How are you supposed to counter husk parasites?

[kirb]

These guys are absolutely everywhere. Practically every single wreck or cave has them, either husked divers or husked crawlers, so dealing with them is inevitable, and it's ALWAYS situations where you can't use your shipboard cannons. Sure, you can try to lead them all the way out of the cave or wreck or whatever but the husked crawlers are faster than you on a scooter, so there's nothing you can do. They're going to hit you at least once before you kill them, and boom, you're husked. I can't afford to blow 99% of my budget on constantly popping calyxanide like i'm addicted to it. It is getting INCREDIBLY annoying and husks are the reason for like 3/4 of any failed missions. Not to mention the husked humans genuinely have unbelievable amounts of health. If that same ratio of normal health to huskified health was consistent with the crawlers they'd be as strong as ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ molochs.

so, am I supposed to be buying dozens and dozens of calyxanide? is there something I don't know about the combat that makes it not be a ragdoll fest?

[sokolov]

Originally posted by kirbcake:

I can't afford to blow 99% of my budget on constantly popping calyxanide like i'm addicted to it.

Antibiotics, antibiotics, antibiotics. Administering them as soon as you can (especially by a medic) can outright cure the infection and grant resistance against it at the same time.
The curing effect is rather weak and only lasts 60 seconds so you'd have to take multiple doses.

Also Calyxanide is very harmful towards Husks, something you may want to consider with a Syringe Gun.

Originally posted by kirbcake:

Not to mention the husked humans genuinely have unbelievable amounts of health.

Not really, unless you expect to kill them with a single knife or something equally weak.
They regenerate health whenever they bite you (alongside passive hp regen) and they also accelerate your infection with every hit.

Husks also have bleeding resistance since it doesn't really need blood to live.

Originally posted by kirbcake:

Sure, you can try to lead them all the way out of the cave or wreck

Why lure them out of a wreck? Use piercing / explosive ammo to make holes and get rid of them. Works for every other type of creature as well.
In caves they're the most common in Biome 2 and 3 iirc.

[Nick O'Dim]

Wearing cultist/zealot robes - husk creatures won't attack (until agressed)
Personal preferable husk infection treatment - sufforin/stabilozine/europabrew combination (sort of mini game)
Luring to the turrets - sonar beacon (if in cargo scooter - ultimate bait)
Dealing with uber-husks (prowler / chimera / exosuit) - poisons (personal preference - sufforin)

Husked humans don't have great amount of health - they just regenerate. When they are uncontious, they don't develop oxygen-low affliction, they just lay down and heal themselves. Wear Health HUD to see stats - if hud gives [deceased] - then it's properly dead.

[FourGreenFields]

Originally posted by Sokolov:

Antibiotics [...] grant resistance against it.

Just to clarify: The husk infection resistance does not reduce the chance of getting infected, it just reduces speed of progression.

Originally posted by Nick O'Dim:

Wear Health HUD to see stats - if hud gives [deceased] - then it's properly dead.

You can also just check if there is still a health bar, same as on humans. Or sever a limb - human husks cannot have their limbs severed while still alive (but you do not need to sever a limb to kill).

Originally posted by kirbcake:

Sure, you can try to lead them all the way out of the cave or wreck or whatever but the husked crawlers are faster than you on a scooter, so there's nothing you can do. They're going to hit you at least once before you kill them, and boom, you're husked.

There are options to deal with that, and tricks to at least reduce the chance.

• Before cutting a door to a room with an enemy (husks make distinctive sounds) open, cut a wall until it's damaged enough to let water through. Wait until the room is fully flooded and you won't be pulled in.
  
• A boarding axe can behead them with one strike before you get hit.
  
