Kripp's Launcher Core Dooley Build

Launcher Core can be played with a Friend setup early on, occasionally functioning as an alternative to Companion Core. Depending on the scope of your run, you may end up pivoting into a more dedicated Friend build, in which case you can refer to our Companion Core Build.

Core Synergies

• Power Drill is a common starting line for its solid early game base Damage. Prioritize any Small items that can Charge it (see Common Filler Items below).
• • In most cases, don't play the Launcher Core alongside Power Drill. Simply stash the Core until you have the pieces to pivot.
• Flint Stones plus a board full of random Tools is currently very strong. It threatens more than enough Burn to likely carry you until the mid game.
• • Note: It's extremely over-tuned in the current patch. I expect it to be nerfed in the near future, in which case it may no longer be worth focusing on.
• Levitation Pad + Multicast is the quintessential combo for kicking off Launcher Core during the early game.
• • Pair it with Pulse Rifle, Rocket Launcher, or Soldering Gun to guarantee Flying, allowing the efficient Charging to begin.
  • Place Chris Army Knife, Hammlet, or Dinosawer adjacent to Soldering Gun to enable its 3x Multicast.
• Blast Doors can help patch up the early game if you aren't tight on space. The added Shield can often be the difference between Day 1-3 fights.

Tips & Tricks

• As a rule of thumb, unlike most Dooley builds, Medium items should generally take precedence over Small items.
• • This helps ensure your relevant items start Flying ASAP. You'll also want to avoid Ammo items as they quickly become dead targets.
• Early game skills are very valuable alongside Multicast items, so you may want to skip the Enchanted item at level 2 (also save 2 gold in case you need to reroll).
• • Burn is excellent with Soldering Gun or Rocket Launcher, while also setting yourself up for Launch Pad.
  • Damage makes Pulse Rifle very strong, and still solid with Rocket Launcher.
  • Shield can enable Chaff or Duct Tape to become a decent fall back option, in the event you don't find anything else.
• Sat-Comm is worth picking up simply as an Economy item. If you don't have better options at level 4, it's worthy of the Bronze -> Silver upgrade.
• Crypto is always worth purchasing if you have the funds and aren't in immediate need of gold. Remember to check its value every hour!

Common Filler Items

• Barbed Wire
• Bomb Squad
• Copper Ed
• First Aiden
• Induction Aegis
• Plasma Grenade
• Power Sander

Core Synergies

• Launch Pad is the strongest early to mid game setup for Launcher Core, and can absolutely excel in the late game with the right support.
• • Omega Ray is a high priority for its Burn scaling, but it's also possible to succeed with a good enough base Burn value (via skills, loot, etc.).
  • BLK-SP1D3R or YLW-M4NT1S pair very well alongside the insane quantity of Burn triggers.
• Propeller Hat is an excellent source of Haste, and also unlocks Launcher Core's ability to Charge itself.
• Z-Shield or Z-Sword are great sources of Cooldown Reduction that help Launcher Core loop faster.
• • Note: You do not need to have a Large item in order to justify their inclusion.
• Beta Ray provides reliable Freeze utility and Charges at a pretty solid rate.
• • While its initial viability will vary, later on it becomes a powerful piece of your end game board.
• Miss Isles is the premium Multicast item of choice, easily replacing your existing one.
• • Alpha Ray can be used for additional Damage scaling if you're already playing Beta Ray.
• Metronome is a flexible slot-in for targetable Haste, but won't be a pivotal component in the long run; especially compared to other Dooley builds.

Tips & Tricks

• When Launch Pad is unavailable, you'll need to be on the lookout for key Gold-tier items (see End Game section below).
• Levitation Pad can be dropped once the Launcher Core engine speeds up (usually once you have Cooldown Reduction and/or Core upgrades).
• Thrusters is often worth picking up and stashing in case you find Dino Saddle later.
• Any of Dooley's five "Bug Friends" may be worth slotting in depending on the skill/enchantment combinations you acquire, although they should be at least Gold.

The ceiling is high when it comes to end game Launcher Core builds, so even if you've taken some losses, there's potential to make it all the way. However, many vital components exist at Gold+, so you'll often need to dig deep in order to assemble your final board.

As with many Dooley builds, you can create a wide variety of contextual setups depending on the skill/enchantments you find, so be open-minded when it comes to pivots/purchases. Ultimately, it's about finding the best scaling option available, then turbo-Charging it with Launcher Core loops.

Core Synergies

• Party Float is universally strong and can fit into pretty much any Launcher Core setup. It provides excellent Cooldown Reduction and Shielding.
• • Z-Shield and Z-Sword (choose either one) remain viable in the late game alongside it, since Large enables the Multicast.
  • A fantastic item to top off your existing Launch Pad board.
• Nitrogen Hammer has absurd scaling, and Freeze is overall one of the best strategies in the entire game. Harder to pull off, but well worth it.
• • Cooling Fan is the key enabler for a fast startup, and Beta Ray also fits right at home.
  • Dino Saddle + Thrusters creates a Multicast Cooling Fan, but if unavailable, can be replaced with other Freeze or CDR items.
• Ice 9000 works as an alternative to Nitrogen Hammer, and can essentially utilize most of the same pieces.
• • Pierre Conditioner is a great pickup if you decide to take this route.
• Fiber Optics improves the Charge loop even further, often hyper-accelerating Launcher Core, or speeding up slower win conditions.

Tips & Tricks

• Cooldown Reduction is a big deal for Launcher Core, so be sure to pick up any Insect Wings and Feathers that are available.
• Upgrading the Core to Diamond should also be a high priority. If you're lucky, you may be able to hit it early with Machine Learning.
• Scrap Metal provides a targetable upgrade and Cooldown Reduction. It's always worth picking up if you've got the time, funds, and space.

Situational Variants

• Terry-Dactyl has strong highroll potential, but needs specific combos to efficiently Charge it.
• • The Dino Saddle + Thrusters combo is always excellent, but otherwise look for things like Fiber Optics and Dooltron Mainframe.