Helldivers 2 Dev Concludes 60-Day Plan With Patch 01.001.104, Makes Automatons 'Feel Less Frustrating'

Helldivers 2 developer Arrowhead has released patch 01.001.104, which concludes its ‘60-day plan’ to improve pretty much all aspects of the third-person co-op PC and PS5 shooter.

Arrowhead said the patch marks the last set of changes it wanted to make as part of the 60-day plan. It makes changes to the remaining weapons and stratagems the developer wasn’t able to finish for the game-changing patch released on September 17, with the hope that they’re now “more interesting and effective.”

Elsewhere, Arrowhead said it’s “fine-tuned the Automaton experience to hopefully make them feel less frustrating to play against.” It’s also adjusted the Helldivers durability “to make your armor choices feel more impactful.”

Some items now have new functionality to give players “more depth in mastering their equipment.” Arrowhead singled out the GR-8 Recoilless Rifle and the AC-8 Autocannon, which now have programmable ammunition, and drones that come with backpacks which can be toggled on or off for added control.

Separately, game director Mikael Eriksson issued a note to fans summing up the work Arrowhead has done as part of the 60-day plan, and insisted Arrowhead remains committed to updating the game.

“On behalf of the team at Arrowhead, I want to thank you for your patience, your insights, and your passion for our game. We’ve genuinely enjoyed seeing your reactions to our latest updates, and we’re excited to continue developing the game while ensuring that it delivers on its core fantasy and remains a game we all love to play.

“Together, we are shaping the future of Helldivers 2, and we can’t wait to show you what’s next for the core game experience and the next chapters of the Galactic War.”

There is no mention today of the potential addition of a third alien faction to fight against, with the community expecting the Illuminate to arrive sooner rather than later. Nor is there any word on Helldivers 2's PSN review bomb cape, which Arrowhead is still sitting on.

Helldivers 2 received a shot in the arm last month with the release of update 01.001.100, a patch that completely reworked weapon balance, added a new Galactic War feature, and made loads more changes aimed at making the game easier and more fun (some Helldivers 2 players and even some of the developers wondered whether it was too easy).

The update came after a troubling period for the game and for developer Arrowhead that saw its disgruntled playerbase complain that nerfs had gone too far and as a result had stripped the fun out of Helldivers 2.

The patch seems to have done the trick and brought fans back on-side. It even sparked a modest increase in concurrent players on Steam (Sony does not make PlayStation player numbers publicly available).

Helldivers 2 update 01.001.104 patch notes:

Balancing

General changes

Additional Supply Items are now visible on the minimap

• Exosuits
• Support Stratagems

Removed ricochets from Orbital Stratagem projectiles, Eagle-1 bombs and FAF-14 Spear missiles

• They can no longer ricochet off of targets

Helldiver armor tweaks, both Heavy and Light armor are now more effective

Heavy armor reduces damage taken by 25%, up from 20%

• 5% more damage reduction

Light armor increases damage taken by 25%, down from 33%

• 8% less damage taken

Stratagems and Weapon tag description updates, they now show more information and are also categorized

• Armor penetration 2 is classified as Light armor penetrating
• Armor penetration 3 is classified as Medium armor penetrating
• Armor penetration 4 is classified as Heavy armor penetrating
• Armor penetration 5+ is classified as Anti tank

Primary Weapons

Plasma projectile behavior

• We’ve standardized the behavior of Plasma projectiles, which previously had varying characteristics in how they traveled through the air. Now, all Plasma projectiles experience high drag, causing them to slow down faster. However, each plasma weapon still fires projectiles at different speeds and calibers, so their effective ranges will remain distinct. For most weapons, this change won’t be very noticeable
• With the SG-8P Punisher Plasma you’ll see a less pronounced arc in its projectile path. Instead, it will start off faster and lose speed more rapidly, keeping its effective range about the same

PLAS-101 Purifier

Projectiles can now be charged up with a damage multiplier that scales

• Minimum charge of 0.1 sec gives a 50% damage multiplier
• Maximum charge of 1 sec gives a 100% damage multiplier
• Maximum charge projectile damage increased from 100 to 200
• Maximum charge projectile durable damage increased from 50 to 100
• Maximum charge explosion damage increased from 150 to 300
• The explosion doesn’t scale, but a fully charged shot has a different explosion effect:
• Minimum charge (0.1–0.99 sec): Inner radius 1m, outer radius 2m, explosion damage 75
• Maximum charge (1 sec): Inner radius 2.9m, outer radius 3m, explosion damage 300

PLAS-1 Scorcher

• New weapon function: Auto fire mode
• Fire rate increased from 250 to 350
• Magazine capacity increased from 15 to 20
• Spare magazines decreased from 6 to 5

