Perfect Run Strategy

Perfect Run Strategy: The Golden Loop Explained

Achieving the perfect run in Deathloop is the ultimate goal for any aspiring Colt, culminating in the elimination of all eight Visionaries in a single, meticulously planned loop. This detailed strategy focuses on efficiency, precise timing, and leveraging Colt's unique abilities to ensure a flawless execution of the Golden Loop. Remember, preparation in previous loops is absolutely critical – ensure you've infused essential Slabs and Trinkets, and gathered the necessary intelligence to manipulate the Visionaries' schedules.

The Golden Loop isn't about simply hunting down each Visionary wherever they happen to be. It's about orchestrating events so that multiple Visionaries converge in specific locations at specific times, allowing Colt to eliminate them efficiently and within the confines of a single day.

Essential Preparations & Loadout Recommendations

Before embarking on your Golden Loop, ensure you have the following infused and ready. These are widely considered the most effective tools for a perfect run:

• Slabs (Infused):
  • Shift (Colt): Absolutely indispensable for mobility, traversal, and escaping sticky situations. Upgrade with Reach and Dropkick for maximum utility.
  • Aether (Egor): Crucial for stealth, allowing you to bypass Eternalists and Visionaries undetected. Upgrade with Ghost and Flicker for extended invisibility and reduced energy cost.
  • Nexus (Harriet): The ultimate crowd-control Slab. Link multiple enemies together and eliminate them with a single shot. Upgrade with Protraction and Influence for wider range and longer duration.
  • Havoc (Fia): Excellent for direct combat, providing damage reduction and increased melee damage. Useful for boss encounters or when things go sideways. Upgrade with Withdrawal and Euphoria.
• Weapons (Infused):
  • Fourpounder (Legendary): A powerful hand cannon, especially effective with the Explosive Ordnance Trinket. Excellent for single-target damage.
  • Strelak Verso (Legendary): A versatile SMG that transforms into a shotgun. Great for close-quarters combat and dealing with groups.
  • Sepulchra Breteira (Legendary): A silenced sniper rifle, perfect for stealthy long-range eliminations.
  • LIMP-10 (Dual Wield): Reliable SMGs for sustained fire, especially useful with the Open Season Trinket.
• Trinkets (Infused):
  • Character Trinkets:
    • Sprinter: Increased movement speed.
    • Juiced: Increased Slab energy regeneration.
    • Golden Harvest: More Residuum from Visionaries.
    • Bloodthirst: Health regeneration on kills.
    • Hardened: Increased maximum health.
    • Never Say Die: Increased maximum health and damage resistance.
  • Weapon Trinkets:
    • Steady Aim: Reduced weapon sway.
    • Sure Shot: Increased accuracy.
    • Shock Absorber: Reduced recoil.
    • Hailfire: Increased weapon damage at range.

The Golden Loop: Step-by-Step Strategy

This strategy outlines the canonical Golden Loop, designed to eliminate all eight Visionaries within a single day cycle. It relies on specific knowledge gained from previous loops to manipulate their schedules.

Morning: Karl's Bay - Harriet

Your day begins in Karl's Bay, where you'll eliminate Harriet at her hangar. This is a straightforward assassination, but crucial for acquiring her Nexus Slab if you don't already have it, or for infusing it with more Residuum.

• Objective: Eliminate Harriet.
• Required Intel: Knowledge of Harriet's location and routine in Karl's Bay.
• Recommended Slabs: Shift, Aether.
• Recommended Weapons: Sepulchra Breteira, Fourpounder.
• Execution Steps:
  1. Upon spawning in Karl's Bay, immediately head towards Harriet's hangar. You can take the high route over the rooftops for a stealthy approach, or use the lower paths, being mindful of Eternalists.
  2. Harriet is typically giving a sermon to her followers inside the hangar. There are several ways to approach this:
     • Stealth Sniper: Use Aether to get to a high vantage point overlooking the hangar (e.g., the catwalks above). Use the Sepulchra Breteira for a clean headshot on Harriet. This is often the safest and quickest method.
     • Silent Takedown: Infiltrate the hangar using Aether, bypass the Eternalists, and perform a stealth takedown on Harriet. Be careful of the toxic gas in the lower levels.
     • Aggressive Assault: If you prefer a direct approach, charge in. Use Nexus to link groups of Eternalists, then focus fire on Harriet. Be prepared for heavy resistance.
  3. Once Harriet is eliminated, collect her Residuum and her Nexus Slab. If you already have Nexus, this is an opportunity to gain more Residuum.
  4. You do not need to clear the entire hangar or kill all Eternalists; your objective is Harriet. Once she's down, you're free to exit the area.
• Common Pitfall: Getting caught in the toxic gas below the hangar. Avoid it or use Shift to quickly traverse.

