Volunteers Enemy type 11 of 15 · first met in Valley of Ashes

Enemy68 placements3 elite variantsDrops an Amber

Health: 650
Catalysts: 500
Posture: 500
Placements: 68
Methodology: Data Methodology
Author: Dakota Chinnick

Volunteers is an enemy type in Valor Mortis, first met in Valley of Ashes and placed 68 times across 10 regions. At level 1 it has 650 HP and gives 500 Catalysts; its strongest placements (level 6) have 1,300 HP and hit ×1.5 harder. It uses 19 attacks, 5 of them unblockable. No damage type does extra damage to it.

How to beat Volunteers

Game data

Counterplay for Volunteers, written from its move list, resistances, variants and drops.

Volunteers are three different soldiers: dual-sword fencers (650 HP), greatsword brutes (630 HP, 30% resistance to firearms, explosives and fire) and riflemen (500 HP, take 20% extra melee damage, 30% firearm resistance). Identify the weapon before you commit: rush the riflemen with a blade, out-parry the fencers, and give the greatswords room.

The greatsword hits are the ones to fear: 50 to 60 damage, two of them red (Swing Left 60 and Double Swing First 50), and the blockable ones cost 65 Endurance to block, most of your 80. The dual-sword Pirouet (57) is red too, and the rifleman's flamethrower Ignites you.

They pay well: 500 Catalysts each at level 1, rising to 2,500 at level 6. Elite Volunteers carry four scripted rewards: Wound that Heals and the Wagon Key in the Vale of Wrath, Glass Soldier in The Outskirts and Bountiful Harvest in City of Orphans.

How to fight Volunteers

Game data

Tips built from its data: what it resists, what it is weak to, which attacks to dodge and how to open it up.

Watch for the red attacks: Greatsword Swing Left, Dual Sword Pirouet, Greatsword Double Swing First, Greatsword Push Combo Intro cannot be blocked, so dodge them instead of holding block.
Its head takes ×1.5 damage, so aim firearm shots at the head.
It can block and parry your attacks (block chance 0% / 30% / 100%, parry chance 0% / 20% / 100% as the game lists them), so mix in charged attacks and posture damage instead of mashing light attacks.
Sneak up on it: a backstab deals a fixed 325 damage at level 1, 50% of its health (2 backstabs to kill).
Some attacks build up Ignite on you; back off and let the meter drain.
Its toughest variant, Greatsword Ultra Elite L8*, starts at 3,000 HP, far more than the 650 of a level-1 placement.

Volunteers variants

Game data

The game defines 9 versions of this enemy. Each has its own health, posture and defensive behaviour; elites are tougher one-off placements, summoned ones appear mid-fight.

Volunteers variants
Variant	Role	Health (lowest → highest level)	Catalysts	Posture	Stasis segments	Block chance	Parry chance	Backstab	Placed
Dual Sword Tier 1*	Regular	650 → 1,300	500	500	3	0% / 30% / 100%	0% / 20% / 100%	Yes	3
Greatsword Tier 1*	Regular	630 → 1,260	500	500	4	0% / 20% / 100%	—	Yes	19
Rifle Tier 1*	Regular	500 → 1,000	600	200	3	No	—	Yes	18
Greatsword Tier 2*	Regular	1,000 → 2,000	1,300	700	5	20% / 60% / 100%	—	Yes	5
Rifle Tier 2*	Regular	600 → 1,200	1,100	200	4	No	—	Yes	9
Dual Sword Tier 2*	Regular	700 → 1,400	1,200	700	4	0% / 30% / 100%	0% / 20% / 100%	Yes	11
Greatsword Elite*	Elite	1,500 → 2,550	7,000	900	4	0% / 20% / 80% / 100%	—	Yes	1
Greatsword Ultra Elite L8*	Elite	3,000	10,000	700	5	20% / 60% / 100%	—	Yes	1
Dual Sword Elite*	Elite	2,000	15,000	1,200	4	30% / 70% / 100%	0% / 20% / 100%	Yes	1

* Variant names are built from the game's internal tier tags (the game shows no name for them). Block and parry chances are listed in the order the game stores them. Placed = how many level spawners use that variant.

