First Officer Counters Guide S40 E2 - Identity V Meta 2025

Season 40 Essence 2 introduces the Mayfly skin for First Officer, a survivor dominating competitive play with his Poseidon Watch ability that hypnotizes hunters within 32 meters for 10 seconds while granting 10% movement speed. This guide provides tournament-proven counter strategies, optimal hunter builds, and frame-perfect tactics to neutralize First Officer's advantages across all game phases.

Understanding First Officer in S40 E2 Mayfly Meta

First Officer (Jose Baden) remains top-tier in Season 40 (started November 27, 2025, Essence 2 released December 18, 2025). His Poseidon Watch fundamentally changes chase dynamics, achieving 65% win rates against S-Tier hunters when paired with Mechanic, Priestess, and Seer.

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Ability Mechanics and Frame Data

Hypnosis:

• Range: 32 meters

• Duration: 10 seconds

• Movement speed bonus: 10%

• Decoding boost: 7% base, 14% with Enhanced Hypnosis

• Enhanced radii: 10m first stack, 6m second stack

• Visual feedback: Hunter sees 2-second-old images at max stacks

• Uses: 2 charges per match

• Cooldown: 15 seconds

Vanish Disguise:

• Duration: 10 seconds

• Creates false visual information

Drawbacks:

• Decoding penalty: 20%

• Running speed: 3.8 m/s (standard)

The 15-second cooldown is your primary opportunity window—force favorable engagements when abilities are unavailable.

Why First Officer Dominates IVL Finals

Team Synergy: Mechanic + Priestess + Mercenary + Seer compositions boost win rates 65% against S-Tier hunters. First Officer provides:

• 7-14% decoding speed boosts

• Rescue opportunities through hypnosis

• Extended kite duration during critical phases

Counter to Top Hunters: Against Dream Witch (75% pick/ban rate), Sculptor (81-second cipher clear), Queen Bee, and Breaking Wheel, hypnosis disrupts tracking mechanics.

Persona Flexibility:

• 36 Build: Borrowed Time + Tide Turner (20s invincibility post-rescue)

• 39 Build: Borrowed Time + Knee Jerk Reflex (30% speed boost for 3s, 40s cooldown)

• 129 Build: Flywheel Effect (0.5s damage immunity) + Knee Jerk Reflex + Borrowed Time

129 build enables 60-second kites against Sculptor.

S40 Balance Changes

November 20 hotfix:

• Addiction stun: 8/24/40% scaling

• Chair speed: +10-15%

• Healing speed: -5-10%

Changes favor aggressive hunters, making hypnosis more valuable as hunters commit harder to chases.

Top 5 Hunter Builds to Counter First Officer

Sculptor: Statue Placement Strategies

Sculptor rates 34/35 with 81-second cipher clear—faster than First Officer's team can complete them. Statue tracking bypasses hypnosis entirely.

Placement Framework:

1. 0-60s: First statue at central cipher cluster within 10 seconds

2. 60-120s: Target non-First Officer survivors

3. 120-240s: Position statues at 3-cipher triangles

4. 240s+: Place between remaining ciphers and gates

Anti-First Officer Tactics:

• Ignore hypnosis—rely on statue damage indicators

• Force First Officer into statue-dense zones

• Time detonations during 15s cooldown gaps

• Eliminate Mechanic first (200% decoding robot > 14% team buff)

Nightwatch: Pressure Tactics

Nightwatch's map-wide presence nullifies localized hypnosis advantages.

Pressure Pattern:

1. Deploy clone at furthest cipher within 15s

2. Patrol central cluster

3. Teleport to clone when survivors commit to distant ciphers

4. Force First Officer to choose support targets

Hypnosis Counter:

• Clones ignore hypnosis—use clone vision for true positioning

• Teleport during hypnosis to reset chase

• Apply multi-point pressure

Hermit: Anti-Kiting Mechanics

Fury mode matches First Officer's hypnosis-boosted kiting.

Fury Optimization:

• Activate when First Officer uses first hypnosis

• Use extended lunge during cooldown windows

• Save second Fury for late-game chair defense

Rescue Denial: Position in Fury during rescues—enhanced attack recovery allows double-hits even against Tide Turner when timed with chair animations.

Opera Singer: Crowd Control

Note-based crowd control creates unavoidable damage that hypnosis can't prevent.

Note Strategy:

1. Place at kiting loop entrances

2. Stack at cipher clusters where First Officer buffs teammates

3. Use Euphoria to force movement into Rhapsody damage

Notes track independently of visual information—hypnosis doesn't affect targeting.

Clerk: Page Management

Page-based abilities provide versatile tools for all scenarios.

