Introduction to Helldivers 2 Loadouts
In Helldivers 2, a well-chosen loadout is paramount for spreading Managed Democracy effectively across the galaxy. With diverse enemy factions, mission types, and difficulty levels, understanding how to best equip your Helldiver can significantly impact your success. This guide will break down the essential components of a loadout and recommend top-tier choices for various combat scenarios.
Understanding Your Loadout Components
Each Helldiver loadout consists of a Primary Weapon, Secondary Weapon, Grenade, Armor, four Stratagems (which can include Support Weapons, Backpacks, and Offensive/Defensive abilities), and a Booster.
Primary Weapons
Your primary weapon is your main source of sustained damage. Choices often depend on the enemy type and your preferred engagement range.
SG-225 Breaker (and variants like Incendiary): A highly recommended shotgun, particularly effective against Terminids due to its damage and ability to apply fire.
AR-23 Liberator (and variants): A solid all-rounder, with the Liberator Penetrator and Carbine being strong options, especially with attachments.
LAS-5 Scythe / Sickle / Double-Edge Sickle: Energy weapons offering continuous damage without ammo concerns, ideal for shredding light-armored units and managing heat. The Sickle and Double-Edge Sickle are noted for their power against various enemy types, including Devastators and Hulks.
PLAS-1 Scorcher / P-4 Senator / ARC-12 Blitzer / CB-9 Exploding Crossbow: Energy weapons like the Scorcher are praised for their effectiveness against Walkers and damaging medium armor, while the Punisher Plasma offers good stagger and AoE. The Explosive Crossbow is considered very good for high-level bug killing.
AR-2 Coyote: An assault rifle from the Dust Devils Warbond with good damage, ammo, fire rate, and medium armor penetration, effective against bugs.
Secondary Weapons
Secondary weapons provide a quick backup or specialized utility.
P-19 Redeemer: A popular choice for its high fire rate, making it good for clearing weaker enemies.
P-2 Peacemaker: A hard-hitting option against squishy enemies, especially useful when other options are exhausted.
GP-20 Ultimatum / Grenade Pistol: Excellent for clearing outposts, closing bug holes, and dealing quick AoE damage, though with limited ammo. The Ultimatum is described as a 'nuclear bomb attached to a pistol' for its ability to wipe out hordes and damage large tank enemies.
P-4 Senator: Offers medium armor penetration and is noted for its ability to one-shot Overseers.
Grenades
Grenades offer crucial tactical advantages, from crowd control to armor penetration.
G-12 High Explosive: A default but effective grenade for destroying bug nests.
G-3 Smoke Grenade / G-10 Incendiary / G-13 Gas Grenade: Gas grenades are particularly good for crowd control and dealing with swarms, especially in compact areas like caves. Incendiary grenades are also recommended against Terminids.
G-123 Thermite / Impact Grenades: Thermite grenades are excellent for anti-tank roles, sticking to and destroying Chargers and Bile Titans. Impact grenades are generally useful for quick enemy elimination.
Stun Grenade: Effective for staggering and stunning enemies, making them easier targets, particularly useful against Automatons.
Armor
Armor provides defensive perks and can enhance your mobility or survivability.
Light Armor: Often preferred for increased mobility.
Medium Armor: Offers a balance of protection and speed.
Heavy Armor: Provides maximum armor rating, but at the cost of speed.
Med-Kit Passive: Provides additional Stims and extended healing, beneficial against overwhelming Terminid numbers.
Democracy Protects Trait: Offers a chance to survive lethal damage and prevents bleeding out.
Fortified Scout Armor / Ballistic Padding / Fortified: Recommended against Automatons for surviving rockets and explosions.
Extra Padding: Increases tankiness against Terminids.
Siege Ready Passive: Improves reload speed, directly increasing damage output.
Desert Stormer Trait (DS-191 Scorpion): Provides 40% damage reduction against fire, gas, acid, and electric damage, useful against specific Terminid attacks.
Engineering Kit: Grants +2 to throwables.
Support Weapons (Stratagems)
Support weapons are vital for tackling armored enemies, clearing hordes, or providing specialized utility.
LAS-99 Quasar Cannon: A powerful heat weapon capable of one-shotting Bile Titans and Chargers, and destroying Fabricators and Hulks. It has a rapid cooldown.
GR-8 Recoilless Rifle / EAT-17 Expendable Anti-Tank: Excellent anti-tank options, capable of taking out heavy units like Tanks and Hulks, and closing bug holes. The Recoilless Rifle is considered one of the strongest support weapons but requires a backpack slot.