Health of every variant by level

Health of every variant by level
Variant	Lv 1	Lv 2	Lv 3	Lv 4	Lv 5	Lv 6
Dual Sword Tier 1*	650	780	910	1,040	1,170	1,300
Greatsword Tier 1*	630	756	882	1,008	1,134	1,260
Rifle Tier 1*	500	600	700	800	900	1,000
Greatsword Tier 2*	1,000	1,200	1,400	1,600	1,800	2,000
Rifle Tier 2*	600	720	840	960	1,080	1,200
Dual Sword Tier 2*	700	840	980	1,120	1,260	1,400
Greatsword Elite*	1,500	2,100	2,550	—	—	—

Speed and posture by variant

Game data

How fast each variant closes the distance, and how quickly its posture comes back once you stop pressuring it.

Its fastest variant moves at 2.25 m/s; your walk speed is 4 m/s.

Speed and posture by variant
Variant	Role	Move speed	Sprint	Posture recovery	Recovery delay
Dual Sword Tier 1*	Regular	2.25 m/s	—	15/s	6 s
Greatsword Tier 1*	Regular	2.25 m/s	—	15/s	6 s
Rifle Tier 1*	Regular	2.25 m/s	—	10/s	6 s
Greatsword Tier 2*	Regular	2.25 m/s	—	20/s	6 s
Rifle Tier 2*	Regular	2.25 m/s	—	10/s	5 s
Dual Sword Tier 2*	Regular	2.25 m/s	—	20/s	6 s
Greatsword Elite*	Elite	2.25 m/s	—	20/s	5 s
Greatsword Ultra Elite L8*	Elite	2.25 m/s	—	20/s	6 s
Dual Sword Elite*	Elite	2.25 m/s	—	20/s	6 s

Speeds are the AI's movement settings in metres per second. Posture recovery is the posture regained per second, and the delay is the wait before recovery begins (game fields posture_recovery_per_sec and posture_reset_delay). — = not set for that variant.

Volunteers level scaling

Game data

Enemy levels in Valor Mortis are set per placement, not by a difficulty setting (the game has a single difficulty): the same enemy is level 1 in one spot and level 6 in another, usually higher later in the campaign. This is the main variant from level 1 to 6.

Volunteers level scaling
Level	Health	Catalysts	Damage dealt	Critical attack damage taken	Backstab damage taken	Backstab share of HP
Lv 1	650	500	×1	325	325	50%
Lv 2	780	900	×1.1	390	390	50%
Lv 3	910	1,300	×1.2	455	455	50%
Lv 4	1,040	1,700	×1.3	520	520	50%
Lv 5	1,170	2,100	×1.4	585	585	50%
Lv 6	1,300	2,500	×1.5	650	650	50%

Damage dealt multiplies every attack's base damage. Critical attacks (after a posture break) and backstabs deal the fixed amounts shown, whatever your weapon; the share column is our arithmetic.

Volunteers attacks

Game data

Every damaging attack across its variants, grouped into moves, with base damage per hit, wind-up and whether you can block it.

