The Protector/Gatherer Program

The importance of ADAM in Rapture gave birth to a program in which dissidents and other pests were taken from their homes and transformed through genetic engineering into Big Daddies. Many of these so-called Big Daddies became pair-bonded with Little Sisters to serve as their eternal protector. Early experiments yielded what are now known as the Alpha Series, a sleeker, faster version of the Big Daddy that suffered from an overdose of ADAM and an unproven Plasmid cocktail. Of course, Rapture being what it is, somebody has to watch over the protectors, and that’s where the Big Sisters come in…

Little Sister

ADAM became the most valuable commodity in Rapture both because of its immense power, and because of its scarcity: once ADAM is injected into someone, it remains in their body indefinitely. If the Splicer dies, their ADAM dies with them.

The Little Sisters are the solution to this problem. Little Sisters are young girls who have had the ADAM-producing sea slug implanted into their bodies. With the slug implanted, the Little Sisters are able to draw ADAM out of a dead body’s bloodstream, ingest it, and process it back into usable ADAM.

Along with this ability, the ADAM slug constantly produces a stem cell-like substance which instantly regenerated any damage done to the Little Sisters, such as from bullets, flames, or other attacks. But like a run-of-the-mill Splicer, exposure to ADAM also drives the Little Sisters completely mad.

Little Sisters have only one purpose: to search out corpses containing ADAM, extract their blood, and process it back into a usable ADAM payload. Feeling remorse for her role in their creation, Doctor Tenenbaum developed a Plasmid which allows the user to purify Little Sisters, reversing the effects of ADAM exposure on their bodies and minds, but destroying the valuable ADAM slug in the process.

Rescue or Harvest

Little Sisters don’t suffer damage from Splicers, nor are you capable of harming them directly. Your interaction with Little Sisters beyond the one in Ryan Amusements is optional, and the duration and culmination of your relationship is entirely up to you. If you choose to deal with a Little Sister, you must first defeat the Big Daddy paired to her. With him out of the way, you can decide to Adopt or Harvest the Little Sister. Harvesting the Little Sister on the spot nets you 160 ADAM, while adopting her grants you the opportunity to help her gather ADAM from specially identified corpses (40 ADAM per corpse), or you can take her to the nearest Little Sister vent and opt to Rescue her and gain 80 ADAM. (Please note that once you get the Proud Parent Tonic gathers are worth 60 ADAM instead of 40. You get this tonic after rescuing four Little Sisters. Installing this tonic can get you up to 280 ADAM from a single Little Sister.) It’s possible to gain as little as 80 ADAM from a Little Sister or as much as 240. The choice is yours.

Big Daddies

From the time of its founding, the maintenance of Rapture required trained divers in reinforced suits to walk the sea floor, shoring up leaks and reinforcing the city’s superstructure. When ADAM became the driving force in Rapture and Little Sisters were developed to reclaim the priceless resource from dead bodies, the inhabitants of those metal diving suits were genetically altered to become the Little Sisters’ mindless, lumbering protectors. In their new role, these imposing figures were nicknamed “Big Daddies.”

Once genetically conditioned in the research labs of Point Prometheus, a Big Daddy’s only purpose is to wander Rapture, searching for a Little Sister to protect. Once paired with a Little Sister, the Big Daddy follows her like a faithful dog and fiercely fights off anyone who approaches her. A standard Big Daddy has extremely limited mental abilities and no free will. They exist as docile “sleepwalkers,” who will fight to the death if their Little Sister is threatened.

Bouncer

Bouncers are the lower form of Big Daddies assigned to safeguard the Little Sisters and attack strictly with melee attacks. The hulking armor-clad Bouncer wields a massive Drill on its right arm—just like you—and attacks by slamming its enormous heft into its target at a high speed. That’s right, for a fellow this big, he can really move thanks to its Drill Dash attack. Of course, Bouncers use their Drill to bore into their prey at close range, inflicting massive amounts of damage. They can also drill into the floor to shake the room they’re in, disorienting all those around them. Still, it’s the Drill Dash attack you really need to watch out for. The best way to handle a Bouncer is to keep your distance, use Electro Bolt to stun it, and open fire with Heavy Rivets. A well-timed melee attack can jar the Bouncer out of its Drill Dash attack, but this is a risky maneuver—you’re best off shocking it and trying to avoid standing directly in front of the Bouncer.

