How to Take Down Big Daddies in Bioshock

• Use electric buck shotgun shells to temporarily stun a Big Daddy, then hit it with armor-piercing rounds for a reliable way to take down these enemies.
• Use your environment to your advantage. Shock puddles with electric weapons to stun Big Daddies, or set up traps with trap crossbow bolts or proximity mines.
• Use your telekinesis plasmid to catch explosives thrown by Big Daddies and hurl them right back. Or load up a gas tank with proximity mines, then throw it.

Before the Fight

Fill up on first-aid kits and ammo before the battle. Fighting a Big Daddy is as much about preparation as it is combat. They’re tough enemies, and you’re at a natural disadvantage, so load up on supplies to give yourself the best odds. Before you go in guns blazing, make sure you: Have at least 1 first-aid kit, or another consumable item that restores your health. Have at least 1 EVE Hypo, or another consumable to refill your blue bar after using plasmids. Are holding plenty of ammo for your weapon of choice (more on that below), and that it’s reloaded. Activate the nearest Vita-Chamber so you respawn nearby if you die.

Survey and take advantage of your environment. In Bioshock, your surroundings are as much a weapon as your actual firearms. If you know a fight is coming, take a look around and ask yourself: Have you hacked any turrets that you can use? Have you disabled all those annoying security cameras? Have you gotten rid of nearby splicers, which can distract you in a fight? Did you notice any puddles that you might electrocute to gain an advantage? Do you have an escape route if the fight goes bad?

Weapons and Strategies

Use electric buck shotgun shells to paralyze Big Daddies. Electric buck shells are your bread and butter. They temporarily shock Big Daddies, making it so you can unload on them, without them unloading on you. For optimal damage, switch to a different weapon or ammo type after stunning the Big Daddy with an electric buck (armor-piercing rounds work best). Also, shoot the Big Daddy while it’s standing in a puddle to enhance the shock effect.

Save explosive bucks and RPGs for Big Daddy encounters. Explosive bucks are exploding shotgun shells that do tons of damage, and also set Big Daddies on fire. They’re usually overkill for lesser enemy types, so hoard them for when you find a Big Daddy. Then, let ‘em rip! RPGs are also best saved for Big Daddies, and are best used from a high vantage point, where you have a clear line of sight and plenty of time to reload. That said, make sure you have a vantage point or some cover after you shoot your first shell, because explosions don't slow down these monsters.

Use the telekinesis plasmid to hurl explosives back at Big Daddies. When you’re farther away, the big guys love hurling grenades and proximity mines to get you from a distance. Luckily, one of the first abilities you acquire is telekinesis. Use this plasmid to catch those explosives in mid-air, then send them flying back at the Big Daddy to wrack up huge amounts of damage. Also, place a bunch of proximity mines on an object that can be used telekinetically, like an oxygen tank. Then use the plasmid to pick it up and hurl it, which could kill the Big Daddy in 1 shot. Distracting Big Daddies with the “Security Bullseye” or “Insect Swarm” plasmids can save precious seconds in a hostile situation. This does, however, mean you spend extra EVE.

Set up traps with proximity mines, gas tanks, and turrets. Lay proximity mines, hack turrets, and take note of any nearby gas tanks. Then, run and lure the Big Daddy toward these. With some luck, shooting at nearby gas tanks can deal enough damage to eliminate a Big Daddy, though you may have to do it multiple times. Also, use trap bolts for the crossbow to set up a hallway of deadly electricity. Just be sure to crouch as you walk through them so as not to set them off yourself. Traps are great for Bouncers, or drill-type Big Daddies, since these like to get up in your face and close combat isn’t ideal.

Use a chemical thrower with electric gel on the hardest Big Daddies. The chemical thrower is found in Langford Research Labs in Arcadia, and is one of the surest ways to take down Big Daddies, especially when using the electric gel ammo. That ammo is pretty hard to get your hands on, though, so save this method for harder fights, or for Rosies—the bigger, badder Big Daddies.

Use the Hypnotize Big Daddy plasmid to make them work for you. Get this plasmid by choosing to rescue 3 Little Sisters, then use it on a Big Daddy to make it protect you as if you were a Little Sister, yourself. Be warned, though: it uses a full bar of EVE and only works for 90 seconds, so be prepared to either run or fight when it wears off.