Buck: counters, combos and tips
Attacker · Redhammer · vertical, soft breach, trap clear
Buck is countered by Azami and Pulse. Buck pairs best with Hibana, Sledge and Lion.
Buck's gadget: Skeleton Key (SK 4-12)
Underbarrel breaching shotgun (36 shells) that soft-breaches floors, ceilings, walls and barricades; the classic vertical player who shoots down through soft floors. Cannot open reinforced hatches.
Who counters Buck?
AzamiStrongKiba Barriers patch the holes Buck shoots in the floor (designed against Buck/Sledge vertical).
PulseSituationalheartbeat sensor scans through floors (9 m), so he finds Buck on the floor above.
What does Buck counter?
Buck isn't a direct counter to any one operator; the value is in the role.
Best Buck combos
HibanaPop the hatch, shred the floor.
SledgeDouble vertical.
LionScan, then shoot down.
IQFind them, shoot down.
Buck myths
- Valkyrie counters Buck. No gadget interaction: Black Eyes are cameras. At most intel on his position.
Key Buck facts (Y11S3)
- Shells destroy barricades in 3 shots and soft walls in 2-4; used to open ceilings, walls and floors. (since launch (Y1S1))
- Mechanical, so unaffected by anti-electronics (Mute, Bandit, Kaid). (since launch)
- Hard Breach Charge replaced with a Claymore (Update 9.4.2, Jan 20 2025): Buck can't open a reinforced hatch himself. (since Y9S4.2)
- Vertical value depends on soft floor above the site: a top-floor site or a site under a concrete floor gives him little. (since -)
Sources
More attackers
Ace Amaru Ash Blackbeard Blitz Brava Capitão Deimos Dokkaebi Finka Flores Fuze Glaz Gridlock Grim Hibana Iana IQ Jackal Kali Lion Maverick Montagne Nøkk Nomad Osa Ram Rauora Sens Sledge Solid Snake Striker Thatcher Thermite Twitch Ying Zero Zofia