Understanding Dire Crows
The Artist, known for her ability to summon and launch Dire Crows, excels at map pressure, anti-loop, and long-range sniping. Her power, Birds of Torment, involves placing stationary crows and then launching them. To summon a crow, you press M2. You can place up to three crows in different locations. Holding M2 launches all placed crows simultaneously in a straight line. These crows can pass through obstacles, walls, and even other survivors, continuing to fly until they hit a survivor or travel approximately 60 meters.
The core mechanic revolves around the “Swarm” effect. When a survivor is hit by a crow for the first time, they become swarmed, meaning crows circle their head, and their location is revealed to The Artist via Killer Instinct. If a swarmed survivor is hit by a second crow, they take damage, either becoming injured or downed. The swarm effect lasts for about 15 seconds. Survivors can repel the swarm, which takes roughly three seconds and generates a loud noise notification. If the swarm expires naturally, the survivor is no longer swarmed. Effective crow placement is crucial for The Artist, as it is considered the most important skill for her.
Anti-Loop and Chase Strategies
The Artist’s kit is particularly effective at shutting down loops. When a survivor is attempting to loop, you can use a crow as a trap. Place a crow at a common looping spot, and if the survivor runs into that location without moving to another loop, it can result in a free hit if your timing is correct. This method allows you to secure a hit with only one basic attack.
In a chase, if you want to hit a survivor with a crow, a common strategy is to place one crow, wait for its cooldown to reset, and then immediately place and launch another. This can make it difficult for survivors to repel the crows effectively. You can also strategically place crows within a loop, ensuring there are no obstacles between the crow and the survivor. If a survivor runs into these crows, even if it doesn’t injure them directly, it can slow them down enough for you to land a basic attack. Once you land a hit, your power will be back, allowing you to potentially snipe the fleeing survivor with three crows for a down.
Survivors often try to “hold W” against The Artist, meaning they run in a straight line to chain tiles rather than staying in a single loop. While The Artist struggles against this tactic, her power does slow her down while setting up crows. This can create an opportunity for survivors to gain distance and reach the next tile. Therefore, as The Artist, you need to anticipate these movements and use your crows to zone or intercept survivors as they transition between areas.
Map Pressure and Utility
Beyond direct chases, The Artist excels at applying map pressure and locating survivors. A highly effective strategy is to constantly harass generators with your crows. This not only slows down generator progress but also helps you find survivors. After hooking a survivor, you can use crows at generators to activate perks like Dead Man’s Switch (DMS), if equipped, and gain valuable information.
You can also use crows to check lockers. Many survivors are unaware that crows will still trigger Killer Instinct even if they are hiding inside a locker. This provides an easy way to detect hidden survivors. Add-ons can further enhance her utility; for instance, the add-on that causes swarms to spread to other nearby survivors is highly effective. Other useful add-ons include Thick Tar, which increases repel time, or one that applies the Hinder status effect to swarmed survivors for a short duration. While long-distance hits can be challenging unless survivors are stationary, her power is excellent for slowing down and locating survivors across the map. However, The Artist can be somewhat map-dependent, as her power struggles against multiple elevation changes.
Survivor Counterplay Considerations
Survivors have several strategies to counter The Artist. One common approach is to pre-drop pallets and avoid staying in a single loop for too long. If a survivor is forced into a loop, they might try to bait out your power and then run to another location. Since The Artist slows down when setting up crows, survivors can use this time to gain distance.
Survivors also attempt to “chain tiles,” moving between two or more loop structures. Instead of continuously looping one tile, they might loop it until you start setting up crows, then run to an adjacent tile. Once you set up crows at the second tile, they might move back to the first, creating a figure-eight pattern. This strategy relies on understanding when crows dissipate and exploiting the time it takes for The Artist to set up her power. Unpredictable movements around walls can also help survivors avoid crows. Additionally, maps with multiple elevation levels, such as Haddonfield, Swamp, or The Game, can be advantageous for survivors, as The Artist’s power is less effective across different heights.
FAQ
How do you hit survivors with crows in a loop? To hit survivors in a loop, place a crow directly in their path within the loop. If they continue to run into that spot without moving to another loop, you can secure a hit. You can also place one crow, wait for cooldown, then immediately place and launch a second crow.
Can The Artist be looped? While The Artist’s power is strong against looping, survivors can counter by pre-dropping pallets, “holding W” to chain tiles, and making unpredictable movements. Good Artists make looping very difficult, but it’s not impossible to extend chases by moving between multiple tiles.
What is the “Swarm” mechanic? The Swarm mechanic occurs when a survivor is hit by a crow. The first hit causes them to be swarmed (crows circle their head) and reveals their location via Killer Instinct. A second hit while swarmed causes damage (injures or downs them). Survivors can repel the swarm, but it takes time and makes a loud noise.
How can I use crows to find survivors? You can use crows to harass generators, as this often forces survivors off them and reveals their location. Additionally, sending crows over lockers will trigger Killer Instinct if a survivor is hiding inside.
Are there any specific perks or add-ons that help The Artist? While not explicitly detailed as “best,” perks like Dead Man’s Switch (DMS) are noted as being strong on her, especially when paired with using crows at generators after a hook. Add-ons that extend repel time (like Thick Tar) or apply Hinder to swarmed survivors are also considered effective.