15 Best Helldivers 2 Weapons You Should Get

Helldivers 2 is all about banding up with your team and going forth for some nice managed democracy. However, like any army facing deadly threats, you will require your fair share of armaments. Thankfully, Helldivers 2 comes with an assortment of weapons you can pick from. We decided to spare you the hard work and have compiled the best weapons you can pick in Helldivers 2. Do note this also includes items from the best stratagem drops to make your life even easier. So, with that, let’s begin!

Table of Contents

Best Helldivers 2 Primary Weapons

We begin our list with the best primary weapons in Helldivers 2. These are the most essential for eliminating enemies and they are the bread and butter of what you’ll be doing down there. Let’s have a look at the best ones below.

1. SG-225 Breaker

• How to unlock: Tier 4 of the free battle pass
• Damage: 330
• Fire Rate: 300

The first in the list is the obvious choice for Helldivers. SG-225 Breaker is a full-auto shotgun that has impressive stopping power. The gun absolutely shreds bugs on impact. While the Automatons are gone, it would also take them out with a few well-placed shots.

This was the go-to weapon for everyone before the patch nerfed it. However, this is still a solid weapon in Helldivers 2. At close-mid range, keep this in your loadout for a seamless experience.

2. PLAS-1 Scorcher

• How to unlock: Tier 10 of the free battle pass
• Damage: 100
• Fire Rate: 250

The PLAS-1 Scorcher is easily one of the strongest energy-based weapons in-game and a go-to against medium and light armor. When against light infantry, it will kill them within 1-2 shots. When against medium or even some heavy infantry, the gun can help rip the armor to shreds.

However, it does need some improvements. For starters, it has a painfully low ammo count. Also, note that overusing this gun causes it to explode. You have been warned.

3. AR-23P Liberator Penetrating

• How to unlock: Tier 5 of the free battle pass
• Damage: 45
• Fire Rate: 640

The next gun is a modified Liberator gun equipped with armor-piercing rounds. The AR-23P Liberator lives up to its penetration name, giving you a scope that allows you to aim and shoot from a distance. Combined with its high damage, the gun can take out most armored troops.

If you still need time to unlock this gun, the non-penetrating standard AR-23 is also a good alternative. While it does not have unique capabilities, it is an altogether reliable gun.

4. ARC-23 Blitzer

• How to unlock: Tier 3 of the Cutting Edge battle pass
• Damage: 250
• Fire Rate: 30

Listen, I’ve heard a lot of talk about how the Blitzer has started to lack in the latest warbond. And to a certain extent, I agree. It doesn’t have the signature Arc capability of targeting multiple enemies with one shot.

However, the gun isn’t all that bad. The Arc-23 Blitzer is still a solid gun if you are fighting against the pesky Terminids. The gun packs enough stopping power to shock and kill the bugs, making it one of my preferred weapons for those nasty incursions.

5. LAS-5 Scythe

• How to unlock: unlocks at Tier 5
• Damage: 300
• Fire Rate: NA

The Las-5 Scythe is an energy weapon that shoots a long energy beam that damages opponents and quickly takes them out. Being a heat-based weapon, the gun comes with unlimited ammo. However, do note that it will need to cool down once it overheats.

Best Helldivers 2 Secondary Weapons

While good secondary weapons in Helldivers 2 are only a handful, we have listed out our best choices below. So be sure to get at least one and rely on it in case you run out of your primary.

6. P-19 Redeemer

• How to Unlock: Already found under secondary firearm.
• Damage: 60
• Fire Rate: 1100

The first secondary weapon I would like to mention is the P-19 Senator. This is an auto pistol, which is an overall reliable sidearm for times when you have to switch quickly.

It has enough juice to allow players to do some quick crowd control, giving you and your team some breathing room. That is all thanks to its insane fire rate. As such, the P-19 is the perfect secondary weapon choice for early games.

7. P-2 Peacemaker

• How to Unlock: It is already unlocked under the secondary firearm.
• Damage: 60
• Fire Rate: 900

The standard side weapon you can access right when starting the game is a P-2 Peacemaker. It is a standard, reliable handgun that packs just enough damage to stop light-armored enemies dead in their tracks.

