The Helldivers 2 Impaler is a heavy boss Terminid that's returned from the first game, a strange, mutated Charger with three tendrils that burrow through the ground to try and stab at you from beneath - and then from above, considering how big they are. Introduced as part of the Helldivers 2 Escalation of Freedom update, Impalers can be tough for those who aren't prepared to fight them - but they have one major weakness that clever Helldivers can use to utterly devastate them. If you want to know how to beat the Impaler in Helldivers 2, here's what you need to know.
Helldivers 2 Impalers weakness and strategy Impalers in Helldivers 2 are huge Terminids that look like Chargers - at least until they attack you. Tending to stand still and move around very little, Impalers instead unfurl three tentacles from their head and bury them in the ground, whereupon they tunnel out near the players and try to stab them. This means that Impalers are really formed of two parts - a static, unthreatening main body, and the much more mobile, dangerous tendrils.
Their weakness is their head - when they deploy the tendrils, this opens up the armor plating on their face and leaves them vulnerable and exposed, at least while the tentacles are still trying to impale you. I found that four shots to the unprotected head with the Autocannon was enough to kill them. Admittedly, you don't have to wait that long.
Though covered in armor, you can still use heavy duty Stratagems like the Commando and Orbital Laser to damage the Impaler even when its face is covered. Even when far away from the Impaler, the Tentacles are very dangerous as they can still reach you. You need to watch out for rumbling sections of ground that they erupt out of - it's enough to kill players in a single shot.
The moment they're up, back away as fast as possible while focusing damage on one tentacle at a time, forcing it to retract - and be ready to throw yourself to the side to avoid getting stabbed. How to find Impalers in Helldivers 2 Impalers show up as boss Terminids on missions of Hard (5) or higher, at least so far. Players can find missions to eliminate Impalers at this difficulty in certain Terminid worlds, which involves hunting down and slaying two of them.
© GamesRadar+. Not to be reproduced without permission.
