The Outlast Trials Pusher: Enemy Guide & Escape Tactics

Quick Guide

The Outlast Trials Pusher is a Special Ex-Pop that attacks with a gas cloud which can impair a player's vision and control.
Core counter: never stay inside the gas; move away immediately and preserve stamina for the follow-up chase.
Best tools: Antidote for gas effects, Stun Rig to interrupt its setup, and throwable distractions to redirect it.
Common danger zone: objective rooms and hiding spots near active tasks, where the Pusher flushes players out.
Key habit: always keep one planned escape path with open space before starting loud objectives.

Pusher Overview: Behavior and Threat Profile

The Pusher is one of the most disruptive Special Ex-Pop units you will encounter in The Outlast Trials. Unlike heavy bruisers that rely on raw melee pressure, the Pusher specializes in area denial: it releases a gas attack that impairs players caught inside the cloud, creating an opening for other enemies such as Prime Assets or Berserkers to close in.

Understanding the Pusher's role in Murkoff's ecosystem of enemies is essential. It rarely finishes you on its own. Instead, it punishes players who hide too long, camp objective rooms, or fail to keep an escape route open. If you treat every hiding spot as temporary and keep the gas in mind, the Pusher becomes far less threatening.

Attribute	Details
Enemy Type	Special Ex-Pop
Primary Attack	Gas attack that impairs players and creates openings for other enemies
Patrol Pattern	Frequently appears around objective zones and hiding spots
Main Threat	Forces players out of cover and away from safe routes
Key Weakness	Recognizable attack setup; less dangerous in open space with a planned escape path
Best Counter	Immediately exit the gas, manage stamina, use Antidote if impaired

Watch for the Setup

The Pusher has a recognizable wind-up before releasing gas. If you spot it raising its projector-like device while approaching, break away immediately instead of waiting to confirm the attack. Reacting during the wind-up is far safer than reacting inside the cloud.

How the Pusher's Gas Attack Works

The Pusher's gas is the defining feature of the encounter. It does not simply deal damage; it degrades your ability to react, which is what makes it so dangerous in combination with other Ex-Pops and Prime Assets like Mother Gooseberry or Leland Coyle.

When the gas lands on you, several things happen in sequence:

Your vision becomes distorted, making navigation and route planning unreliable.
Your movement can become impaired, turning a simple escape into a stumbling crawl.
Nearby enemies gain an effective opening, because you can no longer dodge or hide cleanly.
Teammates must decide between rescuing you and preserving their own position.

Inside the Cloud

Vision impaired
Movement degraded
Cannot hide effectively
Prime target for other enemies

Edge of the Cloud

Partial vision loss
Escape still possible
Sprint out immediately
Do not double back

Outside the Cloud

Full control retained
Plan a wide loop around the gas
Watch for follow-up enemies
Use distractions if chased

Movement Rule

Never try to finish an objective interaction while gas is spreading toward you. Cancel the interaction and move. Re-approach only after the cloud disperses and the Pusher has repositioned.

Step-by-Step: Surviving a Pusher Encounter

Follow this sequence whenever a Pusher appears during a Trial. These steps assume you are either solo or coordinating with a small team, and they apply across all difficulty levels up to Program X and Ultra.

Spot the Pusher Early

Listen for its distinct audio cues and scan objective rooms before entering. The Pusher often patrols near active task zones, so identify it before it identifies you.

Keep Open Space Behind You

Before starting any objective interaction, confirm at least one wide escape route. The Pusher is far less dangerous when approached with open space and a planned path away from the gas.

React to the Wind-Up

When the attack animation begins, sprint perpendicular or away from the projected cloud. Do not hesitate or try to tank the effect.

Exit the Gas Immediately

If you are caught, keep moving in one direction until you exit the cloud. Preserve stamina for the follow-up chase, because the gas itself is rarely the only threat.

Recover and Re-Engage

Use an Antidote if the lingering effect prevents safe movement, regroup with teammates, and return to the objective only after the area is clear.

Team Coordination

In co-op, assign one player to watch for the Pusher while others complete objectives. A Stun Rig charge can interrupt its setup and buy the team a safe interaction window.

Best Rigs and Loadouts Against the Pusher

No single Rig hard-counters the Pusher, but some choices significantly reduce the danger. Your goal is to either interrupt the gas setup, escape the cloud faster, or recover from the impairment without losing the run.

Rig	Effectiveness vs. Pusher	Why It Helps
Stun Rig	Excellent	Interrupts the attack setup and creates space for revives and objective interactions
Heal Rig	Good	Restores health after the follow-up chase; supports repeated mistakes in co-op
X-Ray Rig	Good	Tracks the Pusher's patrol through walls, letting you time objective windows safely
Barricade Rig	Situational	Delays the Pusher's approach through doorways during defensive objectives

Recommended project items and Amps for Pusher-heavy areas:

Antidote: the single most valuable item; carry it whenever gas effects block safe movement.
Bottles and bricks: redirect the Pusher or other pursuers during the post-gas chase.
Noise Reduction Amp: reduces the chance the Pusher investigates your position in the first place.
Strong Arm / Last Chance Amps: improve your odds during failed rescues and follow-up chases.

Loadout Priority

For solo players, prioritize the Stun Rig plus Antidote. For three or four player teams, combine a Stun Rig carrier with a Heal Rig user so the group can handle both the gas and the enemies it enables.

Pusher Encounters by Trial Environment

The Pusher appears across multiple Trial maps, and the environment shapes how dangerous its gas becomes. Tight hallways turn a mild encounter into a disaster, while open layouts let you disengage freely.

Map	Encounter Risk	Key Consideration
Orphanage	High	Tight dormitory hallways and multi-entrance rooms limit escape options from gas
Police Station	High	Long corridors expose impaired players to Coyle and patrol units
Fun Park	Medium	Large open sections allow disengagement, but noise from objectives attracts attention
Courthouse	Medium	Objective rooms force exposure; track which gates are open before the gas lands
Toy Factory	Medium	Machinery obstructs sightlines but also blocks the Pusher's approach

Before Entering a Pusher-Patrolled Trial:

Carry at least one Antidote
Identify two exits from each objective room
Confirm your Rig choice matches your team role
Agree on a regroup point if the team splits
Save throwable distractions for the post-gas chase

Late-Trial Warning

Enemy pressure often increases near extraction. Save Rig charges and healing items for the final route, because a Pusher encounter during the escape phase is one of the most common ways runs end.

Pusher FAQ

Q: Can you kill the Pusher in The Outlast Trials?

No. The Pusher is an enemy to be avoided and managed, not defeated. Reagents have no lethal weapons; the correct response is to break away from the gas, manage stamina, and re-engage objectives only when the area is safe.

Q: Does the Antidote remove the Pusher's gas effect?

The Antidote is the recommended item when the gas effect prevents safe movement or navigation. Use it after exiting the cloud rather than inside it, so the effect is not wasted while you are still impaired.

Q: Which Rig is best against the Pusher?

The Stun Rig is generally the strongest choice because it can interrupt the Pusher's attack setup and create safe windows for objective interactions or revives. Solo players should pair it with an Antidote for self-recovery.

Q: Where does the Pusher usually appear?

The Pusher often appears around objective zones and hiding spots, where it can force players out of cover or away from a safe route. Expect heavier presence during loud interactions and late-stage trial progression.