Helldivers 2 was patched earlier this week and introduced some sweeping changes with it. Among the more notable adjustments are a much-needed reduction in fire damage and a broad increase in damage output, but it’s an otherwise innocuous patch note about ricochet damage that has set the community ablaze. The patch line reads, “Shots that ricochet from heavy armored enemies will now properly hit the Helldiver who fired them. Trigger discipline is highly recommended.” Ever since, players have noted an uptick in accidental self kills, especially when using one of Helldivers 2’s most powerful weapons.
Helldivers 2’s Eruptor has been a problem since it launched in the latest Warbond—the game’s premium battle passes—but at least it was a problem for our enemies rather than ourselves. The incredibly strong explosive rifle is exceptional at wasting strong enemies and taking out bug holes in particularly infested areas, which made it a must-have weapon in the last several weeks.
But now, it’s dangerous for players, too. Upon impact, there’s noticeable shrapnel that ricochets off of the point of impact, which has always made it dangerous to be close to the target of an Eruptor shot. The latest change to ricochet damage now all but assures that the ricochet damage finds its way back to the player, which has led to a lot of folks literally losing their heads. While the Helldivers 2 player base has been arguing about this development, it isn’t the only new way folks have been killing themselves. Apparently, Punisher Plasma rounds now have a hitbox, which has potentially overlapped with the existing ricochet issues and now causes players using it with a shield generator backpack to explode.
Some have reported that ricocheting rocket shots are also killing them, though the proof that most are offering often paints another picture entirely. As PC Gamer notes, despite there being some weight to complaints about the changes, since the developers have buffed the possibility of killing oneself via ricochet damage, players are also wantonly ascribing blame when there are plenty of other reasonable factors in the game as to why they’re dying, like the overwhelming odds of high-difficulty missions, surprise attacks, and frankly, friendly-fire.
I, for one, find this all fucking hilarious. Whenever my friends and I have jumped on to play Helldivers 2, we’re equal parts cooperative and combative. I cannot tell you the amount of times we’ve smacked each other off of small cliffs. I once obliterated one of them with an arc weapon for the hell of it. You mean to tell me there’s a new funny way to grief them (trick them into using the Eruptor) or fall on my own sword for a funny-as-hell sight? I’m there in a heartbeat. I’m nothing if not committed to the bit.
My actual gut feeling? This change makes the game messier, which is part of the reason we all fell for it in the first place. As time has gone on, the most intense players have understandably begun to take things more seriously, and want to stamp out the messier aspects of the game, but I don’t really buy that it was ever supposed to be so optimized. The comedy of errors that can occur is undoubtedly part of Helldivers 2’s appeal, so though its ricochet damage may need some polishing, it absolutely deserves to be in the game and I suggest you all get on board.