In Helldivers 2, choosing the right loadout from a vast array of primary weapons and Stratagems can be challenging due to the limited slots available for Stratagems. Once you’ve reached maximum levels and earned Medals, the real experimentation begins, and we’ve already tested some of the very best loadouts Helldivers 2 has to offer.
Helldivers 2: Best loadouts
In Helldivers 2, loadouts consist of three components: armor, primary weapons, and Stratagems. There’s no definitive way to play the game, but it’s crucial to tailor your loadout to your build, particularly your armor weight (light, medium, or heavy).
For solo Helldivers, it’s advisable to use a balanced and adaptable loadout that suits various combat scenarios. Select your loadout based on the specific mission you’re undertaking. For instance, if you’re facing heavily armored foes, equip armor-piercing weapons and potent Stratagems. Conversely, dealing with swarms of enemies in short-duration missions requires fast-firing weapons and immediately deployable Stratagems.
Best loadout against the Automaton
- Armor type: Medium (DP-40 Hero of the Federation or SA-12 Servo Assisted)
- Primary weapon: R-63 Diligence or Liberator Penetrator
- Grenade: G-12 High Explosive or G-3 Smoke
- Support weapon: Stalwart or Expendable Anti-Tank
- Backpack: Supply Pack or Shield Generator Pack
- Artillery: Orbital 120MM HE Barrage
- Sentry: Mortar Sentry
| Loadout | Difficulty Levels | Details |
|---|---|---|
| DP-40 Hero of the Federation | Easy to Helldive | Fast-firing-rate machine gun that quickly kills hordes and deals sufficient damage to armor. |
| SA-12 Servo Assisted | Challenging to Helldive | Extra 50 percent limb health (less chance of breaking limbs from bullet penetration and melee attacks). 30 percent increase in throwing range. |
| R-63 Diligence | Easy to Hard | Light armor piercing with mid- to long-range precision, great for hitting weak spots but weak to heavy armor. |
| Liberator Penetrator | Hard to Helldive | Medium armor piercing rounds, making it a more viable choice against heavily armored enemies. |
| G-12 High Explosive | Trivial to Helldive | High-impact grenade, useful against medium and heavily armored enemies. Easily destroys Fabricators. |
| G-3 Smoke | Hard to Helldive | Limit the enemy line of sight to safely reposition or reload a support weapon. Useful during Bot Breaches and clearing Outposts. |
| Stalwart | Trivial to Challenging | One-shots heavily armored enemies. One-time use however. |
| Expendable Anti-Tank | Hard to Helldive | One-shots heavily armored enemies. One-time use. |
| Supply Pack | Challenging to Helldive | Replenishes ammunition, stims, and grenades. |
| Shield Generator Pack | Hard to Helldive | Protects Helldiver from incoming fire. |
| Orbital 120MM HE Barrage | Easy to Helldive | Multiple airstrikes across a massive radius. |
| Orbital Walking Barrage | Easy to Helldive | A barrage that moves forward, with multiple artillery strikes following one after another. |
| Mortar Sentry | Hard to Helldive | Limit the enemy line of sight to reposition or reload a support weapon safely. Useful during Bot Breaches and clearing Outposts. |
Given the Automatons’ armaments, limb damage from explosions is common. It’s advisable to engage them from a distance and target their weaknesses, such as their exposed heads and limbs, to bypass their armor. As you progress through the difficulty levels, consider switching to potent weapons like the Anti-Tank or Recoilless Rifle to tackle tougher adversaries. Additionally, the Shield Generator provides protection against incoming fire, while the Hero of the Federation armor enhances survivability, even in the face of limb damage or explosive attacks.
Best loadout against the Terminid
- Armor type: Light (SC-34 Infiltrator)
- Primary weapon: SG-225 Breaker or PLAS-1 Scorcher
- Grenade: G-16 Impact
- Support weapon: Railgun or Flamethrower
- Backpack: Supply Pack
- Artiller: Orbital Precision Strike or Eagle Napalm Airstrike
- Sentry: Rocket Sentry or “Guard Dog”
| Loadout | Difficulty Levels | Details |
|---|---|---|
| SC-34 Infiltrator | Easy to Helldive | Minimap markers generate radar scan every two seconds. Reduces enemy detection range by 30 percent. |
| SG-225 Breaker | Easy to Helldive | Aim for headshots at exposed Terminid flesh for a quick and easy kill. |
| PLAS-1 Scorcher | Challenging to Helldive | Highly mobile weapon with good damage, perfect for a light build. |
| G-16 Impact | Easy to Helldive | Pull the grenade pin and throw immediately to kill a small group of enemies within a single explosion. Throw into Nest holes for mission objectives. |
| Railgun | Challenging to Helldive | Charged armor-piercing shots to take down fully armored enemies. |
| Flamethrower | Easy to Helldive | Quickly kills low-tiered enemies and deals damage over time to flesh. Hold to use and pierce through enemy armor. Easily destroys Terminid Nests. |
| Supply Pack | Challenging to Helldive | Replenishes ammunition, stims, and grenades. |
| Orbital Precision Strike | Easy to Helldive | A precision shot that can kill a fully armored enemy. Best used in Elimination Missions and to ambush large enemies like the Charger. |
| Eagle Napalm Airstrike | Challenging to Helldive | Creates a wall of fire after heavy artillery strike to deal ticking damage and stop the Terminid from pushing. |
| Rocket Sentry | Hard to Helldive | Protects Helldiver from incoming fire. |
| “Guard Dog” | Easy to Helldive | Multiple airstrikes across a massive radius. |
Terminids are susceptible to fire damage, so weapons with fire-based damage are crucial when facing this faction. Utilize flamethrowers, grenades, and fire-based artillery strikes to inflict significant damage over time. The Orbital Precision Strike is particularly effective against fully armored enemies like the Brood Commander, Hive Guard, or Charger.
In conclusion, the best Helldivers 2 loadouts can vary depending on mission objectives, chosen difficulty level, and enemy types encountered. When facing the Terminid, focus on exploiting their vulnerabilities with fire and explosive damage, while against the Automaton, prioritize precision and critical hits to neutralize the threat swiftly. Remember, all enemies have weaknesses in their limbs and exposed heads, so aim carefully to incapacitate them effectively.
