Tomb Raider 2013/Techniques

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Checkpoint Reloading

Possibly the most basic and commonly used trick, is reloading checkpoint in certain areas to skip short cutscenes. To perform; simply wait for the "TR" logo to appear at the following points, pause the game and select reload checkpoint.

Checkpoint Reloading is used in the following places in the any% speedrun (Chronological order).

  • Intro: After pulling the arrow out of Lara's hip. (1-2s)
  • After balancing over the tree where Lara slips (1-2s)
  • After sliding down the slope after the "Sam's pack!" cutscene. (1-2s)
  • After the QTE where Lara shoots wolves while her leg is stuck in a trap. (This stops the game from crashing at the next campsite after doing the door clip.)
  • After collecting Roth's Pack from the wolf cave. (5s)
  • After jumping to safety from the crashed plane chase sequence. (After lighting the fuel) (5s)
  • After performing the "Fire Arrow Skip" and triggering the next cutscene. (This one is needed to "heal" Lara. Because you skipped the cutscene where she gets the medical supplies. You monster.)
  • Before Performing the backup "Grim Skip 2" (This is to despawn guys on the second platform, or to manipulate AI, depending on who you ask)
  • After jumping to the second platform using your preferred "Grim Skip" method. (5-10s)
  • After the "Dirty Tricks Slide" while entering the "Pool of Blood" area. (1-2s)
  • After the Temple combat section after you get your equipment back. (Time saved depends on how close to the door you are.)
  • During a cutscene with Mathias on your way to the helicopter. (20s, this one actually requires a quit to main menu, then reloading)
  • After the QTE on the bridge shortly after the above skip. (This allows you to skip the next cutscene. 5s with the cutscene skip.)
  • After retrieving the block and tackle and sliding down some ropes, you'll get a checkpoint just before Lara falls in the water. (10s)
  • As part of the "Bunker Skip".
  • After performing the "Alex Skip"
  • After "saving" Alex and doing some backtracking you'll slide down some ropes to reach the friend's camp, there's a checkpoint on the last rope. (5s)


Tackle Flipping (Door Clip Method #1)

Tackle Flipping is a method used primarily to clip through doors. To perform, hit the tackle button, then immediately move press backwards and forwards (Roughly a 0.2 second window). Lara should flip directions very rapidly, then continue straight going through any thin object in front of her. You can use pause buffering to make this easier. This technique can also be used to clip very steep slopes. (See "Alex Skip")

This technique requires that Lara has NOT unlocked tier 2 abilities yet. Or else the tackle is replaced with a melee attack which doesn't work nearly as well or even at all.

Example Videos

Tackle flipping can be used in the following areas to save time:

Pause Buffer Method

You can use pause buffering in some cases to make this trick easier. It seems to work easier on lower FPS setups such as Consoles.

With pause buffering the technique becomes:

  • Hit tackle, then pause immediately.
  • Hold backwards, then mash the pause button to pause/unpause the game until Lara switches direction to face the camera.
  • Hold forward and unpause. PC runners may then need to continue buffering Lara's direction backwards then forwards a few more times, depending on your setup.
  • Here's a step-by-step video of the 2-buffer console method: http://www.twitch.tv/potatohandle/c/3263901
  • PC runners sometimes need to do extra buffers (Flip backwards and forwards again) multiple times like in this example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tu2SP-SJfiY

Without Pause buffering

  • Some PC runners simply mash backwards and forwards extremely quickly after tackling to produce the same result without buffering.
  • It can help to bind additional keys which are easier to mash than the defaults for this.
  • (TODO: Add PC runner's video, maybe get some more info added from a PC runner as well.)

Grenade Clipping (Door Clip Method #2)

By placing a grenade behind you, then doing a roll against a door, you can blast yourself through doors. Grenade Clipping can be used at the following locations to save time:

Example Videos

CA Clipping (Door Clip Method #3, PC / PS4 only)

PC and PS4 runners are able to use the Climber's Agility skill to clip through some doors such as the one in the Bunker and the door at the elevator Skip.

