HELLDIVERS 2 added the Noxious Scavenger and Noxious Spewer on November 3, 2026, introducing the venomous Noxious Terminid strain and expanding bug cave spawns across more biomes. The Ministry of Truth's announcement puts Super Earth's response bluntly: "Super Earth reminds you that ammunition is cheaper than antivenom."
Noxious Spewers attack your ability to escape
The Noxious Spewer brings speed to a body that looks anything but nimble. This large Terminid also produces the webs now draped across the battlefield. At medium range, its Web Spit disables a Helldiver's sprint, giving the creature an opening to close the distance before attacking with its teeth.
Those bites are quick and have considerable reach. They also deliver a stronger dose of venom than a Scavenger bite, making the larger enemy particularly dangerous once it gets close enough to connect.
Its armor has a clear divide: the head carries medium protection, while the web-filled abdomen has none. Destroying that exposed sac triggers a Web Explosion, however, snaring nearby Helldivers and bugs alike. An unarmored target is welcome; the burst of webbing attached to it is considerably less friendly.
Web Spit on the Terminid front
Fragile Scavengers bring fast bites and lingering poison
Noxious Scavengers initially look much like ordinary Scavengers. Their movement makes the difference apparent: they are faster than their familiar counterparts, harder to keep in your sights, and capable of biting again with very little delay between attacks. Their saving grace, at least for the squad facing them, is that they are fragile.
Arrowhead highlights shotguns, flamethrowers, and grenades as effective weapons against these smaller enemies, favoring volume over precision. For a broader comparison of faction matchups, the Helldivers 2 support weapon tier list covers the equipment competing for that part of your loadout.
Every Noxious bite inflicts poison, with a new HUD icon letting players monitor the condition. The announcement distinguishes two levels:
- Lightly poisoned: Vision becomes hazy, and health begins draining over time.
- Heavily poisoned: Damage over time increases, vision remains hazy, and sprinting becomes unavailable.
The Spewer's web attack and heavy poisoning therefore restrict escape separately. One comes through a projectile at medium range; the other comes through the strain's venomous bites.
Bug caves spread beneath more biomes
The cave expansion gives Terminid tunnels a chance to appear across more biomes on the Galactic map, including scorched deserts and frozen tundras. Previously limited to a handful of worlds, these underground networks now reach a broader selection of environments.
Inside, limited visibility and corners that conceal approaching enemies favor the Noxious strain's speed. The announcement describes fast bugs arriving before players hear them, leaving little warning in tunnels where sightlines are already short. That makes the cave setting a particularly unpleasant match for enemies whose attacks depend on closing the gap.
Arrowhead's cave guidance emphasizes close-range firepower and keeping the squad together. It also calls for retaining a stim for a teammate who has pushed too far ahead.
For equipment comparisons before your next Terminid deployment, check the Helldivers 2 primary weapon tier list, which ranks guns against each faction.
