Stray

For more information about other enemies, see Enemies

Strays are Lesser Husks that first appear in the mission [ 0-1: INTO THE FIRE ]. They serve as rank-and-file projectile enemies that attack the player from a distance.

Appearance

Strays are tall, skeletal humanoids. Their bloody muscle and bones are exposed, giving them a notable red color, and they seem to lack internal organs and eyes.

Combat

Strays will always try to stay at a medium distance from the player, backing up when they get too close. Likewise, Strays will also close the distance until within range if they're too far away. If cornered, they will face the player and attack as normal.

Strays only have one attack, in which they charge up and throw a single Hell Energy projectile that deals 25 damage. It is telegraphed by the Stray drawing back their right arm and forming the projectile in their hand. The projectile can either be shot as it forms in the Stray's hand to blow it up, or parried as it travels to launch it back at the Stray. They can also be parried right as they throw their projectile.

Difficulty Changes

• HARMLESS
  • Strays move and attack much slower than usual.

• LENIENT
  • Strays move and attack slower than usual.

• VIOLENT
  • Strays move and attack faster than usual.

• BRUTAL
  • Strays move and attack much faster than usual.
  • They will attempt to lead their shots ahead of the player's movement.

Terminal Data

For more information, see Terminal

TYPE: Lesser Husk

DATA:
While their tall stature may seem intimidating, Strays are afraid of most danger and will try to stay at a safe distance, only attacking via projectiles formed with Hell Energy.

Although controlling and manifesting this energy is a complicated task, Strays have very low intelligence and are only able to do so via pure instinct.

Nevertheless, humans were unable to replicate this level of accuracy and control, particularily^[sic] the Stray’s ability to cause the energy orbs to selectively ignore other Husks.

STRATEGY:
- Most weapons will be effective against them, but a Revolver headshot is the quickest and surest way to eliminate a Stray.

- Due to their static nature and slow rate of attacking, they are an excellent target for projectile parrying.

Rending Apart

Strays are weak, and have only slightly more health than Filth; however, unlike Filth, they stay at a distance from the player and don't tend to cluster up together, making explosives and most other area-of-effect damage options far less effective for taking out multiple Strays. Although, Strays can be instantly killed by Revolver headshots or limb hits, Knuckleblaster punches, any shot from the Alternate Revolver, and point-blank Shotgun blasts, among others. Landing multiple consecutive splitshots with the Marksman Revolver is a very fast way to clear out a room of Strays.

The Nailgun's nails also deals double damage to Strays, making it a viable option for mowing them down. Additionally, the Alternate Nailgun is also viable against a group Strays and other Husks as the sawblades grant 200% more damage to Strays, as well as being an excellent crowd control tool. Strays are a good target for the JumpStart Nailgun in particular, which, coupled with magnets, can clear a sizable area from weaker enemies.

The Stray's Hell Energy projectile is very predictable and relatively slow, making Strays one of the easiest enemies in the game to parry. Their projectiles can be parried as they travel, and the Strays themselves can also be parried right as they start to throw their projectile.

A Stray's attack can also be interrupted if the player shoots the projectile with the Revolver as it charges in the Stray's hand. A consistent way to do this is to perform a ricoshot at the exact moment a Stray begins to charge an attack, which will automatically target the projectile in its hand.

Patch History

Trivia

• Strays make no unique noises, sharing sound effects with Schisms.
• Similarly to Filth, there is at least one Stray present in almost every normal level in the game.
  • The exceptions to this are [ 7-2: LIGHT UP THE NIGHT ] and [ 7-S: HELL BATH NO FURY ].
• Strays, alongside Filth and Mannequins, have a Puppet variant, distinguished by its completely red body. These variants need to be killed to feed the trees in [ 7-3: NO SOUND, NO MEMORY ] in order to make progress.
• Soldiers are mechanically augmented Strays.
  • It was revealed that Hell itself was responsible for these modifications to Strays as a form of entertainment for itself.
• The Stray is called the Projectile Zombie when modified by the Spawner Arm.
  • This applies to the other very old enemies, such as the Filth being dubbed Zombie, and the Schism being named the Super Projectile Zombie.

Gallery

Old appearance of the Tall Husk before the redesign (before the name "Stray" was adopted).

Stray preparing a Hell Energy projectile.

Stray attempts to back up from the player as they approach.

The Stray's attack being interrupted by the Revolver as it forms in their hand.

The old Stray model that can be spotted as a burning corpse within [ 1-2: THE BURNING WORLD ].

Stray on a tram during the [ 7-1: GARDEN OF FORKING PATHS ] boss fight, acting as a blood source.

A Stray Puppet preparing a projectile in [ 7-3: NO SOUND, NO MEMORY ].

Stray with bunny ears as seen during the Easter Seasonal Event.

Stray wearing a Santa hat as seen during the Christmas Seasonal Event.

Stray with a pumpkin as a head as seen during the Halloween Seasonal Event.

Enemies

Husks Filth Stray Schism Soldier TCoKM(?) Stalker Insurrectionist Ferryman Machines Swordsmachine Drone Streetcleaner V2 Mindflayer V2 (2nd) Sentry Gutterman Guttertank 1000-THR Defence System Earthmover Demons Malicious Face Cerberus Hideous Mass Idol Leviathan Mannequin Minotaur Angels Gabriel, Judge of Hell Virtue Gabriel, Apostate of Hate Prime Souls Minos Prime Sisyphus Prime Other Something Wicked Cancerous Rodent Very Cancerous Rodent MDK&O(?) Big Johninator Puppet Flesh Prison Flesh Panopticon