Overview

If the fact that he’s an intergalactic bounty hunter isn’t enough to win you over, maybe his arsenal of high tech tracking gear and high speed shotgun will. Abe is a hunter Trapper, skilled in the ways of locating where a monster is hiding and penning it in so that his teammates can unload the big guns.

Abe’s tracking style is a little different than the other trackers in that he relies more on signs that the monster leaves like footprints and scared birds than high tech gadgets. Once the monster is in his sight however, Abe can shoot it with a tracking dart that will relay its exact location to the team for 45 seconds. After that it’s just a matter of closing the distance, setting up your Mobile Arena, and holding down the big guy with a few well-placed Snare Grenades.

The Gear

Custom Shotgun

This isn’t your standard pump action shotgun; the Custom Shotgun is capable of firing at an extremely high rate, inflicting maximum damage in minimum time. This rapid fire of course comes with a drawback; it can become difficult to aim during extended bursts.

Tips:

• The Custom Shotgun loses accuracy the longer your bursts are so try to keep each firing cycle to 3 – 5 rounds for maximum accuracy. Of course, if the monster is right in your face and accuracy is not an issue, let it fly!

Tracking Dart Pistol

Your primary means of tracking monsters, the tracking dart pistol is different form the other trapper’s gear because it does not locate the monster for you. After locating the monster via footprints and other signs, shoot the monster with a tracking dart to mark its location on the map for 45 seconds.

You can also shoot any other wildlife with a dart and if the monster eats them the tracking dart will transfer to it.  Darts you use on wildlife will remain active on the animal until the game is over or the monster eats it, at which point the 45 second timer begins.

There is no range on the tracking dart gun, if you can see it you can shoot it.

Tips:

• Have the tracking dart gun ready to go when tracking the monster. Even if you see him off in the distance you can still hit him with a dart do to the guns infinite range.
• Practice your tracking. Because of Abe’s reliance on traditional tracking techniques such as footprint tracking and startled birds, make sure you are well practiced in picking up the trail of the monster. You won’t have Daisy to sniff him out if you lose his tracks.
• You can tag animals that are already dead. Pre-killed meals can be a tantalizing offer to a monster. Fire a tag into some animals you kill yourself for a homemade monster trap.
• The tracking dart only lasts for 45 seconds. Be sure to hit the monster with another one before it expires or you’ll have to track him all over again.

Snare Grenades

You’ve tracked the monster and have him contained in the Mobile Arena, but you still have to stop him from tearing your team apart. Abe’s monster suppression system of choice is the Snare Grenade. When tossed, the Snare Grenade will expand into a blue cloud. If the monster steps into this cloud the effects of the snare grenade take hold, slowing the monster’s movement speed so long as they remain in the cloud. Unlike the Harpoon, the monster does not have to break out of the snare, but only move out of it’s area of effect (albeit they will be doing it much more slowly). The Snare grenade also reduces the speed of the monster’s melee attacks, as well as the range of many abilities.

Tips:

• Try to lead the monster with your snare grenades to increase the amount of time they have to spend in them. The longer they are slowed down, the more time you have to throw another grenade in front of them. By chaining them together you can keep the monster locked down for long periods of time.
• If the monster is attacking your teammates, throw snare grenades near them as a sort of protective shield. When the monster comes in for a lunging attack they will be caught in the grenades field, slowing their speed and reducing their damage output.

Mobile Arena

As with the rest of the Trapper class, Abe comes equipped with the standard issue Mobile Arena. To avoid having to track the monster manually all over again, deploy the Mobile Arena as soon as you come within range. Knowing when you are within range is made a lot easier by the info provided via the tracking dart.

Tips:

Always use the mobile arena when you can. A contained monster will be unable to feed on animals to gain armor or evolve a stage. It also makes them sitting ducks for your teammate’s heavier weapons like the orbital barrage.