Quick Links
- How We Rank Weapons
- Tier List Overview
- Terminids
- Automatons
- Illuminate
- Terminid Weapon Tier List
- S-Tier Terminid Weapons
- A-Tier Terminid Weapons
- B-Tier Terminid Weapons
- C-Tier Terminid Weapons
- D-Tier Terminid Weapons
- Automaton Weapon Tier List
- S-Tier Automaton Weapons
- A-Tier Automaton Weapons
- B-Tier Automaton Weapons
- C-Tier Automaton Weapons
- D-Tier Automaton Weapons
- Illuminate Weapon Tier List
- S-Tier Illuminate Weapons
- A-Tier Illuminate Weapons
- B-Tier Illuminate Weapons
- C-Tier Illuminate Weapons
- D-Tier Illuminate Weapons
Helldivers 2 has seen some massive weapon sandbox changes since its initial release. Dozens of weapons have been added, many old-school weapons can now be modded with attachments, and nearly every existing weapon has been reworked at some point. Throw in the new enemy types Arrowhead has added, and you have a dizzying array of strategies to consider.
RelatedHelldivers 2: Ergonomics, Explained
A system that's all about snapping up that weapon, here's everything you need to know about ergonomics in Helldivers 2.
PostsFortunately, the arsenal of Super Earth has never been stronger. Nearly every gun in Helldivers 2 is viable with the right build. But just like Super Citizens, some guns are more equal than others. We'll be looking at every weapon currently in Helldivers 2 and ranking them in a tier list for each of the game's enemy factions.
How We Rank Weapons
The weapon sandbox in Helldivers 2 varies heavily based on your chosen difficulty, enemy faction, and preferred playstyle. With this tier list, we're focusing on weapon performance per faction based on performance in T7+ difficulty. This includes every enemy type for each faction without a reliance on hard counters for heavily-armored targets or boss-tier units.
Weapon attachments are considered for rankings when possible.
Since each faction has unique strengths and weaknesses, this tier list is broken up by faction: Terminids, Automatons, and Illuminate. This allows us to shine a light on weapons that really excel at countering certain enemies—for example, the Torcher against Terminids or the Deadeye against the Automatons. Tiers are broken up as follows:
- S Tier: Meta. These are the best weapons you can use for the listed faction.
- A Tier: Strong. Weapons in this category are great in almost every situation, albeit with one minor flaw that prevents S-tier status.
- B Tier: Good. These weapons are either average or require a specific loadout to excel. Anything in this category can beat the hardest content; you'll just need to work a little harder for kills than A or S-tier gear.
- C Tier: Weak. Most of these weapons are subpar and should generally be avoided. Only use them if you love how they feel.
- D Tier: Terrible. Don't use these weapons. Period.
Helldivers 2: 8 Backpack Support Stratagems, Ranked
These are the best Backpack Support Stratagems in Helldivers 2.
PostsTier List Overview
Terminids
S Tier
CB-9 Exploding Crossbow
PLAS-1 Scorcher
PLAS-101 Purifier
ARC-12 Blitzer
SG-451 Cookout
SMG-32 Reprimand
SG-225IE Breaker Incendiary
AR-23A Liberator Carbine
GP-31 Grenade Pistol
A Tier
P-72 Crisper
