by Hald Twinpack

March 23, 2024

Helldivers 2 Weapon Tier List: From Best to Worst

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This Helldivers 2 weapon tier list will show you the must-have arsenal essentials and the ones that aren’t worth your time.

To secure victory in Helldivers 2, you need to force your way through hordes of enemies. Yet, without potent weaponry, this task becomes exceedingly challenging. That’s why we at WowVendor created this Helldivers 2 weapon tier list to assist you in selecting the most reliable firearms to conquer the battlefield.

Before we dive into a tier list, please keep in mind that this tier list is purely subjective. Even though it is based on various conditions, such as weapon performance, stats, use rate, etc., it’s still just an opinion in the sea of many others. If your favorite weapon doesn’t make it into a high tier, it doesn’t mean the gun is useless. Some weapons may be placed in a high tier but don’t fit your playstyle and vice versa. Besides, as the creative director of Helldivers 2 said on X, each gun has over 50 various weapon stats unknown to players. That means the 4 stats the player base uses to compare weapons do not give a full picture of what a gun can do. So, the best gun is the one that you have the most fun to play with.

Helldivers 2 Weapon Tier List Criteria 

We decided to break the whole list into four tiers starting with S and all the way to C. 

• S stands for the absolute best Helldivers 2 weapons. They are fun, powerful, and perform well in almost any environment, so you can never go wrong with any of them. After Patch 01.000.100 balance, the gap between S and A-tiers became small, yet these weapons still provide more.
• A-tier is for good weapons, but not good enough to make it to S-tier. These are the most balanced guns, which perform well in their intended situations and decently in others. Some are fun to use, and some are a bit too basic and boring, but it is a matter of personal preference.
• B is reserved as a borderline category between A and C. Decent guns, but how good they are depends on your personal skill using them. If you are good — they may as well contest a spot in the A-tier. If not — these guns are as effective as those in the C-tier.
• C-tier is our last tier for somewhat lackluster guns. They are not necessarily bad or unusable, but they either require a lot of skill, or other weapons do all that better. 

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So, without further ado, let’s get to the list itself.

Helldivers 2 Weapon Tier List: From S to F

S-tier Weapons 

SG 225 Breaker 

• Free Warbond — Page 4
• Primary

For a long time, it was the best shotgun. Powerful, all-round firearm, perfect for any situation. Nerfs, however, toned it down a bit. Increased recoil strength and reduced magazine mean you need to make sure to aim that thing where it hurts the most. Still a fun full-auto shotgun, but you probably knew this already.

SG-225IE Breaker Incendiary

• Steeled Veterans Warbond — Page 2
• Primary

A fitting alternative to the standard Breaker variant. This shotgun trades some of its power for more reliability and the opportunity to set enemies on fire. The second best choice for those who love shotguns and are tired of Breaker. Effective in both multi- and single-target scenarios. A balanced and consistent gun, with a steady damage output. Deals with any light targets with ease. The only way to make this gun even better is to buff fire DoT.

P-19 Redeemer

• Free Warbond — Page 2
• Secondary

The best secondary weapon complements any choice of the primary weapon. Accurate, powerful, and allows you to shoot on the go. Out of all sidearm choices, this one is just the best.

PLAS-1 Scorcher

• Free Warbond — Page 10
• Primary

For all those who don’t like shotguns as primary weapons, Scorcher can be a fitting alternative. A good weapon that provides that easily will deal with some medium enemies. EIt easily pierces the armor of Scout Striders, so you don’t even have to maneuver around. The con of this gun is its ammo capacity, meaning missing shots may be unforgiving. Takes some practice, but in the right hands, it can easily outshine other S-tier weapons. 

LAS-16 Sickle

• Cutting Edge Warbond — Page 1
• Primary

A full auto energy weapon with high accuracy, good damage, and light armor penetration. Your perfect go-to if you are not a fan of shotguns. Ideal for mid and long-range targets. The only downside is the heat system, meaning overheating this weapon will cause a reload. But this also means that you have unlimited ammo, as long as you don’t overheat it. 

