By 8bitPunk
Resident Evil 4: Advanced Handgun Guide
Table of Contents
I. Intro
II. Disclaimer
III. A Note on Control Groups
IV. The First Control Group: Villagers-Chapter 1: The Pueblo (Day)
IVa. The First Control Group: Standard Handgun
IVb. The First Control Group: Red 9
IVc. The First Control Group: Blacktail
V. Conclusion for the First Control Group
VI. The Second Control Group: Hooded Monks-Chapter 3-1
VIa. The Second Control Group: Standard Handgun
VIb. The Second Control Group: Red 9
VIc. The Second Control Group: Blacktail
VII. Conclusion for the Second Control Group
AI. Appendix 1: Handgun Statistics when Upgraded to Exclusive
BI. List of Future Additions
CI. Contact Info
LI. Legal Stuff
I. Intro
Below is my statistical observation of how often the specified Handgun will
score a critical head shot, ('pops' head, blows off head, instant kill e.t.c.)
for Professional Difficulty on the PlayStation 2. Also contained in this guide
is an analytical comparison of how effective each Handgun is.
For Critical Hit Chance, I only compared the Standard Handgun, Red 9, and the
Blacktail. Sorry Punisher and Matilda fans, I can only assume that the
Punisher and Matilda have the lowest chance of scoring critical hits to the
head (this due to the low damage once fully upgraded, and the lack of a damage
-affecting Exclusive Upgrade). Each Handgun will be fully upgraded to their
Exclusive for comparison. It will be specially noted when the opponent is
defeated on the first shot, as this will give what I will term the "true"
headshot critical rate. I assume the natural "true" chance for a critical
headshot lies somewhere between 5% and 10% for all handguns.
Regardless of whether or not a critical hit is scored, if the enemy is killed
with a shot to the head, the end result will always be a head explosion (except
for the first enemies of the game, and any enemy wearing a metal mask). This
guide only concerns standard humanoid enemies, and not Mini-Bosses (chainsaw
weilders, garradors e.t.c.) or Bosses.
II. Disclaimer
Please understand, that as with all statistics, they can never be perfectly
accurate. The way that odds, or statistics work, is that they are more
accurate, with larger amounts of incidences (thus, killing 1000 enemies with a
handgun will give you more "statistically accurate" data than killing 10
enemies).
Though I only chose to kill 30 enemies, per Handgun, per scenario, the
analysis I submit is noteworthy, but not 100% accurate.
Again, this is a comparison for Professional Mode, on the Playstation 2 version
of Resident Evil 4 (and a USA version of the game).
III. A Note on Control Groups:
It is important in any experiment, or statistic-driven observation, to
establish a "control group", the un-biased measure upon which your data will be
predicated. For this reason, I will not include any instances where the enemy
was damaged in any way other than a direct shot to their head from a Handgun.
Enemies accidentally kicked will not be included, nor enemies that have
grappled me from behind (as escaping does some minor damage).
So, for the enemy to be included in my information the following must be met:
-They must only receive damage to their head. Either the enemy will stagger,
(being vulnerable to a "kick" command) or their head will "pop".
-Enemies that drop to the ground dead, with their head intact, will be
discarded, as it is probably due to a shot to their chest/shoulders.
-Enemies that place their hands in front of their face to shield themselves
must drop their hands to their sides before damage is inflicted to the head
(even though you could argue that as long as they "stagger" or "pop" from the
damage it is a "legal" hit).
-Even though enemies are somewhat jostled when they are in the close proximity
of a "pop", this action does no damage to them, and serves more as an
interrupt than damage. They will be included.
-For most instances, I tried to have the enemies be in their "slow-walking
form" or stationary, not swinging a weapon, or ducking, or dodging, or running
towards me. Although a very small number were in an alternate animation, I do
not believe this has an effect on the Critical Hit Rate for headshots.
