So you got uploaded, handed a sword, and there's a blue guy with another sword charging right at you. Don't panic, stay calm, you're going to be fine.

• The game will provide you the basics of movement and combat, so there's not much this guide will have to say here.
  
  
• For brevity's sake: Kill everything that isn't you, don't die, upgrade, repeat until you do die.
  
  
• Enemies die if they lose both arms or both legs, take damage to the neural cortex (which is a fancy way of saying, 'headshots that go through the head instead of simply winging it') get bisected, or are otherwise unable to continue fighting. This applies to you, too.
  
  
• Chopping off various limbs can have adverse effects on you and enemies alike. While losing your head is obviously fatal, losing an arm renders you unable to use most weapons, and losing a leg will severely hamper your movement speed and eliminate the ability to Kick.
  
  
• You can hit Shift to Dash. Dashing consumes Energy (the bar at the bottom you've no doubt noticed) and can be used to close the gap, make a gap, or to just move a bit quicker. Just bear in mind that while dashing, all actions are interrupted, and you cannot make any more until you come out of the dash. Mind where you go before you Dash into an arrow/lava/bomb/horde of robots/deadly lazer.

It's really that simple.

You survived a round, got back on the elevator, and there's a bot with a grabby arm, a weldy arm, and a giant monitor blaring UPGRADE AVAILABLE at you. You've got many, many options, but you only get one point per level survived. I'll detail the weaponry/fire breath in the next section, but here's everything else.

• Energy Capacity/Recharge: Increases your Energy Gauge and lets it recharge quicker. Very boring, but extremely practical, especially if you use a bow-heavy style or use the jetpack a lot.
  
  
• Fire Resistance: Reduces the effect fire has on your chassis. While fire only begins to become a threat with Mark IV robots, it's still a major threat nonetheless, so anything that can reduce the danger it poses is always welcome.
  
  
• Kick: Kicking knocks opponents over and sends them flying, leaving them helpless to a coup de grace. If, of course, you're not kicking them into lava, spike traps, saw blades, or each other. It's simple, it's versatile, it's awesome. Only issues are that it's range is 'your leg', which is short, and it needs both legs to function for obvious reasons.
  You can upgrade it further after clearing the Kick-Only Challenge, granting the Power Kick.
  
  
• Power Kick: Increases the distance kicked robots fly, as well as making them so forceful that, in addition to the guy you hit, any robot in the path is also knocked over.
  Just bear in mind that 'any robot' includes any potential allies, so watch what you boot when you play Co-op.
  
  
• Get Up: Lets you, well, get up faster. Trust me, this is more useful than it sounds, thank me later should a Spider-Tron or Kick-Bot land a hit on you while a Mark I Sword closes in to absolutely humiliate you in front of your friends and family.
  
  
• Armor: Takes a hit to a limb, knocking your would-be assailant away, then breaks. Does not cover your head or the torso, however, and you'll still be knocked flat if a Hammer Bot connects.
  
  
• Repair: So you got hit, but only came away with a missing arm or leg. You can spend your upgrade point to get it back. As a bonus, if you have Armor, it'll be fully repaired as well, free of charge.
  
  
• Clone: Creates a clone drone to send into the danger zone should you fall. It's an extra life. You can only have five Clones tops, after which you won't be able to send any more, and you can only use this upgrade ten times, tops. Useful for making that one mistake you make non-fatal. ...Also, please, don't hit them.
  
  
• Jet Pack: Replaces your basic dash with something akin to a sprint button. Drains Energy to use. Can be upgraded to go faster (Jet Pack II). Perhaps most importantly, lets you attack while using it! Swords can be held out during this as a 'tripwire', Spears stay thrusted forwards, while all other weapons behave as though you aren't hurtling forth at high speed.

Now as for general advice and tips:

• Keep an eye on Archers especially. While losing track of any opponent is a dangerous thing to do, this goes extra for the guys who can put an energy arrow into your back and kill you or hack off a limb. If you don't know what an Archer is getting up to, make it a very high priority to correct that.
  
  
• Prioritize targets. What this spectrum is for you and I is likely going to differ, but my list is to first cut down any weaker threats or anything that can knock you down; Even a Mark 1 Sword Bot can get lucky and take you out if you're preoccupied elsewhere. Then, take out any ranged attackers. Then, clean up the rest.
  
