SPACE MARINE 2 JUST GOT A GAME-CHANGING OVERHAUL: You Won’t Believe the New Weapon Perks!

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Summary

  • Patch 7.0 revamped weapon perks for Space Marine 2 by streamlining them.
  • Perks like Tyranid and Chaos Eliminator were removed, while Rapid Health and Cleaving Fire got buffs.
  • Many weapons saw large overhauls to give them more synergistic playstyles.

With the latest update for Space Marine 2, there have been numerous modifications, including the introduction of the Exfiltration mission, new visual enhancements, and most significantly, a reworking of many perk functions. The core gameplay experience has undergone a substantial transformation, primarily due to the introduction of Prestige Ranks, but also because of alterations in weapon accessibility and perks.

Not all benefits from the update remained unchanged, but several underwent modifications or were completely overhauled. Prestige Ranks tend to be self-explanatory, yet due to their vast number, weapon perks might get overlooked. If you’ve delved deeply into Space Marine 2, you’ll appreciate that weapon perks play a significant role. Here are some key alterations in the weapon perks.

This version is more conversational and easy to understand for readers who may not be familiar with gaming terms or jargon.

All the Most Important Weapon Changes From Space Marine 2’s Patch

Patch 7.0 Expanded Class Weapon Variety

In update 7.0 for “Space Marine 2”, titled the “Trygon” patch by Saber Interactive, there’s been a significant overhaul in the functioning of weapon perks. Instead of being highly conditional, they’ve become more universally applicable, ensuring that more perks function more frequently. Additionally, Saber has introduced the Inferno Pistol into Sniper, Heavy, Assault, and Vanguard classes, and further expanded the roster of existing weapons for other classes. Notably, these weapons may not have originally been designed for their respective classes, but they align well with the game’s lore, which is a thoughtful touch, as maintaining balance in PVE modes might be less critical compared to PVP.

Heavy Heavy Bolt Rifle | Heavy Bolt Pistol
Tactical Combat Knife / Plasma Pistol / Heavy Bolt Pistol
Assault Power Sword / Plasma Pistol
Bulwark Heavy Bolt Pistol
Sniper Heavy Bolt Pistol / Instigator Bolt Carbine
Vanguard Heavy Bolt Pistol / Bolt Carbine

Bolt Weapons Were Buffed a Small Amount

The power of bolt weapons has been enhanced considerably, with improvements spanning from a 5% rise in damage output for most, to complete overhauls for specific Heavy Bolt Rifle models. Notably, the adjustments made to the Heavy Bolt Rifles are substantial and aim to make each variant more distinct. Additionally, these changes will boost ammo capacity and headshot damage by 15% for every single version of the weapon.

The Biggest Space Marine 2 Weapon Perk Changes Explained

Tyranid and Chaos Eliminator/Slayer Are Gone

Often seen in various weapons were the Eliminator/Slayer bonuses, boosting their damage by 10% against a particular faction. However, these enhancements are no longer present, as they only functioned when fighting either Chaos or Tyranids, making them ineffective more than half the time. Additionally, their functionality was somewhat random, as each perk setup made weapons excel in certain areas that may not have meshed well with the Eliminator/Slayer bonuses.

A Few Minor Boost Perks Have Been Buffed

The enhancements made to several perks previously boosting a 5% increase now offer a 10%, such as Rapid Health, Blast Radius, and Elite Health, and those providing a temporary bonus for 5 seconds have been elevated to 10 seconds. This minor adjustment effectively doubles the potency of these weapon perks, while also emphasizing a broader design philosophy to make timed perks more significant when activated.

Players Are Rewarded for Being More Aggressive With Melta Weapons

As a gamer, I’ve noticed some exciting changes in my favorite weapons – the Melta Rifle and Multi-Melta. Now, when I finish a Majoris or higher, Decisive Reload restores one Melta ammo for each. Plus, if I manage to take out five enemies with a single shot, Trick Shot returns one armor point. To sweeten the deal, the Melta perks have been tweaked to encourage more hip-firing and better dodging. The Multi-Melta’s Weapon Strike perk has also received an upgrade, now boosting my melee damage by a whopping 50%, compared to the previous 15%. It’s going to make gaming even more thrilling!

Bolt Sniper Rifles Can Spec Into High or Low Ammo Builds

As a gamer wielding the Bolt Sniper Rifle, I’ve noticed some sweet benefits that make my gameplay style quite lethal. Perks like Extended Magazine, Finisher Reload, Unwavering Resolve, and Strong Start all synergize wonderfully, creating a high-damage playstyle. The Extended Magazine ensures my magazines rarely run dry, while Finisher Reload quickly refills them. Unwavering Resolve boosts my resilience during intense firefights, and Strong Start sets the stage for powerful opening shots.

To top it off, Strong Finish grants a massive 50% damage bonus to my final bullet in a magazine, perfect for taking down critical targets. At the moment, the Strong Start combo appears more promising, but patch 8.0 could potentially shift things around.

