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

The Clown is a Level 3 monster in R.E.P.O. and one of the more punishing enemies you'll encounter. It looks absurd, a malformed frog-like creature in oversized clown shoes, a frilled collar, and a floppy hat, with a glowing bulb on the end of its elongated nose that fires a laser beam. Don't let the costume fool you.

What makes the Clown genuinely dangerous isn't just the damage numbers. It's the combination of a wide-sweeping ranged attack and a follow-up melee kick that can send you flying into a wall for a second burst of damage. Getting caught by both in quick succession can easily down a player.

Behavior

The Clown roams aimlessly and causes screen shake for nearby players while it wanders. When it spots a semibot, it charges up and fires a horizontal laser sweep from left to right, aiming at the target's head. The initial laser hit deals 30 damage and knocks the target back hard. If that knockback sends the player into a surface, they take an additional 70 damage, bringing the total to 100 from a single laser attack.

If the targeted player survives the laser, the Clown quickly closes the gap and attempts a kick. The kick deals 10 damage on contact but the same physics apply: hitting a surface afterward adds another 50 damage, for a possible 60 total. The Clown will also kick objects that block its path, including doors, large valuables, and the C.A.R.T., not just players. The Clown can detect players by line of sight, proximity, and direct touch, and it will attack crouched players.

Hidden usefulness

The Clown's indiscriminate kicking behavior can work in your favor in cluttered environments. It will kick doors and large objects out of its own path, which can occasionally clear routes or reposition valuables without any player effort. In maps with tight corridors, a roaming Clown can also inadvertently disrupt other monsters nearby.

Weaknesses

The Clown has 250 HP, which is substantial but not extreme for a Level 3 monster. Its laser sweep is predictable once you know the pattern: it always sweeps horizontally, so crouching dodges it if the beam is at head height. If the beam is angled downward, jumping clears it. The kick also has a readable wind-up, giving a small window to jump over it or run backward. Its hitbox is reportedly awkward for ranged weapons, making consistent hits harder than they look. It is also very heavy, requiring a Strength Breakpoint of 13 to pick up normally, though that drops to just 3 if it is stunned.

Strategy

• Watch for the laser charge-up sound and animation, then crouch immediately if the beam is horizontal at head height.
• If the beam is angled downward, jump over it instead of crouching.
• When the Clown closes in for a kick, jump or back away quickly as soon as you see the kick wind-up.
• Do not hide right next to the Clown. At close range it will linger long enough to spot you, and the kick is very hard to dodge at point-blank distance.
• Do not grab the Clown while it is charging its laser. If it breaks free mid-charge it will spin rapidly while firing, turning a predictable sweep into a chaotic spinning laser that is much harder to avoid.
• Be aware that its kick can send your valuables flying, so try to engage it away from expensive items or the C.A.R.T.

How to kill

The Clown has 250 HP, so it takes a meaningful investment to bring down. Melee is risky given its kick and laser range, so use ranged weapons where possible, but be aware its hitbox is oddly shaped and shots can miss even when they look like they should connect. Aim carefully and adjust your positioning rather than spraying.

The best kill window is immediately after it finishes a laser sweep. There is a short recovery pause before it walks toward you to kick, and that gap is your safest moment to deal damage. If you have a stun available, using it right after the laser fires drops its Strength Breakpoint to 3, letting you pick it up and reposition or hold it while teammates finish it off. Without a stun, focus on staying mobile, dodging the laser and kick as described above, and landing hits during the recovery windows between attacks. A coordinated two-player approach, with one player baiting the laser while another attacks from the side, is the most reliable way to take it down without eating a full 100-damage combo.