Best Guns in Helldivers 2? Well, you’ve come to the right place because we’re going to be looking at every weapon in Arrowhead Studio’s Helldivers 2. Helldivers 2 has a really nice arsenal of weapons to unlock in its War Bonds. You could pay to unlock weapons or really grind the heck out of Helldivers and get all the medals you need. But which weapon is worth the salt in Helldivers 2? So let’s get started with our Helldivers 2 Best Weapons Tier List as we rank the best guns in Helldivers 2.
Best Guns in Helldivers 2 Ranked – Helldivers 2 Best Weapons Tier List – Summarized
Here are the best guns in Helldivers 2 ranked from best to worst in our Helldivers 2 weapons tier list:
| Tiers | Weapons |
| S-Tier | PLAS-1 Scorcher LAS-5 Scythe SMG-37 Defender |
| A-Tier | AR-23 Liberator AR-23P Liberator Penetrator R-63CS Diligence Counter Sniper SG-8 Punisher |
| B-Tier | AR-23E Liberator Explosive SG-225 Breaker |
| C-Tier | MP-98 Knight SG-225SP Breaker SpraynPray SG-225 IE Breaker Incendiary |
| D-Tier | SG-8S Slugger |
| F-Tier | R-63 Diligence Jar-5 Dominator |
Best Guns in Helldivers 2 Ranked – Helldivers 2 Best Weapons Tier List
We’ll also be taking a look at the special weapons found in the Premium War Bond as well as the Helldivers 2 weapons found in the Special Edition of the game.
To curate this list of best guns in Helldivers 2, we took a look at range, recoil, ammo rounds, damage output, perks, and ease of accessibility in terms of grinding.
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LAS-5 Scythe (S-Tier) – Best Guns In Helldivers 2 (Energy-Based)
Best Guns in Helldivers 2: Stats
- Damage: 300
- Fire Limit: 8
- Recoil: 1
- Stun Time: 0.0 seconds
So, the LAS-5 is a different kind of weapon altogether. Instead of shooting rounds or projectiles, this weapon in Helldivers 2 launches an energy beam, similar to an orbital laser. With no recoil at all, it does 300 damage per second which is pretty neat. And when it comes down to the range, it works best at all ranges, even if the enemies are far away.
With light armor penetration added into the mix, this weapon is great for squad-based firefights and there’s no reloading involved either. As you keep firing the beam, the LAS-5 Scythe tends to overheat, filling the overheating meter found at the bottom left.
And if you don’t let it cool down, you need to replace it with a new heat sink. Thankfully you get 6 heatsinks which is more than enough.
All-in-all, the LAS-5 Scythe is a cool energy-based weapon with a decent amount of damage output per second, no recoil, and no reloading, so it gets bonus points and therefore, makes it an S-Tier weapon in Helldivers 2.
Pros
- No recoil
- Capable of mowing down weaker enemies
- No reload required
- Doesn’t overheat quickly
- Comes with 6 heatsinks
- Works best at all ranges
Cons
- Overheating requires you to change heatsinks
PLAS-1 Scorcher (S-Tier) Best Guns in Helldivers 2 (Energy-Based)
Best Guns in Helldivers 2 Stats
- Damage: 100
- Capacity: 15
- Recoil: 20
- Fire Rate: 250
The PLAS-1 Scorcher is the final weapon you can get in Helldivers 2 and is it worth unlocking or the grind for the base War Bond? You’d be surprised. While previous weapon unlocks or grinds were a tad bit disappointing, the PLAS-1 Scorcher changes things up, making it pretty OP and one of the best guns in Helldivers 2.
So, the PLAS-1 Scorcher is an energy-based weapon, a plasma rifle that churns out super-heated gas that explodes upon impact. But make sure to use it for medium to longer-range sightlines because the energy rounds explode upon impact, which can damage you and your squad mates. The ammo capacity is 15 which sounds like a deal-breaker, and the damage output is 100 points. So, why do we consider it one of the best guns in Helldivers 2?
Despite the stated damage points, players have noticed that the PLAS-1 Scorcher does tons more damage. It’s capable of one-shotting weaker enemies and mowing down light to medium-armored enemies.
