Piers Nivans/gameplay

Piers Nivans is the partner character in Chris Redfield's campaign scenario. Unlike the other five default characters, Piers does not have a default handgun. Instead, his default weapon set are a sub-machine gun and a high-powered sniper rifle.

He is equipped with an MP-AF, a sub-machine gun that uses 9mm rounds and has a top-side laser sight. Piers' MP-AF is equipped with two firing modes, able to switch between a fully-automatic weapon to a single-shot for more accuracy and control. The primary weapon for Piers, appropriately enough, is the Anti-matériel rifle. His Anti-matériel rifle is particularly dangerous, powerful enough to often kill a J'avo with one shot to the torso or head with 12.7mm rounds. It uses a scope that has an adjustable zoom with two-settings, as well as a thermal sight.

Like all characters, Piers can perform a small number of basic melee attacks by pressing the attack button by itself.
 * Front Kick (Melee) - Piers sends a swift front kick to any enemy standing in front of him. This can only be performed by pressing the attack button with a one-handed weapon or item equipped.
 * Front Kick-Chop (Melee) - Much like Sherry's melee attack, Piers performs his front kick and follows it up with a chopping attack with his weapon hand. This can only be performed by pressing the attack button twice with a one-handed weapon or item equipped.
 * Rifle Strike (Melee) - Piers strikes upwards at an angle with the front of his rifle. This can only be performed by pressing the attack button with a rifle/machine gun or other two-handed weapon equipped.
 * Double Rifle Strike (Melee) - After striking upwards with his rifle, Piers turns it and brings the butt of the weapon back down for a quick follow-up strike. This can only be performed by pressing the attack button twice with a rifle/machine gun or other two-handed weapon equipped.

Contextual Attacks

 * Roundhouse Kick - A simple forward spinning kick that sends stunned enemies backward. This is most commonly performed on a staggering enemy from any side.
 * Headlock Takedown - Piers slips behind a stunned enemy, wrapping his arm around their head before turning, throwing the enemy over his hip. This is most commonly performed on a lightly stunned enemy (such as with a shot to the head) from the front.
 * Uppercut - Piers crouches down and strikes a stunned enemy with a rising uppercut. This is most commonly performed on heavily stunned (kneeling or blinded) from anywhere but directly behind. Note, it seems that this is the only contextual used on any stunned ruka-srp J'avo aside from the Forward Roundhouse Kick.
 * Dragon Sleeper Neckbreaker - Kicking out an enemy's knees from behind first to make them kneel, Piers leans forward and wraps his arm around their neck (face-up) and swiftly breaks their neck as he leans back. This is most commonly performed on an enemy that is lightly or heavily stunned from behind.
 * Rifle Butt Strike - Standing over a downed enemy, Piers slams the butt of his rifle down upon their body. If near the head, it is possible to crush it. This can only be done on a downed enemy with a rifle/machine gun or other two-handed weapon equipped.
 * Wing Pluck - Steadying himself, Piers grabs onto an enemy's wings and pulls until the lower half of the body is ripped apart. This can only be done on a downed winged J'avo when facing their feet (wings).
 * Stomp - A simple attack, Piers uses his foot to stomp on the body of a downed enemy. When used around the enemy's head, it has a chance of crushing it. This can only be done on a downed enemy and only while equipped with a one-handed item/weapon (such as handgun or grenade).
 * Elbow Smash (Counter) - Piers counters an attack from a ranged enemy, dodging to the side of an attack and driving his elbow into their face. This is performed as a counter to a melee attack from a firearm.
 * Rifle Smash (Counter) - After ducking under an incoming attack, Piers promptly rises, using his equipped rifle/machine gun to smash the enemy across their face. This is performed as a counter to an attack from a melee weapon (such as a machete or a J'avo's mutated arm) while a rifle/machine gun or other two-handed weapon is equipped.
 * Elbow Strike (Counter) - Much like Rifle Smash, Piers ducks under an incoming attack and quicky strikes out with his elbow to the enemy's torso. This is performed as a counter to an attack from a melee weapon (such as a machete or a J'avo's mutated arm) while a one-handed item/weapon is equipped.
 * Impale Reversal (Counter) - Catching an enemy's weapon arm, Piers then twists it around and forces the J'avo to impale themselves upon their own machete. This can only be done against a machete-wielding J'avo and only against their leaping downward slash attack.
 * Arm Rip (Counter) - When attacked, Piers grabs an enemy's mutated arm and breaks it over his leg first before twisting it to sever the large-claw like extension. With the claw still in hand, he steps to the rear of the enemy and smashes the claw down into their head. This is a counter attack that can only be performed on J'avo with a mutated arm and only when they perform their overhead swing.
 * Pull Down (Counter) - When a flying J'avo attempts to grab Piers, this counter has him grabbing them first by the arms and pulling them down to the ground, leaving them vulnerable for a finishing attack. This is a counter attack that can only be performed on a flying J'avo and only when they attempt to grab you.
 * Leg Pull (Environmental) - Piers grabs the leg of an enemy on a higher level and pulls it out from under him as he drags him off the ledge, usually resulting in the enemy's face being smashed into the ground or the edge of the platform as they are pulled off from the force. This can only be done on an enemy standing near the edge of a platform at waist-height, and does not require them to be stunned in any way.
 * Ground Smash (Environmental) - Piers leaps down onto an enemy, grabbing their head into his hand and driving it down into the ground. This can only be done on an enemy standing next to a higher platform that the player is standing on, and does not require them to be stunned in any way.
 * Wall Smash (Environmental) - Piers will grab the stunned enemy by their head and promptly smash it into the nearby wall. This attack can only be performed when an enemy is stunned next to a wall or platform and will usually replace any other contextual action.
 * Shove (Environmental) - Quick and simple, Piers will give an enemy a quick shove that pushes them to their death. This can only be performed near a railing or balcony and will usually replace any other contextual action.
 * Shoulder Rush (Environmental)/(Melee) - Piers will charge his shoulder into the enemy, resulting in shoving them off of a ledge. This can only be done near a high ledge and will usually replace any other contextual action. This is also the same maneuver performed by pressing the attack button while sprinting.