Greetings.
I had originaly planned this to be sold, then i was forced to leave, and I left my guide
in Chronic's hands.
Well, he didn't do a good job of selling it, therefore I am posting it.
Do feel free to donate if this was helpful to you. All sizes are very much appreciated.
Introduction:
Hey there SA fans. I'm The Prodigal and I come bearing a guide. This guide is more than
just facts and reasoning. We all know that the sword makes you run faster, we know that a
shotgun kills in three hits; we know a sledge slows you to a walk. I am not talking about
some little guide thatll tell you how fast youll move, or how much damage something does.
I am talking about a strategy guide that will elevate your game. Read on.
Stick Arena on the surface, is an action and battle type game.
I look at Stick Arena as an action game, with plenty of strategy involved. You have really
think fast in this game, thinking like: "Hmmm, I have low life, a katana, and I could go
fight a shotgun." If you go fight the shotgun, you are likely not a very good player.
To become a true Arena Champion, you need to have a few tricks and manoeuvres up your
sleeve. I come bearing tricks that have worked countless times in the past, tricks that I
have rarely seen performed by others. Many people play with tricks, and have strengths. If
you can develop your game by mastering something that no one does, you have an edge. If
you want to be a great player, you need more than just running and shooting.
Dictionary of terms:
Before I begin, allow me to have a small dictionary of terms you shall be hearing
throughout the guide, relevant to game play:
Cornering: The process of using a gun (often times, the Glock) around a corner. Popping
out from the corner, firing off a bullet, then hiding behind the corner for cover.
Camping: Sticking in a certain position, usually a chokepoint, or guarding a gun.
Gun Camping: same as above, but sticking on a gun that people like using.
Corner Camping (CCamping): Using a melee weapon (often the sledge) around a corner or
bottleneck, sitting on the edge safe from gunfire, while you dare the person to cross your
weapon's point of attack.
Standoff: A standoff is when someone has a gun, and someone is Corner Camping. Neither
player will kill the other, unless the gun crosses over the Ccamper's weapon range.
Tagging: Tagging is getting a single shot in, from a range, such as hitting an enemy
off-screen.
*Note* some of these terms are made up by me personally, as this is what I refer to during
gameplay.
Weapon Techniques:
Now, First we shall discuss weapons, their pros/advantages and small tips you can use with
them. I am not telling you how many shots for a kill, I'm telling you tips how you can use
it. These "pros" are more hidden advantages.
Glock:
You can corner with it. If you get good, this is a wonderful advantage. If you want to
know what good cornering is, play a game with Impulse.
The Range! If you're in a wide space, don't hesitate to fire at empty screen if there's
more ground to move across. If you hear gunfire, shoot in the gunfire's direction, chances
are you may score one, or even two kills. Also, in maps like Office space, Shooting down a
long corridor can help. If you manage to hit someone from your range, A: they're hurt B:
you know where they are C: if they don't fire back, they (likely) have a melee weapon,
thus increasing your chances of killing if they rush at you.
Your speed is awesome. I see too many people, who stand still while they fire away,
praying to hit me. As I dodge each and every single one of their bullets. You have a Glock
in your hands; master dodging bullets, master moving and shooting at the same time. This
is especially important in maps with open spaces. Vagrant is very good at open field
combat and dodging, play with him.
Used smartly, a Glock will go a long way to keeping you alive, and your opponents dead.
AK-47:
The fast fire rate kills people fast, but you move slow. An AK is well suited taking on
two enemies who are shooting at each other.
People who try cornering on an AK, have a hard time.
The range helps out the AK in matters too. Same strategy with a Glock, only people get a
bit more scared. I'll tell you now, people get alot more scared when they hear an AK,
rather than a Glock.
Shotgun:
If you have a boomstick, and you're pointing relatively at your target who isn't a full
screen away, you can't miss.
Taking out two people fighting each other at the same time is very good. No life lost, 2
free kills, and you still have your shotgun. Remember, use your ears to find out where the
gunfire is coming from. Right speaker: run east. Left Speaker: Run west.
Remember: with great power, comes great responsibility. Meaning it's your responsibility
to stay in open areas as long as possible, or you might get hit from offscreen by a gun,
and there won't be anything you can do about it.
Also remember, the shotgun's range is not only limited to a screen. If the enemy is
offscreen, but very close by, don't hesitate to fire.
Katana:
Katana vs Bat. Who wins That all depends on what the Katana player is doing. The Katana
could be juking the bat, or the katana has the range, so you could run backwards,
slashsing at the bat, and get hits, just outside of the bat's range. Get used to attacking
the enemy diagnally, if you keep moving, you'll beat the bat. If you can make the bat miss
even once, you may have already won.
We all know that a sledge owns every other melee weapon and its mother. But does it I have
seen many skilled people take on the sledge and win with a katana. Speed plays a valuable
part in this. You need to dodge the sledger effectively for you to have a chance.
Sometimes you could fake-out the sledger by going forward, then backward at the last
second, make him swing the hammer, then go in for the kill.