FLAM-66 Torcher
LAS-58 Talon
BR-14 Adjudicator
R-36 Eruptor
SG-8P Punisher Plasma
SG-225 Breaker
SG-8 Punisher
AR-23P Liberator Penetrator
LAS-16 Sickle
MP-98 Knight
LAS-5 Scythe
AR-23 Liberator
StA-11 SMG
P-19 Redeemer
P-4 Senator
SG-22 Bushwacker
B Tier
SG-225SP Breaker Spray & Pray
JAR-5 Dominator
LAS-17 Double-Edge Sickle
StA-52 Assault Rifle
R-6 Deadeye
SG-8S Slugger
PLAS-15 Loyalist
P-113 Verdict
AR-61 Tenderizer
P-11 Stim Pistol
SG-20 Halt
SMG-37 Defender
R-63 Diligence
GP-31 Ultimatum
C Tier
SMG-72 Pummeler
LAS-7 Dagger
R-63CS Diligence Counter
R-2124 Constitution
AR-23C Liberator Concussive
D Tier
PLAS-39 Accelerator Rifle
R-2 Amendment
P-2 Peacemaker
read moreAutomatons
S Tier
CB-9 Exploding Crossbow
PLAS-1 Scorcher
PLAS-101 Purifier
SMG-32 Reprimand
JAR-5 Dominator
BR-14 Adjudicator
AR-23P Liberator Penetrator
GP-31 Grenade Pistol
R-6 Deadeye
A Tier
R-36 Eruptor
SG-8P Punisher Plasma
ARC-12 Blitzer
LAS-58 Talon
SG-8S Slugger
SG-20 Halt
AR-23A Liberator Carbine
LAS-16 Sickle
MP-98 Knight
LAS-5 Scythe
R-63CS Diligence Counter
AR-23 Liberator
P-4 Senator
P-113 Verdict
PLAS-15 Loyalist
B Tier
StA-11 SMG
P-11 Stim Pistol
P-19 Redeemer
StA-52 Assault Rifle
LAS-17 Double-Edge Sickle
SG-22 Bushwacker
AR-61 Tenderizer
SMG-37 Defender
GP-31 Ultimatum
SG-225 Breaker
C Tier
SG-8 Punisher
SMG-72 Pummeler
LAS-7 Dagger
R-63 Diligence
PLAS-39 Accelerator Rifle
SG-451 Cookout
AR-23C Liberator Concussive
SG-225IE Breaker Incendiary
FLAM-66 Torcher
P-72 Crisper
D Tier
SG-225SP Breaker Spray & Pray
R-2 Amendment
R-2124 Constitution
P-2 Peacemaker
read moreIlluminate
S Tier
CB-9 Exploding Crossbow
Purifier
ARC-12 Blitzer
SG-8P Punisher Plasma
SMG-32 Reprimand
SG-451 Cookout
AR-23P Liberator Penetrator
SG-20 Halt
LAS-16 Sickle
GP-31 Grenade Pistol
A Tier
LAS-5 Scythe
P-72 Crisper
PLAS-39 Accelerator Rifle
PLAS-1 Scorcher
BR-14 Adjudicator
LAS-58 Talon
SG-225IE Breaker Incendiary
FLAM-66 Torcher
JAR-5 Dominator
AR-23A Liberator Carbine
SG-225 Breaker
SG-8 Punisher
MP-98 Knight
AR-23 Liberator
P-19 Redeemer
SG-22 Bushwacker
P-4 Senator
PLAS-15 Loyalist
B Tier
StA-11 SMG
R-36 Eruptor
LAS-17 Double-Edge Sickle
StA-52 Assault Rifle
R-6 Deadeye
P-113 Verdict
AR-61 Tenderizer
P-11 Stim Pistol
SMG-37 Defender
R-63 Diligence
GP-31 Ultimatum
R-63CS Diligence Counter
C Tier
SMG-72 Pummeler
LAS-7 Dagger
SG-8S Slugger
SG-225SP Breaker Spray & Pray
AR-23C Liberator Concussive
D Tier
R-2124 Constitution
R-2 Amendment
P-2 Peacemaker
read moreTerminid Weapon Tier List
S-Tier Terminid Weapons
Weapon
Archetype
Reasoning
CB-9 Exploding Crossbow
Primary Grenade Launcher
Medium Pen, Explosive
Best weapon in the game. Kills all bug types, clogs holes, and has plentiful ammo reserves.
Explosions can kill you.
PLAS-1 Scorcher
Primary Energy Rifle
Medium Pen, Explosive
Fires explosive rounds that shred through groups and medium armor.
Explosions can kill you.
PLAS-101 Purifier
Primary Energy Rifle
Medium Pen, Explosive
A variant of the Scorcher you can charge. Trades ease of use for versatility.
Explosions can kill you.
ARC-12 Blitzer
Primary Shotgun
Medium Pen
A shotgun version of the Arc Thrower. Fantastic for clearing fodder bugs.
Features infinite ammo.
