Helldivers 2: How to defeat Impalers
With Helldivers 2’s recent Escalation of Freedom update, developer Arrowhead Game Studios unleashed several new enemy archetypes for players to deal with. One of the more notable foes is the Impaler – a massive Terminid that terrorizes its surroundings with a seemingly endless number of tentacles. With so many targets to choose from, what exactly should you be aiming for to take down this massive brute?
Don’t aim for the tentacles (if you can help it)
While destroying the Impaler’s tentacles provides a temporary reprieve from their crushing attacks, the creature will continue spawning more appendages until it is dealt with. Because of this, it is generally a good idea to save your ammunition for the creature’s main body.
Search and destroy the Impaler’s main body ASAP
As soon as you see an Impaler’s tentacles pop out of the ground, start searching the immediate area for the creature’s body. The Impaler looks like a massive Charger with even more armor on it. While the extra armor makes the creature impervious to almost anything except anti-tank weaponry and stratagems, it also makes the Impaler move much slower than the other Terminid types.
By far the easiest way to defeat an Impaler is to use any anti-tank options. The EAT-17 Expendable Anti-Tank, Spear, FAF-14 Spear, and Orbital Precision Strike are good for hitting the Impaler’s body directly as they can blast through its armor. Anti-tank options generally cost more valuable resources, but they allow you and your team to defeat Impalers without having to worry about accessing their weak points.
The Impaler’s weak point isn’t hard to miss
If you find yourself without any anti-tank options, you can still deal significant damage with standard weapons and stratagems by hitting the Impaler’s weak point. Unlike the Charger or Bile Titan which require you to hit them at strange angles, the Impaler’s weak point is its exposed face. The face is extremely easy to hit thanks to its large hitbox and bright yellow hue, but it can only be damaged when the Impaler’s tentacles are on the field. Make sure that there are a few tentacles present to ensure that the Impaler keeps its weak point exposed because shooting all of them will prompt the Impaler to shield itself and move to a different location.
Do take note that there can be more than a single Impaler at any given time. If you manage to kill one and there are still tentacles lashing about, chances are there is another Impaler on the field that is causing you trouble. With these tips, you should be able to easily defeat one of Helldivers 2’s nastiest foes.
