Helldivers 2 Patch 01.003.000 Introduces New Enemies and Weapon Customization

Helldivers 2 has received a significant update with patch 01.003.000, bringing fresh enemies, a new weapon customization system, and various fixes and balance changes. This update adds more depth to combat and offers players new ways to tailor their gear for missions.

Patch 01.003.000 Overview

• New Illuminate faction enemies
• Weapon Customizations and Progression
• Crash fixes
• Weapon fixes
• Miscellaneous fixes

Weapon Customization

The new system lets you personalize your weapons with attachments unlocked through progression. To fit your combat style, you can modify sights, color patterns, magazines, muzzles, and underbarrels. Custom configurations can be saved and switched during mission loadouts, giving you more control over your arsenal.

Note: A known bug prevents canceling customization with a controller. The workaround is to save and redo your customization. A fix is planned for the next hotfix.

New Illuminate Enemies

• Stingray: Jetfighters that provide aerial support with strafing runs.
• Crescent Overseer: able of laying barrages on Helldivers in cover.
• Fleshmob: A brute force made from failed Illuminate experiments, requiring focused effort to defeat.

Balancing Changes

Weapon Balances

• Spread
• Drag
• Sway
• Melee weapons stamina cost
• Shrapnel spawning
• Fire damage

Spread has been reduced significantly for SMGs and sidearms, improving accuracy where it was previously too high.

Drag for pistol-caliber ammo has increased, making these weapons less helpful at longer ranges.

Sway adjustments affect how much weapons shift while eager, with sidearms naturally swaying more than primaries.

Melee stamina cost has been halved, making melee combat less draining. This applies to weapons like the CQC-30 Stun Baton and Combat Hatchet.

Shrapnel spawning now always covers a full 360-degree spread, improving reliability for weapons like the R-36 Eruptor. Shrapnel’s armor penetration has been reduced at poor impact angles.

Fire and Flamethrowers

Burn damage now scales with enemy size, dealing more damage over time to larger foes while making ignition take longer. Direct fire damage also scales, with smaller enemies taking slightly less damage. Robotic enemies are harder to ignite. Magazine capacities for the FLAM-66 Torcher and FLAM-40 Flamethrower have been increased.

Selected Weapon Changes

• AR-23 Liberator: Spread decreased from 4 to 2
• SMG-37 Defender: Spread decreased, drag and sway increased
• R-36 Eruptor: Spread and sway decreased, ergonomics increased, fire rate increased, reload exploit fixed
• GP-31 Ultimatum: Explosion damage increased, projectile damage decreased, sway increased
• PLAS-39 Accelerator Rifle: Drag decreased, now categorized as energy weapon
• FLAM-66 Torcher and FLAM-40 Flamethrower: Magazine capacity increased

Enemy Adjustments

• Automaton Bunker Turret: Spread increased
• Conflagration Devastator: Reduced pellet damage, harder to ignite
• Automaton Gunship: Reduced armor, increased health and fire rate
• Bulk Fabricator: Health increased significantly
• Conscripts: Fixed reload bug
• Terminids Spore Spewers: Demolition level decreased
• Illuminate Landed Warp Ships: Easier to kill with Anti-Tank weapons once shields are down

Fixes

Crash Fixes and Stability

• Fixed crashes related to Democracy Space Station movement, chat text input, Automaton convoy destruction, and mission drops on Tien Kwan

Weapons and Stratagems

• SMG-37 Defender no longer triggers anti-tank mines
• Improved flashlight attachment effectiveness
• Fixed camera stuck in Aim Down Sights when discarding MLS-4X Commando
• Cancelled laser reloads no longer grant infinite ammo

Miscellaneous

• Fixed flickering of distant visual effects
• Corrected blood effects on vehicles and FRV
• Spore Scavengers now attack properly
• Adjusted targeting for Illuminate Tesla Tower
• Removed reconnect popup when host leaves on Destroyer
• Fixed momentum reset on moving emotes
• Sample containers can be pinged again
• Corrected Borderline Justice Warbond logo alignment
• Fixed Illuminate Cognitive Disruptor hot join issue
• Reduced dropdown sequence hitch
• Correct mission sample count display
• Fixed held stratagems stuck after fall damage
• Particle subsystem performance improved

Known Issues

All known issues are listed here.

What do you think about the new weapon customization and enemy additions? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Original source: https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/553850/view/516335345719051928