Best Weapons Tier List - Helldivers 2 Guide - IGN (2024)

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Lauren Harper,Angie Harvey,Samuel Heaney,+10 more

updated

Delivering a sweet cup of Liber-tea to Terminids and Automatons is easy to do when you use the best weapons available in Helldivers 2. While playstyles and personal preferences influence every weapon tier list, here's how we rank the Weapons you can find in the game.

Want to know how to unlock all of the weapons available so you can test them out for yourself? Visit our Weapons page and How to Get New Weapons guide.

Helldivers 2 Weapons Tier List

TierWeapon Name (Primary and Secondary)
S-TierSG-225 Breaker, Las-16 Sickle, R-36 Eruptor
A-TierAR-23 Liberator, P-19 Redeemer, SMG-37 Defender, MP-98 Knight, ARC-12 Blitzer, SG-2251E Breaker Incendiary, BR-14 Adjudicator Marksman Rifle, CB-9 Exploding Crossbow, AR-16 Tenderiser, SMG-72 Pummeller
B-TierP-2 Peacemaker, R-63 Diligence, R-63CS- Diligence Counter Sniper, AR-23P Liberator Penetrator, P-4 Senator, Jar-5 Dominator, SG-8S Slugger, SG-8 Punisher Shotgun, SG-8P Punisher Plasma, Las-7 Dagger, AR-23E Liberator Concussive
C-TierLas-5 Scythe,
D-TierPlas-101 Purifier

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S-Tier Weapons in Helldivers 2

SG-225 Breaker

SG-225 Breaker Shotgun
DamageCapacityRecoilFire RateWeapon TraitsHow to UnlockCost
330013055300
  • Light Armor Penetrating
Unlocked as part of the Helldivers Mobilize Warbonds progression in the Acquisitions menu.20 Medals

SG-225 Breaker

The SG-225 Breaker is by far the best shotgun in Helldivers 2 even after recent patches, which have meant that the recoil is now much higher and the capacity is lower. If you switch your fire rate to semi-automatic, it’s incredible at shredding through all kinds of enemies without chewing through ammo too quickly.

As you'd expect from a shotgun, it's extremely powerful at short range, but what you might not expect is just how good it is at mid-range, too. It’s good against both Automatons and Terminids and helpful against bigger enemies like Chargers, as it can take off armor, so be sure to unlock it in the Warbonds progression guide.

Las-16 Sickle

Las-16 Sickle
DamageCapacityRecoilFire RateWeapon TraitsHow to UnlockCost
055009002750
  • Light Armor Penetrating
  • Heat
Unlocked as part of the Cutting Edge Premium Warbond progression in the Acquisitions menu.20 Medals

Las-16 Sickle

The energy-based LAS-16 Sickle is a rifle introduced as part of the Cutting Edge Premium Warbond. It's fun to use and feels quite powerful. It has an impressive fire rate of 750 but it takes a moment to get going. Once it does, you'll find it making light work of enemies.

If you use this gun carefully, you can have unlimited ammo in theory. Holding down fire will cause the heat sink to get hotter and you'll see the white icon start to turn red. If it overheats, you'll have to reload it but if you wait around 2 seconds, it will start to cool down. When you're being swarmed, it will force you to keep your distance, otherwise, you'll need to reload the heat sink. There's also a scoped mode you can put it into, but that's the only adjustment you'll be able to make on it.

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R-36 Eruptor

R-36 Eruptor
DamageCapacityRecoilFire RateWeapon TraitsHow to UnlockCost
380005075025
  • Medium Armor Penetrating
  • Explosive
Unlocked as part of the Democratic Detonation Premium Warbond progression in the Acquisitions menu.60 Medals

R-36 Eruptor

What it lacks in capacity and rate of fire, the R-36 Eruptor makes up for in damage and its medium-armor penetrating and explosive highlights. If you can avoid blowing up yourself and your teammates, it's an incredibly useful gun that can take down tougher enemies in a few shots (if not in one hit). As a bonus, you can tackle optional objectives with it, like closing bug holes. This is hugely beneficial as it removes the reliance on other bits of arsenal like throwables, which can quickly be used up.

