Helldivers 2 got four more weapons with its latest Warbond, Democratic Detonation, and it seems like its community has already settled on a favorite. The R-36 Eruptor has exploded (cough) onto the Helldivers 2 scene, with players calling it a Support Weapon cosplaying as a Primary.
It tracks, especially when you consider the fact that the bolt-action rifle can one-shot many enemies and destroy spawners like typical Support Weapons. The Eruptor is slow to fire, but its bullets hit with an explosive pop that sends enough shrapnel to kill small groups of enemies. And the people just love it.
The Eruptor rifle is becoming a new favorite among Helldivers 2 players
I used the gun for a while myself, and I can attest: This thing is awesome. And I’m sure the diver I saved yesterday would agree. They were being chased by three Nursing Bile Spewers, all of which turned to gooey chunks with a single round of my Eruptor. Let’s just say that I haven’t had my jaw drop while using a Primary Weapon in Helldivers 2 until this week.
“Did they just release a primary autocannon?,” asks one user on Reddit. It sure feels that way, since both weapons are similar. The Eruptor has a fire rate of 25, making it one of the slowest rifles in the game. It comes with a 12-round clip, and reloading requires your diver to manually pull back on the bolt. The Autocannon still fires faster and hits harder, but the Eruptor is the little brother it can be proud of. The Eruptor can destroy bug holes and bot factories in one shot, along with most non-heavy enemies.
The explosive rounds and slow reload make it a poor choice in close-quarters fights, however. Players using it recommend pairing it with weapons that instead take the place of Primaries. The Stalwart has been a popular choice to go along with the Eruptor since the machine gun straddles the line between Primary and Support Weapons. I ran with the duo yesterday, and the two weapons do complement each other well.
Joel giveth
But balance must be maintained. The Helldivers 2 community may seem to dig the Eruptor (I know I do), but another weapon featured in Democratic Detonation is on the opposite end of the spectrum. It doesn’t seem like the BR-14 Adjudicator is getting much love out there on the battlefield.
Oh, well. I guess they can’t all be winners.