Moves
Move	Type	Hits	Damage per hit	Wind-up	Block / parry
Greatsword Swing Left*	Melee	1	60	—	Unblockableparry window 0.2 s
Greatsword Swing Right*	Melee	1	60	—	Blockableparry window 0.2 s
Dual Sword Pirouet*	Melee	1	57	—	Unblockableparry window 0.2 s
Greatsword Spin*	Melee	1	50	—	Blockableparry window 0.2 s
Greatsword Rush*	Special	1	50	—	Blockableparry window 0.2 s
Greatsword Push Combo Swing*	Melee	1	50	—	Blockableparry window 0.2 s
Greatsword Double Swing First*	Melee	1	50	—	Unblockableparry window 0.05 s
Greatsword Double Swing Second*	Melee	1	50	—	Blockableparry window 0.2 s
Dual Sword Double Downwards*	Melee	1	45	—	Blockableparry window 0.2 s
Dual Sword Double Stab*	Melee	1	40	—	Blockableparry window 0.2 s
Rifle Stab*	Melee	1	35	—	Blockableparry window 0.2 s
Dual Sword Right To Left Upwards*	Melee	1	32	—	Blockableparry window 0.2 s
Rifle Combo*	Melee	1	32	—	Blockableparry window 0.2 s
Dual Sword Cross*	Melee	1	30	—	Blockableparry window 0.2 s
Greatsword Push Combo Intro*	Melee	1	30	—	Unblockableparry window 0.1 s
Dual Sword Cross To Double*	Melee	1	24	—	Blockableparry window 0.2 s
Dual Sword Left To Right Double*	Melee	1	24	—	Blockableparry window 0.2 s
Greatsword Push Combo Push*	Melee	1	15	—	Blockableparry window 0.2 s
Rifle Flamethrower*Ignite	Flamethrower	1	6	—	Unblockableparry window 0.2 s

* Attack names are built from the game's internal tags. Damage is the level-1 base; multiply by the placement's damage multiplier (up to ×1.5 at level 6), so Greatsword Swing Left goes from 60 to about 90.

Volunteers resistances and weak points

Game data

It has no special resistances or weaknesses: every damage type works the same.

Melee—

Firearms—

Explosives—

Fire damage—

Ignite build-up—

Stasis (Crystallization)—

Infection—

Red = takes extra damage of that type; filled to the right = resists it (100% = immune).

Weak points

Weak points
Body part	Damage taken	Posture damage taken
Head	×1.5	×1
Chest	×1	×1
Groin	×1	×1
Hands	×0.8	×1
Legs	×0.8	×1

Variants with different resistances

Variants with different resistances
Variant	Melee	Firearms	Explosives	Fire damage	Stasis (Crystallization)	Infection	Head
Dual Sword Tier 1* · main	—	—	—	—	—	—	×1.5
Greatsword Tier 1*	—	−30%	−30%	−30%	—	—	×1.5
Rifle Tier 1*	+20%	−30%	−30%	—	—	—	×1.5
Greatsword Tier 2*	—	−30%	−30%	−30%	—	—	×1.5
Rifle Tier 2*	+20%	−30%	−30%	—	—	—	×1.5
Greatsword Elite*	—	−30%	—	−50%	−30%	—	×1.5
Greatsword Ultra Elite L8*	—	−30%	−30%	−30%	—	—	×1.5

Red = takes extra damage of that type; negative = resists it. Head = damage multiplier on head hits.

Volunteers drops

Game data

Random drops on every kill, with the chance the game rolls for each.

Volunteers drops
Item	Type	Chance	Amount	On average
Refreshing Vial	Consumable	4%	1	1 in 25 kills
Crude Blade Material	Upgrade material	2%	1	1 in 50 kills

"On average" is 1 ÷ chance (calculated): the expected number of kills per drop, not a guarantee.

Elite drops: Ambers and keys

Game data

4 placed spawners carry a scripted reward that always drops on the kill: Wagon Key (Vale of Wrath), Wound that Heals (Vale of Wrath), Glass Soldier (The Outskirts), Bountiful Harvest (City of Orphans).

Elite drops: Ambers and keys
Reward	Type	Location	Carried by	Nearest Lantern
Wagon Key	Key	Vale of Wrath	Greatsword Elite* · Elite	Poisoned Camp · about 113 m away
Wound that Heals	Amber	Vale of Wrath	Greatsword Elite* · Elite	Poisoned Camp · about 113 m away
Glass Soldier	Amber	The Outskirts	Dual Sword Elite* · Elite	Market Square · about 41 m away
Bountiful Harvest	Amber	City of Orphans	Greatsword Ultra Elite L8* · Elite	Sewers · about 70 m away

These are one-time rewards from specific spawners. The Lantern distance is a straight line from the spawner (calculated).

