The Charger

"He's bashing me into shit!"

- Ellis

"Don't stand there! Kill this thing!"

- Coach

The Charger is a Special Infected introduced in Left 4 Dead 2. His main purpose is to separate a group of Survivors who are close together by grabbing one and carrying them away while crashing into the rest of the group, sending them flying through the air. While he matches the Survivors' pace, he speeds up considerably when charging. However, the Charger cannot stop or turn during the charge until he hits a wall or travels a certain distance.

The Charger is voiced by Dee Bradley Baker.

Appearance
The Charger is a large Infected, close to the Tank in height and about half as wide. Unlike the Tank, the Charger's legs are capable of supporting all of his weight, and thus stands mostly upright. His hairless skin is a deep greenish-gray in color, and he wears bloodstained denim overalls with one broken strap and a green sneaker on his right foot.

Extent of Mutations


The Charger's mutations appear similar to the Tank's mutations in terms of increased muscle mass, though noticeably asymmetrical. Most notably, the Charger's right arm and shoulder have grown significantly and have increased in thickness, resulting in his right hand becoming a swollen lump with stubby fingers. This causes him to lean to the right while moving. His left arm, inversely, has atrophied to the point of being useless (possibly from his body breaking it down to add bulk to his right arm), hanging limply to the Charger's side and flapping around with every movement.

His legs are less visibly affected by mutation, with only his left leg gaining any sort of extra bulk (to the point of ripping his overalls) while the right leg's proportions remain normal. The leg mutations are possibly to balance the Charger, equalizing the weight distribution throughout the body and enabling him to move quite fast.

Due to the Charger's preferred method of attack, he has sustained multiple injuries, especially on his right arm―prolonged times of bashing and slamming into walls has made the flesh of the Charger's right arm thick with calluses, scabs, and scars. Most likely a result of his constant charging, right half of the Charger's face is visibly damaged. His cranium has a large dent, he lacks teeth, and his nose is completely removed, with blood running from it.

Like other Special Infected, the Charger has a distinctive sound. He is loud, making noises vaguely similar to human speech and barking at enemies in a high-pitched tone. He will also screech upon spotting Survivors and release a loud yell when charging.

Abilities


While charging, the Charger will run quickly forward with his right arm raised in front of him, using it to grab a Survivor. He will run faster than a healthy Survivor while charging.

If he fails to a grab a Survivor, he will automatically stop upon running 80-90 feet if no obstacles are in his way. If he does crash into an obstacle, then he stumbles and takes 2 damage from his crash. Should he grab a Survivor, then they take 15 damage regardless if they crash into an obstacle or not. Once he grabs a Survivor and stops, he will begin smashing them against the ground, ceiling or wall repeatedly until they die. Nearby Survivors can be sent flying into the air if they are near the grabbed Survivor, dealing the same amount of damage to them, along any potential indirect damage.

Unlike the Hunter, Smoker and Jockey who can be shoved to free the trapped Survivor, the Charger's immense bulk means that only explosives will work in stumbling him.

Survivors

 * The Charger is immune to melee shoves in both effect and damage, so don't try to shove him.
 * Locate the Charger before he charges so you can prepare to dodge him.
 * The Charger can be fought similar to bullfighting. Once he charges, he will be unable to change directions and will run into a straight line until he travels far enough or smashes into something. If he charges from a distance, this should be easy to pull off as long as nothing else is slowing you down.
 * Be wary though, because sometimes to get maximum accuracy a Charger may charge in point-blank range where it is impossible to avoid getting grabbed. AI Chargers typically don't point-blank charge, but if the Survivor moves away, they may immediately charge instead of following up with melee attacks.
 * Avoid situations where the Charger can knock other Survivors off a high ledge, as it will either kill or incapacitate them.
 * Try to stay on dry ground on water-based levels such as Swamp Fever so you will have enough time to avoid a charge if you spot him too late.
 * Charger Bots are notorious for running up in Horde attacks and meleeing players, similar to the Hunter. Avoid every unnecessary Charger's melee attack, especially on harder difficulties where it will deal more damage. Only use a melee weapon if you are out of ammo on your primary weapon, as it takes two swings with it to kill a Charger rather than just one.
 * Sometimes, however, a Charger may go to punch a player even though it would be best to charge instead. If this happens, stay and fight him up close. If you try to move back, the Charger may charge at you immediately with almost no chance of evasion. It would be better to take damage which could be recovered rather than being pinned without any help.
 * Even if a Charger misses and stumbles from a failed charge, do not try to melee him. Similar to the other Special Infected, they may use their melee attack while being stunned and can result in unnecessary damage.
 * Bots do not make any attempt to dodge a Charger's charge, so keep them away from the Charger if one is present.
 * Jumping does not avoid the Charger's charge, so do not try to jump past one while it is charging. Either you will be grabbed, making your jump useless, or you will be launched into the air (if the Charger already grabbed someone), causing unnecessary fall damage which can potentially kill you.
 * A chainsaw swing to the head will kill a player-controlled Charger in one hit. This will not work on AI Chargers because of their coding.
 * Like the Tank, parts of the Charger may be poking out of walls when they spawn. This can be used to kill them since AI coding will prevent the Charger from doing any action until a Survivor crosses an invisible boundary.