I have a hidden suspicion that enemies may spawn with slightly alternate
health. For the purposes of this guide, I assume that all enemies of a certain
type have roughly the same health (all villagers have the same health, all
monks wearing the same outfit have the same health e.t.c.). Also, I believe
that shooting enemies in the head provides a positive damage modifier (doing
more damage per shot, than say, a shot to the leg). Sadly, due to my hidden
assumptions that;
a. enemies of the same type may or may not spawn with varying health
b. damage to different parts of the body results in different damage modifiers
It would be hard to prove my point without excessive amounts of killing. If
one, or both of the above are true, then it further invalidates some amount of
my guide. However, this guide will still be excellent at providing an overview
of each Handgun's capabilities and potential.
IV. The First Control Group: Villagers-Chapter 1: The Pueblo (Daytime)
I will be using The Pueblo from the first chapter (the area where you acquire
the first Shotgun, also the setting for the first level of the Mercenaries
mini-game) as my first control group. This area provided a plentiful source of
enemies, though at times hard to manage due to the large number of groups. In
cases where several enemies grouped together, I singled out individuals (like
the females, or the enemy with the pitchfork) to keep my data accurate as I
sometimes was forced to disengage the enemies. I can only assume that this
data gathered would be applicable to enemies later in the game to a certain
degree (future enemies may have significantly more health, thus lowering the
"false" Critical Head Shot Rate...or a "pop" that results from damage, not from
a Critical Hit. To metaphorically "beat a dead horse", running the Pueblo 100
times would provide a more accurate portrayal of each guns ability. I have
chosen to kill 30 villagers per Handgun, and discussing enemy info that is
"extremely abnormal" (for instance, if on average it took 2 shots to "pop" a
villager's head with the standard Handgun, and one villager out of the 30
happened to take 8 headshots to "pop")
IVa. The First Control Group: Standard Handgun
Standard Handgun Exclusive: 5x Higher chance to score a Critical Headshot
Enemy: # Head Shots to Kill
1 1
2 1
3 1
4 3
5 2
6 3
7 2
8 1
9 2
10 3
11 1
12 2
13 2
14 1
15 2
16 1
17 3
18 1
19 2
20 1
21 1
22 4
23 3
24 3
25 1
26 2
27 1
28 2
29 4
30 1
# Shots to Kill Ratio: Percentage: # Bullets used:
1 = 13/30 = 43%* 13
2 = 9/30 = 30% 18
3 = 6/30 = 20% 18
4 = 2/30 = 7% + 8
---
57 Shots used to kill
30 villagers
*-For this instance, the measured critical chance of the Standard Handgun is
43%. This figure is important, because the handgun has a relatively low damage
output. Since the Exclusive for the gun improves the Critical Headshot Rate by
5x, the natural Critical Headshot Rate of this Handgun can be figured at 8.6%.
This falls within my initial guess, that every Handgun has a natural 5%-10%
chance to Critically hit, when the target is the head.
IVb. The First Control Group: Red 9
Red 9 Exclusive: Firepower = 6.5
Enemy: # Head Shots to Kill
1 1
2 2
3 1
4 1
5 1
6 1
7 2
8 2
9 2
10 1
11 2
12 1
13 2
14 1
15 2
16 1
17 1
18 1
19 1
20 1
21 2
22 1
23 2
24 1
25 1
26 1
27 1
28 1
29 1
30 1
# Shots to Kill Ratio: Percentage: # Bullets used:
1 = 21/30 = 70%* 21
2 = 9/30 = 30%** 18
---
39 Shots used to kill
30 villagers***
*-This figure does not reflect this weapon's "True" Headshot Critical Rate, as
the majority of these 1-shot kills are due more to the sheer damage inflicted,
than to a percentage chance.
**-That it took 2 shots to kill a portion of these enemies may implies that;
a. Some enemies may spawn with differing Health.
b. There may be a hidden variable affecting the damage inflicted when a
headshot occurs.
c. The Red 9 will always kill a villager in 2 or less shots to the
head, unless they happen to spawn las plagas when they die.
