Slasher

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"Slashers are one of the common Necromorphs you encounter, and you will face them throughout the game."

—Dead Space 2 Official Guide

Slashers are the most common form of Necromorphs encountered in the Dead Space series. While relatively weak when alone, and possessing slow reflexes, Slashers can pose a serious threat when in groups.

Overview

The Slasher is created from a single human corpse, and is one of the more common Necromorphs encountered in a typical outbreak. The Slasher is named for its specialized arms, which sport sharp blade-like protrusions of bone. These arms are sometimes created by altering the host's original arms, while in others the slashing arms are entirely new appendages sprouting from the shoulder blades.

In addition to their bladed appendages, Slashers also sport a lower set of arms. In certain cases these appear to be the host's original arms clapped down to the sides of the body, while in others the arms are spindly, vestigial limbs that poke out from the exposed abdominal cavity. These limbs are used in maintaining stability, allowing the Slasher to attack its victims with its claws without falling over when the lower limbs are lost. These limbs are weak, but in some cases are used to hold down struggling victims. In Dead Space 3, mummified Slashers have multiple abdominal limbs as seen in the CMS Roanoke in orbit over Tau Volantis. It's currently unknown what the extra limbs would serve in action.

The bones of the feet are fused and lengthened while the heel bone is extended almost parallel to the angle of the sole, forming a sharp peg that aids in balance. While this modified foot may aid the creature in rapidly crawling through vents and running, it results in an unstable gait while walking, and as such Slashers have difficulty holding their balance without constantly moving their slashing limbs as counter-weights.

Slashers will make constant gurgling and choking sounds as they approach the player, though this usually only occurs when it is unseen.

Variants

Enhanced Slasher

DS1 ES — An Enhanced Slasher from *Dead Space* and *Dead Space: Extraction*

Distinguished by their mottled black tissue, glowing eyes, and the presence of maggots infesting their bodies, Enhanced Slashers are the product of Necromorph infection and transformation of highly necrotic (decayed) corpses. These Necromorphs are far more resilient to damage than their non-enhanced counterparts and are likewise much stronger and ferocious in combat. Unlike regular Slashers, Enhanced Slashers have a uniform look, with virtually all the individual features of their hosts absent following infection and their sole remaining clothing being tattered remains of their pants. In Dead Space, Enhanced Slashers had seemingly emaciated-looking bladed appendages while possessing still-sturdy legs. In Dead Space 2 however, Enhanced Slashers appear to have more bulky limbs overall, the arms included, and they appeared as such in all subsequent appearances.

Enhanced Slashers are first encountered by Isaac at the end of Chapter 2 of Dead Space, where Isaac witnesses the deceased form of Captain Benjamin Matthius being transformed into an Enhanced Slasher by an Infector. They continue to be encountered from there on during the course of Dead Space, being the most common "Enhanced" Necromorph encountered; they similarly appear in Dead Space 2, Dead Space 2: Severed, Dead Space 3, Dead Space: Extraction, and Dead Space (mobile).

Female Slasher

Appearing in Dead Space, Dead Space: Extraction and Dead Space 2, Female Slashers are recognizable by their (relatively) feminine forms and the complete absence of the abdominal limbs present in the standard variety; in addition, unlike other Slashers whose bladed appendages can either be formed from their host's original arms (with the abdominal limbs sprouting directly from the stomach) or new growths from their shoulders (with the original arms being fused in such a way to become the aforementioned abdominal limbs), Female Slashers' blades always sprout from the host's original arms. It is also important to note that, while they are termed "Female" Slashers and are always the product of a female host (hence their appellation), they do not encompass all Slashers resulting from a female host; female hosts can be turned into regular and Enhanced Slashers, making the term Female Slasher simply used to define a sub-type of Slasher rather than a gender.

In Dead Space, Female Slashers are weaker than their standard counterparts, lacking the same degree of physical strength and endurance. However, Female Slashers also have a capability unique among Slashers, that being to "spit" a globule of corrosive chemicals at foes from range; while this attack is not overly damaging, it does stagger those struck by the projectile. While the Female Slashers seem to favor this ranged attack over charging at distant foes like regular Slashers, it is important to note they are still quite capable and quick to engage in melee combat should an opponent come too close or to attempt a sneak attack if they have gone unnoticed.

