Hank — Evolve Official Strategy Guide

“Oh yeah. Nothin’ like a cookout to wash away the taste of a standard synthpaste ration. Any requests?” — Hank

Hank believes in the simple things, like the value of a hard day’s work or the joy of indiscriminately firing a Laser Cutter at bloodthirsty predators. Which is why he cherishes the quiet moment after calling down an Orbital Barrage on whatever creature is currently pissing him off. The ensuing bombardment of fiery death really puts things into perspective.

Skins

Skin	How to Unlock
Default	Unlocked from start.
Hank Elite Skin	Earn 3 stars in all items in Character Mastery.

Loadout

Icon	Item	Description
	Laser Cutter	Cannon that rapidly fires a volley of laser bolts.
	Shield Protector	Single-target shield that protects fellow Hunters.
	Orbital Barrage	Summons a massive bombardment from an orbital mining satellite.
	Cloaking Field	Grants temporary invisibility to Hank and nearby allies.

Character Mastery

	Tier 1 Requirements		Tier 2 Requirements		Tier 3 Requirements
	Requirement	Buff	Requirement	Buff	Requirement	Buff
Laser Cutter	Do 6,000 damage	Damage increase	Do 20,000 damage to the Monster	Damage increase	Do 5,000 headshot damage to the Monster	Damage increase
Shield Projector	Shield teammates from damage 20 times	Capacity increase	Shield 35,000 damage	Capacity increase	Prevent 30 teammates from becoming incapped	Capacity increase
Orbital Barrage	Do 6,600 damage	Damage increase	Do 24,000 damage to the Monster	Damage increase	Damage the Monster 30 times from a distance greater than 50 meters	Damage increase

Mastery Unlocks

You must complete all mastery challenges within the same tier set before moving on to the next set. Progress toward the next challenges will not be accrued before being unlocked.

Tier 1: Bucket
Tier 2: Badge Foreground
Tier 3: Badge Foreground, Hank Elite Skin

Awards

Award	Description	XP Earned
Laser Show	Deal 2,000 damage to the Monster with the Laser Cutter.	50
Protector	Shield the Hunters for 2,000 damage with the Shield Projector.	50
Duck and Cover	Deal 2,000 damage to the Monster with Orbital Barrage.	50
Now You See Me	Cloak two Hunters at once with the Cloaking Field.	100

“Gear check, folks. Can’t take any risks on this one. Shields full of juice?”— hank

Loadout

Hank is equipped to both deal out the pain and save his comrades in battle. The Laser Cutter does its job when he isn’t needed elsewhere, but his Orbital Barrage can really tear a Monster up—provided it doesn’t flee that location. At the least, the explosives can drive the enemy away from the area. But Hank’s Shield Projector provides the most benefit to the team. It allows the Medic to continue healing while the Monster focuses its attention their way, or it keeps the Assault’s attacks up when his Personal Shield is no longer available.

Laser Cutter

Mastery Reward:Increased Damage

Damage: 160 per Second

Recharge Time from Empty: 3 Seconds

Max Fire Duration: 5 seconds

Hank’s Laser Cutter rapidly fires a volley of lasers. Press the Primary button to select the weapon. The Fire trigger releases the projectiles at your target. Holding the Aim button gives you a slightly zoomed-in view, but this gun works just as well fired from the hip.

The Laser Cutter has incredible accuracy. Go for headshots or aim at weak spots to maximize damage to the Monster. Ensure that your teammates do not need protection, and then pull this weapon out to help bring the beast down.

You should equip this weapon as the team hunts the Monster so Hank can deal with pesky creatures along the way.

Shield Projector

Mastery Reward: Increased Capacity

Max Damage Absorbed: 800

Recharge Time from Empty: 11 Seconds

Max Range: 60 Meters

The Shield Projector protects a Hunter from all damage dealt to them for a short period and is used in the same manner as Val’s Medgun. Press the Secondary button to equip the device, face the friendly character, and hold the Fire button. Releasing the button stops the protection and allows the device to recharge its battery.