A-Tier Weapons in Helldivers 2

AR-23 Liberator

AR-23 Liberator Assault Rifle
DamageCapacityRecoilFire RateWeapon TraitsHow to Unlock
055045015640Light Armor PenetratingAutomatically given to all Helldivers when starting the game.

AR-23 Liberator

Though the AR-23 Liberator is your starting weapon, and you'd think it needs to be quickly replaced, it will actually serve you well throughout most of the game while you level up. It has relatively low recoil and a large fire rate, though you will want to watch out for this because you'll get through ammo quickly.

P-19 Redeemer

P-19 Redeemer Pistol
DamageCapacityRecoilFire RateWeapon TraitsHow to UnlockCost
0600310111100
  • Light Armor Penetrating
  • One Handed
Unlocked as part of the Helldivers Mobilize Warbonds progression in the Acquisitions menu.5 Medals

P-19 Redeemer

The jump from the Peacemaker to the Redeemer is a noticeable one thanks to lower recoil and a high fire rate. The big increase in the fire rate means you can mow down groups of enemies with no trouble at all. This is best used when you're completing objectives that require you to carry objects, like the launch code missions, or when you've completely run out of ammo in your primary weapon.

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SMG-37 Defender

SMG-37 Defender Submachine Gun
DamageCapacityRecoilFire RateWeapon TraitsHow to UnlockCost
070045010520
  • Light Armor Penetrating
  • One Handed
Unlocked as part of the Helldivers Mobilize Warbonds progression in the Acquisitions menu.15 Medals

SMG-37 Defender

It feels like you have much more control using the SMG-37 than the MP-98 Knight, but it also feels like it would be better as a secondary weapon than a primary one. The recoil is much better, and there's far less reticle sway, but despite a much lower fire rate, it still goes through ammo quite quickly though, so you'll want to pair the SMG-37 Defender with a Supply Pack.

MP-98 Knight

MP-98 Submachine Gun
DamageCapacityRecoilFire RateWeapon TraitsHow to Unlock
0500500201380
  • Light Armor Penetrating
  • One Handed
Unlocked as part of the pre-order bonus for Helldivers 2 Super Citizen Edition.

MP-98 Knight

The problem with both of the SMGs available at launch is they feel like they'll be better as secondary weapons rather than primary ones. Using the MP-98 SMG feels like you're going through bullets at a rapid rate and not necessarily hitting your target. This has higher recoil and reticle sway than the SMG-37 Defender, but the fire rate is handy for taking down groups of smaller enemies.

ARC-12 Blitzer

ARC-12 Blitzer Shotgun
DamageCapacityRecoilFire RateWeapon TraitsHow to UnlockCost
250Unlimited060030
  • Light Armor Penetrating
  • Heat
Unlocked as part of the Cutting Edge Premium Warbond progression in the Acquisitions menu.80 Medals

ARC-12 Blitzer

Despite the damage being lower than other shotguns in the game, the beauty of the SG-8P Punisher Plasma is it feels great for crowd control. Each burst deploys a high-voltage shot of electricity, behaving in a similar way to the Arc Thrower. This means it can hit multiple targets at once, and helps with pushing them back. With one shot able to eradicate more than one enemy at a time, it makes up for the low fire rate. Just be careful when using it around teammates, as it will hit anything it can reach.

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SG-2251E Breaker Incendiary

SG-2251E Breaker Incendiary Shotgun
DamageCapacityRecoilFire RateWeapon TraitsHow to UnlockCost
180025028300
  • Light Armor Penetrating
  • Incendiary
Unlocked as part of the Steeled Veterans Premium Warbonds progression in the Acquisitions menu.60 Medals

SG-2251E Breaker Incendiary

This is another Shotgun in the game that we wouldn't rush to unlock. It just doesn't feel as effective as the SG-225 Breaker, although it has slightly lower recoil, higher capacity, and the same fire rate, the lower damage is evident when using it.

BR-14 Adjudicator

BR-14 Adjudicator
DamageCapacityRecoilFire RateWeapon TraitsHow to UnlockCost
080025040550
  • Medium Armor Penetrating
Unlocked as part of the Democratic Detonation Premium Warbond progression in the Acquisitions menu.20 Medals

BR-14 Adjudicator

The BR-14 Adjudicator is a good assault rifle, which can deliver more damage than some of its counterparts. However, the fire rate is slower than some assault rifles like the Liberator, and you'll need to watch your ammo consumption. It can sometimes feel like it's shredding through the ammo too quickly, making it tougher to take on crowds. That being said, switch your fire rate to semi and you should find your ammo goes a little bit further.