  
• Take out anything capable of knockdown first, or at least prioritize them. Time spent getting up is time that enemies can and will use to kill you. I know I keep repeating this point, but it's important. Getting knocked down, barring luck or Get Up, is a death sentence in a game where 90% of your time is spent in close quarters.
  
  
• Getting set on fire is, barring Flame Resistance, also a death sentence. You don't have many voxels to your model, so if your forearm or thigh gets set on fire, as the memes go, 'omae wa mou shindeiru.'

The weapons in Clone Drone are many, archaic, varied, and all uniquely deadly. This section will be broken up according to the order in which you gain new weapons.

So we kick off with...

The Sword is your first weapon. It's got decent crowd control, good reach, rock-solid defense once upgraded, and can keep other sword users at bay. If your current problem doesn't have a clear-cut answer, the Sword is usually good enough. But it's short range and easily deflected nature can come back to haunt you at a critical moment.

• Fast swing speed, little startup time, fast recovery
  
• Can deflect other swords and, with upgrades, arrows
  
• Can be set on fire from the word 'go', dealing damage to nearby parts
  
• Can be used if you lose an arm, unlike other weapons
  
• Middle of the road crowd control

• Can be parried or even knocked aside by other sword robots, leaving you defenseless for a moment
  
• Short range

Anything in bold is my thoughts on the upgrade in question.

• Fire Sword I/II: Spreads Fire, which can deal additional damage around the area where your swing connects.
  
  At first, you might consider this impractical; I sure did! But when the robots get thicker and it starts taking multiple slashes, fire can melt through some armor, potentially saving you a lot of time by melting your victim.
  
  
• Deflect Arrows I/II/III: Deflects arrows in a 90, then 180 degree arc in front of you. Maxing it lets you aim your deflections. If your sword is on fire, any deflections will be set on fire for the return trip. Will not work if you're currently attacking, however.
  
  Even just investing in the first instance of this upgrade gives you a safety net against Archers, and the tip of this tree makes them into a liability for their team. This upgrade comes recommended very highly.
  
  Your only ranged option might be a bit old fashioned, but it's still just as lethal now is it was during the era of hunter-gatherer societies. Take a...
  
  
  BOW
  The Bow drains Energy to fire slow-moving arrows that behave like a sword strike. Trust me, this weapon, despite it's initial learning curve, is worth mastering, as it gives you the ability to reach out and hit opponents at distance. But it draws from your Energy supply, it can be deflected, and against the thicker robots, it can start to feel like a gamble on whether or not your shot will actually do the job or just wing them.
  
  
  Advantages
  • Can hit at range
    
  • Good for directly shooting weak points
    
  • Good at whittling down a crowd from range
    
  • Arrows can be rotated to allow for more precise targeting (default: Mouse Wheel Up/Down)
  
  
  Disadvantages
  • Draws from your Energy supply
    
  • Slow travel time; Leading shots becomes crucial at longer range
    
  • Can be deflected and sent right back to you
    
  • Can be unreliable against thicker opponents; Even meat and headshots might not be a kill if the opponent's got enough voxels.
    
  • Requires both arms to wield
  
  
  Available Upgrades:
  • Arrow Width I/II/III: Increases how wide the arrow is.
    
    This is essential as armor thickens and enemies get dodgier; Having wider arrows can also make vertical shots much more reliably lethal.
    
    
  • Fire Arrows I/II: Set your arrows on fire, damaging the area around the impact point.
    Unlocked via completing the Endless Bow Challenge.
    
    Decreases the need for precision, letting you focus on arrows-per-second. As robots and armor thicken, Fire Arrows become a beloved part of any arsenal simply for how much damage they can wreak, especially once Fire Arrows II is acquired.
    
    
  • Aim Time I/II: Slow down time and aim, giving you room to breathe, lead the shot, or line it up. Consumes Energy while active.
    
    Kind of impractical, in my opinion, unless you're in the Endless Bow Challenge. It's also exclusive to single player.
  
  Your second melee option? Drop...
  
  
  THE HAMMER
  The Hammer is pure brute force, great at demolishing opponents. While it lacks any form of defense outside of said brute force, with how obscenely powerful each strike is, brute force is the only defense it needs, and it's capable of plowing through multiple enemies with a single swing. This said, mind that you don't get shot, and make sure you hit.
  
  
  Advantages
  • Long reach, helped by a potentially massive head
    
  • Great at wrecking armor, as even if the target survives, it will suffer knockdown.
    
