Win more with ADRENALINE

[Sucka MCs]

(Note: I know some of your are experts that don't need this tip. This post isn't for you but feel free to add any insights. Also, this is for Campaign, not VS)

Having watched 300+ players over the last weeks, it seems most don't know HOW to use adrenaline. First, what is it?

"An Adrenaline Shot gives you a fifteen-second health and energy boost that lets you run faster, use items & revive twice as fast, and run through zombies without getting slowed down by their attacks."

So the key concept there is you have about 15-seconds to run through zombies.

That means you should be SAVING your adrenaline, not using it just anywhere, but saving it, for sections in the map you need to rush. Here are some good places to use them off the top of my head (but please develop your own judgement):

DEAD CENTER: delivering soda; the alarm rush to the safe room at the mall; the gas run at the end.

THE PASSING: the alarm rush, in the sewers, to the final safe room

DARK CARNIVAL: the alarm rush after gates open to the final safe room (bonus: save your pipes for this as well, so rush the gate, throw a pipe, and then take your adrenaline to rush to the gate--experiment with timing)

SWAMP FEVER: (I dunno, I'm newish to L4D2 and have only played this map twice; maybe someone has a tip for this map in the comments.)

HARD RAIN: the rush through the tall grass to the last safe room (before you turn back) is a good place. Or just hold onto it for emergencies, because adrenaline helps you run through water, which normally slows you down; no bueno when being chased by TANK.

THE PARISH: the last chapter is a rush to a helicopter. Save your adrenaline from the chapter before it, because there is no promise you'll have one waiting in the safe room. Right after the Tank, a new hoard will approach. Fight your way through the last bridge, and as you hear that final-music, take your adrenaline and rush to the 2 pipes. Throw one, then the other, as your team approaches, to help them get through. Now everyone should make it to the choppa.

COLD STREAM: save your adrenaline for the last drag. Before you come out of the stream, you will go down a tunnel. There will be pipes, usually, before you go up the stairs. Grab that, come out stairs, throw pipe, and after pipe blows up, use adrenaline to rush to the helicopter.

THE LAST STAND: after the first TANK there is a gas run. Save your bile, and your adrenaline for it. Throw your bile past the car at the bottom of the hill. Take your Adrenaline and rush back and forth to pick up the gas cans at the bottom of the hill--with other players of course. Also, leave the throwables in the shed at the bottom of the hill so that on your second return, you can throw a pipe (or Molly), grab the last gas can, and run up the hill through the forest.

BONUS TIP: for rushes through zombies, I like to bring a shotgun, so I'll take adrenaline, use the 10 shots in the shotgun to get through the first half, but rather than reload I'll pull out my melee weapon to get through the second half. Combine that with a pipe throw somewhere in there and you should be ahead of your group. Use your advantage to help others if need be, like clearing zombies so they can get to the safe room too.

Good luck! Let me know if this improves your game.

[**DeiRowtag]

I usually not use my adre for those section because rushing alone mean death (in versus at least) and it is rare that all 4 survivors have an adre shot.

My rare use of adre is when there is multiple task to do like heal + reviving someone for exemple or multiple heal, or healing in emergency situation (surounded by hordes or tank)

This apply the most in versus of course, in campaign using it to rush over event is good as when you close safe room in most of event, the horde is cut so your teammate can come to you with no trouble

[FireWolfBoy]

Originally posted by **DeiRowtag:

I usually not use my adre for those section because rushing alone mean death (in versus at least) and it is rare that all 4 survivors have an adre shot.

My rare use of adre is when there is multiple task to do like heal + reviving someone for exemple or multiple heal, or healing in emergency situation (surounded by hordes or tank)

This apply the most in versus of course, in campaign using it to rush over event is good as when you close safe room in most of event, the horde is cut so your teammate can come to you with no trouble

From the tone of OP’s post, I’m pretty certain he’s referring to Campaign here. Otherwise, it will happen exactly as you put it—solo rush through Versus =

[FireWolfBoy]

Great and helpful post!

Just to add since you mentioned it.

SWAMP FEVER: After starting the crescendo event on the plane, you can throw a bile far away behind, take adrenaline, and just rush forward with teammates to the Safe Room. The swamp water will not slow you down because of the effect of the adrenaline, making it easy to move effortlessly.

PRO TIP: In the Swamp Fever finale, I was already with two other teammates close to the rescue boat but decided to use adrenaline + bile to clutch defib another teammate who died inside the mansion. I then guided the teammate to safety on the rescue boat after reviving them.

[CyFiver]

I mean even in Expert Realism you don't need to rush much. Other then the scripted parts that we all have known of for a decade+

The biggest tips come from the alternate usage and using it properly. If you aren't willing to slam it and revive a buddy in a high volume section of the map, save the team by darting or the plethora of other GOOD reasons.

Nothing sucks more then a guy with an adren and you have two down + objectives that have channels but more then enough time to recover. Then kids wonder why kick votes go out.

And as Firewolf said, this feels like a No-Mod Campaign discussion for sure. PvP is a different ballgame.

[FireWolfBoy]

Originally posted by Sucka MCs:

Originally posted by FireWolfBoy:

Great and helpful post!

Just to add since you mentioned it.

SWAMP FEVER: After starting the crescendo event on the plane, you can throw a bile far away behind, take adrenaline, and just rush forward with teammates to the Safe Room. The swamp water will not slow you down because of the effect of the adrenaline, making it easy to move effortlessly.

Perfect addition, thank you! Next time I play Swamp Fever I'll employ your advice.

You’re welcome! It’s fun to do a grenade launcher rush through it unless your teammates insist on defending at the plane.

Here’s a health kit for your troubles.