The PLAS-1 Scorcher is satisfying to use and the low recoil, paired with the high damage output makes it pretty much grinding the Base War Bond compared to the Premium War Bond.
Pros
- Capable of one-shotting weaker enemies
- High Damage Output
Cons
- Low Ammo
- Final Weapon in Base War Bond
- Can damage players and teammates
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SMG-37 Defender (S-Tier) – Best Guns in Helldivers 2 (Submachine Gun)
Best Guns in Helldivers 2 Stats
- Damage: 70
- Capacity: 45
- Recoil: 10
- Fire Rate: 520
Moving on to the SMG-34 Defender submachine gun in Helldivers 2, you’ll see that the stats aren’t that exceptional except for the high damage output, sitting at 70. But despite the not-so-great stats.
There’s something about this SMG that gives you a satisfying kick or feeling. It’s incredibly good at taking out all kinds of enemies, despite the lower rate of fire. You get the best perks with this gun in Helldivers 2. It has almost no recoil, you can shoot backward while running away from enemies and being one-handed, it also works with the ballistic shield.
In our opinion, the SMG-37 Defender is one of the best guns in Helldivers 2 and works great for close-quarters combat and medium-range sightlines. The rate of fire is a little low. Putting it simply, the SMG-37 Defender feels more like a spruced-up Assault Rifle with one-handed perks added into the mix, than it does an SMG. Ideal for all enemy types, the SMG-37 Defender goes into S-Tier.
Pros
- One-handed Perks
- Compatible with backfiring and Ballistic Shield
- High Damage Output
- Minimal Recoil
Cons
- Lower rate of fire
AR-23 Liberator (A-Tier)
Stats
- Damage: 55
- Capacity:45
- Recoil: 15
- Fire Rate: 640
The AR-23 Liberator is basically the default assault rifle that everyone starts off with in the game and to put it simply, it’s a decent weapon from the get-go and allows you to ease into the game. But it’s not worth it for the end game. It’s not the best gun in Helldivers 2 but it goes up there with all the big dogs in terms of Assault Rifles.
But considering it’s the first weapon you start off with, it’s worth the salt in the beginning, before you move on to other weapons in the game. The AR-23 Liberator is not a bad weapon, but it’s not the best weapon in Helldivers 2. You get a decent rate of fire, negligible recoil, and a respectable fire rate.
The magazine gives you 45 rounds to work with which is more than enough to get your shots in before switching clips. Making it usable in a variety of use-case scenarios whether you’re going up close and personal with Terminids or dealing with enemies from a medium range or distance.
It’s going to be your lifeline before you start unlocking weapons later down the line. And it gets the job done really well. So for that reason, it goes in the A tier.
Pros
- Best Starter AR in the game
- Decent Rate of Fire
- Better than some premium weapons
Cons
- None
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SG-8 Punisher (A-Tier) – Best Guns In Helldivers 2 (Shotgun)
Stats
- Damage: 360
- Capacity: 16
- Recoil: 110
- Fire Rate: 80
The SG-8 Punisher is one of the first unlockable Shotguns in Helldivers 2 and it has a bit of a kick to it. That’s because it has a really high recoil of 110. But the recoil is traded off with the high damage output which is absolutely insane, sitting at 360 damage.
It also offers light armor penetration and it’s great for taking out all types of enemies. Meant for close-quarters combat, it still works well in the medium-range sightlines, which is pretty cool. Now here comes the bad part.
The SG-8 Punisher comes with a Rounds Reload Stat. This means that you have to manually reload all of your bullets when you run out of ammo, and this does take a fair bit of time. But hey, you still get to do tons of damage. Furthermore, compared to the plethora of Shotguns in Helldivers 2, the SG-8 Punisher is one of the better shotguns in Helldivers 2.
You get to deal tons of damage and manual reloading isn’t that bad if you think about it. Why? If an enemy gets up in your business, you can reload-cancel and blow it to smithereens. That’s why, the SG-8 Punisher deserves the A-Tier treatment in our Helldivers 2 Weapons Tier List.
