The Charger

"He's bashing me into shit!"

- Ellis

The Charger can be most dangerous when the Survivors are standing in front of a deadly area that they can be thrown into. The Charger will scatter them, launching any of them unfortunate enough to be hit after the Charger picks up his first victim either backwards into the horde, where the Survivor faces a swift and unpleasant death, or into the deadly zone, killing them instantly. The Charger will then proceed to stomp the victim into oblivion. A good example of this is the dock section of The Parish. A Charger may spawn directly in front of the dock's exit, and when the Survivors come to it, the Charger can send any Survivors not grabbed flying into the river, killing them. In area's like Dead Center's tower, it can also carry a Survivor over a fatal drop. If coordinated correctly with other Special Infected, this can make for a devastating strike, and may possibly even result in the Survivors losing if teamwork is used.

In terms of appearance, the Charger is a large Infected, roughly the height of the Tank, and about half as wide. Unlike the Tank however, only one of its arms have been mutated while the other is small and presumably useless (it flails uncontrollably while the Charger is slamming a target). The Charger does not use its arms for movement, as its legs are still capable of supporting it. The Charger seems to prefer using the arm as a shield. Like the Tank, though, it charges through crowds of Common Infected to get to the Survivors. It also sports blue-overalls, meaning one could assume the Charger was once a farmer.

Like most other Special Infected, the Charger has a distinctive sound. It does not shake the ground as the Tank does, but itself does seem to be loud, growling and moaning at enemies distinctively. It will also screech upon spotting Survivors or starting a charge.

Note: The following damage is calculated on normal difficulty.

While charging, the Charger will run like a Tank, using its mutated arm to grab a Survivor. It will run faster than a Survivor with full health, and will grab the first Survivor it charges into, holding the Survivor out in front of itself while continuing to run through anything (including other Survivors, doing about 8 damage.) until he slams the Survivor into a wall, doing about 10 damage upon impact. The Charger itself also appears to receive damage when it hits a solid object, although it will receive less if it has a Survivor, and more if it misses and hits a wall. After that, it slams the Survivor in a pinned like style until either the Survivor is dead or the Charger is killed. This attack does 15 damage per slam regardless of difficulty (possibly an oversight, as Smokers and Hunters do considerably more damage on higher difficulties, but Chargers retain 15 damage on Expert -- however, it could remain the same based on the disruption a charge causes, as well). In a recent gameplay video of the new Scavenge mode, it only takes the Charger 9 seconds to incapacitate Coach, who at the time was in green health. The video can be found here. On the Expert difficulty a Survivor can be downed in 3 - 5 slams to the ground making the Charger one of the most dangerous new Infected due to its ferocious ability to incapacitate Survivors in a matter of seconds. The Charger not only can pummel a Survivor into the ground, but can also throw the Survivor up into the air, causing them to crash into the ceiling (if the ceiling is low enough) or slamming them into certain objects, but usually not walls.