However, the primary reason I added this gun here is because I found it extremely reliable. So the next time you’re stuck in a sticky situation like me, whip this gun out and have at it.

8. LAS-7 Dagger

• How to Unlock: Tier 3 on the Premium Cutting Edge Warbond
• Damage: 150
• Fire Rate: NA

The LAS-7 Dagger is the smaller brother of the LAS-5 Scythe and packs similar properties. While it does pack half the damage, it’s still extremely reliable as it also has unlimited ammo.

As such, if you don’t want to use LAS-5 Scythe but want to enjoy a similar experience, you can opt for this gun. Do note that you need to purchase the Elite Cutting Edge Warbond and unlock this gun.

Best Helldivers 2 Stratagem Weapons

Stratagems are the heart and soul of Helldivers 2. Previously, we’ve extensively talked about how some stratagems help with enemy encounters in-game. Similarly, some stratagems allow you to call in support weapons that help with unique enemy encounters. Here are some of my preferred stratagem weapons in Helldivers 2 that I consider the best.

9. MG-43 Machine Gun

Of course, when it comes to stratagem weapons, we have to mention the best default machine gun. I’m sure most of you have used it fairly in later games because it is a tried and tested weapon with enough stopping power to take out light and medium enemies.

The standard machine gun takes time to reload the weapon. However, that gets overshadowed by the effectiveness and simplicity of the weapon. So for the times you don’t know what to go with, pick the MG-43 with your eyes closed.

10. FLAM-40 Flamethrower

Possibly one of my favorite stratagem weapons to call in on a Terminid battlefield has to be the Flamethrower. Specifically useful against the chargers amongst all enemies in Helldivers 2, the FLAM-40 Flamethrower damages almost every type of bug upon impact. As expected, the flamethrower spews out fire. However, do note that you will need to replace the fuel canisters.

The only real downside of Flamethrower is that the flames are large enough to damage your teammates. So do ask your fellow Helldivers to stay back. Or, don’t.

11. M-105 Stalwart

A compact, low-caliber machine gun that is easy to use, the Stalwart is another option you can prefer. While it does not have the stopping power of a standard machine gun, it reloads faster, thereby reducing downtime. So, if you prefer speed over damage, get the M-105 Stalwart.

12. AC-8 Autocannon

While the AC-8 Autocannon was lauded for being effective against Automatons, it’s equally damaging to the Terminids. The Autocannon is a handheld cannon, which shoots large caliber rounds to take out opponents.

You can take out a variety of heavy Terminids using the cannon. If your friend wears an ammo backpack, they can handle the reloading while you can focus on killing. So do ensure you have a fellow diver along with you when using the AC-8 Autocannon.

13. LAS-98 Laser Cannon

Another energy weapon well-geared to take out light and medium enemies is the Laser Canon. The laser cannon starts out with a straight energy beam. However, the gun starts to flinch as it begins heating up.

Nonetheless, the weapon packs massive firepower to take out heavy Terminid enemies. So the next time you come across a heavy bug, don’t bother wasting your primary and instead rely on the LAS-98.

14. ARC-3 Arc Thrower

One of my favorite guns in Helldivers 2 is the Arc Thrower. It allows divers to chain-kill enemies as each charge of the Arc Thrower jumps from the primary target to nearby forces.

However, do note that you can accidentally kill your teammates so be careful with the ARC-3. Besides the friendly fire, the Arc Thrower packs a lot of punch and is probably one of the few weapons I always bring to every encounter.

15. GR-8 Recoilless Rifle

Partially true to its name, the GR-8 is a powerful rocket launcher devoid of any recoil. As expected, the weapon comes with massive damage and is capable of taking out a wide variety of enemies. However, the GR-8 also has a higher reload time, so be prepared for that. However, if your friend is wearing the ammo backpack, you can reduce that downtime by a fraction.

These are our picks for the best weapons in Helldivers 2. What’s your favorite weapon? Let us know in the comments below!