Pros
- Incredibly high damage output
- Light armor penetration
- Versatile use case
Cons
- Manual Reloading
AR-23P Liberator Penetrator (A-Tier) – Best Guns in Helldivers 2 (Assault Rifle)
Stats
- Damage: 55
- Capacity:30
- Recoil: 28
- Fire Rate: 320
The AR-23P allows you to liberate the depths of space from Automatons and Terminids and penetrate their armor, hence the name suggests. The AR-23P Liberator Penetrator is really good when it comes to medium to farther sightlines, allowing you to take out light to medium armored enemies with relative ease.
It comes with a default burst mode set to 3 rounds, which can be changed to single-fire rounds. Fiddle around with its zoom and find what works best for you. It’s great to help out your squadmates by picking off tankier enemies from a distance or the higher ground as your friends are on the front lines.
If you’re looking to get up close and personal, this weapon is not ideal for close-quarters combat at all. But it excels in all other scenarios. With three scope variations, it gives you tons of flexibility to work with. So, yeah, the AR-23P Liberator is a well-rounded Assault Rifle albeit lacking in the close-range department. It also holds only 30 rounds per magazine, so you’ll be churning through ammo in no time.
If you’re the type to sit back, relax, and pick off enemies with ease, one at a time, while some Sentries clear the ground for you, then the AR23 Liberator Penetrator is worth it.
Pros
- Light-to Medium Armor Penetration
- Gives you 3 scope zoom variations
- Excels in medium-long range sightlines
Cons
- Doesn’t work well in close-quarters combat due to its 3-round burst fire.
- Smaller 30-Round Magazine
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R-63CS Diligence Counter Sniper Marksman Rifle (A-Tier) – Best Guns in Helldivers 2 (Marksman Rifle)
Stats
- Damage: 128
- Capacity: 15
- Recoil: 53
- Fire Rate: 350
Unlike the R-63CS Diligence, the R-63CS Diligence Counter Sniper Rifle is altogether a different story. While you’ll be trading off 5 more rounds with only 15 rounds per magazine, things get really good in the damage department. It can do anywhere from 128 to 112 damage, making it incredibly OP.
It’s great for taking out weaker to medium-armored enemies while chilling back at a distance. But it definitely struggles with the more tankier enemies. Still, it gets the job done and it’s far superior compared to the base R-63 Diligence.
With a decent amount of damage output at medium to long-range sightlines and capable of taking out enemies with relative ease, the R-63CS Diligence Counter Marksman Rifle is one of the better weapons in Helldivers 2 and therefore, it goes up in the A-Tier.
Pros
- Decent damage output
- Great for medium to long-range sightlines
Cons
- 15 round magazine
- Struggles taking out tankier enemies
AR-23E Liberator Explosive (B-Tier)
Stats
- Damage: 55
- Capacity: 30
- Recoil: 28
- Fire Rate: 320
Another variation of the AR-23E with some explosives added into the mix is the AR-23E Liberator Explosive. It’s one of the first weapons that is unlockable in the Steeled Veterans War Bond which can be unlocked via paying money or using Super Credits by grinding the heck out of the game.
This means that it’s going to be really hard to get this variation of the AR-23E but is it worth it? It comes free with the Citizen Edition for free. You’d expect this weapon to be really good but it’s not that great. You do get some goodies like light armor penetration, explosive shots that deal a tiny bit of area of impact to surrounding enemies, and some better damage.
Owing to the splash damage, it’s good for taking out bug breaches but isn’t all that great for eliminating Automatons. All-in-all, the AR-23E Liberator Penetrator is not the best gun in Helldivers 2 but it’s not the worst weapon either. But considering the grind for Super Credits or forking out real money, it’s not worth it.
Pros
- Decent AOE does Splash Damage
- Great for dealing with bug breaches and Terminids
- Higher damage than base AR-23E
Cons
- Requires Veterans War Bond which can be unlocked via using Super Credits or paying real money
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SG-225 Breaker (B-Tier)
Stats
- Damage: 330
- Capacity: 16
- Recoil: 30
- Fire Rate: 300
The SGG-225 Breaker is an automatic shotgun that claims to be ideal for controlling crowds of enemies with frequent reload requirements. And that’s not wrong for the most part. The SGG-225 breaker is a bit shy in terms of damage output compared to the Punisher as it stands at 330 damage output.
But considering you’re using an automatic shotgun, you’ll be running out of magazines fast. The recoil on this Shotgun is respectable and allows for decent handling and fairly accurate aiming. It’s great for controlling swarms of bug breaches and smaller robots, especially in chokeholds. But with the only downside being, the need to always reload.