Baseball Bat:
Ill be honest: I have very little knowledge to share with the bat, because its like a
slower, stronger katana.
Not to speak about cons or anything, but you have to play very smart with a bat. Most
people discard the bat at their earliest possible convenience, which is alright. I believe
the bat should be used when two enemies are fighting each other, while the katana should
be used for one on one combat.
Sledgehammer:
In the middle of a fight, people arent expecting someone else to come in. You can possibly
get the kill.
I think this sledgehammer is magical, because you can hit through walls. Try this in
Concrete Jungle.
If someones up close and hitting you, its almost better to wait before you have a good
target, rather than smashing the floor. Move away from the person to get a nice shot.
If you miss your sledge hit, try spinning it around you as fast as possible, which can
manage to hit people.
Your fists: (Yes, theres even some strategy to punching someone in the face. Hard to
believe eh)
If someone is right beside you when you spawn, you are invincible. Fight him. chances are,
he was hurt in a fight and you could take him down with 2-3 shots. If hes something other
than a glock, katana, or bat, then fight him. Think of the alternative if you run. You
run, he fires at you or chases you with his weapon, you take damage, or you die. At least
doing this, you could hurt or possibly kill him. Of course, if theres a nice shiny shotgun
or glock beside you youd obviously take it right
The only real advantage with your fists, is when taking on a shotgun.stay on top of him,
and dont let him get far on you.
Always remember, if you want to run, make sure you slap him at least once.
Playing the basics:
Now, theres some tips that will generally help you with that specific weapon. Here are two
basic strategies you see everyday. Counter basic strategies with advanced manoeuvres.
Camping/Gun guarding: Often, youll come across someone whos guarding a gun with a gun, or
simply staying around the general area getting hits on people, weakening them, then
fighting them gun to gun, and killing them.
Countering this, could be taking a melee weapon (katana preferred) and waiting. Wait for
the camper to fight someone, then charge. A bit underhanded stealing kills, but whatever
gets you the win, works.
Theres not much of a way you could counter a gun camper, youll likely get shot before you
know whats happening if you arent careful. If you havent seen a guy in a while, chances
are hes camping on a gun.
Ccamping: So overused, and so easy to overcome if youre good. A Glock will ensure you
survive against a Ccamper. Try pretending like youre going toward him, then cut back and
run. Your enemy will have been faked out, and hell fall for the fact that you just went
nearly into his range. He will likely come out of hiding and attack (try anyway), where
you can get a shot or two in. Repeat until youve got an extra kill. Doable with all guns,
but the Glocks speed works best.
But what happens if someone experienced comes your way Ccamping Well, you could try not
moving at all, if hes a smart guy, me might think youre typing, thus attacking you. You
try hitting him. If hes really smart, this wont work. However, I have tried shooting from
where Im standing, because the camper cant see whats happening. You could run and shoot in
the opposite direction, and then when the enemy come close with his weapons, you attack
him. He thinks your shooting, when really, you are just trying to make him think hes got
an easy target between a fight.
If you are the Ccamper, its simple. Dont ever leave that hole, unless the enemy is
actually fighting someone, then potentially. Remember though, if you are camping in say,
the bathroom in XG HQ with a sledge, your enemy still has a flank, meaning hes attacked,
while you sit in the bathroom with your sledge. Just try to remember, Ccamping wastes alot
of precious time, though its a smart thing to do if you have a close lead in the final 30
seconds.
Be VERY wary of what I have said above if you Ccamp alot. The true reason why people
Ccamp, is because they have to run. Too much CCamping makes you lose out on time better
spent getting kills. Sometimes it's betetr to give the newb player the kill, so you can
get back in the action.
Tips from The Prodigal:
Well then, that was exciting. For the last part of the guide, I thought Id give small tips
things that I use. I also ask anyone else who has (good useful) tips to come share them
with me, I shall credit you for helping make this guide.
-Juking. My personal favourite technique that I use so often, that has saved my stickman
ass so many times When you are caught in a corner and have a katana rushing at you, you
can backup, until the sword guy's almost on top of you, then you run forward right past
him. If you executed this well your enemy will be out of sword range, buying you a second
or two to take him out. This works with any gun, but you move slower, and consequently
won't work as well. A glock is excellent in this situation.
-With a Glock or Ak, youre in a fight and someone is hard to hit (theyre dodging very
well) just stop shooting. Dont stop dodging yourself, line him up, and then fire a single
shot (burst whatever). Repeat til he dies. This work wonders against something fast like a
katana or glock. Yes its foolish to stop shooting, but hitting air doesnt help you any.
Plus as you fire, moving your weapon from place to place is much harder.
-That element of surprise is in Stick Arena. You can use a melee weapon to get the element
of surprise in a long corridor. The field of vision of an enemy you want to kill, is
extremely short. As soon as you pop up on the screen (that your enemy is seeing) its too
late for him to react, thus you are now in range to take him out. If you know your enemy
is coming your way down your corridor, and he doesnt know youre there, dont hesitate to
scurry down that corridor looking for blood. This technique is sick awesome with a
sledge.