Infected

 * The good thing about being a Charger is that he is immune to shoving at all times, he has a powerful punch that does 10 damage per hit, and he has the biggest amount of health of all non-boss Special Infected - 600 HP. Use these factors to your advantage.
 * 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 snatch a Survivor and drag them far away from the group. This can be combined with the Jockey to split the Survivor team quickly and efficiently.
 * Chargers can be good for surprise attacks. For instance, if a horde is coming and the Survivors attempt to run, the Charger can slow them down, giving the horde a chance to catch up.
 * In the first level of The Parish, a Charger can instantly kill a Survivor by running into them on the gangplank, sending them flying off and killing them.
 * Similarly, in the finale of The Parish, it is also possible to do a kamikaze style charge into a Survivor taking them off the bridge with you, and, if you are lucky, you may also knock Survivors off the bridge in the process, although this trick is easier said than done.
 * The same tactic is possible on the first level of Dead Center, a Charger can run off and kill Survivors by running into them on the ledges outside of windows and on Swamp Fever by running them into the river.
 * Chargers work well in ambush situations, as they can instantly take one Survivor far from the group and delay their saviors.
 * The Charger will survive more than one hit from a melee weapon, as most melee weapons do 250 damage a hit.
 * Be careful while charging a Survivor in a narrow space, any static objects will stop you. Trash piles, piles of wood, walls, et al.
 * As a Charger push for the Survivor with the most health and try to reach a high distance with your charge as it will take longer for the weaker Survivors to help him due to lack of speed.
 * If you miss the Survivors entirely and can't escape without dying, you can still do damage. The Charger's normal hit can bring a Survivor from yellow to red in only a few strikes.
 * Try to spawn up ahead, sidestep suddenly in front of the Survivors and charge at them so they have less chances to dodge you.
 * However, try not to spawn too early on, as the Charger is among the noisiest Special Infected. While he's not as easily dispatched as the Boomer, experienced Survivors will most likely avoid your charge if they know you're lurking somewhere nearby.
 * Use shadows and dense vegetation to hide and startle passerbies. Corners are an equally good opportunity, though if they lead to a narrow alleyway, the Survivors will be expecting you and will need to be distracted.
 * Avoid charging from a long distance. The Survivors will react quickly enough to dodge you (unless they are distracted) or worse, stop you dead on your tracks. Also, you might not be able to carry them far enough to do substantial damage.
 * Chargers can begin their attack from a high place without stopping. Use this to deliver surprising ambushes.
 * The rooftops in the fourth chapter of Dark Carnival - The Barns - are a great place to charge Survivors. A good ambush will result in them flying everywhere.
 * The Charger can knock down doors instantly by charging into them. Use this to surprise Survivors on the other side.
 * As the Charger, try to snatch lonely and/or healing Survivors. Charging a Survivor who is busy reviving an incapacitated teammate is also a viable tactic, especially since these Survivors won't be able to stop what their doing and dodge you in time.
 * The Charger does damage to whoever it grabs plus all the Survivors who get 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. Try to bowl over as many people as possible.
 * Regular Infected can attack a person held by a Charger. Use this to your advantage, and carry a Survivor right into a mess of zombies.
 * A Boomer is a Charger's best friend. Attacking when Boomer bile has JUST covered the Survivors is a great tactic. Aim for the Survivors that aren't covered, and by the time the slime drips from the eyes of their friends, you can deal serious damage or death to the Survivor you abducted.

Survivors

 * Try to spot the Charger before he charges.
 * Try not to get into situations where the Charger can knock you off a ledge or roof or any height if possible.
 * If you do, make sure he misses and he falls to the ground.
 * If a firearm is unavailable, sidestep his charge and melee him as he passes you, or when he hits an obstacle. Remember, he could still grab you if you're not directly in his path. So, a weapon with a longer reach may be necessary. Note that the sidestep tactic will only work if the Charger is at a reasonable distance.
 * Pan out if you hear a Charger. (But don't separate too far or else the Infected can easily pick you guys off fast) Its ability to scatter close-knit Survivors will hinder their ability to quickly save the Charger's victim that's being pummeled.
 * Chargers are immune to shove attacks, so don't bother shoving him if he is pounding a Survivor; shoot or melee with a melee weapon.
 * Avoid the Chargers melee attack, even when it misses the charge it can still cause a lot of damage.
 * Make sure you and your teammates do not form a straight line at any time.
 * Try to use a Katana or a Machete to kill the Charger.

Extent of Mutations
The Charger has been heavily mutated by a strain of the Infection. It appears to be halfway into the transformation to a Tank, though instead of growning in size it's left arm has atrophied. While not quite as hulking as a Tank, it has an enlarged torso and right arm and an abnormally shaped head. Its left arm is shriveled and hangs oddly off the side of its hunched back. It wears a pair of blue overalls that have slightly burst due to its malformations. While pounding a Survivor, the Charger's useless arm flops around comically. Possibly due to its choice of attack, the Charger appears severely damaged; the creature's scalp and face appear smashed or caved in. Along with this, half of its face is missing, revealing the skull, and the nose has been torn off clean. These damages are most likely from charging and slamming its head into walls. As well as this, its large arm seems badly burnt and scarred, possibly damage from Survivor attacks.

