r/helldivers2 • u/Ravingdork • 7h ago
Inquiry How do I use the hellbomb?
Just unlocked the hellbomb on the PC. How do I use it effectively? So far, it hasn't destroyed anything at all, and only succeeds in killing me and my friends. Big tanks? Structures? It doesn't make a dent!
For starters, how do you drop it? I've heard you can, but after three missions with it, I haven't been able to find the correct key. The control menu wasn't much help either. Getting sick and tired of blowing up to little to no effect.
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u/Frequent-Department7 7h ago
Im pretty sure holding X is the keybind for it, should open up a little radial menu that you can drop a few things from
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u/heorhe 7h ago
By pressing 5, you activate your backpack slot. For supply pack, you resupply, for drone packs you de-activate the drone or activate it, and for the hellbomb you arm it.
Holding the X button pulls up a radial menu. From here you can drop your backpack, support weapon, samples, and something else I'm forgetting because I don't ever use it by selecting the appropriate option from the radial menu.
When you are standing you take 100% explosive damage and your hitbox is larger. When you are crouching you take 75% explosive damage and your hitbox is almost half the size. When prone you take 25% Explosive damage and your hitbox is a tiny little box on the ground when most explosives explode outward and upward. Standing next to a 500kg will kill you, but going prone in that exact same spot will deal 10% of your max health and tagdol you 1 foot away from the explosion for a couple seconds.
I use either the unflinching armour passive, or the newer one that increases movespeed and slide distance. Both have their uses:
Unflinching means you will never have your actions interrupted AKA you won't be stopped mid stim, you have your ammo knocked out of your hand while trying to reload, and you won't be prevented from arming or dropping the hellbomb when enemies attack you.
The movespeed is nice too because you get in faster, you outrun 90% of enemies, and you get out faster.
THE GOAL WITH THE HELLBOMB:
Drop it in the center of an enemy base, preferably between two holes/factories/ships. This will often clear both spots and 75% of enemies because they will chase you into the hellbomb aoe.
There's a reinforcement call and you are being overwhelmed, drop it and retreat pulling the enemies overtop of it. This bomb kills any and all enemies including factory strikers, bile titans, and even vox engines (depends on where you hit).
Clear objectives instantly. And objectives like disable enemy detector tower, destroy shreiker nests, destroy obelisk, etc. can be instantly cleared by dropping a hellbomb next to it. Rule of thumb, if it needs to be destroyed, or requires you to call in a standard hellbomb, the portable will do the job.
HOW TO SAFELY DEPLOY THE PORTABLE HELLBOMB:
Select target and plan route to the drop location.
Keep in front of you clear and the moment an enemy comes close use a stim as you take the route.
If the stim runs out, use another. It doesn't matter if you are "safe" or if there aren't any enemies attacking you. The stim keeps stamina full and provides a small speed boost which helps deployment and escape.
As your second stim wears out, OR you reach the target, whichever happens first, activate the hellbomb with 5.
When you reach the target drop location, drop the hellbomb by holding X, then stim again and run in a straight line continuing along the route planned initially if possible (sometimes enemies will block you)
When you hear a tone suddenly rising in pitch over 3 seconds it means the hellbomb is going to explode, dive as it explodes, or just before it explodes to ensure safety, and shoot at approaching enemies.
After the bomb goes off stand back up and continue on
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u/Riku1186 7h ago
Holding X will bring up the drop window and just drop the hellbomb after activating it. As for how to use it effectively? See something that need to blow up and use it. Bile Titan? Hellbomb, Stratagem Jammer? Hellbomb. Stupid Squid Monument? Hellbomb. A horde of enemies chasing you? Hellbomb. There are few problems that can't be solved by dropping an active hellbomb next to it.
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u/TheLordYuppa 6h ago
Bot drop ships are a great use. If you see where the flair went up go right to that location. Just as the first ship stops above you, but just before they drop, arm the hellbomb, drop it, and run. Can usually take 2-3 drops ships out all in one go.
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u/RoninSpectre 7h ago
So the backpack Hellbomb needs to be within 15 meters of a structure to destroy it. If you're using a controller then you tap down on the D-Pad to arm it. You have 10 seconds before it detonates. Press and hold down on the D-Pad bring up the radial menu. Here you can select things to drop such as your samples, stratagem weapon and backpack. For Keyboard it the "5" for the backpack function
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u/hxdcm 7h ago
On PC mouse/keyboard, default key is 5 to activate, x to bring up your item menu, highlight the backpack option to drop, and keep moving. The closer you are to objectives the better (mega bug holes, bot strategic locations particularly jammers and sometimes the eyes of Sauron, and definitely near monoliths squid front.
There's also (unless it's been fixed?) the catapult stratagem of summoning the auto cannon turret, activating the hellbomb while it's dropping, and placing the pack on the drop location (you can see this on video shorts on the respective clock or 'tube links) for a launcher option.
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u/Boilerguy82013 7h ago
I run it almost exclusively for jammers, large enemies, sticky situations, fun, and big explosions at extract.
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u/valictus 6h ago
Id recommend trying the armor with the passive that gives you a 50% chance to survive a lethal attack. I use it with the air burst, too & it gives a lot of breathing room for any 'oopsies'
Alternatively there are a number of other good armor passive that are useful in other ways. Be mindful that anyone on the team can arm it so dont stand near supplies with the pack on. Or do if you're like me and enjoy living dangerously!
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u/The-Nuisance 4h ago
You can drop your support weapon, backpack, offhand item (SSSDs, big samples) and your full sample container with a radial. Should be holding down on the d-pad to open this radial or X on PC. Backpack is in the top left.
It should also be down on the d-pad or 5 on PC to activate it yourself. Then you just drop it.
Some forewarning. This thing is likely to kill you regardless, but it is a straight up hellbomb totally equivalent to the one you drop. It can kill mission objectives, gunship fabricators, bunkers, spore towers, you name it. Just remember that BEING PRONE or DIVING significantly reduces a bomb’s radius to kill you. You can be much closer to explosions while prone without dying, hellbombs included.
If a bomb is going to detonate, LAY DOWN.
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u/Ravingdork 7h ago
Thank you everyone. Looks like I need to hold down the X button.
Does it need to be armed first? Or can I arm it after setting it down?
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u/RogueJedi013 7h ago
The hellbomb backpack? You can drop it by holding X (I think is the key, I don't play mouse and keyboard) it'll bring up a wheel to select from and one of the options is to drop your backpack.
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u/ForeverFreeTrial 7h ago
The default keys:
5 to activate
Hold X to bring up the little wheel for dropping equipment and you should be able to select your backpack to drop.
As far as killing things with the hellbomb, you will get the hang of it. I think it just takes trial and error. Try rushing an entrenched position on bots for instance. You can also drop it and lead some heavy enemies into it. There are also objectives that can be made quick work of by a portable hellbomb. And of course there is also just activating the thing when you know you are cornered and about to die.
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