CB-9 Exploding Crossbow

CB-9 Exploding Crossbow
DamageCapacityRecoilFire RateWeapon TraitsHow to UnlockCost
420005035050
  • Explosive
Unlocked as part of the Democratic Detonation Premium Warbond progression in the Acquisitions menu.80 Medals

CB-9 Exploding Crossbow

With all the guns in the game, it's fun to have another option that can switch up your loadout significantly. A high damage output makes it a strong weapon choice, but it can be tricky to aim. If you can get to grips with the aiming, then you should easily see multipliers when targeting groups of enemies. That being said, it's better for bugs than it is for bots, which stops it from becoming one of the best weapons in the game.

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AR-16 Tenderiser

AR-16 Tenderiserr
DamageCapacityRecoilFire RateWeapon TraitsHow to UnlockCost
060035010600
  • Light Armor Penetrating
Unlocked as part of the Polar Patriots Premium Warbond progression in the Acquisitions menu.20 Medals

AR-16 Tenderiser

The AR-16 Tenderiser offers a higher fire rate and supposedly stopping power, in exchange for a lower capacity. It also has lower recoil than a lot of the best guns available in the game. It's good against bosts and bugs, but it could be improved by having medium armor penetration.

B-Tier Weapons in Helldivers 2

P-2 Peacemaker

P-2 Peacemaker Pistol
DamageCapacityRecoilFire RateWeapon TraitsHow to Unlock
060015023900
  • Light Armor Penetrating
  • One Handed
Given to all Helldivers automatically when starting the game.

P-2 Peacemaker

The P-2 Peacemaker is a great secondary weapon to start with. It does good damage and feels like a strong supporting weapon, especially on missions we mentioned earlier where it's essential to have a weapon you can use one-handed. It even has the same damage as the P-19 Redeemer Pistol we ranked in A-Tier earlier. We've just ranked this slightly lower than the Redeemer because it has a higher recoil and lower fire rate.

R-63 Diligence

R-63 Diligence Marksman Rifle
DamageCapacityRecoilFire RateWeapon TraitsHow to UnlockCost
112020035350
  • Light Armor Penetrating
Unlocked as part of the Helldivers Mobilize Warbonds progression in the Acquisitions menu.8 Medals

R-63 Diligence

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Both of the R-63 Marksman Rifles have pros and cons that mean they're equally tied in our tier list. The R-63 Diligence Marksman Rifle has a slight advantage over the Counter Sniper because of its lower recoil and higher capacity. But it suffers from a lot of reticle sway and is obviously best used when you're able to take cover and stay still on a mission. There are weapons that are much stronger against the bots, which is why we've ranked this lower down.

The R-63 Diligence Marksman Rifle also struggles with the armor on tougher enemies and really requires team coordination if someone is using it. They also won't be able to get out into the field and cope with large swarms, as it's easy to be overwhelmed when using this Marksman Rifle.

R-63CS Diligence Counter Sniper

R-63CS Diligence Counter Sniper Marksman Rifle
DamageCapacityRecoilFire RateWeapon TraitsHow to UnlockCost
128015053350
  • Light Armor Penetrating
Unlocked as part of the Helldivers Mobilize Warbonds progression in the Acquisitions menu.40 Medals

R-63CS Diligence Counter Sniper

The R-63CS Diligence Counter Sniper Marksman Rifle has a higher damage output than the R-63 Diligence, but it also comes with similar issues to that rifle and has even higher recoil, making it quite difficult to control.

AR-23P Liberator Penetrator

AR-23P Liberator Penetrator Assault Rifle
DamageCapacityRecoilFire RateWeapon TraitsHow to UnlockCost
045030019640
  • Medium Armor Penetrating
Unlocked as part of the Helldivers Mobilize Warbonds progression in the Acquisitions menu.40 Medals

AR-23P Liberator Penetrator

The AR-23P Liberator Penetrator Assault Rifle doesn't feel like the upgrade you think it should be. It has higher recoil, lower damage, and a lower capacity. The benefit is that it has higher armor penetration, allowing it to go through medium armor. Still, it doesn't seem worth chasing after this unlock. We've found it better against Automatons than Terminids, but it doesn't give any real reason to switch from the AR-23 Liberator to this.

