The brand new Polar Patriots Warbond has finally been released, and with it, some new weapons, armor, grenades, and other vanity items that Helldivers can use in the ever-growing war against the Automaton and Terminid threats. With Super Credits on the line, players are wondering if they should spend their hard-earned credits on the new gear or wait it out. This article will detail each item in the Warbond, what they can do, and if they are worth the medals.
AR-61 Tenderizer
This weapon is advertised as a high-caliber assault rifle with higher stopping power in exchange for a smaller magazine size. In terms of stats, the Tenderizer, compared to the Liberator, fares worse. They both share the same damage, but the Tenderizer has 10 fewer bullets and fires slower than the Liberator. Upon further testing, the weapon does not stagger enemies on hit, making it inferior to the standard Liberator. Save your medals for the other items on the list until Arrowhead Games buffs this weapon or fixes whatever bug is affecting its performance.
Motivational Shocks
This booster has the unique effect of reducing the effects of players inflicted by slow after being hit by an attack. This booster does not work on area effects like the EMS strike. While this booster can be quite handy in Terminid missions, especially against the Hunter bugs, it has very few use cases against the Automatons. Most teams will usually run Hellpod Space Optimization, Vitality Enhancement, and Stamina Enhancement as their pick, leaving only one space for Motivational Shocks. If you are going through higher-difficulty Terminid operations, this booster will help save the entire team from getting bogged down by Terminid acid.
SMG-72 Pummeler
The Pummeler has high-caliber rounds that will stagger enemies dead in their tracks with slightly reduced damage. Unlike the Tenderizer, this SMG works exactly as advertised. Compared to the stock Defender SMG, it deals 5 less damage and has a slower rate of fire. Still, it can stunlock medium-sized enemies like Berserkers, Devastators, Brood Commanders, Chargers (if shot from its back weak spot), Bile Spewers, and Stalkers. The Pummeler is superior to the Liberator Explosive variant and has the added bonus of being a one-handed weapon like other SMGs, making this a versatile and formidable weapon for any difficulty. Definitely get this weapon once you have the medals.
G-13 Incendiary Impact Grenade
This grenade is statistically similar to the regular Incendiary grenade in performance but can now detonate upon impact. Many Helldivers prefer the instantaneous detonation of impact grenades, especially in the heat of battle, as cooking the grenade can take precious seconds away from doing other things in combat. The Incendiary Impact grenade also has some slight explosive properties, allowing it to close bug holes and destroy Automaton fabricators (if angled right under the vent.) If you want instant area denial, the G-13 Incendiary Impact grenade will help significantly.
P-113 Verdict
The P-113 Verdict is frequently compared to the contemporary Desert Eagle, with its high damage and low magazine capacity. It is a side-grade to the default Peacemaker pistol, making it more of a marksman sidearm. Despite its appearance, it does not have medium armor penetration and does not stagger medium enemies. Obtaining this weapon is entirely optional as it is neither weak nor powerful and depends solely on your preference for weapon feel.
Plas-101 Purifier
The Purifier is a charge-up variant of the Scorcher plasma gun, dealing even more damage at the cost of cutting down its fire rate significantly. It has the Explosive and Medium Armor Penetration traits. This weapon essentially functions like a DMR / sniper rifle variant of the Scorcher. The Purifier does not deal more damage the longer it’s charged, so make sure to spam-fire your shots with this weapon. Many players will find this weapon difficult to use because of the many skill requirements it needs to be effective in most combat scenarios. It's cumbersomeand demands a lot from the user just to do decent damage with. It's best to skip this weapon in the Warbond until it receives a substantial buff.
CW-36 Winter Warrior armor
This armor has the Servo-Assisted trait, which gives the wearer 50% more limb health and 30% more throwing range. This trait is ideal for players who throw a lot of Stratagems down, especially on distant tactical objectives and outposts, while preventing limbs from getting broken by enemy attacks. It also has the Star Wars snow trooper aesthetic, which is a plus for style points.
CW-22 Kodiak armor
This heavy armor grants the Fortified trait, which provides 50% damage reduction against explosives and also reducing recoil while crouched by 30%. This type of armor has saved many Helldiver lives in the Automaton front, as the bots are the only faction to use explosive weaponry extensively.
CW-4 Arctic Ranger armor
Granting high mobility at the cost of armor, the Arctic Ranger has the Scout trait, where map markers placed by the wielder will generate radar scans every 2 seconds, giving the team information on enemy positions. It also reduces enemy sight ranges for the wearer by 30%, perfect for players who prefer stealth over pure combat power.
Cosmetic items
Of course, players can obtain more capes, player cards, and victory poses from the new Warbond. These include the following:
- Pinions of Everlasting Glory cape and player card
- Order of the Venerated Balot cape and player card
- Dissident’s Nightmare cape and player card
- Call the Helldivers victory pose
- Mime Instrumentation victory pose
- Distribute Ballots victory pose