In Dead Space: Extraction, Female Slashers, while mostly the same as those encountered in Dead Space, differ in several key areas. Most notable among these differences is that Female Slashers in Extraction will never engage in melee combat, instead opting to solely utilize their ranged attack. In addition, the Female Slashers encountered in Extraction do not spit the same corrosive projectiles, instead vomiting forth explosive masses similar in appearance to the pods launched by Brutes; these pods are more damaging relative to the corrosive spit, but are also of much lower velocity, making it possible to utilize Kinesis to catch and redirect the projectile at enemies (whereas the corrosive spit could not be manipulated by Kinesis).

Female Slashers also appear in Dead Space 2 where they act like regular Slashers, only having the ability to use their long claws to slash. Their ability to spit has been removed and given to the Spitters. These female Slashers are mainly created from the bodies of female civilians.

Zealot Slasher

Appearing only in the Church of Unitology in Dead Space 2, Zealot Slashers are forms of standard Slashers made from the bodies of Unitologist Monks. The only distinction between Zealot Slashers and their standard counterparts is their appearance, which is considerably less modified than other forms. The monk's robe is almost entirely intact, with only a few rips along the legs. If not decapitated, the deceased monk's hood is still on its head, shadowing its face. The monk's arms are frozen (likely by rigor mortis) in a prayer gesture; they do not move and cannot be dismembered. The Slasher's blades always sprout from the back. They are first encountered in Chapter 4 and are never seen again after Chapter 5 of Dead Space 2.

Armored Slashers

Slasher male armor — An Armored Slasher.

These slashers are created from the corpses of either soldiers, miners or engineers wearing armored RIGs. They appear quite skeletal in appearance with their muscles, skin, and organs missing from their torsos. Only their lower bodies have these missing properties, plus the armored leggings and boots of the corpse's RIGs. This makes them difficult to kill, as their legs cannot be dismembered. The only way to kill them is by dismembering their head and their arms.

Combat strategy

Dismemberment — Decapitation does little to stop the creature.

Dead Space, Dead Space 2 and Dead Space 3

A Slasher dies immediately after losing both arms.
When a leg is severed, a Slasher's mobility is severely hindered, and it becomes a much more vulnerable target. It must raise and stabilize its arms in order to start moving again. If both legs are severed, the Slasher can be killed by dismembering one of its arms, or with one shot to the body.
Usually the most effective way to kill a slasher is to dismember one of its legs, and then one of its arms. It's very rare for a slasher to survive losing a leg and an arm, assuming nothing else has been hit.
The strategy above does also apply to Enhanced Slashers, however they take much more damage, so when the legs are severed, the best spot to shoot is between the shoulder and the neck.
Shooting at the legs won't work on Slashers that have armor on their legs.
Slashers will often break into sprints once they have a clear line of space between them an the player. This is usually signalled by the slasher angrily yelling as it charges forward. Stasis is heavily recommended when facing a charging Slasher, especially in Dead Space 3 where their sprinting is twice as fast and much more often.
Slashers sometime feign death after being dismembered, and will attack when you turn your back, get near it, or damage it. If a Slasher feigns death and you have the Kinesis module, then you should have time to find a sharp object (like a severed Slasher blade) with which to kill it. Furthermore, if you cannot pick up its corpse, it is still functional.
Some Slashers, instead of charging straight towards you, will instead leap into a nearby vent (where they aren't exposed to danger), travel to a vent closer to you and burst out of it. Be wary of the location of vents in a room with multiple Slashers; stay away from them and listen for persistent bumping sounds in the ventilation system.
Any weapon is effective against Slashers, however which to use depends largely on the number of them encountered at a time. In ones-to-threes, weapons such as the Plasma Cutter or Pulse Rifle are more than adequate. In groups any larger, or made up of Enhanced versions, support weapons that do high amounts of damage, or are capable of inflicting damage to more than one creature are highly recommended.
A viable strategy with the Line Gun's primary fire is to try and aim somewhere near the shoulder line of a Slasher. The width of the laser fired should cause damage to both arms, and may possibly hit the head as well, causing quite a good amount of damage for the use of one Line Rack, if not outright killing them.
Do not attempt consecutive melee attacks. Slashers can and will block them, or utterly ignore them after the first strike and either slash or grapple. This can be countered by Stasis. In Dead Space 2 however, Slashers do not block melee attacks, so consecutive melee is made easier, but is not advised unless paired with Stasis.
If confronted with Slashers and Infectors, go for the Infectors.
Severing a Slasher's arm will almost always make it stagger back, giving you a few seconds to reload or get into a better position. You can also use this time to catch its blade with Kinesis and launch the blade back at it, either killing or pushing it down to the ground (depending on the difficulty and type of Slasher).
A Slasher can be killed using an object in one shot. Use this to save on ammo or quickly deal with a small group
In Dead Space 3, it is useful to carry a weapon with a default-tipped Force Gun equipped as the secondary fire. Slashers are very weak to knockback and even an unupgraded Force Gun shot will send them flying. This is useful for avoiding damage and giving you time to line up your shots, saving ammunition.
Also in Dead Space 3, keep an eye out for moving ripples in the ice when crossing large grounds on the surface of Tau Volantis, as these are clear indications of a Slasher digging its way towards the player. If predicted, a mine can be placed ahead of the Slasher's direction, as it will explode when the Necromorph surfaces, most usually killing it.