Noon: Fristad Rock - Charlie & Fia

This is a critical juncture of the Golden Loop. By discovering their love notes and the location of their secret rendezvous, you can get Charlie and Fia to meet in Fristad Rock at Noon. This allows for a double elimination.

• Objective: Eliminate Charlie and Fia simultaneously.
• Required Intel: You must have discovered the love notes between Charlie and Fia, which reveal their secret meeting place in Fristad Rock. This is typically found by exploring Charlie's "Condition Detachment" game in Karl's Bay and Fia's bunker in Fristad Rock during previous loops. The key is to find the specific pictograms that align.
• Recommended Slabs: Shift, Aether, Nexus.
• Recommended Weapons: Strelak Verso, Fourpounder, LIMP-10 (dual).
• Execution Steps:
  1. Spawn into Fristad Rock at Noon. Head directly towards the bunker where Charlie and Fia are meeting. This is the large bunker complex near the shore, often marked by a large antenna.
  2. Infiltrate the bunker. There are multiple entry points. Stealth is highly recommended to avoid alerting them prematurely. Use Aether to bypass patrols.
  3. Navigate through the bunker until you reach the central chamber where Charlie and Fia are located. They will be engaged in a private moment.
  4. Elimination Strategy:
     • Nexus Link: This is the most efficient method. Get into a position where you can see both Charlie and Fia. Use the Nexus Slab to link them together. Then, shoot one of them (preferably with a headshot using the Fourpounder or Strelak Verso in shotgun mode). The damage will transfer, eliminating both simultaneously.
     • Area-of-Effect: If Nexus isn't an option, a well-placed explosive (e.g., a grenade or a charged Fourpounder shot with Explosive Ordnance) between them can work.
     • Rapid Fire: If you must engage directly, use a high-damage weapon like the Strelak Verso (shotgun mode) or dual LIMP-10s to quickly take them both down before they can react or trigger the self-destruct.
  5. Be aware that Fia will trigger a nuclear self-destruct sequence if alerted or if she feels threatened. If this happens, you have a short window to either eliminate her quickly or disable the device (which requires specific intel from previous loops). The Nexus strategy largely bypasses this risk.
  6. Collect their Residuum and Slabs (Charlie's Shift, Fia's Havoc).
• Common Pitfalls:
  • Triggering Fia's self-destruct.
  • Not having the intel to get them to meet in the first place.
  • Getting overwhelmed by Eternalists inside the bunker.

Afternoon: The Complex - Wenjie & Egor

Another crucial double elimination. By sabotaging Egor's experiment in The Complex during the Morning, you can force him to retreat to Wenjie's lab in the Evening. However, for the Golden Loop, we need them together at Noon. This requires a specific manipulation.

The standard Golden Loop strategy involves sabotaging Egor's experiment in The Complex (Morning) to make him miss Aleksis's party. Then, in The Complex (Evening), he will be at Wenjie's lab, allowing you to kill them both. However, for a streamlined "Perfect Run" that eliminates them at Noon, you need to use a specific trick:

• Objective: Eliminate Wenjie and Egor simultaneously.
• Required Intel: You must have learned about Egor's experiment and how to sabotage it. Crucially, you need to know the specific frequency to disrupt Egor's device, which you learn by following his lead in previous loops.
• Recommended Slabs: Shift, Aether, Nexus.
• Recommended Weapons: Strelak Verso, Fourpounder, Sepulchra Breteira.
• Execution Steps:
  1. Spawn into The Complex at Noon. Your primary target is Egor's experimental site.
  2. Navigate stealthily to Egor's camp. Use Aether to remain undetected.
  3. Locate Egor's experiment (the large, glowing device). You need to disrupt it using the specific frequency you learned from his notes. This will cause Egor to become agitated and leave his current location.
  4. Once Egor's experiment is sabotaged, he will eventually make his way to Wenjie's lab to complain about his ruined work.
  5. Immediately proceed to Wenjie's lab. Be mindful of Eternalists.
  6. Infiltrate Wenjie's lab. She will be surrounded by her clones.
  7. Position yourself strategically. Wait for Egor to arrive and confront Wenjie. They will often be in close proximity during their argument.
  8. Elimination Strategy:
     • Nexus Link: Once Egor and Wenjie are close, use the Nexus Slab to link them (and any nearby clones if you wish). A single headshot on either of them will eliminate both. This is the most reliable method.
     • Area-of-Effect: A well-placed grenade or a charged Strelak Verso shot can also work if they are tightly grouped.
  9. Collect their Residuum and Slabs (Egor's Aether, Wenjie's Nullifier).
• Common Pitfalls:
  • Failing to sabotage Egor's experiment correctly.
  • Getting overwhelmed by Wenjie's clones.
  • Not waiting for Egor to arrive before engaging.

Evening: Updaam - Aleksis, Julianna, Frank, and Wenjie/Egor (if not killed at Noon)

The grand finale takes place in Updaam at night, where you'll confront Aleksis and, inevitably, Julianna. This is also where you'll eliminate Frank, and potentially Wenjie and Egor if you chose the alternative Noon strategy for them.

• Objective: Eliminate Aleksis, Frank, and Julianna. (And Wenjie/Egor if they weren't killed at Noon).
• Required Intel: Knowledge of how to get Frank to Aleksis's party, and how to identify Aleksis.
• Recommended Slabs: Shift, Aether, Nexus, Havoc.
• Recommended Weapons: All your best infused weapons.
• Execution Steps:
  1. Enter Updaam in the Evening. Aleksis is hosting his lavish party at his mansion.
  2. Getting Frank to the Party: In a previous loop, you must have sabotaged Frank's fireworks in Karl's Bay (Morning) and disabled his security system in Fristad Rock (Noon) to prevent him from being in his club. This will make him attend Aleksis's party in Updaam (Evening).
  3. Infiltrate the Mansion: There are numerous entry points. Stealth is highly recommended initially to avoid being overwhelmed. Use Shift and Aether to navigate the crowded party.
  4. Identify and Eliminate Aleksis:
     • Aleksis is disguised among his guests. You'll need to identify him. Listen to conversations, look for clues (e.g., specific dialogue about his identity, or his unique wolf mask).
     • A common method is to manipulate the drink dispensers: if you serve the right drink, Aleksis will reveal himself by dancing on the stage.
     • Once identified, eliminate him. A stealth takedown is ideal, but if you're spotted, be ready for a firefight. Use Nexus to link him with nearby Eternalists for a quick kill.
  5. Eliminate Frank: Frank will be at the party, usually on a specific balcony or mingling. Once you've identified him (he's usually quite boisterous), eliminate him. Again, Nexus is your friend here.
  6. Eliminate Wenjie & Egor (if applicable): If you followed the alternative Golden Loop where Wenjie and Egor are killed in The Complex (Evening), they would be here. However, for the most efficient "Perfect Run" as described above, they should already be dead from Noon.
  7. Confront Julianna: After eliminating several Visionaries, Julianna will almost certainly appear. She is a formidable opponent, often using several Slabs and powerful weapons.
     • Fighting Julianna:
       • Use Shift to maintain distance, gain tactical advantages, and break line of sight.
       • If she uses Aether, use environmental cues (like disturbed snow or flickering lights) to track her.
       • The Nexus Slab can be devastating if you can link her to nearby Eternalists or even other Visionaries if they're still alive.
       • Focus fire on her with your most powerful weapons. She has multiple lives, so be prepared for a sustained engagement. Use Havoc if you need to go toe-to-toe.
  8. Once Julianna is defeated, the loop is broken, and you've completed your perfect run!
• Common Pitfalls:
  • Getting overwhelmed by the sheer number of Eternalists at the party.
  • Failing to identify Aleksis and killing the wrong person.
  • Underestimating Julianna.
  • Not having the intel to get Frank to the party.

Summary of the Golden Loop Sequence

To reiterate the most efficient Golden Loop for a "Perfect Run":

By following this comprehensive and accurate strategy, Colt can successfully break the loop, eliminate all eight Visionaries, and achieve the ultimate "Perfect Run" in Deathloop. Good luck, Colt!