• A number of weapons will be able to stunlock, even at (short) range
  
  • Autoshotguns
    
  • Assault rifles
    
  • Handcannons
    
  • HMG
    
  • Riot shotgun with rubber shot
    
  • Scrap cannon with lead, uranium, steel, or scrap
    
  • As far as I can tell, the warcrime beam (rapid fissile accelerator) should also stunlock them, but has the issue of being a chargeup weapon
    
  • Chloral hydrate ought to work, though the delay in effect might be an issue
• Some weapons have such high DPS that you might be able to kill them before they get close, even without stunlocking. E.g. dual machine pistols (hard to get at high qualities though), SMG with depleted ammo, autoshotgun (except with rubber shot), assault rifle, and HMG.
  
• Calyxanide will deal a lot of damage to husks.
  
• Burns (including acid burns and the warcrime beam) are great against husks - not just are they unable to regenerate from burns, they also take increased damage from it. A steam cannon should be very effective, if you have one.
  
• Flares, glowsticks, and active sonar beacons may distract hostiles, but I don't think they're 100% effective when the enemy is allready in your face (and also, flares/glowsticks get damaged by enemy attacks).
  
• Some things slow enemies - acid weapons, raptorbane extract (through nausea), many poisons. Might allow you to outswim even a husked crawler.
  
• If you really want to, you could use stun grenades (possibly inside a detonator). Preferably with either meth, hyperzine, or combat stims (combat stims providing stun resistance, meth and hyperzine healing stuns).

Originally posted by kirbcake:

I can't afford to blow 99% of my budget on constantly popping calyxanide like i'm addicted to it.

Antibiotics was allready mentioned - rum works too. Heals 30 husk infection, only below 50 infection strength. Sufforin and cyanide are also options, but obviously need some method to treat it.

If you have a health-scanner you can also use that. It'll show the infection at 40 strength and higher - early enough to use rum or antibiotics, but will need several doses.

Originally posted by kirbcake:

Not to mention the husked humans genuinely have unbelievable amounts of health.

200 health. Same vitality modifiers as a human against damage (double on head, half on arms and legs). Double vitality loss from burns against head and torso, modifier of 1 against arms and legs. No armour. Dies at -100 health.

A well-armoured human will be much tougher (only 100 health, but armour will reduce most damage a lot), even before healing items and buffs enter the stage.

Originally posted by kirbcake:

is there something I don't know about the combat that makes it not be a ragdoll fest?

The thing is that you should make it a "ragdoll the enemy"-fest. Stun is a very, very powerfull tool, and there are plenty of options to dish it out, and a few (most allready mentioned above) to reduce its effects on you.

[kirb]

I see, thank you guys for all the super helpful advice!!!!!

[Made in-Human]

If you think that's bad, try to avoid someone being husked inside an outpost. The one time it happened to me I had to reset because one single husk took out almost every npc in the outpost that could fight, and it just kept regenerating over and over again.

Also, do not delay to dish out antibiotics, administer asap because as you may have noticed it progresses very fast. GL

[Beltneck]

Antibiotics below 20% infection. Calaxanide after that.

Can also put Calaxanide in a syringe gun and use it as a weapon, but those are very expensive bullets. Its still worthwhile having a syring gun loaded with them though. Because the infection won't show up in the medical tab right away, but you can use a syringe gun to apply the treatment anyway.

So I make my dive team's doctor carry an antibiotic and calaxanide gun, just for faster treatment.

[Chaos Coyote]

Originally posted by kirbcake:

These guys are absolutely everywhere. Practically every single wreck or cave has them, either husked divers or husked crawlers, so dealing with them is inevitable, and it's ALWAYS situations where you can't use your shipboard cannons. Sure, you can try to lead them all the way out of the cave or wreck or whatever but the husked crawlers are faster than you on a scooter, so there's nothing you can do. They're going to hit you at least once before you kill them, and boom, you're husked. I can't afford to blow 99% of my budget on constantly popping calyxanide like i'm addicted to it. It is getting INCREDIBLY annoying and husks are the reason for like 3/4 of any failed missions. Not to mention the husked humans genuinely have unbelievable amounts of health. If that same ratio of normal health to huskified health was consistent with the crawlers they'd be as strong as ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ molochs.

so, am I supposed to be buying dozens and dozens of calyxanide? is there something I don't know about the combat that makes it not be a ragdoll fest?