So, if you run out of ammo, either you’ll need to use the Resupply Stratagem for ammo drops, or you’ll be running around the map looking for ammo. Either way, if you want to have some full-auto-shotty fun, then the SG-225 Breaker will give you a good time. Due ot the fact that it runs out of ammo incredibly fast and only holds 16 rounds per magazine, the full-auto SG-225 Breaker goes in B-Tier. Despite the Tier rating, it’s still one of the more fun weapons in Helldivers 2.
Pros
- Fully automatic Shotgun
- High Damage Output
- Ideal for Crowd Control in Chokeholds
Cons
- Runs out of Ammo fast with only 16 rounds per magazine
- Requires Supply Stratagem
MP-98 Knight (C-Tier)
Stats
- Damage: 330
- Capacity: 16
- Recoil: 30
- Fire Rate: 300
The MP-98 Knight can only be unlocked by buying the Super Citizen Edition of Helldivers 2, so you’ll be spending some extra real-world money to get this submachine gun, but the question is, is it worth it? We have mixed feelings about this weapon. It’s not the best weapon in Helldivers 2 but it’s not bad either.
The real downside is the trade-off. The trade-off is the absolutely horrible recoil. The recoil on the MP-98 Knight kicks your aim right up so you have to keep your aim down while firing. Still, it has a damage of 50, with 50 rounds per magazine. The fire rate is absolutely insane, sitting at 1380, but the recoil is still incredibly abysmal. While the game suggests that the recoil is only 20, it’s definitely not.
Take out words for it. Another plus point is that SMGs are one-handed in Helldivers 2, so you can escape if you’re in a hitch while still getting shots in and also use the ballistic shield. All-in-all, the MP-98 Knight offers great damage output and an insane rate of fire, but the recoil is incredibly ridiculous. So, is it worth real-world money? Not at all.
Pros
- Great Damage Output
- Insane Rate of Fire
- Compatible with Ballistic Shield
Cons
- Requires Super Citizen Edition or real money to unlock
- Insane Amount of Recoil
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SG-225SP Breaker SpraynPray (C-Tier)
Stats
- Damage: 144
- Capacity: 32
- Recoil: 45
- Fire Rate: 300
The SG-225SP Breaker SpraynPray addresses the issue which we had with the base SG-225 Breaker Shotgun as it increases the ammo capacity to 32 instead of 16. While that’s a welcome addition, the Birdshot ammo kicks things down. It has a wider spread for taking out weaker enemies, outputting only 144 damage
It feels like you’re just throwing pebbles at enemies at this point. Therefore, it’s one of the worst shotguns in Helldivers 2. If you ever use this shotgun at higher difficulties, you really will be spraying and praying for a miracle to happen.
While it suggests 144 damage, it really doesn’t feel like it. The bump in ammo capacity with the tradeoff being the damage is definitely not worth it. Hence, the SG-22SP Breaker SpraynPray goes into C-Tier.
Pros
- High Ammo Capacity
- Higher Ammo Spread
Cons
- Lower Damage Output
SSG-225 Breaker IE Breaker Incendiary (C-Tier)
Stats
- Damage: 180
- Capacity: 25
- Recoil: 28
- Fire Rate: 300
The SSG-225 Breaker IE is another shotgun that is part of the premium battle pass or premium Steeled Veterans War Bond. This means you might end up spending money or grinding Super Credits like crazy. But is the SSG-225 IE Breaker worth it?
Compared to the base SSG-225 Breaker IE, it has a lower damage output at 180 with the same amount of fire rate and recoil and 25 rounds. So how does it stack up against the regular SSG-225 Breaker in terms of gameplay?
Not all that well. It features a burst fire mode if you’re into that and the Incendiary Ammo does set enemies on fire which offers a nice passive chip damage. But other than that, larger enemies will still come after you and the damage output just isn’t worth it despite the larger magazines.
But coupled with squadmates gunning for the same enemy, it kind of works. The SSG-225 Breaker IE isn’t a bad shotgun per se, but it does lack when it comes to the punch that the regular SSG-225 Breaker offers.