SG-8P Punisher Plasma

• Reduced recoil
• Fire rate increased from 80 to 100

AR-23 Liberator

• Horizontal recoil reduced by 30%

AR-23P Liberator Penetrator

• Horizontal recoil reduced by 30%
• Increased magazine capacity from 30 to 45
• Spare magazines decreased from 10 to 7

AR-23A Liberator Carbine

• Horizontal recoil reduced by 30%
• Ergonomics increased from 65 to 70
• Reload duration decreased from 3 to 2.5 sec

BR-14 Adjudicator

• Horizontal recoil reduced by 30%
• Projectile damage increased from 80 to 90
• Projectile durable damage increased from 16 to 23
• Magazine capacity increased from 25 to 30

AR-61 Tenderizer

• New weapon function: 600/850 RPM

JAR-5 Dominator

• Moved from the Explosive weapon category to the Special weapon category

Sidearms

P-113 Verdict

• Armor penetration increased from 2 to 3
• Projectile durable damage increased from 13 to 32
• Stagger strength increased from 13 to 15

P-4 Senator

• Armor penetration increased from 3 to 4
• Projectile damage increased from 175 to 200
• Projectile durable damage increased from 35 to 70

P-11 Stim Pistol

• Spread decreased from 30 to 5
• Muzzle velocity increased from 80 to 200

Throwables

K-2 Throwing Knives

• Uses increased from 8 to 20

G-12 High Explosive Grenade

• Damage increased from 400 to 800

G-6 Frag Grenade

• Damage increased from 250 to 500

G-10 Incendiary Grenade

• Damage increased from 150 to 300

Stratagem Support Weapons

AC-8 Autocannon

New weapon function: Programmable ammunition now allows you to switch between normal and and flak projectiles

• Flak projectiles are proximity triggered shrapnel explosions with a larger explosion radius

GR-8 Recoilless Rifle

New weapon function: Programmable ammunition now allows you to switch between normal projectiles and High Explosive rounds

• High Explosive rounds have a larger explosion radius, deal more explosion damage, less projectile damage and are less effective against tanks

RL-77 Airburst Rocket Launcher

• Reload duration reduced from 7 to 5 sec

M-105 LMG Stalwart

• Ergonomics increased from 25 to 40

MG-43 Machine Gun

• Magazine capacity increased from 150 to 175
• Starting spare magazines increased from 1 to 2

MG-206 Heavy Machine Gun

• Magazine capacity increased from 75 to 100

Backpacks

LIFT-850 Jump Pack

• Cooldown reduced from 20 to 15 sec
• Stronger thrust force
• Thrust vector has been tweaked. Will have a slightly higher jump and more forward momentum

AX/AR-23 “Guard Dog”

• Switch from AR-23 Liberator rounds to AR-23P Liberator Penetrator rounds.
• Armor penetration increased from 2 to 3
• Damage decreased from 70 to 60
• Magazine capacity increased from 30 to 45
• Drone Backpacks now has a new toggle drone function
  • Activate: The drone leaves the backpack and starts to perform its tasks
  • Deactivate: The drone returns to the backpack into a passive standby state

Stratagems

• Eagle Strafing Run
  • Explosion radius slightly increased
  • Explosion damage increased from 250 to 350
• Orbital Airburst Strike
  • Salvoes increased from 3 to 4
  • Duration between salvoes increased from 3 to 4 sec
• A/MG-43 Machine Gun Sentry
  • Magazine capacity increased from 125 to 175
  • Cooldown reduced from 120 to 90 sec
  • Life time reduced from 180 to 150 sec
• A/G-16 Gatling Sentry
  • Magazine capacity increased from 400 to 500
  • Cooldown reduced from 180 to 150 sec
  • Life time reduced from 180 to 150 sec
• A/MLS-4X Rocket Sentry
  • Cooldown reduced from 180 to 150 sec
  • Life time reduced from 180 to 150 sec
• A/AC-8 Autocannon Sentry
  • Cooldown reduced from 180 to 150 sec
  • Life time reduced from 180 to 150 sec
• MD-17 Anti Tank Mines

We are working on changes to the Anti-Personnel and Incendiary Mines, however we are not yet happy with the fixes, as we feel they introduced too many new problems. We will continue working on these changes and include them in a future patch

• The mines are now only triggered by heavier enemies like Chargers, Bile Titans, Impalers, Hulks
• Damage increased from 800 to 2000
• Explosion radius decreased
• A/ARC-3 Tesla Tower
  • Reduced charge-up shots cooldown from 3 to 1 sec
  • Cooldown reduced from 150 to 120 sec
  • Lifetime reduced from 180 to 150 sec
• FX-12 Shield Generator Relay
  • Removed charge delay between damage taken
  • Increased charge rate from 300 to 400 health/sec
  • Radius increased from 8 to 15m
  • Once the shield is down, it will no longer regenerate

Gameplay

Patrol Spawning

• Previously, once the mission was completed but before extraction, we significantly increased patrol spawns across the entire map. Now, the increased patrol spawns are concentrated around the extraction site, with more patrols appearing the closer you are to it. This change should make patrol spawning feel more logical and reduce the penalty for players who complete the mission but still want to explore the map or collect samples. Please let us know if you still experience issues with the patrol spawning!

