Commando is the most balanced and beginner-friendly survivor in Risk of Rain 2. While he lacks the flashy abilities of later unlocks, his consistency and versatility make him a powerful option in the hands of a skilled player. This guide breaks down essential techniques and optimal item builds to help you get the most out of Commando.

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1. Fall Cancel

What It Is: Use Tactical Dive (or Tactical Slide, if modded) just before hitting the ground to cancel downward momentum and prevent fall damage.

Why It’s Useful:

• Lets you traverse vertical terrain quickly and safely.
• Prevents accidental death or damage from long falls—especially from Stone Titan knockbacks or map hazards.

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2. Stun and Run

What It Is: Suppressive Fire stuns enemies and interrupts many attack animations.

Best Uses:

• Stops Stone Golem lasers mid-charge.
• Interrupts Beetle Guard ground slams.
• Disrupts high-damage elites before they can fire.

Limitations:

• Has no effect on most bosses.
• In boss fights, prioritize dodging and spacing instead.

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3. Rock and Roller

What It Is: Combine Tactical Dive with high movement speed to launch off slopes and glide across terrain.

How to Use:

• Stack movement items like Paul’s Goat Hoof, Mocha, or Energy Drink.
• Use Dive mid-slope or downhill for boosted momentum.

Pro Tip: Use a Hopoo Feather or dive again before hitting the ground to cancel fall damage from large launches.

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4. The Bando Brothers (Band Proc Tips)

The Problem: Commando’s abilities struggle to trigger Runald’s and Kjaro’s Bands due to low individual burst damage.

Solutions:

• Equip Royal Capacitor or Shuriken to reliably activate band effects.
• Use Frag Grenade (tricky to land on mobile targets) or Phase Round (requires piercing a target first) for a shot at proccing them.

Pro Tip: Prioritize Shuriken in command runs—it scales excellently with attack speed and helps with band synergy.

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5. Animation Cancel

What It Is: Cancel the ending animation of Suppressive Fire to resume using Double Tap faster.

How to Execute:

• Fire Suppressive Fire, then immediately activate Phase Round or Phase Blast.
• You’ll skip the ending lag and get back to shooting faster, increasing your overall DPS.

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Bonus: Best Commando Builds

🩸 Speed and Bleed Build

• Stack Soldier’s Syringes and Tri-Tip Daggers.
• Rapid attack speed ensures consistent bleed procs.
• Great for single-target damage and elite shredding.

⚡ AoE and Crowd Control

• Key Items: Gasoline, Will-o’-the-Wisp, Ukulele, Sticky Bombs.
• Late-game chase: Sentient Meat Hook or Ceremonial Daggers.
• These fill Commando’s biggest gap: lacking natural AoE damage.

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Final Thoughts

Commando thrives on smart movement, item synergy, and constant pressure. While he may not top the DPS charts or clear waves like Loader or Captain, mastering his clean fundamentals makes him an underrated powerhouse—especially in the hands of a skilled player.