How to kill Helldivers 2 Spore Burst Strain Terminids

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Variants and Weaknesses
Tips and best weapons

The Helldivers 2 Spore Burst strain of Terminids are now one of the toughest sub-factions to fight thanks to their explosive spores and ravenous attacks. Upon death, this bug subtype discharges an icky plume of spores, capable of partially blinding and harming brave Helldivers 2 players while also buffing the movement speed of nearby exoskeletal opposition. The speed boost is so extreme that it can obliterate Super-Earth’s finest in record time. Never fear, though, as our Spore Burst strain guide will detail the best tactics and weapons to deploy for your campaigns against this vicious variety of juiced-up creepy crawlies in Helldivers 2.

HELLDIVERS 2 SPORE BURST STRAIN WEAKNESSES AND ENEMY VARIANTS

Helldivers 2 Spore Burst Strain terminids on Luxuriant planet on galactic map — (Image credit: Sony)

The Spore Burst strain of bugs is a mutated form of the regular Terminds that has a chance of appearing on seemingly any Terminid-controlled planet - when hovering over a planet on the Galactic War map, you can see if the Spore Burst strain is present. Within this Helldivers 2 Terminid sub-faction, there are four special varieties to contend with: the meek Scavenger type, the agile Hunter type, the armoured Warrior type, and the fearsome Helldivers 2 Bile Titan type. Regular Bile Spewers, Hive Guards, and Commanders can appear too.

These Spore Burst variants function almost exactly the same as their regular counterparts, weaknesses and all, with one major exception – upon death, they excrete a plume of crimson bug-buffing spores. Not only does this devilish cloud obscure your vision and deal a little damage, but it also affects the surrounding Terminids by giving them a significant speed boost. Spore Burst Bile Titan vomit also applies the speed boost effect! However, if Spore Burst strain Terminids die by gas or fire, they do not release a spore cloud – ergo, no spores means no buffs.

As such, when crafting loadouts, it’s important to pack your arsenal with incendiary weapons, as well as a range of effective explosive Stratagems, like the Eagle 500kg Bomb, to clear out groups as quickly as possible.

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BEST WEAPONS AND TIPS FOR HELLDIVERS 2 SPORE BURST STRAIN

Helldivers 2 Spore Burst Strain terminids helldiver firing Coyote assault rifle at spore burst hunters — (Image credit: Sony)

The Spore Burst terminids are craggy bug-like beasts with spindly legs and a frankly broken posthumous AoE attack. Despite how impossible it may feel in action, these critters have a major weakness to exploit. Here’s how to counter them when out in the field:

Keep your distance, and take your time: The closer you are to the bugs, whether they’re buffed or not, the lower your chances of survival are, particularly if you're getting hit by the spore burst explosions. Using medium-range Stratagems and weapons gives you the necessary wiggle room to adapt if your first assault plans don’t work out. It goes without saying, but if you’re on a team, communicating as soon as you get line-of-sight is integral to getting ahead of the swarm.
Flame your enemies: The Torcher, Coyote, Breaker Incendiary, Flamethrower, and Cremator are brilliant weapon options that deal solid incendiary damage. Any combination of high-powered fire-forward weaponry should do the trick here. If you’re unsure of your loadout, our guides to the best Helldivers 2 primary weapons and the best Helldivers 2 support weapons rank each weapon by effectiveness against enemy type – just look for an S-Tier ranking next to the Terminids, in this case.
Don’t be afraid to go scorched earth (literally): Opting for destructive Stratagems like the Eagle Napalm Strike and the Orbital Napalm Barrage can give you a major advantage in not only controlling the crowd, but also stopping a rogue Terminid from summoning a breach and ruining your day. Once you’ve dealt the major blow, pick off any outliers using a high fire rate weapon – bonus points if it has a spread that deals damage over time, which is particularly important if you’re aiming for an objective in an area teeming with them.
Fight fire with fire: Where throwables are concerned, Gas Grenades are a brilliant choice as they temporarily slow down and blind enemies, delivering a bitter taste of their own evil insect medicine. It’s worth noting that you might want to wear armour with the Advanced Filtration passive to minimize self-damage. Additionally, the Vitality Enhancement Booster (from the Helldivers Mobilize Warbond) can help reduce the damage taken overall and keep you in the fight long enough to take out a horde.

If you’re light on firepower and haven’t invested in the Premium Warbonds system before, we’ve got a list of the best Helldivers 2 Warbonds ranked for you to peruse.