Spitter Left 4 Dead Guide

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Arthur Monteclar

Arthur is a writer for Ready Game Survive and is a huge fan of survival titles like Don't Starve and Subnautica. Arthur has been in the writing business for years now, he is also a software programmer, so he understands the craft and effort invested in the gaming medium, and He is also fond of manga and anime.

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You wander around nervously, finding your way out of the narrow sewers. Darkness starts to embrace you as your flashlight is your only light source. Your teammates are checking out other routes to go up, but as you hear a distant growling, you realize that splitting apart was a wrong choice. Suddenly, a hooded figure leaps toward you and pins you down.

It’s a Hunter! You scream for help, and one of your teammates hears you. He is coming to save you, and thankfully, he is nearby. From the looks of things, you can survive the attack when your teammate arrives. However, luck is not on your side as you make out a familiar shadow of a woman with a gaping mouth. It vomits out a green substance from her stomach.

Her vomit lands where you lay, and your health drops quickly from the acidity. You cannot escape the green bile. Your teammate kills the Hunter pinning you down, but it is too late as the colors of your vision start to fade. The shadow becomes much clearer now to your teammate; it’s the Spitter, a weak yet dangerous Special Infected. Read this Spitter Left 4 Dead guide to understand more about this unique enemy.

Bottom Line Up Front

The Spitter is a Special Infected introduced in Left 4 Dead 2. It is a tall female zombie with a long neck and thin limbs but a slightly chubby torso. Its mouth is torn open, likely due to the Infection with its upper jaw being heavily damaged. It spits green stomach acid that splashes into a pool on the ground. Standing or laying on the acidic pool will harm you, so avoid it.

What is the Spitter?

The Spitter is part of the eight Special Infected available in Left 4 Dead 2. Its primary method of damaging the survivors is by spitting out a green acidic projectile from its mouth and unto a surface. During impact, the ball of acid splashes, leaving behind a puddle of green, toxic stomach acid. Anyone who stands or lays on the pool will suffer from the toxicity and have their health drained.

It acts like the Boomer who pukes out its bile on unsuspecting Survivors. However, they are vastly different in how they deal damage. For the Spitter, it directly damages Survivors through their pool of acid. For the Boomer, it indirectly harms Survivors by drenching them in their bile and attracting the Common Infected towards the drenched Survivors.

Furthermore, the Spitter has twice the Boomer’s health, having 100 Health Points compared to the Boomer’s 50 Health Points. The Boomer is also significantly more prominent, making them easier to hit. Otherwise, they both use their claws as their secondary attacks.

Here’s our complete guide on how to deal with Boomers in Left 4 Dead.

Players can play as the Spitter in Versus and Realism Versus game modes. Other names for the Spitter are as follows: Neck, Crazy Neck, Long-Necked B*tch, Crazy Lady, Crazy Woman, Female Zombie, Fat Spittin’ B*tch, Spitting Crazy Thing, Spitting Nasty Thing, Spittin’ Thing, Green Thing, Green Guy, Goo Guy, Spitter Dude, Loogie Dude, Nick’s Mom, and Nick’s Ex-Girlfriend.

What does the Spitter look like in Left 4 Dead 2?

The Spitter made its debut in the franchise’s second installment, so its only appearance is in Left 4 Dead 2. It is a female zombie with a significantly long neck and lean limbs. However, it sports a slightly large belly. Unlike the Boomer, there are no male variations of the Spitter. It has dark brown hair styled through low pigtails and pale white skin, albeit with red rashes and bruises all over.

The most iconic trait of the Spitter’s appearance is its gaping mouth. Its lower jaw is largely apart from its upper jaw to the point where it connects to the Spitter’s neck. Due to its mouth’s configuration, it has no visible chin. You can see the red flesh and blood in its gaping mouth with a hole connecting the throat to the stomach.

It wears torn and damaged dark indigo capri pants and, weirdly, a pink thong underneath. The Spitter wears a golden bra made from fabric woven with ribbons of metallic fiber for its torso. Green glowing acid leaks out from its mouth as it walks, and while it is alive, its skin glows a luminous green. It wears several rings on its fingers, such as a wedding ring, inferring that it was married before being Infected.

What are the Spitter’s abilities?

The Spitter’s special attack: Spit

Its primary method of attacking is its acidic spit. It can spit out balls of green, toxic acid like a projectile from its wide, gaping mouth by leaning forward and shooting it straight out. This goo splashes upon impact on a surface and leaves a puddle of acid that can harm players who stand on it. The acidic pool eventually disappears after a short period.

Although the toxic puddle does not incapacitate the players, it deals a lot of damage. If a player were to stand on it for its entire duration, it could take 70 to 80 Health Points. According to some of the game’s testers, the acid pool’s damage goes higher the longer it gets. It damages the player every 0.2 to 0.4 seconds, lasting for 5 seconds. Thus, it hits the player 12.5 to 25 times approximately.

