IED

IED
Item
Components	1 × Electronic Parts 1 × Unstable Chemical Component
Carrying capacity	4 → 6 → 8 (Demolitionist skills)
Required Skills	Frag Grenade IED
Additional Skills	Demolitionist Expert Demolitionist

❝ IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices) are high-powered explosives. Their heavy weight means they have a short throw range. Hack to detonate.❞ 

―In-game description.

The Improvised Explosive Device (or IED for short) is an explosive crafted item that appears in Watch Dogs.

Description

IEDs are highly damaging explosive devices that can be crafted at any time and anywhere by Aiden when he purchases or picks up crafting components.

As opposed to pressure-sensitive explosives, IEDs are remote controlled. They are comprised of three cylinders of explosives with an old cell/mobile phone taped onto it. There is a small red light attached to the device to help mark it when actively placed.

To craft a single IED, Aiden must have one Electronic Parts and one Unstable Chemical Component. IEDs can be constructed on any spot at any time.

Usage

IEDs are simply hackable sticky bombs. They can be thrown or simply placed on the ground. They can be triggered at the player's convenience, meaning that they can be used to efficiently take down lured targets or targets in motion. In order to aid a player with aim, a virtual trajectory will appear, showing the landing point for the IED. Once thrown or placed on the ground, an IED will be marked by a floating black diamond with a white blast icon inset. Whilst controlling the protagonist directly, IEDs will also be marked by a red triangle. If the IED isn't used at all, Aiden can pick it again and store it, or relocate the same onto a new spot.

Be fast when using it against an enemy, as, as soon as they detect the IED within their line of sight, they will run and take cover from the nearest available cover, losing an opportunity to kill them. Due to being needed to be hacked, Aiden cannot trigger the explosive too far away. As stated above, these can be combined with Lures to attract enemies and killing all of them with the IED, or simply throw it in front of the enemy and hack it fast to kill them immediately.

Gallery

The IED as a selected weapon

An IED in Aiden's hand

Beta IED icon.

Trivia

• Although IEDs are highly damaging, they aren't given any strength rating, as they are considered to be a tool in-game.
• In the Beta game, the IED icon is a bit different.