The Surge: How to Defeat the LU-74 'Firebug' Boss
Take down the Firebug and claim the Firebug Throttle weapon in The Surge.
Every labyrinthine region of The Surge concludes with a battle against a giant, mechanized boss. The LU-74, also know as the Firebug, is a spider-like mech that stands between you and the end of Central Production B, the second area of the game.
Although The Surge borrows many ideas from FromSoftware's Dark Souls titles, Firebug and other bosses share more in common with guardians from classic Legend of Zelda games: They have a weak spot that you must discover before you can exploit it, like lobster shells that must be peeled away to get to the meat they contain. Cracking into The Firebug is relatively straightforward, but its rapid attacks can drain your health bar before you have a chance to fight back.
This guide will help you defeat the Firebug no matter what type of character build you're running.
Phase 1
The battle against Firebug unfolds in two phases. Your goal during phase one is to chop off Firebug's legs, forcing it to evolve. Its evolution makes it even more dangerous, but also exposes its weak point.
Firebug approaches you slowly. Get close enough to bait it into stomping one of its legs at you. As soon as one of its legs pounds down, target the closest leg and tap the dash button (B on Xbox One, circle on PS4) while moving toward it to dart in. Hit the targeted leg with one attack—it's best to use a horizontal swing since it covers a wider area—and then immediately hold back and tap dash again to dart out of range. Firebug recovers from attacks quickly, and you want to be clear to avoid getting sliced.
Occasionally Firebug lifts its legs and spins them while floating at you like a buzz saw blade. Walk backward while circling it to stay out of range. As soon as it lands, approach it to bait it into performing a stomp attack, then dart in, give it a smack, and move out of range. Rinse and repeat until you've hacked off three or four of its legs.
Phase 2
After chopping off several legs, Firebug falls to the ground in an explosion that throws you clear. When it rises, it'll have gained several new attacks as well as exposed its weak point, a cylindrical terminal protruding from its underbelly. To put the boss down for good, you must target and destroy that terminal. The trick is getting close enough to hit it.
Firebug's most dangerous offense is a longer, faster version of its spinning-legs attack. Target the boss and run back and to either side to stay out of range, making sure to avoid walls so you don't get pinned down. Staying close to Firebug prevents him from performing this maneuver.
For its second attack, Firebug lives up to its name by brandishing flamethrowers and blasting the ground in front of him. The ground burns, dealing damage to you if you get too close. Hang back and Firebug will eventually lose interest.
Firebug's third attack works in your favor. Get close to him and he sticks out a blade that spins for a couple of seconds and then retracts. From here, you'll use the same general strategy you employed in phase 1. Bait him into trying to slice you, then target the dangling terminal and dart in to attack. Hit him once before darting back out to avoid its follow-up attack.
Once you've drained Firebug's health bar, it collapses in a pile of rubble and you'll receive the Firebug Throttle, a quick weapon that complements speedy, nimble character builds.
Visit our guide to The Surge to learn more combat tips and how to recover the tech scrap you accumulated during your latest run.