During the acid pool’s first second, it deals nine damage per hit, and on the second, its damage escalates to 16 damage per hit. On the third second, it deals 23 damage per hit. On the fourth, it increases to 20 damage per hit, and during the last second, it deals 14 damage per hit. The green acid pool will glow brightly in the dark when it is active and disappears after its duration.

The Spitter’s melee attack: Claw

Aside from its toxic spit, the Spitter can use its claws to attack a player every second, and it deals four damage per hit. Like the Boomer’s claws, this attack stops Survivors from performing certain activities like pulling up an incapacitated Survivor or carrying propane tanks and gas cans. It is a weak attack, but it can be helpful in some scenarios.

The Spitter’s special ability: Acid Pool

The Spitter leaves behind an acid pool on the spot where it dies—unlike the Boomer, killing the Spitter while near it does not send you staggering back. Instead, it might damage you through the acid pool on the ground from where it died. This toxic puddle functions the same as its regular special attack, and it disappears after five seconds.

What are the Spitter’s abilities in Versus mode?

The Spitter’s abilities in Versus mode is the same in Campaigns: Spit, Claw, and Acid Pool. Refer to the section above if you are playing as the Spitter in a round of Versus mode. It details the vital information about each attack and its ability, like its damage and cooldown. If you are looking for a guide on utilizing these attacks and skills, there is a section below about the strategies to deploy, so continue reading.

The Spitter’s mutation explained

This section tries to explain the Spitter’s mutation in the context of its lore regarding the Green Flu, also known as the Infection.

What are the Spitter’s physical mutations?

The Spitter has a deformed face, specifically its mouth. Its lower jaw, cheeks, lips, and nose have eroded to the point where its mouth is perpetually open. Some players theorized that this erosion of body parts happens because of the Spitter’s acid. According to the theory, the Spitter is not entirely immune to its own acid, and it melts away the body parts near the mouth, leaving only behind the throat.

Two red sores above her breasts further support this theory as the acid drips down from its mouth and into the mentioned area. The alterations to her body, such as her long neck, saggy breasts, and bloated belly, are strongly thought to be caused by the mutation of the Infection. These alterations may help accommodate the Spitter’s acid inside their bodies without self-destructing.

Its long neck may make the Spitter’s attack possible; thanks to the mutation, it can spit out its stomach acid at high velocities, reaching impressively long distances. However, these alterations may not fully protect the body as its baggy skin, awkward manner of walking, and deformed foot might be because of the acid.

Why is the Spitter’s spit toxic?

Like the Boomer, the Spitter can store large amounts of stomach acid inside its body. However, unlike the Boomer’s bile, its stomach acid does not produce pheromones that attract zombies. Instead, the Infection mutates it to become highly toxic, and it can melt and damage a person.

The Spitter can spit out their stomach acid like a gun in a collective manner. One theory suggests that something envelops its ball of green goo to keep it together, making it possible to reach far distances by projecting the goo from its mouth without instantly splashing. It can be a thin membrane that immediately disintegrates upon impact on a hard surface.

It is possible that the Spitter does not make the green, glowing acid willingly. The acid leaks from the orifice of what remains of its mouth when it is not hurling out its toxic spit. Furthermore, the Spitter makes audible gurgling and coughing noises, indicating that the acid is so toxic that it has severed the organs in its body, particularly its lungs.

How to fight the Spitter

The Spitter has twice the Boomer’s health, but it is still fragile to weapons. It does not immediately die after one gunshot like the Boomer, but a couple or so will do the trick. They are annoying to deal with, and it is understandable if you have a hard time dealing with their toxic surprise. Below are some tips that might help you avoid the Spitter’s projectile.

