Illuminate Enemies in Helldivers 2: Weaknesses, Behavior, and Best Counters

Learn how to counter the Illuminate in Helldivers 2 with tips on their weaknesses, behavior, best weapons, and strategies for every encounter.

Helldivers 2 turns the galaxy into a battleground where players take part in the war of light and shadow. Among the fiercest threats you’ll face are the Illuminate. These enemies play smart, using precision attacks, teleportation, and psionic powers to outmaneuver even the most battle-hardened squads.

Whether you’re facing the elusive Crescent Overseer, the mind-controlling Voteless Zombies, or massive warships like the Super Destroyers, understanding their behavior and weaknesses is key to survival. This guide breaks down everything you need to know, from combat tactics to the best weapons and stratagems, to keep the Illuminate from turning you into space dust.

Let’s illuminate the path to victory.

Illuminate Behavior and Combat Style

If the Terminids swarm and the Automatons blitz, the Illuminate outthink.

These forces favor long-range precision attacks, layered energy shields, and teleportation tricks to stay one step ahead of you and your squad.

Here’s what makes their combat style so dangerous:

Cloaking & Ambushes: Many Illuminate units arrive cloaked, often flanking or hovering above the battlefield before unleashing energy blasts. Expect Crescent Overseers and Voteless Slayers to vanish and reappear at inopportune moments.
Shield Stacking: These enemies love their energy shields—layered defenses that absorb bullets and buy time for retreat or regrouping. Shield emitters or bubble-style projections can make frontal assaults frustratingly ineffective without anti-shield loadouts.
Gravity and Disruption Tech: The Illuminate fight dirty, deploying Repulsive Gravity Field Generators, Cognitive Disruptors, and black hole anomalies to scatter formations and isolate players. Some units even create Dark Energy zones that distort your movement and aim.
Teleportation and Warp Tech: Higher-tier enemies like Council Members or Genesis Prime use warp-field movement to blink around the map or escape just before you deliver the final blow. Some can even summon Warp Ships mid-match to reinforce or extract.
AI-Like Coordination: Their neural network behavior means they adapt fast, flanking MG turrets, dodging Orbital Strikes, and prioritizing healers or weaker players. You’re not just fighting one enemy—you’re fighting the strategy behind them.

Fighting the Illuminate isn’t about brute force. It takes precision, timing, and teamwork—and knowing when to go loud, when to fall back, and when to call in that Tesla Tower Stratagem like your life depends on it.

How to Deal With the Illuminate

Beating the Illuminate takes more than trigger finger. It demands strategy, teamwork, and the right gear. Here’s your game plan to keep these glowing nightmares at bay:

1. Prioritize Cloaked and Shielded Enemies

Illuminate units love to stay hidden behind energy shields or cloaking devices. Your first move? Focus fire on enemies that cloak or generate shields—like the Crescent Overseers and Voteless Slayers—before they overwhelm you with psi blasts or ambushes.

2. Use Stratagems to Control the Battlefield

Deploy powerful area denial tools like the Tesla Tower Stratagem, Orbital Napalm Barrage, or Orbital Precision Strike. These can break enemy shields and disrupt their formations, giving your squad breathing room to pick off targets safely.

3. Stay Mobile and Spread Out

Illuminate attacks often involve AOE energy blasts, gravity wells, or teleporting units. Staying on the move and avoiding clustered formations reduces the risk of getting wiped by surprise area attacks or getting caught in black hole zones.

4. Communicate and Call Out Enemy Positions

Thanks to their cloaking and teleportation tricks, Illuminate units can pop up anywhere. Use voice chat or quick pings to alert teammates to enemy movement, especially when spotting warp tech or unusual energy signatures.

Pro Tip: To catch every subtle sound cue, you need gear that delivers clear audio and a noise-canceling mic. Level up your squad communication with Arctis Nova Pro, designed for pinpoint positional awareness and seamless teamwork. When every second counts, hearing is winning.

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5. Equip Anti-Shield and Crowd Control Weapons

Weapons like the LAS-17 Double-Edged Sickle and Laser Cannon cut through energy shields fast. Don’t underestimate crowd-control gear like the MG turret or Exploding Crossbow to hold back swarming Voteless Zombies.

6. Prepare for Endgame Events

Late-game Illuminate encounters bring heavy hitters like Genesis Prime and Super Destroyers. Stock up on Recoilless Rifles, Obliterator Bombs, and Penrose Energy Siphons to survive these boss-level threats.

Illuminate Enemy Weaknesses

Despite their advanced tech and tricky tactics, the Illuminate aren’t invincible. Knowing how to exploit their weaknesses is your ticket to victory.

Energy Shields Can Be Overloaded or Bypassed

Most Illuminate units rely on layered energy shields for protection, but those shields have limits. Weapons that deal sustained damage or have shield-piercing capabilities will quickly burn through their defenses. Top picks include:

LAS-17 Double-Edged Sickle: great for close to mid-range shield stripping.
Laser Cannon: precise shots that punch through energy barriers.
Recoilless Rifle: excellent for blasting through shields and armor on heavy units.
Exploding Crossbow: especially effective against cloaked or mobile enemies.

Stratagems That Break Shields and Crowd Control

Strategic use of stratagems can turn the tide by disabling shields and scattering groups:

Tesla Tower Stratagem: electrifies enemies, disrupting shield regeneration and dealing area damage.
MG Turret: perfect for suppressing swarms of Voteless Zombies and keeping pressure on Illuminate snipers.
Penrose Energy Siphon: drains enemy energy shields and weakens their attacks.

Elemental and Area Effects

Some Illuminate units are vulnerable to specific environmental effects or status conditions:

Napalm and Fire: effective against clusters of Voteless Zombies and exposed units.
EMP Effects: disrupts energy shields and cloaking devices temporarily, leaving enemies exposed.
Orbital Napalm Barrage: clears zones and counters gravity-based anomalies.

Targeted Weak Points

Certain Illuminate bosses and elites, like the Crescent Overseer and Genesis Prime, have specific weak points exposed during attacks or teleportation phases. Focus your fire during these windows for maximum damage.

The Best Weapons Against the Illuminate

When facing the Illuminate, not all weapons are created equal. Their energy shields, cloaking, and mobility mean you’ll want gear that can punch through defenses, track elusive targets, and control crowds.

Here are some of the top weapons to pack in your loadout:

S-Tier Weapons

LAS-17 Double-Edged Sickle: This versatile rifle excels at stripping enemy shields quickly while delivering solid damage. Perfect for mid-range engagements against cloaked units and shielded foes.
Laser Cannon: Precision and power combine in this weapon, cutting through energy barriers with ease. Its pinpoint accuracy makes it ideal for targeting weak spots on bosses like the Crescent Overseer or Genesis Prime.
Recoilless Rifle: If you need to punch through heavy armor and take down shielded units fast, this is your go-to. Great for solo players and squads alike, it’s especially deadly against Illuminate vehicles and fortified positions.

A-Tier Weapons

Exploding Crossbow: Surprise enemies hiding behind cloaks or shields with explosive bolts that deal both impact and area damage. Great for crowd control and softening up groups of Voteless Zombies.
Plasma Rifle: Offers sustained fire and decent shield penetration. Useful for mid-to-late-game encounters where rapid damage output matters.

Pro Tips

Use the Recoilless Rifle to drop flying enemies or shielded targets before they teleport away.
Combine Tesla Tower Stratagems with laser weapons to disrupt shields faster.
Switch between crowd-control and precision weapons depending on the enemy type—flexibility is key.

Choosing the right weapon isn’t just about raw power; it’s about adapting to the Illuminate’s high-tech tricks. Pack smart, communicate with your squad, and always watch for those telltale energy shield glows.

What Kills Illuminate Ships?

Illuminate ships, like their Warp Ships, Super Destroyers, and other orbital threats, are some of the toughest challenges you’ll face in Helldivers 2. These behemoths bring devastating firepower, advanced shields, and tricky warp tech that can crush unprepared squads in seconds.

How to Take Them Down

Orbital Shelling & Precision Strikes: Coordinated Orbital Precision Strikes are a must. Timing your orbital bombardments when ships expose weak points during attacks or warping sequences maximizes damage.
Obliterator Bombs: These high-damage explosives are perfect for puncturing ship shields and armor, especially during the brief windows when ships are vulnerable.
Mass Stratagem Stacking: Combine multiple stratagems like Tesla Towers, Orbital Napalm Barrages, and MG Turrets to overwhelm the ship’s defenses and suppress smaller escort units.
Focus Fire on Shield Generators and Warp Engines: Target the ship’s critical systems—shield emitters and warp engines—to force them out of stealth or prevent escape.
Squad Coordination is Key: Illuminate ships can unleash massive AOE attacks, so spread out, keep moving, and communicate constantly to avoid catastrophic damage.

Pro Tip: When facing a Super Destroyer, patience and sustained damage trump rushing. Wait for the right moment to unleash your heaviest firepower and always have a stratagem ready for quick defense.

Don’t Get Blinded by the Bright Lights

The Illuminate aren’t your run-of-the-mill space pests. They’re high-tech, high-threat, and high-maintenance enemies that demand respect (and the right loadout). From cloaking assassins to warping warships, these enemies push your squad to master strategy, teamwork, and precision.

Remember: mobility, communication, and the right weapons or stratagems are your best friends against these glowing terrors. Keep your eyes sharp, your ears sharper (and maybe upgrade that headset), because when the Illuminate come for you, the only thing worse than getting caught off guard is missing the callout.

So gear up, squad up, and don’t let the brightest enemy in the galaxy outshine you.

The Illuminate in Helldiver’s 2: FAQs

How to Deal With the Illuminate in Helldivers 2?

Focus on disabling their cloaking and energy shields first. Use stratagems like Tesla Towers and Orbital Napalm Barrages to disrupt their formations. Stay mobile, communicate with your squad, and target high-value enemies like Crescent Overseers quickly.

What Are the Illuminate’s Weaknesses in Helldivers 2?

The Illuminate are weak to sustained damage weapons that can pierce or overload their energy shields, such as the LAS-17 Double-Edged Sickle, Laser Cannon, and Recoilless Rifle. Elemental effects like fire and EMP also temporarily disable their shields and cloaking.

Can Illuminate Enemies Cloak Indefinitely?

No, their cloaking devices have limits. Illuminate units typically cloak only to reposition or ambush, then attack before recloaking. Using EMP effects and area damage can force them to decloak.

Are Voteless Zombies Part of the Illuminate Faction?

Yes, Voteless Zombies are mind-controlled infantry puppets created by the Illuminate to swarm enemies and overwhelm squads with sheer numbers.

What Role Do Illuminate Council Members Play in Combat?

Council Members act as elite psionic commanders. They summon gravity wells, dark energy zones, and other battlefield hazards, making them priority targets to prevent squad-wide disruptions.

Do Illuminate Enemies Drop Special Loot?

Illuminate enemies often drop rare tech components and Super Credits, which can be used for upgrading weapons and unlocking advanced stratagems.