The Lurker is a Necromorph specialized for ranged attacks. They are most often created from human babies and infant-like organ banks used in biological prosthetic procedures, but can also result from infected dogs, as is the case of those found onboard Sovereign Colonies ships and the icy surfaces of Tau Volantis.
Overview
Lurkers are extensively mutated Necromorphs, sporting a number of adaptations to facilitate ranged and low-gravity combat. Lacking both the coordination and muscle mass demanded to efficiently kill, the mass-produced infants transformed into Lurkers are treated more like a lump of biomass than an existing template around which the pathogen recombines an offensive form.
The only infant-like features left upon the creature is the general shape of its skin, the infant-like head, and the unchanged limbs dangling at its sides. This covering is stiff and leathery to provide protection and a support structure for the many sticky tentacles that now dominate the thoracic cavity and lower abdomen. These tentacles aid the Lurker in its locomotion, steadying its movements and allowing it to walk along walls and even creep over ceilings without losing speed.
The dog-type Lurker from Dead Space 3.
Coiled in the former pelvic area are three long, ropy tentacles, which unfurl when the Lurker has spotted a victim. Like the limbs associated with movement, these extremities are strong and flexible, able to whip around and rake opponents with their barbs. The tentacles are able to launch barbs at high speed and accuracy, making the Lurker a ranged threat.
Enhanced Lurker
It is hinted at by a radiography in Dead Space that Lurkers can develop in the womb of an unsuspecting mother, or from infants growing in external artificial wombs. However, an infant form is not the only form of Lurker as shown in Dead Space: Aftermath an adult Lurker can also be seen, though that is the only instance that one is encountered. In Dead Space 3, Lurkers no longer spawn from human infants but from dogs instead; a sign of the adapting capabilities of the Necromorph strain.
The Enhanced Lurker has the same body structure as a Lurker but is entirely black, far more resistant to damage and fires more lethal barbs. Both variants can be commonly found stalking Zero-G environments.
A new dog version of the Lurker was introduced in Dead Space 3. These dogs were part of a S.C.A.F. project that was used to look for Marker artifacts.
Combat Strategy
- Always be on the move. Despite having a ranged attack, these enemies aren't as dangerous as other Necromorphs since they can't get a bead on you if you keep moving. At a distance, their barbs are easily avoidable, and are unlikely to kill you unless you're low on health.
- Lurker projectiles will cause Isaac to stumble, which can cause you to lose sight of the Lurker.
- Their small size combined with their ability to stick to walls can make them hard to spot in large, open areas.
- On Zealot Difficulty a hit from the Javelin Gun followed by its Alt-Fire will kill it instantly, negating the need to dismember it.
- Severing their tentacles is the quickest way to kill them. In most cases, the loss of two tentacles will do it, though some Enhanced Lurkers require the removal of all three. Dismembering one tentacle and using Kinesis to shoot it with the freshly dismembered barb is also a viable tactic in Dead Space 2.
- If engaged at range, it is recommended to use weapons with high accuracy and common ammo encounters such as the Plasma Cutter or Javelin Gun. If you are using the Plasma Cutter, don't forget to switch between horizontal and vertical firing mode to target the tentacles much more easily. Two or three carefully-aimed shots can even take out two of the tentacles at once provided they both sway close enough to each other.
- If multiple Lurkers are about, a shot from the Force Gun can be used to kill several at once, if you're lucky enough to get them with their tentacles extended. This needs to be done at relatively close range for most effectiveness, so be careful.
- If you have lots of health and want to conserve ammo, intentionally allow an Enhanced Lurker to latch onto you and then overpower it quickly. You will instantly kill an otherwise tough, ammo-guzzling enemy, for the cost of very minor damage. This is, to an extent, seen in a better light in the first game; if the player is very quick on the button, the Lurker may lose the grapple right after the first stab with its tentacles.
- The Flamethrower's secondary fire is highly effective against Lurkers. It stuns them until the flame burns out.
- Enhanced Lurkers will not engage you at stomping range and will attempt to flee. Using Stasis and repeatedly stomping it will save ammunition.
- Likewise, if the Lurker attaches itself to a nearby wall, you can save ammo by using Stasis and punching it to death.
- If Slashers are around you while fighting Lurkers you can dismember the Slasher and launch its limbs at the Lurker for an easy kill.
- Lurkers have very low health compared to other enemies. This means it is possible to kill them with body shots. It'll cost more ammo but saves time because they will seek a new hiding spot if spotted. If a player tries to track one so they can get a chance to attack the tentacles, they leave themselves open to attacks, especially when looking up.
