Tips for Grounded Mode Difficulty

[Pirelli913]

So I beat Grounded Mode today and figured I'd give a few tips to help others.

 

First off, if you beat Survivor Mode, this is very similar in that there are few supplies and no listening mode.

 

Here are a few tips:

 

Running through areas and using stealth are both essential. At the graveyard in Bill's Town, sneak past enemies, but at areas that it forces you into combat (Tommy's dam fighting the bandits) you can actually run past the large turbines, up the stairs, through the door and hop through the window and get to the dam. By doing this, the rest of Tommy's crew will follow and it'll be like the previous fight never happened. If you die, you'll still have to do the whole thing over again, but it's fast. Running across the dam and ducking behind the last crate before the door opens and more enemies come out is also good. Hopefully you have a bomb or a molotov to thin out the heard. The last few, just stay behind the crate and let Tommy and his friends (who have terrible shots btw) finish them off.

 

Another area worth running is in the museum with Tess and Ellie. After you regroup after being separated, just run kitty-corner to the opposite side of the large room and hop through the window and up the stairs. Seriously, if you're having trouble killing enemies with the limited amount of ammo you have, and it's a situation where it forces you into combat, RUN.

 

Learn the patterns of where enemies are. In the wharf when you're after Robert, there's around five or six and all except the last guy can all be killed quietly. The last guy, just run around the corner and melee him. Your surprise attack will win. When you make it to Downtown and you have to clear out the infected before Ellie and Tess can follow, there's three roaming runners, one stationary runner and one stationary clicker. I'm not gonna lie, sneaking up on roaming runners in the hardest thing, but it's doable, especially here.

 

In Bill's Town, use stealth to pick off the infected before the school and once the heard attacks, climb on a school bus and funnel them in. At the end, when you're trying to start the car, use melee attacks as much as possible to conserve ammo and let Bill kill as many as you can.

 

When you get to the bookstore full of hunters, forget about killing them all to loot the area. You won't get much loot anyways. Use stealth to take out the few that are in your path and then use the bow and arrow to kill the guy guarding your exit.

 

Don't bother modding your melee. You'll find a lot of melee items along the way and shivs or bombs are more important. I only had one modded melee the entire game and that's the one you find in Bill's Town.

 

Because you don't have a HUD to show how much health you have, it's difficult to know how hurt you are, but if Joel is holding his side, it's a safe bet that one hit will kill him. Choose between a molotov or health kit as needed and don't immediately craft items just because you have the materials to do so. On more than one occasion, I was able to craft every item, but chose not to because I wasn't sure what I'd need later.

 

Once you make it to the hotel basement (everyone's favorite part) there are three ways that will trigger the infected to attack you: Try and start the generator, try and exit through the door that needs power or pick up the key card. Pick up the key car and exit the room to your right, run to the end and turn around. Turn on your flashlight and wait. Use the shotgun if possible and just funnel them to you. They will all attack you eventually and you'll be able to see them a mile away. There should be at least four. After you stop hearing infected, head to the generator and start it. This activates the second group of infected (including a bloater). Hop up the ramp to your right and through the door to a hall with a spotlight aimed at you. Go through the door and down the hall to your left to the powered door. Use the key card and exit. You'll most likely encounter one runner behind the doorway of the spotlight, but with luck, that'll be all.

 

You can easily sneak up on infected that are standing still from their two o'clock or ten o'clock position and grab them to kill. Do this more than wasting ammo and if you do waste ammo, make it arrows. Sometimes you can retrieve them. I try and have at least four arrows at all times. The only time my arrow supply went below four (it was two) was at the very end in the hospital.

 

You won't have checkpoints like in lower difficulties. This might concern some people, but like I said, you can skip half the fight on Tommy's dam by running and you can use stealth to get through the first half of the hospital.

 

On Tommy's dam, you can skip the first fight by running. In the hospital, after trying to stealthily kill some and sneak past others and it wasn't working, I tried sneaking past everyone and the only fatality I had was the guy who opens the door to your exit to the top floor. It took a minute to make it that far.

 

By the end of the game, bombs are more important than shivs. It's best just to blow them the hell up as opposed to shivving. And besides, if you are close enough to grab them, it's best to just choke them out anyway. Early in the game, shivs aren't that important, even on locked doors. More often than not, you'll just get parts to upgrade weapons as opposed to ammo or crafting items. So hold onto blades for as long as necessary. If you open a door that doesn't give you anything good, just restart. The first shiv door I opened was the first one in Bill's Town and I completely skipped the second one in Bill's Town and the one in bookstore because I didn't wanna take anymore time there than necessary.

