Pragmata can be a tough one if you don’t make full use of its various systems and mechanics. It’s got a learning curve that seems pretty daunting on the surface, but we’d like to help you cut through the noise and become a robot-destroying powerhouse as fast as you can nail down these tips to guide you.
If the prospect of seeing Hugh and Diana through to the end of their heartwarming adventure in The Cradle sounds appealing to you, join us as we take you through how to make the most out of their synergy. Let’s get started!
1. Object Scan Is Very Useful
You’re going to need every advantage you can find as you make your way through The Cradle, and Object Scan is a very nifty way to find upgrade materials and REMs. It’s available pretty early for purchase, and we’d recommend making a beeline for it as soon as you can manage.
It’s quite cheap and has a very good range, allowing you to get to useful items more easily than you would without it. Whether you’re looking for an easy way to hunt down useful items or are a completionist who can’t stand the idea of undiscovered loot, this one’s your best bet at finding it all.
2. Save Auto Hacks For When You Really Need Them
Diana’s hacking gauge is a valuable resource that you want to use as strategically as you can. While the Auto Hack ability is going to save you a bit of time and perhaps trouble in tough situations, it’s best used as a panic button when you really need a breather from the chaos unfolding around you.
It doesn’t pay to use it too often, as it uses up quite a bit of your hacking gauge, which could prevent you from using stronger protocols that could turn the tide in your favor. Of course, if you’re surrounded and need to open up multiple enemies in a pinch, it’s a panic button like no other.
3. Fast Moves Improves Your Survivability
If you find yourself taking damage more often than you’d like, we recommend unlocking Fast Moves as soon as you can. It’s a nifty ability that helps you create space, while nailing down the timing on dodges can slow time briefly to give you a solid window to let off a few well-aimed shots or perhaps a hack that turns things around.
It’s great to have for all those battles where you’re required to stay on the move while hacking through enemy defenses. There are a lot of those in the game, and this one is going to be great in those situations. We found it especially useful against some of the game’s harder bosses, and we’d recommend having this one on most of the time or at least until you’re confident enough to do without it.
4. Consider Critical Shot As A Finisher
Hitting those purple bonus nodes when you’re routing Diana’s hacks can have enemies who are already at low health brought down low in a stun that gives you a lot of time to deal some damage. Critical Shot is going to do that for you, and is a superb finisher in those situations.
Use it well, and you’re going to find pesky enemies crumbling in front of Hugh and Diana’s combined might thanks to the i-frames it gives you in crowded spaces and the fact that clearing out enemies with it guarantees a little extra Lunafilament (more on that in a bit).
5. Prioritize Bot Scan
Like most shooters, Pragmata places an emphasis on hitting enemy weak points once you open up their defenses with Diana’s hacks. But finding those weak spots can be difficult thanks to the combat’s fast pace. That’s where Bot Scan comes in.
It highlights enemy weak spots, letting you get in some burst damage the moment you’re able to sneak past their defences. It’s especially useful against new enemy types where you’re unsure of where to hit them once their shields are down.
6. Invest In Decode Consistently
It’s easy to overlook Decode, an ability you get pretty early in the game. But doing so would be a mistake, as it’s a very strong single-target hack that gives you bonus damage for using it, which is quite practical since you’re going to be doing a lot of hacking anyway.
It’s a great tool for taking down troublesome enemies, although you might want to be strategic about where and when you use it. It’s best saved for harder enemies, as the extra damage is more impactful against the ones that are challenging to bring down.
7. Confuse Troublesome Enemies
Confuse has been one of our go-to Utility Nodes as it lets you get past shields a lot easier, and can even steal shields of enemies when you use it right. What’s more, you can even force bots to turn against their own kind, which essentially gives you some free damage and some potential breathing room, which you can use to unleash further damage and sow chaos among the enemy’s ranks.
It’s quite nifty and fits so many situations that we found ourselves refusing to leave The Shelter without it.
8. Use Heat With The Right Supporting Abilities
Getting bots to overheat brings them to a vulnerable state, allowing you to get a few well-placed shots in. The best way to do that is to use Heat nodes in tandem with Combust Mode and the Pulse Carbine. It’s a potent way to fill up Overheat gauges and set enemies up for a Critical Shot.
However, you might want a different strategy for bosses, as getting their Overheat gauges to fill up can be a lot harder than regular enemies, and you’re better off using other tactics against them. And remember, some of your own weapons can overheat too, so keep an eye on their respective gauges, as you don’t want to be caught without a means to cause damage when you’re in precarious positions.
