R.E.P.O. | Monster guide: Apex Predator

The Apex Predator is one of the most deceptive monsters in R.E.P.O. It wanders around looking like an adorable little duckling, following players around and trying to position itself directly on their crosshair. It wants to be grabbed. The moment it is, things go very wrong very fast.

Commonly called the Duck by players, the Apex Predator transforms when grabbed or damaged, sprouting a huge toothy maw and immediately going into a full aggression state. At 10 damage per quarter-second, it can tear through a player in moments.

Behavior

In its docile state, the Apex Predator follows players and actively tries to stay on their crosshair to tempt them into grabbing it. If a player looks up or jumps, the duck jumps too to maintain that visual bait. It can follow players under tables and above objects, and it flies freely, meaning elevation is not a reliable escape route.

Once grabbed or damaged, it enrages for ten seconds and locks onto the player who triggered it, or the closest player if the damage was indirect. During this phase it bites rapidly, up to three times per second. Once it has a target, it always knows that player's location, so hiding is not an option. Outrunning it or breaking line of sight to make it lose interest are the only practical escapes. It can fly continuously for 30 seconds before exhausting itself and falling.

The Apex Predator also detects players via proximity and touch in addition to line of sight, and it will attack crouching players.

Hidden usefulness

Because the Apex Predator locks aggressively onto a specific target, it can be baited or maneuvered to pursue one player while teammates work elsewhere. Its tendency to stay stationary relative to a player's cursor in its docile state also makes it relatively easy to position near an extraction point, where it can be crushed for a kill that may also count toward extracting its orb.

Weaknesses

The Apex Predator only has 150 HP, so it is not durable. Its aggression window is limited to ten seconds before it calms down. It also loses interest quickly if a player ducks into another room and breaks line of sight, usually just a few seconds out of view is enough. Its 30-second flight limit means that if it is pushed into a pit, it will eventually fall and die if it cannot land or fly back out. A stun resets its aggression, though it will re-enrage once it recovers unless killed while stunned.

Strategy

• Never grab or damage the Apex Predator unless you are prepared to deal with the enraged form immediately.
• If it enrages, run into an adjacent room and hide under something. It loses interest quickly once line of sight breaks.
• Guide it with your crosshair carefully if you need to move it anywhere.
• If it falls into a pit, block the space above with a large object like a C.A.R.T. to prevent it flying back up.
• Position it near an extraction point in its docile state and use the point to crush it for an easy kill.

How to kill

The most reliable method is luring the Apex Predator into a toilet and flushing it, or getting it into a Swiftbroom cauldron. Either method launches and stuns it for around 14 seconds. While stunned, its Strength Breakpoint drops to 0, so you can slam it to death without any upgrades needed. With only 150 HP and no ability to fight back while stunned, a few slams will finish it off cleanly.

The extraction point crush is the next most practical method. Because the duck holds its position relative to your cursor in its docile state, guide it under the extraction point, then trigger the extraction. If the duck is far enough into the extraction zone, the kill also counts toward selling its orb on the spot.

If neither option is available, a tumble launch into the duck deals 15 damage and stuns it briefly, often sending it into a wall or pit for bonus physics damage. This is difficult to land given its small size and constant airborne movement, but it is viable. Avoid trying to melee it freely during its enraged phase since the bite rate is punishing. Stun it first with any available method, then commit damage while it cannot retaliate.