Shambler

Shambler
Behind the scenes
Appears in	The Last of Us Part II
Voiced by	Reuben Langdon Robin Atkin Downes

Shamblers are an alternate fourth stage of the infected that are introduced in The Last of Us Part II, encountered in Seattle and Santa Barbara. They are believed to have developed from exposure to high amounts of water, compared to the typical dry environments bloaters develop in after infection from the Cordyceps brain infection.

Quick Answers

What is the difference between Shamblers and Bloaters in The Last of Us?

Shamblers in The Last of Us are vulnerable to precision damage due to the absence of fungal plates, unlike Bloaters. They are less powerful but more numerous, often appearing in packs. Rumored to have mutated from Bloaters due to Seattle's humid conditions, Shamblers are slower and lack the echolocation abilities of Bloaters, whose aggressive behavior, slow movement, and uncoordinated attacks are marked by their less refined echolocation skills caused by facial deformation and blindness from the fungus.

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How did the Shamblers in The Last of Us Part II develop?

Introduced in The Last of Us Part II, Shamblers represent a fourth stage of the infected. Their development is attributed to high water exposure, contrasting with bloaters that evolve in drier conditions post Cordyceps brain infection. The Washington Liberation Front initially spread rumors about this bloater variant, which later proved true, as they had mutated due to Seattle's heavy rainfall and humidity.

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What is the best strategy to kill Shamblers in The Last of Us Part II?

To defeat Shamblers in The Last of Us Part II, use flamethrower bursts and Molotov cocktails for high fire damage. Utilize trap mines and pipe bombs as additional weapons. Lure Shamblers into a group with a brick for maximum damage without detection. Their lack of fungal plates, unlike Bloaters and Clickers, makes them susceptible to precision damage.

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Where are Shamblers encountered in The Last of Us Part II?

In The Last of Us Part II, Shamblers, a variant of the infected, are encountered in Seattle and Santa Barbara. Their development is attributed to exposure to high levels of water, contrasting with the dry environments where bloaters, another infected type, typically evolve following a Cordyceps brain infection.

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History

Events of The Last of Us Part II

The existence of shamblers was first hinted at by rumors spread among members of the Washington Liberation Front about a variant of bloater that had mutated due to the heavy rainfall and humidity in Seattle. These rumors turned out to be true, as a WLF soldier discovered while on patrol in Seattle. The soldier was ambushed by a shambler which they killed but its acid pustules exploded and burned them.

During Ellie and Dina's journey throughout Seattle, the two retreated into an abandoned subway where they encountered a group of infected, including several clickers and shamblers. The WLF followed, resulting in a three-way battle between Ellie and Dina, the WLF and the infected, in which Ellie and Dina fled and the WLF were left to fight the infected. During the battle, two members of the WLF were chased off by a shambler, one was wounded by the shamblers' acid. Another WLF soldier tried to defend him from a shambler using his handgun, but it was able to get close and kill them.

By unknown means, possibly due to coastal flooding, shamblers also inhabited Santa Barbara, a hot climate rather than wet one. Ellie encounters them while searching for Abby Anderson in the summer of 2039. They live in abandoned houses along with stalkers that the Rattlers do not control.

Characteristics

Shamblers are horrifying, walking pustule-clusters that spray gaseous acid when they get near the player and take massive damage before dying. They move slowly, but are capable of shifting into a sprint if noise alerts them. When feeling threatened, they instinctively fire bursts of their acidic spores from their body. The fungal growth is so immense that spores cover their entire body, leading to oversized heads and torsos with dozens of pus spores around them. In addition to this, their mouths have been stuck gaping wide by the fungus, preventing them from being able to bite. However, the growth has not consumed their arms and their eyes are still partially visible while clickers and bloaters are completely blind . Once defeated, these festering threats explode with violent force, emitting a cloud of spores that deal heavy damage to the player.

It is suggested that shamblers were in the process of mutating into bloaters, but heavy exposure to water from the constant rain in Seattle caused them to change into shamblers instead. However, they are encountered in areas away from water such as in the suburbs of the city and the forest areas. Indeed, there are also several shamblers that Ellie encounters in Santa Barbara.

Combat

Ellie wrestles with a shambler.

Like all infected, shamblers suffer high damage from fire attacks and explosive weapons. While resembling bloaters in size and appearance, they appear to lack their immense strength, as Ellie and Abby are able to wrestle them off of themselves if grabbed. However, their movement is just as sluggish if not more so, with most survivors able to outrun them if attacked, though they can climb up and over obstacles. They are also shown to be far more numerous than bloaters, occasionally appearing in packs.

The ideal way to take down shamblers is by using flamethrower bursts and throwing Molotov cocktails to deal intense fire damage. Players can also use trap mines (as Ellie) and pipe bombs (as Abby) to defeat them. Further, like most infected, the shambler groups can be drawn together by throwing a brick into an open area to lure them together for maximum damage without alerting them to one's position. Shamblers lack the fungal plates found on other infected such as bloaters and clickers, which makes them vulnerable to precision damage.