Infected

 * A Charger player should always try to initiate coordinated attacks by the Special Infected, since their charge can knock over other Survivors and leave them vulnerable for other Special Infected to attack.
 * Try to catch the Survivors in either an extremely narrow or extremely open space. A narrow space―such as a hallway―will allow you to knock over all the Survivors at once. An open area―such as The Park―lets you carry a Survivor far away from the group. This can be combined with a Jockey, Hunter, and Smoker to maximize disorientation and damage.
 * If a long drop or lethal area is available, try to charge a Survivor into it for an instant kill.
 * Chargers work well in ambush situations, as they can quickly take one Survivor far from the group and delay their saviors.
 * Spawning too early may alert the Survivors to your presence prematurely due to the Charger's loud grunts and other noises, ruining the element of surprise necessary for a successful ambush.
 * Choosing not to ambush Survivors can be a poor choice, due to the other team's ability to sidestep your charge. Ambushes will maximize your chance at successfully charging an enemy.
 * Be sure to charge when there are no solid objects between you and your target. Hitting anything solid during it will almost certainly interrupt your attack and leave you vulnerable while you stumble.
 * Aim for the Survivor with the most health and try to carry that Survivor far from their teammates, as it will take longer for the weaker Survivors to help them due to their reduced walking speed (unless they have a Sniper Rifle).
 * Avoid charges from a long distance. The Survivors will react quickly enough to dodge you (unless they are distracted) or worse, stop you dead in your tracks. You may also not be able to carry them far enough from their allies to do substantial damage before you die.
 * Chargers can begin their charge from a high place without stopping. Use this to deliver surprising ambushes.
 * Certain drops, if they are high enough, may stop your charge if you land on a Survivor. You will still grab the Survivor, but they will not be carried from where you first hit them.
 * The Charger can knock down doors instantly by charging into them. Use this to surprise Survivors on the other side.
 * Try to charge a Survivor who is performing an action, such as healing or reviving an incapacitated teammate. These Survivors will have to stop what they're doing and waste time, giving your teammates a chance to spawn in.
 * The Charger does damage to whoever they grab, as well as any Survivors who are knocked aside. Knocked Survivors are unable to fire for several seconds, which means your main victim will take more damage before they can be rescued if you manage to hit multiple people.
 * Survivors that are knocked aside might be incapacitated by hanging if they are close to a high ledge when they are hit. Alternatively, if they are knocked far enough past the ledge, they may fall to their deaths.
 * A Boomer is a Charger's best friend. Attacking when Boomer bile has just covered the Survivors is a useful tactic. Aim for the Survivors who aren't covered, and, if you carry them far enough away, you can cause significant damage before your death.
 * The Charger has the second most powerful melee attack of controllable Infected, delivering a powerful 10 points per strike, and capable of punching once per second. This high damage can be used to weaken or incapacitate injured Survivors quickly, slowing them down.
 * After killing a Survivor or being stumbled by an explosion, the Charger has no recharge time; due to this, you can immediately charge into another Survivor and separate the whole team.
 * A good tactic to use with inexperienced players is to simply run up and start punching them when fully charged, thereby taking them by surprise when you charge them from a very short distance, making it impossible to miss.
 * Don't charge from too close though; point-blank charges will do nothing except stumble the Survivor and damage them slightly.
 * Whenever possible, attempt to bowl through the Survivors when they are coming up an incline such as a stairs or a ramp. If hit correctly, the Survivors will take fall damage might even be incapacitated.
 * If you notice a Jockey teammate in trouble while riding a Survivor, simply charge the Survivor in a direction that will save the Jockey player. Upon impact with the Survivor, the Jockey will be launched, similar to a Survivor being punched by a Tank or hit by a Charger who has already grabbed a victim. This can potentially save the Jockey and deal even more damage as well as cause more confusion. Also, if the Jockey lands on another Survivor, they may automatically ride that one instead of waiting for their ability to recharge.
 * When in a small area with many exits (such as The Park in The Parish), don't charge. Your melee attack does a lot of damage and you can run away after hitting a Survivor. Save your charge for lone Survivors when it will take teammates a long time to come save their friend.