***-The Red 9 took the least amount of bullets to kill all 30 villagers. This
will be a recurring theme. This is to be assumed since it deals out the most
damage per shot.
IVc. The First Control Group: Blacktail
Blacktail Exclusive: Firepower = 4.9
Enemy: # Head Shots to Kill
1 2
2 2
3 2
4 2
5 2
6 2
7 2
8 2
9 2
10 2
11 2
12 2
13 2
14 2
15 2
16 2
17 2
18 2
19 2
20 2
21 2
22 2
23 2
24 2
25 2
26 2
27 2
28 2
29 2
30 2
# Shots to Kill Ratio: Percentage: # Bullets used:
2 = 30/30 = 100%* 60
---
Shots used to kill
30 villagers
*-Notice that there were no 1-shot kills expressed by this run. If this gun
has a 10% chance to kill instantly with a headshot, then there is only a 3.81%
chance that out of 30 kills, none of them will be killed by the first shot. I
know that the Blacktail is capable of 1-shot kills. I also know that I did
kill 30 enemies, all of them died with no head. I thought it was odd that
without exception every enemy died from 2 shots, so I even killed an extra 5
villagers, beyond the 30. The extra 5 killed were not recorded, but served
more to satisfy my curiosity. In time, I will conduct another trial of 30
villagers to see if any of them die in one shot. Until then, please know that
the Blacktail has a very consistent damage output.
V. Conclusion for the First Control Group
Clearly, when the villagers from Chapter 1 are considered, the Red 9 beats both
the Standard Handgun, and the Blacktail, both in 1-shot kills, and ammo
preservation. Shot for shot, the Red 9 is going to deliver consistent results.
Though the Blacktail is more consistent, the Standard Handgun out performed it
in this run (by a very small margin).
For comparison, below are the above ratios stacked against each other.
Handgun: # of shots %
to kill
Standard Handgun 1 = 13/30 43%
Red 9 1 = 21/30 70%
Standard Handgun 2 = 9/30 30%
Red 9 2 = 9/30 30%
Blacktail 2 = 30/30 100%
Standard Handgun 3 = 6/30 20%
Standard Handgun 4 = 2/30 7%
VI. The Second Control Group: Hooded Monks-Chapter 3-1
For the second control group, I used 4 hooded monks from chapter 3-1. My
reasoning for using them was simple, they were the first enemies I ran into.
The first 2 hooded monks you encounter after the room with the merchant, the
ones that are patroling the balcony back and forth. Once you proceed past the
area where the first 2 monks are patroling, a second set of 2 monks spawns from
the entrance to this area. All monks used; are unarmed, and hooded, with the
same rules applying from above for them to be considered.
VIa. The Second Control Group: Standard Handgun
Standard Handgun Exclusive: 5x Higher chance to score a Critical Headshot
Enemy: # Head Shots to Kill
1 1
2 5
3 5
4 2
5 1
6 1
7 1
8 1
9 1
10 3
11 1
12 3
13 1
14 1
15 2
16 1
17 4
18 1
19 2
20 2
21 5
22 3
23 1
24 2
25 1
26 4
27 4
28 4
29 1
30 4
# Shots to Kill Ratio: Percentage: # Bullets used:
1 = 14/30 = 46.6%* 14
2 = 5/30 = 16.6% 10
3 = 3/30 = 10.0% 9
4 = 5/30 = 16.6% 20
5 = 3/30 = 10.0%** +15
---
68 Shots used to kill
30 hooded monks***
*-This percentage is very similar to the % expressed in Chapter 1 (43% vs.
46.6%). If you average the two percentages together it comes to 44.8% chance
for a Critical Headshot).
**-If the Critical Headshot Rate for the Standard Handgun is 44.8%. then the
proability to NOT Critically headshot a hooded monk by the 5th shot is 4.34%
(roughly 1 in 23). This leads me to assume that by the 5th shot, the enemy's
head will "pop" from damage, regardless of a critical hit or not.