Page Priority:

• Early: Movement speed for first down

• Mid: Detection to track through hypnosis

• Late: Detention-enhancing for rescue scenarios

Detection pages reveal true positions regardless of hypnosis.

Optimal Persona Builds

Anti-Kiting Configuration

**Primary Path (Left - Detention):

**

• Tier 1: Blink/Teleport

• Tier 2: Trump Card (cooldown -10%)

• Tier 3: Confined Space (kiting zone -20%)

• Tier 4: Detention

Secondary Path (Right - Chase):

• Tier 1: Hunt

• Tier 2: Berserker

• Tier 3: Rage

Trait Selection

Blink:

• Counters hypnosis via instant repositioning

• Bypasses Priestess portals

• Effective on complex maps (Red Church, Moonlit River Park)

Teleport:

• Map-wide pressure exceeding First Officer's support

• Optimal for Sculptor, Nightwatch

Confined Space:

• Reduces kiting zone 20%

• Forces earlier hypnosis usage

• Synergizes with Hermit, Opera Singer

Recommendations:

• Sculptor: Teleport

• Nightwatch: Teleport

• Hermit: Blink

• Opera Singer: Confined Space

• Clerk: Blink

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Detention Timing

Activates when one cipher remains, providing one-hit downs for 120s.

Optimal Scenarios:

1. 49% chair progress: Forces early Tide Turner or risks elimination

2. Final cipher 90%+: Ensures one-hit during gate opening

3. Dungeon spawn: Guarantees elimination of dungeon rushers

Bait Tide Turner before committing to Detention downs.

Exploiting Weaknesses

Cooldown Windows

Tracking Method:

1. Note hypnosis activation time

2. Add 10s (duration) + 15s (cooldown) = 25s total cycle

Exploitation:

• Commit aggressive chase during cooldown

• Force pallets/vaults when hypnosis unavailable

• Position to secure hits as cooldown ends

• After second charge, no defensive abilities remain

Elbow Pads Interaction

First Officer with Elbow Pads vaults more frequently.

Exploitation:

• Position on vault landing side during cooldown

• 3.8 m/s running speed can't create distance before vault completes

• Bait vaults during cooldown, use Blink mid-animation

Vaulting Vulnerabilities

Vault Timing Punish:

1. Position 2m from vault as animation begins

2. Begin lunge 0.3s into animation

3. Attack connects as vault completes

If hypnosis activates mid-vault, track animation itself rather than post-vault positioning.

Early Game Pressure

First Officer's 20% decoding penalty makes him optimal first target when team includes Mechanic or strong decoders.

Early Elimination Value: Removing First Officer before three ciphers complete eliminates:

• 7-14% decoding buffs

• Hypnosis rescue potential

• Late-game Borrowed Time (50% health restoration)

Force both hypnosis charges within 90s, then camp during cooldown.

Map-Specific Strategies

Tidal Arena

**Zone Control:

**

1. Patrol central ship (3 ciphers within 40m)

2. Force First Officer toward open beach areas

3. Control ship interior corridors

Open sightlines allow visual contact during hypnosis—focus on silhouette.

Red Church

Graveyard Denial:

• Break all graveyard pallets within 60s

• Force toward church building or open cemetery

• Use Blink to bypass obstacles during hypnosis

Church interior's tight corridors favor area denial hunters.

Moonlit River Park

Bridge Control:

1. Identify side with more ciphers (typically 3-2 split)

2. Force bridge crossings for cipher access

3. Position at bridge center mid-game

Bridge's linear geometry limits hypnosis value—survivors can only move forward/backward.

Arms Factory

Corridor Pressure:

• Force into factory interior where Confined Space reduces zones 20%

• Use upper walkways for visual contact during hypnosis

• Break interior pallets early

Hypnosis affects horizontal positioning but provides less advantage in vertical chases.

Phase-by-Phase Tactics

Early Game (0-90s)

Target Priority:

1. Mechanic (200% decoding robot)

2. First Officer (removes 7-14% buffs)

3. Seer (20s owl blocking)

4. Mercenary/Priestess

Execution:

• Commit max 60s to first chase

• If both hypnosis charges used, extend to 90s

• If one charge used with excessive distance, switch targets

Mid Game (90-240s)

Three-Cipher Triangle:

1. Identify remaining three ciphers

2. Position centrally for 15s rotations

3. Force First Officer to choose support targets

Chair Positioning: Chair survivors where rescues require crossing open areas, limiting hypnosis kiting value.