Good Ambush Spots
As a general rule, always attack Survivors that are in a narrow area, in a straight line, or otherwise tight clump. Take advantage of the larger open areas; the further away you can take a Survivor, the harder it is for their team to rescue them. Your charge is deadly near ledges and cliffs.

No Mercy
The Apartments The Subway The Sewer The Hospital Rooftop Finale
 * There are many chokepoints here where you can charge into the group. You can also hide in the many rooms and then sneak up behind them.
 * The long alleyway before you hit the streets is a good place, but it's also open. Try dropping down from the high buildings surrounding you.
 * The stairway leading down to the safe room is a good place.
 * Hide under the beginning safe room and charge the first Survivor you see.
 * Use the set of stairs for a charge.
 * Charge the group when they're going through the train car.
 * The Survivors will go back out onto the streets after the Crescendo Event. Aim long and charge one.
 * Look for long, enclosed spaces to charge down.
 * Hide in the room where the Survivors drop down into right after the Crescendo Event and charge one of them out the window.
 * Charge one of the Survivors down in the sewers. There are a lot of long passageway that you can use.
 * Remember: go for long and enclosed hallways. There's plenty of these in the hospital.
 * Death charge a Survivor when they're up on the construction floor.
 * This is a place where you can do a lot of damage, especially up on the rooftop.
 * Hide in one of the rooms in the long hallway leading to the elevator until the Survivors go by, then charge into them.
 * Death charges are your friend. Aim for a Survivor and charge them off the rooftop.

Crash Course
The Alleys Truck Depot Finale
 * Long alleyways are your friend. Charge into the group and take the grabbed Survivor away.
 * Drop down behind the Survivors through the window when they're at the minigun and charge one of them away.
 * Charge the Survivor who goes out to restart the generator.

Death Toll
The Turnpike The Drains The Church The Town Boathouse Finale
 * Use the tunnel! It's dark and long, with some enclosed spaces.
 * Same as usual — long hallways that are enclosed are the best place.
 * There are a lot of open areas here that you can use. Grab a Survivor and carry them away.
 * The street after the train cars is a good place for this.
 * More open streets — more room to carry a Survivor away.
 * When the Survivors are going to the dock, charge into them right before the boat comes — it'll be an instant kill.
 * Use the trees as cover to carry a Survivor away.
 * Charge one into the water right behind the house. It's not an instant kill, but you'll be covered by the water.

Dead Air
The Greenhouse The Crane The Construction Site The Terminal Runway Finale
 * Charge the Survivors off the rooftops for some death charges.
 * Same as before — charge them off the rooftops.
 * No more death charges, but there are long and open areas that you can use to carry a Survivor away.
 * Meleeing the Survivors is a good idea here — just run in and punch them.
 * Charge a Survivor through the alarmed gate — it'll set it off.
 * Charge a Survivor forward past the safe room — you have a big Horde to cover you.
 * Carry a Survivor away from the group. Use the static fires as a point to charge into.
 * If the Survivors decide to be on the plane, charge one of them off — they'll take heavy fall damage.

Blood Harvest
The Woods The Tunnel The Bridge The Train Station Farmhouse Finale
 * Charge a Survivor over the bridge.
 * There are some long areas that you can use to carry a Survivor away.
 * Charge into the Survivors when they're going up the bridge.
 * The safe room door will be open — spawn right next to it and go in to surprise the Survivors.
 * Same as usual — long areas to carry a Survivor away.
 * The bridge leading to the safe room is a great place to carry a Survivor away from the group.
 * The cornfield is your friend. Bowl into the Survivors or carry one away.
 * Charge a Survivor to the ground if they're in the house or the farm — they'll take falling damage.