Same way you deal with Xenomorphs or Australian Spiders;
High-explosives or Fire .. lots and lots and

LOTS

of FIRE

[glynda]

Originally posted by Beltneck:

Antibiotics below 20% infection. Calaxanide after that.

Can also put Calaxanide in a syringe gun and use it as a weapon, but those are very expensive bullets. Its still worthwhile having a syring gun loaded with them though. Because the infection won't show up in the medical tab right away, but you can use a syringe gun to apply the treatment anyway.

So I make my dive team's doctor carry an antibiotic and calaxanide gun, just for faster treatment.

Antibiotics also just before getting out of ship - they are cheap as water and you are getting slower spread if bitten by husks.

[Buzzles]

Originally posted by Beltneck:

Antibiotics below 20% infection. Calaxanide after that.
[snip]

Not quite, antibiotics work for everything up to 75% infection (the point where you get the extra mouth appendage). They only heal a net effect of 21 strength for each one, so you have to use multiple.

If you get the messages like "Your throat feels sore" "you feel feverish" etc... that means you've hit 25 husk infection strength.

Pop 2 antibiotics with a few seconds in between (this'll heal just over 40 infection strength), and have a morphine ready to undo the organ damage and you'll be fine.

More details in the wiki as per usual:
https://barotraumagame.com/wiki/Husk_Infection/


One of the best ways of dealing with them in wrecks/beacon stations is simply to take plasma cutter to some walls so the sub guns can aim in, if you don't want to use your sub's guns with piercing or exploding ammo to blow holes in things.

[climbingeastofwinter]

A box of coilgun ammo is on par with that of a dose of morphine. It's always better to use the sub guns where possible.

[kingmagma111]

Originally posted by climbingeastofwinter:

A box of coilgun ammo is on par with that of a dose of morphine. It's always better to use the sub guns where possible.

I'd say a box of coilgun ammo is worth multiple doses of morphine, and that scales up with your ability to aim. Definitely should use sub guns at every opportunity, rather than resorting to personal arms.

[kingmagma111]

I will say, commenting on those who have (rightly) suggested using calyxaniide as a weapon against the husk, that it is a little annoying that the substance is a better weapon than a medicine. A single dose can cure you once, just for you to get infected again, or kill a husk, preventing it from infecting you or anyone else again.
I would almost prefer to see two different versions: One that has a very strong and immediate effect, so much so that it is bound to cause some amount of internal trauma as it quickly kills the infection. This form is more suited to be injected manually or via syringe gun into turned husks or as a last resort into people who are heavily infected.
And the second version, a slightly milder concoction that is less dangerous and has a longer effect over time treating the parasite. It will clear an infection within 30 seconds or so and also help prevent further infection for some time.

Just some thoughts. If people like it enough I might make it a suggestion.

Edit: I just realized that I basically explained the differences between ABX and calyxanide, silly me. I guess what I'm saying is that the organ damage should be applied by calyxanide instead of ABX, which should be made slightly more effective as well.

[Bookslayer10]

Originally posted by kingmagma111:

I will say, commenting on those who have (rightly) suggested using calyxaniide as a weapon against the husk, that it is a little annoying that the substance is a better weapon than a medicine. A single dose can cure you once, just for you to get infected again, or kill a husk, preventing it from infecting you or anyone else again.

Why would you use Calyxanide as a weapon, like, ever? That's just a complete waste of money. Calyxanide costs 510 marks per dose, it's literally the most expensive medical item in the game. For the cost of one dose of calyxanide, you could buy FIVE 40mm grenades and shoot every husk you see five times with a grenade launcher, and it STILL would be cheaper. Most of the time one 40mm grenade is enough, and there are weapons that are much cheaper then that and just as deadly.

