10 Distracting

What Is a Distractor?

A distractor is the player who intentionally holds the attention of Twisteds so that teammates can extract machines, loot items, or move through dangerous areas with less pressure. Instead of focusing on machines, your main job is to control where Twisteds are looking and where they are moving.

You are successful as a distractor when Twisteds are chasing you, but you are not getting hit, cornered, or dragged too far from where your team needs space. Good distraction feels calm and controlled. You choose when and where a Twisted chases you, how long the chase lasts, and in which part of the map it happens.

Unlike extractors or pure survivors, you repeatedly step into danger on purpose. What separates a strong distractor from a reckless one is planning. You go near Twisteds to shape the fight, not just to cause chaos. That means knowing how aggro works, where to run, and when to back off.

How Aggro Works

Aggro is the invisible priority list that Twisteds use to decide who to chase. Different Twisteds have different rules, but most follow a few basic patterns that matter to distractors.

First, detection usually comes from a mix of distance, line of sight, and sound. If you are the closest visible target who is making noise, you are usually the one who gets aggro. Running, failing skill checks, and using certain items can all make you more noticeable. Even if a Twisted has not aggroed yet, it may turn toward new sounds or movement in its vision cone.

Second, once a Twisted is locked onto you, it often prefers to stay on you unless something higher priority appears. A failed machine check nearby, a player much closer to it than you, or a special ability can sometimes cause an aggro swap. As a distractor you learn to watch your distance relative to your teammates. If you drift too far away, a Twisted might naturally switch to a closer teammate without using any special move.

Third, some Twisteds have partial memory of your position. When they lose sight of you, they may search the area where they last saw you, then start patrolling again if they cannot refind you. Clever distractors use this by breaking line of sight at the right time, so the Twisted wastes time searching a dead end while your team is safe somewhere else.

If you want to control aggro, think in terms of three levers: how close you are, how visible you are, and how loud you are. You pull those levers up when you want attention, and you turn them down when you want to drop a chase without dying.

Choosing a Distractor Toon

Although almost any toon can distract in an emergency, some are clearly better suited than others. The best distractor toons usually share a few traits. They have solid movement speed or movement tools, enough stamina support to run longer, and an ability that helps either with escape, misdirection, or short bursts of safety.

When choosing a distractor toon, start by asking how that toon survives repeated chases. Some have dashes or speed bursts that let them cross open space safely. Others reduce detection, making it easier to break aggro quietly. A few can manipulate Twisted behavior directly, for example slowing them, blinding them, or pulling them to specific locations where your team wants them.

You also need to consider how comfortable you feel with the toon’s stats. If a toon has low health or weak stamina, its ability must be strong enough to justify that risk. New players often do better with a forgiving distractor who can take a mistake or two without instantly dying. Experienced players can get more value out of risky, high‑skill toons that reward perfect kiting.

Finally, think about how your distractor toon fits into your team. If your team lacks speed, a very mobile toon can carry chase pressure. If your team struggles to communicate, a simple, reliable ability may be better than something that requires tight coordination. You are not just choosing a toon for yourself, you are choosing the shape of every chase your team will experience.

Distracting Safely

Safe distraction is about controlled risk. You must be close enough to hold aggro, but also far enough and positioned well enough that a single mistake does not end your run. The best distractors play one step ahead, always asking where they will run next, not just where they are now.

When you start a distraction, think about the path you plan to use. Leading a Twisted through the center of the map is more dangerous than looping it in a side area. If you know where your teammates are extracting, keep the Twisted in a different section so that even if things go wrong, it does not instantly collide with them.

Try to avoid sudden direction changes without a reason. Your movements should look predictable, not random. Predictability helps you learn the Twisted’s turning speed and attack range. You want to run just outside of that range, not wildly sprint until you are out of stamina. Calm spacing is safer than panic running.

Another core part of safe distraction is knowing when to back off. If your stamina is low, your next turn is awkward, or a second Twisted is getting close, consider breaking line of sight and resetting instead of forcing the chase to continue. You are not paid in points for holding aggro forever. You are valuable when you survive long enough for your team to finish what they are doing.

Stamina Management

Stamina is your lifeline as a distractor. You do not need to run at full speed all the time. In fact, if you hold sprint permanently, you will burn out your stamina bar, and the Twisted will catch you the moment you must slow down. Good stamina management means using only as much speed as you need.

Think of three movement states. Walking keeps you quiet and costs no stamina. Short sprints help you maintain distance when a Twisted gets close or when you cross unsafe ground. Long sprints are emergencies that you use only when a hit is otherwise guaranteed. Most of your chase should live in the second state: controlled bursts, not nonstop running.

Whenever you pass through a safe stretch, such as a straight hallway where the Twisted is far behind you or a moment where it is doing an animation, ease off your sprint and let stamina regenerate. The goal is to arrive at the next dangerous corner with stamina in reserve. If you run into a bad layout with an empty bar, you have no defensive options.

Pay attention to how different toons and trinkets affect your stamina pool and regeneration speed. Some builds let you sustain longer pressure, while others demand precise routing. If your build is weak on stamina, you must rely more on clever pathing, line of sight tricks, and short, tight loops rather than long, open chases.

Kiting Twisteds

Kiting means keeping a Twisted chasing you in a controlled loop without letting it close the distance. Instead of fleeing in a straight line until you hit the edge of the map, you choose a specific route that you can circle over and over. This wastes the Twisted’s time efficiently and keeps aggro where you want it.

