Talk:Alternate reload

Full reload

Full reloading is often a noob trap, as it takes the same amount of time as reloading each remaining missing ammo in your clip individually would have cumulatively (actually even longer as there's a flat 0.2 seconds added on top of that time), while if enemies pop into range during that time you're stuck full reloading, you'll be helpless to stop the reloading as they assault and likely kill you. As such, normally you should never use full reload rather than just reloading your ammo individually. Full reloading doesn't just exist to get inexperienced or lazy players killed however, as there is a valuable niche for it. This niche is with powerups, whose durations are action-based rather than time-based, and full reloading always count as one action regardless of how much ammo you reload, while reloading your clip individually will cost an action for each ammo, thus full reloading allows you to effectively extend the duration of your powerups. This is particularly relevant with Invulnerability, as not only will you be protected from harm while stuck in a long full reload and then squeeze more actions out of that Invulnerability, but you can also explicitly take advantage of it by having enemies weaken and kill each other with infighting while you're standing there invulnerable for several seconds. Full reloading with Berserk can work similarly well, as the +60% resistances given by Berserk will greatly protect you from any enemy attacks thrown your way, while Berserk will also make you full reload much faster, but you will need to exhibit some caution and be sure you can get away with it; for example, even a full reload of only 2 seconds while surrounded by Arachnotrons could still get you easily killed despite being Berserked. If you have a Radsuit or Light-Amp Goggles, full reload can also be used to extend their durations as they're action-based too, but since they don't give you any additional protection (aside from a moderate +25% resistance to fire and acid by the Radsuit) nor speed you up, you should only full reload to get more actions out of them when you're absolutely sure there's no enemies around or you got enough levels of Reloader and an ammo box to make even a full reload take little time. Omega Tyrant (talk) 06:55, 11 January 2025 (UTC)

Dual reload

Similar to full reloading, dual reloading is normally a noob trap, as it takes the same amount of time reloading each individual pistol would have cumulatively (and since Dualgunner lets you swap your pistols instantly, it would take no additional time to reload one pistol and then swap to the other pistol to reload it). But also similarly to full reloading, you can take advantage of dual reloading to squeeze out more actions from powerups, though to a lesser degree as dual reloading only takes one less action than individually reloading each pistol would have. Still, any extra actions you can get from Invulnerability or Berserk can be a difference maker, so take advantage of it whenever you can. Omega Tyrant (talk) 06:55, 11 January 2025 (UTC)

Nuclear overcharge

Normally nuclear overcharging is a waste, as a Nuclear plasma rifle or especially Nuclear BFG 9000 will be far too valuable of weapons to give up just to nuke a single level. Nuclear overcharge mainly exists to nuke the Spider Mastermind, whether for a riskless partial win or to gain access to Hell Fortress for a full win, as finding a single Thermonuclear bomb requires a bit of luck and then having it waste inventory space doing nothing for many floors until Dis, whereas you can find a Nuclear BFG guaranteed in The Mortuary and Limbo (while also not wasting inventory as it can be used as an actual weapon conventionally). But if you find another Nuclear BFG, or find a Nuclear Plasma Rifle while playing a build that lacks the traits to use it effectively, you can use them as a nuke for any other troublesome level (such as Unholy Cathedral for builds with no melee investment, or The Lava Pits and Mt. Erebus if you don't have the means to survive crossing their lava), provided you got the Invulnerability to survive the nuke. Omega Tyrant (talk) 06:55, 11 January 2025 (UTC)