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Overview[]
Strider
The Strider is a large Bane mechanical unit piloted by a Thrax soldier. Striders are among the most dangerous enemies found on the battlefield and should be engaged with great caution. If you should choose to attack, it is highly advisable that you take the Strider down as fast as possible due to its special beam attack.
Attack Pattern[]
Strider Plasma Ball & Laser Barrage
A Strider's main weapon is a short laser blast from the mounted turret. This weapon is the least of a soldier's worries but can be quite painful nonetheless.
The Strider will also attempt to close in on its target in order to utilize a close ranged attack. It will lift its front legs and slam the ground with an electric field which will both damage and knock back nearby foes.
Strider Ground Attack
Third, the Strider will, with relative frequency, charge up a green plasma ball at its "eye". This attack takes a number of seconds to charge, and you may have time to find cover or prepare for the blow. It will deal a heavy virulent DOT but should be relatively manageable. (The strider's green bolt attack used to be physical, and was changed in Deployment 8)
Finally, if the Strider hasn't been taken out within a certain timeframe, it will eventually unleash a heavy, sustained laser barrage which will deal fire damage. There is little time to prepare for this attack. The energy will only coalesce around the main cannon for a second or two. If hit by this attack by a Strider at or above your level, death is a likely result, even with Graviton Armor. It deals a massive DOT that will drain your health and armor in seconds.
Hints[]
When Striders Attack: How to Survive An easy way to help survive is to run underneath them as it interferes with their targeting (but watch out for the ground blast). Since at least Deployment 9, the Biotechnition ability Cure 4: Protection will make players immune to both the green plasma ball and the fire beam of death. Players still take damage from the standard turret attack and the ground blast, and can be knocked over by the ground blast. This should not pose much of a problem as all weapons have an effective range outside the reach of the ground blast. Do not get too caught up in laughing as the Strider shoots you and cries "OMG H4X!" as you can still be hurt by any other enemies around you. Thrax Technicians seem to be able to occasionally negate the effect of Cure 4 and should be dealt with before the Strider (possibly from critical EMP hits).
Where Are All The Striders?
For those who want a challenge or to "farm" special items (or just want to use the above technique), it helps to know where to look. Striders first appear in Plains. They can be found in the trenches just North of Irendas Penal Colony, another group of 2 or 3 traveling together can be found to the East of the tranch (WARNING! Taking on multiple striders without protection will likely result in death!), and several other roaming around the middle of the map between Lightning Fields and Geyser Chimney Basin Control Points. Several more can be found in and around the front of the large bane base on the North edge of the map. For high level players (no less than 48, preferably 50) who want to farm striders to get good loot, take a trip to Howling Maw. Southwest of the Live Target Pens instance is an area called "Strider Staging Area (In-game abbreviated as SSA)". There is a large pyramid that is surrounded by striders. There are three normal striders (usually lvl47-50), and a named strider (lvl49-50). Striders can be found on many other maps, but in fewer numbers.