Grind for el matador

Anyone got a list of easy escalations to grind for el matador?

In HITMAN 2 it’s enough to complete one single The Delgado Larceny Escalation in Santa Fortuna

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Hello @Darthpixelmonkee, and welcome to the forum,

Since you ask for escalations, I presume it’s for the unlock in Hitman III and you are posting in this category because it’s under Hitman 2 maps, even in III. (Hitman 2 unlock was just through a challenge).

El Matador demands 26 escalations to unlock, there are 34 escalations on Hitman 2 maps.
So in order and looking at the level 3 objectives :

The following are easy, straightforward and can be done in one try without preparation:

  • Miami :
    • The Simmons Concussion : easy and straight forward. It demands you to knock out the joggers. Quick to do even with the last complication. Also fun. It’s a bit size escalation.
    • The Aquarium Retribution : bit size and fun. Two isolated guards, two pacification, one fish. A fun narrative.
    • The Sweeney Scrupulousness : as long as you use coins to attract the targets you will find a way, a bit lengthy as a result but not difficult. The whole escalation takes place in a small area so you will master its loop quickly.
    • The Treasonous Mimicry : three targets, three eliminations methods, no other complication. It’s more akin to a contract than to an escalation
  • Santa Fortuna :
    • The Montague Audacity : if you take your time, use the right disguise it’s a rather simple and safe escalation.
    • The Merle Revelation : either easy or moderately complex. Above all it’s a fun escalation. Once you understand the unique mechanic (having followers with the shaman disguise) it will solve itself. Also an original escalation, potentially refreshing in the middle of a grind.
    • The Calvino Cacophony : as long as you don’t go for Silent Assassin, it’s an easy one. An explosive one. Don’t forget that you can bring your own loadout, and that explosives can be placed in the briefcase to avoid suspicion.
  • Mumbai :
    • The Divine Descendance : either easy or moderately complex. Only two targets and some easily identifiable solution. If you use instinct (or a guide) for the accident eliminations, and don’t care for silent assassin for the other one, then it’s a very quick and simple escalation
    • The Dubious Cohabitation : straightforward and fun sniping escalation. The last target demands a bit of a strange angle for the shot, but nothing instinct (or a guide) can’t help with.
  • Whittleton Creek :
    • The Covert Dispersal : if you don’t go for a Silent Assassin rating, then it’s as straightforward as an escalation can be. Three targets, any disguise, any method, no complication.
    • The Nolan Disinfection : the solution is easy to figure and straightforward in execution. And you will have some fun with the fumigator.
  • Isle of Sgail :
    • The Quimby Quandary : this escalation will demand you to throw your briefcase down the stairs because you need to bring it from the top of the level to a location without carrying it directly. You also have two targets, but nothing that will negate the fun and originality of the escalation.
    • The Scarlett Deceit : one simple objective, the most difficult part of the escalation is how long it can be as you need to pacify one NPC with an item found in only one place, at the other side of the map. If you choose your disguise well, the escalation is just one long safe hike with only authorised areas to stroll through.
    • The Marinello Motivation : either easy or moderately complex. You have a rather restrictive complication (no non target complication or pacification), but only two target with no disguise or method required. Especially easy if you don’t care for a Silent Assassin rating.

The following are moderately complex because they will demand you to plan a route and understand the level/NPC routine :

  • Miami :
    • The Riviera Restoration : as long as you have the medic start it is rather simple, the difficulty progression is easy to follow and as long as you understand the gameplay you will quickly find a way.
  • Santa Fortuna :
    • The Truman Contravention : the largest issue in this escalation is the timing. You will need the target to be at precise location and to trigger precise one use only accident, so expect to restart if you missed a cue. Outside of that it’s an “any disguise” escalation, so you can be flexible if something goes sideways.
    • The Turms Infatuation : as long as you use the right disguise it’s an easy one. You might have to time some movement right to avoid some enforcers.
  • Whittleton Creek :
    • The Mccalister Ransack : first it’s a fun escalation. You should at least try it. The last level will demand an easy to find route but you will be under a timer. No target, just stealth and item stealing, so guards shouldn’t be an issue.
  • New York :
    • The Dalton Dissecation : the escalation is not difficult, the design is greatly done. The solution will be easily identifiable, and all the targets and pieces will fall into place easily. But it will demand you to do quite a lot. It will be satisfying to do.

