In Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, the Neurothrope is a daunting miniboss that demands a mix of patience, quick reflexes, and strategic combat. This enemy, a floating psychic beast, bombards players with ranged and area-of-effect (AoE) attacks while summoning hordes of smaller Tyranids to overwhelm you. With its combination of projectiles and psychic powers, the Neurothrope can be one of the toughest enemies in the game.
Understanding the Neurothrope’s Attacks
The Neurothrope has a variety of powerful ranged abilities, each posing different challenges:
- Green Energy Projectiles: The Neurothrope launches three tracking green orbs that target players from a distance. These are relatively easy to dodge by rolling out of their path, but staying on the move is crucial. Use cover effectively and time your dodges well to avoid being hit.
- Energy Beam: This focused attack begins with the Neurothrope aiming at the ground before sending a beam in one direction. It might seem like a missed attack at first, but once you know its pattern, you’ll quickly learn to avoid it by moving out of the beam’s range before it locks onto you.
- AoE Blasts: One of the more dangerous attacks in the Neurothrope’s arsenal, this move unleashes a series of blasts that radiate outward. To dodge these, you need to roll through the blasts at just the right moment. This is a risky attack to get close to, but mastering this dodge opens up the chance to get inside the Neurothrope’s defenses.
- Summoning Minions: Throughout the fight, the Neurothrope calls in waves of smaller Tyranids, including Hormagaunts. Ignoring these minions can overwhelm you, so prioritize taking them down as soon as possible. Use grenades or your Fury ability to dispatch them quickly and regain control of the battlefield.
Best Tactics for Different Builds
Ranged Classes: If you’re using a ranged build, your priority is to stay mobile. Keep firing while dodging the various projectiles and AoE attacks. The key to winning this fight as a ranged character is positioning. Use the environment to your advantage, finding cover when needed, and take potshots at the Neurothrope between dodging attacks. Always be mindful of the smaller Tyranids it summons, as they can easily overrun you if left unchecked.
Melee Classes: For melee-focused builds, patience is key. The Neurothrope’s attacks can be devastating if you’re caught off guard, so wait for the right opportunity—usually after the AoE blast attack when the Neurothrope lowers its shield. At this point, rush in and land as many hits as possible before the miniboss recovers. Be sure to avoid its roar attack, which deals damage and can stun you, leaving you vulnerable.
Key Strategies
- Focus on Minions: One of the biggest mistakes in this fight is ignoring the lesser enemies. They may not deal a lot of damage individually, but they swarm, and their numbers can be overwhelming. By clearing them out quickly, you’ll have fewer distractions when dodging the Neurothrope’s attacks.
- Time Your Dodges: This boss relies heavily on timed projectiles and area attacks, making dodging one of your most valuable skills. Practice timing your rolls to avoid the green orbs and AoE pulses, and remember that the best time to strike is right after dodging the latter.
- Use Fury and Grenades: When things get intense, don’t hesitate to use your Fury ability to heal yourself and deal damage simultaneously. Grenades are also invaluable for thinning out the hordes of Tyranids that flood the battlefield.
- Close the Gap in the AoE Attack: When the Neurothrope performs its AoE blast, it generates a protective bubble around itself. Ranged players might prefer to stay back, but melee characters should seize this moment to close the gap and get inside the bubble to deal heavy damage.
Winning the Battle
The Neurothrope fight can be long and grueling, but persistence pays off. If you’re a ranged player, keep moving, prioritize the minions, and chip away at the boss’s health from a distance. Melee players should bide their time, waiting for those critical moments when the Neurothrope is vulnerable, and then strike hard. Understanding the boss’s attack patterns, controlling the smaller enemies, and mastering your dodge timing will lead you to victory.
