Beat a Big Daddy in Bioshock

You hear its heavy footsteps and low moaning come ever closer. The huge monster of a man stands between you and the ADAM-filled Little Sister. But getting to that tiny girl isn't a walk in the park - or is it? With the help from this article, you can stop wasting ammo, first-aid kits, and EVE against the Big Daddy menaces.

Steps

  1. Check to make sure you are all set to take on a Big Daddy. Do you have any of the things listed in the "Things You'll Need" section? Do you have a First-Aid Kit in case something goes wrong? Have you activated a nearby Vita-Chamber just to be safe? Once you have everything and done all the necessary things, then you are ready to take out a Big Daddy.
  2. Know your environment. Have you hacked any turrets that you can use? Have disabled all those annoying security cameras? Have you gotten rid of opposing splicers? Did you notice any puddles that may come to an advantage? Having an advantage in the environment you fight the Big Daddy in can come in handy when the battle becomes more intense.
  3. Battle with the tactics you can afford. Depending on what types of ammunition you can afford to buy or make, you should try different, and often equally effective, tactics (listed here as #'s 4-9).
  4. If you have explosive shotgun shells, use 'em. They are usually over-kill against any lesser enemies, even Spider Splicers, so they are being put to best use against a Big Daddy. Those explosive rounds will deal a considerable amount of damage and set the Big Daddy on fire. But make sure you have a vantage point or some cover after you shoot your first shell, because explosions don't slow down these monsters.
  5. If you have electric shotgun shells, alternate between using the electric shells and other weapons. The electric shells zap the Big Daddy into paralysis, which may give you some time to get a shot or two with a frag grenade or a whole clip of armor-piercing machine gun rounds. If there is a near by puddle, you can deal even more damage by using the water as an amplifier for the electricity. This tactic usually eats up more ammo than other ways, but it leaves you with less damage done in the end.
  6. If you have some Proximity Mines and the Telekinesis plasmid, you can take out the monster in one shot. Though using your Proximity Mines may seem like a bad waste of ammo, it's not. The only real use for these mines is to set up a perimeter, and when a perimeter is needed in the game there are usually turrets and cameras provided. Simply stick 3 or 4 proximity mines on a telekinetically-moveable object (an oxygen tank would be most effective) and pick it up using your Telekinesis. Hurling the bomb at the Big Daddy will certainly ruin its day, if not kill it completely. If the monster survives the initial explosion, finish off its few remaining health with any ammunition you choose (armor-piercing bullets are best).
  7. If you (like most conservative players) almost never use your RPGs (Rocket propelled grenades) or fragmentation grenades, then here's where your saving can pay off. Getting a higher vantage point is crucial in scoring a direct hit against a Big Daddy. Once you are above the Big Daddy, through means of winding stairs or a balcony, start off with a frag grenade. This will surely get the Big Daddy angry, which causes him to get closer to either charge or shoot you. He'll take the quickest route to you, so keep him in sight as you launch RPGs at him. This should be able to kill him, unless he gets behind cover. If that's the case, find another spot to start, or he'll find you. Avoid using RPGs against an unaware Big Daddy, because they are far more expensive than the standard frag grenade, but just slightly weaker.
  8. If you have the 'Hypnotize Big Daddy' plasmids, you can pull off an entertaining end to multiple Big Daddies. Once you have used the plasmid on a lone Big Daddy, lure it to a Big Daddy with a little sister and shoot it with any bullet. When the Big Daddy attacks, your Big Daddy defends you. Once the dust settles, you may find your Daddy won, or the other did. Either way, finish off the survivor with the shotgun or other weapon and claim your prize of the little sister and a wallet-full of cash.
  9. If you have finally gotten the crossbow, you can set up a trap for Big Daddies. Trap bolts are powerful, but not so practical against normal foes, so they meet their full potential defensively. Find a suitable hallway and proceed to shoot the trap bolts so they make a corridor of electricity. Once this is done, lure a Big Daddy (by either angering or hypnotizing it) through the shocking pathway. To avoid setting off the wires yourself, crouch as you walk to avoid wires shot at chest-level.
  10. Scavenge what you can. Big Daddies offer a large sum of money, as well as many inventing items. Using the 'Scrounger' tonic (found by researching leadhead splicers) can find you extra money and/or inventing trinkets as well.



Tips

  • A Bouncer (Big Daddy with a drill) is easier to kill with tactics such as the trap bolt setup. They often cause more damage than their counterparts, but always stay close. Therefore, close range fighting such as eye-level frag grenades or melee attacks aren't practical.
  • If you need to reload, do it before the fight. If you need to reload in the middle of the fight try stunning the Big Daddy first with an electric shotgun shell or the 'Electro Bolt' plasmid.
  • Distracting Big Daddies with the 'Security Bullseye' or 'Insect Swarm' plasmids can save precious seconds in a hostile situation. This does, however, mean you spend extra EVE.
  • A Rosie (Big Daddy with a rivet gun) is more of a coward than its counterpart. It won't charge you, but will use its gun and proximity mines against you. Therefore, using shotguns and frag grenades at too long of a range is a waste. It is best to use the telekinesis bomb or hypnotize plasmids against Roses.

Warnings

  • The 'Hypnotize Big Daddy' plasmid uses up a full bar of EVE. The use of this tactic is usually best left for those who have a surplus of EVE Hypos at their disposal.
  • Unless you have upgraded your grenade launcher with the immunity attachment, your grenades can kill you if used improperly. It is best to use explosives away from you, and at an angle that avoids splash damage from hitting you.
  • Don't be afraid to die. It can sometimes be better to conserve your first-aid kits for harder battles. If you are trying to complete the game without dying, heal when you are about 1/4 from dying. Healing too early can waste the kit.

Things You'll Need

  • A few rounds of explosive shotgun shells OR
  • A few rounds of electric shotgun shells OR
  • A couple of proximity mines and the telekinesis plasmid OR
  • A few frag grenades and rocket propelled grenades OR
  • The 'Hypnotize Big Daddy (1 or 2)' plasmid OR
  • Trap bolts for the crossbow.

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