Helldivers 1:Proving Grounds

“

These Proving Grounds give you an opportunity to practice with some gear you might not have used otherwise. Seems tricky, but you are doing well down there!

— Ship's Scientist

Proving Grounds is a newer game mode released in the Dive Harder expansion that consists of unique missions with various difficulties, and includes modifiers that cannot be seen anywhere else. It is separate from the war effort and can be played at any time. It takes place in the exclusive area of an undamaged Super Earth city.

A Proving Ground mission consists of three components such as:

Challenge: A challenge is an actual objective the Helldivers are tasked to complete. These are familiar from the main game, rescue Survivors or activate SAM-sites for example.

Modifier: A modifier mix things up and force the Helldiver to stay sharp. For example, unexpected orbital bombardment strikes the city, or the electricity goes out plunging the map into darknes

Condition: A condition primarily affects the loadout available to the Helldiver, like shotguns only, or only defensive stratagems, or perhaps a new weapon every time you reload.

Proving Grounds Conditions Types

Pistols Only
Perk	Laser Aim Module
Sidearm	Random
Primary	NONE
Stratagems	Resupply; 3 random `strike` stratagems
Additional Notes	You get to play with a randomly chosen sidearm.

ANTI-TANK AND PISTOLS ONLY
Perk	Laser Aim Module
Sidearm	Random
Primary	NONE
Stratagems	4 random `anti_tank` stratagems
Additional Notes	Randomly chosen sidearm and heavy weapon (anti-tank) stratagems.

NO PRIMARY
Perk	Laser Aim Module
Sidearm	P-2 Peacemaker
Primary	NONE
Stratagems	Resupply, Vindicator Dive Bomb, MG-94 Machine Gun, A/MG-11 Minigun Turret
Additional Notes	No primary weapon and default stratagems.

RANDOM WEAPONS
Perk	Random
Sidearm	Random
Primary	Random (excluding, Saber, FLAM-40 Incinerator, TOX-13 Avenger, and AC-22 Dum-Dum)
Stratagems	4 Random
Additional Notes	Everything random.

RANDOM STRATAGEMS
Perk	Laser Aim Module
Sidearm	P-2 Peacemaker
Primary	AR-19 Liberator
Stratagems	4 random stratagems
Additional Notes	Default perk, sidearm, primary and 4 random stratagems.

NO PRIMARY
Perk	Laser Aim Module
Sidearm	P-2 Peacemaker
Primary	NONE
Stratagems	Resupply, Vindicator Dive Bomb, MG-94 Machine Gun, A/MG-11 Minigun Turret
Additional Notes	You get to play without primary weapon.

DEFENSIVE STRATAGEMS ONLY
Perk	Random
Sidearm	Random
Primary	NONE
Stratagems	4 random `defensive` stratagems
Additional Notes	Randomly chosen perk, sidearm and 4 defensive stratagems

SUPPORT WEAPONS ONLY
Perk	Random
Sidearm	Random
Primary	NONE
Stratagems	4 random `support_weapon` stratagems
Additional Notes	Randomly chosen perk, sidearm and 4 support weapon stratagems.

NEW AND IMPROVED
Perk	Strong Arm
Sidearm	P-2 Peacemaker
Primary	AC-22 Dum-Dum
Stratagems	Resupply, AD-289 Angel or AD-334 Guard Dog, FLAM-40 Incinerator, AT-47 Anti-Tank Emplacement
Additional Notes	You get to play with "buffed" or improved weapons and perks from the Dive Harder patch.

AVENGING FLAMES
Perk	Laser Aim Module
Sidearm	P-2 Peacemaker
Primary	TOX-13 Avenger or FLAM-40 Incinerator
Stratagems	Resupply, 3 random `mine`/`strike` stratagems
Additional Notes	You get to play with TOX-13 Avenger or FLAM-40 Incinerator as primary.

POISONOUS STING
Perk	Heavy Armor
Sidearm	P-2 Peacemaker
Primary	AR-14D Paragon
Stratagems	4 random `support`/`strike` stratagems
Additional Notes	You get to play with this loadout.

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL
Perk	Strong Arm
Sidearm	NONE
Primary	Saber
Stratagems	SH-20 Shield Generator Pack or SH-32 Directional Kinetic Shield, 3 random `support_non_lethal`/`mine_non_lethal`/`strike_non_lethal` stratagems
Additional Notes	Melee only loadout with stratagems that should help to keep you alive for longer.

FREEDOM ON WHEELS
Perk	Random
Sidearm	Random
Primary	NONE
Stratagems	4 random `vehicle` stratagems
Additional Notes	Loadout with random perk, sidearm and vehicles.

MINES AND MACHINEGUNS
Perk	Laser Aim Module
Sidearm	P-2 Peacemaker
Primary	AR-19 Liberator, AR-22C Patriot, AR-20L Justice or MG-105 Stalwart
Stratagems	4 random `mine` stratagems
Additional Notes	You get to play with randomly chosen mines.

RELOAD SURPRISE
Perk	Laser Aim Module
Sidearm	Random
Primary	Random
Stratagems	4 random `strike` stratagems
Additional Notes	Each reload changes primary and sidearm, with the possibility of using DLC weapons. Players will never run out of ammo.

Proving Grounds Reward

Helldivers who climb to the top of a Proving Ground’s leaderboard at the end of the Galactic Campaign will be awarded a cape (total of 9 to collect) by Super Earth Command. Only players reaching N1 spot will receive cape. Cape is awarded according to the difficulty of a mission. For example, tire 1 cape for Easy Bug mission, tire 2 for Medium Illuminate difficulty and tire 3 for Hard Cyborg difficulty. This means that to collect all capes, one would have to get first place in at least 3 Wars, for different mission difficulties/factions combinations.

External links

• HELLDIVERS: Dive Harder development video Proving Grounds - Short official preview via YouTube from October 2019
  • Related blog post: https://www.arrowheadgamestudios.com/2019/10/announcing-helldivers-dive-harder/