AC-8 Autocannon: Versatile for dealing with most bot threats, with different ammo types for heavy and light units, and effective at closing bug holes. It can two-shot a Hulk to the face.
RS-422 Railgun: A popular choice for armor-penetrating shots, especially in unsafe mode, effective against Chargers and Bile Titans.
M-105 Stalwart / MG-43 Machine Gun: Great for early game and clearing hordes of light-armored enemies due to high magazine capacity and mobility while reloading (Stalwart).
FLAM-40 Flamethrower: Excellent for incinerating Terminids, especially larger bugs, and clearing swarms.
M-32 Grenade Launcher: Useful for wiping out hordes, destroying bug nests, and has been buffed for heavy armor penetration.
APW-1 Anti-Materiel Rifle (AMR): Helpful for dealing with larger enemies and precise long-range shots.
ARC-3 Arc Thrower: A powerful weapon against all factions, including the Illuminate.
FAF-14 Spear: Locks on to targets for a single burst of huge damage from a safe distance, effective against Automaton units like Dropships.
Backpack Stratagems
These provide crucial defensive or support capabilities.
SH-32 Shield Generator Pack: A lifesaver for tanking damage, especially against Automatons.
B-1 Supply Pack: Provides a near-endless supply of Stims and ammo, reducing reliance on Resupply stratagems.
LIFT-850 Jump Pack: Offers great horizontal and vertical travel for avoiding enemies and quicker repositioning.
AX/AR-23 'Guard Dog' Rover: A drone with a Liberator AR that provides cover and deals with weaker enemies.
Orbital and Eagle Stratagems
These are powerful call-in abilities for area denial, heavy damage, or specific target elimination.
Orbital Laser: Extremely powerful for clearing large portions of bases or obliterating everything in sight, though with limited uses.
Eagle 500kg Bomb: Designed for ultimate destruction, ideal for large nests, Bile Titans, and large enemy clusters.
Eagle Airstrike: Versatile for clearing groups, destroying fabricators, and closing bug holes.
Orbital Railcannon Strike: Can one-shot Tanks, Hulks, and Cannon Turrets.
Orbital Precision Strike: A good early-game explosive for small enemy clusters or closing bug holes.
Orbital Gas Strike / Orbital Napalm Barrage: Excellent for crowd control and area denial against swarming enemies.
A/MG-43 Machine Gun Sentry / A/MLS-4X Rocket Sentry / A/ARC-3 Tesla Tower: Automated turrets that provide sustained firepower and aggro enemies.
Boosters
Boosters provide team-wide buffs for the duration of a mission.
Stamina Enhancement: Increases stamina capacity and recovery, improving mobility.
Hellpod Optimization: Ensures you start with full ammo, grenades, and Stims upon exiting your Hellpod.
Vitality Enhancement: Increases effective health and survivability.
Best Loadouts for Beginners
For new Helldivers, focusing on reliable and easy-to-use gear is key.
Primary: AR-23 Liberator assault rifle.
Secondary: P-2 Peacemaker or P-19 Redeemer.
Grenade: G-12 High-Explosive.
Armor: Any medium armor, or armor with the Med-Kit perk for extra Stims, or Democracy Protects for survivability.
Stratagems: Machine Gun, Anti-Materiel Rifle, Grenade Launcher, or Expendable Anti-Tank for support. Eagle Strafing Run, Eagle Airstrike, or Machine Gun Sentry for offense and area control. Orbital Precision Strike for early explosive damage. A Supply Pack is also beneficial for sustained operations.
Faction-Specific Loadouts
Optimal loadouts often change dramatically depending on whether you're facing the swarming Terminids, the armored Automatons, or the elusive Illuminate.
Against Terminids (Bugs)
Terminids rely on overwhelming numbers, slowing venom, and ferocious claws. They are often susceptible to fire and explosives.
Primary: Breaker Incendiary shotgun, Cookout shotgun, Sickle/Double-Edge Sickle, Adjudicator, AR-2 Coyote, or Punisher Plasma.
Secondary: Grenade Pistol or P-19 Redeemer. The GP-20 Ultimatum is highly effective for large groups and Bile Titans.
Grenade: Gas Grenade (for crowd control), G-10 Incendiary, or G-123 Thermite (for Chargers/Bile Titans).
Armor: Any light or medium armor; perks like Med-Kit, Extra Padding, or Desert Stormer are beneficial. Siege Ready for faster reloads.
Stratagems:
* Support Weapons: Flamethrower, Grenade Launcher (now heavy armor penetrating), LAS-99 Quasar Cannon (for Bile Titans/Chargers), Stalwart, Autocannon, or Railgun (unsafe mode for armor penetration).
