That's basicly god-modding in my opinion. That's unfair for humans who have to go do something, and tries to kill Taylor.
The new layer has no effect.
It is simply so he doesn't run around with a hole in his face.
He was in sleep mode if you read the dialouge in the ealier part,
when he gets too tired he goes into sleep mode, and he does not feel pain, but he still takes pain, and realizes that.
As for the food, he can also eat. I don't think this is at all in any way god-modding.
also, "doesn't feel pain." if you threw a bomb at him, that still wouldn't effect him, well, probably.
Just because you can't feel the pain doesn't mean it still happens to you.