When it comes to your arsenal in Helldivers 2, the weapons you acquire during missions far surpass what you bring with you. However, the unpredictable nature of finding weapons during missions means that whatever you equip needs to be able to handle the threats you’re likely to face. While most weapons are more effective against specific enemy types, there are some weapons that simply outclass the others.
If you’re looking for the most powerful weapons to defend democracy across the galaxy and make Super Earth proud, here are the top weapons to equip in Helldivers 2.
Best Helldivers 2 weapons
Depending on the enemies you expect to encounter in a mission, particularly bugs or robots, you may want to adjust your weapon selection to give you an advantage. Any of these weapons are ideal choices based on the threat, or are generally effective in all situations so you don’t have to think too hard.
PLAS-1 Scorcher Plasma Rifle
The PLAS-1 Scorcher Plasma Rifle is technically just an energy weapon, but it feels like an entirely new class on its own. It’s a medium-range weapon that shoots “bolts” of heated gas that explode wherever they land. This makes it excellent for crowd control if you can land shots in the center of a group.
The downsides are twofold. First, explosions are dangerous and Helldivers 2 is notoriously unforgiving with friendly fire, so you must have good situational awareness to avoid hitting a teammate or yourself in the blast radius. Second, it normally only has 10 rounds before needing a reload, though you can upgrade that to 20.
Breaker
The Breaker shotgun is the shotgun we’d trust on a mission. Of all the weapons in its class, this one has the best balance of damage and range. While best suited for close encounters, it’s more versatile than other shotguns. If you know you’re going up against bugs or enemies with no armor, you could swap it for the incendiary variant.
Just be cautious of your ammo use, as being a fully automatic weapon means you can deplete your reserves quickly.
Liberator
Don’t underestimate your trusty Liberator. While it may not excel in any specific situation, this all-purpose assault rifle won’t ever let you down. It’s a solid choice if you don’t want to overthink your loadout. You can also opt for the explosive version for more damage if you can handle the recoil.
Scythe
Laser weapons are the most situational type in Helldivers 2, and are really only being worth bringing out against robots, but the Scythe is not only the most fun, but also the best. The most appealing aspect of this gun is that it doesn’t consume any ammo at all, and instead just needs to cool off after firing.
Redeemer Pistol
We needed to include at least one secondary weapon on this list, and the Redeemer instantly came to mind. Even though it is technically called a pistol, this is much more of a small machine gun or SMG in terms of function. While being able to unload its ammo at a rapid pace will save you in a pinch, it will also leave you empty after a use or two.
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