Helldivers 2’s newest Warbond, ‘Democratic Detonation,’ has been out for about a week now – long enough to unlock the major goodies and put them through their paces. After spending time with each of the passes weapons, I’m here to adjudicate. Here are the winners, and losers, of this explosive Warbond.
The Great
R-36 Eruptor
This gun, this marvelous gun, is essentially a primary-slot Autocannon. If you’re even tangentially interested in Helldivers 2, you’ve already heard a chorus of praise for this explosive sniper rifle, which is capable of clearing hordes of foes in a single shot (my record is a whopping six kills with a single trigger-pull). Not only that, it can also close bug holes and destroy fabricators. No grenades? No problem! The only downside to the Eruptor is being swarmed – its explosive damage is mighty, but indiscriminate. Shoot a foe that’s in your face, and it’ll take you with it.
The Good
CB-9 Exploding Crossbow
Compared to the Eruptor, this crossbow may seem underwhelming at first blush. It doesn’t have the utility of the Eruptor, being unable to close bug holes or destroy Automaton fabricators, but don’t be fooled – its much higher fire rate means it specializes more in clearing riff-raff than the lumbering bolt action above. Though it can’t take down heavier foes like Devastators with as much ease, being able to spam bolts with deceptively huge explosion radii works wonders when clearing hordes of lesser foes.
GP-31 Grenade Pistol
Even when I’m rocking my favorite armor passive, the Engineering Kit, and have access to six grenades, I’m always running low for one reason or another. If you ever find yourself running an explosion deficit, try this pocket-rocket sidearm for a quick fix. It doesn’t hold a ton of grenades (10 maximum), but used in conjunction with your own supply means you’ll have a hard time running out. And if you’re feeling extra bold, you can even use non-explosive grenades like Stun grenades and rely on the GP-31 to destroy enemy spawn points.
The Bad
BR-14 Adjudicator
The Adjudicator has received the exact inverse reaction of the Eruptor. No one seems to understand what this weapon wants to be. This not-quite-DMR, not-quite-assault-rifle has shockingly low damage per round, a recoil-heavy full auto setting, and a pitiful ammo capacity. Sure, it’s medium armor penetrating, but in the time you can take down a Hive Guard or Devastator with this wet noodle of a gun, someone on your team using a gun that actually works will have done the job thrice over. Just horrible.
G-123 Thermite
Oh Thermite grenade, I had such high hopes for you. I chucked one of these onto the faceplate of a Hulk excitedly, thinking that the grenade designed to shred through armor would, you know, do that. Then it fizzled out, so I threw another. And another. And finally I shot the thing with a recoilless rifle and finished the job.
The G-123 Thermite doesn’t seem to penetrate heavy armor or do enough damage to the enemy underneath to be worth taking over other grenades. If it filled this one, very specific niche of being able to handle heavy units, I’d say it were perfectly balanced (I mean, you’re giving up your grenades to do so). But since it can’t even do that, it’s best avoided for now.
