Player vs. Player combat (PvP) is brutal in The Cycle: Frontier. Not only do players have to worry about enemy prospectors, but they also need to contend with creatures and the storm. The Cycle: Frontier is an exceptionally punishing game because the combat is challenging and because when players lose, their valuable equipment will disappear (along with their dried tears!). For that reason, we’ve prepared some great PvP tips for beginner and intermediate Cycle Frontier players to take advantage of.
Winning a gunfight takes more than knowing how to point and fire weapons. The outcome depends on how players use their brains to overcome challenging situations and put their equipment to good use. Can they outplay the other minds in the field? In a game as punishing as The Cycle, players should know their guns, equipment, and what to do in different situations.
Before we get deep into the topic, players should check our Complete Cycle: Frontier Beginners Guide, especially if players are new to the game.
How To Be A Feared Prospector In The Cycle: Frontier With These Basic Tips
To be a feared prospector in a game like this, players need to know their equipment, be aware of their surroundings, and improvise. The Cycle: Frontier is an extraction looter, not a team deathmatch game where players always pick their fights.
Here, Prospectors must be ready for the worst to happen at any moment. One minute, players can be picking Waterweeds at the Waterlabs, and the next minute, they are fighting two different teams and a Rattler.
Pro Tip: For Lone Wolf Prospectors In The Cycle: Frontier, pick your equipment right.
Solo prospectors need to know the suitable guns, gear, and equipment for solo runs. Conflicts will be different if players are with a team or by themselves. Knowing all of the Cycle Frontier tips as to which guns are best for solos, what and how many grenades to carry, what type of armor will suit you best. Moreover, knowing how to approach a scenario will make a difference in your game.
What Kind Of Weapons Are The Best For Solos
If players decide to jump into a game by themselves, we highly recommend they have balance in their loadout. For example: have a C-32 Bolt Action and a submachine gun or a shotgun as your secondary. In this way, you can both engage in long-range fights and counterattacks at close range.
If players want to specialize in either long-range or close-range fights, it can be a high risk, high reward. Similarly, using some of the top guns in The Cycle Frontier can be risky without insurance. If a player’s loadout is meant to excel at long range, they are ineffective at close range, and vice versa.
One of our best tips for Cycle Frontier players is to carry an Assault Rifle to engage in Mid-range fights and counter long-range attacks or at least suppress them while they close distance or run away.
In an environment like Fortuna, where it is very likely to encounter enemy players at close range, players can never go wrong with a shotgun as their secondary. Dangerous AI may also jump out from behind forest cover, so carry a gun that can get you out of a suddenly desperate situation! We invite players to explore one of our recent articles about the best Cycle Frontier weapons for your buck.
Best Defensive Gear For Solo Prospectors In The Cycle: Frontier
Solo players have a high chance of encountering groups of enemy prospectors. Because of this, solo players must carry good gear with them, especially if they have missions in high-danger areas. We do not recommend or tip Cycle Frontier players to wear common or uncommon armor for solo runs. If players cannot grab rare armor or above, green armor should provide adequate safety.
What Meds Should Be In A Solo Prospector’s Backpack?
Our recommendation for beginners is to always carry ten Weak Stims and two Weak Medkits.
Medkits can completely regenerate your health points (HP), but they work at a snail’s pace. Weak Stims refill only a small portion of your HP, but with a quicker healing rate, they don’t leave you tearing your hair out in suspense. For more experienced players who qualify at Osiris Market, we recommend packing the Strong Stims. Ten Strong Stims and two Medkits of your preference should do the job.
Our Tips on How Many And What Kind Of Grenades a Prospector Should Carry in The Cycle Frontier
Regular Grenades are extremely powerful, not only because of the damage they deal, but also because of their short fuse time. You can throw them one moment and listen to the sweet sounds of chaos the next.