SG-451 Cookout
Primary Shotgun
Medium Pen, Incendiary
A variant of the Punisher with incendiary rounds. High sustained DPS and stagger damage.
SMG-32 Reprimand
Primary SMG
Medium Pen
Jack-of-all-trades SMG. Effectively a stronger Liberator Penetrator with accuracy attachments.
Trades the one-handed tag for medium armor penetration.
SG-225IE Breaker Incendiary
Primary Shotgun
Light Pen, Incendiary
Strong workhorse against crowds. Trades raw damage for incendiary rounds.
Attachments allow for spread pattern adjustments.
AR-23A Liberator Carbine
Primary Assault Rifle
Light Pen
Best Liberator variant once you unlock recoil attachments.
Behaves like a primary Stalwart.
GP-31 Grenade Pistol
Secondary Grenade Launcher
Explosive
Single-shot grenade launcher pistol. Can clog bug holes.
Frees up space for different grenades, strategems, or a new primary.
read moreA-Tier Terminid Weapons
Weapon
Archetype
Reasoning
P-72 Crisper
Secondary Flamethrower
Incendiary
Strong crowd control weapon that can also kill Chargers and other armored units.
Flames can kill you up close.
FLAM-66 Torcher
Primary Flamethrower
Incendiary
Amazing for clearing hordes of Terminids and damaging Chargers.
Be careful using this up close.
LAS-58 Talon
Secondary Revolver
Medium Pen, Battery
Fantastic burst DPS. Can fire six rapid shots without overheating.
Great for taking out Hive Guards and other armored targets.
BR-14 Adjudicator
Primary Battle Rifle
Medium Pen
Great workhorse against fodder units and armored bugs.
Attachments make this weapon highly accurate.
R-36 Eruptor
Primary Assault Rifle
Heavy Pen, Explosive
Effectively a bolt-action launcher. Deals immense damage to unarmored targets.
Can shred heavy armor with sustained damage.
SG-8P Punisher Plasma
Primary Shotgun
Medium Pen, Explosive
Pump-action grenade launcher. Excellent crowd control weapon.
Can't destroy buildings or clog bug holes.
SG-225 Breaker
Primary Shotgun
Light Pen
Fast-firing, full-auto shotgun with high DPS up close.
Attachments allow for spread pattern adjustments and larger magazines.
SG-8 Punisher
Primary Shotgun
Light Pen
Fantastic stagger damage. Good choice for larger bugs.
Rounds reload manually, so you can't waste ammo.
AR-23P Liberator Penetrator
Primary Assault Rifle
Medium Pen
Liberator variant that trades damage for more armor penetration.
Great jack-of-all-trades weapon.
LAS-16 Sickle
Primary Energy Rifle
Light Pen, Battery
Strong assault rifle with good ammo efficiency.
MP-98 Knight
Primary SMG
Light Pen
High DPS for an SMG; surprisingly accurate with recoil attachments.
Can be used one-handed.
LAS-5 Scythe
Primary Beam Rifle
Light Pen, Battery
Good sustained DPS against unarmored targets.
Attachments allow you to fire the Scythe for significantly longer.
AR-23 Liberator
Primary Assault Rifle
Light Pen
Baseline assault rifle. Good damage against crowds of bugs.
Attachments make this weapon highly accurate.
StA-11 SMG
Primary SMG
Light Pen
Strong one-handed SMG, albeit not as good as the Knight since it lacks attachments.
P-19 Redeemer
Secondary Pistol
Light Pen
Good backup weapon against unarmored bugs.
Burns through ammo.
P-4 Senator
Secondary Revolver
Heavy Pen
Pierces all armor types and deals high precision damage.
Best against Stalkers and Hive Guards, not swarms.
SG-22 Bushwacker
Secondary Shotgun
Light Pen
Triple-barreled shotgun with immense burst DPS.
Great for killing tough, unarmored targets instantly.
read moreB-Tier Terminid Weapons
Weapon
Archetype
Reasoning
SG-225SP Breaker Spray & Pray
Primary Shotgun
Light Pen
The worst Breaker variant. Trades damage and accuracy for more fire rate.
Spread pattern can be mimicked on other Breaker versions.