 

It took me a while to get past the guys on the top floor in the hospital, but I finally managed to kill all but one. The last guy was a complete moron and ran straight up to where I was crouched behind. I blasted him with a shotgun and blew off his arm. That is part of Grounded Mode in that enemies aren't afraid to run right up to you if spotted.

 

Also, if you sneak past enemies (the clickers/bloater in university or the many infected in the tunnel near the end) don't be surprised if the sudden noise of trying to open the blocked door on university or Ellie pushing that thing off the truck for you to climb on suddenly alerts them. You'll have time to make it out of harm's way, but in the case of the second scenario, I stayed on top of the truck to watch the infected shuffle towards me and took a bloater bomb to the face. It didn't kill me, but it startled the hell outta me. Lol.

 

When you play as Ellie during the snowstorm and when you're Joel at the hospital, using stealth to sneak past areas is a lot better option than trying to kill a guy to grab a gun for Ellie or the assault rifle for Joel. You'll only get a few bullets anyways, it really doesn't make any sense. "I'm a bad guy and I have four assault rifle bullets in my gun that Joel can pick up. However, if I see him, my supply is now unlimited!"

 

That's all I got right now, but feel free to add your own tips and tricks below! 

[ratchet404]

im going to be going through this in a few days time and i have to say thanks a lot for the tips, im sure this will make some parts a lot easier and probably save me a lot of time!

[DanielVT]

Great tips! I'll be certain to use them on the PS4! Thanks!

[warpsmith]

Those are awesome tips, thanks for posting! I agree with all of them - your hotel basement advice esp is what I do, step-for-step. I've found it better to look down the hall after starting the generator and waiting until you see the bloater, then sprint up immediately. If you go too fast, I've been surprised by the bloater in the hall (not sure if this is new timing, don't remember this in Survivor but it's been awhile).

Wish I had known your tip for Tommy's dam, would've saved a lot of heartache.

One difference I do is at the wharf - from the start, head to the left thru the containers, you may have to take out one guy, then go into the building and go left again thru another container. Then you just have one other guy to take out and then dash to the door.

Coming up on Ellie and David's bloater battle, NOT looking forward to that. Any tips? Someone advised somewhere holding ground on the bridge, have never done that exclusively before, but then again, that checkpoint is (was) pure gold...

[Saltyie]

I'm just starting the car at Bill's town now and I'd like to add two tips.

 

Companions A.I is great for distracting enemies, If you're being chased by two runners, get one to latch onto Ellie (or Bill), and dispatch the other one.

 

I did the entire high school exterior part using melee. Jumping up onto the buses, killing an infected or two, then sprinting to the other bus really helps thin out infected, and paired with my above tip, infected runners are no problem at all. You can do the same tactics on clickers, but can't really melee them (its 50/50 to actually kill them). So far, I've only used bullets to save companions.

 

Also a weird glitch I found, getting through the cemetery into the suburbs, then restarting the checkpoint, will give you all your items you used in the cemetary back, and starts you off after the gate.

[willmill97]

Awesome

 

I'll be sure to read through this again when I come to do Grounded

[maleija13]

Excellent!!, But I have one question, if I already have the platinum (in my other account), do I have to replay the game two times (grounded, then grounded+) to get the 100%? Or is there a way to only play it once?

[Saltyie]

Excellent!!, But I have one question, if I already have the platinum (in my other account), do I have to replay the game two times (grounded, then grounded+) to get the 100%? Or is there a way to only play it once?

You'll have to do it twice. You can glitch the game and start on new game plus, but I'm not sure if that stacks trophies

[warpsmith]

There are a couple of cheats out there - the infinite shiv cheat (well, 3 at a time, google it, but it is unfair) and the NG+ cheat, which I've read does indeed stack. But nope, old school is the way to go!

[TwilightSpira]

Amazing tips bud, funny that I play exactly like you do. I'm doing basically what I did on Survivor, and since I love been stealth, I'm loving this mode.

I just passed the bill part and I did just that. It's all about sneak past then or choke. Try to walk real slow too, it helps.

Edited May 10, 2014 by Marcelo

[Doudyx-X-xDubs]

In the hotel basement go up the room with the ramp and pick up the key card. Then go back in the room with the ramp and wait for the infected to funnel. After you've taken out that first round of infected , go turn on the generator then lightly jog to the ramp to the left of it, not the right, once you hit the ramp start running. You'll run into no infected from the second wave. (You can also pre-start the key card animation so joel doesn't have to go to the door first after the first wave. Just to be safe.)

