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The Rocketeer is the "boss" of the sky. It is a heavily armored aerial ARC that carries a huge payload of guided missiles. Unlike the Wasp or Hornet, this drone is a serious threat that can wipe out your whole squad if you are caught in the open.
Visuals: It looks bulky and dangerous. You will know it is targeting you because you will see 4 yellow lasers pointing at your chest.
The Rocketeer does not use small bullets; it uses area-of-effect (AOE) explosives.
The Lock-On: It targets a Raider with 4 distinct yellow lasers.
The Warning: As it locks on, the lasers turn from Yellow to Red. You will also hear a distinct "lock-up" audio cue (beeping sound).
The Barrage: Once the lasers turn red, it fires a volley of missiles. These rockets do splash damage, so even if they miss you directly, hitting the ground near you will still hurt.
Stay in Cover: Do not fight this enemy in an open field. You need a wall or a building to hide behind when the missiles fly.
The Reload Window: After it fires, it has to pause to reload. During this time, a red glowing core is exposed. This is your chance to shoot!
Knock it Down: This is a pro tip. If you use a weapon with high impact (like the Showstopper) or throw a Hornet Driver at it, you can STUN the Rocketeer. It will lose power, fall from the sky, and take massive fall damage when it hits the ground. It becomes very weak while stuck on the floor.
Heavy Ammo: Small bullets barely scratch it. You need Heavy Ammo or explosives to break its armor plating efficiently.
Shoot Thrusters: Like other drones, if you destroy the engines, it struggles to fly.
Because this is a high-level enemy, it functions like a "Loot Piñata" (similar to the Surveyor). It drops loot from its main body and pieces fall off it while you shoot it.
Main Debris Loot:
Rocketeer Driver (Very Rare)
Heavy Ammo
Small Debris Loot (Parts that break off):
Experience Points (Massive XP):
Destroy: 500 XP
Loot: 200 XP per part (Farming Rocketeers is the fastest way to level up if you have the firepower!)
How do I dodge the missiles if I have no cover? It is hard, but possible. Wait for the audio cue. When the beeping gets really fast (right before the shot), sprint in one direction and then slide the opposite way. The missiles have good tracking, but they can't turn instantly.
What is the "Rocketeer Driver" used for? This is a high-tier crafting component. It is used to make advanced propulsion systems or powerful explosive gadgets. Since Rocketeers are hard to kill, this item is very expensive on the market.
Why did the Rocketeer fall down but didn't die? If you stun it, it crashes, but it might survive the fall. Run up to it quickly while it is on the ground and unload your shotgun into the red core before it can fly up again.
Can I shoot the missiles out of the air? Technically yes, but it is very difficult because there are so many of them. It is much safer to run or use a Trophy System gadget if your team has one.
Does it spawn alone? Rarely. A Rocketeer usually has a "flight wing" of Wasps protecting it. Always kill the small Wasps first so they don't distract you while you are trying to dodge rockets.