P-4 Senator

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P-4 Senator Pistol
DamageCapacityRecoilFire RateWeapon TraitsHow to UnlockCost
150006043200
  • Light Armor Penetrating
  • One Handed
  • Rounds Reload
Unlocked as part of the Steeled Veterans Premium Warbonds progression in the Acquisitions menu.15 Medals

P-4 Senator

There's no denying that the P-4 Senator Pistol certainly does a lot of damage with just one shot -- just as long as your enemies are up close, and often, that's not a good sign in Helldivers 2. It handles well, but even the lower-level enemies require a few shots from further away for this to stop them in their tracks. That, plus the slow reload, just feels like it's only going to work for some players.

Jar-5 Dominator

Jar-5 Dominator Explosive
DamageCapacityRecoilFire RateWeapon TraitsHow to UnlockCost
200015075250
  • Medium Armor Penetrating
Unlocked as part of the Steeled Veterans Premium Warbonds progression in the Acquisitions menu.80 Medals

Jar-5 Dominator

The recoil is high with the Jar-5 Dominator Explosive, but it does have medium armor penetration and good stopping power. After testing it out, it feels like it has potential in the right hands to be a lethal weapon. The damage output and rate of fire are fine, too, meaning you can take down bots and bugs quite quickly with it.

SG-8S Slugger

SG-8s Slugger Shotgun
DamageCapacityRecoilFire RateWeapon TraitsHow to UnlockCost
280016110080
  • Rounds Reload
  • Light Armor Penetrating
Unlocked as part of the Helldivers Mobilize Warbonds progression in the Acquisitions menu.60 Medals

SG-8S Slugger

The SG-8s Slugger hits hard, but so does the recoil. That can be forgiven, though, given that it does well even at longer ranges. It's let down by its rate of fire, ultimately, but still a decent choice if you like shotguns.

SG-8 Punisher

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SG-8 Punisher Shotgun
DamageCapacityRecoilFire RateWeapon TraitsHow to UnlockCost
405016120080
  • Light Armor Penetrating
  • Rounds Reload
Unlocked as part of the Helldivers Mobilize Warbonds progression in the Acquisitions menu.4 Medals

SG-8 Punisher

The damage that the SG-8 Punisher does is great, but it just feels like a typical shotgun, and it's better to take down a few enemies at close range. When you've gone with other options like the Breaker, it becomes apparent just how slow this gun is to use and reload.

SG-8P Punisher Plasma

SG-8P Punisher Plasma Shotgun
DamageCapacityRecoilFire RateWeapon TraitsHow to UnlockCost
100008110080
  • Light Armor Penetrating
  • Heat
Unlocked as part of the Cutting Edge Premium Warbond progression in the Acquisitions menu.60 Medals

SG-8P Punisher Plasma

The SG-8P Punisher Plasma was introduced as part of the Cutting Edge Premium Warbond. There's no denying that it's powerful, dealing explosive plasma shots that pack a punch. However, it feels slow, and if you're not precise enough with your aim, you're likely to be wiped out yourself or take out a teammate. This feels like a shotgun that would be better used at lower levels. What's more, it has high recoil and lower capacity, and just doesn't seem viable at higher levels.

Las-7 Dagger

Las-7 Dagger
DamageCapacityRecoilFire RateWeapon TraitsHow to UnlockCost
150005001
  • Light Armor Penetrating
  • One Handed
  • Beam
  • Heat
Unlocked as part of the Cutting Edge Premium Warbond progression in the Acquisitions menu.60 Medals

Las-7 Dagger

How much you like this pistol will depend on how you're using your secondary weapon. If you're finding that you're pulling out your sidepiece just to finish off a few last enemies to conserve ammo in your primary weapon, you might like this. The Las-7 Dagger is strong because it's a laser weapon, but similarly to other laser weapons in the game, takes a while to get going. It's ultimately quite slow and better focused on one target than multiple, but depending on the build you're running, it might complement your loadout perfectly.

