12 Best Helldivers 2 Stratagems You Should Get

There are very few games that make you drop from space onto planets with a surge of pride in your chest. Helldivers 2 is one of them. This four-player co-op shooter has won the hearts of gamers worldwide. Besides all the shooting, a huge part of the game is Stratagems. Acting as support systems, Stratagems in Helldivers 2 (Review) is essential for any diver in the form of air strikes and weapons. However, with dozens of them in the game, it can be difficult to know which one to pick. Well, we thought the same and created a list of the best Stratagems in Helldivers 2 for you to get before your next mission. So, with that, let’s begin.

1. Eagle Cluster Bomb

• Call-In Time: 0 seconds
• Cooldown Time: 8 seconds
• Requisition Cost: 4000R
• Unlocks at: Level 3

I start with the one crucial Stratagem I’ve brought with me at numerous incursions against the Terminids. The Eagle Cluster Bomb is an improved version of the Airstrike, which drops multiple high-caliber bombs on bigger areas.

So, let’s say you have a swarm of Terminid bugs you are having difficulty keeping up with. Well, the eagle cluster bomb in Helldivers 2 will get that job done. The only downside is that it’s easier to kill your team members accidentally. But I feel a friendly causality or two is fine. After all, it’s for the greater good.

2. Guard Dog Rover

• Call-In Time: 5 seconds
• Cooldown Time: 480 seconds
• Requisition Cost: 7500R
• Unlocks at: Level 10

Depending on your chosen difficulty in Helldivers 2, things can get out of hand really fast. This is made worse by the fact that you sometimes might be playing alone. So, if you don’t have a fellow diver with you, the Guard Dog Rover has your back.

The rover is a robotic drone Stratagem accompanying you while packing a Liberator assault rifle. Flying around you constantly, the guard dog immediately goes weapons-free when it spots an enemy. The rover provides an excellent area of coverage and outputs massive damage. However, note that it runs out of ammo fairly soon and will need to be resupplied. Nonetheless, if you find yourself on a Terminid planet alone, get the guard dog rover for help.

3. A/M – 12 Mortar Sentry

• Call-In Time: 3 seconds
• Cooldown Time: 180 seconds
• Requisition Cost: 7000R
• Unlocks at: Level 8

There are a variety of sentries in Helldivers 2. And while the Gatling Sentry has a high rate of fire, it runs out of ammo quite quickly. The A/M – 12 Mortal Sentry is one of my preferred Stratagems for many reasons.

A hard-hitting placement weapon, it shoots mortar shells that can drop and annihilate forces of Terminids and Automatons. It doesn’t matter if they are hiding behind a cover. The mortar’s shells will manage and blow them to kingdom come. This Helldivers 2 Stratagem is best for clearing off rogue encampments or when you want to stop swarms of enemies during extraction. Be sure to stay clear of the enemies or you’ll be blown away with them!

4. Patriot Exosuit

• Call-In Time: 0 seconds
• Cooldown Time: 600 seconds
• Requisition Cost: 20,000
• Unlocks at: Level 25

One of the newest additions to the requisition, the Exosuits are essentially large mechs that you can call in to help you change the tide of battle in Helldivers 2. These were some of the longest-teased stratagems in the game, starting from players datamining them and ending with a long struggle between Automaton and Humanity’s forces.

This is a bipedal mech that comes with machine guns to fight opponents and a missile launcher. Furthermore, it has an impressive amount of heavy armor around it. This means you can serve democracy for a while until the bullet lasts.

5. Quasar Cannon

• Call-In Time: 3 seconds
• Cooldown Time: 480 seconds
• Requisition Cost: 7500
• Unlocks at: Level 25

Are you tired of failing to close off the bug holes with the grenades? Do you want a simpler and tested solution that won’t miss the mark and get the job done? The Quasar Cannon is here to solve those problems.

It is a long, large cannon, that shoots a charged beam towards its target. This weapon can be used to shut down bug holes, and take down large enemies like Hulk. However, the wait time between each shot is quite large. Regardless, one of the best stratagems to keep with your team in-game.

6. Grenade Launcher

• Call-In Time: 3 seconds
• Cooldown Time: 480 seconds
• Requisition Cost: 6000R
• Unlocks at: Level 4

Provided you equip the right loadout, you will have grenades to lob at your enemies. But if I’m honest, I find them a bit underpowered. If you’re like me and want to upgrade to something deadlier, the Grenade Launcher in Helldivers 2 is the one that supports Stratagem for you.

