In Helldivers 2’s Omens of Tyranny update, facing a Dragon Roach for the first time can be intimidating. This flying Terminid hovers and dives from the skies, and when it comes in close it unleashes a line of green fire that can feel brutal. If you’ve ventured into the new cave missions—destroying eggs or taking on spore lungs—you know the Terminid hive worlds pack real aggression. But the Dragon Roach isn’t as heavily armored as the Illuminate Leviathan, making it more exploitable once you know its patterns. It does unleash fiery AoEs, but with the right loadout you can bring it down without turning the encounter into a wipefest. Here’s how to handle a Dragon Roach when it’s giving you trouble.
Best approach to defeating the Dragon Roach
– Use an exosuit for safety and staying power. Patriots and Emancipators are especially effective because they let you soak the Dragon Roach’s breath attack while you pump damage back into it with rockets, explosives, or energy weapons like the Quasar Cannon, Laser Cannon, or Epoch. The exosuit’s durability helps you ignore the worst of its fire and stay in the fight longer.
– Learn its flight and attack patterns. The Dragon Roach circles the map much like Illuminate jets and, if you get too close, it will sweep in with a green fire breath. Dodging the initial line isn’t always easy, but you can survive by staying under cover or staying in your exosuit’s protection and healing with a stim.
– Hit during the best windows. After it breathes fire, the Dragon Roach will hover briefly above you—this is the prime moment to unload. Its brief pause in the air provides a clear opening to deal significant damage.
– Target the vulnerable moments, not just the airspace. While orbital railcannon strikes can be tempting, they’re unlikely to lock onto a flying target. Solid options include well-placed missiles, an autocannon turret, or artillery emplacement, though you’ll want to avoid staying stationary for too long in exposed spots.
– Don’t underestimate melee ranges inside caves. Exosuits translate well to underground missions, letting you bring heavy firepower into caves where airstrikes or orbitals aren’t as accessible. Staying mobile and keeping ammo topped up is crucial in these close quarters.
Why this strategy works
– The Dragon Roach isn’t as heavily armored as some other Terminid bosses, so you can focus on dealing damage with rockets and energy weapons rather than farming armor breaks.
– The exosuit’s survivability lets you tank the breath attack and maintain DPS, which is especially valuable in cave environments where escape routes are limited.
– Learning the creature’s flight cadence and the brief hover window gives you predictable moments to strike, making fights quicker and less punishing.
Summary
The Dragon Roach is a formidable foe in Helldivers 2’s Omens of Tyranny, but with the right loadout and timing, you can bring it down efficiently. Favor exosuits like the Patriot or Emancipator to weather its breath attacks, strike during its hover window, and combine rockets, explosives, or energy weapons for quick completion. In underground cave missions, bring the exosuit and keep ammo in check to stay adaptable and alive.
Extra insights for players
– Team loadouts: assign one player to stay with an exosuit-tanked approach while others focus on delivering heavy damage from a safe distance.
– Ammo management: keep a steady supply of rockets and energy ammo, especially when running cave routes where resupply may be slower.
– Safety first in caves: the enclosed spaces make it easy to get overwhelmed, so coordinate cover and rotation to prevent tunnel vision during the Dragon Roach encounters.
– Positive outlook: while challenging, the fight rewards precise timing and disciplined play, and mastering the Dragon Roach can make future Terminid encounters feel more manageable as you progress through the Omens of Tyranny content.