Where to find Volunteers

Game data

Placed spawners per region in campaign order: 68 in total, the most in Vale of Wrath (13).

Where to find Volunteers
Location	Region	Placed	Enemy level	Health	Share of placements	Map
Valley of Ashes	II	1	1	650	1%	Show on map
Fallen Village	III	6	1	650	9%	Show on map
Caverns	IV	7	1	650	10%	Show on map
Vale of Wrath	V	13	1–3	650–910	19%	Show on map
Cursed Hollow	VI	3	2	780	4%	Show on map
The Outskirts	VII	9	1–4	650–1,040	13%	Show on map
City of Orphans	VIII	8	1–3	650–910	12%	Show on map
University	IX	12	1–3	650–910	18%	Show on map
Fortress	X	7	2–4	780–1,040	10%	Show on map
Napoleon's Prison	—	2	3–4	910–1,040	3%	Show on map

Counts are the game's placed spawners; scripted waves and summons during fights are not included.

Data: Steam build 25907482 (1.0 launch). How we source this

Vale of Wrath

Full map

Map drawn from the region's own level geometry in the game files (terrain, buildings, water); every marker sits at the exact position of a placed object.

Everything placed in Vale of Wrath

Ability altars: 3

Bosses: 2 (Slaughtermill)

Boss arenas: 1

Chests: 19 (Butcher's Carnage, Pure Blade Material, Lucky Shot, Exquisite Firearm Parts, Perfectionism, Distilled Transmutation Material, Superior Firearm Parts, Empty Ferrofluid Flask, Wound that Heals, Distilled Blade Material, Pure Transmutation Material, Ferrofluid Flask Power Upgrade, Dilated Moment)

Keys: 1 (Basement Key)

Lanterns: 5 (Ship Graveyard, Under the Bridge, Poisoned Camp, Old Windmill, Wolfsbane Field)

Letters: 23 (Mirek's Note, Shrike's Appeal — Join the Resistance, Deserter's Friend Diary, Wolf's Note — Poison, Cryptic Note — Wolf, Wanted Notice, Shrike's Appeal, Medic's Letter, Shrike's Order — Cargo, Painter's Final Letter, Headquarters' Orders — New Troops, Beekeeper's Note, Captain Lefèvre's Letter — New Troops, Shrike's Appeal — Informants, Thief's Note — Loot, Thief's Note — Warning, Emissary's Letter, Headquarters' Orders — Poisoned Troops, Shrike's Orders — Cargo, Rebel's Note — Mistake, Cargo Manifest, Toothless Jack's Journal, Deserter's Diary)

Hits to kill Volunteers

Calculated

Basic hits needed to kill a level-1 Volunteers (650 HP) with every blade and firearm at weapon levels 1, 5 and 10.

Hits to kill
Weapon	Weapon level 1	Weapon level 5	Weapon level 10
Pistol	2230 per hit15 to the head	1642 per hit11 to the head	1160 per hit8 to the head
Musket	5150 per hit3 to the head	4210 per hit3 to the head	3300 per hit2 to the head
Blunderbuss	5150 per hit3 to the head	3230 per hit2 to the head	2350 per hit
Saber	3320 per hit	1740 per hit	1160 per hit
Rapier	2625 per hit	1935 per hit	1545 per hit
Claymore	1350 per hit	980 per hit	7100 per hit

Calculated from weapon damage × the first light attack's multiplier × (1 − resistance); firearms also show head hits. Upgrades, Ambers, coatings and the stat board are not included, and higher-level placements need proportionally more hits.

Journal entry

Game data

William's journal page on Volunteers, as written in the game.