RS-422 Railgun

• Patriotic Administration Center — 10000R, Level 20
• Support 

An essential part of many best loadouts when it comes to Stratagem weapons. The recent nerfs were insignificant. It is still powerful and reliable in any situation.  Takes several well-placed full-charged shots to defeat any other target, be it a bot or a bug. We wish all the other stratagem guns were as good as this one. 

EAT-17 Expandable Anti-Tank

Can never go wrong with an old-fashioned rocket launcher. Available pretty early and serve as bread and butter against any armored target. A perfect tool when you need to quickly remove a high-priority target. We guarantee you will always get value from bringing EAT-17 to the mission.

GR-8 Recoilless Rifle

• Patriotic Administration Center — 6000R, Level 5
• Support 

What can be better than a rocket launcher? Right, a rocket launcher with a high shooting speed. This gun brings explosive power into prolonged fights, allowing you to support the team with heavy firepower. The downside is that the weapon takes a backpack slot instead of a shield. And you need another person to speed up the reload. Yet, the amount of power it brings to your team is insane. Perfect choice if you’re playing with a friend, so the two of you can realize the full potential. Although some may see it as a problem.

AC-8 Autocannon

• Patriotic Administration Center — 7000R, Level 10
• Support 

If there is an epitome of power, then this is it. A great long-range weapon allows you to blast anything from great distances. Breaks easily through medium armor, as well as pierces weak points of heavily armored targets. Add on top of that is its ability to destroy buildings and bug holes. The downside of this refined destruction is that it requires a backpack slot.

APW-1 Anti-Materiel Rifle

• Patriotic Administration Center — 5000R, Level 2
• Support 

Dubbed by the community as the new Railgun, it’s a .A wonderful choice for those who want to feel like a real sniper. With this rifle you can take off targets from very long range, extremely effective against bots. Despite being slow, its point is to take care of enemies before they even become a threat.

G-23 Stun Grenade

• Cutting Edge Warbond — Page 2
• Throwable

This is a new addition to the grenade roster. The best thing about it is that it stops everything in itsA new addition to the grenade roster. The best thing about them is that they stop everything in their tracks, even chargers and bio-titans! Stun is long enough to position yourself to attack weak spots or combine it with orbital strikes for an explosive combo. 

G-16 Impact Grenade

• Free Warbond — Page 5
• Throwable

A powerful grenade that does exactly what you expect it to do. Not much to say, it’s just a powerful grenade that helps in almost any situation you can imagine. You can never go wrong with this one.

A-tier Weapons

SG-8 Punisher

• Free Warbond — Page 1
• Primary

One of the weapons that was buffed with the patch, Punisher is now a very good weapon in the right hands. With this, you can get through some of the armored targets. With damage increased a well-placed shot can deal with most light enemies. The problem of a small magazine size was solved, making this gun better overall.

SMG-37 Defender

• Free Warbond — Page 3
• Primary

The Defender is the best SMG currently. Allows you to shoot from one hand, has armor penetration, and shoots in a stable beam. Overall a decent gun that can save you in many situations. The only “downside” is the existence of other, more interesting guns in the game. Hence, A-tier. 

AR-23 Liberator

• Starting Weapon
• Primary

The default assault rifle is considered one of the most balanced weapons in the game. Excellent against light-armored targets, good at range, and nice handling. If you have not decided what weapon to use, you can never go wrong with this one. 

P-2 Peacemaker

• Starting Weapon
• Secondary

A starter sidearm. As the starting AR, this is a balanced weapon that can save your life many times. The only downside is that Redeemer or Dagger exists. But until you get those weapons unlockedunlocks, this is a solid choice of sidearm. 

LAS-7 Dagger

• Cutting Edge Warbond — Page 3
• Secondary

Thanks to shooting a laser beam, it has high accuracy and long range. It also has a Heat system, meaning it can have unlimited ammo. All you need to do is pay attention to the heat meter. The downside Has a Heat system, meaning it can have unlimited ammo. All you need is to pay attention to the heat meter. The downside here is its damage is not high enough. Yet this weapon can easily fit into your weapon loadout to cover the lack of a long-range firearm. 

