Overview
Burning Runners are a fire-mutated variant of the Runner found throughout Los Angeles. The Autophage within them has rewired their metabolism to sustain a permanent state of combustion, their bodies burn indefinitely without consuming themselves, and they are fully immune to fire damage. What makes them especially dangerous is their speed: unlike their slower Burning Walker counterparts, they charge at the player with the full aggression of a Runner, dodge heavy attacks, and can push the Slayer back to interrupt combos.
Any strike from a Burning Runner inflicts fire damage, and prolonged contact will ignite the player entirely. They will also set ablaze any flammable surfaces or objects they move through. Their legs are weak to damage and can be maimed, reducing them to Crawlers. Water from Jerrycans, Hydration Walkers, and Chem Bombs can extinguish their flames, stripping away their fire damage and making them significantly easier to handle. Sharp and bleed damage are their key weaknesses.
Where to Find Them
The first Burning Runner is encountered in the Halperin Hotel, shortly after picking up the Chem Bomb. For farming purposes, a reliable spawn point is Venice Beach, on the beach in the west behind the military base, near the water in the south-west corner. Also, they can be found in Metro near trainwreck area.
Notable Burning Runners
Javier – spawns at the end of the Art of War quest in the Metro along with all his friends. Check your score often during this fight to make sure its going up properly
Zompedia
| Name | Criteria | Description |
|---|---|---|
| First Blood | Kill 1 Burning Runner | Burning Runners are alight with boundless energy. While burning they will IGNITE anything FLAMMABLE they come into contact with. |
| Under The Skin | Kill 10 Burning Runners | Burning Runners are IMMUNE to FIRE damage, but WEAK to SHARP and BLEED damage. |
| Sliced To The Bone | Kill 25 Burning Runners | WATER and CHEM BOMBS will extinguish its raging flames, preventing it from IGNITING you! |
| Deep In The Guts | Like all Runners, its legs are WEAK to all damage and easy to MAIM. Just be careful that Burning Crawler doesn’t IGNITE your ass! or ankles. |
Zombie Challenges
| Name | Challenge | Description | Reward |
|---|---|---|---|
| A New P.B. | A New P.B. 1 | Slay 50 Runners while playing the game as any Slayer | AGILITY+ (+3%) |
| A New P.B. | A New P.B. 2 | Slay 100 Runners while playing the game as any Slayer | AGILITY++ |
| A New P.B. | A New P.B. 3 | Slay 1000 Runners while playing the game as any Slayer | AGILITY+++ |
| Smells Like BBQ | Smells Like BBQ 1 | Slay 10 burning zombies while playing the game as any Slayer | FIRE RESILIENCE+ (+3%) |
| Smells Like BBQ | Smells Like BBQ 2 | Slay 50 burning zombies while playing the game as any Slayer | FIRE RESILIENCE++ |
| Smells Like BBQ | Smells Like BBQ 3 | Slay 100 burning zombies while playing the game as any Slayer | FIRE RESILIENCE+++ |