If you've been dropping into Stella Montis, you already know the vibe: everything's fine until the Matriarch pops up and the whole map gets tense. She's huge, she shrugs off bullets, and she'll happily fill the air with rockets and nasty gas while you're trying to keep your kit intact. Lately I've seen more players prep differently, grabbing cheaper throwables and even stocking up through places like ARC Raiders Items so they can test builds without burning rare ammo every run.

What changed with Trailblazers

Before Cold Snap, Trailblazers were the kind of grenade you'd toss for style points, not results. Now they actually matter. The gas trail hangs around long enough to set up, and the burn feels like it's finally doing boss-level work. The big thing is you don't just "throw and pray." You paint the ground, then spark it. A quick sidearm tap works, and yeah, even a melee swing can do it if you're brave. When the Matriarch gives you that exposed-core window and the flames catch in the right spot, you'll see chunky ticks that make you sit up straight.

How the kill usually plays out

In practice, it's more like a routine than a duel. First you get her moving where you want, then you keep dropping trails in front of her path so she walks into them. Second you ignite on your terms, not hers, because lighting it too early wastes the puddle. Third you repeat, because this is a slow grind compared to heavy meta weapons. Expect minutes, not moments. It's oddly satisfying, though. You're not mag-dumping into a sponge. You're setting traps, watching the bar creep down, then resetting before she corners you.

Positioning and not getting yourself killed

Tight spaces help, but only the "good" kind of tight. The underground routes near Spaceport and the areas around the Pipeline towers can funnel her without giving her easy angles to bully you. The problem is the adds. Leapers and Wasps don't care that you're doing science. Bring something simple to clear them fast, because getting staggered mid-throw is how you end up on fire, panicking, and blowing your own feet off. Also, don't stack trails right on top of yourself. Leave a lane to back out, even if it means one less perfect burn.

Why people are bothering with this

It isn't the fastest Matriarch clear, and nobody should pretend it is. A coordinated squad with heavy gear will still erase her quicker. But Trailblazers make solo runs feel doable, and the cost-to-damage ratio is hard to ignore when you're tired of feeding expensive ammo into the void. If you're hunting reactors, testing weird builds, or just want a weekend of runs without farming all night, it's nice having options, especially if you can grab mats, craft in bulk, or fill the gaps with ARC Raiders BluePrint when you'd rather spend your time actually raiding.