Helldivers 2 players should beware bizarre Punisher Plasma glitch
SonyThe April 29 patch for Helldivers 2 introduced a glitch that’s bad news for players who wield the Punisher Plasma and Shield Generator Pack at the same time.
Included in the Cutting Edge Warbond, Helldivers’ Punisher Plasma is a shotgun unlike any other. Instead of firing bullets, the weapon lets loose explosives similar to a grenade launcher. Suffice it to say, this particular weapon is quite the heavy hitter.
As opposed to packing a punch, the Shield Generator Pack encloses Divers in a shield that blocks incoming attacks. Pairing it with the Punisher Plasma may seem smart – you can get in close to enemies with the grenade launcher-like shotgun and blast away without worrying about taking any explosive damage yourself.
However, players using this combo as their go-to strategy should hold off for the time being. The Helldivers 2 01.000.300 patch that went live on Monday, April 29 introduced a devastating bug impacting the gameplay tactic.
As demonstrated in a video from Redditor Tulakale, rounds from the Punisher Plasma will now explode in a Diver’s face if a Shield Generator Pack is equipped.
While the up-close-and-personal blast won’t kill a player on impact, it does drop a full health bar to half-strength. This could lead to disaster if someone finds themselves swarmed by enemies.
And, as shown in the clip above, if a Helldivers 2 user fires the Punisher Plasma twice in these conditions, they will be taken out with the second blast.
Though funny, the glitch has caused some confusion, with one person in the Reddit thread commenting: “For an item that is designed to interact with projectiles… they sure didn’t playtest it to make sure only the right projectiles interacted with it.”
Helldivers 2 developer Arrowhead has yet to acknowledge this bizarre new bug as of writing.