* Backpack: Personal Shield Generator, Supply Pack, or Jump Pack. Guard Dog Rover for added firepower.
* Offensive: Eagle Cluster Bomb, Eagle Airstrike, Orbital Laser, Orbital Gas Strike, Orbital Napalm Barrage, Eagle 500kg Bomb, or Orbital Railcannon Strike.
Booster: Stamina Enhancement or Hellpod Optimization.
Against Automatons (Bots)
Automatons are heavily armored and rely on ranged attacks and consistent pressure. Armor penetration and explosive damage are key.
Primary: PLAS-1 Scorcher/Purifier energy weapon, Sickle/Double-Edge Sickle, Explosive Crossbow, Eruptor, or Punisher. The Diligence Counter Sniper is good for one-shotting smaller bots.
Secondary: Senator, Grenade Pistol, or Ultimatum.
Grenade: Thermite, Stun Grenade, or Gas Grenade. Impact Grenades are also effective.
Armor: Any light or medium armor; Fortified Scout Armor, Ballistic Padding, or Fortified are recommended for explosive resistance.
Stratagems:
* Support Weapons: Commando, Quasar Cannon, Railgun, Anti-Materiel Rifle, Expendable Anti-Tank, Autocannon, Recoilless Rifle, or Spear (for Dropships, Tanks, Hulks). The Laser Cannon is excellent for melting weak points.
* Backpack: Personal Shield Generator (highly recommended), Jump Pack, or Supply Pack.
* Offensive: Eagle 500kg Bomb, Autocannon Sentry, Rocket Sentry, Orbital Laser, Orbital Precision Strike, Orbital Railcannon Strike, or Orbital 120mm/380mm HE Barrage.
Booster: Vitality Enhancement or Stamina Enhancement.
Against Illuminate (Squids)
The Illuminate present a unique challenge, often requiring both swarm clear and armor penetration.
Primary: Scorcher/Purifier energy weapon, Sickle/Double-Edge Sickle, Punisher Plasma, or Adjudicator.
Secondary: Grenade Pistol, Loyalist, or Crisper.
Grenade: Gas Grenade.
Armor: Any light or medium armor. Siege Ready Light Armor or Peak Physique for Heavy Machine Gun ergonomics.
Stratagems:
* Support Weapons: Machine Gun, Anti-Materiel Rifle, Autocannon, WASP Launcher, or Orbital Laser. Arc Thrower is also effective.
* Backpack: Jump Pack or Warp Pack (if available).
* Offensive: Orbital Laser, Orbital Precision Strike, Orbital 120mm HE Barrage, Orbital 380mm HE Barrage, Eagle 500kg Bomb, or Eagle Strafing Run.
General Loadout Tips
Team Composition: Coordinate with your squad to cover different roles (anti-horde, anti-armor, objective clearing). Avoid redundant support weapons.
Mission Objectives: Tailor your loadout to the specific mission. For example, bring objective-destroying stratagems for 'Destroy' missions.
Difficulty: Higher difficulties necessitate more specialized and powerful gear, especially for dealing with heavily armored enemies.
Warbonds: Unlock new weapons and stratagems through Warbonds to expand your options.
Weapon Customization: Utilize weapon customization and attachments to improve performance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the best all-around loadout in Helldivers 2?
A: While there isn't one single 'best' loadout for all situations, a strong general-purpose build might include the SG-225 Breaker or Sickle as primary, P-19 Redeemer secondary, G-12 High Explosive grenade, light armor, and stratagems like the Railgun, Personal Shield Generator, Orbital Railcannon Strike, and Orbital Laser.
Q: How do loadouts change for higher difficulties?
A: On higher difficulties (e.g., Super Helldive), loadouts typically shift towards greater emphasis on heavy armor penetration, efficient crowd control for large swarms, and survivability. Stratagems like the Quasar Cannon, Railgun, Orbital Laser, and Eagle 500kg Bomb become increasingly vital.
Q: Are there specific loadouts for solo play?
A: While many loadouts are team-oriented, for solo play, consider builds that offer versatility, good self-sustain, and reliable anti-armor capabilities, such as those combining a strong primary with the Grenade Launcher and Supply Pack, or the Quasar Cannon for heavy targets.
Q: What are the most important stratagems to unlock first?
A: Early game, the Machine Gun, Anti-Materiel Rifle, Grenade Launcher, Expendable Anti-Tank, Eagle Airstrike, Orbital Precision Strike, and Machine Gun Sentry are highly recommended for their versatility and effectiveness.