A Guide to the Elevated Overseer Enemy in Helldivers 2

[PixelVortex]

If you're fighting the Illuminate and see a figure lift off the ground with a pair of roaring turbines, you've just met an Elevated Overseer. This is a breakdown of what they are, how they work in actual missions, and the most reliable ways for most players to deal with them.

What is an Elevated Overseer, and what does it do?

The Elevated Overseer is a flying Illuminate infantry unit. Think of it as a standard Overseer, but given a hoverpack and better weaponry. Its primary role is area denial and pursuit. You'll usually find them guarding key points in Illuminate outposts or leading patrols of Voteless units. They start appearing on Difficulty 3 (Challenging) and above, so they're a sign you're moving into more serious engagements.

In practice, they act like aggressive, low-flying gunships. Once alerted, they will hover and chase your squad relentlessly, using their mobility to flank you, especially in confined areas like city streets. They are not a scout; they are a direct threat that applies constant pressure.

What are its strengths and weaknesses?

Understanding its design is key to bringing it down efficiently.

Strengths:

Permanent Hover: Unlike Jump Troopers, Elevated Overseers can hover and cruise indefinitely. You cannot just wait for them to land.

Pursuit: They are tenacious. If they have a line of sight, they will follow you, making them dangerous during retreats.

Armor: Their body has light armor, and their helmet has medium armor. This means small arms fire to the body is resisted, but not completely ineffective.

Weapons: They carry a plasma rifle that fires accurate, damaging bursts, similar to Automaton laser rifles. They also throw high-explosive energy grenades, which can scatter a team.

Weaknesses (Exploit These):

The Jetpack: This is their critical weak point. The twin turbines have only light armor and are highly explosive. A few well-placed shots to the jetpack will cause a catastrophic explosion, instantly killing the Overseer. This is the fastest way to deal with them.

Shatterable Armor: Their light body armor can be completely shattered by sustained fire, removing its damage resistance. After that, they go down quickly.

Low Altitude: They fly low enough to be hit by most explosive Stratagems and even some melee attacks.

Grenade Throw: You can interrupt their grenade wind-up with any staggering damage (like from a Concussive Rifle or an impact explosion). If you do, they drop the grenade at their own feet.

What are the most effective tactics against them?

Most experienced squads prioritize Elevated Overseers because their mobility makes them a disruptive force. Here’s how players generally handle them:

Target the Jetpack: This is rule number one. Weapons with a bit of precision or a high rate of fire are ideal. The standard Liberator Penetrator is excellent for this job. Just aim for the glowing turbines on its back. A single well-placed shot from a high-penetration weapon like the Anti-Materiel Rifle also works.

Use Automated Defenses: Machine Gun Sentries are exceptionally good against them. The sentry’s medium armor penetration and fast tracking can shred an Elevated Overseer before it gets too close. Similarly, the "Guard Dog" rover drone is effective due to its accurate, armor-piercing beams.

Stagger to Cancel Grenades: If you hear the distinct charging sound of their grenade, hit them with anything that causes a stagger. This not only protects your team but often leads to the Overseer damaging itself.

Break Line of Sight: While persistent, they can be lost. Ducking behind solid structures, using smoke grenades, or entering buildings can cause them to disengage, giving you time to reposition or focus on other threats.

Heavy Ordnance Works: Don't be afraid to use Eagle Airstrikes, Orbital Barrages, or even a Recoilless Rifle shot on them. They are not nimble enough to dodge area-of-effect explosions.

It’s worth noting that, while you may see offers for helldivers 2 super credits for sale on various third-party sites, most players advise against this due to significant risks. The in-game economy is designed so that Super Credits can be found organically on missions, and using unofficial sources can compromise your account. The safest way to acquire items is through regular play or the official store channels.

How does it compare to other flying enemies?

The closest comparison is the Automaton Jet Trooper, but they are quite different. Jet Troopers make aggressive leaps; Elevated Overseers provide sustained aerial fire. Think of a Jet Trooper as a jumper and an Elevated Overseer as a helicopter. The Automaton Gunship is a more direct parallel, but the Gunship is heavier, has more armor, and carries heavier weapons. The Elevated Overseer is more of a light gunship, dangerous because of its numbers and persistence rather than sheer firepower.

The Elevated Overseer is a quality-over-quantity unit for the Illuminate. It forces you to manage the vertical space and prioritize targets carefully. A single one can be a nuisance, but two or three, mixed in with a horde of Voteless, can quickly overwhelm an unprepared team. The consistent strategy is to focus fire on its jetpack, use automated defenses for area control, and never underestimate its ability to corner you. Learning to efficiently counter them is a major step in mastering missions against the Illuminate on higher difficulties.