game to use optimized, or “meta”, weapons. But, truthfully, any 4 will do. If you are unsure of what those are, search for Predator TTK on YouTube or basically any post by @KameofWar. HINT: ARW is great for close range. That said, you should never be caught in a position where your other 3 teammates cannot return fire on the Predator while you are being attacked.
2 - Utilize overlapping fields of fire - but watch for environmentals
Your fire should be able to reach the Predator and not hit your teammate. Friendly-fire does not hurt your teammate but it also doesn’t reach the Predator. Strafe, sprint, or ADS until your shots are giving you green VFX or you are receiving +XP. You should be looking not only at where you are shooting, but also behind where you are shooting. Barrels do barely any damage to the Predator in comparison to how hard they hit the FT.
3 - Use the compass and learn to use it well
Yelling out, “Over here” without a spot it almost worthless. Use your compass. The numbers dictate the clicks, degrees, whatever you want to call them. If the Predator is standing on an actual direction, then use “Due North”, “Due West”, etc.
4 - Have more than one effective range in your hands, or sell out completely to own one range
I find I have the best success when I have balanced my loadout to include a weapon that can damage the Predator at any range that he wants to engage me in. As you learn the weapons, you will also learn what can be used at different effective ranges. If you are going to play at long range, then stay at long range. If you want to be close, stay in the Predator’s face. Make him uncomfortable.
5 - You don’t have to fight where the Predator wants to fight
Take a look at your mini-map and/or map proper. Do you have to be where you are? If not, then move. And keep moving toward your objective. Predator has engaged you because a) Pred just discovered you there and is now charging in or b) this is where the Predator wants to fight. Did the Predator throw down a lot of motion trackers? Audio decoys? Traps? Well, again, do you have to fight there? If you do have to be there, then push OBJ and GTFO. Don’t fight a Pred where they want to fight, fight where you want to fight.
6 - Control the tempo of the game by pushing objective
I have a very specific pace at which I like to push through my games. I like to push the objective, get at least halfway done, put the Predator into Second Wind somewhere around the 12-minute mark, complete the objective, then make the Predator face me at Exfil without his or her wind. Put him or her down like a baby with shit in its diaper, defuse the bomb, then GTFO. Spend too much time chasing Pred, and you’re sacrificing your tempo advantage. The longer the game goes on, the more tilted in favor of the Predator it becomes. What’s worse, if you’re facing a Predator at Exfil with a fresh Second Wind, then you have to work to repel him or her before ever getting on the bird. This should always be the goal - repel the Pred, then get on the bird. Don’t rush for the ropes. You control the tempo throughout. Control the tempo from start to finish.
7 - Check your ego at infil
Sure, you might be good enough to solo the Predator on your own. But, those are just baby Preds. Killing an inexperienced player proves nothing to anyone. If you go up against a halfway-decent Predator solo because you forced the issue, he will be ripping out your skull. You have now put your teammates in a terrible position. The ship goes up and the ship goes down with all of you on board. Losing a member of your FT increases the chances that you will be wiped significantly. You know better now.
8 - The best and most-effective tactic is to stay within Line of Sight
The tree you’re running around with the other 3 FT on the other side? It’s called the tree of death. That fence? The fence of death. That satellite array? The satellite array of death. If you’re somewhere that your team cannot see, you are in the zone of the death. There are exceptions to this rule. You are a beginner now, but you will learn when to abandon this rule. Until then, always defer to staying within LOS. I remind my teammates that I want to look at them. I remind them that we must be within LOS. I remind them that this is the most-effective tactic to win, because it fucking IS. Feel free to bark at your FT if they’re running off on you. This doesn’t just refer to when you’re fighting. Stick together like glue. Close enough to see but far enough that you’re not all hit by the same slam.
9 - Focus on perks that make fighting the Predator easier
Conflict against a competent Predator is inevitable. He or she will find you. Your focus should be on making combat with him or her easier. Don’t use perks that delay the conflict. Use perks that make the conflict more brief, and in your favor.
10 - The worst SMG is better than the best Shotgun
Shotguns don’t do a lot of damage to the Predator. Despite what you may believe. Despite your anecdotal evidence. They do not. Don’t use them unless you’re the AI guy. Please. For the love of all that is holy, use SMGs.
11 - Use your reinforcement strategically
You can start the reinforcement, get out of the radius, freeze the reinforce, wait for your teammate to bleed out and then get them back on the board by getting back in the radius for the reinforce. It’s so good it’s almost cheating.
12 - Be gracious in victory and humble in defeat
I have met some of my best friends on this game by being gracious enough to extend a “gg” in the After-Action report. Don’t be a jackass. Iron sharpens iron. If you got your ass kicked, try to befriend that Predator or that FT. It will only benefit you in the long-run.
13 - Don’t go for the revive unless the Predator can’t risk attacking you or they are in Second Wind
This one hurts me to type, because I consider losing a FT member a loss in itself. I have been punished by plenty of talented Predators because it pains me to see a member of my team on the ground. You must learn to push through this. If you are going up against top-tier competition, you are only setting yourself up to be downed yourself. Don’t let your pride and want to get out with 4 cost you the game.When your teammate is down, what they really need you to do is start fighting even harder so you can pick them up in peace.
14 - Stand still when parrying anything but the combi
It’s much easier that way; I call it a “lock up” because you’re locking the Predator into melee with you, and if you’re within LOS like I’ve suggested, Pred is being melted in the process. You only need one or two parries along with an accurate team put the Predator into wind. The combi is the easiest weapon to parry, but Predator can also throw it at you. Never stand still against a combi after one or two parries, if at all.
15 - Assume everyone you’re playing against is great
It is far wiser to assume your opponent is better than you and be proven wrong than to assume they are worse than you and be proven wrong.
16 - Never stand still with a gun in your hand
Learn to shoot while running, even if it is hip-fire. Standing still to line up a shot is asking for an arrow to the knee. Stick and move. You don’t need to be stationary in order to fire your gun and if you do, work on your aim until you don’t.
That’s all I got for now, because this is the Dao of Khi. As I mentioned, this is only for beginners to learn what they need to consistently do in order to succeed. Find 3 friends, build your chemistry, and go hunt. I wanted to write this in the event that I retired from the game for good. Nothing to do with the game, just dealing with a very traumatic life event. I wanted to make at least one contribution to the community for this game that I truly love.
In the event that I don’t stop playing permanently - PSN - Khihendron. If you’re good, and even if you’re not quite there yet (you will be, keep at it) - let’s play. Iron sharpens iron.