New Helldivers 2 patch nerfs railgun, breaker, and shield backpack

Helldivers 2 developer Arrowhead Game Studios rolled out a new patch for the game on Wednesday that’s going to have an impact on how you’re managing democracy across the galaxy. Patch 01.000.100 for Helldivers 2 brings with it some serious nerfs to fan-favorite weapons like the Breaker and Railgun, as well as the Energy Shield Backpack.

But at least you could get incinerated by a fire tornado, thanks to new planetary hazards added in Helldivers 2’s new patch, which is out now on PlayStation 5 and Windows PC. So it’s not all bad!

If you’re not running one of Helldivers 2’s go-to builds, and are instead a big fan of flamethrowers or the Punisher, you might feel differently about the game’s new patch. Arrowhead developers say that the nerfs aren’t intended to sap the fun from the game’s best guns, but to make everything shine. Hence, buffs to a lot of the game’s lesser utilized weapons and stratagems.

“Our goal is to give you a wide range of weapon choices, where each gun has its purpose and none is strictly better than another,” Arrowhead developer Alex K said on the official Helldivers Discord. “Sure, you will have your own favorite, but it should come from your personal preference, not from the universally agreed knowledge of which gun is the strongest.”

Here’s what some of those changes look like, from Arrowhead’s patch notes:

Primary, Secondary, & Support Weapons

• Breaker: Decreased magazine capacity from 16 to 13, increased recoil from 30 to 55
• Railgun: Decreased armor penetration in Safe Mode, decreased damage against durable enemy parts
• Flamethrower: Increased damage per second by 50%
• Laser Cannon: Increased damage against durable enemy parts, increased armor penetration, improved ergonomics
• Punisher: Increased total ammo capacity from 40 to 60, increased stagger force, increased damage from 40 per bullet to 45 per bullet
• Breaker Spray & Pray: Increased armor penetration, increased fire rate from 300 to 330, increased number of pellets from 12 to 16 per shot, decreased magazine size from to 32 to 26

Stratagems

• Energy Shield Backpack: Increased delay before recharging
• 380mm and 120mm Orbital Barrages: Increased duration of the bombardment, decreased spread

Naturally, some players haven’t responded too kindly to seeing their beloved Railgun nerfed, but Arrowhead urges players to reevaluate their loadouts and give the changes a chance to gel.

Arrowhead’s Alex K notes that the Breaker, Railgun, and Shield Generator Backpack “were quite strong with too little downsides, overshadowing all other options on higher difficulty levels.”

“However, we strongly believe that the changes won’t ruin this build, but rather help the affected items find their place among the other options and stay effective in capable hands,” the developer said. “On a more personal note, I know that having your favorite toy nerfed absolutely sucks. Investing countless hours into mastering a weapon is an incredible dedication from you. which is the main reason we’re making this game in the first place. And then having that weapon weakened feels like a punishment for being too good at the game. But I implore you not to compare a changed item with its older version, but to evaluate the existing one as it is and see if it still has a place in your heart.”

On a more hopeful note, Helldivers will soon get a little more help in the field thanks to the impending arrival of mechs, which Arrowhead says will be coming “soon.”