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In the fight against the overwhelming bug-like Terminids and the robotic Automatons, picking the best guns in Helldivers 2 can seem daunting. Use our tier list to sort through its massive armory for some rare gems between fan-favorites.
Best guns in Helldivers 2
Our top picks from the game’s arsenal are the SG-225 Breaker, Quasar Cannon, Anti-Material Rifle, LAS-16 Sickle, and GL-21 Grenade Launcher.
Helldivers 2 weapon tier list
If you’re wondering how our top picks hold up against every other weapon in Helldivers 2, here’s our Helldivers 2 weapon tier list. We’ve updated this with the Cutting Edge Warbond weapons as well. With the Democratic Detonation Warbond nearly here, we’ll update the following list based on how the new weapons perform.
| Weapons | Tier |
|---|---|
| SG-225 Breaker, Quasar Cannon, Anti-Material Rifle, LAS-16 Sickle, GL-21 Grenade Launcher, P-19 Redeemer Pistol, High Explosive | S |
| RS-422 Railgun, Arc-3 Arc Thrower, AR-23 Liberator, SG-8 Punisher Shotgun, G-31 Grenade Pistol, Machine Gun, Spear, Autocannon, Plas-1 Scorcher, Flamethrower, Expendable Anti-Tank, Stalwart | A |
| SG-225SP Breaker Spray & Pray, SG-225IE Breaker Incendiary, Recoilless Rifle, Laser Cannon, AR-23P Liberator Penetrator, MP-98 Knight, SMG-37 Defender, CB-09 Exploding Crossbow, P-4 Senator, P-2 Peacemaker, Incendiary, G-16 Impact, G-6 Frag, G-23 Stun, G-123 Thermite | B |
| BR-14 Adjudicator, R-63CS Diligence Counter Sniper and R-63 Diligence, Jar-5 Dominator, Las-5 Scythe, SG-8P Punisher Plasma, LAS-7 Dagger, AR-23E Liberator Explosive, SG-8S Slugger Shotgun, Arc-12 Blitzer, G-3 Smoke | C |
Best weapons in Helldivers 2
The top weapons in Helldivers 2 are quite lethal in exterminating both of Helldivers 2’s factions. We’ve picked the top guns in each weapon category in Helldivers 2:
- Best stratagem weapon: Quasar Cannon
- Best primary weapon: SG-225 Breaker Shotgun
- Best secondary weapon: P-19 Redeemer Pistol
- Best armor: Light armor with stealth bonus
- Best grenade: High Explosive
- Best stratagems: Eagle 500kg Bomb, Gatling Turret
The Quasar Cannon is our top supply weapon pick as it can take down even the biggest foes in a couple of hits. This is backed up by the Breaker Shotgun which is surprisingly decent at medium range. It can take out weak foes as well as some lightly armored ones. Despite the nerfs, it’s still great in Helldivers 2.
As for the secondary, the Redeemer Pistol should help you if you’re low on ammo or if you just finished your magazine. In the grenade department, none of them hit as hard as the High Explosive. When it comes to the best stratagems in Helldivers 2, the destructive 500kg Bomb and defensive Gatling Turret will serve you well. Read on for case-specific loadouts in Helldivers 2.
Experiment with weapons before settling on a favorite
Play around with different strategies and see what works against bugs and robots. This will let you prepare better for tougher missions.
The Breaker is a reliable shotgun that cuts through Terminids like a blade. Image captured by VideoGamer.
The Stalwart has a great rate of fire, perfect for Terminid hordes. Image captured by VideoGamer.
The Anti-Material Rifle is a great sniper pick. Image captured by VideoGamer.
The Redeemer packs a high rate of fire. Image captured by VideoGamer.
The High Explosive is the most reliable grenade pick in the game. Image captured by VideoGamer.
The Sickle is a solid energy weapon against Automatons. Image captured by VideoGamer.
Use the Grenade Launcher to decimate enemy hordes. Image captured by VideoGamer.
