On reflection, the big buff patch that arrived on Helldivers 2 last week was just about everything the community wanted. The weapons are buffed, enemies are reworked, and things seem to be back on the rise. But what are the biggest changes from the patch?
The biggest changes brought by the Helldivers 2 buff patch 1.001.100
To answer that question, I decided to get my boots dirty. No, I didn’t cherry-pick what I felt were the most significant changes from the list of patch notes. I dove. I dove hard. Starting last week and through the weekend, I dropped on bug- and bot-infested planets, putting the patch to the test. It was a scientific process. And by that, I mean I squished and dismantled many enemies. It was great.
Here are the biggest changes introduced by the Helldivers 2 buff patch, aka Patch 1.001.100, in no particular order.
11. Flamethrower is letting you cook
Let’s get a big one out of the way first by discussing flamethrowers, recently the focus of the community’s ire. Following the Escalation of Freedom update, the fire effect of the Flamethrower was nerfed, removing its ability to pierce armor. The feature made it a good option against heavy foes like the Charger, but the nerf threatened to toss the Flamethrower back into the bin of obscurity.
The patch reversed the changes, returning the damage values to the Flamethrower and its armor penetration. Not only that, but Arrowhead also increased the damage of the other fire-based weapons, such as the Torcher and Crisper.
Since the patch, I’ve used the Flamethrower in several Terminid missions, and it feels fantastic. Few things are more satisfying than cooking a dozen bugs before turning it against a Charger — and winning. It’s also effective on Bile Titans, making it possibly the most versatile weapon on bug planets.
10. Helldivers’ health rework needs more work
Helldiver damage zones have been changed with the patch. Headshots do less damage to Helldivers (50% extra damage as opposed to 100%), so getting sniped by your own “Guard Dog” Rover won’t be as frequent. But following the patch, you receive more damage to your limbs and torso.
The change has led some players to refer to Helldivers as “Squishdivers,” poking fun at how much easier it is to die now. The changes to player weak points work with the alterations made to Heavy enemy health and armor values, preventing things from feeling like a one-sided slaughter. Sure, it’s easier to topple a Bile Titan, but getting swarmed is that much scarier.
I should know. For the most part, I feel the health changes aren’t terrible but can use some tweaks. Some of my earliest deaths were due to me needing to retrain how I move in a fight. You don’t live long if you don’t have your head on a swivel, and it’s wise to dive the moment a claw comes into view.
Against bots, though, and things are a bit harsher. A couple of laser blasts from downtown might be all that’s needed to bring you to your knees. It’s a bit too easy to get shredded when facing off against Automatons in Difficulty 7 and higher. Some fixes are needed, especially on the bot front. Until then, using a Shield Pack is certainly an option.
9. The Railgun is back on the menu
It’s been so long since the Railgun has been a viable option that I nearly forgot the support weapon ever existed. And that’s not a good thing. The Railgun was my support weapon of choice in the early days of Helldivers 2, back when it could mysteriously one-shot a Bile Titan with a headshot. That changed with the game’s first balance patch.
Thankfully, the buff patch has managed to resurrect the Railgun. While it doesn’t quite have the “kapow” it used to, I found it to be a great pick against heavy bots like the Hulks. The weapon also still works well if you overcharge a few shots at a Charger’s leg to strip the armor. It’s just like the good ol’ days of, er, seven months ago.
8. The Eruptor lives up to its name once again
Another favorite weapon of mine in Helldivers 2 is the Eruptor, introduced by the Democratic Detonation Premium Warbond. Its standout feature is its shell that explodes into shrapnel, capable of shredding flesh and metal. Well, it was, until the shrapnel was removed. The Eruptor’s overzealous love of killing things meant that even divers were in its crosshairs and were torn down by white-hot shrapnel.
The buff patch returned shrapnel to the Eruptor’s shots, but it’s not quite the same. Now, the Eruptor’s shots use frag grenade shrapnel, which shouldn’t instantly kill nearby players with a random headshot. So far, that seems to be the case. I spent some time with the weapon, and I can report that the weapon’s lethality against bugs and bots is higher than ever. It doesn’t quite feel as deadly, but the Eruptor is finally a viable pick again.
7. Laser weapons don’t suck anymore
Okay, hear me out: The Scythe is good. No, really. It’s damn good following the buff patch. What was once a gun left to collect dust on most players’ Super Destroyer is, at last, a great primary option. Not only that, but the Dagger can also do some serious business.
Since the game’s launch, the LAS-5 Scythe has been the butt of many jokes. Weak and prone to overheating, the laser-based rifle was rarely used more than once. But things are different now. The buff patch improved the weapon by reducing heat buildup, increasing damage, and allowing it to set enemies on fire faster than ever.
