The Illuminate brought two new mutant enemies into Helldivers 2 with the Devoid of Liberty update, and both punish sloppy aim. The Crusher soaks up damage and heals if you let up, while the Wretch swarms in fast and tries to strip your weapons. Each one dies quickly only when you shoot the correct part of its body.
Quick answer: Shoot the Crusher’s head to break its helmet and expose the flesh beneath, keeping fire constant so it can’t regenerate. For the Wretch, ignore the head entirely and blast off its limbs to immobilize and kill it.
Where the Crusher and Wretch appear
Both enemies arrived with Patch 7.0, “Devoid of Liberty,” which pushes Helldivers into the Void, a warped region of Illuminate-controlled space. Planets closer to the Void carry heavier mutations, and these two creatures emerge from that corruption. You’ll run into them alongside new missions built around destroying Illuminate spires and gateways.
The same update also added SEAF troops as a planet modifier, so friendly NPC soldiers can drop in to fight beside you. Their stim pistols can heal you, which matters a lot when a Crusher pins your squad or a pack of Wretches closes the gap.
How to beat the Crusher
The Crusher is a huge, fleshmob-style unit that regenerates health the moment you stop shooting it. Treat it as a bullet sponge that resets its own progress. Any pause to reload, sprint, or reposition gives it time to recover, so the fight is really about sustained, uninterrupted damage.
This is not an enemy to solo. Stack Stratagems and coordinate fire with teammates so the damage stays continuous, even when one player has to reload.
How to beat the Wretch
The Wretch is small, extremely fast, and shows up in numbers rather than alone. It behaves a lot like a Terminid, constantly moving, dodging, and leaping at you while trying to dismantle your weapons. The key detail is that its head is a decoy, not a weak spot.
Crusher vs. Wretch: weak points and tactics
| Trait | Crusher | Wretch |
|---|---|---|
| Size and count | Single, giant target | Small, appears in droves |
| Movement | Slow but relentless | Very fast, dodges and leaps |
| Weak point | Flesh head under the helmet | Limbs (arms and legs) |
| Decoy area | Armored helmet | Head |
| Main threat | Instant-kill hammer slam; heals if you stop firing | Rushes in and dismantles weapons |
| Best approach | Heavy Pen to the head, constant fire, keep distance | Fast close-range weapon, strip limbs, stay back |
You’ll know each fight is going the right way when the mechanics visibly respond. On the Crusher, the helmet cracks off and the exposed head takes real, lasting damage instead of ticking back up. On the Wretch, a limbless body stops advancing and drops, confirming you targeted the correct part rather than the decoy head.
Note: The most common reason a Crusher refuses to die is a break in your fire, since it heals during any pause, so lean on Stratagems and teammates to keep damage flowing. Against the Wretch, the usual mistake is aiming for the head, which does nothing, so retrain your aim onto the limbs.