GL-21 Grenade Launcher

• Patriotic Administration Center — 6000R, Level 2
• Support 

A great weapon to fight hordes of enemies on most difficulties. When compared to other options with similar uses, it doesn’t fall off as much on higher difficulties. Great against bugs, decent against bots.

LAS-98 Laser Cannon

• Patriotic Administration Center — 4000R, Level 5
• Support 

Recent buffs helped this Stratagem weapon a lot. Increased damage, armor penetration, and fluidity turned Laser Cannon into a surgeon’s scalpel. A fun and thematic weapon to destroy weak points with ease and precision.

G-12 High Explosive

• Starter Weapon
• Throwable

This grenade is a decent option for closing bug holes or exploding buildings. With some practice can be used in many other situations. A good mix of firepower and utility. The only reason it is in A-tier is just because there are better options. 

B-tier Weapons

SG-8S Slugger

• Free Warbond — Page 8
• Primary

This tricky shotgun can be devastating in the right hands. Quite powerful, but comes with the downside of slow reload speed, which can be detrimental in some situations. This gun may be your choice if you’re not looking for easy ways.

JAR-5 Dominator

• Steeled Veterans Warbond — Page 3
• Primary

A special explosive-based weapon. Provides a lot of damage, perfect for targeting weak spots, but balances that with overall slowness and clunkiness. The overall efficiency of this gun comes from the player’s personal skill, knowledge about weak and strong sides, and how to play around them. 

AR-23P Liberator Penetrator

• Free Warbond — Page 6
• Primary

A modified Liberator’s primary use is to pinpoint enemy weak points. But the gun handling with burst fire doesn’t really feel up to the task. Another question arises from the scope that obstructs a lot with its visuals. Still has its purpose, yet other weapons can do a better job.

AR-23E Liberator Explosive

• Steeled Veterans Warbond — Page 1
• Primary

Thanks to explosive rounds, this weapon stuns many targets on impact, while also dealing damage in the area around the target. In skilled hands may be a perfect replacement for a shotgun against most light enemies.

R-63 Diligence

• Free Warbond — Page 2
• Primary

This marksman rifle is well-handled and perfect against medium- and long-range targets. It has trouble with damage falloff at long range but is otherwisehas good handling and is perfect against medium and long-range targets. It hasA marksman rifle with good handling, perfect against medium and long-range targets. Has troubles with damage falloff at long range, but otherwise is a neat choice. Depending on your setup, it can be a superior alternative to assault rifles.

ARC-12 Blitzer

• Cutting Edge Warbond — Page 3
• Primary

An electric shotgun. Discharges a static blast in the enemy’s face. Has unlimited ammo, but this is compensated by the slow rate of fire. It is a formidable weapon when it comes to fighting hordes of smaller bugs. But bots and big bugs like chargers are a real struggle — it feels like the gun deals no damage to them at all. A good choice for specific missions, but don’t forget to cover for its weaknesses with other armaments. 

MG-43 Machine Gun

• Starting Weapon
• Support

A decent and fun weapon that allows you to blaze through hordes of enemies, up to medium-armored ones. The downside is how quickly it blasts through its ammo, as well as its handling. It is advised to remain in a prone position to have the most stable aim. As you go up in difficulties, this weapon becomes less effective.

M-105 Stalwart

• Patriotic Administration Center — 3500R, Level 3
• Support 

Another LMG on the list, Stalwart, is a decent starting Stratagem weapon. It is not as ammo-hungry as MG-43 and can be reloaded on the go. In return, it can only deal with light armor. It hasNot as ammo-hungry as MG-43, can be reloaded on the go. In return can only deal with light armor. Have the same problem of not being as useful on higher difficulties.

FLAM-40 Flamethrower

• Patriotic Administration Center — 6000R, Level 10
• Support 

A weapon to fulfill your bug-exterminating fantasies. Recent damage buffs made it an efficient weapon against any kind of bug, although it still struggles a little bit against big targets. The problem is it still remains a niche weapon, as it doesn’t do much against bots. An overall rework of DoT damage is needed to make this weapon truly shine. Still a good choice for bug-related missions.