  • Doesn't give a damn about parrying
    
  • Great crowd-control potential
  Disadvantages
  • Slow startup and long recovery; Missing is more easily punished as a result
    
  • Cannot deflect projectiles
    
  • Requires both arms to wield
  
  
  Available Upgrades:
  • Hammer Size I/II/III: Increases the size of the hammer's head, which increases the area it can smash.
    
    This and Fire Hammer are the only upgrades available, so there's no reason not to take these if you're lugging a Hammer. Lets you smash more voxels out of an opponent, and can turn what would be 'a few voxels in the back somehow keeping this poor soul together' into 'I smashed this robot in half'.
    
    
  • Fire Hammer: Sets the hammer's head on fire, damaging areas around where it smashed. Unlocked via completing the Endless Hammer Challenge.
    
    You know how most Fire upgrades come recommended? Well, I can't exactly recommend the Fire Hammer. Most things will be destroyed in one smash, and those that aren't are either going to be knocked flat or very, very close to death. This said, sometimes setting that Spider-Tron on fire can make the difference between it barely surviving or going down, so...

The fourth weapon, added with Chapter 4, is...

The Spear is tricky to get to grips with, but rewards those willing to put in the time with a ludicrously precise means of melee mutilation. This is a weapon that can simply stab straight through the armor of a robot, easily killing them in one painless stab, instead of a deflected swing. Problem is, it's one robot, and you've got his fifteen friends all bearing down on you. That's to say, it's crowd control is not ideal.

• Can easily target specific points, so it can more easily ignore armor
  
• Long reach
  
• Decently fast
  
• Includes a Shield as an upgrade. Shield's properties:
  
• Shield deflects all incoming attacks and projectiles, until it breaks
  
• Has a unique Shield Bash, which is a Kick with some lateral coverage, albeit at the expense of Energy

• Terrible crowd control
  
• Shield Deflections cannot be aimed
  
• Shield sans Shield Bash upgrade prevents Kicking
  
• As of Update 19, the Shield can be broken through by weapons.

• Shield: Exactly what it says on the tin. Blocks almost all frontal attacks until it breaks. You'll still be knocked flat if a hammer connects, however.
  
  Get this ASAP, the Shield is pretty much what makes the Spear something different than 'Worse Sword', and makes for great cover.
  
  
• Shield Bash: Lets you use the Shield Bash.
  
  Also get this ASAP, as the Bash is surprisingly useful in spite of draining Energy per use, due to covering far, FAR more ground and knocking everyone in it's way flat.
  
  
• Fire Spear: Ignites the tip of your spear.
  Unlocked via completing the Endless Spear Challenge
  
  Mitigates one of the Spear's main drawbacks, the requirement for pin-point precision. Fire for the Spear is essential, because in a game where you WILL be beset by hordes, the Spear is a terrible crowd control tool, and as armor thickens, you may need multiple stabs to bring down a target unless you can start roasting them.

Last but not least, and the only weapon you cannot acquire right away, is...

Unlocked by beating the Inferno Challenge
Fire Breath is a weird weapon. It melts right through basically any defense you can imagine, and can be deployed regardless of the weapons you have or the state of your arms, which is helpful. However, it burns through your Energy, and it's quite a ways down the upgrade tree.

• Can be used to set melee enemies on fire without risking a swing
  
• Melts through any shields, parries, and some armor
  
• It's fire breath, that's a plus on cool value alone

• Consumes 1 Bar of Energy to activate, then rapidly drains your remaining supply
  
• Short range
  
• Poor crowd control

...yeah uh there's nothing here chief

Over time, I noticed a sort of hierarchy developing with the weapons and how they interact with one another. This section is going to cover out what generally beats what else. Unless you're playing PvP, you generally won't need to worry about this section.

Rules are simple; Both sides are of equal skill, and you must bring your foe down without getting killed off. With this in mind, here we go:

• Beats Bow
  
• Loses to Hammer, Fire Breath, and Spear+Shield (S+S)

Deflect Projectiles means Swords will hand any Bow user their shiny posterior on a silver platter, but Hammers don't give a damn about this 'parrying' nonsense, and Spears can deflect and stab you in the head unless you bait the swing first. With Fire Breath, it's kind of a draw that depends on if you can get 'em in the windup, but generally speaking, they have the range advantage. Against anything already spitting fire, you're toast.

