Launcher



The Launcher is the eighth weapon in BioShock 2. It is the last weapon acquired by Subject Delta, given to him as a present from Eleanor Lamb in Dionysus Park.

Basic Upgrades
''A larger ammo box means more bang for your buck. Also allows you to carry more of each ammo type.''
 * Extended Clip Size
 * This upgrade increases the number of grenades loaded into the Launcher, and also extends the amount of unloaded ammunition the player can carry.

A shaped deflector prevents splash damage from your own explosives.
 * Splash Damage Immunity


 * Renders the players immune to splash damage as a result of close proximity to their own explosives.

Final Upgrade
''Additional munitions are screwed into each shot, triggering secondary explosions in a wide radius. Perfect for clearing a room!''
 * Cluster Bomb Upgrade
 * Turns all types of explosives fired into cluster bombs. Multiple explosives (of the same type) are released upon detonation of the one originally fired. This upgrade will also increase damage of this weapon.

Ammo Types - Launcher

 * Frag Grenade - Base ammunition for the Launcher, Frag Grenades do a high amount of piercing damage in a large radius.
 * Proximity Mine - Uncommon ammunition for the Launcher, Proximity Mines do a high amount of piercing damage in a large radius. Can be deployed on objects where it will stick, and will explode once an enemy enters its blast radius.
 * Heat-Seeking RPG - Rare ammunition for the Launcher, Heat-Seeking RPGs do a high amount of fire damage in a large radius. Will home in on the target closest to the reticule, even around corners.

Strategy

 * The Launcher is very effective against groups, but also if the player isn't very accurate. Explosives deal extreme amounts of damage over a large area, and most enemies fall to a single unit of ammunition from the Grenade Launcher.
 * Frag Grenades can also be fired around corners. This is useful is the player is trying to make an escape or if they are shooting from cover.
 * The Proximity Mine is one of the game's most versatile weapons. It has many different possible uses, all of which will be detailed here:
 * It can be used as a defensive trap (obviously). If the player is trying to kill a Bouncer and wishes to conserve ammo, stacking several barrels together and placing a single Proximity Mine will either seriously injure or even kill the Big Daddy, depending of how many barrels were stacked.
 * It can be used offensively, like a Frag Grenade. However, it has more uses than that. By attaching several Proximity Mines onto a single object (preferably an explosive), one will have created an "Anti-Big Daddy Bomb". It is named so because launching such a projectile (using Telekinesis) at one of the aforementioned Big Daddies will deplete most, if not all, of their health in a single shot. Even if the Big Daddy is not dead afterward, they will be severely weakened, making it easier for the player to finish them off.
 * It can be attached onto friendly Security Bots, turning them into kamikazes. Security Bots have a tendency to approach the enemy at point-blank range, so while it will cost the player a Bot it will grant them the ability to easily dispatch one or several tough enemies while keeping one's distance from the fray.
 * The player can also place Proximity Mines in hotspots. Notable hotspots include Health Stations and water, if the player has ignited any Splicers. Note that laying a Proximity Mine near a Health Station will destroy it upon detonation, so use sparingly. If the player has hacked the Health Station, do not lay Mines near it, as the station will poison any injured Splicer who goes to heal there, which usually kills them in seconds.
 * Heat-Seeking RPGs are a useful tool for sniping, and causing mayhem among groups. They home in on targets, so the player doesn't require any aim to hit a faraway enemy. These explosives also ignite everything around them, in addition to the usual blast. This means that when dealing with tough Splicers a single RPG is all it takes to dispose of a entire group of them, even if the initial explosion didn't kill them. RPGs also deal more damage than Frag Grenades, so if the player is sure of their resources they may use the former as a replacement for the latter.
 * This weapon isn't particularly useful for ambushing, first of all because the player risks getting injured in close quarters, lest they upgrade; and secondly due to the huge amount of chaos caused by the Grenade Launcher. It's not recommended against machinery either, since lesser weapons are already capable of destroying a Security Device in one shot.