Even though it seems like the Charger is half way into a Tank, at the same time it also seems to be turning into an Infected all of its own. The intro scene of Left 4 Dead 2 shows that its left leg is much larger in size than the other, meaning its legs are starting to lose support on it, similar to the Tank, and that the right leg is under much more weight because of its large, mutated arm. This occasion is closely related to how the Jockey resembles the Hunter, except that the Jockey is half-way through transformation and isn't fully crouching. The arm also appears to be formed of tumors and scabs, as opposed to pure muscle that the Tank has, forming a protective layer around much of the Charger's arm and back. Because of this, the Charger is probably undergoing an entirely different mutation.

The Charger could be a Tank that underwent difficulties during its development. In addition, the Tank's lower jaw is consumed by its upper muscle. However, in terms of the Charger, the jaw appears to be largely unharmed and fully functional in comparison to the Tank's, (however it's face is not, as already stated.) In addition, the Tank possesses two muscular and bulky arms unlike the Charger which sports only one overdeveloped arm accompanied by a undeveloped/limp second arm which could have been drained of most of its nutrients and transferred them to its opposite arm due to unknown development difficulties.

Good Ambush Spots
As a general rule, always attack Survivors that are in a narrow area, in a straight line, or otherwise tight clump. Your charge is deadly near ledges and cliffs. You are one of the most feared Special Infected. Make use of your talents and charge with caution.

Dead Center

 * On The Hotel, 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. You'll die, but they will also.
 * 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.
 * On The Streets, the best you could do as a Charger is try to carry a Survivor far away from the group. There are plenty of good spots for this.
 * Inside The Mall, try to carry the Survivors off of the higher floors. Try to split up the Survivors during the Crescendo Event. This could be fatal to the team.
 * 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.

Dark Carnival

 * In the motel, try to grab a Survivor that is on the upper walkway. Pull them off to delay and damage them. Also, charging the last one to jump down into the swamp will cause your victim to be stranded, and eventually perish.
 * On The Coaster, look for anyone who breaks away from the pack during the Crescendo and carry them even farther from the others.
 * During The Concert, try to seperate the Survivors, as always. This is especially useful during the Tank attack, when everyone would be focused on him, instead of you.

Swamp Fever

 * In the Plank Country, 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.
 * In the Swamp, taking the Survivors into the water is usefull, because their team will be slowed down by the water.
 * On The Plantation, attack the Survivor that goes to answer the rescue vehicle. Also, if they hold out by the Heavy Machine Gun, grab a Survivor and carry them off the upper areas.

Hard Rain
(These attack spots apply to both the first and second trip.)
 * After the Survivors enter The Milltown, there are multiple places you can carry a Survivor very far away from the pack.
 * When the Survivors are on the upper floors of The Sugar Mill, try to knock them off of them. If they are on the highest floor, you'll kill them instantly.
 * Charge past or into Witches in the Sugar Mill. Survivors will, by instinct, shoot at you when they see you charge, and a few stray shots is all it takes to piss a Witch off.
 * 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 Survivor team as their teamate has to catch up (or even better, as they have to rescue their incapacitated teammate).
 * 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 of the Survivors being not really likely to survive something like that.
 * In the Finale, try catching the ones who went down for ammo. This won't hurt anyone alot, but will take some attention, thus giving a chance for the Tank to come in. If you'll carry the unlucky one for a fairly long distance, outside the Burger Tank, your enemies are pretty much screwed.

The Parish

 * Right at the beginning of The Waterfront, 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.
 * When the Survivors are in The Park, there are multiple places you can attack the enemies and split them up by carrying them away from the group. Such as te hedge maze.
 * When the Survivors are about to enter the sewers before The Cemetery, hide in them, and grab 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 one to enter the sewer, making an ideal attack position as of someone going up the ladder to help you. Best be having a Jockey or Smoker buddy up there.
 * On The Bridge, 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.