JAR-5 Dominator
Primary Assault Rifle
Medium Pen
High-damage, slow-firing assault rifle.
Excellent against tankier bugs.
LAS-17 Double-Edge Sickle
Primary Energy Rifle
Light-Heavy Pen
Absurdly powerful if you spec for fire resistance; otherwise, the standard Sickle is better.
Deals up to 70 damage per shot with heavy penetration at max charge, burning the user with each shot.
StA-52 Assault Rifle
Primary Assault Rifle
Light Pen
Similar to the Liberator but with fewer attachment options.
R-6 Deadeye
Primary Marksman Rifle
Medium Pen
Excellent headshot damage, although a poor choice against swarms.
Pair with a rapid-fire pistol or strategem to balance your loadout.
SG-8S Slugger
Primary Shotgun
Medium Pen
Great stagger potential, but poor damage for a shotgun.
Fires slugs, making it a solid weapon for landing headshots.
PLAS-15 Loyalist
Secondary Pistol
Medium Pen, Explosive
Purifier in pistol form, albeit with far less damage.
High damage when charged.
P-113 Verdict
Secondary Pistol
Medium Pen
High-damage pistol with good armor penetration. Has a small magazine.
Outclassed by the Talon.
AR-61 Tenderizer
Primary Assault Rifle
Light Pen
Average assault rifle. Solid for taking down fodder units.
P-11 Stim Pistol
Secondary Pistol
N/A
Injects your character with a Stim Shot.
Useful if you're running the Experimental Infusion booster.
SG-20 Halt
Primary Shotgun
Light & Medium Pen
Strong mobbing tool with a CC alternate ammo type.
Not the best against larger bugs, but it's a solid utility weapon.
SMG-37 Defender
Primary SMG
Light Pen
Slightly worse Liberator you can use one-handed.
Outclassed by the Knight once you unlock attachments.
R-63 Diligence
Primary Marksman Rifle
Light Pen
Average DMR with high accuracy. Great handling with attachments.
Poor choice up close, but a decent option for sniping patrols from a distance.
GP-31 Ultimatum
Secondary Launcher
Explosive
Strong AoE damage, although it has limited ammo.
Explosion can't destroy buildings.
read moreC-Tier Terminid Weapons
Weapon
Archetype
Reasoning
SMG-72 Pummeler
Primary SMG
Light Pen
Poor DPS for an SMG and limited armor penetration.
Requires sustained damage to maintain a stagger. Gas grenades are generally better.
LAS-7 Dagger
Secondary Laser
Light Pen
Average against fodder bugs.
Outclassed by the Talon and Redeemer.
R-63CS Diligence Counter
Primary Marksman Rifle
Medium Pen
Small magazine and awful handling, virtually unusable if you get swarmed.
Outclassed by the Deadeye.
R-2124 Constitution
Primary Marksman Rifle
Medium Pen
Poor DPS and small ammo capacity.
Outclassed by the Deadeye.
AR-23C Liberator Concussive
Primary Assault Rifle
Light Pen
Limited attachment options and subpar DPS.
Crowd control is better delivered through gas grenades or stratagems.
read moreD-Tier Terminid Weapons
Weapon
Archetype
Reasoning
PLAS-39 Accelerator Rifle
Primary Sniper
Medium Pen
Struggles against swarms; poor armor penetration for its class.
Explosions can also kill you.
R-2 Amendment
Primary Marksman Rifle
Light Pen
Poor DPS for a light armor penetration weapon.
Surpassed by most DMRs and assault rifles.
P-2 Peacemaker
Secondary Pistol
Light Pen
Worst sidearm in the game. Poor damage with only light armor penetration.
Talon and Verdict are usually better.
read moreAutomaton Weapon Tier List
S-Tier Automaton Weapons
Weapon
Archetype
Reasoning
CB-9 Exploding Crossbow
Primary Grenade Launcher
Medium Pen, Explosive
Best weapon in the game. Decimates armor, destroys factories, and has solid AoE damage.
Explosions can kill you.
PLAS-1 Scorcher
Primary Energy Rifle
Medium Pen, Explosive
Fires explosive rounds that shred through groups and medium armor.
Explosions can kill you.
