It's time to address the most disappointing Plasmid of all: Scout. In BioShock 2 its most glaring fault, aside from its tiny range, was its inability to let you wander for more than a few seconds before you got attacked and sent back to your body. While I covered these problems in Scout's singleplayer article, co-op also helps by providing you with a partner to protect your vulnerable body while you go about in astral form. I also gave it a few extra uses here, all geared towards reconnaissance and path clearing. See for yourself if they're any good:
Level One[]
- Upgrade 1: Ghost in the Machine. Allows you to hack machines while in Scout form.
- Upgrade 2: Poltergeist. Grants you full access to your suite of Plasmids, including their level Two forms (you can't use them while in Scout form without this upgrade).
- Upgrade 3: Astral Weaponry. Allows you to use your weapons while in Scout form, with the exception of the Camera and the Hack Tool. Can only shoot basic ammunition, and each shot depletes your EVE bar rather than your ammo reserves.
Level Two-A: Possess[]
Description: Charging up Scout will allow you to possess non-giant Splicers, taking over full control of their body as well as their abilities. While possessing an enemy, your EVE bar will gradually deplete and, once it hits zero, you will be ejected from the victim's body. However, the enemy you're possessing won't be attacked unless you start attacking. Also, you take no damage yourself while possessing an enemy but will still exit the body if the latter dies. Additionally, the possessed victim's health and damage output will be significantly increased for the duration of the Plasmid's effect.
- Upgrade 1: Powerful Host. Allows you to Possess giant Splicers and Big Daddies at a greater initial cost in EVE. If the Big Daddy was accompanying a Little Sister at the time, the latter will run away. Also, while possessing a giant enemy their health and damage output won't be increased.
- Upgrade 2: Painful Exorcism. Upon exiting the victim's body, willingly or not, you'll deal them damage. The longer you've stayed inside them, the more damage you'll deal. At its maximum, the damage is high enough to kill most non-giant Splicers by itself.
- Upgrade 3: Vampirism. While possessing an enemy, killing anyone will restore a portion of your health and EVE (your own, not the enemy's).
Level Two-B: Spook[]
Description: Charging up Scout will project a horrifying vision into the target's mind, sending them running away in fear.
- Upgrade 1: Group Fear. Casting Spook will send all nearby enemies in front of the player running in fear.
- Upgrade 2: Suicidal Panic. Spooked enemies will run towards nearby traps and environmental hazards.
- Upgrade 3: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. After being Spooked, the victims will still temporarily suffer from some of the effects of fear: their accuracy will be drastically reduced, and they'll forgo any tactics, neglecting cover and flanking maneuvers. In addition, they'll be much more reluctant to approach the player.
Level Two-C: Phase[]
Description: Charging up Scout will create a tunnel of sorts in front of the player: every part of the scenery in the way of the Plasmid will be phased and transparent, allowing the player and their partner to shoot and move through it. This effect lasts for a few moments and will extend to every part of the scenery in the Plasmid's path until it hits a wall, the floor or the ceiling, which it'll phase. Cannot phase parts of the scenery that would allow the player to exit the level's boundaries or skip storyline sections (i.e. parts of the level you have to unlock).
- Upgrade 1: Warp Tunnel. Using Phase will phase every piece of the scenery in a straight line in front of the player until the Plasmid hits a bit of scenery it can't pass through. This means you can phase multiple walls at a time.
- Upgrade 2: Disrupted Molecules. Enemies caught in Phase's path will be phased as well, allowing your shots to pierce through them after hitting them.
- Upgrade 3: Energy Absorption. Dampens any enemy attack that comes through any phased parts of the scenery, reducing their damage output as well as momentum in the case of projectiles. The more bits of scenery the shots pass through, the less effective they'll become.
And that concludes Scout. Comments shall be rewarded with lavish attention and cake various delightful confections.