So far in Tier 2, my adventuring usually ends when I run into rocket puppies. Their rockets seek, do ridiculous damage, and are very fast. Shields seem to be pretty much useless. If there's only one of them firing rockets, I can usually make it through, but of course there is never only just one.
Suggestions?
I'm not sure if they still do this, but you can control the direction of the rockets by running behind a monster so that the rocket hits them instead of you. You know, get the monsters into the crossfire :)
I prefer to use other enemies as a convenient meat shield.
Failing that I exercise some cross country running skills to find a nice block or wall to hide behind. Then I pop out and fire occasional shots. Takes forever, but it works.
Yeah, if there's a monster close I can do that sometimes, but usually the rocket is on me immediately, and even if I dodge around it still hits me because it moves so quickly.
I'll try an owlite shield and see whether that helps at all.
These are the bane of my existence.
It's pretty ridiculous how the rockets go AROUND gates and hit you from the back. I swear one of them even went THROUGH a barrier wall, you know the ones that prevent monsters from passing? It was that one Firestorm Citadel stage where you had to save all the sprites in the separate rooms, in the circle room with the single rocket pup at the center. If that was intentional, then idk what to do there..
As with everything, try no to go at it alone. Run up to it from behind someone (thats what friends are for right? :D) Taking em down before they start firing is always the best method.
I'd like to know what provokes these things. Some don't start firing till you whack at it or run next to it at a close distance and some start firing as soon as they appear on your screen.
Curse vials are also very good against gun puppies.
The trick to rocket puppies is to run away. No seriously, run away. When you are far enough away they'll deaggro off you and you can go back and try to sneak up on them and destroy them with a charged attack before they notice you. If you can't get far enough away to lose aggro (like in an arena), you have to become comfortable with the distance rockets can travel before they explode. Say they travel 40 yards, you want to be standing about 25 yards away when they fire at you. Run at them and side step the rocket, then get a couple of hits on the puppy before backing out again. The first rocket they fire will explode behind you as you're wailing on the puppy.
More than anything you have to become really comfortable doing tight circles as a rocket is sailing close in order to dodge them with minimal movement. If there are multiple enemies you hide behind other monsters and let the rocket puppies just kill them off for you. In the case of multiple rocket puppies you still have to dodge the one firing closest at you so small tight circles. It's all about the timing. The next time you fight some I recommend just leaving one up and practice some rocket dancing.
The arena ones haven't been giving me as much trouble lately. The one that still annoys me is the one in the Lichen Lair, with spiral wall bramble with four rocket puppies in the middle. Ugh. Also I will admit that the Sprite I didn't save was the one in the rocket puppy room. Though in my defense I wanted to, my partner just cried and ran away after we found out it respawns. Can't say I blame him though.
Thing to know:
>Rockets damage other enemies
>Rockets have life (never killed one though)
>Rocket puppies have a rather small aggro range
>You can interrupt them from firing their rockets if you time your sword hit properly
How I do kill them instantly:
Charge my Calibur, stand next to them and release the charge. If they aren't dead yet, then I hit them once, and shield so they kill themselves with their rockets.
What not to do:
Attack them from a range, or get their attention when you're not going to kill them.
I use an owlite shield and rocket impact does next to nothing on that. Perhaps it's the elemental damage, I don't know. It seemed to me like if you don't let the rocket explode but absorb it on your shield instead, it can't hurt so much.
You can make the rockets hit something else. It takes a little maneuvering but you can make the rocket pups kill eachother. Have some fun while you're at it. :)