Capturing Buddies: The Basics
When you spot a Buddy in the wild, you can use a Buddy Orb to catch it. The capture process takes just a few seconds, and in this version, success is guaranteed. Once caught, the Buddy appears beside you, ready to be deployed at the right moment. Buddies come in two types: Common Buddies and Archon Buddies. Common Buddies are versatile and easy to obtain, offering skills such as control, damage, and mobility to meet various needs in battle. Archon Buddies are much rarer and possess powerful abilities that can shift the tide of battle when used at critical moments. Let’s dive into the different types of Common Buddies available in this version.Common Buddies and Their Roles
Control Buddies
Smokey: When thrown, Smokey leaves a cloud of smoke at each bounce, blocking the enemy's vision. Smokey is perfect for heroes like Momoi who need cover or are vulnerable. By setting up multiple smoke zones, Momoi can move and attack while staying hidden, making her more effective in defense or surprise attacks.
Zephy:
Zephy creates a wind field that speeds up or slows down players based on their direction. Moving with the wind speeds you up, while moving against it slows you down. Zephy is versatile—speed up your allies or slow down enemies!
Pair Zephy with Ducksyde to stack movement speed, maximizing Ducksyde's skills. For instance, if your squad is down, Ducksyde can rush to the Revive Device and bring everyone back! Zephy also blocks chokepoints, setting up big plays for heroes like Nightwatch, Maychelle, or Beau.
Damage Buddy
Sparky: Sparky explodes after a short delay, dealing big damage to enemies nearby. The closer you are to the center, the more damage you take. Sparky is one of the few Buddies that deals direct damage, making it great for pushing enemies out of cover or forcing them out of strong positions. Since there's a warning before it goes off, it's best to use Sparky after controlling enemy movement. Pair Sparky with Lucinda’s ultimate to trap enemies and deal maximum damage. Currently, Sparky is the only Buddy in this version that can deal significant damage directly.
Mobility Buddies
Buzzy: Buzzy teleports downed teammates or Loot Box to your location after a short wait. In intense battles, rescuing a fallen teammate can be risky, but Buzzy makes it safe and efficient.
Squeaky:
Squeaky launches players far away and deals a bit of damage on landing. Squeaky’s long-range mobility is great for squads without teleportation abilities. However, it can be destroyed, so use it wisely. Whether you're relocating, attacking, or escaping, Squeaky’s versatility is top-notch.
If an enemy uses it, you can still counter. While they’re airborne, they can’t take other actions—making it the perfect time to shoot them down. Or, you can jump in front of Squeaky before they fire, blocking the shot with your body. Timing is key!
Magical Ability Buddies
Petal Peeper: Petal Peeper scans an area and shows enemy positions on the Mini-map, alerting them when the scan works. The scan range starts wide and shrinks as the Safe Zone closes. Petal Peeper doesn’t reveal enemies directly in the scene, but on the mini-map. Petal Peeper is great for support heroes who lack scanning abilities, like Momoi and Ceanna. It helps them gather valuable info, which is super handy when rescuing teammates.
Snatchpaw:
Snatchpaw is a unique Buddy that can steal an item from enemies within a selected area. After activating Snatchpaw, you'll enter the range selection mode. Once the range is set, Snatchpaw will start the theft in that area. Each enemy within the range will have one item randomly stolen from them. The stolen item could be Medkits or other essential gear, but Snatchpaw cannot steal weapons or Shields.
After the theft, Snatchpaw returns to you, delivering the stolen item directly to your inventory. However, the theft doesn't go unnoticed—enemies who had items stolen will get a hint showing the general direction of your location. So, enemies might come after you. It's best to act as a team.
It's worth noting that when you're close to an enemy you're stealing from, the cursor will disappear and stop giving hints. Stealing an item doesn’t mean you have to use it; it can be a way to disrupt the enemy’s plans before a big fight.
Morphdrake:
Morphdrake disguises you as an environmental object, like a box or a stone, for a period of time. You can move or stay still without being detected, but the disguise breaks if you're attacked. You can also end the disguise early if the threat passes.
Morphdrake is great for both offense and defense. When being chased, you can use Morphdrake to quickly transform and escape danger. Or, use it to ambush enemies for a surprise attack.
Archon Buddies: Unleashing Extraordinary Power
Archon Buddies possess incredibly powerful skills, significantly stronger than any other element in the game. In this version, two Archon Buddies have descended: Time Dominator and Storm Empress. Time Dominator: After a brief warning, Time Dominator shifts the Safe Zone toward its location for a short duration. This ability lets you control the next Safe Zone's position, and it lasts for a while. In the final showdown, being at a geographic disadvantage with snipers ahead can be a serious challenge. This is where Time Dominator shines. Deploying Time Dominator lets you shift the Safe Zone toward your location. This ability can dramatically change the flow of the game, letting you go from defense to offense. For maximum impact, pair Time Dominator with abilities like Nightwatch's Sheriff's Patrol. The slow effect from Sheriff's Patrol can further hinder enemy movement, trapping them outside the Safe Zone and doubling their damage. This deadly combo not only disrupts enemy tactics but also creates a chance for a decisive victory.
Storm Empress:
When summoned, Storm Empress creates a large moving tornado that lasts for a while. This powerful whirlwind pulls in players, vehicles, and other objects within range, dealing small damage per second. Once activated, all objects will rotate around the eye of the wind, unable to escape, and will be flung out after reaching a certain height.
Her ability to immobilize and displace multiple enemies at once makes her an invaluable asset in clutch moments. When combined with heroes who have AoE damage skills, Storm Empress becomes even more devastating. For example, pairing her with Beau's ultimate, Vengeance Bomb, creates a deadly combo, turning the arena into an inescapable death zone.