What to do against the Spitter

• Listen and be attentive to the Spitter’s noises. The Spitter makes a shrieking and hacking sound when it spits its deadly poison. Listen for its shriek and cough if you suspect one is near your vicinity. If you are attentive enough, you can have ample time to study where the acid is heading and evade it before it lands.
• Look out for the Spitter in high places. The Spitter has an impressive range and control of its spit. It can stay up on more elevated platforms like balconies and rooftops and then accurately shoot its projectile. Be on the lookout for such instances, as some Campaign maps such as The Riverbank in The Passing and the Atrium Finale in Dead Center have high platforms.
• Kill the Spitter before it can shoot. Sometimes, you can spot the Spitter before it spots you. When that happens, kill it so that it does not have time to spit.
• Kill the Spitter immediately after it shoots. If the Spitter spat its acid on the players, it tends to hide because its ability has a long cooldown time. Kill it to prevent the Spitter from having a second chance of building up another toxic puddle. Killing it after it shoots is easy, though, as the Spitter moves slower during this period.
• Dodge the Spitter’s acid pool during its death. When you kill it, the Spitter leaves behind a toxic puddle, so if you killed it using a melee weapon, be quick to leave the area. Another idea to dodge would be to push the Spitter first before killing it to create a distance between both of you. This method also gives you ample time to kill it while you stun it.
• Stay in open spaces. If the Spitter is around, it would be best to stay in open spaces instead of narrow spots so that you can easily dodge the acidic ball of goo.
• Wait for the Spitter’s acid pool to disappear. Sometimes, the Spitter miscalculates its shot and spits at the wrong spot. If the acid pool blocks your path to move forward, wait for five seconds before proceeding. Most of the time, staying and avoiding the damage is worth more than proceeding to the next area while taking a lot of damage.
• Prioritize the Spitter when camping. Sometimes, the best strategy is to camp and wait for the zombies to come to you. This strategy is especially true during the final stages of Campaigns like the Farmhouse Finale in Blood Harvest. Prioritize the Spitter if you are camping because its spit can separate your team, mess up your placements, and force you to move.
• Hide behind large objects. The Spitter’s spit will splash upon impact on a hard surface, so hiding behind a large object like a cargo box will hinder its operation. This object can serve as your shield, and if you are lucky, an AI-controlled Spitter may even spit on the object itself accidentally.
• Find a platform above the ground. When the Spitter’s spit splashes on the floor, and you do not have ample time to move out its radius, you can find a nearby platform like a table to stand on. If you are not standing on the ground but on the table instead, you will not take damage.

What to avoid doing against the Spitter

• Do not get pinned by the Special Infected when the Spitter is present. The Spitter is not an extremely dangerous foe to face off when it is alone, but it is highly effective in killing you if it has friends that can pin you down and immobilize you. If you can see the Spitter with the Hunter, Smoker, Charger, or Jockey, do not ignore them, as they can create a deadly combo.
• Avoid standing for a long time on an acid pool. If your teammate is incapacitated on an acid pool, it is best to wait for the puddle to disappear before saving them. Acid pools deal less damage to incapacitated Survivors, so saving one will deal more damage to you than to them. Furthermore, you might also become incapacitated if you are low on health.
• Avoid narrow or tight spaces. The Spitter can heavily damage you if you are in a limited space, as it can place its spit around the closed area.
• Avoid being near gas cans. The Spitter’s projectile can destroy gas cans if it touches them, causing even more damage to the Survivors.
• Do not jump over an acid pool. Jumping over an acid pool will still damage you even if you are not technically standing on it. It is unknown whether this feature is a bug or not. Some players think that it is intended as the acid pool gives off toxic gas above it.
• Do not wait for the acid pool to disappear during dire moments. It is vital to assess the situation, and if you think it is more dangerous to wait out an acid pool, then don’t. For example, if you are being chased by the Tank and there is an acid pool on the doorway out, go through it instead of getting hit by the Tank’s massive fists.

How to play as the Spitter

In Versus mode, you can play as the Spitter. The Spitter’s spit has many functions; it can separate the Survivors, hinder them from progressing to the next path, or deal a lot of damage while they are immobile. Strategy and teamwork are essential when playing as the Spitter because it is a helpful supporting role among the Special Infected. Here are some tips to improve your Spitter gameplay.

What to do when playing as the Spitter

• Aim straight. Unlike the Boomer, the Spitter’s projectile does not arc because of gravity. Instead, it shoots straight to where you aim. So, aim to where you want to put your acid pool and deploy your spit without making any adjustments.
• Coordinate with your teammates. The best way for the Spitter to deal a lot of damage would be to team up with other Special Infected, especially those who can immobilize the Survivors such as the Hunter, Smoker, Charger, and Jockey.
• Spit on immobilized Survivors. Once your teammate immobilizes a Survivor, spit on where they are. They will take additional damage alongside the damage they get from your teammate. Spitting on a Survivor trapped by the Common Infected thanks to the Boomer works, too, as they will have a hard time escaping your pool.
• Plan where you spit. Each Campaign map has different strategies for the Spitter’s spit to work. For example, some maps have areas where the Survivors cannot avoid, and so the Spitter is encouraged to place their goo on that area. In other instances, a great place to put the spit would be on generators where the Survivor needs to be to refill it. Another great example would be to put it in places that would give the Survivors an advantage, like the minigun.
• Spit in enclosed areas. The best place to put the Spitter’s spit would be in enclosed areas where the Survivors cannot move freely.
• Position yourself properly. It is best to hide in hard-to-see areas such as dark places or on higher platforms like balconies or roofs. That way, you have time to escape and hide after you place your spit since they might have difficulties in finding you immediately.
• Place your spit on doorways and narrow paths. The Spitter’s spit can be used to block the Survivors from advancing to the next areas, as they would have to wait for your acid to disappear. This strategy would give your team more time to respawn as well.
• Maintain a feasible distance from the Survivors. If you are far from them as you spit on them, they might have a hard time killing you due to the distance.
• Use your environment. Sometimes, you can use your spit to utilize the environment. For example, you can strategically place your spit wherein the Survivors would be forced to get near the Bridal Witch in The Riverbank of The Passing.
• Die near Survivors when cornered. If the Survivors cornered you and you had no chance of escaping, you can utilize your death by dying near them. You will drop an acid pool when you die, so you might damage the Survivors as they kill you if you are near them.