This handy grenade launcher shoots out grenades at an impressive speed. Furthermore, the grenades explode almost immediately upon impact, making them useful for closing bug holes. The launcher comes with a decent magazine capacity. So you won’t be running out anytime soon. And even if you do, you can always switch back to your regular grenades.

7. Recoilless Rifle

• Call-In Time: 3 seconds
• Cooldown Time: 480 seconds
• Requisition Cost: 7000R
• Unlocks at: Level 10

One of the few support weapons that you and your friend can use to recreate some beautiful shots is the Recoilless Rifle. While it is called a rifle, this Helldivers 2 Stratagem doesn’t look like one. Nonetheless, it does live up to its Recoilless name. This gun is a reusable rocket launcher that has less kickback and deals extreme amounts of damage. It’s perfect for taking out heavily armored enemies.

Since the recoilless rifle is reusable, you need the attached backpack with it. If your friend wears it, they can reload the guns for you. However, if you wear it, you can do it yourself. Besides the fact that the reloading time is high, the recoilless rifle in Helldivers 2 is one of the best Stratagems out there.

8. Orbital Laser

• Call-In Time: 2 seconds
• Cooldown: 300 seconds
• Requisition Cost: 10000R
• Unlocks at: Level 15

While I did recommend the cluster bomb Stratagem above, I completely understand if you want something more precise. For all those cases and more, the orbital laser is here. This high-powered laser beam can be requested from your mother ship above and drops like a beacon from the sky. The orbital laser destroys anything with prejudice, so you better not stand in the way.

Furthermore, the laser’s big advantage is that it can easily damage large armored enemies. However, to balance the gameplay, you can only use it three times in a mission. Without the option to recharge this Helldivers 2 Stratagem, I suggest using the orbital laser wisely.

9. Gatling Sentry

• Call-In Time: 3 seconds
• Cooldown: 180 seconds
• Requisition Cost: 4000R
• Unlocks at: Level 5

Besides the mortar sentry, Helldivers 2 also has your run-of-the-mill machine gun placements. However, I am opting for the Gatling Sentry over the Machine Gun for one simple reason. The Gatling has an extremely high rate of fire. This naturally means this handy sentry can shoot more rounds at a time while dealing more damage.

However, since the Gatling never stops while spinning, I suggest you and your teammates stand well back. Like most weapons in Helldivers 2, the sentry doesn’t recognize friendlies and will shred you if you’re in the way.

10. Shield Generator Relay

• Call-In Time: 0 seconds
• Cooldown: 90 seconds
• Requisition Cost: 9000R
• Unlocks at: Level 10

One of Super Earth’s greatest gifts to fighting the hoards of Automaton has to be the Shield Generator Relay in Helldivers 2. This boon of a Stratagem casts a large dome of protection around a big area.

The relay stops all incoming fire from the enemies there, giving you enough time to reload or call a resupply. However, do remember that it cannot stop enemies from coming through. So while you can’t be too comfortable, I suggest bringing it alone for that much-needed breathing room.

11. Shield Generator Pack

• Call-In Time: 5 seconds
• Cooldown: 480 seconds
• Requisition Cost: N/A
• Unlocks at: Level 20

You must be wondering if you can carry a shield with you. Well, here you go. The SH-32 Shield Generator Pack in Helldivers 2 is useful for exactly that. This Stratagem deploys a mountable backpack that produces a shield dome around your body.

The backpack can stop most of the incoming laser hits for a while, letting you withstand damage. Once down, it takes a while to recharge. However, given the intensity of the gunfight in the Automaton planets, we can suggest getting this unlocked later.

12. Eagle 500KG Bomb

• Call-In Time: 0 seconds
• Cooldown: N/A
• Requisition Cost: 10000R
• Unlocks at: Level 15

I will close off this list by suggesting what is essentially a mini-nuclear bomb. The Eagle 500KG bomb is a single-use bomb with a blast radius big enough to kill any enemy. While, as mentioned, you can only use it once, it will deal enough damage to annihilate any lifeform. As it goes without saying, this includes your fellow Helldivers.

While I understand the ability to use it only once may discourage some of you, the 500 KG bomb is a vital tool in any diver’s arsenal when going on suicide missions. So once you do reach the higher levels, be sure to carry this baby with you.

These are my picks for the absolute best Stratagems in Helldivers 2. Depending on your specific playstyle, you may like some or all of them. I recommend experimenting with them all and creating your own Stratagem list. Do you have more Stratagems for us to add? Drop your suggestions in the comments below!