Dead Center
The Hotel The Streets The Mall Atrium Finale
 * If a Survivor is by a window that doesn't have a railing on the ledge, charge at them, and you should bring the Survivor to their death.
 * On the first floor, try to pin them in the fire. You will survive for a while, and do a good amount of damage to your victim. If you can incapacitate them in the fire, the other Survivors will have a hard time saving them, losing plenty of health themselves.
 * The fire between the kitchen and the main lobby does significantly increased damage, and if a Survivor is incapacitated in this fire, they will die very fast. Teammates that are reviving the incapacitated Survivor will take massive damage from the fire as well, and if the incapacitated Survivor is far enough in the fire, they will be incapacitated again before they can escape it. This fire is a very good spot to pin Survivors.
 * If you manage to get the Survivors on one of the ledges, you can carry a Survivor over the ledge to their death and potentially knock one or more additional Survivors off as well.
 * The best you can do is try to carry a Survivor far away from the group. There are plenty of good spots for this.
 * Before the gun store, there is a long straight path to charge the Survivors with little room of dodging.
 * While the Survivors climb a ladder on the dumpster, climb up and charge at them; this will usually knock all of them back.
 * Try to carry the Survivors off of the higher floors.
 * Also try to split up the Survivors during the Crescendo Event; this could be fatal to the team.
 * Escalators are always great points to choke off Survivors' progress. Wait for all of them to start going up/down, and as soon as the first Survivor reaches the end of the escalator, charge straight into the escalator and through all of them. The teammates who are sent flying might receive fall damage.
 * During the Crescendo Event, you can either try to death charge the Survivors through the glass railings at the beginning or charge down the escalator when there are multiple Survivors running up it, as you'll likely knock one of them towards the bottom floor.
 * Before the Survivors get to the stock car, try to grab them from the far side of the hallway they must go through.
 * While the team is collecting gas, one Survivor might go off by themselves on the upper floors. You can knock them off the upper areas and kill them instantly.

The Passing
The Riverbank The Underground The Port Finale
 * Try to charge a Survivor who wandered too close to the water's edge. There are a few low fence areas where a well-aimed charge can rush the Survivor into the river for an instant kill.
 * When the Survivors come out of the building before the park, try to charge them over the broken fence and back into the streets. This will result in a long detour or one less Survivor.
 * Also, if you knock one into the streets from up there, it could result in an instant kill.
 * In The Underground, there are many long areas that are ideal for charging; try to ambush a Survivor and carry them as far away as possible.
 * In the building after the plank, try charging people who wander too close to a window. If you hit them from the top floor, you could kill them.
 * Try to charge from the top of the stairs at the beginning. It you hit more than one at the top, you could kill them.
 * Try to charge into Survivors bundled in groups while leaving Hunters or Jockeys to get daring Survivors who wander off. Although this might not hurt them much, with the help of a Smoker, you could easily incapacitate a group of two Survivors.
 * This is the same area as Port Finale from The Sacrifice, so tactics from there can also apply here.