A good kite path has several qualities. It should use corners or mild obstacles that slow the Twisted relative to you, but not so many dead ends that a single mistake kills you instantly. It should sit away from active machines if you are trying to protect your team. Finally, it should be familiar. The more you run the same loop, the more naturally you can react to small changes during the chase.

When you kite, focus on distance control. Do not hug walls too tightly or you may clip edges and lose speed. At the same time, do not run so wide that you give the Twisted extra room to cut corners and close the gap. Aim for a middle line that keeps your turning radius smooth while still forcing the Twisted to take a longer path.

Different Twisteds may require different kiting styles. Some have stronger straight line speed but weak turning, so tight loops punish them. Others have abilities that punish predictable paths, so you must occasionally break your loop and re‑enter it from a different angle. The more you practice with each Twisted, the more you will feel which loops are safe and which patterns are bait for their attacks.

Using Obstacles

Obstacles are your best friends. Pillars, desks, walls, and other bits of level geometry all change how you and a Twisted move. If you use them well, you can slow a Twisted, break line of sight, or force it into awkward turns that give you breathing room.

The first step is to learn the difference between solid cover and soft obstacles. Solid cover can fully block line of sight. If you slip behind it at the right angle, you might reset a chase or at least cause the Twisted to hesitate. Soft obstacles only partially affect pathing. They may slow the Twisted or alter its route without fully hiding you. Both types matter.

Practice what players often call corner cutting. When you round a corner, you try to take the shortest line around it, while the Twisted is forced to swing a wider arc. This tiny distance gain adds up over repeated turns. You want to choose obstacles and corners that magnify this effect, especially when your stamina is low.

Obstacles also let you control when the Twisted commits to a direction. If you duck behind a pillar, the Twisted may choose a side to run around. If you read which side it picked, you can slip around the opposite side and extend the chase. Over time, you start to feel how each Twisted prefers to path around certain objects and you can set small traps for them just by choosing where you stand.

Distracting Multiple Twisteds

Handling one Twisted is the baseline test for a distractor. Distracting multiple Twisteds at the same time is an advanced skill that becomes important on higher floors and crowded maps. The challenge is that each Twisted has its own pathing, attack range, and special rules. You must keep track of them all at once.

The first rule is spacing. If you let multiple Twisteds stack directly on top of each other, their combined reach can cover a wide arc in front of you. You want them strung out in a line instead of hugging you in a clump. To achieve this, use wide arcs and small speed changes so that some Twisteds lag slightly behind the others. You can also use obstacles to briefly catch or slow one while the others follow more closely.

Second, choose your loops very carefully. Tight loops that work for a single Twisted can be deadly if a second Twisted cuts you off from the front. When multiple enemies are involved, it is usually safer to use loops that have at least two exits. You want an escape hatch if a new Twisted appears in your path or if one uses an ability to reposition.

Finally, keep your team in mind. Distracting three Twisteds in a narrow area that your team needs to cross may help for a few seconds but ruin their long term safety. Often the right move is to lead the group of Twisteds away from key machines, then slowly peel one off by breaking line of sight or changing elevation while the others continue to chase you. Your job is not just to survive, but to structure the battlefield so your team gets the easiest version of the map.

Distractor Trinkets

Trinkets can transform how effective you are as a distractor. Some make you faster, some help stamina, some reduce detection, and some give you extra room for mistakes. You want to pick trinkets that support long, safe chases and reliable aggro control.

The main categories to think about are movement, stamina, and safety. Movement trinkets increase your speed or improve your acceleration, making kiting and corner cutting much more forgiving. Stamina trinkets expand your bar or increase regeneration so that you can keep pressure for longer before needing a reset. Safety trinkets might give you an extra hit, reduce damage, or shorten recovery time after being hit, all of which help you survive the occasional error.

There are also niche trinkets that interact with sound and detection. Some make you quieter during certain actions, which can help when you want to drop aggro without running too far. Others might trigger small effects when you enter or leave a chase, giving you speed or information that is valuable at the exact moments that a chase begins or ends.

To build an effective distractor loadout, start with one or two core survival trinkets, then add a flexible option that fits your personal style. If you like clean loops, prioritize speed and stamina. If you are still learning and making mistakes, lean harder into safety until you can reliably survive single Twisteds. As you gain confidence, you can swap some safety into more aggressive, control oriented tools.

Common Distractor Mistakes

Many new distractors fail not because they are too aggressive, but because they are careless in small ways. Recognizing these mistakes early will save you countless runs.

One of the biggest mistakes is sprinting at all times. Constant sprinting drains stamina, makes more noise, and removes your ability to respond when the Twisted suddenly uses an ability or turns faster than you expected. A related error is starting chases with low stamina. You should not intentionally pull aggro if you know you have no energy to sustain it.

Another common problem is dragging Twisteds through your team’s work area. If you orbit active machines, you risk surprise aggro swaps and sudden hits on teammates, especially when they are focused on skill checks. A clever distractor always asks, “Where are my teammates, and am I pulling danger toward them or away from them?”

Many players also misjudge line of sight. They try to break vision in places that do not fully hide them, then assume the Twisted will reset, only to be hit while they are standing still or turning around to check. When you attempt to drop a chase, commit to it and use solid, tested hiding spots rather than guessing each time.

Finally, distractors often forget to communicate. If you change your route, lose a Twisted, or bring multiple Twisteds toward a new area, your team needs to know. Even simple updates about where a Twisted is chasing you can prevent surprised teammates and wasted machines. Good distraction is not just mechanical skill, it is constant coordination so that the whole team benefits from your risk.