Recruiting enemies is one of the most rewarding mechanics introduced in Deltarune. Instead of simply defeating every enemy they come across, players can spare them to convince them to move into Castle Town, where they populate the streets and Café. The recruits unlock new conversations, café interactions, and make the town feel more alive.
While every recruit has something memorable about them, a handful stand out thanks to their creative battles, unique ACT mechanics, entertaining dialogue, and unique designs in Deltarune.
Defeating an enemy violently causes that recruit type to become LOST, preventing them from joining Castle Town for the rest of the playthrough. Because of this, players should prioritize peaceful encounters whenever possible.
Netskie (Chapter 5)
Netskie is easily one of the smartest enemy designs introduced so far. Rather than relying on a single gimmick, this fox-like recruit constantly imitates other enemies, making every encounter feel different. It’s a very mischievous creature that loves to deceive others. Netskie can copy attacks of many existing recruits, like Shadowguy and Rabbick, before adding its own twist through altered projectiles.
The Faker ACT perfectly matches its identity, asking players to figure out which attacks are fake and which should actually be touched for Mercy. It even copies certain Chapter 5 enemies during special interactions, rewarding players who have already become familiar with previous encounters.
Shuttah (Chapter 3)
Shuttah is a camera-themed miniboss that first appears during Tenna’s second game board. Later, it returns alongside other enemies in the chapter. Shuttah is special because it can freeze bullets in place before moving them around the battle box, constantly changing the rhythm of the fight.
Shuttah’s ACT mechanic is just as memorable. Instead of simply selecting dialogue options, players have to take photographs of the correct subjects. If they successfully capture each photo, Shuttah will be spared immediately. What really makes Shuttah shine is how naturally it interacts with other enemies during later battles.
Poppup (Chapter 2)
Poppup acts similarly to pop-up advertisements. Hidden throughout Cyber World, these living advertisements suddenly jump into combat and attempt to overwhelm the screen with pop-up windows. It’s one of Deltarune’s funniest recruit battles.
Their ACT options are equally entertaining. Players can manually close advertisements or repeatedly click on them until the battlefield becomes overloaded, instantly sparing every Poppup present. They have different attacks, which can be stacked.
Poppup also has excellent replay value because different party members interact with it in unique ways, especially Noelle.
Head Hathy (Chapter 1)
Head Hathy is a blue-colored Card Castle variant of Hathy. While its attacks are upgraded versions of Hathy’s original patterns, its greatest strength comes from its interactions outside of battle.
Castle Town’s Café reveals a softer side to Head Hathy. Sitting alone, it quietly drinks iced tea, but placing a regular Hathy nearby changes the scene completely, with the pair sharing coffee together. Small moments like these give recruits genuine personality beyond combat.
Kris can flirt with Head Hathy to spare them. Head Hathy’s flirt mechanics also create some of the funniest dialogue in Chapter 1, making every encounter worth revisiting.
Since Chapter 1 recruits are automatically added once recruitment becomes available, players never have to worry about permanently missing Head Hathy.
Elnina and Lanino (Chapter 3)
It feels wrong to separate these two because their battles revolve entirely around their relationship. Both of these are impossible not to recruit. Representing different weather conditions, Elnina and Lanino constantly compete for attention during combat. In battle, they will drop raindrop-shaped bullets. If the bullets touch each other, they’ll form hearts.
The player influences the battle simply by choosing whose attacks they prefer. The favored recruit becomes increasingly confident while the other grows discouraged, creating a surprisingly emotional encounter built entirely around gameplay choices rather than dialogue.
Later interactions continue developing their relationship, making them two of the most memorable personalities introduced in Chapter 3.
KawKaw (Chapter 5)
KawKaw quickly became a fan favorite thanks to its expressive animations and surprisingly adorable ACT options. Although it resembles a crow (or a pinecone), its underground movement and constant sound effects give it a personality unlike anything else in Chapter 5.
One ShooOrCall ACT, call Kawkaw close to recruit it. KawKaw will affectionately lick the SOUL and temporarily slow movement. These mechanics feel playful rather than threatening, fitting perfectly with Deltarune’s quirky style.
Swatchling (Chapter 2)
Swatchling is one of the most mechanically interesting standard enemies in Cyber World. Rather than relying on traditional attacks alone, its battle revolves around matching colors. The party battles them in Queen’s Mansion.
Each party member influences Swatchling differently, so players can coordinate colors before earning Mercy. Better still, the recruit’s attack patterns change depending on its current color, creating so many possible battle variations instead of a single scripted encounter.
Even after recruitment, Swatchlings remain some of Castle Town’s most recognizable residents thanks to their distinctive appearance.
Tasque Manager (Chapter 2)
Tasque Manager is a Darkner miniboss and one of the most memorable recruits available. Before the fight even begins, she quizzes the party with a series of questions. Answering every question correctly starts the battle with her Mercy already at 100%, meaning that players can spare her immediately and skip the entire encounter.
If the quiz doesn’t go perfectly, the battle becomes much more involved. Tasque Manager is accompanied by two Tasques, and every decision affects how quickly she can be recruited. Players should avoid defeating the accompanying Tasques violently. Once that happens, ACT commands no longer increase Tasque Manager’s Mercy, making the fight much longer.
Outside of battle, Tasque Manager remains unique among recruits because she never sits at the Café tables. Instead, she continues managing the Café itself, making her feel less like an ordinary recruit and more like one of Castle Town’s permanent staff.
FAQs
Can bosses be recruited in Deltarune?
No. Only standard enemies can become recruits. Bosses and secret bosses do not join Castle Town through the recruitment system.
What happens if an enemy becomes LOST?
Once an enemy type becomes LOST after being defeated violently, it can no longer be recruited during that playthrough, although defeating enemies this way increases the party’s maximum HP.
Are Chapter 1 recruits missable?
No. Chapter 1 enemies are automatically recruited once the recruitment system is introduced in Chapter 2, regardless of how they were defeated previously.
- Released
-
October 31, 2018
- ESRB
-
Teen / Language, Suggestive Themes, Mild Blood, Fantasy Violence
- Developer(s)
-
Toby Fox
- Publisher(s)
-
Toby Fox
