How to defeat Hive Lords in Helldivers 2?

Hive Lords in Helldivers 2 will give Shai-Hulud from Dune a run for their Spice. These massive worm-like Terminid are the Alpha and Omega on Hive Worlds. With the ability to dig tunnels through a planet's crust, they are invaluable to the Terminids.

Hive Lords are likely the ones responsible for creating the labyrinth of tunnels and cave systems, in which Helldivers now fight to ensure the safety of Super Earth. Given their sheer size, how does one bring down a creature that towers over Bile Titans? That's what we're going to address in this article.

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Defeat Hive Lords in Helldivers 2 by using unprecedented amounts of Democratic firepower

Don't hesitate; pull the trigger (Image via Sony | YouTube/Eravin)

As mentioned, you're going to need a lot of firepower to bring down Hive Lords. They have a health pool of 150,000 HP, which is the equivalent of having to use 15 (or more) B-100 Portable Hellbombs to blow them to smithereens. However, even if you're entire squad gets the Strategem, calling them in, and actually being able to time the detonation to affect the Hive Lord is going to be challenging.

To add to the woes, Hive Lords have thick armour, but that doesn't mean they are not susceptible to damage. Despite having Tier-5 Armour across the surface of their body, certain Support Weapons and Strategum can punch a hole in them. Here's a list of things that can and will hurt Hive Lords in Helldivers 2:

• A/AC-8 Autocannon Sentry
• A/MLS-4X Rocket Sentry
• EXO-49 Emancipator Exosuit
• Eagle Strafing Run
• GR-8 Recoilless Rifle HE Shell
• MD-17 Anti-Tank Mines
• Orbital 120mm HE Barrage
• Orbital Gatling Barrage
• Orbital Napalm Barrage
• PLAS-45 Epoch
• RS-422 Railgun
• TX-41 Sterilizer
• Eagle 500kg Bomb
• EAT-17 Expendable Anti-Tank
• EXO-45 Patriot Exosuit (Rocket Only)
• G-23 Stun
• GP-20 Ultimatum
• GR-8 Recoilless Rifle HEAT Shell
• LAS-99 Quasar Cannon
• MLS-4X Commando
• Orbital 380mm HE Barrage
• Orbital Laser
• Orbital Precision Strike
• Orbital Walking Barrage
• Orbital Gas Strike
• StA-X3 W.A.S.P. Launcher
• E/AT-12 Anti-Tank Emplacement
• ARC-3 Arc Thrower
• Eagle 110mm Rocket Pods
• Eagle Airstrike
• Eagle Napalm Airstrike
• FAF-14 Spear
• G-123 Thermite
• Orbital Railcannon Strike
• B-100 Portable Hellbomb

As you can see, there are a lot of things that can hurt the Hive Lords in Helldivers 2 if you shoot at their body. In contrast, shooting the head when the mouth is closed is not going to yield results, as it's even more heavily armored. However, when their mouths are open, this is your chance to deal the most amount of damage as the armour value is a mere Tier-2.

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Strategies for defeating Hive Lords in Helldivers 2

There are two main strategies for defeating Hive Lords in Helldivers 2. Both have their pros and cons, but depending on the time left to complete the Mission and other variables, one strategy will be better than the others.

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Run!

Run away if you feel you're tactically outmatched (Image via Sony | YouTube/Eravin)

While this may seem like heresy and very undemocratic behavior, Ministries of Super Earth have made an exception when it comes to Hive Lords in Helldivers 2. Given their sheer size, it's not always possible to defeat one, given the limited resources available on Hive Worlds within the Gloom. As such, feel free to run, crawl, or drive to your nearest Cave to avoid being swallowed whole by a Hive Lord.

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Stand and Fight!

Aim for the open mouth! (Image via Sony | YouTube/Eravin)

With Democracy's guiding light by your side, if you do decide to stand and fight (or at least try to), you'll need to plan ahead with your squad. Hive Lords in Helldivers 2 have telltale signs of their arrival. The ground will shake, plumes of dust will be shot into the air, and finally, the Hive Lord will surface.

If you plan on fighting, it's best to call in your Strategems immediately and start attacking the beast. If you do plan on using the E/AT-12 Anti-Tank Emplacement, make sure it's far away from the action and situated in a safe spot, or else it'll be destroyed. The player manning this weapon can also get the FAF-14 Spear. With a range of 300, it's perfect for dealing damage from afar.

For those in the thick of it, well, be prepared to die a lot (for Democracy, of course). Hive Lords will spew Bile Acid on you from time to time, as well as belly flop atop anyone unlucky enough to get in the way. When they break the surface and emerge, debris will fall, which also has a chance of killing you.

Nothing like the smell of dead Terminids in the morning (Image via Sony | YouTube/Eravin)

In short, there's nothing in particular you can do to make the fight less intense aside from dodging its attacks by diving and jumping out of the way when possible. By rough estimates, it will take you anywhere from less than 5 to 20 minutes to kill a Hive Lord. That being the case, use everything you can against it.

To minimize the time taken to bring down Hive Lords in Helldivers 2, it's best to play with a seasoned team of players who have upgraded their Destroyers completely. This will ensure you get every advantage possible during the fight. You'll also be able to coordinate your attacks.

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That's about everything you can learn about Hive Lords in Helldivers 2 on paper. To truly understand what works best for you and your squad, you will have to face one of these behemoths on the field and live to tell the tale.

Don't be afraid to test out different Stratagems to see what works best. I would personally recommend carrying a lot of G-123 Thermite as it does decent damage. Orbital Laser and Orbital Railcannon Strike are also great against large targets. Make use of them when dealing with Hive Lords in Helldivers 2.

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Read more articles here:

• Helldivers 2 Into The Unjust patch notes (September 2, 2025) revealed
• All new Terminids in Helldivers 2: Into The Unjust update