Helldivers 2: Extra Padding passive explained

If you’re learning about armor stats and are curious about the mysterious Extra Padding passive and what it does for you in the heat of battle, then here’s everything we can tell you from our Helldivers 2 armor experiments.

Helldivers 2: What is Extra Padding?

Extra Padding is one of the armor passive stats in Helldivers 2. Each body armor has passive stats attached to it, making different types (light, medium, and heavy builds) unique in the looks department as well as when it comes to combat capabilities. However, a lot of these passive stats actually repeat themselves, which means the main difference between each body armor options comes down to aesthetics more than anything.

The first passive stat you can get in Helldivers 2 is Extra Padding. It supposedly gives your armor a higher armor rating. This passive is included in the four default body armor options (B-01 Tactical.) The biggest problem you’ll face when you first get access to the stat is that there’s no real way of testing out Extra Padding without completing missions and unlocking more armor from the battle passes or Superstore.

What does Extra Padding actually do in Helldivers 2?

Fans think it’s simply a joke

It’s been theorized by fans that Extra Padding may simply be a joke from developer, Arrowhead, as a way to highlight how little Super Earth actually cares about their Helldivers. These disposable soldiers (myself and you) are easily swapped out upon death, where another Helldiver is sent down in their Hellpod to continue your mission.

So, Extra Padding being the default passive in Helldivers 2 may be tricking us into thinking we have actual support and a layer of safety from Automaton fire and Terminid attacks.

Testing proves Extra Paddings uses

The truth is… Extra Padding has an actual combat buff against explosive damage. After a lot of experimentation using three different armor sets, I found the Extra Padding body armor takes far less damage against grenades and landmines. This doesn’t mean you can jump on a landmine or stand directly on top of a grenade and expect nothing to happen; direct contact with explosives (regardless of your armor) will kill you.

However, when testing the three armors with full health, I found I lost approximately half my health bar on DP-53 Saviour of the Free, 75 percent of my health on SC-34 Infiltrator, and 25 percent with the B-01 Tactical armor (Extra Padding.) This armor was incredibly weak to incoming fire and melee attacks. I died to four to five bullets and melee hits using the Extra Padding armor, whereas the DP-53 kept me alive for an extra two hits.

With these results in mind, the Extra Padding passive may be the one for you if you struggle to navigate landmines or can’t outrun the Automaton grenades. Patch 01.000.100 has since improved on the Extra Padding passive stat, increasing its values by 50. The previously meagre 122-rated Fortified Commando now sits with a whopping 200 armor rating and includes the Extra Padding passive.