Commando

Lore & Background

The Commando's background is deliberately sparse in the Risk of Rain canon, which is itself a universe that favors atmosphere over exposition. What is clear from his design and presentation is that he is a professional soldier—someone trained in close-quarters combat, who trusts a reliable shotgun over anything flashier. His gear is practical, his stance is wide, and his expression says he has already made peace with the possibility of dying in a ditch on a world that doesn't even have a name.

Within the ensemble of survivors, the Commando occupies a specific narrative niche. The Risk of Rain cast draws from a wide spectrum: scientists, adventurers, beings of unknown origin. The Commando is the one who was already in a fight before the Rain pulled him in. His presence suggests that the force dragging survivors onto this planet does not care whether you are a researcher or a rifleman; it simply takes you. What it does not take is your weapon, and the Commando made sure of that.

In Risk of Rain 2, the lore expands slightly to hint at a longer history of survivors arriving over time, leaving behind equipment and traces of previous expeditions. The Commando fits naturally into that timeline—a soldier sent in, never recovered, his gear eventually becoming part of the planet's strange ecology of abandoned technology.

In Their Own Story

The rain hits the ridge like static on a dead channel. The Commando crouches behind a shattered console, barrel of his shotgun resting on his knee, and watches the treeline. Something is out there—something with too many legs and a hum that vibrates in his molars. He cycles the action. Two shells. That's all he needs.

The first one bursts through the undergrowth, chittering, and he puts a spread of buckshot into its chest cavity. It staggers. The second one is faster, a blur of carapace and mandibles, and he rolls—hard, low, the kind of roll that scrapes the skin off his forearms—and comes up on the other side with the second barrel already leading. The shot punches through. The thing folds.

He stands, wipes rain from his eyes, and looks at the long grey sky. Somewhere up there, a ship he'll never board is waiting. He shoulders the shotgun, checks the chamber, and walks back into the rain. There's always another wave.

Reader's Guide

Name: Commando Role: Survivor (player-selectable character) First appearance: Available as a selectable survivor from the start of a run in both Risk of Rain and Risk of Rain 2.

Key abilities (Risk of Rain 2): The Commando's primary attack is a double-barreled shotgun that fires a tight spread of pellets, excelling at close-to-mid range. His special ability is a tactical roll that grants brief invulnerability and repositions him quickly, making him one of the more mobile survivors despite his heavy weapon. His ultimate ability is a thrown frag grenade that detonates after a short fuse, dealing area damage and creating a brief opening to reposition or burst down a clustered group of enemies.

Playstyle and item synergies: The Commando thrives in close-quarters chaos. Items that increase projectile size, add explosive or piercing effects to his shotgun pellets, or boost area-of-effect damage pair well with his spread and grenade. Mobility and dodge-enhancing items complement his roll, letting him chain repositioning through dense enemy packs. Because his damage profile is burst-oriented rather than sustained, items that increase attack speed or add on-hit effects (burn, shock, poison) help him maintain pressure between his natural firing cadence.

Lore connections: As a military operative, the Commando's presence hints at organized (if ultimately futile) attempts to reach or study the planet before the survivors' era. His practical gear contrasts with the more fantastical equipment of other survivors, grounding the roster in a sense of real-world desperation.

Did You Know?

• The Commando is one of the few survivors whose design and role remain consistent across both Risk of Rain (2013) and Risk of Rain 2 (2020), making him a recognizable anchor for fans of the original.
• His double-barreled shotgun is a deliberate design choice that contrasts with the more exotic or energy-based weapons of other survivors, reinforcing his 'old-school soldier' identity.
• In Risk of Rain 2, his grenade ultimate gives him a unique area-denial tool among the survivor cast, letting him clear swarms or create space in tight corridors.
• The Risk of Rain universe is intentionally light on individual backstories; the Commando's military background is conveyed primarily through his visual design, weapon, and mannerisms rather than explicit narrative text.