AR-23E Liberator Concussive

Patch Changes

The AR-23C Liberator Concussive was previously called the AR-23E Liberator Explosive. Its weapon traits altered from being Incendiary to being Explosive and there was a slight reduction in recoil.

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AR-23E Liberator Concussive Rifle
DamageCapacityRecoilFire RateWeapon TraitsHow to UnlockCost
055030028320
  • Light Armor Penetrating
  • Explosive
Unlocked as part of the Steeled Veterans Premium Warbonds progression in the Acquisitions menu.20 Medals.

AR-23E Liberator Concussive

Despite having a higher recoil and slower fire rate than the AR-23 Liberator, the AR-23E Liberator Explosive Assault Rifle feels like it does the job just as well. It offers a red dot and scoped mode for precision shots and can be changed to automatic. Whether hip-firing or aiming down its sights, it does enough damage to keep bugs and bots at bay.

SMG-72 Pummeller

SMG-72 Pummeller
DamageCapacityRecoilFire RateWeapon TraitsHow to UnlockCost
065045010475
  • Light Armor Penetrating
  • One Handed
Unlocked as part of the Polar Patriots Premium Warbond progression in the Acquisitions menu.60 Medals

SMG-72 Pummeller

The Pummeller is a fairly good SMG, but the SMGs in the game are quite similar, which doesn't make this gun stand out. It has a lower rate of fire than both the MP-98 Knight and the SMG-37 Defender.

C-Tier Weapons in Helldivers 2

Las-5 Scythe

Las-5 Scythe Energy Based Gun
Damage/SecFire LimitRecoilStun TimeWeapon TraitsHow to UnlockCost
3000080010 Seconds
  • Light Armor Penetrating
  • Beam
  • Heat
Unlocked as part of the Helldivers Mobilize Warbonds progression in the Acquisitions menu.30 Medals

Las-5 Scythe

The Las-5 Scythe seems to thrive only in certain limited scenarios, but it's very situational, so it's not one we'd reach for. Though it can cut through enemies well, it's definitely best suited for smaller groups. It also overheats while using it and just seems better used at lower levels than at higher levels. We'd recommend just sticking with the "Guard Dog" Rover Stratagem and letting that handle it for you.

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SG-225SP Breaker Spray&Pray

SG-225SP Breaker Spray&Pray Shotgun
DamageCapacityRecoilFire RateWeapon TraitsHow to UnlockCost
144032045300
  • Light Armor Penetrating
Unlocked as part of the Helldivers Mobilize Warbonds progression in the Acquisitions menu.60 Medals

SG-225SP Breaker Spray&Pray

Considering the amount of Medals you have the spend on the Warbond progression to get the SG-225SP Breaker Spray&Pray Shotgun, you'd think it would be a huge upgrade. It doesn't feel like that whatsoever though, and in fact, seems to struggle against enemies.

D-Tier Weapons in Helldivers 2

Plas-101 Purifier

Plas-101 Purifier
DamageCapacityRecoilFire RateWeapon TraitsHow to UnlockCost
250015020250
  • Medium Armor Penetrating
  • Chargeup
  • Explosive
Unlocked as part of the Polar Pariots Premium Warbond progression in the Acquisitions menu.80 Medals

Plas-101 Purifier

The chargeup feature of this weapon just makes it way too slow to be worth using.

Looking for even more Helldivers 2 Guides? Why not check out some of our other helpful pages...

  • Tips and Tricks for Getting Started
  • Advanced Combat Tips and Tricks
  • Best Stratagems
  • Weapons and Armors
  • Achievements and Trophy Guide

Up Next: Best Armor

PreviousBest StratagemsNextBest Armor

Top Guide Sections

  • Tips and Tricks for Getting Started
  • Helldivers 2 Major Order Rewards Missing
  • Mission Type Guide
  • Cutting Edge Premium Warbond

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In This Guide

Best Weapons Tier List - Helldivers 2 Guide - IGN (1)

Helldivers II

Arrowhead Game Studios

ESRB: Mature
PCPlayStation 5

Related Guides

OverviewTips and Tricks for Getting StartedHelldivers 2 Major Order Rewards MissingMission Type Guide

Best Weapons Tier List - Helldivers 2 Guide - IGN (2024)

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