9. Pair Quick Fix With Repair Up
If you’re the type to try tanking damage while dishing out some of your own, Quick Fix is a great tool to have, as it speeds up your Repair Cartridge use while Repair Up increases your health recovery per cartridge by 10%, both of which are boons in battles where you’re quite swamped and need to stay in the fight for just a little longer before you can turn the tides.
They’re useful even if you rely on dodges and using Fast Moves, as they can let you recover from any mistakes a lot easier than you would without them.
10. Optimal Performance Rules!
We had such an easy time with Pragmata thanks to this one, as the 10% increase to your overall attack power when you’re at full health pairs very well with Repair Up. It’s a great way to stay at full health while improving your attack power, and it’s especially effective against bosses when you encounter them for the first time.
It’s a solid all-around mod that’s going to serve you very well, no matter what the game throws at you, and is one that we didn’t unequip even when there were more attractive options at hand.
11. Know Where To Pick Up Lunafilament
If you’re finding yourself short on Lunafilament, look for it in enemy drops and use Critical Shots to ensure a higher amount. Safe Boxes, Supply Boxes (which you can identify by their yellow color), and completing Training Sims are other great sources of it. You could consider using Pocket Refinery to increase the amounts you get from each activity by 10%, and you’re going to have more than you need in no time!
Why is it important? Well, it’s the currency you use to upgrade your loadout’s gear at The Shelter’s Printing Unit.
12. Go Out Of The Way For Upgrade Components
Remember when we said you’re going to need every advantage you can get in this game? Well, Upgrade Components are an important part of your character progression, but they can be hard to find if you’re not actively looking for them. They’re often in places that are easy to overlook, or perhaps hard to reach until you come back with abilities you get later down the line.
It’s always worth it to come back and pick up any ones you see, as they’re needed to improve Hugh’s suit, primary unit, and Diana’s hacking abilities, all of which are your bread and butter against the robot hordes.
13. Don’t Sleep on Red Zones
Pick up Red Gate Keys as much as you can, as the Red Zones are great sources of valuable components and currencies, while you’re going to need to clear them if you’re looking for 100% completion for Pragmata. Yes, they’re a challenge, but the way we see it, they’re an opportunity for you to truly push your limits and learn better ways to utilise your loadouts.
You should be constantly on the lookout for Red Gate Keys and going out of your way to pick them up and use them as soon as you can. Like Upgrade Components, it’s always a good idea to backtrack for either Keys or Red Zones.
14. Balance Your Always Print Loadout
We recommend taking the Shockwave Gun, Stasis Net, and the Decoy Generator along with you whenever you’re diving back into the Cradle, as they’re a potent combination that is effective across the board. The Shockwave Gun does excellent burst damage, while the Stasis Net is great for holding targets in place while you line up shots, especially when it’s paired up with Offense Mode
The Decoy Generator can help you get some much-needed breathing room to set off a few hacks of better aim and blast from the Shockwave Gun. You could also try using it in tandem with Multi-hack and Freeze if you’re heading to situations where you need some crowd control potential.
Of course, your Grip Gun should be thrown in whenever applicable, and we suggest being as tactical as you can when you’re switching weapons. It pays to take a minute to consider the best course of action, although that’s easier said than done in more intense battles.
15. A Solid Boss Loadout
While the above Loadout works for weaker enemies, we’d recommend the Charge Piercer, Photon Laser, and Jackhammer when you’re looking to take on a boss. The Charge Piercer is a mighty weapon for whenever there’s an opening to cause big damage, while the Photon Laser should be your go-to if you manage to stun a boss, allowing you to melt health bars with ease.
The Jackhammer is best used when you’re trying to get some damage in, even when enemies aren’t opened up, allowing you to consistently chip away at them while you guide Diana through her hacks. You could also consider the Riot Blaster’s AoE potential for larger enemies that come at you aggressively, as you won’t have to be as precise as you would need to be with the Jackhammer.
And that’s about it for this one. Of course, Pragmata comes with enough depth that these are all suggestions to help you find your footing before you begin to try different loadouts of your own that are better suited to your play style. Nevertheless, these tips are all ones that helped us get through the game quite effortlessly, and are proving quite useful even in Lunatic Mode!
We’re going to get back to tearing through the robots, and hope that you’re going to have an easier time doing the same thing with our tips!