Clawed Co-op Builds & Squad Roles

Clawed rewards squads that specialize instead of running four identical loadouts. Prehistoria mixes tight corridor gunfights, open enclosure ambushes, and classic survival-horror puzzles that freeze one player in place while dinosaurs press the team. This page outlines four co-op roles - scout, fighter, puzzle specialist, and support - plus flexible loadout tips for Classic Mode, Survival Mode, and extended demo runs before the August 13, 2026 launch.

Pair this guide with the Co-op Guide for lobby setup and the Demo Checklist for objective routing. When your squad needs zone-specific callouts, cross-reference the Key Locations walkthrough for Main Street, Herbivore Haven, underground tunnels, and aquatic sections.

Squad role overview

Role	Primary job	Best for
Scout	Pathfinding, flanking intel, early loot	Players who know demo layout or read maps fast
Fighter	Front-line damage, boss and raptor control	Steady aim under pressure
Puzzle specialist	Environmental interactions, fuse timing	Calm comms during split-attention puzzles
Support	Healing, ammo handoffs, rear security	Players who track team resources

These roles are soft assignments, not locked classes. Clawed does not force RPG archetypes, but teams that verbally commit to jobs wipe less often during simultaneous puzzle-and-combat set pieces.

Scout loadout and habits

The scout moves one room ahead - not three. Prehistoria punishes lone wolves with Utah Raptor flanks even when the rest of the squad is close. Your scout should:

• Call door states, dino audio cues, and loot crate locations before the fighter stack enters.
• Mark optional paths tied to Key Locations secrets without dragging the full squad off main objectives.
• Carry a mid-range weapon plus a reliable sidearm for retreat moments.
• Skip heavy puzzle items unless no puzzle specialist is available.

Scouts shine in tourism mode and early Classic chapters where exploration pacing sets the tone. In Survival mode, the scout also watches weather and day/night transitions so the team camps before visibility collapses.

Fighter loadout and habits

Fighters anchor damage and space control. Spinosaurus-adjacent threats and raptor packs require someone who can burn ammo efficiently without blocking puzzle sightlines. Recommended fighter practices:

• Hold chokepoints while puzzle specialists interact - never circle behind teammates in narrow maintenance halls.
• Prioritize stagger tools or high-impact weapons when the Tier List confirms them as top PvE picks for your patch.
• Communicate reload windows; support players should cover those two-second gaps.
• Leave precision interactions to puzzle specialists instead of shooting quest-critical panels.

In four-player groups, run two fighters when demo chapters spike encounter density, or one fighter plus a scout who can swap to DPS when puzzles finish.

Puzzle specialist loadout and habits

Clawed’s survival-horror lineage shows up in multi-step environmental puzzles - fuse boxes, timed gates, crank handles, and co-op-only simultaneous switches. The puzzle specialist:

• Reads notes and park signage aloud so fighters know incoming hold durations.
• Carries minimal weight for mobility; let support haul extra med kits.
• Directs positioning: “fighter on left door, scout on rear vent, support on stairs.”
• Links obscure objectives back to the Demo Checklist so squads do not skip demo-exclusive lore or gear.

When two puzzles run parallel in different rooms - common in Herbivore Haven-adjacent demo content - split puzzle specialist duties with support covering comms relay between sub-teams.

Support loadout and habits

Support players are the logistics backbone. Medicine, ammunition, and rear guard duty prevent cascade wipes when one fighter overextends. Support responsibilities include:

• Tracking med kit counts and announcing thresholds (“two kits left”).
• Holding the rear during backtrack segments - raptors love tail-end picks.
• Managing Survival mode needs: water, food, and safe rest timing.
• Escorting downed teammates toward revive points when mechanics allow.

Supports should avoid front-line ego plays unless the squad is down a fighter. Their weapons should handle emergencies, not compete for highest damage stats.

Four-player squad templates

Balanced Classic clear: one scout, one fighter, one puzzle specialist, one support. This is the default recommendation for demo first clears and story chapters with mixed combat-puzzle pacing.

Combat-heavy Survival: one scout, two fighters, one support. Shift puzzle specialist duties to the scout between encounters when puzzles are lighter.

Exploration tourism: two scouts, one fighter, one puzzle specialist. Lower combat stress, higher map completion - ideal for learning Key Locations before hard mode pushes.

Speedrun practice: one scout, one fighter, two puzzle specialists for teams that already know combat patterns and want faster gate throughput.

Loadout principles that survive patches

Flatrock reworks encounters after demo feedback - see Dev News for recent changes. Build habits that patch well:

• Ammo discipline beats spray-and-pray. Fighters call shots; supports resupply instead of everyone looting randomly.
• One voice on puzzles. Multiple callers talking over each other wastes fuse timers.
• Shared objective focus. Optional loot is valuable, but demo timers and dino patrols punish endless detours.
• Post-patch reset. After updates, rerun Co-op Guide version checks before assuming old routes still work.

Scaling down to duo or trio

Not every session fills four slots. Duos should merge scout/support and fighter/puzzle roles, accepting slower puzzle clears. Trios drop the dedicated scout first if someone knows the route, or drop support if all three players self-manage healing. The Players Hub links back here when you add a fourth member mid-campaign.

Before launch day, rehearse your preferred template in the demo, note weapon preferences for the Tier List, and align schedules via the Release Date tracker so your main squad hits Prehistoria together on day one.