Terminids

Bile Spewers

• Legs health reduced from 300 to 200
• Nursing Spewers
  • Legs health reduced from 300 to 200

Hunters

• Have a short shared area cooldown for their pounce ability
• Can now totally blow up if affected with enough damage

Scavengers

• Can blow up if affected with enough damage

Automatons

Automaton Targeting

• Some enemies were able to shoot at you without needing proper line of sight, which caused them to fire into or through walls, track you even when hidden, and ignore smoke effects. We've addressed these issues, so now you should be able to use stealth more effectively against the Automatons, and they won’t be able to shoot through walls or see you when they shouldn’t. Please let us know if you still encounter issues like these!
• Automaton projectiles
  • Normal small projectiles damage reduced from 40 to 35, used by enemies like the Devastators, Emplacements and Conscripts
  • Heavy projectiles damage reduced from 65 to 60, used by enemies like the Heavy Emplacements and Scout Striders
• Hulk Bruiser
  • In response to their disapproval of a newly installed cannon on the Automaton Hulk Bruisers, Super Earth High Command sent a crack commando to sabotage their production facilities. The skilled operative promptly escaped into the shadows after completing their mission. Today, still wanted by the Automatons, they survive as a soldier of fortune. If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can enlist… John Helldiver
  • As a result the Automatons had to revert back to using rocket launchers for their Hulk Bruisers
• All Devastators
  • Head armor decreased from 2 to 1
  • Head health increased from 100 to 110
• Berserkers
  • Head health decreased from 125 to 110
• Heavy Devastator
  • The pause between their salvoes has been slightly increased, providing Helldivers with a better opportunity to counterattack
• All Tanks
  • Front armor reduced from 6 to 5, our previous tweak didn't have the intended effect on gameplay that we expected so we’ve reverted this back
  • The rear weak spots of the Tank's body now have their own health pool, which matches the Tank's previous total health. Once this health pool is depleted, the Tank will be destroyed. Additionally, these weak spots also deal 150% damage to the Tank's main health
• Annihilator Tank Turrets & Shredder Tank Turrets
  • The rear weak spots of the Tank's body now have their own health pool, which matches the Tank's previous total health. Once this health pool is depleted, the Tank will be destroyed. Additionally, these weak spots also deal 200% damage to the Tank's main health
• Barrager Tank Turret
  • The Turret is now destroyed if the Tank body is destroyed
• FixesResolved Top Priority issues:
  • Not enough enemies spawn to complete Eradicate missions
  • Some enemies were able to shoot at you without needing proper line of sight, which caused them to fire into or through walls, track you even when hidden, and ignore smoke effects
  • Patrol Spawning should now feel more logical and reduce the penalty for players who complete the mission but still want to explore the map or collect samples
• Crash Fixes and Soft-locks:
  • Fixed crash that could occur when getting knock backed while wearing the energy shield backpack
  • Fixed potential crash when a peer leaves with unique armor customization
  • Various crash fixes
• Miscellaneous Fixes
  • Fixed bug where helldivers wearing heavy armors would be immune to gas status effect
  • General Brasch returns from holiday retreat in foggy hillside town

Known Issues

These are issues that were either introduced by this patch and are being worked on, or are from a previous version and have not yet been fixed.

Top Priority:

• The hive breaker drill may be inaccessible when called in
• Players may not receive Friend Requests sent from another platform
• Terminals may lose functionality blocking completion of a mission
• Social menu is stuck on ‘Please Wait Democratically’ for some players
• Title may crash during intro cinematic or title screen
• Friends "Invite only" games can still be seen on the Galactic War Map but cannot be joined

Medium Priority:

• Players are unable to shoot properly while in the air using a jetpack
• Stratagem balls bounce unpredictably off cliffs and some spots
• Some Eagle Stratagems may not drop when deployed on a swamp planet
• Reinforcement may not be available for players who join a game in progress
• Pelican-1 may sometimes be launched away if hit with an impaler tentacle
• Supply packs may be incorrectly used if pressing down on a controller while calling in a stratagem
• High damage weapons will not detonate hellbombs already present on the map
• Some enemies that bleed out do not progress Personal Orders and Eradicate missions
• QWERTY keyboard numpad bindings does not save correctly after the Title restart

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

via Helldivers 2 Dev Concludes 60-Day Plan With Patch 01.001.104, Makes Automatons 'Feel Less Frustrating'
by Wesley Yin-Poole