Raw Data Hero Spotlight: Boss, the Street Merc

Hello, and welcome to the third Raw Data hero spotlight! In this series, we’ll give you insight into how SyndiK8’s top operatives utilize nanotechnology to gain enhanced abilities, both through their weapons and with their minds.

By now, you’ve all had almost three months to perfect your pistols as Bishop or hone your blade as Saija–but the dynamic duo is about to become a trio. Raw Data Early Access Update 0.4 arrives next week, and it introduces the first new playable hero since launch: Boss the Street Merc.

You got the initial hints at his abilities in last week’s Sneak Peek, but now it’s time to formally make his acquaintance.

Boss brings a ton of firepower to the fight against Eden Corp thanks to a pump-action shotgun that launches both heavy-duty shells and plasma grenades.

And while his intimidating presence–especially those Zaitomo bionic arms–paints him as an antihero loner, Boss is quickly becoming SyndiK8’s top op to send out as half of a pair: his skills are perfectly complimented by a partner’s special abilities.

 

This is My Boomstick

After Bishop’s pistols and Saija’s katana, the next weapon we had to bring in was the appropriately-named Dominator Shotgun, so named because it owns anyone unfortunate enough to be caught in its sights.

The shotgun is made to blow away whatever it crosses, but with great power comes great…endurance. You can grab and fire with just your dominant hand, but you’ll need both to prime each shot: although the Dominator’s clip holds 12 shells, you need to pump the shotgun between each shot.

As you complete missions with Boss, you’ll unlock more shotgun upgrades. Quad Chamber reduces the need to pump the shotgun to every four shots, giving your arm a break. And there’s Proximity Reload, which is similar to Bishop’s ability of the same name: you can automatically reload the shotgun simply by touching it to your shoulder, without having to grab a clip.

 

Blow Us All Away

The Dominator Shotgun doesn’t just fire shells. It’s also got a few tricks up its barrel in the form of powerful plasma grenades that will obliterate any enemies in your path.

Pull the non-dominant Trigger to fire up to three grenades in a row. They’ll ricochet off any nearby solid surfaces and explode after a couple seconds of travel time. And the best part? There’s no need to reload grenades since they’re on a cooldown. Keep track of how many grenades are available on the cooldown display on the side of Boss’s shotgun, but be aware: these take time to regenerate, and they’re most effective (and destructive) when deployed more than one at a time.

 

Get Some Air

Boss comes into Update 0.4 with one weapon-based special ability, and it’s one your SyndiK8 teammate is sure to enjoy. Air Juggle is an explosive AOE flak blast that hurls nearby enemies up into the air.

Activate Air Juggle by pressing down and swiping left on dominant controller’s trackpad, then sit back and laugh as it turns Eden Corp synthetics into clay pigeons for Bishop’s Bulletstorm, Saija’s Katana Throw, and, of course, Boss’s Dominator. Who’s up for some target practice?!

In a future update, Air Juggle will also meet its perfect ability partner: Boss’s EXE Ultimate Earthquake Slam. We can’t reveal specifics yet, but let’s just say that what goes up must come down–and this landing is anything but soft.

 

C’mon, Take a Shot

Between his crazy shotgun and biomech upgrades, Boss is truly an unstoppable force and an incredible asset to SyndiK8’s ops team. But with slower reload and firing speeds and a grenade cooldown, his firepower comes at a slight price. It all balances out.

That’s why he fares best in a pair, trading shots with Bishop or lining up enemies for Saija to slice while keeping them from getting overwhelmed. And when Boss decides those robots need some airtime, everybody wins.

And with Boss on your team, ability combos just got that much more explosive:

• Air Juggle + Grenades: toss some into the airborne fray and enjoy the fireworks
• Air Juggle + Charged Shot/Bullettime/Bulletstorm (Bishop): pop enemies up into the air, then slow time down for you each to take your best pot shots
• Air Juggle + Katana Throw/Shuriken Stream (Saija): the Cyber Ninja will thank you for giving her boomerang so many ‘bots to slice through
• Grenade + Teleshift + Shotgun: send an enemy staggering with a well-aimed grenade, then rush forward to deliver a satisfyingly literal final blow

After a few successful missions, you’ll deliver a solid message to Eden Corp: you’re not the Boss of me now.

Oh, and the best part about Boss? This isn’t it–he’s got way more badass abilities on the way in future updates, including an upgrade for those metallic muscles that will give him some serious punching power.