As long as Hank has an ally close to the aiming reticle, the Shield Projector will lock on to the Hunter. Use the Shield Projector on allies who are currently engaged with the Monster. The Shield Projector’s battery depletes only if the player that it is shielding is being damaged. Otherwise, you can hold the beam on the targeted player forever without draining the battery.

The Shield Projector is vital during combat to keep Assault Hunters alive longer. Since many Monsters tend to focus on the Medic, they may need the protection more. Learn the enemy’s attack animations, and squeeze the trigger just as it strikes your comrades. Efficient use of the device goes a long way in keeping the team around longer.

The Shield Projector has incredible range. Besides giving a teammate temporary invisibility, Hank’s duties can all be performed from a high perch. Move the Monster around with the Orbital Barrage, protect teammates who engage the foe, and hit the beast with the Laser Cutter whenever possible.

Teaming up with Val is a great way to mess with the Monster. Shield her as she heals you when you both are under fire. Be sure to communicate use of the Shield Projector so that your Assault Hunter doesn’t waste his Personal Shield.

Orbital Barrage

Mastery Reward: Increased Damage

Max Damage per Missile: 360

Max Damage Radius per Missile:8

Number of Missiles in Barrage:17

Hank’s Orbital Barrage can deal some serious damage to the Monster, but its best use may be in moving the foe away from an objective. Tap the Equipment button to bring up a reticle. Place the reticle where you want the explosives to land. A red circle with three bombs crossed out indicates that they cannot be dropped there. Once ready, hold the Fire button down until the red bar is filled to unleash the devastation.

“This is laser-death, baby! Good enough for a ship’s hull, it’s good enough for you.”— Hank

The Orbital Barrage is a very powerful attack with a direct blow, but hitting a moving target with it is impossible. It is best used on a Monster that is in the process of evolving, being held down by harpoons, or possibly slowed down.

The explosives start out dropping where the attack was aimed, but they move farther out as it continues. A fleeing Monster may still get hit as it attempts to dodge them.

Watch out for an incoming Orbital Barrage, as it knocks any Hunters caught in the blast far away. Quickly dodge out of the area to avoid losing your position. Always communicate when using this attack so that your allies can exit the area in time.

The Orbital Barrage’s best use may be as a defensive measure. Drop them near an objective or incapped Hunter to force the Monster away. The best hope is that the beast will panic and make a mistake.

Since the explosives rain from the skies above, this ability is ineffective under cover. The “unable to use” graphic is shown whenever you attempt to do so.

Fighting the Monster

As the team hunts the Monster, you can use Hank’s Laser Cutter to fend off pesky wildlife. Group the team when approaching dangerous creatures like the Tyrant, and use the Cloaking Field to move past without losing time. The Shield Projector comes in handy if a Hunter is swiped.

Once the Monster is found and the Mobile Arena is deployed, pull out the Laser Cutter and do some damage to the foe. Avoid attracting too much attention; your team needs your protection.

If the group lucked out and the Monster is evolving, quickly hit it with the Orbital Barrage. Otherwise, you should save this ability for when the beast is harpooned or needs moving.

Hank can do most of his work from a high position, so seek out a safe spot with a good view of the action. Project the shield on Hunters who are currently engaged with the Monster. If possible, get in some pot shots with your laser, but your primary job should be to protect the team. Use the shield efficiently to keep its battery charged.

If the squad gets into trouble, drop down and use the Cloaking Field so that they can escape with ease. You can also assist by sending in the Orbital Barrage, but be sure to announce the move since Hunters caught in the blasts will be sent flying away.

Hank requires a lot of pre-empting. You must anticipate whom the Monster is going to attack next and predict where enemies are heading. Actually, though, much of Evolve requires a little prediction and luck.

In Defend mode, drop the Orbital Barrage on minions that attack the generator. In Rescue, use the Shield Generator to assist survivors to the evacuation point.