PLAS-101 Purifier
Primary Energy Rifle
Medium Pen, Explosive
A variant of the Scorcher you can charge. Trades ease of use for versatility.
Explosions can kill you.
SMG-32 Reprimand
Primary SMG
Medium Pen
Jack-of-all-trades SMG. Effectively a stronger Liberator Penetrator with accuracy attachments.
Trades the one-handed tag for medium armor penetration.
JAR-5 Dominator
Primary Assault Rifle
Medium Pen
High-damage, slow-firing assault rifle.
Excellent against tankier units.
BR-14 Adjudicator
Primary Battle Rifle
Medium Pen
Counters the Automaton's armored forces without compromising on accuracy or handling.
Attachments make this weapon highly accurate.
AR-23P Liberator Penetrator
Primary Assault Rifle
Medium Pen
Liberator variant that trades damage for more armor penetration.
Excellent jack-of-all-trades pick for the Automatons.
GP-31 Grenade Pistol
Secondary Grenade Launcher
Explosive
Single-shot grenade launcher pistol. Can destroy factories.
Frees up space for different grenades, strategems, or a new primary.
R-6 Deadeye
Primary Marksman Rifle
Medium Pen
Excellent precision damage. Counters most Automaton enemies.
Pair with a rapid-fire pistol or strategem to balance your loadout.
read moreA-Tier Automaton Weapons
Weapon
Archetype
Reasoning
R-36 Eruptor
Primary Assault Rifle
Heavy Pen, Explosive
Effectively a bolt-action launcher. Deals immense damage to unarmored targets.
Can shred heavy armor with sustained damage.
SG-8P Punisher Plasma
Primary Shotgun
Medium Pen, Explosive
Pump-action grenade launcher. Excellent crowd control weapon.
Can't destroy buildings or clog factories.
ARC-12 Blitzer
Primary Shotgun
Medium Pen
A shotgun version of the Arc Thrower. Fantastic for clearing weaker units.
Features infinite ammo.
LAS-58 Talon
Secondary Revolver
Medium Pen, Battery
Fantastic burst DPS. Can fire six rapid shots without overheating.
Great for taking out armored units with a well-placed headshot.
SG-8S Slugger
Primary Shotgun
Medium Pen
Dangerous pick up close, but it can get one-hit headshot kills against most Automatons.
Fires slugs, making it a solid weapon for landing headshots.
SG-20 Halt
Primary Shotgun
Light & Medium Pen
Strong mobbing tool with a CC alternate ammo type.
Stuns are useful against larger Automatons; main ammo is good against fodder bots.
AR-23A Liberator Carbine
Primary Assault Rifle
Light Pen
Best Liberator variant once you unlock recoil attachments.
Behaves like a primary Stalwart. Not as good against armor, but still a solid choice.
LAS-16 Sickle
Primary Energy Rifle
Light Pen, Battery
Strong assault rifle with good ammo efficiency.
MP-98 Knight
Primary SMG
Light Pen
High DPS for an SMG; surprisingly accurate with recoil attachments.
Can be used one-handed.
LAS-5 Scythe
Primary Beam Rifle
Light Pen, Battery
Good sustained DPS if you stay on target.
Attachments allow you to fire the Scythe for significantly longer.
R-63CS Diligence Counter
Primary Marksman Rifle
Medium Pen
Poor handling, but it is fantastic for one-tapping Automatons.
Outclassed by the Deadeye.
AR-23 Liberator
Primary Assault Rifle
Light Pen
Baseline assault rifle. Solid once you install recoil attachments.
Requires headshots to perform in higher difficulties.
P-4 Senator
Secondary Revolver
Heavy Pen
Great choice for killing a high-priority Automaton.
P-113 Verdict
Secondary Pistol
Medium Pen
Solid choice if you can land headshots.
Outclassed by the Talon.
PLAS-15 Loyalist
Secondary Pistol
Medium Pen, Explosive
Purifier in pistol form. Great for taking out weaker vehicles and armored Automatons.
High damage when charged.
read moreB-Tier Automaton Weapons
Weapon
Archetype
Reasoning
StA-11 SMG
Primary SMG
Light Pen
Strong one-handed SMG, albeit not as good as the Knight since it lacks attachments.