All-in-all, considering the grind and the damage output, the SSG-225 Breaker IE feels rather gimmicky and doesn’t do justice considering you need to grind or pay or grind for the Premium War Bond to get your hands on it.
Pros
- Full auto and Burst Mode
- Incendiary rounds offering passive chip damage
Cons
- Damage output is low
- Incendiary passive damage doesn’t do much to larger enemies
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SG-8S Slugger (D-Tier)
Stats
- Damage: 280
- Capacity: 16
- Recoil: 110
- Fire Rate: 80
While the description of the SG-8S Slugger states that it is a modified variant of the SG-8 Punisher, don’t believe the lies. It promises high-damage slug rounds for killing bigger targets, but honestly, it’s worse in every aspect compared to the SG-8 Punisher.
It has a lower damage output, with similar recoil and a similar rate of fire. Again it comes with manual reloading so, this trade-off is definitely not worth it with this SG-8S Slugger. It also outputs 80 less damage compared to the SG-8 Punisher, which begs the question. What’s being modified here?
While making bold claims, the SG-8 Slugger falls short and we’d suggest you go with the SG-8 Punisher instead. While having a slightly farther range than the SG-8 Punisher, it’s just not worth the multiple trade-offs, so the SG-8S Slugger goes into D-Tier.
Pros
- Greater Range
Cons
- Lower damage output
- Manual Reloading
- Lower rate of fire
- High recoil
Jar-5 Dominator (F-Tier) Worst Weapons in Helldivers 2
Worst Guns in Helldivers 2 Stats
- Damage: 200
- Capacity: 15
- Recoil: 75
- Fire Rate: 250
The Jar-5 Dominator is in the explosives category of the Armory in Helldivers 2 and it basically shoots explosive rounds or projectiles. With the trade-off being the amount of rounds you get and a higher recoil. The Fire Rate is 250 which is substantially lower than the SSG-225 Breaker and the recoil sits at 75. With only a capacity of 15, you’re going to run out pretty soon.
The Jar-5 Dominator is the final weapon that you unlock through the Premium Battle Pass or Steeled Veterans War Bond. So, you’ll either have to spend money or again, go for the grind for Super Credits.
Being the final weapon in the Premium War Bond, it’s going to take forever to grind, and you might expect it to be the most OP or best weapon in Helldivers 2. But sorry to disappoint, it isn’t. All that it’s got going for it is the splash damage due to the AOE of the explosive rounds. It’s worse than any explosive weapon in the game and it’s pretty much a shotgun that shoots explosive rounds. Considering the money spent and the grind, it’s definitely disappointing in the grand scheme of Helldivers 2.
Despite stating that the base damage is 200, it just doesn’t feel like it in-game. And you’re going to have a really tough time killing enemies at higher difficulties with this weapon. So, it’s a solid pass from us.
Pros
- Splash Damage allows you to damage multiple enemies
- Launches Explosive Projectiles
- Boasts 25 rounds per magazine
Cons
- Damage output doesn’t feel quite right
- Requires you to grind till the end of Premium Steeled Veterans War Bond
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R-63 Diligence (F-Tier) Worst Weapons in Helldivers 2
Worst Guns in Helldivers 2 Stats
- Damage: 112
- Capacity: 20
- Recoil: 35
- Fire Rate: 350
The R-63 Diligence is one of the Marksman Rifles found in Helldivers 2 and by god, is it awful. You’d expect a Marksman Rifle to do tons of damage per round but the R-63 is incapable of killing even the weakest of enemies with a full magazine.
And to make things even worse, it only carries 20 rounds per magazine which means you’re going through churn through ammo like crazy. It’s meant for medium to long-range sightlines but why bother when it can barely kill any enemies?
All-in-all, the R-63 Diligence Marksman Rifle is one of the worst weapons in Helldivers 2 and you’d be better off not unlocking this weapon at all. We’d suggest investing your Credits elsewhere like a helmet or a cape. It’s that bad.
Pros
- None
Cons
- 20 Round Magazine
- Very Low Damage
Best Guns In Helldivers 2 – Wrapped
That’s pretty much a wrap for the best guns in Helldivers 2 ranked from best to worst in our Helldivers 2 weapons tier list. For more guides, how-to’s, top lists, and updates stay tuned for more at eSportsNext.
