So, you’re running through the Cyber World, dodge-rolling past emails and trying not to get flattened by a giant arcade machine, and you notice that little "Recruit" counter popping up. Honestly, if you’re coming straight from Undertale, it feels a bit weird. In that game, sparing was about the narrative soul of the thing. Here? It’s basically a cosmic census.
Deltarune Chapter 2 recruits aren't just a completionist's headache; they are the literal foundation of your growing Castle Town. If you mess this up, you aren't just missing a checkmark. You're leaving your town empty and making the game's climax significantly harder.
How the Recruitment System Actually Works
It's simpler than it looks, but the game is pretty unforgiving if you slip up. To recruit an enemy, you have to spare them enough times to fill their meter. Once you hit that magic number, they "join" you.
But here is the kicker: if you defeat even one enemy of a specific type violently (using the FIGHT command until their HP hits zero), they become "Lost." Once they're lost, that's it. You can't recruit that species for the rest of the game. You've essentially locked yourself out of a perfect town because you got impatient with a stray Poppup.
The stakes are higher than just flavor text. When you reach the GIGA Queen battle at the end of the chapter, your recruits actually form the parts of your Thrash Machine. Every recruit adds 5 HP to your total health bar. If you’ve been a menace, you’re going into that fight with the base 200 HP. If you've been a saint, you're sitting pretty at 250 HP. It makes a difference when those diamond bullets start flying.
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The Chapter 2 Hit List: Who You Need and Where
Most enemies are easy to find, but some are genuinely tricky. You can't just mash "Spare" once and call it a day.
The Common Cyber Denizens
- Ambyu-Lance: You need to spare 4 of these. They usually hang out in the city streets. They’re the ones that look like medical vans and try to "heal" you into a pulp.
- Poppup: These pop-up ad creatures are everywhere. You need 3. Pro tip: Don't click the X; just keep ACTing until they’re satisfied.
- Tasque: You need 5. These are the cat-like enemies that follow the Tasque Manager.
- Virovirokun: The little virus guys with the spears. Spare 4 of them.
The "One-Shot" Recruits
These guys are basically mini-bosses or unique encounters. If you blow the chance to spare them, they are gone.
- Tasque Manager: This is a big one. You only get one shot at her in the Queen’s Mansion. If you fight her, you lose out on the "Tasque Manager Says" challenge in the Party Dojo later.
- Werewerewire: Not to be confused with the standard Werewires (who you need 6 of). This guy is a beefed-up version that appears as a mid-boss.
- Mauswheel: You get this by recruiting 3 Maus enemies first. It’s a literal wheel of mice. It’s weird, it’s chaotic, and you definitely want it in your town.
The "Hacker" and Other Secrets
There are a few characters that don't follow the "mercy meter" rule but still count toward your town's population. The Hacker is the most prominent. You have to find all of his blue checkmarks scattered across the Cyber City.
If you find them all, he joins your town. He also provides literal "hacks" during the final boss chase, making the navigation sections way easier. Honestly, he's one of the most useful recruits in the game because of the utility he provides before you even finish the chapter.
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What Happens if You Go "Snowgrave"?
Look, we have to talk about the Weird Route (often called Snowgrave). If you decide to go down this dark path with Noelle, the recruitment system basically breaks.
Since the route requires you to freeze enemies to death, they can't be recruited. They're not just "lost"—they're gone. When you return to Castle Town after a Snowgrave run, the atmosphere is... different. It's quiet. Empty. Queen will even comment on the lack of subjects, and her dialogue becomes significantly more depressing.
Wait, can you still recruit anyone on a Weird Route?
Technically, yes. Before you trigger the point of no return with Noelle (the Berdly fight), you can spare enemies to recruit them. However, most people doing this route are going for maximum damage, so recruitment usually falls by the wayside. If you care about your recruits, don't freeze them. It's that simple.
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The Payoff in Castle Town
Once you finish Chapter 2 and head back to the Closet Dark World, you’ll see the fruits of your labor. The town expands.
- The Café: This is where your recruits hang out. You can actually sit them at tables and talk to them. It’s where most of the flavor text lives.
- The Party Dojo: This is the big one for gameplay. Depending on who you recruited, you unlock new challenges. Beating these challenges gives you items like the Tension Gem or the Clubs Sandwich.
- NPC Interactions: Seeing a Swatchling working the shop or watching a Poppup wander around makes the world feel alive. If you didn't recruit them, these spots are just vacant.
The Mystery of Nubert
Everyone loves Nubert. But did you know Nubert won't move to Castle Town if you haven't recruited everyone else? It's true. Queen has specific dialogue mentioning that Nubert stayed behind because the vibe wasn't right (basically, because the town was too empty). If you want the legendary Nubert in your town, you have to be a perfect pacifist.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Run
If you're looking to 100% your recruit list, here is how you should handle your next playthrough:
- Check the SAVE point: In Chapter 2, SAVE points actually show you your recruitment progress. Open the menu and see who you're missing. If it says "1 more needed," don't leave the area until you find another encounter.
- Talk to Trashy: Near the end of Queen’s Mansion, an NPC named Trashy will appear. He is literally there to tell you if you missed anyone. If he says you’re good, you’re good.
- Spare the Swatchlings: In the basement of the mansion, you’ll run into Swatchlings. They change colors. Match their colors to spare them quickly. Don't just hit them because you're frustrated with the puzzle.
- Avoid the "Lost" Status: If you accidentally hit an enemy, use items or Susie's "Ultimate Heal" to keep them alive while you work on the mercy meter. Just don't let that HP bar hit zero.
Recruiting everyone might feel like a chore, but Toby Fox is clearly building toward something. With Chapter 3 and 4 on the horizon, having a fully populated town is likely going to unlock even more features—or at the very least, save you from a very guilty conscience.
To make sure you've got everything locked in, you should head over to the Party Dojo in Castle Town immediately after finishing the chapter to check if the "Ch2 All Stars" challenge is available; if it's not, you missed someone important.