Dire Taken

Overview

Dire Taken are a subfaction of the Taken that emerged around Episode: Heresy. They are recognisable by tendrils growing from their backs and faces with skin peeled back around the eyes, and their abilities differ from those of ordinary Taken. They arose after the death of Oryx, when the leaderless Taken of the Dreadnaught sang into the Darkness and called out an entity named the "Lord of Every Nothing"; the Dread's Subjugator Keit'Ehr pledged to this new power.

Where they appear

• The Dreadnaught, their stronghold.
• The European Dead Zone, via an Eversion Anchor, and the Espial mission, which opens Episode: Heresy and begins with a Taken Blight spawning strange new Taken.

Variants

Dire versions exist of Thrall, Acolyte, Knight, Wizard, Ogre, Vandal, Captain, Goblin, Hobgoblin, Minotaur, Psion, Phalanx and Centurion, plus specialised units such as Servile Knights and Caster Wizards. In Espial the Guardian meets Dire Thrall, Dire Psion, Dire Vandal, Dire Goblin, Dire Hobgoblin and Dire Minotaur alongside regular Taken Acolytes, Ogres and Phalanxes, ending at the Taken Commander Gorkall, the Gatekeeper. Even basic Dire units have new tricks, for example Psions leaving a small explosive on death and Ogres using napalm attacks previously limited to Knights.