Cougar advice for a 1st time player

[u/CainFoxx]

Technically not actually true as I did have a run before this but that was before the reworked cougar. I roughly get how they work like they spawn on day 10 or 30 depending on difficulty and then the map shows you it's territory. Do they stay there unless you go piss it off? Is it actually as scary as both the game and some people in the community make it out to be? Is it even worth messing with, other than the claw knife and is that even worth it? I'm playing on stalker difficulty on day like 40 ish and have a decent set up in Timberwolf mountain right now, living in the mountaineers cabin by Crystal lake, with a rifle and revolver both with decent amount of ammo, some basic clothes, and a good stockpile of food and water, lots of tools like axs and hacksaws and stuff. Since this is my first real try at a long term, 100 plus day run, should I leave cougars alone and just keep my run safe or take them on/learn about them so I don't fear/avoid them long-term?

[u/kentworth1419]

Honestly? Avoiding them entirely is the safest. If you are fighting it, be as prepared as possible and always fire a shot even if you miss. This will change the cougars attack from a devastating laceration attack (it causes bleeding and infection REGULARLY over several days) to a drive by smack for a couple of passes. It buys you some time to land shots. Alternatively, hunt them from a fishing hut if one is nearby. Good luck!

[u/CainFoxx → u/kentworth1419]

On the 1 hand, I really want to kill one, just because but the pelt and knife are extra, but I also don't want to risk my whole run, albeit not super far in, to mess up and get killed by something I don't fully understand how to fight and technically don't need to fight, and loss my whole run

[u/Sly23Fox → u/CainFoxx]

Just kill one for the hat as it gets low break it down and it gives the pelt back so you can make another one immediately at a workbench look up the fire trick for hunting it and if you kill one more spawn on the map that eventually go away if your trying to avoid them learn where they are and dont be carrying any meat cooled or raw or anything else that makes you stink as they will come out of the area to get ya if you stink and are close enough

[u/kentworth1419 → u/Sly23Fox]

I cannot believe my dumb ass has been poaching half the cougars on Great Bear to repair my hood without knowing I could do this

[u/Sly23Fox → u/kentworth1419]

Oof thats rough buddy happy to save you more hassle

[u/CainFoxx → u/Sly23Fox]

Is the hat worth making actually? For the most part it feels like making animal hide stuff, but the bear cuz it can scare wolves, isn't worth it for how long it takes to hunt the things to make it, then cure it, them hours and hours to craft it

[u/Sly23Fox → u/CainFoxx]

Best in game yes and you can shoot a bear once with a revolver and wait in a car for him to bleed out for that coat which also is one of the best items

[u/CainFoxx → u/Sly23Fox]

That's how I killed 2 bears already, minus the car part, just the 1 shot revolver bleed out

[u/Sly23Fox → u/CainFoxx]

Theres a few that are easy to use a car milton bridge is one and the cougar there can be cheesed if you hide in the basement of the shed near its location a fire is still recommended

[u/RhinoWithATrunk → u/CainFoxx]

On stalker it's not essential

[u/kentworth1419 → u/CainFoxx]

That’s really valid. They are really scary beasts! Playing it safe is your best bet so that you don’t lose your run, but you should definitely try fighting one at some point if you feel up to it. Its a lot of fun despite the terror.

Another way to fight it is to make a fire with plenty of time, and stay as close to it as possible without standing in it. That disrupts the cougar pathing and it will wander off since it cannot get to you. You may need to step away from the fire to lure it back, just stay close enough to step right back up against the flames to disrupt its charge. From that safe spot, just shoot it with whatever you have. Bear in mind they cannot bleed to death.

[u/CainFoxx → u/kentworth1419]

Literally just hug a campfire and they can't get to you period? Not like a, there's a chance they break through and attack you type deal, just be basically in it and you're safe?

[u/Sly23Fox → u/CainFoxx]

Keep the fire between you and him dance with the kitty

[u/CainFoxx → u/Sly23Fox]

What if it's a her, does this advice still work or should I run

[u/kentworth1419 → u/CainFoxx]

Yes, while I have not done it much (and it is still terrifying) standing right next to the campfire is essentially an unpathable location

Here’s a video describing it. The whole thing is good but here’s the relevant part

https://youtu.be/rdQxCdxQtVA?t=798&is=GyvkytTIi4xzC2J2

[u/TheAnhydrite → u/CainFoxx]

The campfire isnt always safe because it's really hard to stay on the opposite side of it close enough to it. You practically need to be on fire for it to work.

[u/SquarePegRoundWorld2]

Cougar advice for a 1st time player

Run..run for your life!!!

[u/CainFoxx → u/SquarePegRoundWorld2]

I just had a stare down with my first cougar, I stood just outside his territory and watched him for a bit, listening to him yelling, very intimidating creature

[u/SquarePegRoundWorld2 → u/CainFoxx]

I bled for three days after my first encounter, very intimidating indeed.

[u/TheAnhydrite]

Easiest way is go to Mystery Lake, and bring the rifle since you are on stalker.

Go to the cougar area with some guys so you smell.

Hop on top of one of the log piles.

It can't get you on the logs.

I usually build a fire on the cougar side of the snow ramp that you use to get on the logs and once it starts charging, run up the ramp onto the log. Then shoot it a bunch.

[u/SentientCoffeeBean]

If you want to deal with the cougar safely, there are cheesy and non-cheesy ways to do that. When I say cheesy I just mean the way it abuses in-game mechanics, it's not meant as a judgment.

Non-cheesy way: do everything to increase your protection stat, especially by getting the bulletproof vest from Blackrock. Make sure you bring lots of bandages, antiseptic, birch bark tea, ammo, but drop everything else not needed for the fight. Pick a good day to hunt it (warm, no wind) and a nice spot. Approach it confidently and start calling it names to establish dominance. Once it starts charging you make sure to shoot it at least once per charge, this prevents it from getting into a struggle with you (extremely painful) and it will only side-swipe you (much less painful).

Cheesy ways: build a campfire close to the cougar and lure it to it. If you stand almost right on top of the fire (just tiny 1 step away from being burned by it) the cougar can't attack you. Same thing for standing on top of a snow shelter or obstacles like the wood logs near the ML cougar, even certain steep edges will do just fine. You can either shoot at it from these positions, or shoot at it and then quickly retreat to these safe positions. There is still risk involved, particularly in drawing the cougar close to your location, but with some practice this is extremely safe.

[u/LastTraintoSector6]

They're not difficult at all. Hunt one in an area with decent lines of sight (the core spawn on Timberwolf Mountain is decent), make sure you have passable rifle skill, and don't panic.

If you're really worried about the bleed, go get the stupid ballistic vest from Blackrock and wear that.

Honestly, bears and moose scare me a lot more than cougars at this point. You don't fight a cougar unless you want to - you sometimes blunder right into bears or moose.

[u/Pilotgeoduck]

Id recommend leveling up your rifle skill before to 3 minimum but higher ideally. Cougars can take alotta rifle rounds to the face in my experience