 

In the financial district fighting the hunters in that big plaza area with ellie sniping them. Molotov the group of three that are talking in front of you, then stealthily go to the right and make your way to the sniping perch up the stairs. Kill the Hunter sniper up there if ellie hasn't already. This is will you will make your stand, they will funnel in through the door way onto the small ledge of the building. Use whatever means necessary after that, Use the windows and stealth choke out some, use arrows, or use loud weapons to alert them again after the second wave comes to make them come running and funnel them in. Just watch out for the guys in red, they will molotov you from below so don't stay still too long while they are alerted and they will also run at you and punch you as they don't have any guns, they are very aggro, so watch out. Usually they one shot you.

 

At the end of the sewers when and Sam and Ellie are getting the door open. Pick up the molotov on the table and wait for the infected to drop down on the left (where you just came from). Pick your spot and throw it into the clump as they turn the corner. Right after that throw a smoke bomb in the same spot. The infected as they drop down will lose sight of you and most of them should run into each other and catch on fire. There should only be a couple more after that before the door is open.

 

During The Hunt infected scenes playing as Ellie. Use David as an infected shield as a last resort to get away as he locks up with them and/or throws them. You can also use this offensively to not waste bullets and one hit stab them after he's thrown them or if he needs help(revive symbol is showing). Use sparingly, of course, as sometimes the infected bypass him and go straight to you, even when you're right behind him. (As a side note: Brick/bottle + Melee only works on runners with Ellie. It has no effect on Clickers.

 

You can stealth the final hospital fight if you go through the farthest door to the right then choke out the two fireflys there, then just throw a smoke bomb at the exit door. No one will fire at you.

[Saltyie]

This is my 6th play through, when I get 100% it'll be 7, the thing is, I still don't get tired of the cut scenes, and am still planning on getting the remastered edition. I've Never played through another game that much before (except maybe fallout new Vegas). If the trophy list is the same on ps4, that'll be another 3 playthroughs, I think it's truly a sign of an amazing game when I'm still not tired of it after 100+ hours.

OT though, I've just done the infamous basement part, but I'd like to mention in OP's post, he mentions on the way out there'll be a runner. On my run, there was a runner and the bloater waiting for me, after I died, there was just the bloater. It's the same concept, just keep mashing triangle to get the door open. You will get damage from the bloaters cloud thing, but your only other option is to kill it. I never want to see that bloater death scene again.

[TwilightSpira]

This is my 6th play through, when I get 100% it'll be 7, the thing is, I still don't get tired of the cut scenes, and am still planning on getting the remastered edition. I've Never played through another game that much before (except maybe fallout new Vegas). If the trophy list is the same on ps4, that'll be another 3 playthroughs, I think it's truly a sign of an amazing game when I'm still not tired of it after 100+ hours.

OT though, I've just done the infamous basement part, but I'd like to mention in OP's post, he mentions on the way out there'll be a runner. On my run, there was a runner and the bloater waiting for me, after I died, there was just the bloater. It's the same concept, just keep mashing triangle to get the door open. You will get damage from the bloaters cloud thing, but your only other option is to kill it. I never want to see that bloater death scene again.

Same here it never bothers me at all. I always laugh with Ellie and love play as Joel again and again to see their relationship grows in such beauty. I will do it all again on ps4( I just hope they only make the journey as MP trophies. I think the others are not necessary on the remaster.

[Saltyie]

After a break, I'm now just past the financial district (when Ellie has the rifle). Lots of peoples tips seem to be aggressive, and use up a lot of ammo, but you can do it pretty easily unarmed.Go up to the sniper perch first quickly, so that he's behind the far wall (not the corner wall), then choke him out. Climb in and out the nearby office windows so you don't get spotted in the open. After that you can drop down onto a truck right next to the choked out snipers body, and slowly make your way around the map counter clockwise, choking out all enemies. Just don't go to far into the middle. The second floor of the cafe is also a lifesaver, guys just wander up in single file, right into your choke grip. If multiple enemies come up, and you've cleared outside, you can jump out the window onto the blue awning thing. Also, enemies don't hear you jumping off second story floors, so feel free to dive assassinate the last guy. (If you want to risk it)

 

EDIT: If you can't find any enemies after stealthing through, there're reinforcements that just stand there until you get spotted. Use a smoke bomb or molotov (or just throw a brick), to thin them out.

Edited May 11, 2014 by Saltyie

[Saltyie]

Just done the sniper part , he does one hit kill you. You can actually avoid him entirely by going up the stairs on the left when you start.

