For new and experienced Helldivers alike, understanding how you earn rewards and progress is key to focusing your efforts on the Galactic Front. This guide breaks down the core systems based on how they actually function during play.
How Do I Earn Experience Points (XP)?
You earn XP at the end of any mission where at least one main objective was completed, even if the mission ultimately failed. The base amount of XP is determined by the mission's difficulty, with harder missions paying out more. However, your final XP can be reduced by three factors: failing optional objectives, not having all surviving Helldivers make it to the extraction shuttle, and team deaths. The death penalty is unique; it stops applying once your team's total deaths exceeds the mission's difficulty number. For example, on a Difficulty 5 mission, deaths 1 through 5 will reduce your XP, but any deaths after the 5th will not incur further penalty.
There are also significant multipliers. Completing a Planetary Assault or Capital Defense mission doubles your XP. The biggest payout comes from defeating an Enemy Master, which can award up to triple the normal XP.
What Are Planet Rewards and How Do I Get Them?
When you complete every mission on a standard planet (or an Enemy Master planet), it is considered "Conquered." You are then given the planet's advertised reward. What you get is not random for you personally; it follows a specific logic based on your inventory:
Stratagem Unlocks: On standard planets (Difficulty 1-11, excluding Helldive), if the mission host has not yet collected all Stratagems available for that planet's enemy type and difficulty bracket, the reward will be a random, unowned Stratagem from that pool. If you already have all possible Stratagems, you receive an XP bonus instead.
Cape Unlocks: On a Helldive (Difficulty 12) standard planet, if the host does not have the unique cape for that enemy type (e.g., an Automaton cape), it is awarded. Otherwise, you get an XP bonus.
Influence Points: Conquering an Enemy Master planet always rewards 150 Influence Points for the Galactic Campaign.
XP Bonus: This is the default reward if you don't qualify for a Stratagem or cape. The amount scales with planet difficulty.
It's worth noting that some players who are looking to quickly fill out their arsenal might seek out specific planets for desired Stratagems, and in their searches online they might encounter guides on where to buy helldivers 2 items cheap, but it's important to understand that all progression items like Stratagems and capes are earned solely through gameplay and cannot be traded between players.
What Are Influence Points and the "Three Stars"?
Beyond personal rewards, conquering planets advances the community's Galactic Campaign by generating Influence Points. The amount of Influence you generate for the war effort depends on earning up to three stars for the operation.
First Star (Complete Objectives): Awarded for successfully completing all main mission objectives.
Second Star (Full Extraction): Awarded only if every living Helldiver is on the extraction shuttle when it departs.
Third Star (Casualty Limit): Awarded if the total number of team deaths does not exceed the mission's difficulty number.
Each star typically contributes one-third of the mission's difficulty number in Influence (rounded up). Defeating an Enemy Master is a special case, granting a flat 300 Influence regardless of stars, but you must first earn 50 Influence from regular planets in its quadrant to unlock the Master mission.
How Do Samples and Research Points Work?
Samples are the resource used to upgrade your ship modules. They are found scattered on the map and often near points of interest. The system is very team-friendly:
Samples are instantly shared with your entire squad the moment one player picks them up.
Only one player needs to extract successfully for everyone in the team to receive all Samples collected during the mission.
This makes protecting the extracting player, especially if they are carrying Rare or Super Samples, a common tactical priority.
Warning: If you fail the mission, abort, drop out, or quit to the main menu before the final stats screen, you lose all Samples collected by your team.
For every 10 Samples collectively secured (and each time your personal Rank increases), you gain 1 Research Point to spend on ship upgrades.
What's a Common Strategy for Efficient Progression?
Most players find a balanced approach works best. If your goal is to unlock Stratagems, pay attention to the planet reward icon before dropping. Focus on planets offering a Stratagem you need for your preferred playstyle. For leveling up Rank quickly, farming higher-difficulty missions with the XP multipliers is effective, though it requires a competent team. When hunting for Samples, many squads will prioritize the "full clear" playstyle, completing all objectives while thoroughly scouting the map, and then making a concerted, defensive push to get at least one member to extraction. In general, communication about who is holding Samples and ensuring their survival is a hallmark of experienced teams.
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