Helldivers 2: How to use the Patriot Exosuit mech

The mechs have landed in Helldivers 2, and they’ve done so with the grace of a leaky fuel canister dropped onto a bonfire. Jokes aside, the mech can be a powerful Stratagem in your arsenal. Use the Patriot Exosuit mech in Helldivers 2 with care, and it can do well.

The best way to use the mech in Helldivers 2 is as a defensive Stratagem, rather than offensive. It’s tempting, oh so tempting, to call it down the moment your Hellpod hits the dirt. But that’s a rookie mistake I’ve seen multiple times. But don’t burn it too early just to get stomped by some random Charger. It can be an ace up your sleeve if you stay patient.

The do’s and don’ts of the Helldivers 2 mech

The Helldivers 2 mech can be a powerful weapon, even though it doesn’t always feel that way. Even though the thing is marketed as being “heavily armored,” it pops the moment it gets grazed by some enemies. Hell, turning too fast will cause a rocket to explode in the barrel, killing you and the mech instantly. No, really.

Let’s go over the details you should know.

The Patriot Exosuit mech comes equipped with:

• A heavy machine gun with 1,000 armor-piercing rounds
• A rocket launcher with 14 rockets

The mech is superb at killing bugs. Its machine gun rips through medium armor, and the rockets can take down a Heavy foe like the Charger in just three shots. The mech doesn’t have a clear health pool but will smoke as it takes damage. Some enemies can one-shot the mech, and mines (organic or otherwise) tend to wipe it out instantly. It does have a melee attack, but it’s too slow to be of any real use. If you’re out of ammo, you should leave the mech before it blows up. Which will happen sooner than you think.

You must watch both your aiming reticle (the gray circle) and where your mech is facing at all times. Firing your guns while the mech is still lining up a shot wastes bullets. And using the rocket launcher before the mech faces an enemy wastes…uh, you and the mech. This could get patched soon. But it is kind of appropriate for this game, right?

With so many detriments, can we really say the mech is of any use in Helldivers 2? Well, yes. Definitely. But it’s best when deployed as a defender while taking the prior caveats under consideration.

The Patriot Exosuit mech is best used as a defensive Stratagem in Helldivers 2

The best time to call in the Patriot Exosuit mech in Helldivers 2 is during the final fight before extraction. I recall using this strategy often when I played the original game. You can only call it twice per mission, and its limited ammo means you’ll have to abandon it after a while. So, why not wait until you’re near the end? Use it to clear out the final objective. The mech also shines as a tool to defend yourself and your team while waiting for the Pelican dropship to arrive.

Naturally, the mech also does well in missions where you must stand your ground and fight. Extraction and Exterminate/Destroy mission types are ideal for the mech. When things get too spicy, bring it down and lay waste to the enemies around you.

Don’t stop moving when you’re in a mech. Staying still risks getting shot and/or stabbed, and it should be clear by now that its defenses are dubious at best. Stay mobile and carefully aim your shots.

When you’re mech is out of ammo, don’t just drop it anywhere. Leave it at the entrance of where you’re defending to create a bottleneck. Enemies will have to slow or stop to get around the obstacle, increasing your odds of survival by a small amount.

The mech is still worth the fight

Overall, the Patriot Exosuit mech is still a good Stratagem to use in Helldivers 2. Its health is hilariously shit, but you can dish out some serious damage by practicing your movement and aim. Oh, and, again, watch where you’re aiming before firing rockets.