Edit: also , if you're bored, you can change clothes and stuff in the options, it's pretty amusing

Edited May 12, 2014 by Saltyie

[Pirelli913]

Thanks to everyone who enjoyed this. I just beat the game on Grounded Plus and let me just say it was WAY EASIER than the first time. By the end of the game when at the hospital, I had three molotovs and three bombs, I had a good number of rifle, shotgun and El diablo rounds as well. I was so full on ammo that I used all three molotovs, all three bombs and only needed one bullet from my rifle to finish off the last guy. The fact your upgraded weapons carry over is huge and makes it so much easier. Especially the bow. A fully upgraded bow gives you a higher chance to retrieve arrows more often.

 

I would like to add a few more tips: When sneaking up on either a hunter or an infected enemy, constantly tap triangle so you can grab them as soon as it's possible since Grounded Mode doesn't give you that prompt so you won't know unless you tap triangle.

 

Also (and unfortunately) I found Ellie's part with David to be the hardest. At the start (after the cut scene with the buck) load the rifle fully and use all four rounds. (Make all four rounds count.) After that, David gives you more ammo (six bullets). Load the bullets, but switch to your bow after they're loaded and use the bow in this next part. Switch back to the rifle after the last infected (a clicker) is dead and use three rounds by aiming at enemies outside your small room. Switch back to the bow when they start swarming inside. You can retrieve some arrows.

 

Near the end when you guys fight the infected on the roof (and an eventual bloater) keep moving, but funneling them into the long ramp is a sound strategy as well. The fight only begins when you press triangle over the dead guy to activate dialogue so loot the area first. You'll find both a bomb and a molotov in the area. SAVE BOTH FOR THE BLOATER. Molotov him when he jumps down and then throw the bomb. After that, one or two rifle shots should finish him off unless you have another bomb and/or molotov. I'm not gonna lie. This fight is a pain in the ass, but the bloater is easy if you saved your molotov/bomb for him. Once he shows up, the fight's almost over anyways. And after he's down, only a few more enemies spawn.

 

Once the cat and mouse fight with David starts in the burning restaurant, there's a booth in the top right corner (when you're facing the exit door). Run to it as you can easily see David as he's moving around it and there's no plates on the ground around it to give away your position. This means that you can sneak up on him to get your three stabs in and trigger the next part of the game with Joel.

[warpsmith]

Pirelli913 has some really great tips. Just finished the second runthrough as well, much easier (9 hours vs 19 hours). Some notes:

- at the advice of a friend, SPOILER FOR LEFT BEHIND AHEAD::::: I played through to the end of Fall and then did Left Behind, also on Grounded mode. The narrative flows perfectly. Even though obviously most of us have done both, it is really great to go through the story this way. Must say, the final battle in Left Behind on Grounded is horrendous.

- Another tip for the first battle as Ellie with David, if there is some ammo on the bodies in the early waves, don't pick it up - wait until David gives you six bullets, then go pick up the rest. If you loot first, he will give you less than six. This way, you can have 7-9 bullets for later waves. I also always restart (have Ellie run straight into an infected, ugh) if getting any damage, in order to enter the bloater battle w/ full health.

- For all fights w/ Ellie alongside David, she has an awesome melee attack she can do when David throws an infected off of him. Keep an eye on what he is doing, and if he pushes back an infected, be in a position to stab them from any angle. This saves quite a bit of ammo and is pretty awesome anyway.

- For the second battle (w/ bloater), I now endure the first part in the large room - you get used to where the enemies go and it gets easier. I've tried the bridge for the first part, and that works for some, but seem to have more success (and fun) in the main area. Use the bow for the runners (one hit kills) and the rifle for the clickers, and always keep a bottle in hand in between for defense. Then, for the second round, take refuge in the bridge area. When the bloater is just about to appear (L3 prompt), run out and drop a nail bomb at the spot he will jump down to for a stress-free and guaranteed attack.

- For the part where Joel is in the snow, everyone probably knows to just stealth through the hotel. I've found if you take out the guy up top (with an arrow of course) first, then make some noise going in, when you swing around to the back, most of the time everyone has moved forward enough to make it easy for you to get through. It is extremely helpful to have a brick for the second part - one good toss makes getting by a (relative) breeze. So try not to use a brick to get through the first part.

- For the fight with David, if you run right (as you face the exit) IMMEDIATELY after starting, you can circle to the right and around and get him. Then, for the second attack, you can also circle the furniture where you now are and get him again. Then, as Pirelli says, the front-right corner is gold. If you happen to lose sight of David, never a good thing, rather than search for him throughout the restaurant, make a noise with some plates and then take the corner again. But be careful - he moves FAST.