***-Comparable to the Blacktail.
VIb. The Second Control Group: Red 9
Red 9 Exclusive: Firepower = 6.5
Enemy: # Head Shots to Kill
1 2
2 2
3 2
4 2
5 2
6 2
7 2
8 2
9 2
10 1
11 2
12 2
13 2
14 2
15 2
16 2
17 1
18 2
19 2
20 2
21 2
22 1
23 2
24 2
25 2
26 2
27 2
28 2
29 2
30 2
# Shots to Kill Ratio: Percentage: # Bullets used:
1 = 3/30 = 10%* 3
2 = 27/30 = 90%** 54
---
57 Shots used to kill
30 hooded monks***
*-This control group more accurately expressed the "true" Critical Headshot
Rate for the Red 9.
**-For the first Control Group, only 30% of the enemies survived the first hit.
Since 90% of the hooded monks took 2 headshots to finish, we can assume that
this control group may have up to 60% more health than the villagers from
Chapter 1.
***-Compared to the 39 bullets it took to kill the 30 villagers from the First
Control Group, it took 46% more ammunition to dispatch the 30 hooded monks.
Since I used the same Red 9 from Chapter 1, we have to assume that either;
a. The Enemies in Chapter 3 have more health than those from Chapter 1
or b. The Enemies in Chapter 3 have a form of damage reduction, compared
to those in Chapter 1
VIc. The Second Control Group: Blacktail
Blacktail Exclusive: Firepower = 4.9
Enemy: # Head Shots to Kill
1 3
2 3
3 2
4 3
5 2
6 2
7 3
8 2
9 1
10 3
11 3
12 3
13 1
14 2
15 2
16 2
17 2
18 2
19 3
20 1
21 2
22 2
23 3
24 3
25 2
26 3
27 3
28 2
29 2
30 2
# Shots to Kill Ratio: Percentage: # Bullets used:
1 = 3/30 = 10%* 3
2 = 15/30 = 50% 30
3 = 12/30 = 40%** 36
---
69 Shots used to kill
30 hooded monks***
*-Proof that the Blacktail is capable of 1-shot kills. I'll consider the data
from chapter 1 to be atypical since there were no 1-shot Critical Headshots.
In a future version of this guide, I will be revisiting the Pueblo in Chapter 1
with the Blacktail and comparing the second set of data to the first.
**-Since there were no enemies from the Pueblo in Chapter 1 that survived 2
head shots, again We can again assume that;
a. The Enemies in Chapter 3 have more health than those from Chapter 1
or b. The Enemies in Chapter 3 have a form of damage reduction, compared
to those in Chapter 1
***-Comparable to the Standard Handgun.
VII. Conclusion for the Second Control Group
The Red 9 still outperforms both the Standard Handgun, and Blacktail, with the
notable exception that the Standard Handgun defeated a substantially greater
number of hooded monks on the first shot. But when you consider that by the
second headshot, 100% of the Red 9's victim's were dead, as opposed to the 63%
defeated by the Standard Handgun, the Red 9 is faster, and more efficient at
killing the hooded monks. Taking only 57 shots to kill 30 of the hooded monks
(vs. the Standard Handgun taking 68 shots, and the Blacktail taking 69), the
Red 9 is better for ammo conservation.
For comparison, below are the above ratios stacked against each other.