- The Line Gun can also be used effectively against the Lurker. The beam fired from the weapon spans across the Lurker's three tentacles, and if upgraded enough, will result in killing the Necromorph in one shot.
- A single shot from the Javelin Gun or from a fully upgraded Seeker Rifle is all it takes to kill one. No dismemberment is required.
Multiplayer
- With its small frame and ability to travel on most surfaces, it is easy to remain hidden from Human players, especially if you don't extend the Lurker's tentacles. If you move effectively it's very easy to catch groups in an ambush and remain inconspicuous.
- When playing as the Lurker, try to hug the walls and line up your volley so that it's aligned parallel to the height of your target. This way you have a better chance of doing more damage when two, or even all three barbs hit them. If this is done successfully, it's possible to take a target down in as few as three to four shots if all barbs strike.
- An important aspect to using a Lurker effectively in multiplayer is remembering to take into account the ballistic behavior of the barbs, as they do not travel instantly. At medium to long ranges it is important to lead targets that are mobile.
- You can quickly kill a Lurker by stomping it to death if it's on the ground. This is easily accomplished if you use Stasis on the Lurker first.
Death Scene
Dead Space - Lurker Death
A Lurker kills Isaac.
- If Isaac is grabbed by a Lurker and fails to pull it off, the creature will plunge its tentacles into Isaac's neck and fire its projectiles from its remaining tentacles, causing decapitation.
- If Isaac is killed by a Lurker projectile, he will lose the body part that it hit (in addition to succumbing to death). Depending on where Isaac is hit, he may not lose any body parts
- If Isaac successfully overpowers the Lurker when it is latched onto him, he will lift the Lurker over his head and then slam it into the ground. Isaac then delivers a swift kick to the dazed lurker, killing it instantly.
- In multiplayer, the Lurkers kill the guards in exactly the same way. The way the guards escape the grapple is also the same.
- In Dead Space (mobile), there are two death scenes of the Lurker. The first being if Vandal fails to get the lurker's tentacles off, it will bite her neck off, causing decapitation. The other being if Vandal does get the tentacles off but doesn't cut them off in time it will stab them in Vandal's neck, again causing decapitation.
- If Vandal succeeds in getting and cutting off the lurker's tentacles, she will get it off, punch it in the face, hold in the air, then punt it.
Trivia
- Lurkers first appear in Chapter 2 of Dead Space, in the BioLab area of the Medical Deck, where one brutally kills a survivor.
- The Lurker's growl was created by combining the cry of an infant with the roars of various animals.
- The Dead Space 2 Achievement/Trophy "Clean Cut" requires the player to dismember all a Lurker's tentacles with one shot from the Line Gun. It is possible to obtain "Clean Cut" by dismembering the target Lurker by other means, such as with explosives. The achievement may be programmed to unlock when the player removes all the Lurker's tentacles at once, but not restricted to a Line Gun shot.
- In the PC version of Dead Space, there is a glitch that makes the Lurker's lower tentacles straight when the Lurker is killed.
- The Xbox 360 Avatar Marketplace has a pet Lurker for sale.
- Dead Space: Aftermath shows that Lurkers can be created via an adult corpse, not just infants. However, taking into account that most Necromorphs featured in the movie are strange, never-before-seen strains not named by the producers, whether or not they are Lurkers are unclear.
- The Dead Space Achievement/Trophy "Kickin' It" is earned for surviving a Lurker's grab ten times.
- Gabe Weller doesn't encounter any Lurkers in Dead Space 2: Severed.
- The death animation when killing a Lurker after escaping its grasp may be a joke by the developers, as it is essentially "punting a baby." This is further supported by the Dead Space achievement Kickin' It.
- In an audio message to Isaac from Norton in Dead Space 3, when the Necromorphs are attacking the crew of the Eudora, you can hear normal, baby Lurkers in the background, even though there aren't normal Lurkers in Dead Space 3.
- In Dead Space 3, while in space and on the sides of cliffs, the dog Lurkers are much larger in comparison to the Lurkers Isaac encounters indoors. The same applies to the Cyst. Reason for this is unknown.
Gallery
Appearances
- Dead Space
- Dead Space: Downfall
- Dead Space: Extraction
- Dead Space 2
- Dead Space: Aftermath
- Dead Space (mobile)
- Dead Space 3 [1]
Sources
Videos
Dead Space Lurker Necromorph Sounds HD
Dead Space Lurker Dog Necromorph Variant Sound Effects HD
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