If youre going toe-to-toe with a shotgun, do your best to get out of his range. Dont
dodge, because a shotgun cant miss.
Think. The thing most people never, ever do. If everyone thought about what they were
going to do, they would be so much better. Think about:
- The situation you are facing
- The weapon you are holding
- The weapon your enemy is holding
- Your health
- What your enemys health could be
- How many enemies there are
- How far a fight is
If you can do all this, and be smart about what youre doing, you become much better.
Rushing in blindly to a fight doesnt help you.
It is just as important to know yourself, as well as the enemy. Knowing both, in time, can
be profitable.
Dont feel bad about camping. It is part of the game, and strategically important if you
get in a jam.
Likewise, some people dont think its right to kill unarmed players when they spawn. This
is your call. If you spare them, you have to be sure theyll spare you too.
In a close game, with someone approximate your skill level, try to get the player with the
lowest kill score to kill you. This way your close competition doesnt have a chance to
kill you and get you another kill to potentially beat you.
Typing. Something that everyone does. Whether its to talk smack, give
compliments...everyone does it. Dont. Type only when youre dead. You become very
vulnerable if you type and someone begins to shoot you. If someone insults you, dont say a
word.
How do I beat those damn C-campers!
-go completely imobile, as if you are typing. Do move your weapon at all. The enemy may
come, and you may get a shot or two in.
-Run up, and run backwards, he may think he has a chance, when just when he thinks youre
some noob, you run back and shoot him. Works best with Glock.
-Run away shooting your gun, when you get of screen from him keep shooting as you run
away, then stop shooting and come back, and give him some free ammo.
Contributed Tips n Tricks:
Here are some people who generously gave me a few of their own tips, to make this guide
more broad, rather than having tips from me all the time.
Hugging the wall: (contributed by lil waggs15)
When you get a shotgun, stay along a wall in an open space so no one can sneak up behind
you (then they see you, they run off, and get out of your range) then pick people off as
they come near you.
A small twist on gun camping: (contributed by Snarr)
In maps like floor 13, many people head straight for the AK (the top of the map). You wait
with something (Snarr suggests a shotgun), then when you hear the Ak, you shoot/rush in.
This is a decent strategy, expecially if that person was running from an enemy.
OMG! HE RAN RIGHT OVER ME!: (contributed by MrIncoming)
With a melee weapon (sword preferred) run toward the guy, then run back and forth over
him. Aks have no chance to kill you because youre near impossible to hit. This is quite
tough against a sledge, but nonetheless, is an effective tactic.
Just when you thought it was safe... (contributed by Spine)
O.K., theres a Ccamper in the bathroom of X-Gen HQ, and he isnt moving. You have a gun.
Run away from the camper, and hell be lured into a false sense of security. Shoot up near
the hallway. Hell take hits, and get frustrated. Great tip, Ive used this all the time.
Playing the role of vulture: (contributed by Chum)
You hear battle, run to it. If a guy is killed, kill the guy who killed him. Chances are
hell be low on life, and any time you get a kill without losing life, is a good time.
Arching: (contributed by Knux57)
To arch, you grab an ak or glock (shotgun wasnt mentioned, but it might work), point the
barrel through the corner of a wall, where you can shoot the enemy, but he cant shoot you!
Great tip, this could come in handy once in a while.
Taking on the bathroom C-Camper: (Contribution by billygan)
In Xgen HQ (map number 1), if you have the katana and someone is waiting with the
sledgehammer in the corner of the bathroom, if you go right in the middle of the doorway,
you can still slash at them with your katana, but you are just out of range for the
sledgehammer
Being smart with the Sledge: (contribution by YOU.STOLE.MY.MONKEY.)
When you've got the sledge, and you're in X-Gen HQ near the bathroom, you can take someone
out by luring them. If they come with a firearm, run at him, he'll go offscreen. Next run
away from him, then run back at him. He'll think that you ran off to the bathroom again
and he'll give chase. when you turn around at him, he can expect a hammer in his face.
Camping and Sniping: (contributed by DeathIncarnated)
In large levels, such as floor Thirteen or Office Space, you can snipe at people. By
having your back to a wall, and facing a gun, you can be ready to hit someone going for
it. If you hear the sound of the weapon being picked up, shoot at it. And if you get into
a firefight, never stop moving around. Generally, snipers can win fights easier, because
of a preemptive strike. But be aware that sniping means staying in one spot. You may not
kill as many people in this manner, but it's very efficient. However, sniping in smaller
arenas such as Storage Yard can yield favorable results. By simply sniping from the ends
of the arena you have a larger view of the battle field than the people who are attacking
you. Just make sure to stick to the sides, and to keep your back to a wall at all times.
For more informative information check out DeathIncarnated's post on sniping here.
Final words:
I hope by writing this guide that I might have helped some of you guys. I hope that some
of these will help you become a better player, and help you achieve that rank.