Dark Carnival
The Highway The Fairgrounds The Coaster The Barns Concert Finale
 * In the motel, try to grab a Survivor that is on the upper walkway. Pull them off to delay and damage them.
 * There's a very good point in the motel which is when the Survivors are forced to enter the motel rooms on the second floor. This is when the Survivors go through the broken walls in the second floor of the motel. If one of them exits through the window and your aiming is right, you can take them over the fence blocking access to the hill from the lower levels. As such, making them all go in a big circle back into the parking lot.
 * Charging the last Survivor before they can jump down the hill into the swamp will cause your victim to be stranded, and will eventually perish.
 * Charge a Survivor all the way back down the hill near the end of the level. This will delay them considerably and do some damage if you can mow down the others.
 * When the Survivors climb to the top of the building after Kiddie Land, there is a ramp behind the ladder that makes it possible to charge them back into Kiddie Land; this either makes them lose a lot of time or a fellow Survivor.
 * At the start of the Tunnel of Love, when the Survivors open the safe room door and go up the stairs, charge from the opposite side of the stairs, slamming all of them into the wall and pummel the first Survivor you hit back into the safe room.
 * A good variation on this is to spawn in the safe room, charge from the opposite direction towards the tunnel, because everyone is expecting a charge from the tunnel.
 * Look for anyone who breaks away from the pack during the Crescendo and carry them even farther away from the others.
 * There are also various areas along the actual roller-coaster where you can charge Survivors.
 * Survivors are always closely packed while traveling the tracks; and so, one can easily charge, grab a Survivor, and knock the others to their deaths (do not spawn too early as the coaster will kill you on contact).
 * As the survivors as going down the hole near the end of the Tunnel of Love, charging the last survivor can result in the others not being able to reach or see them. If they manage to kill you through the floor or the hole, the survivor will either be incapacitated or injured. In Realism, an uncoordinated team may leave the survivor behind as they can't see each other through the floor.
 * The rooftops are a great place to charge Survivors off of. A good charge will result in the Survivors flying everywhere.
 * After the Crescendo Event, in the long alleyway, survivors will often line up and allow you to bowl through them. Hiding in the swarms of Common Infected can make this easier
 * Try to separate the Survivors, as always. This is especially useful during the Tank attack, when everyone would be focused on him instead of you.
 * Veteran players, though, will try to kill any other threats, as a Survivor getting caught would mean one less gun to fight the Tank. Charge players who use melee weapons or have deadly weapons first to help the Tank get rid of the Survivors more easier.
 * Also, try to punish Survivors who defend themselves on the scaffolding. A well-aimed charge can incapacitate your victim. Once again, this is more advised during the Tank attack.

Swamp Fever
The Plank Country The Swamp The Shantytown The Plantation Finale
 * When the Survivors are on the dock right before the Crescendo Event, try to grab, or better yet, knock one into the deep water. This will kill the Survivor you grabbed and the ones you hit instantly.
 * Also, while the Survivors are on the walkways, try to get them to fall down into the swamp. This will slow them down considerably.
 * Taking the Survivors into the water is useful because their team will be slowed down by the water.
 * Also, at the airplane, wait for the Survivors to open the door and charge them down.
 * The water will slow down Survivors, but not you. Use this to charge lone Survivors.
 * There are a few tight points that you can rush in and use your melee attack.
 * Just before the Survivors go up the ladder, try to carry them back down the way they came; This will force them to backtrack and really annoy them.
 * Also, attack the Survivor who goes to answer the rescue vehicle. If they hold out by the Heavy Machine Gun, grab a Survivor and carry them off the upper areas.
 * You can also charge Survivors off the bridge to the rescue vehicle, causing them to die.

Hard Rain
The Milltown The Sugar Mill Mill Escape Return To Town Town Escape Finale
 * Try to charge a Survivor straight into the water.
 * After the Survivors enter out of the Burger Tank, past the fence, there are multiple places you can carry a Survivor very far away from the pack.
 * When the Survivors are on the upper floors, try to knock them off of them. If they are on the highest floor, you'll kill them instantly.
 * Charge a Survivor off the building when they're waiting for the elevator.
 * On top of that confusion, a Smoker can pull one to hang, a Jockey/Hunter can pounce another, and the Spitter can cause massive chaos with this combination.
 * Charge past or into Witches. Survivors will, by instinct, shoot at you when they see you charge, and a few stray shots is all it takes to startle a Witch.
 * Survivors tend to travel in straight lines when going through the cane field. Use this for a quick separation or for scattering an entire team.
 * Once the rain starts, take advantage of (and note of) the reduced movement speed of Survivors in water. Paying attention to this will make it easier to lead your attacks. If you can carry your victim out of the way and into a large area of water, it will significantly slow down the Survivors, as their teammate will have to catch up.
 * Try to charge a Survivor when they come out of the elevator. It is easier to charge them when they are coming out of the elevator than trying to charge them as they are going into the elevator on the last chapter.
 * Your primary goal in the return-to maps is not, actually, carrying the Survivors away, but knocking the others off the roofs. Survivors are fairly easy targets in the water, and it would be pretty hard to release the carried one from you. It is especially effective when the rain starts, as the Survivor is unlikely to survive something like that.
 * Try catching the ones who went down into the Burger Tank for ammo. This won't hurt anyone a large amount, but will cause some attention, thus giving a chance for the Tank to come in and cause chaos.
 * Charge Survivors off of the dock where the boat will eventually appear. If they fall into the water, they're dead.
 * Many people are not aware that the Charger's attack will override a Smoker capture. With the permission of the human-controlled Smoker, of course, charge a Survivor while they are being constricted by a Smoker near the beginning/ending dock. Your charge will free the Survivor from the Smoker but also carry the Survivor into the deadly waters.

