The intergalactic war of Helldivers 2 rages on, as balancing patches have added new threats, weapons, and soon artillery and tools. And many Helldivers in a recent Reddit thread expressed their hopes for the ARC-12 Blitzer to receive a significant buff in an upcoming patch.
For both bugs and mechs, Helldivers 2 players have heavily favored shotguns as their primary weapon. The ARC-12 Blitzer is undoubtedly among the more interesting additions in the shotgun category. With an unlimited supply of high-voltage electricity arcs, there’s no need to reload or fear of running out of ammo at a crucial time. Still, players on the Helldivers 2 subreddit noted the shotgun has two primary factors limiting its usefulness: fire rate and damage. Compared even to other shotguns, the fire rate of the ARC-12 Blitzer is abysmal and among the slowest in the game.
Reddit user finny94 proposed one possible balancing solution that wouldn’t completely discard the gun’s main drawback. “If it is gonna keep this firerate, it needs to be able to consistently one-shot Hunters,” the user said. “Also, probably more important, the arc needs to be more consistent.” Fellow commenter TheRealShortYeti pointed to an issue with damage in Helldivers 2 more generally. “The damage floor to this game needs adjustment,” the Helldiver said. “If a scavanger can walk through burning napalm and live there is a core issue at play.”
Recent Helldiver 2 patches have shown developers are certainly not afraid to challenge players by adding severe limitations on their favorite weapons. The SG-225 Breaker, Railgun, and Shield Generator Pack, which all dominated the early meta of the game, saw significant nerfs.
In an interview with Gamesradar, designer Alex K gave insight into the team’s philosophy behind weapon changes and balancing. “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,” Alex K said. “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.”
The anti-meta attitude which appears to drive Arrowhead Studios may make developers loathe to reduce the ARC-12 Blitzer’s low fire rate, although this certainly does not mean a future damage boost is out of the question. Although shotgun toting Helldivers may need to wait until the next patch for a potential buff, liberty is getting plenty of new toys in the near future.
