Owlboy Gunners Explained: Carrying Friends Into Battle
How Otus carries his friends as gunners, which gunner does what, and how the gunner system changes combat and puzzles.
How do gunners work in Owlboy?
Gunners are the friends Otus can pick up, fight with and teleport, according to the community wiki's Gunner entry. In practice, Otus carries a companion and the companion does the shooting, so most of your ranged combat depends on which gunner is in your arms at the moment.
The official store page describes the setup as recruiting Otus's friends as gunners, each with unique abilities and stories. The three main gunners in the game are Geddy, Alphonse and Twig, per the community wiki's Gunner entry.
Who are the gunners and what does each one do?
There are three main gunners, and they play very differently. The community wiki describes Geddy's blaster as having a high fire rate and low damage, while Alphonse uses a powerful, short-range wide-spread musket shot with a several second cooldown.
| Gunner | Weapon behaviour | Useful for |
|---|---|---|
| Geddy | Blaster with high fire rate and low damage | Steady fire in most fights, but not solid rock or steel |
| Alphonse | Short-range, wide-spread musket shot with a cooldown | Heavy damage up close and burning vines and bushes |
| Twig | Webballs that stun enemies, plus a string to pull yourself toward enemies | Crowd control and movement |
The community wiki's Geddy page states that Geddy's blaster is effective in most combat situations but not against solid rock or steel. The same page describes Alphonse's musket as high damage with a cooldown, its blasts able to burn obstacles like vines and bushes.
Why does Alphonse's musket have a cooldown?
According to the community wiki's Alphonse page, the musket fires a fire blast on a cooldown, and between blasts it works as a lighter that can burn plant barriers, light lanterns and lamps, and ignite explosives. The same page says the developers made the musket attack even more powerful while adding a cooldown so players would switch to Geddy.
That downtime is built into the weapon: while the musket recharges you can still burn obstacles with it, even though the lighter does no damage to enemies, per the community wiki's Gunner entry. The community wiki also notes that Alphonse's range can be extended with an extension from the Buccanary Shop.
Can you drop a gunner, and why would you?
Yes. The anniversary update announcement on Steam adds a Drop Gunner On Dodge option, and the patch notes describe it as useful for when you want some extra mobility in combat or platforming. The same announcement says various enemies can now be stunned by dropping Geddy or Alphonse on their heads.
So the setting serves two purposes the notes name directly: extra mobility when you dodge, and a way to stun certain enemies by dropping a gunner onto them.
When should you switch gunners while exploring?
Switch based on what blocks your path, not just on what you are fighting. Alphonse is the one to hold when you meet vines, bushes, lanterns or explosives, because his musket burns and lights those, per the community wiki's Alphonse and Gunner entries. Geddy suits ordinary fights where a steady blaster is enough. Twig's webballs and string pull are the option when you want to stun enemies or close distance, according to the community wiki's Combat page.
For the broader picture of the game itself, the official Owlboy site and the Steam store page both describe it as a story-driven adventure built around flight, carrying, gunners and large dungeon boss fights.
Related guides
Related Guides
Owlboy Abilities List: Spin Attack, Super Dash and Auto-Aim
Every ability Otus and his gunners can use in Owlboy, including the Spin Attack, the new Super Dash and how Auto-Aim changes combat.
Owlboy Achievements: Full List and Guide
All 12 Owlboy Steam achievements explained, including Trinket Master, Treasure Seeker, Flight of the Boguin and the hidden secret achievements.
Owlboy Beginner Guide: Tips for New Players
New to Owlboy? Learn how to fly, carry your gunner friends, use your controller and the Anniversary Update options to make the game easier.
Owlboy Cannon Minigame: How to Play
How the Boguin Cannon minigame and challenge work in Owlboy, what you have to do, and how it connects to the Flight of the Boguin achievement.