P-11 Stim Pistol
Secondary Pistol
N/A
Injects your character with a Stim Shot.
Useful if you're running the Experimental Infusion booster.
P-19 Redeemer
Secondary Pistol
Light Pen
Good backup weapon if you pace your shots.
Burns through ammo otherwise.
StA-52 Assault Rifle
Primary Assault Rifle
Light Pen
Similar to the Liberator but with fewer attachment options.
LAS-17 Double-Edge Sickle
Primary Energy Rifle
Light-Heavy Pen
Absurdly powerful if you spec for fire resistance; otherwise, the standard Sickle is better.
Deals up to 70 damage per shot with heavy penetration at max charge, burning the user with each shot.
SG-22 Bushwacker
Secondary Shotgun
Light Pen
Triple-barreled shotgun with immense burst DPS.
Great for killing Berserkers and lighter Automatons quickly.
AR-61 Tenderizer
Primary Assault Rifle
Light Pen
Average assault rifle. Solid if you can land headshots.
SMG-37 Defender
Primary SMG
Light Pen
Slightly worse Liberator you can use one-handed.
Outclassed by the Knight once you unlock attachments.
GP-31 Ultimatum
Secondary Launcher
Explosive
Solid choice for AoE damage.
Can no longer destroy objectives.
SG-225 Breaker
Primary Shotgun
Light Pen
Poor choice for armored targets, but decent against fodder Automatons.
Attachments allow for spread pattern adjustments and larger magazines.
read moreC-Tier Automaton Weapons
Weapon
Archetype
Reasoning
SG-8 Punisher
Primary Shotgun
Light Pen
Struggles to deal with armored bots.
Rounds reload manually, so you can't waste ammo.
SMG-72 Pummeler
Primary SMG
Light Pen
Poor DPS and accuracy.
Requires sustained damage to maintain a stagger.
LAS-7 Dagger
Secondary Laser
Light Pen
Struggles to kill armored targets, which are most of the Automaton.
Outclassed by the Talon and Redeemer.
R-63 Diligence
Primary Marksman Rifle
Light Pen
Average DMR with high accuracy.
Diligence Counter and Deadeye are typically better against Automatons.
PLAS-39 Accelerator Rifle
Primary Sniper
Medium Pen
Difficult to use while under fire. Burst-fire accuracy also makes it difficult to land consecutive headshots.
Explosions can also kill you.
SG-451 Cookout
Primary Shotgun
Medium Pen, Incendiary
Fire damage is subpar against Automatons, making this the worst Punisher variant.
AR-23C Liberator Concussive
Primary Assault Rifle
Light Pen
Staggers can't make up for this weapon's poor accuracy and base damage.
SG-225IE Breaker Incendiary
Primary Shotgun
Light Pen, Incendiary
Poor choice for Automatons due to their fire resistance.
FLAM-66 Torcher
Primary Flamethrower
Incendiary
Poor choice for Automatons due to their fire resistance.
Be careful using this up close.
P-72 Crisper
Secondary Flamethrower
Incendiary
Poor choice for Automatons due to their fire resistance.
Flames can kill you up close.
read moreD-Tier Automaton Weapons
Weapon
Archetype
Reasoning
SG-225SP Breaker Spray & Pray
Primary Shotgun
Light Pen
The worst Breaker variant. Trades damage and accuracy for more fire rate.
Spread pattern can be mimicked on other Breaker versions.
R-2 Amendment
Primary Marksman Rifle
Light Pen
Poor DPS for a light armor penetration weapon.
Surpassed by most DMRs and assault rifles.
R-2124 Constitution
Primary Marksman Rifle
Medium Pen
Poor DPS and small ammo capacity.
Outclassed by the Deadeye.
P-2 Peacemaker
Secondary Pistol
Light Pen
Worst sidearm in the game. Poor damage with only light armor penetration.
Talon and Verdict are usually better.
read moreIlluminate Weapon Tier List
S-Tier Illuminate Weapons
Weapon
Archetype
Reasoning
CB-9 Exploding Crossbow
Primary Grenade Launcher
Medium Pen, Explosive
Best weapon in the game. Counters most Illuminate enemies, deals great AoE damage, and has solid ammo reserves.