Scramble + Lunge Clipping (Door Clip Method #4)

Regardless of the Console you are running the game on, you can clip doors rather easily with this method. For consoles it works on pretty much every Door without the need for a specific Set-up. PC runners however seem to need a specific set up because of the higher Framerates. Using a specific set-up on Console can nevertheless improve your success rate.

Example Videos

This is a tutorial for the Deer-Door as done on PC. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSwPiP1vUt4

  • Note* The set-up used in the video appears to be working consistently up to 160 FPS, above that the rates of success go down.

Lunge Clipping (Door Clip Method #5, Console only)

Console runners have a non-pause buffering method which can be used as well, by "twisting" a lunge backwards near a door.

Example Videos

Dirty Tricks Slide

The dirty tricks slide is a very easy technique which allows Lara to slide through areas where she would normally be walking slowly while talking on the walkie-talkie. To perform, you need to have the Dirty Tricks skill unlocked, then while going over any trigger where Lara pulls out her walkie-talkie, scramble, then press the tackle button during the scramble to perform the Dirty Tricks move. If successful, Lara should slide around for the duration of the conversation, much faster than she otherwise would be moving.

Example Videos

The Dirty Tricks slide can be used in the following locations to save time:

  • After sliding down the hill just before the cave before Chasm Monastery. (10s) ::Video Needed::
  • Just before Lara gets caught in the trap before getting the Rope Arrows. (10s) ::Video Needed::
  • While entering the cave just before Lara goes into the pool of blood. (1-2s) ::Video Needed::

Dirty Tricks Float

While sliding in this animation, gravity has no effect on Lara, so if you can fall off a ledge during the slide, she will float around for the duration of the call. After the call, gravity returns and Lara falls wherever she is at the time.

Example Videos

  • During the "This isn't like the pilot Roth." dialogue after Shanty Town. (20s) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjoStkEDxyE
  • Just before jumping on the gondolas before the Air Boat combat section. (0s, but easy free swag.) ::Video Needed::

Step Clipping

While Lara uses her "step up" animation to climb knee high ledges, she ignores all solid objects for the duration of the animation. The technique usually requires a very specific set up, but usually involves landing or rolling near the ledge, then pressing Jump to make Lara step up.

Step Clipping can be used in the following locations to save time:

Example Videos

Damage Boosting

After Lara takes certain kinds of damage she can be made to stumble forward. After this stumbling animation, there's a window of a few frames where you can jump, even if you're in midair. Damage Boosting can be used in the following locations to save time:

Example Videos

Out of Bounds (OoB) Skips

Sometimes you can reach out of bounds locations by jumping in certain places to escape the "intended" areas of the game. (If getting OoB uses one of the above techniques, it will be listed under that tech and not here.)

Example Videos

Skywalking (PC / PS4)

Allows you to float over various surfaces to conquer impossible areas. The biggest skips in this run require this glitch. It can be triggered by jumping DOWN onto an out of bound area while hitting the opposite direction you're going right before impact. During shanty town OoB (The Big One) the skywalk is triggered automatically by entering a certain area. Once you are floating you can control Lara with the normal movement keys plus camera angle. The way she moves during this glitch feels really random at start. E.g. Pressing left and looking upwards can result in a forward movement. It requires a lot of practice to figure out what keyinputs and camera angles result in a certain type of movement. You often have to follow a specific lane or Lara will fall down and die. It is super fun once mastered!

  • Note* Due to the camera-relative input handling of this game, it is only required to push BACK and then Forwards on a Controller. This is however only confirmed working

for Skywalks on PS4.

  • Bridge Skip
  • The Big One
  • Teleport Skip
  • Lara Skywalker


Other skips

Some skips don't require any odd technique or involve going out of bounds, usually a precision jump in the right direction can save quite some time. These are the skips which don't fall into any other category.

Example Videos

These skips can be used in the following locations to save time:

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