Anyone who’s spent time in Rapture, BioShock’s dystopian underwater metropolis, has encountered their share of Splicers. Ravaged both mentally and physically by an all-consuming ADAM addiction, these former inhabitants are out for another fix, and they’ll stop at nothing to get it - including killing themselves, each other, and you.
As you push through the city to unravel its mysteries, you’ll come up against a handful of different types of Splicers, each with different abilities, damage output, and strength. If you’d like to prepare yourself for a journey through the deep against these adversaries, would you kindly read on to make sure you’re ready for the fight?
8 Early Splicer
While you don’t see them until Burial at Sea, the 2013 DLC for BioShock Infinite, we wouldn’t have Splicers at all if not for the Early Splicers. Weakened from fighting their addiction, the authorities, and their peers, these Splicers might not be the most physically deformed or the toughest to fight, but they shed interesting insight into the world of BioShock and its ADAM problem.
There are a few different models for these Splicers, including mothers, entertainers, and even obsessive ex-lovers. While they may be numerous, they’re not too hard to tackle. With enough smart maneuvering and clever gun-play, you should be able to dispatch the prototypical enemies with ease. Just don’t think too hard about what they’re going through though.
7 Thuggish Splicers
They're the first type of Splicer you encounter in the game - the difficulty in fighting Thuggish Splicers is that they have power in numbers. While not exactly difficult on their own, you might get overwhelmed if several of them attack together, so tread lightly. They become a bigger problem later in the game, when you discover Thuggish Splicers that are immune to electric damage, who can unleash electric attacks upon you.
But on their own, they’re no sweat. Before they’re immune to electricity, they’re easy enough to dispatch with a combination of Electro Bolt and an ammo-conserving smack with your trusty wrench. As long as you’re not outnumbered, you shouldn’t have much of a problem.
6 Frosty Splicer
The second group of DLC Splicers is one you'll need to keep a cool head for. Frosty Splicers leaned heavily into the Old Man Winter Plasmids, at Frank Fontaine’s insistence, yet remain angry at Andrew Ryan and loyal to Fontaine. Aggressive, frigid, and determined to take you down, you’ll need to play smart to survive.
Thankfully, you’re up against an elemental Splicer here - and like most elementals - it’s got a weakness. Keep yourself prepared with a Devil’s Kiss Plasmid to deal with these guys. They’re known for five-shot bursts of ranged ice attacks before running to hide, so snag them while they’re out in the open and melt your problems away before moving on.
5 Leadhead Splicer
While not exactly notorious for their toughness, Leadhead Splicers are still nothing to sneeze at. When you first encounter them early in the game, they’re equipped with pistols, but they’ll switch to machine guns about halfway through, ramping up the difficulty again.
Mobility is definitely your best bet when fighting them – a moving target is always harder to hit. Additionally, Leadhead Splicers, just like you, will have to reload their weapons from time to time, so make use of that window to get a few free shots in.
4 Brute Splicer
Although we didn’t meet them until BioShock 2, the Brute Splicers have more than made their impact on the series. They're referred to as “the Splicer equivalent of a Big Daddy,” given that they’ve got vastly more health and pack a much harder punch than the rest. Luckily for us, they’re not too hard to spot and prepare for, even at a distance.
If you’re in melee range, they'll come at you, swinging heavy-hitting fists of fury, but they will also attack from a distance by throwing objects and charging at you. Thankfully, since they’re huge, they make for enormous targets. This means any decent marksman can sneak off a headshot to dispose of them.
3 Nitro Splicer
Nitro Splicers are a wildcard, as your struggles in dealing with them depend entirely on your play style. Plasmid-happy players, who keep Telekinesis at the ready, shouldn’t have much problem stealing their lobbed explosives and tossing them back, but they’re surprisingly resistant to physical attacks dealt with weapons.
Not only that, they’re evasive, constantly hiding behind smoke screens or running away. Be advised, melee against these Splicers isn't very effective, since their attacks are difficult to dodge in close quarters. Keep your distance, use your Plasmids, and you should be okay.
2 Spider Splicer
We really hope you have ranged weapon ammo stocked for this one, because Spider Splicers, with their acrobatic abilities and penchant for crawling across ceilings, will force you to use some bullets. They’re known to appear from nowhere, adding jump-scares to your trip through Rapture.
If you hear crackling plaster, look up. Spider Splicers typically try to sneak up on you from above and get a surprise melee hit or two before retreating. Nimble and quick, you’ll have to aim your shots slightly in front of them – the gap will ensure they run directly into your line of fire.
1 Houdini Splicer
Last, but certainly not least, Houdini Splicers are not only capable of invisibility, but also of using Plasmids against you. It’s not often you’ll escape a fight with one of them unscathed. Though easy to find, given their unique screech, they try to reappear behind you for a sneak attack.
Thankfully, their attack pattern is consistent - always shooting a Plasmid at you, disappearing, reappearing someplace else in the room, and repeating the process. They're alright once you know how to fight them, but you often don't have a choice, as they’re impossible to escape. The only way to get away from one is to kill it, and a good way to do that is to set it ablaze. Your fire attacks will continue to do damage even when the Houdini is invisible. Keep your hand steady and your nerves steeled, and they'll go down eventually.