• Beats Hammer and Fire Breath
  
• Loses to Sword and S+S

The Hammer cannot deflect projectiles, so Bows can pick them off comfortably at range, but Swords and S+S can deflect away any shots coming at them from the front, which, if you're going solo, is all of them. Kicking them, then following up is pretty much your only option here if the Bow's your only weapon, and the Kick has a dismally short range that will put you in harm's way.

• Beats Sword, Fire Breath, and S+S
  
• Loses to Bows

Hammers, as mentioned, don't 'get' this parry nonsense and wouldn't want to, and while S+S will deflect the strike, it'll still knock the spear user flat, leaving them wide open to any follow-up swings. But it's inability to reflect means Bow users can easily just shoot an arm to render this weapon useless and, provided it's your only weapon, inexplicably kill you.

• Beats Sword [All the time] and Bow [Only with the Shield]
  
• Loses to Hammer, getting kicked, Fire Breath [No matter what] and the Bow [If you lack a Shield or have it broken]

S+S is a jerk to get past for any melee weapon, and even Bows are gonna have a hard time of things. But the Hammer, even if it hits the Shield, will still tip over a Spear user, and Fire Breath passes right through any shields if their user is willing and able to close the gap. Plus, if that Shield breaks, you're kind of screwed against Bows. Swords, though, are still fair pickings, being outranged enough that you can jab them to death.

• Beats S+S and Sword
  
• Loses to Hammer (barely) and Bow (by a mile)

While Fire Breath is a little impractical on the Energy side of things, it melts right through any and all guarding. But it's relatively short range means Hammers can hit you back while you try melting them, invalidating the 'no dying' thing, and Bows don't care and can simply snipe you while you imitate a dragon.

For the most part, your enemies come in five distinct types, each with their own color schemes and AI. These types are Mark I, Mark II, Mark III, Mark IV, and Mark V robots.
This section will cover the Robots that use the same stuff you do.

• Mark I: Blue. Simple AI, tends to make dumb decisions, only uses the very, VERY basics of their weapon.
  Can still kill you if you get caught unaware or get overconfident, but otherwise only pose a threat to newcomers.
  
  
• Mark II: Red. Actually competent. Will probably still be easy to kill off, but know a thing or two about their weapons.
  Can pose a threat to the unaware or reckless. They're otherwise scrap for the grinder.
  
  
• Mark III: Purple/Black. Quite cunning, if still fairly predictable once you learn their quirks. Will mark a spike in difficulty.
  Very dangerous, this is where the wheat and chaff split off. Definitely be prepared to die a few times to these guys.
  
  
• Mark IV: Black with glowing orange. Smarter then the IIIs, and will flex on the unwary.
  Has burning weapons as a rule. DO NOT ENGAGE UP CLOSE, OR ACQUIRE FIRE RESISTANCE.
  It's worth noting that these guys, at least according to a comment (as I've yet to test this myself) have innate Fire Resistance.
  
  
• Mark V: Black, glowing green highlights. Lethally smart, uses downright ludicrous tactics, and will most likely end you.
  Same weapons being on fire, but now jetpacks come standard. Also, they'll likely use very advanced maneuvers if not outright cheat with their mobility.

The first type of robot you typically fight are...

Slicey Dicey

• Mark I's are basically this game's Goomba. They run at you and slice vertically, and that's all they do. They'll only pose a threat if you're either extremely new or knocked down, and are otherwise very easy to slaughter.
  
  
• Mark II's can knock your sword aside, and are generally a bit more skilled in swordfighting, but that's all they got going for them. They're otherwise fairly easy to put down.
  
  
• Mark III's are where the wheat and chaff split; They can deflect arrows back at you, and typically attack from the sides or while airborne.
  
  
• Mark IV's are Mark III's, but with Fire Swords, so even a scrape will likely turn lethal, and any deflected arrows, if they weren't already, are set on fire. Otherwise, they're the same as the Mark III's.
  
  
• Mark V's happen to be Mark IV's with jetpacks. Same tactics apply, only now you need to get very good at tracking their movements, as they'll move in unpredictable ways, zig-zagging and slicing horizontally.

While a Sword Robot on it's own might not pose too much of a threat, it's never just one Sword Robot, and those numbers can add up quickly. Shoot what you can, and remember that the Hammer is your best friend for clearing a crowd once Mark III and above come into play.

Your next encounter, generally speaking, are...

Pew Pew

• Mark I stands still, jumping on occasion, and fires weaker arrows with a slight spread. Their fire rate tends to feel somewhat erratic; Sometimes they take a few seconds, sometimes they fire nigh-instantly, and this quirk makes them oddly dangerous.
  