- The hospital part is so fun, as you can make it a fireworks show as you burn off your last ammo (unless you want to keep it all for new game plus). Stealth the first floor (right, then straight through rooms to the big intersection where the spotters will be on your left, throw a bottle, then cross the hallway into the offices slightly to your right, then straight ahead to the back areas that will get you to the exit). On the top floor, it is fun to molotov/flamethrower/bomb the crap out of everyone (unless you want to save the flamethrower for the medical staff, haha).

Edited May 13, 2014 by warpsmith

[Pirelli913]

On the top floor, it is fun to molotov/flamethrower/bomb the crap out of everyone (unless you want to save the flamethrower for the medical staff, haha).

I have never used the flamethrower on the medical staff. Now I want to. Lol.

[Potter13579]

A good tip for the final infected encounter in the Bus Depot chapter is that you should stick to the right wall as you navigate through the tunnel and possibly stealth takedown any Runners along the way to prepare yourself with ammo later on just in case, but primarily, you will only need one arrow for your bow and a bottle or brick for a distraction. Stick to the right, and take the open door you find, and choke down the Runners blocking your path, then go back out into the tunnel and cross to the other side of the tunnel to the left and there will be 1 Clicker standing idle along the wall. Distract the 2 Bloaters and anyone else possible with a bottle or brick, and shoot down the Clicker to the head with your bow. Approach the end as fast and quietly as possible to lift Ellie up. As much as the numbers are against you, you will only need to take down 3-4 enemies.

Also, for the part where you assist David in the room with the Bloater, there are 3 waves. Spend the first two waves on the bridge. If you run low on ammo, use a bottle or brick as a weapon to toss it directly at them to stun them to be open for melee. Don't go into the main room until the Bloater spawns.

And definitely take Pirelli's advice on the Dam battle. Run through the first part, and run straight to the door and toss a Molotov at the door.

And seriously, in the Hospital chapter, the real challenge is the first part. The final room can easily be avoidable just by sticking to the side rooms and toss a smoke bomb at the enemies guarding the door and just run.

[DokiKimori]

"Coming up on Ellie and David's bloater battle, NOT looking forward to that. Any tips? Someone advised somewhere holding ground on the bridge, have never done that exclusively before, but then again, that checkpoint is (was) pure gold..."

 

If you don't have a nail bomb at this point you're in a bit of trouble. Make sure you at least craft a molotov for him because it will prevent him from throwing spores at you. I easily took him out with molotov/nail bomb....it's getting far enough for the bloater to spawn is the hard part. 

Edited May 16, 2014 by Goku910

[radiohm3]

Does the mod melee glitch still work? That glitch helped me a lot when playing Survivor the first time. I just got all the infamous multiplayer trophies and I think I'll stay away from this game until Watch Dogs comes out. I want my 100% again but Factions left me a sour taste after playing endless matches to get the trophies.

[ragglock]

Just found an new one for Ellie and David's bloater battle.

I was low ammo before entering that fight so in panic, after 50 tries, looking for alternatives , found one :-)

On the platform in the right corner , where mobs get in an window,there is an box on a table, climp on that at start of fight, get some coffe while david slowly create an pile of bodies.

From time to time, if he get caught, throw a brick , arrow or what ever you have. Just make sure you have an bomb molotow + one bullet when the big guy jumps down.

So bad David can actuly fight...

Edited May 27, 2014 by ragglock

[killerJAZZ420]

 

It took me a while to get past the guys on the top floor in the hospital, but I finally managed to kill all but one. The last guy was a complete moron and ran straight up to where I was crouched behind. I blasted him with a shotgun and blew off his arm. That is part of Grounded Mode in that enemies aren't afraid to run right up to you if spotted.

 

Its actually alot easier to sneak through this spot imo. From the start of the chapter jog to the far right room and crouch from there on through hop the window, turn right again and go forward a few steps go to the right where theres a little corner table and wait until the 2 guys pass you, sneak to the right some more until you hit the very right corner then ride the cover nearest the 2 goons ahead and wait until the 1 would be able to see you looks away walk to the right out the door then take the curved path. get behind the desk as the 3 guys run down the hallway, when in the room with the guy who opens the door. its dealers choice as to how you handle him. i snuck by but you could easily brick him in the face and them some if you wanted. 

this is for the Firefly lab, i assume thats the hospital you meant. if not then nevermind.