S-Tier
S-Tier weapons are the most powerful ones you can get your hands on in Helldivers 2. If you can unlock them, they are invaluable in most operations. These ended up accompanying us well long after working on our Helldivers 2 review.
| Weapon | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| SG-225 Breaker | Primary | Our personal favorite when it comes to shotguns in Helldivers 2. Beats most of the smaller hordes without a sweat. |
| Quasar Cannon | Stratagem | Use this laser to destroy armored opponents. Just remember that it takes 10 seconds between reloads and has a 3-second charge time. While that doesn’t sound great, its damage more than compensates for this. |
| Anti-Material Rifle | Stratagem | Use this sniper rifle on weak spots for impressive armor-breaking damage at a distance. |
| LAS-16 Sickle | Primary | This energy weapon is great at killing multiple enemies at range. Thanks to its heatsink, you don’t need to worry about running out of ammo. Just remember not to let it overheat or you’ll need to replace the heatsink. |
| GL-21 Grenade Launcher | Stratagem | This stratagem is perfect for clearing bug nests as well as hordes of Terminids or even Automaton squads. Just remember to stock up on ammunition. |
| P-19 Redeemer Pistol | Secondary | Its fast fire rate lets you mow down robots and bugs in a pinch. It’s a great secondary weapon to have. |
| High Explosive | Grenade | While it is the starting grenade, its mix of high damage and armor penetration is perfect for all targets. Its blast radius is on the lower side, though. |
A-Tier
While these don’t pack the same fury as the S-Tier picks, they can still dish out some serious democracy. Here are our A-Tier weapon picks in Helldivers 2.
| Weapon | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| RS-422 Railgun | Stratagem | This single-shot rifle can knock out most enemies in one shot. Use the unsafe mode to overcharge the railgun for even more damage. It’s a good pick despite the nerfs. |
| Arc-3 Arc Thrower | Stratagem | Try fighting Terminid swarms closing in and you’ll see how effective lightning can be. With unlimited ammo, the only real downside is the time between shots. But we’ll forgive it since these can arc from foe to foe. |
| AR-23 Liberator | Primary | The default assault rifle does great against hordes of weaker hordes. It doesn’t do too well against armor though. |
| SG-8 Punisher Shotgun | Primary | Despite its poor fire rate, the Punisher backs it up with solid damage and stagger damage against armored foes. And with a large magazine capacity, you can deal some serious damage as long as you don’t whiff your shots. |
| G-31 Grenade Pistol | Secondary | In addition to dealing damage to multiple foes, the Grenade Pistol can also be used to take down bug nests and fabricators. |
| Machine Gun | Stratagem | Solid fire rate makes the Machine Gun valuable companion in most firefights. Just remember that reloading it takes a while. |
| Spear | Stratagem | This weapon is deadly in the right hands. It’s especially useful against the Bile Titan. But you may have difficulty getting it to aim right. |
| Autocannon | Stratagem | In the right hands, it can chew through bosses with steady cannon fire. Just remember that its rate of fire isn’t great. |
| Plas-1 Scorcher | Primary | This energy weapon is a solid pick against robots. But it struggles against larger hordes and tougher enemies due to its small magazine. |
| Flamethrower | Stratagem | Its short range might hold it back. But pair the Flamethrower with a Jump Pack and you’ll be raining fire on bugs in no time. The new buff helps it take down armored foes like Chargers quickly. |
| Expendable Anti-Tank | Stratagem | While it’s a quick way to clear out armored foes like the Hulk, some may prefer the Recoilless Rifle. But its low cooldown gives it an edge. Its buff lets it kill Chargers in a single hit if aimed right. |
| Stalwart | Stratagem | This light machine gun is great against hordes and is easier to handle than the regular Machine Gun. |
B-Tier
Opt for these weapons when the situation demands it. If you’ve gotten really good with these, no one’s stopping you from sticking to them. Here are our B-Tier weapons.
