R.E.P.O. | Monster guide: Bella

Bella is a Level 1 monster in R.E.P.O. that spends most of its time completely invisible, visible only as a small red tricycle rolling around the map. That invisibility, combined with a three-warning escalation system before full aggression, makes it one of the more deceptive threats you will encounter in the early game.

Don't let the low danger level fool you. Once Bella goes berserk, it moves erratically, can fly, attacks at extreme speed, and is very hard to escape without solid mobility. The ghost child riding that tricycle has been dead a long time, and it has not mellowed out.

Behavior

Bella roams aimlessly in its invisible state, ignoring players entirely unless they get in its way. It is triggered by being touched, grabbed, or by blocking its path, including standing behind a door it is trying to pass through.

When disturbed, Bella rings the bell on its tricycle as a first warning. If disturbed again, it rings for slightly longer as a second warning. A third disturbance causes it to face the offender and rapidly ring the bell, after which it becomes visible and launches into a full berserk attack, swinging its arms and screaming while moving erratically. In berserk mode it can fly and will even tilt sideways to reach a player hiding under furniture. Each hit deals 5 damage, and the attack phase lasts around 5 seconds before Bella calms down and returns to being docile.

Critically, the warning timer resets to 10 seconds after each ring. If you disturb Bella again before those 10 seconds are up, the timer resets and Bella moves straight to the next warning stage, meaning a series of close calls in a short window can escalate things very quickly.

Hidden usefulness

If Bella gets stunned mid-attack, it forgets about its target entirely and returns to its docile state. This means a well-timed stun does not just interrupt the attack, it fully resets Bella's aggression, giving your team a clean window to work around it.

Bella can also be killed deliberately and efficiently using the tumble launch technique. Tumble launching into Bella five times kills it, though each launch costs the attacking player 20 HP. In earlier levels where enemies are easier to manage overall, this trade-off can be worth taking.

Weaknesses

Bella has 200 HP, which is on the higher end for a Level 1 monster, but its warning system is its real vulnerability. The three-stage escalation gives careful players a reliable way to avoid the berserk phase entirely, as long as they pay attention to the bell.

Bella cannot detect players by sight or sound. It only reacts to being touched or having its path blocked, which means a player who is aware of its position and gives it a wide berth is completely safe. The visible tricycle is the tell, use it to track where Bella is heading and stay out of its route.

When stunned, Bella's strength breakpoint drops to 0, meaning any player can pick it up regardless of their strength upgrades.

Strategy

• Watch the tricycle at all times. Bella is invisible but the tricycle is not, so you always have a way to track its movement.
• Give Bella plenty of room in doorways and corridors. Getting caught behind a door it is trying to pass through counts as blocking its path.
• When moving large valuables, plan your route carefully. A slow-moving object in a narrow hallway is one of the easiest ways to accidentally trigger Bella's warning chain.
• If you hear the bell ring once, stop moving and let Bella pass before continuing.
• Jump onto elevated surfaces or duck under low furniture if Bella starts approaching. When roaming, it cannot reach players in those positions.
• The Boltzap is the recommended tool for disrupting Bella before it attacks. It is ranged, stuns on hit, and has plenty of ammo to cover multiple encounters.

How to kill

The most reliable method is the tumble launch. Tumble launch directly into Bella five times and it dies. Each launch costs the attacking player 20 HP, so have a teammate ready to heal if needed. This is most cost-effective in early levels when HP resources are easier to manage.

For a safer kill, stun Bella first using the Boltzap or another stun weapon. When stunned, its strength breakpoint drops to 0, so any player can grab and reposition it, and the stun window also gives melee players a safe moment to deal damage without being bonked back.

Avoid trying to melee Bella while it is actively berserk. Melee attacks during its rage state will simply bounce back, wasting your hit and leaving you in range of its rapid swings. Either stun it first to reset the aggression, or wait out the roughly 5-second berserk window and strike once it calms down.