After the recent balancing update, Helldivers 2 now has more viable builds for high-difficulty missions than ever before. Not to mention, the new Chemical Agents premium Warbond in Helldivers 2 also introduced some interesting buildcrafting tools, namely the P-11 Stim Pistol, a unique utility weapon.
As a dedicated utility weapon, the P-11 Stim pistol is a great new buildcrafting tool that allows players to take on a support role by healing and restoring their teammates’ stamina from afar. However, there are still plenty of ways that Helldivers 2 can further explore a support/medic class beyond this fun new weapon.
Helldivers 2’s P-11 Stim Pistol Is the Ultimate Support Weapon
Players have wanted the tools for a proper support/medic build in Helldivers 2 practically since the game launched, considering this was a thing in the original Helldivers game. So, while the 
B-1 Supply Pack Stratagem allows players to refill their teammates’ ammo, this alone wasn’t enough to fulfill a support role. Consequently, the new P-11 Stim Pistol has immediately become a welcome addition to the game, even if it isn’t necessarily part of the new meta in Helldivers 2.
The P-11 Stim Pistol benefits from the 
Experimental Infusion Booster in Helldivers 2. Also, wearing body armor with the Med-Kit perk increases the amount of ammo the Stim Pistol can hold.
While the Stim Pistol is already shaping up to be an interesting buildcrafting tool, it’s still only the tip of the iceberg for what a full support/medic build in Helldivers 2 could look like. Since the Stim Pistol doesn’t necessarily provide any utility that players don’t already have by default, this leaves room for new ammo types for the Stim Pistol – or entirely new support weapons to experiment with other types of unique buffs.
Helldivers 2’s Stim Pistol Could Be the Key to Introducing More Unique Buffs
One way that Helldivers 2 could take its support/medic builds to the next level is by allowing the Stim Pistol, or a similar weapon, to apply a wider variety of buffs beyond restoring health and stamina. For starters, Helldivers 2 should consider experimenting with temporary buffs that improve players’ movement speed or increase their resistance to Elemental damage types, such as Arc, Gas, and Fire, and the Stim Pistol arguably seems like the perfect vessel for these kinds of buffs.
An increased movement speed buff would be especially helpful for players who wear heavy body armor in Helldivers 2, since this armor makes players sacrifice their overall speed and maximum stamina to benefit from increased damage resistance. The Experimental Infusion Booster already grants a movement speed boost when using Stims, but making this a natural feature of the P-11 Stim Pistol could give players more freedom to bring different Boosters to each mission if they’re willing to give up their secondary weapon for the Stim Pistol. Similarly, Elemental damage resistance buffs could also allow players more freedom when choosing armor types, considering that Elemental damage resistance is currently tied to specific body armor perks in Helldivers 2.
Helldivers 2’s Stim Pistol Shouldn’t be the Only Support Role Weapon
Aside from experimenting with a wider variety of buffs, the Stim Pistol should also pave the way for additional kinds of buildcrafting tools that take the support/medic role to the next level. After the P-11 Stim Pistol, it seems like a natural progression for Helldivers 2 to add new gear that can repair mech suits, sentry turrets, or any other kinds of vehicles in Helldivers 2.
Overall, the Stim Pistol is an interesting weapon that delivers a highly-requested feature for Helldivers 2. At the same time though, there’s still plenty of room to grow with more utility weapons that allow players to fulfill the ultimate support role for their team, far beyond being able to heal teammates and restore their stamina, considering that players could already do this before the Stim Pistol was introduced.
Helldivers 2
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 83 /100 Critics Rec: 91%
- Released
- February 8, 2024
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, In-Game Purchases, Users Interact
- Developer(s)
- Arrowhead Game Studios, Nixxes
- Publisher(s)
- Sony Interactive Entertainment, PlayStation Publishing
WHERE TO PLAY
The Galaxy’s Last Line of Offence. Enlist in the Helldivers and join the fight for freedom across a hostile galaxy in a fast, frantic, and ferocious third-person shooter.
URGENT BROADCAST – SUPER EARTH ARMED FORCES
Freedom. Peace. Democracy. Your Super Earth-born rights. The key pillars of our civilization. Of our very existence. But the war rages on. And everything is once again under threat.
Join the greatest military force the galaxy has ever seen and make this a safe and free place to live.
BECOME A LEGEND
You will be assembled into squads of up to four Helldivers and assigned strategic missions. Watch each other’s back – friendly fire is an unfortunate certainty of war, but victory without teamwork is impossible.
LOADOUTS
Rain down freedom from above, sneak through enemy territory, or grit your teeth and charge head-first into the jaws of combat. How you deliver liberty is your choice; you’ll have access to a wide array of explosive firepower, life-saving armor and battle-changing stratagems… the jewel in every Helldiver’s arsenal.
REQUISITION
Super Earth recognises your hard work with valuable Requisition. Use it to access different rewards that benefit you, your squad, your destroyer ship and our overall war effort.
THREATS
Everything on every planet wants you dead. That’s what we’re dealing with. Each enemy has distinct and unpredictable characteristics, tactics, and behavior – but they all fight ferociously and without fear or morality.
THE GALACTIC WAR
Capturing enemy planets, defending against invasions, and completing missions will contribute to our overall effort. This war will be won or lost depending on the actions of everyone involved.
We stand together, or we fall apart.
- Engine
- bitsquid
- Multiplayer
- Online Co-Op
- Cross-Platform Play
- All platforms
- Franchise
- Helldivers
- Number of Players
- 1-4 players (online)
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
- Genre(s)
- Third-Person Shooter, Extraction Shooter, Action, Science Fiction
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