Handgun: # of shots %
to kill
Standard Handgun 1 = 14/30 47%*
Red 9 1 = 3/30 10%
Blacktail 1 = 3/15
Standard Handgun 2 = 5/30 17%*
Red 9 2 = 27/30 90%
Blacktail 2 = 15/30 50%
Standard Handgun 3 = 3/30 10%
Blacktail 3 = 12/30 40%
Standard Handgun 4 = 5/30 17%*
Standard Handgun 5 = 3/30 10%
*Percentages are rounded up from .6666666667
AI. Appendix 1: Handgun Statistics When Upgraded to Exclusive
Gun: Firepower: Firing Speed: Reload Speed: Capacity:
Handgun 2.0 .33 .87 25
Punisher 1.9 .33 .83 28
Red 9 6.5 .40 1.67 22
Blacktail 4.5 .27 .83 35
Matilda 2.5 .47 .87 100
DPS* Damage/10 Secs** Damage per Capacity:
Handgun 6.06 50 + Reload + 4 50
Punisher 5.76 53.2 - 266*** 53.2 - 266*** (53.2x5)
Red 9 16.25 143 143
Blacktail 16.65 157.5 157.5
Matilda **** **** 250
Exclusive:
Handgun 5x More Critical Headshot Rate
Punisher Hits up to 5 Enemies (and penetrates shields)
Red 9 6.5 Firepower
Blacktail 4.5 firepower
Matilda 100 Capacity
*-Damage Per Second
**-Damage over 10 seconds. If you were able to just unload at an enemy without
adjusting your aim, for 10 seconds, this is how much damage would be inflicted.
***-Since the Punisher has the ability to inflict damage on up to 5 targets,
its damage per capacity is the most volatile. Obviously, there are very few
instances where you will be able to line up 5 targets.
****-The Matilda fires in 3 round bursts. It is capable of dealing out the
most damage off the starting line (2.5x3=7.5). Though it is hard to quantify
the exact damage, the DPS is roughly 15.96 (1 second / .47 Firing Speed x 2.5
Firepower x 3 bullets) and the weapon's damage over ten seconds is around
159.60. Note that the damage is lower than both the Red 9 and the Blacktail,
and at the cost of 3 times the amount of bullets. Also, damage amounts do not
figure in the time it takes for the the 3 shots to occur, thus, the DPS and
Damage/10 secs is exaggerated
BI. List of Future Additions
Once I had written this guide... I realized how incomplete it was. I
started thinking about the Villagers you fight during the night time, it
occured to me that they might have a different amount of health/damage
reduction compared to those during the daytime. So, I plan to move what is
currently Control Group 2 to Control Group 3, and include samples from the
Pueblo during the night.
Control Group 1 will still be chapter 1 Villagers (day).
Control Group 2 will become chapter 2 villagers (night), with an additional
section detailing the effectiveness of each handgun on "las plagas".
Control Group 3 will become the hooded monks from chapter 3 (currently the
control group 2).
Control Group 4 Will Inclue the villagers from chapter 4 (night) unless I
find that the data is similar to what will become control goupr 2.
Control group 5 will be the soldiers from Chapter 5
And I guess it would be important to consider how every handgun handles
against the gannados when they spawn Las Plagas from their "popped" head.
So, the future guide will show control groups from every chapter, as well as
las plagas in the 3 different types.
I also hope to compare how often each handgun is capable of "stunning" each of
the mini-bosses (making them recoil).
I need to replay the game and find out how early you can upgrade
each handgun to its Exclusive capability.
However, with Resident evil 5 coming out soon, I may not get to all (or even
part) of all these additions/revisions.
CI. Contact Info
Send me polite and objective e-mails (ok...they can just be objective) with
questions, concerns, and/or comments @
Akiss_WithOpenEyes@Yahoo.com
LI. Legal Info
All information contained in this document reflects my own personal research.
Nothing has been borrowed. If others submit their own Statistics to me, and
I reproduce them here, they will be credited. Resident Evil is a product of
Capcom and blah blah blah blah blah... this is why I put this stuff at the
bottom of my guide, instead of at the top... jeez... cry more cause someone
might copy and paste your work... anyways...Dont steal my work, I've only
submitted this guide to www.gamefaqs.com ... cause I only really use them when
I want info on a game.
See Ya on Resident Evil 5 ( I have an XBox 360 ... send me an e-mail and
i'll give you my XBL name and we can own !!! )