SpoilerShow the journal entry

That colossus was unlike any adversary I had crossed paths with before. It was not merely its monstrous stature, but the manner in which it drew its arms, the terrible precision of each motion, the cold deliberation within every sequence of attack... Its disciplined demeanour felt too precise.

There is something profoundly unsettling about these soldiers, if I should even still call them that. They march not as men animated by blood and spirit, but as grim engines, obedient to some invisible and merciless puppeteer.

Once more, I escaped with my life by the narrowest of margins after confronting this beast. A most worthy adversary indeed; there is something noble in the way it conducts itself. And while we crossed blades, a troubling thought had struck me: is there intention in the way this soldier fought?

So far, I have encountered several such warriors, each using a different and exotic weapon.

I have discovered the truth behind the creation of the Volunteers.

It is dreadful beyond measure... And though I had long suspected it, it still filled me with utter horror. The Volunteers were once ordinary soldiers, men such as myself. Loyal, devoted with all their hearts to the Empire. They came willingly, lured into those nightmarish laboratories by pamphlets promising that they would become the glory of Napoleon. And what awaited them there? Death, agony, torment.

Volunteers is the #6 most common of the 15 enemy types, with 68 placements across 10 regions; you meet it first in Valley of Ashes and see it most in Vale of Wrath. Of its 19 attacks, 5 are unblockable (Greatsword Swing Left, Dual Sword Pirouet, Greatsword Double Swing First, Greatsword Push Combo Intro), and the hardest hitter is Greatsword Swing Left at 60 base damage. No damage type does extra damage to it, so pick a weapon you like. Hunt its elite placements for Wagon Key (Vale of Wrath), Wound that Heals (Vale of Wrath), Glass Soldier (The Outskirts), Bountiful Harvest (City of Orphans). Its health runs from 650 at level 1 to 1,300 at level 6, paying 500 Catalysts to 2,500 Catalysts.

Volunteers FAQ

How do you beat Volunteers in Valor Mortis?

How much HP does Volunteers have in Valor Mortis?

Volunteers has 650 HP at level 1 and 1,300 HP at level 6, its highest placement level. Levels are set per placement, not by difficulty. Its toughest variant, Greatsword Ultra Elite L8*, starts at 3,000 HP.

What is Volunteers weak to?

Volunteers has no elemental weakness or resistance: every damage type does normal damage. Head hits deal ×1.5 damage.

What does Volunteers drop?

Random drops: Refreshing Vial (4%), Crude Blade Material (2%). Every kill also pays 500 Catalysts at level 1. Specific elite placements always drop Wagon Key (Vale of Wrath), Wound that Heals (Vale of Wrath), Glass Soldier (The Outskirts), Bountiful Harvest (City of Orphans).

Where do you find Volunteers?

Volunteers first appears in Valley of Ashes and is placed 68 times in total: Valley of Ashes (1), Fallen Village (6), Caverns (7), Vale of Wrath (13), Cursed Hollow (3), The Outskirts (9), City of Orphans (8), University (12), Fortress (7), Napoleon's Prison (2).

Where is the best place to farm Volunteers?

Vale of Wrath has the most Volunteers placements (13 of 68), so that is where you meet it most often. Each level-1 kill pays 500 Catalysts and rolls its drop table.

Can you backstab Volunteers, and does it block?

Yes: Volunteers can be backstabbed, taking a fixed 325 damage at level 1 (50% of its health). It can block and parry your attacks (block chance 0% / 30% / 100%, parry chance 0% / 20% / 100%).

Why does Volunteers have different health in different places?

Each placement has its own enemy level from 1 to 6. Level 6 has 1,300 HP and deals ×1.5 damage compared with level 1. It is not a difficulty mode; Valor Mortis has a single difficulty.

Volunteers Enemy type 11 of 15 · first met in Valley of Ashes

How to beat Volunteers

How to fight Volunteers