Dead Space: Extraction

Cutting off one or both legs will cause a Slasher to crawl at you. However, they tend to require both arms to be shot off.
Melee is even less effective now. The unlimited ammo of the Rivet Gun is much more useful.

Death Scenes

Dead_Space_-_Slasher_Death — Dead Space - Slasher Death

The Slasher grabs Isaac with its limbs and latches onto his neck with its jaws. If the action sequence is succeeded, Isaac will push the Slasher away and punch its head off with his weapon. This is not a guaranteed kill unless the Slasher is heavily damaged. Should the action sequence fail, the Slasher decapitates Isaac and throws his corpse to the ground before proceeding to gnaw at his headless body.
In Dead Space 2, the Slasher will do exactly the same move, however it now splits Isaac's body whenever it succeeds in finishing him off.
If Isaac runs out of health when hit by a Slasher's scythes, whatever part of him is hit will be dismembered and he will be killed instantly.
The Zealot Slasher and certain other Slasher types like the doctor variant grab Isaac and begin to stab him in the shoulder. If the action sequence is failed it stabs him in the throat and leaves him to die from blood loss, leaving his body intact. If the action sequence is succeeded, Isaac rips off one of the Zealot's scythes and stabs it in its side. Occasionally, this death sequence will not cause Isaac's EKG monitor to flatline.
When Isaac is still in his straitjacket at the beginning of Dead Space 2, a Slasher will leap out of a wheelchair and pounce on him, triggering an action sequence. If successful, Isaac will kick the Slasher into a door as it closes, crushing it. If failed, it will decapitate Isaac by stabbing his neck multiple times.

Notable Slashers

Captain Benjamin Mathius (Enhanced Slasher)
Dr. Challus Mercer (Enhanced Slasher)
Samuel Irons (Regular Slasher)
Det. Nathan McNeill (Unknown Slasher type, presumably regular)
Franco Delille (Regular Slasher)
Dylan Carver (Unique child Slasher)
Damara Carver (Regular female Slasher)
Robert Norton (Unique Slasher type & model)

