Strategy:Arch-vile

Major changes in 0.9.9.6

None.

Main Guide

(v 0.9.9.5) Arch-viles are the most dangerous monster seen in a standard game. They have a dangerous direct attack (a constant 20 fire damage) and the ability to resurrect lesser monsters in their line-of-sight. They typically spawn with a horde of such lesser monsters, particularly mancubi, revenants and formers. It is not uncommon for two or three arch-viles, with associated hordes, to spawn in the same room for extra fun. When they first start showing up, such a combined horde may be all the monsters on the level.

Since the damage and AI changes in 0.9.9.5, the direct damage from them is significantly less dangerous than their horde. Nevertheless, they need targeted as soon as possible, as they will (barring truly impressive firepower on your part) be able to resurrect the horde faster than you can eliminate them with your primary weapon. This tends to prevent using corner shooting, as the Arch-viles usually hang back out of range.

Note that it can be used to your advantage, if revived monster drop some kind of ammo, because you can get nearly unlimited amount of it from single resurrected monster.

There are three ways to stop arch-vile from resurrecting enemies to no end: destroy corpse, make corpse where vile can't see it, or kill vile itself.

1. Destroying and/or preventing corpses. It can be done by killing them in doors, pushing them into lava or acid with knockback, or using explosions (rocket launcher, BFG, barrels, shockwave/hellwave packs) to destroy corpses. Plasma(tic) shotguns also can destroy corpses. Note that liquids and explosions also tend to destroy items on ground.

2. Breaking group. Simply retreat some and let enemy move to where you can kill them away from arch-vile. Probably most safe tactic, but it give viles a lot of time to res corpses around them.

3. Just kill vile. There are different ways to do it. Rockets/BFG/barrel shooting deep at enemy ranks often damage viles, or destroy walls they are hiding behind, or create a puddle of lava under them. Circling enemy group and attacking from other angle (making road with rockets through walls, if necessary) often give you a shot at vile. Also, attacked vile will often charge at you, like any other monster, especially if he has no corpses to revive.

So, explosive weapons (rockets, BFG shockwave/hellwave packs) often do all those three things at once (corpse destroying, enemy dispersing, damage at vile even if you can't see it), and therefore highly recommended.