The amount a prospector should carry will vary depending on his backpack, as grenades weigh a little too much. If players are taking a Common Backpack, we recommend two Grenades, one Smoke Grenade, and one Gas Grenade. If players carry anything more spacious than a Common Backpack, then the more grenades they carry, the better! As of the date of this writing, grenades are the most effective tactics available (META). So effective, in fact, that we’re on the lookout for future nerfings. In short, we advise carrying a big haul of grenades to cut angles, draw enemies out of their cover, and defend yourself from attackers.
Related Article: The Best Budget Equipment and Guns in The Cycle: Frontier
How To Deal With Enemy Prospectors And Creatures At The Same Time And Not Die In The Process
Picture this: you are peacefully running through Bright Sands, looting and mining happily. You find a Rattler and shoot it because it was in your way. But guess what? Your noise just attracted a pair of enemy players that want to kill you and steal everything you worked for. After a hard-fought battle, you win with a few scraps of HP to your name. However, as soon as you kill the enemy players, two Striders rush you and finish you off!
Yes, this nightmare has happened and will keep happening to everyone. Fortuna is teaming with killers! No matter what, players must be ready to deal with nearby creatures in The Cycle Frontier, especially if they agro you. If you are having trouble with this, we recommend you check out the Cycle Frontier gameplay tips in the linked article above.
In the event of a simultaneous attack, confusion is your best strategy. Throw a grenade at the enemy players or use the environment as a distraction. While the other players are occupied, kill any creature that can potentially kill you. When players bleed, even weak creatures can prove their undoing.
Fight Smart, Not Harder
As gamers, we tend to respond to our impulse of attacking as soon as we see other enemy players in any game, no matter the circumstances. Players often try to obey this impulse, even when they haven’t secured a good position. Beware–it doesn’t matter if you have the element of surprise if your first shot misses your enemies and they see you.
Players are dead if they are not positioned well. If you spot enemies before they spot you, and you decide to initiate a fight, be aware of your surroundings. Make sure you have cover, flanking, and escape routes. As James Maxwell famously said, “Choose your ground well. War is a game of geography.”
If you are the one who starts the fight, we recommend starting with throwables to do damage before the enemy discovers your position. Once you have fired from one position, move and fire again. Another great Cycle Frontier tip is to stay highly mobile. Repositioning is one of the most critical tips in this guide–it will save your life! Picking the same angle twice will get players booted back to the Prospect Station in the blink of an eye. Shoot and flank, shoot and reposition, but never stop moving!
Make 1v2’s, 1v1’s
At times, players may find themselves in the middle of a fight with an enemy prospector whose teammate is not nearby. If you have the upper hand, you can treat this as a 1v1. This is not to say you shouldn’t be on the lookout for the missing teammate, but that you should press an advantage while you have it.
Your enemy has a great weakness: feeling safe in a duo leads them to make impulsive decisions. Take advantage of that and hound the lone player while you can. You may be able to take him out before their teammate can rejoin him.
Related Article: Complete Mining and Minerals Guide for Cycle Frontier Players
Don´t Save Your Consumables And Throwables For ´´Later.´´
If you have grenades, use them! They will not do you any good if your inventory is death-dumped. Put throwables to good use as they will give you a lot more firepower and help you keep a distance between yourself and your enemies. A stingy attitude is bad for dates, dental work, and especially The Cycle: Frontier!
Bonus Cycle Frontier Tip for Passive Prospectors Who Want to Loot Quick and Extract
We’ve all been there. You only need one mineral or one plant to finish a mission. If you are in this situation, we recommend players go out like a streaker at a football match. Equip absolutely no gear, sprint to the location of the loot you need, place it in your Safe Pocket, and allow your character to die. Since the loot is in your Safe Pocket, you will not lose your loot, nor a single K-Mark!
For more great insights, especially for new players, we highly recommend you check out our companion guide detailing the locations of every dead drop in Cycle Frontier’s Bright Sands map. Knowing how to quickly find them will make many of your missions go by faster.