Why Specialize?
''Unlike the original game, it is impossible to fully upgrade every weapon through the course of the campaign. Each upgrade choice will affect the player's experience, and may or may not be suited to their combat style. The following is a brief guide to the strategic advantages and disadvantages associated with this weapon:''

Advantages

 * The Launcher is the best anti-group weapon, capable of felling entire waves of Splicers in a few shots.
 * In addition, each shot deals a high amount of damage on its own, making it a powerful anti-boss weapon.
 * The Cluster Bomb upgrade allows the user to clear an entire room using only a couple of shots.
 * The Launcher is fairly easy to use, especially when upgraded. Even if the player doesn't land a direct hit, the enemy will get caught by the splash damage.
 * Both basic upgrades can potentially save the player's life: the Splash Damage Immunity upgrade will prevent the player from accidentally hurting themselves, while the Extended Clip Size upgrade will somewhat reduce the risk for the player to run out of munitions.
 * The Launcher is a versatile weapon, able to work both defensively and offensively, and at all ranges.

Disadvantages

 * Launcher ammunition is by far the most expensive in the game. Using the Launcher as a primary weapon will thus severely drain the player's wallet.
 * Even with the Extended Clip upgrade, continuous use of the Launcher will quickly deplete its ammo reserves.
 * Using the Launcher puts the player at risk of accidentally setting off an environmental hazard or, in the worst possible case, attracting the ire of a Big Daddy.
 * When not faced with a tough enemy or a group of Splicers, almost any weapon will be able to kill the target just as quickly, and at a lesser cost in resources.
 * Save for Heat-Seeking RPGs, it's impossible to boost this weapon's damage output through Gene Tonics or even Plasmids.
 * No tactic exists which can dramatically increase the Launcher's effectiveness in the middle of combat.

Summary
The Launcher is, without a doubt, the most powerful weapon in the game. All of its ammo types deal huge amounts of damage, fit a variety of roles, and are easy to use. It can work at any range, and is the only weapon capable of decimating entire groups of enemies in a couple of shots. However, this power comes at a cost: not only is combat with the Launcher extremely expensive, but in some cases it's simply too powerful: using it against a lone Splicer is a waste of ammo, and a misplaced explosion may end up making life much harder for the player. To top it off, the Launcher's small carry capacity prevents it from serving as a proper primary weapon. Although strongly recommended to upgrade the Launcher, avoid relying too much on it.

Recommended Plasmids

 * Winter Blast can help the player quickly and painlessly dispose of a Big Daddy when using this weapon. Usually, one freeze and around two to three explosives is enough to kill one of them, although the player would be missing out on the high amount of cash carried by Big Daddies if they are using Winter Blast 1.
 * Telekinesis can be used to "boost" Frag Grenades: By firing the grenade, quickly switching to the Plasmid and using it on the projectile will send it much farther than it would normally go. This strategy is only useful if the player does not possess any Heat-Seeking RPGs, since those can already travel long distances. Telekinesis can also be used to throw an object rigged with multiple Proximity Mines (also called an "Anti-Big Daddy Bomb"), exploding on impact.
 * Placing a Cyclone Trap under a Proximity Mine will allow it to kill any Splicer on any difficulty and on any level.

Recommended Tonics

 * Damage Research increases the effect of research damage bonuses.
 * Walking Inferno increases the damage done by Heat-Seeking Rockets, as well as decreasing fire damage taken.
 * The Armored Shell line of Tonics decreases all physical damage taken, including any splash damage from Launchers. However, this is made redundant by the Damage Immunity upgrade to the Launcher.

Trivia

 * Unlike the Grenade Launcher from the first game, the Launcher appears to be professionally manufactured rather than built from found parts and scrap metal, thus making it likely that this is another weapon aside from the Drill, Rivet Gun, and Spear Gun manufactured with a Big Daddy in mind. The Frag Grenades also appear manufactured, unlike in the first game, wherein they were sealed sardine cans full of explosives. The Proximity Mines and Heat-Seeking Rockets however, remain the same as the previous game.
 * In Minerva's Den, the Launcher only uses Heat-Seeking Rockets. This makes it the only weapon in the DLC to use one ammo type.

Canon