Neophytes are entry-level Gatekeepers, relatively recent initiates to the organization.
The moniker 'Phyter' is a shortened, derogatory term for newer Gatekeepers who have yet to earn a distinct specialization. Most recruits embrace it for the many years - sometimes decades - that it takes to specialize in the wilder ways of or many worlds.
There is no single place that Neophytes are Drawn from. Military Hospitals, special forces drop outs, even seminaries and the occasional psych ward, by Assessors with an eye for anyone 'attuned to the unseen'.
In essence, all recruits are unstable, and GATE is the stabilizing compound. The aim of all Neophyte training is to create a living weapon who enjoys staring down an anomalous entity while making bets on who flinches first.
Neophytes can be found standing guard or patrolling a tight area, either by themselves or with other Gatekeepers.
They are hostile to all entities, Order soldiers, the player and Deployable Objects placed by the player.
Combat
As expected of the Gatekeepers, even Neophytes are more durable than their Order counterparts. Despite their low rank, Neophytes can prove to be quite frustrating to deal with, thanks to their Hardlight Shields and high chance of causing bleed with their weaponry. Strafing at close range can help with managing this temporarily if the Neophyte is alone. If there are several Neophytes at once, it's often better to retreat and go back to fight them one by one as it's much safer to deal with them this way.
Neophytes are most vulnerable when their Hardlight Shield is deactivated, such as before having a chance to activate them if the player or a hostile mob launches a surprise attack on them or that their shield gets deactivated from prolonged combat.
If you're accurate, the Skink (Weapon) is a good choice against a Neophyte, due to their vulnerability to Acid damage.
Skink (Weapon) is a good choice against a Neophyte, due to their vulnerability to Acid damage.
Null Grenades will disable their Hardlight Shields.
Arcane Scrap
5.56 Ammo
Smashed GATE NVGs
Lodestone Fragment
Human Skull
Human Arm (Military)
Kevlar Scrap