Explosions can kill you.
PLAS-101 Purifier
Primary Energy Rifle
Medium Pen, Explosive
A variant of the Scorcher you can charge. Semi-auto is great for hordes; charged is ideal for armored Illuminate and objectives.
Explosions can kill you.
ARC-12 Blitzer
Primary Shotgun
Medium Pen
A shotgun version of the Arc Thrower. Fantastic for clearing fodder units and breaking shields.
Features infinite ammo.
SG-8P Punisher Plasma
Primary Shotgun
Medium Pen, Explosive
Pump-action grenade launcher. Excellent crowd control weapon.
Can't destroy buildings.
SMG-32 Reprimand
Primary SMG
Medium Pen
Jack-of-all-trades SMG. Effectively a stronger Liberator Penetrator with accuracy attachments.
Trades the one-handed tag for medium armor penetration.
SG-451 Cookout
Primary Shotgun
Medium Pen, Incendiary
High DPS and great stagger damage, perfect for dealing with crowds.
AR-23P Liberator Penetrator
Primary Assault Rifle
Medium Pen
Liberator variant that trades damage for more armor penetration.
Great jack-of-all-trades weapon.
SG-20 Halt
Primary Shotgun
Light & Medium Pen
Strong mobbing tool with a CC alternate ammo type.
LAS-16 Sickle
Primary Energy Rifle
Light Pen, Battery
Strong assault rifle with good ammo efficiency.
Arguably the best jack-of-all-trades weapon against the Illuminate.
GP-31 Grenade Pistol
Secondary Grenade Launcher
Explosive
Single-shot grenade launcher pistol. Can clog bug holes.
Frees up space for different grenades, strategems, or a new primary.
read moreA-Tier Illuminate Weapons
Weapon
Archetype
Reasoning
LAS-5 Scythe
Primary Beam Rifle
Light Pen, Battery
Good sustained DPS against unarmored targets.
Attachments allow you to fire the Scythe for significantly longer.
P-72 Crisper
Secondary Flamethrower
Incendiary
Great for clearing out hordes.
Flames can kill you up close.
PLAS-39 Accelerator Rifle
Primary Sniper
Medium Pen
A single burst can kill most armored Illuminate. Great choice if you keep your distance.
Explosions can also kill you.
PLAS-1 Scorcher
Primary Energy Rifle
Medium Pen, Explosive
Fires explosive rounds that shred through groups and medium armor.
Explosions can kill you.
BR-14 Adjudicator
Primary Battle Rifle
Medium Pen
Great workhorse against most units.
Attachments make this weapon highly accurate.
LAS-58 Talon
Secondary Revolver
Medium Pen, Battery
Fantastic burst DPS. Can fire six rapid shots without overheating.
Great for taking out armored Illuminate targets.
SG-225IE Breaker Incendiary
Primary Shotgun
Light Pen, Incendiary
Strong against tougher Illuminate units and crowds.
FLAM-66 Torcher
Primary Flamethrower
Incendiary
Same as the Crisper but takes your primary slot.
Be careful using this up close.
JAR-5 Dominator
Primary Assault Rifle
Medium Pen
High-damage, slow-firing assault rifle.
Excellent against tankier units.
AR-23A Liberator Carbine
Primary Assault Rifle
Light Pen
Best Liberator variant once you unlock recoil attachments.
Behaves like a primary Stalwart.
SG-225 Breaker
Primary Shotgun
Light Pen
Fast-firing, full-auto shotgun with high DPS up close.
Attachments allow for spread pattern adjustments and larger magazines.
SG-8 Punisher
Primary Shotgun
Light Pen
Fantastic stagger damage. Good choice for tougher Illuminate units.
Rounds reload manually, so you can't waste ammo.
MP-98 Knight
Primary SMG
Light Pen
High DPS for an SMG; surprisingly accurate with recoil attachments.
Can be used one-handed.
AR-23 Liberator
Primary Assault Rifle
Light Pen
Baseline assault rifle. Good damage against crowds.
Attachments make this weapon highly accurate.