  
• Mark II's are ironically a bit less dangerous due to the removal of that quirk, but they're packing bigger arrows and generally won't spray and pray them, preferring to hit where you are, currently. In short, stay moving.
  
  
• Mark III's actually lead the target, have the widest arrows of the lot, and even carry a sword for backup. Once they switch to the sword, they generally won't switch back to the bow unless you put a LOT of ground between you and them. Friendly warning; They also have Deflect Projectiles III.
  
  
• Mark IV's are the same as Mark III's, but their arrows are on freaking FIRE. Again, even a scrape shot can become lethal, so don't let them hit you. Deflect Projectiles III comes recommended highly for defense, or lacking that, good cover and closing in to make them switch weapons will suffice. Also, yes. The sword? It's on fire.
  
  
• Mark V's trade in the sword, and frankly, with the fact that they're slippery buggers who jet away if you close in, they don't need it. They also seem to have a double jump, using their jetpacks to alter their course in mid-air, and have a knack for terrifyingly accurate aerial fire. In case I wasn't clear enough with Mark IV? You'll need Deflect Projectiles III to stand a chance.

As dangerous as Archers are, they all possess the same Achilles' heel: Deflect Projectiles III. This upgrade neuters their main mode of attack and even makes it deadly for other robots on purpose. Just make sure you're not swinging, and don't overly rely on it either. All it takes is one arrow from just outside your deflection range, and you're done for.

Stop.

lemme smash

• Mark I's possess a small hammer, relatively speaking. They otherwise pretty much behave like Sword Robots, so the same strategies apply, only with how THICC they are, you might need to land multiple swings/arrows.
  
  
• Mark II's have a bigger hammer head. Otherwise, same rules; Keep your distance and try to make your first strike a kill.
  
  
• Mark III's have the biggest of hammer heads, in a clear effort to compensate for something. Third verse, same as the first.
  
  
• Mark IV's have noticed this whole 'agility' problem and now possess jetpacks to rapidly close the gap. Oh, and as is customary for Mark IV robots, their hammer's on fire.
  
  
• Mark V's have everything Mark IV's have, but now they're leagues harder to predict because they jetpack like mad and swing sideways, all the time.

For all their power, with how thick their bodies are, and how much that hammer hurts? Hammer Bots are hilariously weak to the Bow. A single headshot will usually be all it takes to bring them down, and if the head's too small a target, cutting an arm will also instantly kill them (No sword, Hammer needs both arms).

What's that sound? It's the sound of frustrated melee users, at the pointy ends of the...

Stab, Stab, Stab

• Mark I has no shield. All it does is try to stick you with the pointy end.
  
  
• Mark II DOES have a shield, and it'll try sticking you with the pointy end. And bashing.
  
  
• Mark III has just the standard AI of Mark III robots, which in the hands of a precision weapon is pretty damned dangerous.
  
  
• Mark IV has set their spear on fire, and will readily abuse that fact.
  
  
• Mark V has all this and jetpacks. These guys can and will ruin your day.

Remember what I said about Spears being able to hit you through armor? Melee combat is risky business with a Spear Bot. If you don't feel too confident, the Hammer can knock them over and open them up to retaliation, or you can use arrows to chip down the shield at a safe distance.

Here's the more unusual, esoteric, or just plain weird threats you'll be tasked with killing in the arena.

Crowd Pleaser
Unique

• 5000 is smaller compared to it's bigger brother, only fires a single bomb at any given time, and has one weak point to hit and destroy.
  
  
• 6000 is too far off the ground to strike with melee weaponry normally, so cut out the legs. It also fires 5 bombs per shot, and has two weak points to attack.

Both Spider-Trons will rain indiscriminate high explosives on you, and thankfully, neither of them can move. Fire weaponry, the Bow, or Fire Arrows are recommended here, as is letting them become team killers by use of bombs.

Rocketmaaan~

• Mark I Jetpack bots are just Mark II sword robots, but jetpack. Is jetpack a verb, you ask? No, but it is now.
  
  
• Mark II Jetpack Bots are a bit smarter about this, and will attempt to trip you up by holding their stabby sticks out to saw you in half.

As one can expect of something with a Jetpack, these guys are really, really good at getting into your business and staying in it. Kick can get them to back off, as can the Shield Bash, but they're also just really zoomy Sword Robots. If you have the Hammer and can time your swings right, it is possible to smash these guys before they can reach you.

