[03-03-10] Freezer [Projectile]

Learn how to effectively use the Freezer weapon in Duke Nukem 3D. Discover its damage, ammo, special abilities, and how it compares to the Shrink Ray.

Alright, let's talk about the Freezer. It's this big yellow thing with a black barrel, and its ammo comes in these little blue-glowing yellow boxes. Think of it as Duke's icy blast – it shoots these cold, spiky orbs that eventually freeze enemies solid when they're low on health.

Now, here's the deal: while it *can* freeze enemies, making them totally immobile for a bit, it's kinda like a less useful version of the Shrink Ray. The Shrink Ray just zaps 'em small instantly, right? The Freezer makes you work for it. You gotta blast 'em with cold until they're weak, *then* freeze them. After that, you've gotta either switch weapons to finish them off or get up close and personal for a melee kick. And get this, it can't actually kill anything on its own – you *have* to finish them with something else or a kick.

Here are the stats:

• Damage: 20
• Weapon Pickup: +25 ammo
• Ammo Pickup: +25 ammo
• Max Capacity: 99

Here's something weird: if you hit a wall with the Freezer shot, it'll bounce off. It can even bounce a second time. Sounds cool, maybe? But honestly, it's probably more trouble than it's worth. You can actually hurt yourself with it, taking a solid 20 damage. Plus, if you're already low on health, it can freeze *you*. Yeah, you'll be stuck there, and any enemies around will just wait for you to thaw out before they get their licks in. Using those ricochets effectively would take some serious skill, and frankly, it's usually not worth the risk.

So, in a nutshell, the Freezer is a bit of a niche weapon. It's not the most practical thing in Duke's arsenal. But don't get me wrong, it's still got some power. If you're just looking to stop weaker enemies in their tracks, its high rate of fire can do the job pretty well. Just don't expect any fancy tricks from it.

Here's a hidden bonus, though: it actually *damages* mechanical enemies instead of freezing them. When they get low on health, you can actually kill them with the Freezer, which is pretty neat.

A few other things to keep in mind:

• You can't shrink an enemy that's already frozen; the ice will just shatter.
• If you freeze a Protozoid Slimer egg and let it thaw, a Slimer will pop right out, whether it was hatched or not.
• Just like the Shrink Ray, you can freeze certain objects that don't break in one hit, like those babes or even the Dolphin in the Shop 'n' Go level.
• There's a bug you can mess with involving Pig Cops. If you Freeze and Thaw them, you can get unlimited Body Armor and Shotgun drops. You'll need to check the FAQ section for the full details on that exploit.