| Weapon | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| SG-225SP Breaker Spray & Pray | Primary | While a shotgun with a better fire rate and lower damage sounds good in theory, we found the regular Breaker better for most engagements. Focus on getting headshots to make the most of this weapon. |
| SG-225IE Breaker Incendiary | Primary | While setting fire to foes is great, this shotgun is better against bugs than robots. So pick your loadout carefully before a mission. |
| Recoilless Rifle | Stratagem | You’ll need an ally to help you feed ammo into it for a steady rate of fire but its damage as a rocket launcher is solid. |
| Laser Cannon | Stratagem | While we love weapons with infinite ammo, the Laser Cannon could use a damage buff for it to become a mainstay. |
| AR-23P Liberator Penetrator | Primary | We hoped this weapon would be a superior version of the base assault rifle. But it isn’t as good while clearing weaker foes. It’s a boon against armor though, thanks to its scope and medium armor penetration. |
| MP-98 Knight | Primary | With a crazy rate of fire, this SMG is good against weaker bugs and robots. But it isn’t as versatile as the starting assault rifle as its accuracy suffers at long range. |
| SMG-37 Defender | Primary | This SMG shares similar traits to the aforementioned weapon. Expect an AR to pack a bigger punch. |
| CB-09 Exploding Crossbow | Primary | Aim this crossbow right and you can take out weaker mobs in a single hit. It isn’t very effective against armor though and you’ll need to reload between shots. |
| P-4 Senator Pistol | Secondary | While this pistol deals more damage than the regular one, this comes at the cost of fire rate. |
| P-2 Peacemaker Pistol | Secondary | The default pistol is great when your primary is out of ammo. And it does decently well against both robots and bugs from my experience. Just don’t expect it to work wonders. |
| Incendiary | Grenade | This grenade creates a patch of flames which is great for defeating enemies packed together. You can also use it to protect objectives or fellow Helldivers. |
| G-16 Impact | Grenade | Use this in a pinch against enemies that aren’t too close. Remember that you can take friendly fire if you’re close to this grenade. |
| G-6 Frag | Grenade | While this grenade has a solid blast radius, it comes at the cost of power. Useful for clearing weak enemies but isn’t as deadly as the standard grenade. |
| G-23 Stun | Grenade | Not as great as other grenades. But it can be useful when you want to stall enemy patrols or groups for time or to evade them. |
| G-123 Thermite | Grenade | Despite its promise of taking out armor, a bug appears to minimize the Thermite’s effectiveness in dealing damage over time. It can also stick to enemies. |
C-Tier
We wouldn’t recommend using these weapons in Helldivers 2. Expect buffs to improve their capabilities in battle.
| Weapon | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| BR-14 Adjudicator | Primary | While it promises to be a versatile marksman rifle, the Adjudicator’s damage is way off the mark. And its smaller magazine doesn’t help either. Players have taken to calling it a balloon gun online. |
| R-63CS Diligence Counter Sniper and R-63 Diligence | Primary | True, the Counter Sniper is an upgrade from the regular sniper rifle. But it still doesn’t take out armored foes in one shot and can be a chore to aim. These flaws extend to the basic Diligence too. |
| Jar-5 Dominator | Primary | While it’s slower than the Liberator, this assault rifle is better against armored robots. Its low magazine capacity and high recoil hold it back from being relevant in-game. |
| Las-5 Scythe | Primary | This recharging laser is decent against weaker robots. But against hordes of bugs or armored Automatons, it doesn’t do well enough to justify using it. |
| SG-8P Punisher Plasma | Primary | While it’s great to target enemy weak spots from medium range, it’s not very helpful against nearby foes. It can also harm you with its splash damage. |
| LAS-7 Dagger | Secondary | This laser pistol might look cool to use. But it barely does anything against armored opponents so keep this for the weaker enemies and Terminid missions. |
| AR-23E Liberator Explosive | Primary | This doesn’t outdo the base weapon despite its explosive rounds. We expect it to get a buff soon. |
| SG-8S Slugger Shotgun | Primary | This shotgun isn’t competitive against the Punisher and Breaker on all fronts. |
| Arc-12 Blitzer | Primary | This weapon is good against Automatons but its slow fire rate makes it take a while to kill enemies. You’re better off with the Arc Thrower. |
| G-3 Smoke | Grenade | While this might be useful for going into stealth, it’s a mechanic that is rarely used in Helldivers 2. Pair up with random players and it becomes even more of a hassle. |
That covers all the Helldivers 2 weapons and how they fare against enemy skirmishes. Pair these with our Helldivers 2 tips and tricks to tackle higher difficulties and help with Major Orders.
Helldivers 2 weapon tier list FAQs
How many weapons can you carry in Helldivers 2?
Players can carry a primary, a secondary, and a stratagem weapon.
Can you unlock new weapons by finding them in Helldivers 2 operations?
No, weapons you find can only be used in that operation.
