Helldivers 2 is a new third-person shooter that sets you on a mission to squash the alien bugs with your friends in the name of freedom and democracy. This can be a daunting task as the large number of bugs can be overwhelming and merciless. Hence, you need to know your equipment and choose the best weapons in Helldivers 2.
Helldivers 2 features 29 unique primary weapons, 8 secondary weapons, and 10 grenades and you can select one from each of these to be a part of your loadout. As beginners in Helldivers 2, picking the best loadout is vital for your survival as you attempt to spread democracy and colonize these hostile outer worlds.
FYI
You can equip a third weapon, usually a heavy weapon, by spending stratagems to call in the drop.
This guide will tell you all about that and the best weapons available in Helldivers 2.
Best Weapons in Helldivers 2
Helldivers 2 is still a new game and this guide will only enlist the best weapons currently available in the game. This list is subject to change upon future updates so, be sure to come back to check out the updated content.
5. P-19 Redeemer Machine Pistol
This should be your main choice for a secondary weapon as it is a significant improvement over the beginner pistol. This fully automatic machine pistol does the same amount of damage as the default beginner pistol but has a much larger capacity, lesser recoil, and a higher fire rate. The weapon is decent with average performance as far as secondary weapons go but it can not be used as a primary weapon due to its low damage and capacity.
4. SG-8 Punisher Shotgun
The SG-8 Punisher is a powerful shotgun in Helldivers 2 that comes with a huge magazine and does a ton of damage. Moreover, it has a pretty manageable recoil for a shotgun making it one of the best starting weapons in Helldivers 2. You can get this shotgun right off the bat through the Helldivers Mobilize Warbond which is essentially a battle pass for this game.
3. LAS-5 Scythe Energy-Based Weapon
This is one of the better options for early-game missions in Helldivers 2. LAS-5 Scythe shoots energy beams instead of bullets which makes it a viable option if you are trying to save up on ammo.
Las-5 Scythe is an energy-based weapon that has been around since the first Helldivers game. Unfortunately, this weapon was underwhelming in the first game and has not been much improved in the sequel.
2. SG-225 Breaker Shotgun
This is a fully automatic shotgun and one of the best weapons in Helldivers 2. This Shotgun has a relatively tight bullet spread that allows you to use it as a short-range as well as a mid-range weapon. You can upgrade this weapon to further improve its range by spending 3 medals.
You can also unlock the Incendiary variant of this weapon the SG-225IE Breaker Incendiary. This weapon is more effective against the unarmored enemies like the bugs.
1. AR-23P Liberator
The Liberator is one of the most versatile weapons in Helldivers 2, well-balanced and suitable for encounters against both the bugs and the robots. The AR 23P Liberator has a high fire rate paired with high damage. This is one of the weapons that are available from the get go, making it a standard choice or most of the players in Helldivers 2.
You can also unlock another variant of this rifle that fires explosive rounds. However, the increased damage comes with an increased recoil. If you can manage to control the recoil, this becomes arguably the best weapon in Helldivers 2 overall.
Best Loadout for Beginners in Helldivers 2
It is important to know your enemy as your loadout will be entirely dependent on what type of enemy you are fighting in Helldivers 2. For example, the Marksman rifle is the best early-game gun against automatons, but it falls against the bugs. Different loadouts are better for fighting the different factions. Heavy armor and most single-shot weapons are useless against bugs whereas super effective against the Cyborgs.
Here will describe the best beginner loadout in Helldivers to save you some time on trial and error.
Primary
For early game We recommend choosing the AR 23P liberator as your primary weapon as it is effective against both the bugs and the robots. This is the safer choice if you are still learning the ropes of the game.
If you feel rather confident in your abilities or have a knack for close-quarter combat, we suggest you go for the SG-225 Breaker Shotgun instead.
Secondary
For a secondary weapon, you cannot go wrong with the P-19 Redeemer Machine Pistol but you can try any other you like as well. The main idea for the secondary weapon is to compliment your primary weapon. The best beginner loadout in Helldivers 2 should cater to these conditions. P-19 works best with a Shotgun as it can make up for the lower fire rate of the Shotgun. If you are going for an assault rifle or an SMG as a primary, pick a high damage pistol instead.
Grenade
This is completely up to you but you might want to consider the Fuse Time of the grenade you pick. The G-6 Frag has a fuse timer of 2.4 seconds which means it will give your enemies less time to escape it damage radius after it is tossed. However, the G-12 High Explosive does almost twice as much damage by compromising on its Fuse time of 3.5 seconds.
Stratagems
Stratagems can be used to call in a third weapon or a support strike on the enemies. You can use this to help your team or yourself clear out an area or share weapons with your teammates. You should not worry too much about which specific stratagem to unlock right now and try out whichever ones are available. To find out more about Stratagems, check out our article on which stratagems are the best in Helldivers 2
