In the August 20 Update Notes Show, Scott Lussier and David Olson went over content coming in the next sizable update in Rogue Company. They went over things like weapon mastery, balances, cosmetics, and most importantly— the next playable Rogue.
It has been somewhat teased for a while that the old lady from the teaser cinematic titled “Runway” was going to be playable. Today, she has been confirmed as the next Rogue coming to the game, and her name is Runway. Her identity snuck right under most of our noses, and it’s a nice surprise.
Not only was she revealed, but her entire kit was shown. She’ll definitely be one of the more unique Rogues and will be very strong as an offensive and defensive character. Living up to her labels in the lore, Runway is a support class character, though the game doesn’t take the roles too seriously.
Runway’s loadout
Passive – Fully Loaded
- “Carry two primary weapons.” Not to call this outright broken, but this might be broken. But she does have a sniper as one of her weapon slots. Snipers take a lot of skill, so that somewhat balances her out.
Ability – Supply on Demand
- “Throw a briefcase that grants infinite ammunition and refills gadgets.” If Runway is paired with a team that has a Dahlia linked to a Trench, this can lead to a claymore haven and heavy grenade spamming. Ability synergy goes a long way in Rogue Company. So we’ll have to see the practicality of this move in an actual match against human players.
Weapons
Hydra Assault Rifle
- The Hydra is a new Assault Rifle coming to Rogue Company. “It is a large caliber, fully-automatic assault rifle that deals massive damage over long ranges” according to the game’s description. Damage numbers aren’t final, but it seems that it can take out a foe in four body shots or three headshots. It’s a heavier weapon, so to balance the weapon, it does have a slower fire rate and reload time compared to other guns. It’s almost like an LMG.
LR15 Fullbody
- Runway’s other weapon is a sniper rifle. The only other character in the game to have this weapon is Phantom. This gives her a more versatile kit given that assault rifles can be used at mid ranges.
Gadgets
Trip Mine
- Trip Mines are very strong at locking down a defensive point and countering flanking opponents. The only other Rogue that has these is Trench, who is arguably the best defender class in the game. Using Trip Mines as Runway and pairing it with her LR 15 can turn her into a killer defender, especially on game modes like Demolition.
Semtex Grenade
- Grenades in this game are very powerful. While it’s not a Frag Grenade, the Semtex is still a force to be reckoned with, especially if stuck on a foe. This gadget will allow Runway to act more as an offense character and even at times, a breacher.
Perks
Berserker
- Reloading while sprinting is such a timesaver in the heat of a firefight. Unless you’re playing much more methodically utilizing cover, this doesn’t have to be a priority.
Padded Steps
- This alone can make Runway a top tier character. Picking up on enemy footsteps is such a necessity in a game like this. The fact that she’ll be able to have flanking capabilities will turn her into a nightmare to fight against.
Helping Hand
- As a character who doesn’t have to have an offensive approach, Runway’s ability to pick up downed allies a lot quicker will turn her into the ultimate healer and defender hybrid.
Nimble Hands
- The more you go down the list of her perks, it’s literally making her breeze to the top of the tier list. Runway has two weapons with somewhat slow reload speeds. Giving her this will just lessen her downtime when it comes to reloading.
Tracker Rounds
- This is a more niche ability, but the fact that Runway has weapons that excel at long range will turn her into another Dallas. Though, why would someone need the perk if her guns can tear through an opponent’s HP in just a few shots?
Headstrong
- This is never a bad perk to have. 125 HP only makes you have the upper hand against someone at 100. She even has the capability to withstand a thrown melee, making her turn out to be the perfect character.
Overall, Runway is looking to be such a versatile character. Her ammo replenishing capability and her perks will totally cause a bit of a ruckus in the community. I can definitely see her being a top ban in ranked play. People already despise snipers in this game, let alone someone who can give more grenades to their allies. It’s too soon to tell, though. Runway will be playable on PTS between August 21-22 on PC.
Check out the PTS notes by clicking here. It’ll have more details pertaining to Runway and the upcoming weapon changes coming to Rogue Company at a later date. Rogue Company is out now for free on PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One and Series S/X, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam and Epic Games.