P-19 Redeemer
Secondary Pistol
Light Pen
Good backup weapon against unarmored targets.
Burns through ammo.
SG-22 Bushwacker
Secondary Shotgun
Light Pen
Triple-barreled shotgun with immense burst DPS.
Great for killing tough, unarmored targets instantly.
P-4 Senator
Secondary Revolver
Heavy Pen
Pierces all armor types and deals high precision damage.
PLAS-15 Loyalist
Secondary Pistol
Medium Pen, Explosive
Purifier in pistol form, albeit with far less damage.
High damage when charged.
read moreB-Tier Illuminate Weapons
Weapon
Archetype
Reasoning
StA-11 SMG
Primary SMG
Light Pen
Strong one-handed SMG, albeit not as good as the Knight since it lacks attachments.
R-36 Eruptor
Primary Assault Rifle
Heavy Pen, Explosive
Effectively a bolt-action launcher. Deals immense damage to unarmored targets.
Can shred heavy armor with sustained damage.
LAS-17 Double-Edge Sickle
Primary Energy Rifle
Light-Heavy Pen
Absurdly powerful if you spec for fire resistance; otherwise, the standard Sickle is better.
Deals up to 70 damage per shot with heavy penetration at max charge, burning the user with each shot.
StA-52 Assault Rifle
Primary Assault Rifle
Light Pen
Similar to the Liberator but with fewer attachment options.
R-6 Deadeye
Primary Marksman Rifle
Medium Pen
Excellent headshot damage, although a poor choice against swarms.
Pair with a rapid-fire pistol or strategem to balance your loadout.
P-113 Verdict
Secondary Pistol
Medium Pen
High-damage pistol with good armor penetration. Has a small magazine.
Outclassed by the Talon.
AR-61 Tenderizer
Primary Assault Rifle
Light Pen
Average assault rifle. Solid for taking down fodder units.
P-11 Stim Pistol
Secondary Pistol
N/A
Injects your character with a Stim Shot.
Useful if you're running the Experimental Infusion booster.
SMG-37 Defender
Primary SMG
Light Pen
Slightly worse Liberator you can use one-handed.
Outclassed by the Knight once you unlock attachments.
R-63 Diligence
Primary Marksman Rifle
Light Pen
Average DMR with high accuracy.
GP-31 Ultimatum
Secondary Launcher
Explosive
Strong AoE damage, although it has limited ammo.
Explosion can't destroy buildings.
R-63CS Diligence Counter
Primary Marksman Rifle
Medium Pen
Small magazine and awful handling, virtually unusable if you get swarmed.
Outclassed by the Deadeye.
read moreC-Tier Illuminate Weapons
Weapon
Archetype
Reasoning
SMG-72 Pummeler
Primary SMG
Light Pen
Poor DPS and accuracy.
Requires sustained damage to maintain a stagger. Gas grenades are generally better.
LAS-7 Dagger
Secondary Laser
Light Pen
Outclassed by the Talon and Sickle.
SG-8S Slugger
Primary Shotgun
Medium Pen
Lacks damage for tougher Illuminate and fire rate for crowds.
Fires slugs, making it a solid weapon for landing headshots.
SG-225SP Breaker Spray & Pray
Primary Shotgun
Light Pen
The worst Breaker variant. Trades damage and accuracy for more fire rate.
Spread pattern can be mimicked on other Breaker versions.
AR-23C Liberator Concussive
Primary Assault Rifle
Light Pen
Staggers can't make up for this weapon's poor accuracy and base damage.
read moreD-Tier Illuminate Weapons
Weapon
Archetype
Reasoning
R-2 Amendment
Primary Marksman Rifle
Light Pen
Poor DPS for a light armor penetration weapon.
Surpassed by most DMRs and assault rifles.
R-2124 Constitution
Primary Marksman Rifle
Medium Pen
Poor DPS and small ammo capacity.
Outclassed by the Deadeye.
P-2 Peacemaker
Secondary Pistol
Light Pen
Worst sidearm in the game. Poor damage with only light armor penetration.
Talon and Verdict are usually better.
read more NextHelldivers 2: Explosive Equipment Types, Ranked
Which explosive equipment type is the best in Helldivers 2?
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