Quake Wiki
Register
Advertisement
Quake Wiki

This article appeared in Quake II  

Q2 Weapon BFG
BFG10k
Production information
Technical specifications
Damage Per Hit
  • 200 [direct impact]
  • 200 [splash damage]
  • 0-500 [effect in SP]
  • 0-200 [effect in MP]
  • 10 [ball laser in SP]
  • 5 [ball laser in MP]
Maximum Ammunition

200 rounds

Fire Mode

Pump-action

Ammunition Type

Cells

Rate of Fire

25 shots per minute

Muzzle Velocity

34 mph

Usage
Era(s)

Quake II

[Source]
Big, uh, freakin’ gun. This weapon redefines the word "wallpaper." Simply fire the BFG into a small room of unsuspecting Strogg and observe the new red paint job.

—The Quake II Manual

An even more powerful version of the famous BFG 9000 from the Doom series, the BFG 10k (simply called BFG in the manual) is the most powerful weapon in Quake 2. When fired, it releases a large green sphere of compact energy that travels forward until it hits a wall or other obstacle. As it's traveling, it will exert its excess energy in the form of green beams that lash out at any enemies near it, usually killing them quickly. When it hits something the sphere will explode, taking out any enemy that is within range.

As noted above the BFG is referred to as the "Big, uh, freakin’ gun" in the manual and is also known as the 'Bio Force Gun' in the Doom movie (although The Rock name-drops the expletive nomenclature). In the Doom Bible, design document for the original Doom, it is explicitly referred to as the 'Big Fucking Gun'.

Its only downsides are that it uses 50 Cells per shot and it takes a while for it to fire and reload.

Damaging System[]

The BFG’s damaging system is quite complicated. If the player experienced the BFG9000 from Doom 2, the principle is very similar. The BFG's splash radius on impact with a solid wall or ceiling is enormous but how much damage it deals to surrounding enemy depends on the location of the enemy, point of impact and the player. If there is an unobstructed line of sight between the enemy, the point of impact, and the player, the enemy will receive the full force of the blast and even strong enemies that are hit by the beams beforehand can be killed or even gibbed by the splash damage alone.

Whilst this can be used to deal great amounts of damage to a lot of enemies in a room it does have its disadvantages. Fighting enemies such as the Tanks and Gladiators requires constant moving or popping in and out of cover while taking potshots. But if the player fires the BFG at a Tank Commander and takes cover before the blast hits then the Tank Commander will receive less damage. If the player fires and stays in view until the blast hits then the Tank Commander's devastating attacks could kill the player. The BFG requires skill and practice to be used at its full potential but once comfortable with it the player will find the BFG as the most useful tool in their arsenal. When it is combined with Quad Damage its power is unrivaled by anything else.

BFG Shot

The energy ball travels through the air slowly. Nearby enemies will be blasted by a laser beam.

Strategy[]

Single Player[]

  • In the single player, the BFG is one of the most useful weapons in the game regarding the tougher enemies. It's capable of killing a Gladiator or anything weaker in one direct hit although this isn't always the best use of ammo. A single BFG shot expends 50 cells, whereas the Hyperblaster can kill that same Gladiator using only 20. However, the Hyperblaster only affects the target it hits directly, whereas the BFG can cause damage to any nearby enemies as well.
  • A Tank or Tank Commander can survive a direct BFG10k blast but it's capable of delivering heavy damage to them nonetheless - either be ready to fire again or immediately switch to the Railgun to finish the job. Unit 9 in particular has many Tank Commanders patrolling the palace, so you might consider this tactic against them.
  • Due to its power, the BFG is effective against bosses - but due to its slow rate of fire, you should be mindful of their return fire. You can make use of cover in between shots to avoid the firepower of a Hornet, the Jorg or the Makron in between your BFG shots, but this will reduce the efficacy of your BFG blasts - see the "Damaging System" paragraph to understand why. The Invulnerability power-up is a much better option if you have one available, allowing you to focus on delivering full damage without fear of retaliation. Quad Damage is another option, allowing you to end these boss battles much more quickly.
  • Ground Zero and Call of the Machine include a new enemy, the Medic Commander, who can instantly summon new Strogg into battle making it a potentially very dangerous foe. The BFG10k is arguably the best weapon against it, capable of killing it in one well-placed shot and hopefully ending the fight quickly before it can summon reinforcements.
  • The final boss (Jorg/Makron) has its own BFG10k to use against the player: See their respective pages for strategies.
  • If you find yourself able to line up a BFG10k shot against an enemy that isn't aware of your presence yet, activate a Silencer first if you have one. The Silencer will prevent the enemy becoming alerted by the sound of the shot or the presence of the incoming projectile, therefore not giving them a chance to dodge it or deliver some return fire before it hits.

Multiplayer[]

  • In MP the BFG is still very deadly. Try to use it in rooms that have a lot of people in them. They usually don't notice the ball until it's too late which means that you'll usually clear out the room and get a ton of frags. Because of the amount of ammo it uses and its slow reloading time, the BFG shouldn't be used against one enemy. If they do notice you with it, they'll flee - meaning that the element of surprise is required to use this beast correctly.
  • If you see somebody with it, run away and hide. When he fires it, it will very likely annihilate you if you stay, its energy ball can absorb your health very quickly. So try to be far away from it and hiding when he fires it; or at least avoid being exposed to the energy ball, because it means you are about to take damage from it. Because the BFG user will be vulnerable for a brief period after he fires, when you hear the ball explode, run out and finish him off.
  • When you get a BFG in any map try to estimate where the choke points and shortcuts are by memorizing important item and weapon spawns such as Megahealth, Chain Gun, Railgun and Body Armor. Most of the player crowd will prioritize them and if you position to observe such flow of player directions, it might pay off. If you possess the BFG, without any surprise factor or positioning at chokes, its slow fire rate will become a huge penalty in a hectic environment.
  • In case you need to wade into direct combat or are noticed with the BFG, try to change your position for a better angle or distance. You don't have to show off your new toy just because you have it. Once positioned in an advantageous spot, exploit weak weapons such as Machine Gun and Hand Grenades to lure players on yourself while suppressing their movement so when you align the BFG shot, it will definitely be a lethal hit. Don't use this demolisher in a small space otherwise you'll get the death message "Player should have used a smaller gun".

Gallery[]

Trivia[]

  • The projectile that the BFG10k shoots has the same sprite as the projectile fired from the BFG9000 from Doom - an earlier game developed by id Software.
  • The glowing light on the BFG10k is green in the Nintendo 64 port instead of blue like the Playstation port and the PC version.
  • In Doom Eternal, there is a much larger version of the BFG9000 that is called the BFG10000 in that game in a cut scene. Ironically, it also seems to both contain, as well as be powered by, a BFG9000.
  • The BFG10k emits a constant sound while the player has it equipped, as does the Railgun. It's not loud enough to alert nearby Strogg to your presence in single-player, thankfully.
Advertisement