Late Game (240s+)

Dungeon:

• Patrol dungeon while maintaining cipher pressure

• Eliminate First Officer before dungeon spawns

Gate Pressure:

1. Both visible: Position centrally, use Teleport

2. Separated: Commit to gate with more survivors

3. Detention active: Force early Tide Turner, secure downs during cooldown

Rescue Scenarios

Counter-Rescue:

1. 40-48% progress: Position between chair and kiting structure

2. 49% progress: Identify rescuer (typically Mercenary)

3. Post-rescue: Target First Officer if body-blocking

4. Follow-up: Re-down during 15s cooldown

First Officer body-blocks from right side—position left or use Blink.

IVL Pro Strategies

Ban Priorities

Framework:

• First ban: Prioritize Dream Witch/Sculptor

• Second ban: Ban First Officer if opponent reveals Mechanic/Priestess

• Third ban: Ban if opponent shows coordinated rescues

Hunter Win Rates

Scrimmage Data:

1. Sculptor: 68%

2. Nightwatch: 64%

3. Opera Singer: 61%

4. Hermit: 58%

5. Clerk: 55%

Hunters who ignore hypnosis (statues, clones) or match mobility achieve highest win rates.

Meta Prediction

Predicted Changes:

• Chair speed increases reduce rescue windows

• Healing reductions favor aggressive hunters

• Potential hypnosis duration reduction (10s to 8s)

First Officer may shift from primary kiter to pure support role.

Common Mistakes

Over-Committing First Chase

Mistake: 120+ seconds on first chase allows three cipher completions.

Correction:

• Set 60s timer

• Extend to 90s only if both charges used

• Switch targets if distance maintained after 60s

Ignoring Cooldown Tracking

Mistake: Failing to track 15s cooldowns.

Correction:

• Verbally count during matches

• Commit aggressive tactics during cooldowns

Hunters tracking cooldowns secure hits 40% more frequently.

Poor Trait Timing

Mistake: Using Blink/Teleport during hypnosis duration.

Correction:

• Reserve Blink for cooldown windows

• Use Teleport for map pressure, not chase assistance

• Activate based on cooldown status

Optimal Blink timing: 2-3s after hypnosis ends.

Advanced Tips

Audio Cue Recognition

Cues:

• Hypnosis: Watch mechanism 0.2s before visual distortion

• Vanish: Shimmer sound with visual effect

• Cooldown: Faint click when 15s ends

Begin counter-positioning 0.2s before visual effects.

Predictive Pathing

36 Build (Tide Turner):

• Prioritizes survival

• Rotates toward chaired teammates

• Uses hypnosis defensively

39 Build (Knee Jerk):

• Vaults frequently for 30% speed boost

• Kites near windows

• Uses hypnosis offensively

129 Build (Flywheel):

• Relies on pallet stuns

• Kites in pallet-dense zones

• Uses hypnosis for dash setup

Identify build within 30s, position to counter tendencies.

Modified Camping

Position:

• 8m from chair (outside 6m Enhanced Hypnosis range)

• Maintain line of sight

• Rotate every 5s

Rescue Bait:

• Allow approach within 10m

• Bait hypnosis activation

• Blink to chair during startup

• Hit rescuer before Tide Turner

Composition Adaptation

Indicators:

• Mechanic + First Officer: Eliminate Mechanic

• Priestess + First Officer: Bring Blink

• Mercenary + First Officer: Expect 49% rescue timing

• Seer + First Officer: Anticipate owl blocking

Hunters adapting to composition achieve 25-30% higher win rates.

FAQ

What are First Officer's weaknesses in S40?

20% decoding penalty, 15s cooldown windows, reliance on team coordination. Standard 3.8 m/s running speed without vault bonuses creates predictable patterns.

Which hunters counter First Officer best?

Sculptor (68% win rate) via statue tracking, Nightwatch (64%) through map pressure, Opera Singer (61%) with area denial, Hermit (58%) via mobility matching.

How do you counter pocket watch ability?

Track 15s cooldown (25s total cycle: 10s duration + 15s cooldown). Commit aggressive tactics during cooldown. Use tracking independent of visual info (statues, clones, detection pages).

What persona build works against First Officer?

Detention + Confined Space (-20% kiting zones) + Trump Card (-10% cooldown). Select Blink for repositioning or Teleport for map pressure.

How long is pocket watch cooldown?

15s between activations, 10s duration = 25s total cycle. Only 2 charges per match. Force both within 90s for mid/late game advantage.

Can Sculptor counter First Officer effectively?

Yes, 68% win rate. Statue tracking bypasses hypnosis completely. 81s cipher clear exceeds First Officer's 7-14% buffs. Position statues at clusters, time detonations during 15s cooldowns.

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