Trivia

The Slashers in Dead Space 3 now have a new design. Being made from the corpses of Tau Volantis's former colonists and various bodies found on deserted spaceships, these Slashers look more like mummified corpses compared to the fresh flesh texture of previous versions. These slashers are also capable of fast quadrupedal movement, similar to the Twitchers in Dead Space 2.
Shooting off a Slasher's head will prevent it from using its bite grapple, but shooting an arm off of an Enhanced Slasher will not prevent it from using its stabbing grapple on Isaac.
John Carver's son Dylan was transformed after he was killed by Jacob Danik. However, instead of turning into a Pack Necromorph like children of his age, he became a Slasher with a smaller frame and no abdominal hands.
In Dead Space 3: Awakened, Isaac and Carver encounters Captain Robert Norton's eventual Slasher transformation as they attempt to backtrack towards the Unitologist shuttle.
- The Norton Slasher has an unique model that clearly shows who it previously was, and boasts a rather ridiculous amount of hitpoints even compared to Enhanced Necromorphs (almost 2.5x that of an Enhanced Slasher), easily becoming one of the toughest, if not the toughest, non-boss enemy fought in the entire game.
- Despite dying on the cliffs outside the Dissection Hangar, Norton's Slasher have somehow managed to travel a quite admirable distance to the entrance of the Archaeology Warehouse, where he met his second, and eventual demise.
- After the sequence with Isaac shooting Norton to death, it is possible to completely dismember his corpse. As this would normally prevent Necromorph transformation, it is likely that the developers simply overlooked this fact and programmed it as if the player had left Norton's corpse alone and intact.
Some Slasher variants are able to bite Isaac while possessing only their upper jaw. This is most visible on Enhanced Slashers (all versions) and is likely an oversight.
In Dead Space 2, there is a glitch in Chapter 10 where a Slasher will appear on top of the Centrifuge Cooling Tower.
In the animated movie Dead Space: Downfall, the creation of male Slashers is the same in comparison to their creation in the game. However, Infectors never seem to produce enhanced Slashers.
Although Slashers do not require their heads to live, they seemingly still require the use of eyes to see. A Slasher with its head cut off will swing around wildly towards the player rather than charge at them.
In Dead Space 2 Multiplayer, Slashers can be seen walking around and attacking Human players. Because the only playable characters on the Necromorph team are the Spitter, Lurker, The Pack, and the Puker, the Slashers are A.I. controlled and assist the Necromorph side. They act the same way as they do in the campaign, and the model that is used is always the female Slasher with distinct Ubermorph-like "face lumps".
Only one Slasher appears in Dead Space: Aftermath, which Nolan Stross creates when he places a Marker fragment next to a corpse. Its escape was prior to the Necromorph outbreak aboard the O'Bannon.
Slashers rarely ever use their original human or "abdominal" arms. In fact, in all of the games thus far, there are only two instance of this. In Chapter 1 of Dead Space, after the ride down the elevator, you'll enter the room where you get the Plasma Cutter. Behind the locked door is a man getting mauled by a Slasher, with the abdominal arms holding the man in place. In Dead Space 2, when Franco Delille transforms into a Necromorph, he uses his original human arms to hold Isaac when he attempts to attack Isaac. In other media, an instance of Slashers' use of their abdominal arms is in Dead Space: Martyr. When Altman is attempting to climb the ladder, the Slasher chasing him uses these arms to climb after him, still swinging its other scythe-like arms at him. In another example of this, a Slasher used its abdominal arms in Dead Space: Downfall to grab Hanson when it was attempting to kill him and lastly in Dead Space: Aftermath where a Slasher snaps the neck of one of its victims with them.
In Dead Space 2, the severed blades of a Slasher (or any Necromorph) can be rotated 90° by pressing the secondary fire button while being lifted by Kinesis. This, however, does not affect the speed nor damage of the projectile. This is likely to be an error, or that the blades partially use the same scripting as the Plasma Cutter.
- This is the same case for Crawlers' dead bodies, however they will just tilt to the side slightly.
On Tau Volantis, Slashers can move under the snow and pop out to attack Isaac and Carver with surprise. This can be avoided by seeing ripples on the surface.
Even though enhanced Slashers are made from decayed flesh, Challus Mercer's fresh body was transformed into one nonetheless. The same goes for all other bodies transformed on-screen in Dead Space.
A "Basic naked" Slasher was seen being sliced with a hydraulic engine weapon in the launch trailer for Dead Space 3, even though none are fought in the game at all.
A Slasher variant wearing the S.C.A.F. Legionary RIG appears only in the final boss fight in Dead Space 3. Some suggest that this may be the 200 year old Necromorph form of Tim Kaufman.
In Dead Space 2, during the chase with the Ubermorph, when you kill an enhanced Slasher before they die you can hear them yell "NO!". Whether this is an oversight by the developers or an indication that the Slashers retain a semblance of human sentience is unclear.
The presence of Enhanced Slashers in Dead Space 3 is unusual, due to the fact the frigid temperatures of Tau Volantis would most likely prevent any kind of flesh rotting, Necromorph or not. Opposite this, the Slashers aboard the S.C.A.F. flotilla orbiting the planet seemed to avoid becoming Enhanced Slashers by mummifying their bodies in wait.
In Dead Space 2: Severed, Slashers can be seen dragging a corpse in Chapter 2. The reason could be similar to what happened in Dead Space: Downfall, how the Slashers piled the corpses to possibly make a Brute, or even the Graverobber. Similarly, these Slashers could be making a Necromorph that consists of multiple bodies.
Excluding the naked variant it can be easy to tell with a Slasher what job it held when they were still human such as the case with the doctor, engineer, security etc. variants.