[03-03-09] Laser Tripbomb [Explosive] [Non Gun]

Learn how to effectively deploy and use the Laser Tripbomb in Duke Nukem 3D. Discover its stats, blast radius, and tactical advantages in both single-player and multiplayer modes.

Alright, let's talk about the Laser Tripbomb in Duke Nukem 3D. This little gadget is a black, rectangular trap that sticks to walls. Once you place it, it'll shoot out a red laser beam to the nearest perpendicular surface after about two seconds. If Duke, or more importantly, an enemy, walks through that beam, BOOM! Big explosion, and a lot of damage to anyone caught in the blast radius. It's super handy in DukeMatch for setting up ambushes, but honestly, it's a bit trickier to use effectively in the single-player campaign.

The stats on this thing are pretty solid: it dishes out 100 damage, gives you +1 ammo pickup, can hold up to 10 charges, and has a massive blast radius of 3880. That radius is the key – it's the distance the explosion travels from where you placed the bomb. Keep in mind that half the explosion is technically 'inside' the wall it's stuck to. However, if you place it on something destructible, like a flimsy vent, you might get some extra mileage out of that other half of the blast.

Now, if you're determined to use these in single-player, you've got to be smart about it. The ideal scenario is to place them before the enemy even knows you're there. Set up your trap, make some noise to draw them in, and then lure them right into your ambush. But what if you're already being chased? You'll need to be super careful. Try to lure the enemy around a corner so they can't shoot you while you're setting up. Place your Tripbombs, then retreat even further back. The hope is they'll follow you around the corner and walk into the blast zone while you're safe. Honestly though, for quick deployment in a pinch, a pipebomb is usually a better bet because it's faster to set and detonate.

A couple of cool things to know about the Laser Tripbomb:

• There's a neat little bug you can exploit where using these can actually make Duke fall slower. You can find more on that in section 08-00, under FAQs.
• If you're feeling adventurous and into modding, you can actually change how the laser behaves by messing with the .CON files. You can make it regular, semi-transparent, only visible with Night Vision Goggles, or completely invisible! Check out section 06-02, Modifying The .CON files, for the lowdown.
• Fun fact: the laser beam actually turns green when it's underwater.