Rumbler

The Rumbler is a new style of Big Daddy, created in the ten years since the Fall of Rapture. The Rumbler wields a shoulder-mounted Launcher that can fire Heat-Seeking Rockets. It also deploys Mini-Turrets that automatically target any enemy in a large radius and open fire with surprising force. There are a number of ways to deal with the Rumbler, including using Telekinesis to catch incoming rockets and hurl them back at the Rumbler, but the easiest technique is turning the Rumbler’s Mini-Turrets against itself. This can be done by targeting the Rumbler with Security Command as soon as the Mini-Turret is deployed—the Mini-Turret then behaves just like a hacked security component and attacks the Rumbler. Another option is to use the Hack Tool to distance-hack the Mini-Turret. Either way, you can use the Mini-Turret to soften up the Rumbler. Best of all, the Rumbler consequently becomes distracted and rushes to the Mini-Turret in an attempt to destroy it. This is your chance to hit it with Incinerate! and any Rocket Spears or Heavy Rivets that you may have.

Rosie

Unlike the bone-crushing Bouncer, the Rosie is a Big Daddy that prefers to keep its distance and attack with a powerful Rivet Gun and Proximity Mines. Rosies strafe back and forth in and out of cover, always making sure to stay between their opponent and the Little Sister in their care. The Rivet Gun they wield fires deadly metal projectiles with extreme accuracy and tremendous velocity. Lucky for you, the Rosie doesn’t have the Heavy Rivets that you possess. Also in your favor is your ability to use Telekinesis to catch and lob the Proximity Mines back at it! The best way to handle a Rosie is to set up the area with Trap Rivets and Proximity Mines before initiating the battle. Employ the help of Splicers with Hypnotize and rely heavily on Heavy Rivets and Armor-Piercing Rounds. Rocket Spears and Frag Grenades are also quite effective, as is using Electro Bolt to stun the beast.

Big Daddy research bonuses

Alpha Series

It took some time to get the Big Daddy formula right. The Alpha Series is evidence of years of false starts. Former test subjects for experimental Plasmids, these poor “volunteers” were then brainwashed and sealed into metal armor. Those who came after Delta lost their bonded Little Sisters to Splicers or rescue, leaving them as feral, barely human wrecks.

Fiercely territorial, the Alpha Series now wander the halls of Fontaine Futuristics and Persephone Penal Colony, attacking anything that might intrude from the outside—namely, you. They are prone to uncontrolled outbursts, and tend to favor heavy munitions in fending off their foes.

Plasmid Overload

The Alpha Series is living proof of the dangers of science run amok. These crazed experiments roam the deepest corners of Rapture, emitting spontaneous bursts of Electro Bolt, Winter Blast, or Incinerate! that radiate out from their suits. They move much faster than the Big Daddies that eventually replaced them and charge to attack intruders with Launchers, Frag Grenades, or sometimes just a Machine Gun. Unlike Big Daddies, the Alpha Series do not wait to be fired upon—they attack on first sight! This eliminates your chance to set traps for them. Instead, your best bet is to deploy a Mini-Turret or two and use Hypnotize to enlist the help of others in the area—even if only as a distraction. To that extent, consider using Decoy to lure the Alpha Series in the wrong direction so you can remain safely out of range from its sudden Plasmid bursts. Stun the Alpha Series with Electro Bolt and hit it with a Rocket Spear or Heat-Seeking Rocket. Alpha Series are one of the toughest enemies you’ll encounter in Rapture. Hold nothing back!

Alpha Series research bonuses

Big Sisters

A Big Sister combines the strength of a Big Daddy with the ADAM-draining abilities of a Little Sister. They are armored, deadly, and can survive out in the ocean, but are also able to drain ADAM from corpses to power Plasmid abilities. When a Little Sister is abducted by a Splicer, the Big Sisters are the last line of defense, emerging from the shadows to hunt down the attacker. The Little Sister is then returned to the system to start her work anew, or the ADAM itself is recovered from the offending Splicer.

Along with dashing and slashing attacks, Big Sisters may wield abilities like Incinerate and Telekinesis. Big Sisters are incredibly agile and can jump up to perch on walls like a Spider Splicer, catching their target unawares.

Teenage Angst

If you didn’t think dealing with a Big Daddy was enough reason to leave the Little Sisters alone, wait until you meet Big Sister! Big Sister doesn’t want you anywhere near her Little Sisters and will hunt you down to make sure you pay for meddling in the Gathering Program. Big Sister attacks with Incinerate! and Telekinesis (she’ll use the latter to hurl any nearby debris and objects at you) and also dashes forward to strike you with her giant needle. Big Sisters cartwheel and leap and sprint, and can be very difficult to track. Their Plasmid attacks are rather easy to dodge compared to their melee attacks. Use the environment to your advantage and try to lead a Big Sister into larger, open areas where you can utilize cover and avoid narrow hallways and small spaces at all costs. A well-timed melee attack can knock her out of her dash attack, but this is risky. Use Incinerate! and Heat-Seeking Rockets as well as Mini-Turrets to inflict most of your damage. Look for fuel drums or explosive gas cylinders and hurl them at her with Telekinesis to dole out even more damage.

Big Sister research bonuses