DarkAssassina00’s 5 easy steps to winning ACR chases
Wanted is a great multiplayer mode.
I love it. You know you love it.
But sometimes you run into a player that just loves initiating chases. An otherwise great mode degenerates into a maniacal frenzy of sprinting through the streets and across rooftops. Often the chase ends when you suddenly run into your own target, who stuns you. And then your pursuer kills you.
So how do you get ahead of your killer and prevent these unwanted deaths?
#1: Gain the height advantage
A lot of people stay on the ground when they’re being chased, which is okay if you manage to pass through a chase breaker and quickly end the pursuit. But it’s often better to get to the rooftops, which you can do quickly if there’s a nearby lift. If you are able to gain the height advantage, it will be easier to avoid accidentally running into your own target (see below), plus your pursuer will have a harder time catching up to you. He/she won’t be able to kill you from the ground (unless they have the gun), which may give you additional time to hide and end the chase. Plus, if your pursuer gets to the rooftops and you’re still on the ground, you’re at risk for an aerial kill, which will also net your assassin a free point bonus.
#2: Staying vs. running
Keep in mind that your pursuer doesn’t always know who you are. For example, you’re in a blend group and you see your pursuer running towards you at full speed. You think they’re coming right for you but they unexpectedly kill your copy next to you, giving you a Lure bonus. Another time, in the same situation, they end up killing you instead of your copy. So how do you know when to run and when to stay put?
Check to see if your pursuer has the lock on you. If his angle of attack looks slightly off (like he’s running towards your copy next to you), do not move. He likely doesn’t know that you are his real target and will end up killing your copy – giving you a Lure and possible stun bonus. If he hesitates, it’s the perfect time to us a defensive ability and take the stun anyway.
If it seems your pursuer has the lock on you and knows who you are, immediately throw Smoke Bomb/Mute and try to get the stun. If for some reason you mistime your skill, run to initiate a chase. Because your pursuer is blocked by Smoke (or not if you used Mute), they will have a harder time catching up to you, making it easy to hide for an Out of Sight Escape bonus.
#3: Use the long jump
If you have played ACR’s story mode, you know that with the hookblade came a new ability called the long jump, causing you to leap much farther than if you just jumped off a normal building.
To perform a long jump, leap towards a corner-positioned Chase Breaker, then press the B button (on Xbox) or the circle button (on PS3) right before you are about to grab the lamp. Instead of turning the corner, you’ll be slingshot dozens of meters forward, far from your pursuer’s implements of death.
In multiplayer this becomes very important because using a Chase Breaker makes it temporarily vanish. The long jump will give you an extra boost to get much farther than your pursuer, who will be forced to wait or to chase with a huge distance disadvantage. A word of warning – make sure not to use the long jump right next to the map’s boundaries! You could end up smashing right into the white wall of doom, readying yourself for the slaughter.
#4: Don’t do a leap of faith
We all know how fun doing a leap of faith is. The jump is cool in and of itself, but the bird screeching as you fall just adds so much enjoyment that I could do it all day. But you shouldn’t perform a leap of faith if you know your pursuer is close behind. When you land in a bale of hay, you are not able to get out for a short moment. Your pursuer can easily catch up and get an aerial kill, or jump into the hay and execute a leaping assassination on your recently exposed body. This all goes back to Tip #1: don’t let your pursuer gain the height advantage. So resist the urge to do a leap of faith during a chase unless absolutely necessary.
#5: Never run towards your own target
Do not run towards your own target during a chase, period. This is a mistake I’ve made myself in the past and continue to see other players make. If you’re in the general direction of your target and they suddenly appear, you will likely be so focused on avoiding your pursuer that you’ll be easily stunned by your target. Your pursuer will then quickly swoop in for the kill. I’ve learned to use this to my advantage when pursuing a fleeing target, rather than falling victim to it myself. So if you have to decide between whether to confront your pursuer directly or run towards your target, choose your pursuer rather than your target. It feeds your opponent fewer total points and gives you fewer variables to calculate.
You can’t win them all
The most important thing to know is that you won’t win every chase you are forced into. And yes, there are those times when the chases initiate so suddenly that you barely have time to react. It happens to everyone. Although these tips aren’t foolproof, they will help you handle chases and earn more points. Heed these tips, or you may find me on Xbox Live chasing you towards your target and putting my blade through your throat.
Happy hunting,
DarkAssassina00
Much easier steps to winning.
Step 1: Grab Console/Computer
Step 2: Throw out window.
YOU WIN THE GAME!
Your list needs to be a tad bit revised, Guy923.
Behold:
Step 1: Spew endless amounts of vitriol at your fellow gamers until you either (2.1) rage quit or (2.2)everyone leaves.
Step 2.1: Rage quit
Step 2.2: VICTORY!
Step 3: Grab console/computer
Step 4: Throw out window
YOU WIN THE GAME (again)!!!!
I follow these steps every day of my life.
On a more (somewhat) serious note, nice list, Dark :) Much appreciated. I hate chasing, which is why lately I’ve been watching a lot of Astlan’s videos, and he seems to hate the very idea as much as I do. I think I need to follow his tips to try and avoid a chase altogether, but definite follow yours for when I feel forced into it.
What I’ve noticed about Leaps of Faith is that EVERYBODY close enough can hear the scream. While it is most clearly the most awesome thing in the game, that means that even if they didn’t happen to watch your awesome jump into a haybale that seems to be made of dark matter, they know somebody nearby just did a Leap of Faith, and will consequently try to get away (With them being your targets)
This, this, THIS.
When I see that my target is lounging around on the roof, and I don’t have my handy gun with me, I do like to hang around the nearest haycart. Chances are they will find their target somewhat close to me (this is usually the case on maps like Ippo and Knight’s Hospital. I try to avoid the inner ‘courtyard’ area on Antioch at all costs). I can’t tell you how many times they seem to spot their target and immediately leap, only to find my hidden blade uncomfortably up their nostril.
If all else fails, take the honorable death when you can.
When your in a chase, or what i do, is think what is my target going to do next, I use sentry so that i have the extended lock and then see were there going. Climbing building is a waste of time and so i go around. and see were there going next. They will use the chase breakers so think about the map and plot your route.
If you know your pursuers close there no point in starting a chase so if you are or you know that your target knows its you throw a smoke bomb the gun or get an arial kill.
I found that turning the corner and sitting on a bench near an npc clone works almost all the time, people tend to forget that that the bench is used as a hiding place, especialy when the player is in that “chase and kill” mindset.
Well that would work if the player didn’t lock on to you or if you are far enough ahead to actually break the lock when you turn the corner. But most of the time, the pursuer still has you locked, and you would still die.
Another tip:
The biggest problem I have in chases are ability cooldowns. I usually settle for honorable deaths, when if I have ran for 5 more seconds, I could have dropped a smokebomb and got a stun. So I guess that counts as a tip right? Always be aware of your ability cooldowns and plan accordingly.
God I hate Wanted…