The Scythe cuts through Terminid swarms like it never could before, capable of taking out multiple Warriors and even a Brood Commander or two with a prolonged stream. It may even work better against Automatons. In my experience, I can rip through up to three Devastators in a row if you target their heads. The Dagger is also much better than before, and I have brought it along on bug hunts to swat Shriekers from the sky.
6. Thermite Grenade is worth taking
Let’s face it: Practically no one recommended the Thermite Grenade when it became available. The slow-burning grenade dished out a measly 100 points of damage to an enemy it attached to. Against smaller chaff enemies, that’s barely okay. Now? Hell, I rarely joined a party that didn’t have at least one Helldiver packing the things. They’re just too damn good, and everyone seems to know it now.
The grenade got a massive buff with the patch, which increased its damage from 100 to a staggering 2,000. Its fuse time was also decreased, meaning you didn’t have to slap a Charger’s ass with one and then spend the next five seconds playing keep away. The downside? You can only bring three as opposed to four. Oh, no. Anyway, that’s what the Engineering Kit Armor Passive is for.
5. Eagle 500kg Bomb goes BOOM
I love the Eagle 500kg Bomb, and I always have (and always will). But even I was completely aware that the massive explosion it emitted wasn’t as deadly as it should have been. While the bomb was powerful, the radius of the explosion meant a lot of enemies were somehow able to walk away from it unscathed. No more.
The Eagle 500kg Bomb got an increased damage radius with the patch, and it’s better than ever. It’s nice to know that when you throw this mamma jamma at a group of enemies, all that’ll be left are dust and echoes. Hell, I don’t even half mind getting turned to ash because I mistook its current radius for the old one. Getting dusted along with about 40 bugs is the Democratic way to go out.
4. Automaton Fabricator gets armor and a health pool
Once, the best way to remove an Automaton Fabricator, the machine that spawns more bots, was to toss a grenade into its vent or hit it with an Eagle or an orbital attack. That changed with the Commando, which could one-shot fabricators at any angle. And life was good. The ability to wipe out a fabricator from across the map was so beloved that many players demanded it stay.
The buff patch changed the fabricators, giving them both armor and health values. What does that mean? Well, the good news is that the change makes it possible for any weapon to destroy a fabricator. What was once a far more difficult task wasn’t made mundane but offered players more options when attacking bot bases.
The Commando can no longer wipe out a fabricator in one shot; it takes two instead. That’s not a tough pill to swallow. This is one of the best changes in the patch as it aligns with the community’s desire for even more options.
3. Chargers of all kinds get a much-needed rework
Ah, finally, we have reached the Charger rework. The hulking heavy enemy of the undemocratic Terminid forces has been a hot-button topic among the Helldivers 2 community since the game’s launch. Taking one out was often a group effort, but fighting a single Charger was never the issue. They became a problem on higher difficulties, where you would suddenly need to contend with three or more at a time. The Railgun nerf only highlighted a greater need for combat options.
The Charger should be a threat, but at the same time, players must also be able to deal with more than one at a time — the patch fixes this in its own way. All variants of the Charger were reworked with the patch. Their armor and health values were decreased, and attacking exposed flesh increases damage dealt by a massive 300%. Chargers also charge less often, and their ability to turn on a dime while chasing you down was reduced. The Chargers I’ve faced are still scary, but fighting several at once is far more manageable.
2. Support weapon changes allows for even more variety
Support weapons are more viable now, thanks to the buff patch. Before, many players would pick from a shortlist of powerful options. The EAT, Quasar Cannon, and Recoilless Rifle were among the few support options that divers consistently took on missions. I’ve always liked the idea of the Laser Cannon, but the armor of most heavy foes made the thing feel more like a big laser pointer.
Four weapons most players wouldn’t take against heavies are now useful against them. The Laser Cannon, Heavy Machine Gun, Autocannon, Flamethrower, and the Anti-Materiel Rifle can dish out damage to heavy enemies. It’s a strange feeling to sprint up to a Bile Titan and start cooking its belly with the Laser Cannon, but I’d be damned if it didn’t work. And it’s a lot of fun. Yes, team, hurting enemies with weapons that should hurt is somehow a positive change that took months to be delivered.
1. Emote wheel… just emote wheel
Last but certainly not least, the patch included a feature that players have demanded for more than half a year: An emote wheel. The hug emote has been the universal pick since its inception, but sometimes you just want to salute a mini-nuke explosion or play rock, paper, scissors while waiting for the shuttle to arrive. You get four customizable options for emotes, letting you high-five, salute, get your finger pulled, or hug it out, all in the same mission. What a time to be alive.
Published: Sep 26, 2024 10:05 am