Area of Effect Weapons Are Now More Effective at Clearing Out Enemies

In simpler terms, the effectiveness of plasma weapons in area-of-effect (AOE) combat has significantly improved, albeit modestly. This enhancement includes increased AOE damage from charged shots and enhanced cooling due to perks. Regarding the Las Fusil, its Amplification perks have been consolidated from three into two, with each now providing a 15% expansion of the beam radius. The third amplification level has been replaced by Divine Might, which offers a 10% damage boost. Lastly, the Neo-Volkite Pistol’s Distributed Deflagration issue has been rectified to ensure heat is evenly distributed among surrounding enemies more accurately.

Heavy Bolt Pistols Have a More Defined Role

Revamped Heavy Bolt Pistols now offer significant modifications to their perks, offering a largely new set of options. Notably, these changes have tailored the pistols for longer ranges and targeting elite enemies. Enhancements include increased Terminus damage, boosted headshot damage, and improved penetration capabilities, all contributing to this shift. The variety in the perk pool is also noteworthy, enabling players to select between providing long-range fire support or opting for a close-quarters run-and-gun approach.

Cleaving Fire Helps Heavy Bolt Weapons Deal Chip Damage

In a simpler phrase, all Heavy Bolts, Stalker Bolts, Bolt Carbines, and Bolt Sniper Rifles now feature Cleaving Fire, a perk that allows bullets to bypass enemy block stances and deal 25% of regular damage. This enhancement is particularly useful in situations where enemies are harder to deal with at a distance because they’re blocking, and it gives the Bolt weapon series a distinct character.

Remote Threat Increases Long Range Bolt Weapon Damage

These rifles and pistols – Heavy Bolt, Stalker Bolt, Bolt Sniper (for rifles), and Heavy Bolt (for pistols) – will increase their ranged damage by 20% against enemies that are more than 25 meters away. This is a substantial enhancement to these weapon types, as they often struggle compared to weapons such as the Las Fusil in terms of long-range damage. Many damage-enhancing perks don’t provide boosts as high as 20%, so this change makes it simpler to target and eliminate teleporting Rubric Marines from a distance.

Rapid Health Now Restores More Health, More Often

In a new update, Rapid Health now grants 10% health back to players who have less than 30% health left upon defeating ten enemies consecutively. Previously, this effect only returned 5%. Notably, there’s no longer a cooldown on this ability, allowing players to endure larger groups of enemies for an extended period, which should greatly benefit those playing as Flesh Tearers.

Recoupment Restores Armor for Long Range Classes

In simpler terms, Recoupment switches out various benefits for eight distinct weapon types, such as the Bolt Rifle (including its Heavy, Auto, Stalker, and Sniper variations, plus Bolt Carbine and Instigator versions), and Las Fusil. When you score a headshot kill on an enemy of Majoris rank or higher, it restores one armor unit every 15 seconds. This, along with the earlier mentioned perks, significantly enhances long-range gameplay styles that often find it challenging to replenish armor without getting too close.

Honed Precision Enables Far More Accurate Hip-Firing

The boost to hip-firing accuracy for Honed Precision has doubled, changing from a 25% reduction in maximum spread to a full 50%. This improvement will significantly aid larger weapons, as they can sometimes struggle with precision during intense Hormagaunt swarms. As a result, players will find it easier to hit targets even without precise aiming, thereby enhancing their chances of survival when surrounded by large numbers of these creatures.

Divine Might’s Damage Bonus Is Available on More Weapons

Previously exclusive to the Heavy Bolt Pistol, the Divine Might enhancement is now accessible across ten distinct weapons. This perk offers a 10% damage increase without any prerequisites or cool-down periods. The power of this feature typically outshines certain specialized and seldom-used alternatives.

The Head Hunter Perks Have Merged

Initially, the Head Hunter ability was divided into two separate benefits, but it’s now combined into a single perk, offering a 10% boost to damage from headshots. This change is part of Saber’s efforts to streamline the complex weapon perk system, making the investment in this skill more gratifying.

Armoured Strength Is Much More Forgiving

Originally, this advantage functioned exclusively when wearing a full suit of armor, making it challenging to sustain, especially against a Cultist armed with an autogun who could disable it easily. However, now, the damage amplification stays active even if any amount of armor is left on, marking a significant improvement for melee combat strategies in Space Marine 2, as quick parries allow for swift recovery of armor segments, ensuring the perk remains active.

Rampage Now Enables Longer Streaks of Boosted Damage

Increasing both the duration from 5 to 10 seconds and shortening the cooldown from 30 to 15 seconds, Rampage now offers its substantial 25% damage increase for a more extended period. This could allow players to reload more frequently, maximizing the usage of this perk’s extended activation time, and it will activate approximately twice as often.

There Will Be Plenty More Perk Changes in Patch 8.0

The updates on perks didn’t just stop with these changes; more tweaks can be expected in patch 8.0 as the game evolves. Many people would say that these adjustments have given new life to weapons that weren’t so effective before, and made minor perks seem more valuable. On a related note, Space Marine 2‘s Prestige Ranks have significantly altered the PVE gameplay landscape, and the developers are considering how to fine-tune them in the future. However, some players have found it challenging to reach these prestigious ranks.

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2025-04-22 16:08