PORTER

PORTER'S TRAITS
Porter is a combat fiend; there's no other or easier way to describe him. He's loaded down with skills that revolve around automatic weaponry and death-dealing. Initially, he starts out with Novice Automatics, which lets him use some fairly low-level weapons. As he gains levels and Traits, he can wield more powerful, block-clearing weapons. Some Traits unlock specific skills that are automatically assigned once you buy the Trait.

With Porter's Basic Agent Training comes Aimed Shot, Legshots, and Duck and Cover; with these he can execute precise shots (with the former two) or dodge bullets more easily (with the last one). He can learn the Recoil Management Trait, which gives him the ability to use Spray 'n Pray (which floods an area with inaccurate but plentiful bullets) or Concentrated Aiming (which gives him a higher chance of hitting but by taking a hit to his defense).

Porter's more advanced Traits include Eagle Eye (increasing his accuracy), Fatality (increasing critical hit chances), Art of Sniping (increasing aimed shot chances of hitting), and sure to be a favorite, Bloody Mess (making a hit enemy bleed out his Health for a short period of time). Rupture, a skill acquired through Art of Sniping, lets Porter put some serious hurt on an enemy, so much so they continue to suffer damage and are unable to heal for 30 seconds. This is great when trying to take down powerful enemies, especially Bosses later in the game.

Rounding out Porter's Traits are his potential abilities to set bombs, use grenades, stun enemies, suppress enemies, and administer a coup de grace, among other things. If he gains the right Traits, he can even have up to two Henchmen at his side as he deals his version of street justice.

PORTER'S ARSENAL
So the real question now is, 'what kind of heat is Porter able to pack?' A man like Porter, after all, could have all the Traits in the universe that let him turn his enemies into quivering puddles of jelly, but without the right tools, it's all for naught.

Porter starts out with a Rusty Uzi, a fairly, err, "unique" weapon. While falling apart and barely able to hold a magazine, the Rusty Uzi still is dependable, especially early in the game (where you have no other choice). His initial Novice Automatics Trait doesn't let him utilize more than this weapon, or a Pocket Uzi. The Pocket Uzi does more damage than its rusty cousin, but costs more money and requires Porter to be at least level 3.

Once Porter starts getting some experience whacking street scum with his low-powered weapons, he'll be gaining levels and cash left and right. That will open many new automatic weapon doors, including the regular Uzi submachine gun. Also, Porter can eventually use the MP5, FNP90, or the ultimate H&K 53 (more like an assault rifle than anything else, although people will be too dead to argue whether it is a rifle or submachine gun).

Porter can also buy armor, either a Worn Kevlar Vest or a regular Kevlar Vest. The Worn Vest may not be an encouraging investment; after all, it's got holes in it, so how useful could it have been to the last poor schlep to have been unlucky enough to have worn it? But, it's better than nothing, which Porter will start with, so grabbing it can only help.

Some weapons in Escape from Paradise City are mod-able, letting the player attach Scopes, for example, for greater accuracy, or an Accelerator, which makes a bullet spin faster thereby causing more damage. There are many such upgrades available, some of which are only available when the character gets to a certain level.