Understanding the Threat: A Deep Dive into Cueist's Kit
The Math Behind the Madness To beat Marcus, you have to understand the geometry he’s playing with. His Contact Point ability lets him connect 3 to 8 points to form paths ranging from 4 to 34 meters. This sets up Maxwell’s Demon (his Tier 0 ability), allowing him to travel at high speeds while completely ignoring collision.
Then there's the Closed Domain. This creates a 3D enclosed area for a whopping 80 seconds. If you're stuck inside, Entropy Manipulation scans for survivors, highlights the highest-progress cipher for 5 seconds, and—here’s the kicker—instantly reduces its progress by 20%.
(Editor’s Note: That 20% regression is brutal in high-tier play. It can turn a tie into a loss instantly.)
Also, watch out for Inertia. When he exits a trajectory, he gets a 20% movement and interaction speed boost. This makes transition zones absolutely lethal if you aren't paying attention.
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In-game, your ears are your best friend. Listen for the specific sound of point placements. If you hear that setup happening near a loop, transition immediately. You need to get out of that 4-34 meter attack range before he pulls the trigger.
Pre-Match Preparation: Loadouts That Actually Work
Meta Stats & Loadouts Season 39 brought some interesting shifts: a 10-15% rescue speed buff but a painful 5-10% healing nerf. This favors survivors like Perfumer (who can negate damage entirely) and Priestess (who can bypass the Closed Domain walls).
For your Persona web, the '129' Build (Flywheel + Borrowed Time + Knee Jerk) is currently yielding a 15-20% higher win rate on large maps compared to standard builds.
Why? Because Flywheel's 0.5-second immunity is critical for dodging those Backspin exit attacks.
Role-Specific Steps
- The Kiter: You must equip '129'. Chain your Flywheel immediately after window vaults to counter his Inertia speed boost.
- The Rescuer: Stick to '36' (Tide Turner). You need that 20-second invincibility to deal with his camping ability.
- The Team Comp: If you're running heavy decoders, pair them with a Seer. It’s the only reliable way to mitigate that 20% Entropy reduction on unprotected ciphers.
Early Game Strategy: Surviving the First Encounter
Disruption & Rotation Here’s the good news: Cueist is weakest before he establishes his networks. Closed Domain requires 3-4 points to activate and eventually dissipates after 80 secon
ds.
If you get scanned, remember that the highest-progress cipher loses 20%. A pro tactic? Stop decoding at 98-99% if you suspect a scan is imminent. It’s better to pause than to lose progress on a near-complete machine.
Execution Protocols
- Split Up: Send four survivors to separate ciphers. This minimizes the impact if he drops a Closed Domain on one area.
- Audio Cues: The second you hear the clack of billiard balls, break line of sight. Do not wait to see him.
Mastering the Kite: Looping & Transitions
Movement & Speed Data You’re aiming for a 60-90 second kite. Since base cipher time is 81 seconds, this buys your team enough time to pop 2-4 machines. Be wary of Inertia—it grants him a 20% speed boost on exit, which extends by 2.5 seconds per injured survivor (capping at 10 seconds) via Pot Shot.
However, Backspin has a 2-second lockout. Exploit this. Use zig-zag patterns and tight 360-degree turns to force him to miss his exits. On maps like Arms Factory, vault center windows to force path resets; this can buy you a precious 10-15 seconds of transition time.
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The Rescue Guide: Saving from the Rocket Chair
Mechanics & Timing Rescuing against Marcus is tricky because of Cue Ball. It locks onto moving survivors within an 8-11 meter radius and drags them toward h
im. Always aim to rescue during Stage 1 (0-49%) to take full advantage of the Season 39 rescue speed buff.
Flank Strategy
- Bait: Stop moving just outside the 11-meter radius. Bait the Cue Ball strike, then dash in.
- Tank: If you're playing Mercenary or have Flywheel, use them to absorb the hit without getting displaced.
- Block: After the rescue, body block on the left side. Most hunters instinctively swing right.
End Game Scenarios: Securing the Win
Gate & Cipher Logic Opening gates takes 18 seconds, but be careful—Pot Shot often reaches max power (that 10s boost) by this point in the match.
The standard rule applies: Prime the final cipher to 99% and pop it immediately after a hit or rescue to trigger Borrowed Time (full health + 50% speed). If the hunter teleports to one gate, the survivor at the other gate must open it immediately. Do not heal. Just get the gate open. Remember, the dungeon opens when 2 ciphers are decoded and 3 survivors are eliminated.
Advanced Tactics & Mistakes
Pro-Level Execution Stop camping pallets. Seriously. Cueist can place points right through obstacles. Also, avoid clustering together to prevent Entropy Manipulation from detecting multiple people.
Top players are currently using the cue stick animation delay to Moonwalk or pop Euphoria. If you're watching tournament play, you'll see the Harass and Decode strategy: an Antiquarian stuns him during his setup phase, while a Mechanic uses her robot to offset the 20% regression penalty.
FAQ
Q: When did this guy actually come out? A: The Cueist (Marcus) launched with the Season 39 update on September 17, 2025.
Q: What's the absolute best Persona build against him? A: Go with the '129' build (Flywheel + Borrowed Time + Knee Jerk). You need that dash immunity to dodge his high-speed attacks.
Q: How bad is the Entropy Manipulation on decoding? A: It’s rough. It scans the domain, highlights the top cipher for 5 seconds, and instantly knocks off 20% progress.
Q: Can Priestess portals actually counter Closed Domain? A: Yes! Portals allow survivors to teleport right out of the 3D enclosure, effectively wasting the hunter's 80-second cooldown.
Q: How long does that speed boost last? A: The Inertia boost is 5 seconds base (20% speed), but it extends by 2.5 seconds for every injured survivor, up to a max of 10 seconds.
Q: How do I stop getting hit by the Cue Ball? A: Stop moving to break the 8-11 meter lock-on, or use Flywheel/magnets to displace yourself laterally.
