Risk of Rain 2 Acrid: A Complete Guide

First introduced with the Hidden Realms update, Risk of Rain 2 Acrid is one of the few melee characters in the game. It also has access to poisonous buffs that help it inflict massive damage over time.

And while playing as Acrid is incredibly fun, just like Artificer and Mercenary, learning how to use it properly can be a bit challenging. This is not a character for everyone, so we recommend that you check out our Risk of Rain 2 Tier List to see how it compares to its peers.

Risk of Rain 2 Acrid Guide

For those who may not have played the first game in the series, Acrid is a returning character from the original Risk of Rain. Its abilities were reasonably limited at first, but the second game has expanded on them significantly.

Players also don’t have access to Acrid from the beginning. A specific task has to be completed to get access to this character.

How To Unlock Acrid?

To unlock Acrid, players first have to complete the ‘… To Be Left Alone’ challenge. You can only attempt this once per run, so keep that in mind while undertaking the challenge.

This involves visiting the Bazaar Between Time and locating the Null Portal hidden in the cave below the area. Once you enter it, you will be transported to the Hidden Realm known as the Void Fields.

Here you will have to complete nine progressively harder encounters called Cell Vents. For each of these completed, a new enemy type or item effect is introduced going forward.

Once all of the Cell Vents have been completed, Risk of Rain 2 Acrid will be unlocked.

Acrid Abilities

As previously mentioned, Acrid has access to a bunch of melee abilities that also inflict damage over time. These are available both as long-range and short-range attacks.

Some of these are available from the start, while others can be unlocked by completing specific objectives.

Passive:

The following are passive abilities that are always active. Players do not have to trigger them by themselves.

• Poison – Poison is active for most of Acrid’s attacks. It deals 1% of the enemy’s maximum health per second. It cannot exceed 50x times Acrid’s damage per second. The poison stat also lasts for 10 seconds and cannot kill an enemy.
• Blight – This is an upgraded version of Poison that can be unlocked by completing the ‘Acrid: Easy Prey’ challenge. Once active, attacks that would otherwise apply Poison deal stacking Blight instead. The effect lasts for 5 seconds and deals 60% of Acrid’s damage per second.

Primary:

Risk of Rain 2 Acrid only has one primary attack. There are no alternative unlockables.

• Vicious Wounds – Attack an enemy for 200% of your base damage. Every third hit deals 400% damage instead, and the player regenerates 10% of their max health over 0.5 seconds.

Secondary:

Acrid has access to two different secondary attacks. Both of these are buffed by the Poison and Blight abilities.

• Neurotoxin – With this attack, players can launch a ranged projectile that deals 240% damage. It can also be used during Vicious Wounds without canceling it.
• Ravenous Bite – You first have to unlock this by completing the ‘Acrid: Bad Medicine’ challenge. When using this, you deal 310% damage to an enemy and regenerate some of your health. This attack is especially effective against enemies with low health.

Utility:

There are two abilities within this class. Both of them can be used to quickly move away from enemies, while also dealing damage.

• Caustic Leap – With this, Acrid can leap away from an area and deal 320% damage where it lands. It also leaves behind acid that deals an additional 25% damage. The attack is poisonous and it can stun enemies.
• Frenzied Leap – Unlock this ability first by completing the ‘Acrid: Pandemic Challenge.’ It functions identically to Caustic Leap, but instead you do 550% damage while leaping. Cooldown is also reduced by 2s for every enemy hit with the attack.

Special:

We finally arrive at the most powerful ability in Acrid’s arsenal.

• Epidemic – Acrid releases a deadly disease that spreads to up to 20 targets and deals 100% damage. It is also poisonous, and it will bounce to the nearest enemy if there is not one where it was deployed.

Best Items For Acrid

Now we’ll outline Best items in the game that work well with Acrid’s abilities.

Berzerker’s Pauldron: Your attacks like Caustic Leap and Epidemic can kill multiple enemies at the same time. So with Berzerker’s Pauldron equipped, killing 3 enemies in a second sends you into a frenzy for 6 seconds. During this, your movement speed is increased by 50%, and attack speed is increased by 100%.

Kjaro’s Band: This is perfect for attacks that deal a lot of damage like Frenzied Leap. For every hit that deals more than 400% damage, a runic flame tornado is created that deals 300% damage over time. You can get this item by completing the Risk of Rain 2 ‘Death Do Us Part’ Challenge.

Monster Tooth: As a melee character, you’ll have to take risks and get close to enemies constantly. With the Monster Tooth equipped however, killing an enemy will spawn a healing orb that will heal you for 8 plus 2% of your maximum health.

Primordial Cube: A few of your attacks deal damage in an area-of-effect, so it is preferable to have enemies bunched up in a single location. The Primordial Cube fires a black hole that draws enemies within 30m into its center for 10 seconds. With this active, all enemies can be gathered together for maximum effectiveness.

Shatterspleen: To become a true damage dealing machine, consider using the Shatterspleen. Acrid already deals damage over time, so why not push it to the max? With this equipped, you gain a 5% chance to land a Critical Strike. When these hit, you inflict the bleed effect for 240% base damage. If an enemy dies with bleeding, they explode to deal 400% base damage and an additional 15% of their maximum health.

This has been eXputer’s Risk of Rain 2 Acrid guide.