[FireWolfBoy]

Originally posted by Sucka MCs:

Originally posted by FireWolfBoy:

From the tone of OP’s post, I’m pretty certain he’s referring to Campaign here. Otherwise, it will happen exactly as you put it—solo rush through Versus =

Exactly, the campaign--thanks for clarifying. Although I don't mind people commenting on other modes if they want to add to the post. I'm not a VS player so I have no insight there.

And to clarify to others reading: I in no way am suggesting players take adrenaline and speedrun the map past your team. Using adrenaline before a safe room (eg. Dark Carnival, after the gates open) lets you clear more infected, faster, and you can throw a pipe--all things that make it easier on the team behind you.

If you’re playing Mutations like Hard Eight or Special Delivery, you’re also going to need to save adrenaline shots for clutch-reviving multiple teammates if you’re the only one left standing in certain circumstances. Such Mutations will give you less breathing room than even Versus mode because of the ♥♥♥♥♥♥ up spawn cycles, so the adrenaline will be a godsend.

[Noodle]

If they are new, do not expect them to know how to use adrenaline if they barely know how to use a weapon

[FireWolfBoy]

Originally posted by Sucka MCs:

Originally posted by CyFiver:

I mean even in Expert Realism you don't need to rush much. Other then the scripted parts that we all have known of for a decade+

I have no doubts that you're a top-player, but respectfully, tell that to the countless players that don't know how to conserve throwables, adrenaline, health, and get to the safe room during a rush. If you're an Expert Realism players with a decade+, please read the note at the bottom of my post where I addressed your player-type. Actually I'll edit and put that at the top then.

Originally posted by CyFiver:

The biggest tips come from the alternate usage and using it properly. If you aren't willing to slam it and revive a buddy in a high volume section of the map, save the team by darting or the plethora of other GOOD reasons.

Yes, there are other good and creative ways to use all items. Rushing to safe room is by no means the only way to use Adrenaline, and theres often a lot of it throughout the camping chapters, so use as you like, and feel free to develop own judgements. I'm speaking mostly to players that haven't developed any concept of how to use it (other than health), and then get stuck and don't make it in the end, or get stuck and I have to save them. A lot of players will drop adrenaline for pills, but I'd like people to do the opposite and use adrenaline strategically (doesn't have to be just for rushes, like you mentioned).

Originally posted by CyFiver:

Nothing sucks more then a guy with an adren and you have two down + objectives that have channels but more then enough time to recover. Then kids wonder why kick votes go out.

And as Firewolf said, this feels like a No-Mod Campaign discussion for sure. PvP is a different ballgame.

Yup. I'm speaking to regular players in campaigns. I'll add that to my post.

Sometimes I have scenarios like this with Pub randoms.

Me: *sees teammate with free 5th slot*

Me: *gives adrenaline*

Newbie: *has 80 HP* *takes the adrenaline shot instantly anyway*

Me:

So yes. Your post is helpful to those people out there lol.

[FireWolfBoy]

Originally posted by Noodle':

If they are new, do not expect them to know how to use adrenaline if they barely know how to use a weapon :mrb_sergei:

That’s why Single Player exists for the bare basics.

[Noodle]

This game should have a tutorial mode so that new ones know how to play even the basics

[Noodle]

And the probability that they see useful guides like this is difficult

[FireWolfBoy]

Originally posted by Sucka MCs:

Originally posted by FireWolfBoy:

PRO TIP: In the Swamp Fever finale, I was already with two other teammates close to the rescue boat but decided to use adrenaline + bile to clutch defib another teammate who died inside the mansion. I then guided the teammate to safety on the rescue boat after reviving them.

Thats amazing! Those creative heroic moments are what I like best about L4D. Wish I could have seen that.

That’s what gets the actual adrenaline pumping in your body while doing it haha, not knowing whether you might die due to a sudden Special Infected or the Tank deciding to take a detour but you do it anyway because it’s fun and challenging.

It’s also fun to try and pull off in Dark Carnival finale where you always have two defibs lying around and four adrenaline shots.

[FireWolfBoy]

Originally posted by Sucka MCs:

Originally posted by FireWolfBoy:

Sometimes I have scenarios like this with Pub randoms.

Me: *sees teammate with free 5th slot*

Me: *gives adrenaline*

Newbie: *has 80 HP* *takes the adrenaline shot instantly anyway*

Me:

So yes. Your post is helpful to those people out there lol.

Freakin' exactly!

Another example, before the Dark Carnival rush up the rollercoaster, there will be a medicine cabinet in a building that gives us a chance to regroup before the rollercoaster. Some players will take whatever is in there (pills or adrenaline) immediately--not even saving it for the start of the event.

Oh they always do. They chug the damn pills like ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ Skittles lol.

[Lynfinity]

Someone already mentioned it, but I still want to emphasize:

Healing/reviving teammates (or healing yourself) while under Adre's effects can make a huge difference between life and death. I cannot count how many times me and everyone else would be dead because of an unlucky horde spawn or a wild Tank, if it were not for that one single shot of Adrenaline.

Getting out of a sticky situation alive - easy, like snapping your fingers.

[FireWolfBoy]

Originally posted by MC Von Neetinator:

Someone already mentioned it, but I still want to emphasize:

Healing/reviving teammates (or healing yourself) while under Adre's effects can make a huge difference between life and death. I cannot count how many times me and everyone else would be dead because of an unlucky horde spawn or a wild Tank, if it were not for that one single shot of Adrenaline.

Getting out of a sticky situation alive - easy, like snapping your fingers.

This.

OP, skip to 3:02 for triple-clutch-revive using just one adrenaline shot. It can really make all the difference especially on Expert difficulty.
https://youtu.be/RuEYJSLR-BU