What to avoid doing when playing as the Spitter

• Do not fight alone. The Spitter is incredibly weak when it is alone. Avoid heading for the Survivors directly since you do best when you support your team instead.
• Do not fight Survivors using your claws. In most instances, using your claws to commit a full-frontal attack against a Survivor is not recommended. The Spitter’s claws deal so little damage; it can only damage 20 Health Points in five seconds. Five seconds may seem little, but it is a lot of time for you to get shot. Only use your claws if you are cornered.
• Avoid spitting on open fields. Survivors can have plenty of room to move around and escape your goo if they spit on open plots like the parking space. Similarly, the Survivors have a better chance of killing you in an open field.
• Do not instantly spit on an incapacitated Survivor. Instead, wait for another Survivor to rescue them. Then, you can spit on both of them, dealing damage to the saviour and the fallen.

Spitter Achievements in Left 4 Dead 2

The Spitter’s achievements as the Survivor

• Acid Reflex: “Kill a Spitter before she is able to spit.”
• Great Expectorations: “As the Spitter, hit every Survivor with a single acid patch.”
• A Spittle Help From My Friends: “As the Spitter, spit on a Survivor being choked by a Smoker.”

Note that the pop-up box of Great Expectorations when you get this achievement has the title “Spit Happens” instead.

The Spitter’s achievements as the Infected

• Acid Bath: “As the Spitter, spit on a Survivor who is pinned by a Hunter.”
• I Spit on Your Grave: “As the Spitter, spit on a Survivor who is pinned by a Charger.”
• Spitfire: “Destroy 20 gas cans as the Spitter.”

Fun facts about the Spitter in Left 4 Dead 2

Below is a list of facts and trivia about the Spitter in left 4 Dead 2.

• Among the eight Special Infected, the Spitter is the only one whose special attack can destroy items.
• Among the eight Special Infected, the Spitter is the only one who can use their special attack while jumping or on a ladder.
• The developers originally designed the Spitter’s pigtails to stand up like antennas.
• The Spitter used to have a large and round stomach to explain where her stomach acid comes from. However, the game’s testers thought it was a pregnant woman, so they changed it to its current design to avoid controversy.
• The developers changed Spitter’s walking animation because its original one looked silly.
• The Spitter’s goo used to change colour depending on its duration. It would first be green, then it would gradually change to yellow, and finally to red.
• The Survivors never mention the Spitter’s projectile as acid. Instead, they use alternative names like “goo” or “fire spit.”
• Among the eight Special Infected, the Spitter is the only one whose health equals the Survivors’, which is 100 Health Points.
• The Spitters’ early concept arts include a thin woman with grey skin wearing a pale sundress and a fat woman wearing only a bra and boxer shorts whose hair is tied to a bun. The latter design largely resembles that of the Boomer.
• The Spitter’s acid originally stuck on Survivors like how the Boomer’s bile works. However, this idea proved hard for the Survivors as it became easier for them to be incapacitated.
• The Spitter leaves behind a trail of green glowing acid on the ground as it walks around.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion: Is the Spitter good?

Yes, the Spitter is a good zombie to play as. It is not hard to deal with as it only has 100 Health Points, which is not a lot for the Survivor’s guns and weapons. However, its true strength lies in its acidic projectile. It can deal a lot of damage in a short amount of time. It can also split the Survivors apart, hinder them from their progress in the game, or force them to reposition themselves when camping.

It can only thrive when it cooperates with other Special Infected since the Spitter supports others best. If you are playing as a survivor, do not underestimate the Spitter as it can heavily damage the team. Avoid becoming immobilized by the Smoker, Hunter, Charger, or Jockey because the Spitter can spit on you as they pin you down, dealing additional damage.

If you are playing as the Spitter via Versus mode, finding the perfect opportunity to spit is crucial in your gameplay since the spit has a long cooldown before you can do it again. Hide in hard-to-see places such as in the darkness or among tall grass so that you can run after your spit. Be careful after you spit because the Spitter moves slower during that period.