The surprise release ofHelldivers 2’s latest update at The Game Awards 2024 was a sweet treat that delivered several of the community’s most highly requested features. Not only did this update introduce a new enemy faction to fight against inHelldivers 2’s ongoing Galactic War, but among several other noteworthy additions, players can now use proper melee weapons inHelldivers 2.
While the two new melee weapons introduced inHelldivers 2’s Omens of Tyranny updatemay only be the first of many more melee weapons to come, the future of this weapon type doesn’t seem too bright so far. Compared to other secondary weapons, the existing melee weapons inHelldivers 2are quite powerful, but beyond this though, melee weapons will likely never be able to compete with the constantly evolving meta for primary and support weapons.
Why Melee Weapons Will Likely Never Compete with Helldivers 2’s Meta
The Stun Baton and Stun Lance in Helldivers 2 Rely Too Heavily on Their Stun Capabilities
One of the biggest strengths of the new CqC-19 Stun Lance and the CQC-30Stun Baton inHelldivers 2is that they can stun enemies and leave them vulnerable to a practically endless combo of follow-up attacks. However, if not for the stun capabilities allowing players to repeatedly attack enemies, these two melee weapons would be much less viable since it often takes multiple attacks to kill some of the weakestenemy units from each faction inHelldivers 2.
The Stun Lance is available inHelldivers 2’s Urban Legends premium Warbond, and the Stun Baton is periodically available in the Super Store.
Ultimately, if future updates forHelldivers 2introduce more melee weapons, they might not be worthwhile alternatives to the Stun Lance and the Stun Baton if they don’t have stun capabilities. Otherwise, intentionally getting within proper range to use melee weapons would be an even bigger risk than it already is, one that could cost players a couple of Stims at best, or a reinforcement at worst, which is quite a costly investment either way.
The Stun Baton and the Stun Lance can be paired with theSH-20 Ballistic Shield Backpack, theSH-32 Shield Generator Pack, or the new Directional Shield to make engaging in close-quarters combat less risky.
Anti-Armor Weapons and Stratagems Are a Must for Helldivers 2’s Higher Difficulties
Compared to some ofthe best secondary weapons available inHelldivers 2, the Stun Lance and the Stun Baton are both relatively powerful weapons. Admittedly though, this is quite a low bar to clear since secondary weapons are categorically some of the weakest weapons in the game.
One of the main reasons why secondary weapons are at the bottom ofHelldivers 2’s current meta is that they generally have little to no armor penetration. This isn’t as much of a problem when playing onHelldivers 2’s lower-difficulty settings where heavily armored enemies are few and far between, but anti-armor weapons and Stratagems essentially become must-haves when playing on higher difficulties. So, unless future melee weapons come with innate armor penetration or a complimentary buildcrafting tool that provides this buff, like a body armor perk or a booster, melee weapons will likely never be able to compete with some of the best primaries and support weapons inHelldivers 2.
For the time being, it remains to be seen iffuture updates forHelldivers 2will continue to add more proper melee weapons to the game beyond the Stun Lance and the Stun Baton. However, unless they have a stun utility and/or heavy armor penetration capabilities, future melee weapons inHelldivers 2may be doomed to remain more of a gimmick than a viable alternative to the latest metas.
Helldivers 2
WHERE TO PLAY
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