Talk:Reaper Leviathan/@comment-37626116-20181125222644

To contradict an earlier comment, on whether reapers respawn: I have killed every reaper leviathan in the game, and in an additional 87 hours of play in the same map have not had a single one respawn.

Most effective way to kill, ensure you have a fully loaded oxygen tank, plus seaglide, stasis rifle with full battery, and knife or thermoblade. Seaglide up close, then charge up your stasis rifle to full power, and let it go up close. Then swim in and strike with the blade.

If you've hit it with full stasis charge, you'll have time for around 24 hits with the thermoblade. The exact head position of the leviathan doesn't matter,  the hitbox stays in the same place. Best to then switch back to stasis rifle and put in a fresh charge before the lightball evaporates.

It takes around 120-140 hits with the thermoblade to finish it off. Not sure about knife hits, didn't count back that early in the game.