In the early game you should buy revolver ammo and repeatedly shoot husks in the head, making sure to always keep your distance as to never get into close range. That should be enough for the rare husks that you find early game. Mid-game, shotguns with explosive rounds, rifles, assault rifles, and depleted fuel weapons are all good for killing husks fast before they reach you. Late game, any heavy weapon is enough to kill swarms of regular husks, and is also enough to shred any advanced variants that start spawning.

[kingmagma111]

Originally posted by Bookslayer10:

Originally posted by kingmagma111:

I will say, commenting on those who have (rightly) suggested using calyxaniide as a weapon against the husk, that it is a little annoying that the substance is a better weapon than a medicine. A single dose can cure you once, just for you to get infected again, or kill a husk, preventing it from infecting you or anyone else again.

Why would you use Calyxanide as a weapon, like, ever? That's just a complete waste of money. Calyxanide costs 510 marks per dose, it's literally the most expensive medical item in the game. For the cost of one dose of calyxanide, you could buy FIVE 40mm grenades and shoot every husk you see five times with a grenade launcher, and it STILL would be cheaper. Most of the time one 40mm grenade is enough, and there are weapons that are much cheaper then that and just as deadly.

In the early game you should buy revolver ammo and repeatedly shoot husks in the head, making sure to always keep your distance as to never get into close range. That should be enough for the rare husks that you find early game. Mid-game, shotguns with explosive rounds, rifles, assault rifles, and depleted fuel weapons are all good for killing husks fast before they reach you. Late game, any heavy weapon is enough to kill swarms of regular husks, and is also enough to shred any advanced variants that start spawning.

Well, you can only buy so many 40mm grenades before the shops run out, and then you have to start crafting them out of UEX, which isn't too expensive, but getting the sodium can be troublesome.
Every weapon, especially high firerate weapons, requires you to land your hits consistently in order to kill. Not to mention, husks are hard to stun, regenerate whenever you have to reload, and are fast. I went toe to toe with a single Chimera with consistent HMG fire. It closed the massive gap between us and killed me after tanking an entire magazine and then some. And I had 100 weapons and was landing pretty much every shot.
A single calxyanide may be 510 marks, but it is a guaranteed kill on pretty much every instance of husk with only a single hit. It can be injected manually, worst case scenario, and can also be fired from a syringe gun. It can be crafted using the drops of Husks, plus some relatively cheap resources. It may be expensive but it is also the most effective way to kill them.

burns are also insanely effective, so flamers, incendium grenades, and the warcrime beam are all the best way to go. But it would be nice to see Calyxanide be more usefull

[FourGreenFields]

Originally posted by Bookslayer10:

Why would you use Calyxanide as a weapon, like, ever?

The tankier husks might be a reason to.

Just looking at the stats - calyxanide deals 600 damage to husks, over 5s. Completely overkill against a regular husk (200 health, and slow), but a prowler has 400 health, a husk exosuit 500 (though it's slow), and a chimera 600. Exosuit I'd assume will just barely live (but go down), chimera will probably stay in the fight until you hit it slightly more.

Add to that that it isn't AoE (-> less self-damage and friendly fire risk), and will kill (or damage very heavily) in one hit (might matter if you can close a door or start running right after a shot) it seems like "an option" at least. Possibly cost-inefficient, but not quite as bad as you make it out to be (unless using on husked crawlers and regular husks).

Also, unrelated to what you wrote:

Originally posted by FourGreenFields:

• Burns (including acid burns and the warcrime beam) are great against husks - not just are they unable to regenerate from burns, they also take increased damage from it. A steam cannon should be very effective, if you have one.

Apparently I was spreading misinformation - husks can regenerate from burns, just more slowly. 0.1 burn regen for a regular husk (0.5 damage regen). Recent-ish change.