Survivors

 * Shoot the Charger before he charges to weaken him, thus allowing you to kill him in one swing.
 * This is easiest to obtain on the Parish in the section when you leave the trailer and the alarm sounds. Right before you shut it off on the top of the scaffolding, wait for the Charger. When it shows up have one friend shoot it once or twice depending on difficulty, and when it charges at said friend, hit it with a melee weapon and it should unlock.

Infected

 * Aim for the group when they are close together and in a narrow hallway so they are unable to avoid your charge.


 * Try to find a lone almost full heath Survivor to pummel. This will give you the highest chance to reach 15 seconds.
 * If the round ends while you're pounding a Survivor (either because you incapacitated your Survivor or your team mates took out the others) you will continue to pound while the scores are being tallied, and your time will continue to be counted. This will almost certainly result in the achievement being unlocked.
 * A perfect map for this is The Park, because it has a big and wide area, and the Survivors cannot kill you for a long time.
 * You can get this achievement playing scavenge if you charge a Survivor when the round ends.


 * Best unlocked on the first level of Dead Center, try to charge a Survivor out of the windows or off of the ledges. The fall distance is counted towards this achievement, sometimes.
 * The other way to achieve this is to launch a charge while right next to your target, along a path that provides no obstructions. The charge length seems to be a finite distance, and hitting someone doesn't affect that in any apparent way.

Trivia

 * 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' dog-like animal.
 * Originally, the Charger would stop immediately when it had grabbed the closest Survivor; now, it continues charging for a short time, either until it hits a wall or goes a short distance and then ultimately does stop before going too far.
 * Sounds used by the Charger at Comic Con are re-used ambient sounds from various sections of Ravenholm in Half-Life 2. In addition, the Charger's roars and grunts seem to be remixed or altered versions of Half-Life 2's Poison Headcrab Zombie.
 * Though unconfirmed The Charger may have increased health dependent on difficulty, in the early demo it appears on easy the Charger can withstand two shotgun blows, whilst on advanced and expert three.
 * On the image of the Meat Tenderizer achievement the Charger's left arm is mutated and big instead of the right arm.
 * When slamming Survivors into the ground, the Survivor will struggle when brought up. When they are incapacitated, however, they will be limp when brought up.
 * Charger: music cue
 * A Charger can be seen hung up by his limbs in the first chapter, Plank Country, of the Swamp Fever campaign. This is to take the shape of the "Lambda" Easter egg, found in all Valve games. This was originally a Boomer, however, during the public demo events.
 * The Charger has had many different series of attacks and has gone through multiple versions and 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 over-head strike that smashed the Survivor to the floor before the Charger started pounding them. This behavior can be seen here: http://www.gametrailers.com/video/sdcc-09-left-4-dead/53095
 * The Charger has a bruise under his right eye, has no teeth on the right side of his face, a notable curve on the right side of his head, and has fresh blood where his nose would appear.
 * The Charger is the only Infected that has more than one smashing animation depending on his surroundings.
 * If you are in an open area, he will just slam you against the ground repeatedly.
 * If you are next to a wall, he will alternate between slamming you into the ground and ramming you into the wall.
 * If you are in a building, he will alternate between slamming you into the ground and slamming you into the ceiling.
 * Oddly, the Charger's left hand is smaller than any other Infected or Survivor's hand, suggesting that it was shriveled up by the Infection.
 * In the first Left 4 Dead 2 trailer, the Charger's left arm appeared to still have muscle and bone in it. It also seemed like it could be moved. In the full game, it is a ragdoll that flops uselessly around, making it seem that all the muscle and bone has been drained out of it by its larger, more developed arm.
 * Also, originally, the Charger had a much more gaunt, skeletal face, much more like a bloody, skinless skull, seen in the old E3 video. - http://www.gametrailers.com/video/e3-09-left-4-dead/50357

Behind the Scenes
Before the Charger's design was finalized, it used a reskinned 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 Chargers temp Warning call was, AY!AY!AY!!!!, as stated in the Developers Commentary

Originally, the Charger used to use its mutated arm during its charge. 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.