ARC-3 Arc Thrower

• Patriotic Administration Center — 7000R, Level 15
• Support 

AThis weapon is notorious for its friendly fire. Basically a gun that shoots chain lighting, so it can easily zap both friend and foe. Although it can be fun the first time or maybe a dozen, it can prove fatal in the heat of battle. Friendly fire aside, a high voltage is decent against both bugs and bots.

G-10 Incendiary Grenade

• Steeled Veterans Warbond — Page 2
• Throwable

A niche weapon. There is no specific situation you want this for, but it is not as bad as a frag one. Can be used to destroy bug holes and buildings as well. 

G-3 Smoke Grenade

• Free Warbond — Page 8
• Throwable

A utility pick for those players who can play around the smoke. Smoke is a utility tool that can save many lives, allowing your team to escape or sneak around objectives and an advantage in many situations. But, as was said, an understanding of when smoke is needed is vital. 

C-tier Weapons

SG-225SP Breaker Spray & Pray

• Free Warbond — Page 9
• Primary

Some may agree this was the worst weapon in the game with a very telling name. Despite being a shotgun, all you could do was spray and pray something died from this gun. Recent buffs improved the situation, increasing damage and armor penetration, making this weapon finally usable. But Breaker Spray and Pray resumes to be the absolute last in the race among other shotguns.

LAS-5 Scythe

• Free Warbond — Page 5
• Primary

It is somewhat slow compared to other options, making you question your primary weapon choices. Any other weapon can do faster than Scythe does. To make it shine, it needs to receive the same improvements as the Laser Cannon, turningSomewhat slow compared to other options, making you question your primary weapon choices. Any other weapon can do faster than Scythe does. To make it shine, it needs to receive the same improvements as the Laser Cannon, to turn it into a proper weapon to blast weak spots. 

MP-98 Knight

• Super Citizen Edition bonus
• Primary

A machine pistol with excellent shooting speed and spray, and this is all good that can be said about this gun. It qQuickly depletes ammunition, without actually doing anything useful. Any other weapon would be better than this one.

R-63CS Diligence Counter Sniper

• Free Warbond — Page 7
• Primary

Supposed to be a modified variation of the Diligence marksman rifle forto fighting against long-range targets. Yet, it feels clunky, with poor handling, and slow shooting speed. Adding to that limited ammo, its shots aren’t impactful not enough impact from shots. Only usable in first-person mode. A recipe for an unfun weapon. 

P-4 Senator

• Steeled Veterans Warbond — Page 1
• Secondary

Despite being a revolver, it doesn’t bring the satisfying quality one has, only the downsides. Inconsistent damage and constant slow reloads after every 6 shots make you wish for a better weapon. 

SG-8P Punisher Plasma

• Cutting Edge Warbond — Page 2
• Primary

A shotgun shooting exploding plasma charges. The idea is intriguing on paper. Although in reality, it is a dangerous niche weapon. It is perfect for fighting with a group of enemies at some distance. But when it is time to fight a single enemy, the weapon is too slow. It has way too little ammo capacity to effectively deal with the target. Fighting at close range is also dangerous — the splash damage can accidentally kill you or your teammates as well.

FAF-14 Spear

• Patriotic Administration Center — 9000R, Level 20
• Support 

In theory, it could be one of the best weapons. A rocket launcher with a lock-on system to always hit its target. In practice, the lock-on needs significant improvements. Lock-on is slow and interrupted easily. Add problems when there are multiple targets. It feels like there are no situations when bringing Spear feels worth it.

G-6 Fragmentation Grenade

• Free Warbond — Page 1
• Grenade

A default grenade. Pales in comparison to many other options. Does not have its own niche, as others are stronger, have better coverage, or provide utility. Just change it for any other when you have a chance.

Conclusion 

As we mentioned earlier, this Helldivers 2 weapon tier list is just one opinion among many others. There are many factors to consider outside of the gun itself. Things like your personal skill, mission type, teammates, stratagems, loadouts, etc. So even if your favorite weapon didn’t make it into S-tier here — who cares? All that matters is you have a blast using it. Don’t forget to have fun with whatever weapon you choose to fight for Liberty!

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