GTFO can be a tough game. Players wanting to survive a little longer might want to take a look at the loadouts they use while playing. The wrong loadout will only make a difficult game even harder - and consequently less fun. A loadout in GTFO constitutes two weapons - a main and special weapon - a tool, and a melee weapon.
The melee weapon doesn't matter too much; they are all pretty close to having the same stats. It depends on if players want a slower weapon that does more damage, or a quicker weapon that does a little less damage. The spear used to have an exploit that allowed a player to strike multiple enemies with one swipe, but this was "fixed" in an update.
The final entry will detail which of these loadouts work best in tandem. Lastly, some of the weapons in GTFO are much better than others. In other words, don't be surprised if the Sawed-off Shotgun or Machine Pistol is left-out.
10 SMG - Revolver - Burst Sentry - Sledgehammer
This is a great loadout that gives the player a high maximum ammo capacity and good range. The SMG carries enough ammo that players won't be needing to conserve their ammo - something that can be deadly to the player in this game. There are many times while playing GTFO when a player needs to hold down the trigger and hope the Strikers all die before the magazine is emptied.
The Revolver gives the player a slightly better range, accuracy, and damage over the SMG. A winning strategy is to set up the Burst Sentry in a strategic spot, let it stagger oncoming enemies, and while they're staggered take them out with headshots using the Revolver. In between these moments switch to the SMG.
9 Assault Rifle - Shotgun - Mine Deployer - Knife
This is the loadout to pick for when a player wants to inflict massive amounts of damage on entire groups of enemies. The Assault Rifle is a fully automatic gun that does good damage (for an automatic). Use this weapon for long and medium-range encounters.
For closer encounters, the shotgun should be used. Like in most first-person shooters, the shotgun in GTFO is unparalleled at killing groups of enemies that make the mistake of getting too close. The Mine Deployer should be used on doorways; after the enemy opens the door and sets the mines off, use the Assault Rifle for mop-up duty.
8 DMR - Sniper Rifle - Shotgun Sentry - Spear
Use this loadout for long-range, heavy damage, capabilities. The squad will be helped out a lot if at least one player uses this loadout - though, if every member of the squad uses this loadout it could make things more difficult. It allows one player to stay back and deal significant damage to the stronger enemies. This, in turn, allows the players with more damaging medium-to-short range weapons to handle the weaker enemies.
The Shotgun Sentry should be deployed nearby to protect the user of this loadout from unexpected groups of enemies. The Shotgun Sentry is there to allow the player the time and security to aim for the head.
7 SMG - HEL Gun - Bio Tracker - Sledgehammer
Crowd control is the purpose of this loadout. The SMG for the main weapon in this loadout is to compensate for the low maximum ammo allowed for the HEL Gun. The SMG also gives some measure of crowd control - it's pretty light in the damage department, but has a high rate of fire.
The HEL Gun has the ability to penetrate targets; so, this is perhaps the best weapon to have in hand when opening a door into a room with a lot of enemies. The Bio Tracker will let players know which rooms fit that description, and help make the most of the HEL Gun's limited ammo capacity. This loadout is basically the best main weapon paired with the best special weapon - with the Bio Tracker thrown in for efficiency and intel purposes.
6 Bullpup Rifle - Revolver - Auto Sentry - Sledgehammer
Players wanting a reliable loadout with a good blend of damage, range, crowd control, and maximum ammo capacity should give this one a try. The Bullpup Rifle has a high ammo capacity, and while it doesn't do a lot of damage it has an extremely high rate of fire to compensate. The Bullpup Rifle is also quite stable while firing - making it a good pick for a starting player who may not have the best aim, yet.
The Revolver is a great medium-range weapon for when a player's aim begins improving. This is a high-damage weapon, and its rate-of-fire, and recoil, forces the user to re-aim after every shot (that's a good thing). The Auto Sentry is superb at making enemies stagger; learn to exploit this by scoring headshots with the Revolver while they are staggered.
5 Pistol - Heavy Assault Rifle - Mine Deployer - Spear
Don't underestimate the Pistol in GTFO - it's a very efficient weapon with a large clip (15 rounds) and a maximum ammo capacity high enough that a player never has to worry about conserving ammo. More importantly, the Pistol has a high stagger rate than most of the other weapons. It is much easier to score a headshot on a staggered enemy.
The Heavy Assault Rifle is there for when a high rate of fire is needed for crowd control. This special weapon is in the top three best weapons for crowd control - it does a lot of damage for an automatic weapon. The Mine Deployer is arguably the best tool in GTFO, it's added here to include a trap-setting element to this loadout.
4 Assault Rifle - Sniper Rifle - C-Foam Launcher - Sledgehammer
The C-Foam Launcher can be used as a trap on the floor to immobilize enemies. This loadout exploits this game mechanic by pairing the C-Foam Launcher with the Sniper Rifle. The player can set up a C-Foam trap at a choke point - like a narrow doorway. This will help reduce the chance of the enemy going around the trap. The player can then use the Sniper Rifle to hit the enemies' weak spots while they are immobilized. This is highly effective, and efficient.
The Assault Rifle helps provide an element of crowd control that the Sniper Rifle is lacking. It possesses a high enough ammo capacity (342), magazine size (30 rounds), and does enough damage to make it a top-tier main weapon.
3 SMG - Shotgun - Burst Sentry - Sledgehammer
Most of the loadouts on this list are excellent additions to a squad, but most of these loadouts work best when used in a squad along with other loadouts. This is a loadout that works both ways - it can be used with other loadouts, but is just as effective if used by all the players in a squad.
The SMG is the best all-around main weapon in the game. It has a perfect balance of damage, rate-of-fire, range, and ammo capacity. Four of these in a squad give an almost unmatched level of crowd control. Squads tend to stay together - never split the party! So, if one member has to switch to the shotgun, then it's probably smart for the whole squad to have shotguns.
A quad shotgun setup can clear a room of enemies in seconds. The Burst Sentry provides a constant rate of fire with a high stagger rate. Four of them set up at a choke point is one of the best meta strategies in GTFO.
2 Burst Rifle - Shotgun - Auto Sentry - Sledgehammer
The Burst Rifle has an awkward breaking-in period as a player acclimates to its 3-shot burst when the trigger is pulled. Provided the entire 3-shot burst hits, this is one of the best main weapons in terms of damage per trigger pull. Additionally, the Burst Rifle has minimal recoil - making it easier to aim while firing.
One of the biggest problems with the Burst Rifle is it isn't that good against large numbers of fast-moving enemies. The Shotgun is included for those scenarios. The Auto Sentry gives this loadout the medium-range crowd control capabilities lacking in the two weapons, as well as a high stagger rate.
1 Loadout Meta For The Squad
The C-Foam Launcher can be used to temporarily seal a door. By the time the enemy breaks through the door, there can be a huge crowd of enemies waiting to swarm into the room. For this reason, a loadout with the C-Foam Launcher is best paired with a loadout with the Mine Deployer. Let the enemies accumulate outside a door, then mine the doorway. This is one of the most efficient means to clear a large enemy group.
The Bio Tracker is also best paired with a Mine Deployer; since it can let a squad know if there are enemies beyond a door, and if they're active or sleeping. Never bring more than two Sniper Sentries; one is almost too many. The loadouts in entries #9, #8, #4, and #3 are effective squad loadouts.
GTFO is available now for PC.