The following are moderately complex because will demand you to be careful on your execution :

  • New Zealand :
    • The Mills Reverie : straight forward, quite fun, good atmosphere. The guards will demand a careful execution, especially at level 3 and its pacify guards objective.
  • Miami :
    • The Bigmooney Flamboyancy : the escalation is fun, but you will have to go in a hostile area and the level 3 have a “eliminate the targets with a 30 seconds interval” complication. You can safely prepare everything to make it smooth, but it will take some time.
  • Santa Fortuna :
    • The Macmillan Surreptition : the escalation possess an instafail condition. Fortunately it’s an easy one to work with. The escalation can also fall into combat very easily if you are not careful.
    • The Delgado Larceny : as @Count.Rushmore said it’s the original El Matador escalation. The unlock was under the condition of a silent assassin rating in Hitman 2. If you don’t go for the rating, it’s a bit of a complex escalation, but nothing that will demand an obtuse or difficult to setup route.
  • Mumbai :
    • The Han Encasement : the timing can be a bit uneasy to find, but once you find it, everything will fall into place quite nicely.
  • Whittleton Creek :
    • The Batty Tranquillity : the rake escalation ! The escalation is fun, but the last level will demand you to pacify and drag away a very public target. If you don’t care about Silent Assassin you have some ways to make it with brute force, otherwise it will take some time to attract the NPC in the right place/remove the rest of the witnesses. At least play the first two level, they deserve it.
  • Isle of Sgail :
    • The Aelwin Augment : the fish pacification escalation ! The escalation can easily go into combat, but the only objective is to pacify one target and ten NPCs of your choice the fish. So it’s just mindless fun. I would even advise you to finish your 26 escalation with this one.

The following are difficult (but usually you can brute force them):

  • Miami :
    • The Unpalatable Termination : no pacification and non silenced weapon. The last level demands careful and precise NPC manipulation. Even with a guide it can go sideways fast.
  • Mumbai :
    • The Raaz Algorithm : only three targets and the elimination method is free. But you will have two instafail complications : do not get spotted and suit only. I still must say that if you go for a stealth/lethal or sniping way of taking guards out, it can be a bit of fun. So either moderately complex or difficult. I placed it in difficult because the escalation can be frustrating.
    • Hot Disguise : you can wear each of the three required disguise only once and only for 60 seconds. There are ways around it. But the escalation is in a small area and can be too much at once, especially if guards starts to go in search mode.
    • The Hirani Evauation : two instafail conditions no disguise change and do not get spotted. I would have put this one in moderately complex but I remember some frustrating line of sights, Depending on your luck, you might want to try it, just use the right starting disguise and loadout.
  • Whittleton Creek :
    • The O’Leary Conflagration : this escalation possess a unique complication called civilized that will prohibit all non target pacification or elimination. In addition to that you will need to drag or attract some targets through a long distance and under the eye of a lot of potential witnesses. A long escalation that can go badly very quickly.
  • Isle of Sgail :
    • The Rafael Misadventure : I would have gladly put this escalation in the moderately complex, but unfortunately sometimes the target placement will be just slightly wrong and force a restart. Which is a shame because the concept/narrative of the escalation is interesting and fun to execute, when it falls into place.
    • The Babayeva Dissonance : either difficult or complex. You will have to eliminate four targets, all relatively public and with a lot of distance to cover, all with a 60 second streak complication.
  • Haven Island :
    • The Bartholomew Hornswoggle : the escalation is fun, but some of the timing demanded (you will need to eliminate moving targets with a fixed canon) can be harsh to master. The escalation can also quickly go into combat, or some of the target can flee in public area and will take a lot of time to return to their normal routine. At least give it a go, the atmosphere and narrative is great. (it’s one of the precursor of the hitman 3 deluxe and seven deadly sins escalations, with each level a continuation of the previous one, continuing when and where the last one ended)

All of that being said (and typed), if you are playing on Hitman 2, the El Matador is just a challenge away, as @Count.Rushmore said you just need to do the Delgado Larceny Escalation with a Silent Assassin rating.

If you are playing on Hitman 3, and as I suspect posted in this here category because it was about Hitman 2 content, may I ask if you just started ? If so, and if you haven’t done the progression transfer and possess Hitman 2, you can do the following :

  • launch Hitman 2
  • play the Delgado Larceny with a Silent Assassin rating
  • unlock El Mataodor
  • transfer your progress to Hitman 3

Just be warned that this will wipe the entirety of your progress, leaving you with just the escalation. Progression transfer is also a one time deal.
You also need to possess Hitman 2, not just the Hitman 2 access pass in hitman III (I don’t know if the Hitman 2 access pass also gives you Hitman 2 standard edition, but I doubt it, you might want to try, the wording is a bit ambiguous at least on the Xbox store).
In case, try to download Hitman 2 free starter pass and look at what it gives you.

If you do that, I also recommend you to do :

  • the Divine Descendance to unlock the Imperial Classic with Gloves
  • the Dubious Cohabitation to unlock the Cashmerian suit
  • the Calvino Cacophony to unlock the Summer Suave Suit
  • all mission story in Miami to unlock the Remote Micro Explosive
  • there is a bunch of other unlock, but none as stylish or as useful

Again, and I cannot stress this enough, if you do this method you will wipe out any other progress

I hope I was of any help. :slight_smile:

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Are you kidding me. Anyone would highly appreciate the amount of time you put into that text!! Very well put :+1:

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Wow. Great. Thank you!

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Thank you so much! sorry for the late reply, this really helps out

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