The big balance patch forHelldivers 2significantly buffed the majority of the game’s weapons, from the worst-performers and even some of the guns that were already considered to be quite good. Patch 1.001.100 basically took the previous meta and threw it out the window, and now, players are left wondering which of the newly-buffed weapons are worth diving with.
This update affected every part of the game’s arsenal, from grenades toHelldivers 2’smany primary weaponsand support weapons. With so many changes made to so many weapons, finding a gun that works for you is going to take some time. Here’s an overview of the best new weapons in the game to help players make up their minds, arranged in no particular order.
The following mainly covers weapons that were affected by Patch 1.001.100. Weapons like the Dominator and Scorcher are still excellent choices despite not getting any buffs.
7Thermite Grenade
Can’t Go Wrong With A 20x Damage Boost
Many players were disappointed with how the Thermite Grenade performed when it was first added to the game, but now, players will be able to take out most heavy units like Chargers, Bile Titans, and Hulks withjust one or two Thermite Grenades to a weakspot. This is a massive improvement, as it pretty much lets players dive without an anti-tank support weapon and still be able to destroy heavily-armored enemies.
Bringing some other form of AT is still recommended, however, as the maximum number of Thermite Grenades players can carry has beenreduced from four to three. The buffedEagle 500Kg Bombstratagem is a great choice for this, as it now hits targets in a larger area. TheEAT-17 rocket launcher inHelldivers 2is another excellent option for those who truly want to dedicate themselves to the anti-tank role.
6Crisper
Pocket-Sized Flamer For Cooking Armor
The Crisper is now exactly what everyone has wanted it to be — a miniature flamethrower that cantoast armored targets to death. It was changed to work exactly like how the Flamethrower support weapon did before theEscalation of Freedomupdate, which means it can torch Terminid Hive Guard and Chargers with surprising efficiency for a sidearm.
As of writing, this is the only pistol in the game with an Armor Penetration value of 4, which is just one point higher than the beloved Senator revolver. However, considering how short its range is, it’s best used on the Terminid front. This same logic applies to the Torcher under the primary weapons category.
5Railgun
Piercing Shots That Pack A Punch
The Railgun is in a much better place now compared to even its launch version. It can consistentlyone-shot most medium enemieslike Berserkers, Devastators, andHelldivers 2’s Bile Spewers, and it can now comfortably take care of bigger enemies like tanks and Bile Titans with just a few shots when used in Unsafe mode.
While dedicated AT weapons like the Quasar Cannon and Recoilless Rifle are still better against armored enemies, the Railgun is an extremely versatile weapon that can handle any threat. It is especially effective against Automatons — it still has a maximum round count of 20, making it very efficient for taking out large numbers of Reinforced Striders and Hulk Bruisers in a single engagement.
4Exploding Crossbow
Budget Grenade Launcher
The Exploding Crossbow has finally found its place in thearsenal asa one-handed elite killer that can blow up multiple targets at once. It now deals more damage over a larger area, making it viable against both bugs and bots. It’s still better against the latter, though — the ability to wield it with a Ballistic Shield makes it one of thebest weapons to use against Automatons inHelldivers 2.
This weapon can mess up Devastators and conga lines of Berserkers even without precision. Just point it at the enemy and expect them to go down in one or three bolts. It still suffers from its small magazine and relatively lengthy reload time, so it might be a bit hard to use on Super Helldive difficulty.
3Eruptor
Shrapnel’s Back On The Menu
The Eruptor got its shrapnel back, albeit tweaked to not be as strong as it was before. Every shot still explodes, but now, they also launch shrapnel to damage everything unlucky enough to be in the way. It performs almost identically to the Exploding Crossbow, except the Eruptor deals more damage with each shot at the expense of having a slower rate of fire.
Picking between the Eruptor and Exploding Crossbow is purely up to personal preference. Fans of marksman playstyles may lean more towards the former, while aggressive players may flock towards the latter.
2Diligence Marksman Rifle
Long-Range Headpopper
The base Diligence rifle used to be overshadowed by its Counter Sniper variant in previous patch versions. Now, it feels like a proper marksman rifle that can take out many small-medium-sized enemies with a single, well-placed shot. The buff to the weapon’s damage output and reductions to the health values of enemies like Hunters, Devastators, and Berserkers have made the Diligencea very strong pick for snipers.
The Counter Sniper variant is still stronger in terms of damage, AP value, and Stagger force, but unless you plan on shooting armored targets like Gunships or the miniguns of aFactory Strider inHelldivers 2, the regular Diligence may be the better weapon to use since it has more ammo and better handling, letting players chain headshots more quickly.
1Liberator Penetrator
Dependable Battle Rifle On All Fronts
The Liberator Penetrator’s damage was buffed to match the pre-patch value of its standard variant, which means it can now eliminate lightly-armored enemies more quickly and consistently. It’sone of the best general-purpose weaponsyou can use against both bots and bugs, as both factions tend to throw a mix of both light and medium armor at players.
As before, this weapon is a more mobile alternative to the Adjudicator. The Penetrator is easier to control, but it deals less damage in comparison. Still, it’s now a worthy option to pick over the Adjudicator, especially for players who like to spray bullets into groups of enemies without having to deal with strong recoil.
Other Notable Weapons
Much like the Penetrator, many other weapons received small but significant buffs to their performance. The most notable ones include:
