The Devastator is a medium infantry Automaton armed with a double-barreled laser arm cannon and Medium armor protecting its torso, making it a durable and persistent threat.
Spawning
Devastators first appear in Eliminate Devastators missions on Trivial difficulty, then spawn naturally and are deployed from Dropships starting on Medium difficulty.
They also deploy in squads of four from Factory Striders.
At higher difficulties beyond Challenging, Devastators begin to be replaced by their stronger variants, the Heavy Devastator and Rocket Devastator, with higher spawn chances as difficulty increases.
Behavior
Devastators advance slowly toward Helldivers while firing their arm cannons in two-shot bursts, pausing for two seconds between attacks.
If a Helldiver gets too close, they will deliver a powerful punch, knocking them down. Prone Helldivers are also vulnerable to Devastator stomps.
Tactics
- Devastator torsos are protected by Medium armor, but their head, hips, and stomach are Unarmored II, making them vulnerable to precise shots.
- Many weapons can kill a Devastator instantly with a headshot, including the P-4 Senator and R-63CS Diligence Counter Sniper. However, missed shots may be deflected by their torso armor, making stomach shots a more reliable alternative.
- If a quick kill isn’t possible, staggering them is an effective strategy. Variants of the SG-8 Punisher can keep a Devastator off-balance with sustained fire, preventing it from using its laser cannon and leaving it open for follow-up attacks.
- Shooting off the Devastator’s right arm cannon renders it harmless, significantly reducing its threat level.
- The CB-9 Exploding Crossbow is highly effective, requiring just two torso shots to kill while also staggering nearby Devastators with its blast.
- Explosive weapons aimed at the hips or legs can quickly dismantle most Devastators, making them an effective counter.