Most Definitely Did Not Skip Leg Day

• Mark I runs at you, kicks you, and hits you a short distance away.
  
  
• And Mark II runs at you, kicks you, and hits you hard enough that you might as well go into orbit.

In a cruel twist of irony, Kick-Bots don't have Get Up, and because they lack any weapons outside the environment, taking out a leg will kill them. This said, the environments these bots inhabit are usually ludicrously dangerous, and even then, getting downed renders you extremely vulnerable to any robot in the game. Seriously. Acquire Get Up if you even slightly suspect you're facing off against a Kick-Bot.

Spider-Tron with Metaphorical Legs
Unique

• Charges at you, knocking you down
  
  
• Sprays bombs
  
  
• Five per spray
  
  
• Get Up is practically mandatory

It's honestly best to just use fire weapons and Bows. Otherwise, Warfare here is a Spider-Tron that's actually mobile, and he knows this, and I hate him. He's also a frustratingly small target, but on the bright side...

This guy, Logistics, Mindspace, and Infantry all share the issue of being small, so fire kills them deader.

Holds B to do a Spin Attack. All the time.
Unique

• Floats up to you
  
  
• With a sword
  
  
• That it does 360's with
  
  
• Wants to saw you in half

Look, there's not much to say about Logistics. He thinks he's Phil Swift, and you're lookin' pretty boat-y right about now.

Zerg Rush
Unique

• Spawns random adds
  
  
• Realizes it has a flaming jet and tries to roast you with it
  
  
• Did I mention it charges?
  
  
• Because it charges a lot

These guys are your first priority if they're on the field, because much like dealing with that one racist uncle at a family dinner with that side of the family, they're quite content to add more reasons to hate them on top of all the other ones.

So forgettable, I forgot him when I was first editing this section. I'm not joking.
Unique

• Fires real wide arrows
  
  
• Also tries to toast you with it's flame jet
  
  
• Not much more to say here, probably the least remarkable 'Unique'

This guy's the white bread of the Uniques. He's the floor tile, he's drying paint, he's me at a party. Point is, he's really uninteresting and I wish he had something more to him. Maybe make his arrows try to home in? Or phase through Projectile Deflection? Give him something.

...Doborog please do not be reading this guide.

Frickin' Spider-looking Robots with Frickin' Laser Beams on their Frickin' Torsos!
Unique

• Fires flaming arrows at massive width
  
  
• Has a flaming sword if you think closing in is a good idea
  
  
• And an instant-kill laser beam. It's predictable enough to dodge.

Dodge the beam and use it's opening to get a few shots off. It only takes one clean shot to it's core, or two if it's armored, to drop a Fleet Commander. Do not waste time with this one, that laser will destroy you, armored or not.

I got nothing, those are some thick arrows

• Has a bow that fires arrows as wide as your IRL desk
  
  
• Has a stonkin' big flaming hammer because overkill is the name of the game
  
  
• Has nothing else, thank goodness

These guys share the same shape as the Overseer, only now they also lack the 'I will stop and attempt to annihilate you' laser beam. You know what they also lack? An instant kill move. Still, don't screw around. Those arrows will end you if you're not ready.

'What the Raptor doin?' The answer is 'Burning you.'
Unique

• Walks forwards, spewing fire out of it's face
  
  
• Tail-whips if you get too close, sending you flying and knocking you down
  
  
• Can have a robot riding it. Bonus points if it's a Spear Robot.

Shoot the core to instantly kill it. If a robot was riding it, it'll be knocked down if it's mount explodes, so take advantage and kill it before it gets up, otherwise you'll have one more robot added to the mix They're really only good up close, lucky you.

What the Raptor doin'? The answer is 'Annihilating you.'
Unique

• See: Flame Raptor
  
  
• Except replace 'fire breath' with 'tracking instadeath laser beam'
  
  
• MAKE THESE GUYS YOUR FIRST PRIORITY.

Same weakness as Flame Raptors, but much, much more dangerous due to that laser. It tracks with hilarious precision, unlike the Fleet Commander's laser, and these guys aim for the torso to annihilate you instantly. I'm not joking or being hyperbolic here. If you don't make killing these guys your first move, you're most likely about to die.

Last Human Standing is the battle royale of Clone Drone. Here's how it works;

• You have one life to live!
  DISCLAIMER: (Except in the waiting room, where you live forever, or until the match begins anyway)
  
  
• Dying will prompt you to start a new match, or return to the main menu.
  
