Universal Gadgets

These gadgets are available to all classes and factions. You only need to purchase these gadgets once to make them available to all of your loadouts. It’s a good idea to purchase these gadgets early so you can equip them across all classes.

Gas Mask

$4,800

The gas mask negates the effects of the gas grenade, and also blocks the effects of some environmental hazards.

Field Notes

Given the popularity of gas grenades, particularly during Heist and Rescue, consider making the gas mask an early purchase. When worn, visibility through the mask is surprisingly good, with only some slight dark edges in the four corners of the HUD. The mask also has a darkened greenish tint, but you’re unlikely to be blindsided due to these minor limitations. Needless to say, you should always wear one of these masks when carrying gas grenades. This allows you to enter gas-filled rooms and engage opponents while their vision is blurred and their health is low. The police and criminals use slightly different masks, but their performance is identical.

Grappling Hook

$9,600

Firing the grappling hook at a flat ledge creates a climbable grapple rope up to the top of the ledge. Ropes can be cut or shot to be destroyed.

Field Notes

Grappling hooks offer a fast way to reach rooftops and other hard-to-reach locations. Although grappling hooks are available as Battle Pickups, it’s never a bad idea to have one of your own so you don’t have to scrounge around maps looking for one. When equipped, this gadget functions similar to a firearm. Take aim through the gadget’s simple optical sight and point it toward a ledge. The optic has a reticle as well as rangefinder, showing the distance to the target. The grappling hook has a maximum range of 75 meters. When you target a suitable ledge, the reticle turns into a white bracket with a dot in the center. You can only fire the grappling hook when this reticle appears. Firing the device extends a rope from the ledge to the ground. Climb the rope as you would any ladder. But you’re extremely vulnerable while climbing, so make sure the area is secure before interacting with the rope. The gadget comes equipped with four grappling hooks. But you can pick up lines by interacting with a deployed grappling hook, replenishing the gadget’s ammo, and preventing opponents from using your ropes. More grappling hooks can also be retrieved from an enforcer’s ammo box.

Stunt Driver

$39,000

Stunt Driver equips any ground vehicle with a nitrous oxide boost, allowing the driver to accelerate quickly out of danger. In addition, drivers trained as stunt drivers take less damage when colliding with other vehicles or road hazards.

Zipline

$13,200

The zipline creates a wire stretched between two points. Jump onto the zipline at any point to travel rapidly downwards. Disable enemy ziplines by severing the wire or taking out the supports.

Field Notes

Ziplines are one of the fastest ways to move around a map, ideal for staging sneak attacks or making quick getaways. This crossbow-like gadget functions similar to the grappling hook. Aim through the crossbow’s optic to find a suitable object to fire the wire into. The wire must be fired into an object at a lower elevation than your current position. When the reticle turns to a white dot surrounded by brackets, you can fire the wire. As the wire makes contact with your target, a metal support structure appears nearby. Interact with this support to zip down the wire. Alternately, you can jump up to grab the wire to begin your descent. The gadget comes equipped with four wires, but you can retrieve wires by interacting with the base of each support structure, or by adding ammo back to the gadget with ammo boxes. The zipline has a maximum range of 150 meters, allowing you to cover great distances in a matter of seconds. Look for opportunities to extend multiple ziplines across a map, moving from one rooftop to the next. Pay close attention to the angle of your wire. While shallow angles are acceptable, you move slower, making you an easier target for opponents. Steeper angles allow you to traverse the wire at high speeds.

Field Notes

If you spend a significant amount of time behind the wheel of cars and other ground vehicles, particularly during Hotwire, you should strongly consider purchasing the stunt driver gadget. It’s not cheap, but when equipped, your vehicle is much faster and more durable. To initiate the gadget’s nitrous oxide boost, hold down the sprint button/key and watch as flames spew from the vehicle’s exhaust. Not only does this look cool, but the increased acceleration and speed is ideal for getting away from opponents or staging epic jumps. Launch nitrous-infused motorcycles off ramps to score some impressive jump bonuses. But use the nitrous sparingly, always when traveling along straight roads. Disengage it when attempting to make tight turns. There is no limit to how much nitrous you can use, so keep it active as long as you’d like. In addition to offering a nice speed boost, this gadget also reinforces your vehicle’s chassis, reducing the amount of damage it takes from collisions. Collisions are common in Hotwire, so some additional durability is always welcome.

Line Up Your Jump