The Parish
The Waterfront The Park The Cemetery The Quarter Bridge Finale
 * Right at the beginning, charge at the first two Survivors that go up the gangway. If you can knock a Survivor upward into the water, your team shouldn't have much more trouble to finish the enemy team off.
 * After the area with a jukebox is a place filled with several narrow spaces; make full use of the corners.
 * There are multiple places where you can attack the Survivors and split them up by carrying them away from the group, such as the hedge maze.
 * When the Survivors are doing the Crescendo Event, charge one all the way back down one of the fenced-in alleys, giving the Horde time to attack.
 * When the Survivors are about to enter the sewers, hide in them and charge the first that you see. The sewer is a very large, open area, and the Survivors are slowed down by the deep water, making the trip to save your victim take a bit longer.
 * You may also ambush the one who was about to be the last to enter the sewer, making an ideal attack position. It is best to have a Jockey and/or Smoker up above.
 * Another great strategy is to have a Charger and a Spitter wait at the end of the tunnel for the Survivors. When all four are down in the sewers, have the Charger knock down all four and have the Spitter attack right as the Charger does. The spit will do a good amount of damage while the other Survivors are getting back up.
 * In The Quarter, during the Float crescendo event, get atop of the building the Survivors need to enter, line up with the moving platform and charge; they won't expect it; you'll knock them, slow them down, and do major damage including falling and charging damage.
 * Hide behind vehicles and wait. If you can grab a Survivor and carry them off of the bridge in any way, they'll be dead in the water.
 * Even if you don't bring the Survivor off, if any of their friends are close to the edge, the impact can send them off the bridge.
 * At the end of the chapter, at the helipad, the Survivors are always trying to get into the chopper — use this to your advantage and charge at least one off, killing them or sending them to their death in the water.

The Sacrifice
The Docks The Barge Port Finale
 * Charge the Survivors into the water. There are a few places you can do this.
 * Work with the Tank in the train car. Either hide in there after the Tank is dead and charge into the group, or charge a Survivor away while the other Survivors focus on the Tank.
 * Charge the Survivors in the water — they're slowed down by it.
 * At the Crescendo Event, charge into the Survivors going through the crane. It's a great chokepoint, and the Horde accompanying you will cover you.
 * Charge the Survivor who is holding a gas can.
 * Grab the one who's alone and charge them to the other side of the map.
 * Charge the Survivor who sacrifices themselves.

Achievements

 * See Main Article: Achievements

Behind the Scenes
Concept art shows that the developers had planned for the Charger to be either a large zombie with an armored upper skull yet tiny T. rex arms or a "tripod" doglike animal. Traits of both can be seen in the final version: the Charger has three functional limbs and one floppy tiny arm, as well as an exposed skull.

Before the Charger's design was finalized, it used a re-skinned Hunter model so that the team could test out how the Charger would play while the art team was designing it. When the Charger design was finished, as like any other Infected, they recorded temporary sounds. The Charger's temporary warning call was "AY! AY! AY!", as said in the Developer's Commentary.

Originally, the Charger had many different series of attacks and has gone through multiple versions with different twists on his charge attack. In one version of his build, his charge attack caused him to trample over Survivors rather than grab them, and his melee attack was replaced with an overhead strike that smashed the Survivor to the floor before the Charger started pounding them. This behavior can be seen here. In another build, the Charger used his mutated arm to lunge forward (as if it was a one-armed simian) repeatedly. At this point in the game, the Charger would stop after grabbing a Survivor; however, when the Charger could carry the first Survivor they tackled, this animation was cut.

When most of the Charger's model was finalized, he had a much more bloody and gaunt face that exposed his skull.

Gallery
See image archive for more images…