  
• Upgrades drop in periodically. You get 4 points to start with in the Lobby, and different upgrades cost different point amounts, but those four will only ever be enough for the bare minimum. Weapons and equipment are very much OSP.
  
  
• Most upgrade drops max out a weapon, granting you all of it's available upgrades at once. Others provide maximum energy, Jetpacks, and the Power Kick.
  
  
• Upgrades can also include things that simply aren't covered in the usual 'upgrades' section, from riding a flame raptor, to harnessing the ungodly power of frickin' laser beams, to experiencing every growth spurt, at once.
  
  
• Jumping consumes Energy. If you think jumping is a replacement for skill, you won't be able to Dash, which can and will screw you over.
  
  
• Once a certain number of humans remain, the arena walls close in. Getting caught outside gives you a second or two to get back in before you're promptly deleted via laser beam.

Honestly, I can't say much because every human is unique and special, and as such tactics versus specific humans are about as pointless as sovereign citizens, but I can give pointers. So I shall.

• Go for the upgrade drops. Against humans who are more skilled then you are, (which, in my case, is all of them) upgrades can act as a leveler to let you stay in the fight, maybe even win it. Additionally, upgrades can open up more weapons, which lets you face down more humans.
  
  
• Always have a weapon. While going in as a pure kicker is a funny meme, it'll also get you destroyed because your only option is unreliable due to ping and Kick's poor range.
  
  
• If an upgrade drop is congested, wait on the sidelines and assault whoever comes out on top of that mob, because odds are they'll be weakened from all the fighting. Or, if you have a bow, fire into the melee in hopes of crippling everyone there. Honor is dead, and you're the butcher.
  
  
• Remember, it's not about getting the most kills, it's about survival. Know when to charge in and when to run the hell away. To repeat my point, honor is not a concept.
  
  
• Some upgrades are worth more then others. While becoming Giant enhances your range, it makes you a very easy target, and while the Raptor might be a bit unreliable with it's flamethrower, the tail swipe is a pure WMD in the right hands.
  
  
• While you can repeatedly hop in and out of an upgrade drop to bait the human, I strongly advise only doing this a few times before moving on. Both because time spent baiting is time spent not getting upgrades yourself, and even if the other human takes the bait, if they catch you out mid-attempt, odds are you're getting your face bashed in.

Weapons behave the same in PvP, with one notable exception: The Sword has been slightly nerfed, swinging slightly slower to compensate for ping with a different model, becoming the Greatsword. There's a Challenge where you can practice using it offline on robots before using it online against humans, so don't worry if that sounds daunting.

• Remember that Weapons Hierarchy? Make use of it, as, all factors equal, some weapons are going to hand others their glutes.
  
  
• The Hammer is an ever-popular pick, and I can see why. It easily one-shots most opponents, can't be stopped by other weapons, and is still relatively quick. However, a Bow user can pelt them to death from just outside their range, and if they whiff, any other melee weapon can mince the user up.
  
  
• The Greatsword can counter Bows, but you'll need any Hammer wielder (which, again, is going to be like 90% of everyone) to whiff before you can safely take a shot. This said, combining it with the Jetpack can allow you to hit-and-run against almost any foe. Provided your frankly suicidal charge works, you'll be able to hit almost any weapon in the wind-up.
  
  
• The Spear is, in my humble opinion, not quite worth pursuing. Sure, it has longer reach and a Shield that can absorb hits for you, but it's finicky unless you set the thing on fire. If you have set it alight, however, go ahead and get stabby.
  
  
• Fire Breath is absent save for getting a Flame Raptor, so I can't discuss it much here. The Raptor itself is armed with finicky, unreliable flame breath, and a wide-sweeping, far-flinging, infinitely useful tail slap, which can and has won me games by way of catapulting someone into lava.
  
  
• The 'F' key is instead bound to the Laser upgrade, which takes time to charge before unleashing a sweeping plasma beam of pure death, utterly and ruthlessly annihilating any and all humans that are dumb, foolish, unaware, or just plain unlucky enough to be in it's way.

Let me make something clear. HERE THERE BE SPOILERS. CLICK AWAY FROM THIS SECTION IF YOU WANT TO GO INTO THE FINAL FIGHT UN-SPOILED. OKAY? OKAY.

With that aside...

MASTER OF A BILLION ROBOTS BY THE STRENGTH OF HIS WILL
MASTER OF A MILLION WORLDS BY TGHE STRENGTH OF HIS ARMIES
ALL HAIL THE ROBOT-EMPEROR OF ROBOTKIND

The Emperor, master of machine-kind, himself. He who is attempting genocide on humanity. He who condemned millions to death in the arena, and continues to do so to this day. He who is casting the biggest 'Flesh to Steel' spell the galaxy has ever seen.

And you? You're here to do the impossible. You're here to kill a mechanical god.

Thankfully, as someone who beat him, on Insane, with a Mark I Spear? Consider this your big motivator that, even as arguably the weakest unit in player-controlled hands, while the Emperor is sadistically difficult, he sure as hell isn't invincible.

The Emperor fight is broken into two Phases. Phase One begins once you enter the room.

Phase 1:

• Great Sword Swings: Swings his big ol' sword left, then right. Jump unless you want to be sawed in half.
  
  
• Hammer Swing: Sends the hammer down onto you, instantly killing you if you're under it's head. Either back off or charge in, as he can't turn well while swinging.
  
  
• Flame Breath: Emperor will use this if he's either down an arm or his legs. Thankfully, he can't lead the target to save his life, so keep moving to the side.
  
  
• LEAP: Takes a great big leap, knocking you over if you're too close and standing when he lands, or just Goomba-stomping you outright. You can jump to get clear of the knockback, but move to avoid being squashed.
  
  
• Block: Attacking from the front while Emperor isn't winding an attack up will see him block you like he's Terry Crews. Additionally, much like Crews, he will also launch you quite a ways off.

After your adventure in the synthwave dimension, Emperor will enter Phase 2. Good luck.

Phase 2's attacks cycle as follows:

• Hammer Swing + Shockwave: Smashes his hammer into the floor, also generating a small wave that will kill you immediately if it lands. Thankfully, his turn radius is slashed during the windup, so if you're in close, flank him and get to attacking.
  
  
• Laser Sword: Projects an insta-kill laser from his blade. Thankfully, he can't lead the target to save his life, so keep moving to the side. Or duck around him, as his turning radius isn't instant. This said, do keep moving, he will try to track you.
  
  
• Great Sword Swings: Two more swings of his mighty sword. Second verse, same as the first, hop like mad.
  
  
• Summon Fabricator: Summons an Armor Fabricator, which will vomit more armor into him. Shoot them first. Or stab them, whichever works. Emps only uses this if he's missing armor and down to one or two Fabricators. In any case, they reinforce him, you want them dead.
  
  
• Clash: Brings his weapons together if you're too close, either crushing you between them or throwing you away in a massive, nigh-unavoidable shockwave.
  
  
• LEAP: Yep, he's still got this too. Don't let him have the high ground.
  
  
• Flame Breath: He's also still got this, though now he'll employ it more liberally. Thankfully, he's, you guessed it, still unable to lead his target.
  
  
• Parry: Knocks you away if you attack from the front while he's not winding up any attacks.

• You're not fighting a big robot, you're fighting a boss from Dark Souls. Know when to duck out and when to take a few potshots on him, but don't get greedy lest he gets in that one fatal attack.
  
  
• Watch what he's doing. A lot of Emperor's attacks have a bit of a tell, and if you know what he's going to try to murder you with this time, you can plan and react accordingly.
  
  
• Related to this, Emperor is supremely vulnerable during most of his windups, and if you can keep in close and Dash just under him, most of his attacks won't be able to turn around in time to hit you, allowing for precious seconds where you can land hits uninterrupted. Again, though: Do not get greedy. If you don't think you can evade his attack by dodging just under him, you probably can't, and you'll be better off dodging the normal way.
  
  
• Emperor's limbs are sever-able, and any limbs lost can not be repaired. Focus on taking out his legs first, then destroy whichever weapon you hate most.
  
  
• Any summons can and will be gibbed by friendly fire. Take advantage of this, but know that the Emperor does not mourn a single light flickering out and will gleefully continue trying to erase you.
  
  
• If you can hit his arms during the windup to some of his attacks, you might be able to sever them immediately, neutering some attacks, but adding others.

Thanks for reading this guide, I hope it's been at least somewhat informative.

I'd like to thank Doborog for making this game, and you, for reading this guide. Hopefully it'll make your time in the are...oh.

...it looks like you got sliced in half in the time it took you to read all this. Whoops. Maybe the next human will do better!