Helldivers 2 New Tier List for Buffed Weapons
The first round of buffs has arrived in Helldivers 2 and players are already scrambling to test out the weapons and get a feel for the updates that Arrowhead Games has provided. Since this patch has been extensive, we’ve compiled each weapons performance into a tier list to explain how good they are in battle.
Table of Contents
S-Tier
Recoilless Rifle / SPEAR / Quasar Cannon / Expendable Anti-Tank
These support weapons are by far the best in this category. Whether you’re playing against the Automatons or Terminids, their increase in damage makes them the most reliable and consistent anti-tank weapons in the game. No matter what, these weapons can even take down previously tough targets like Chargers, Bile Titans, Hulks, Dropship and Tanks (when shot at the flank or rear) in one shot.
Arc Thrower / Arc Blitzer
The Arc Thrower and by extension, the Arc Blitzer now have way more utility beyond just group clearing. Arrowhead has now updated arc weapons to deal a stun effect that compounds whenever the same target is hit multiple times. Not only that, the Arc Thrower itself received a buff that drastically increased its range and the number of targets that are hit per shot. This makes the weapon so versatile that players should have at least one member using this to clear out the trash enemies to help the anti-tank players.
Flame weapons
Fire weapons were heavily nerfed during the Escalation of Freedom patch, which started the controversy surrounding Arrowhead’s tendency to nerf weapons more than buff them. However, not only have they reverted the change to its projectile physics, but it even received a damage buff and the ability to damage heavier targets as well. The Flamethrower specifically can reliably take down many Terminid targets and can surprisingly kill a few Automaton ones too.
Railgun
The Railgun was one of the first weapons to be nerfed in the game due to its overperformance, but now it’s received a significant buff. The railgun now has a bump to its durable damage and an overcharge damage buff. Not only that, but it’s now become a solid weapon to bring in any situation, especially when dealing with medium armored targets.
Crossbow / Eruptor
These weapons are great for clearing out weaker and even some medium enemies thanks to the extra area of effect damage that they deal. While the Crossbow gets a flat damage buff, the Eruptor’s shrapnel effect has returned in its former glory, dealing some absurdly high damage and even getting the added functionality of destroying bot Fabricators.
Breaker
It was once considered the meta weapon in Helldivers 2, and now, it’s returns to its former glory again for this patch. Its 16 round ammo capacity has made a return, but with a slight twist. Now it comes equipped with a higher stagger force value, making it the de facto anti-bug primary weapon.
Laser Cannon
The Laser Cannon was already a solid weapon before the buffs, but its new ability to damage heavy targets is a game-changer. It was previously designed to be the laser equivalent of the Machine Gun support weapon, but this buff makes it the most versatile tool in the game that can damage almost everything and anything. Whether fighting in the Terminid or Automaton front, the Laser Cannon is a viable support weapon even in Super Helldive difficulty.
Thermite Grenade
The Thermite Grenade is by far the highest damaging grenade in Helldivers 2, thanks to the staggering 1000 damage buff it received. This makes it the most important grenade to bring in Super Helldive as players without a dedicated anti-tank weapon can throw these at enemy Elites and deal heavy damage.
A-Tier
Autocannon
The Autocannon has received a slight buff that allows it to damage Elite targets like the Bile Titan and Hulk. While the buff is useful, the Autocannon still remains as a fairly solid weapon that doesn’t really excel at some aspects but does well enough for players who can land their shots consistently on certain targets. It is beloved for its jack-of-all-trades damage profile that has the extra functionality of destroying certain buildings.
Dagger
Almost no one picked up this weapon when it first came out, due to its frequent overheating issues and low damage output, especially when other sidearms like the Grenade Pistol and the Redeemer exist. However, that’s all been changed as it’s now received the same buffs as the Scythe laser rifle. Not only that, but its damage has also been increased to make it a handy backup weapon that theoretically has infinite ammo. With these changes, players can finally get more value from bringing the Dagger for harder difficulties.
Anti-Materiel Rifle
Despite the name, the Anti-Materiel Rifle was quite bad at destroying armor, especially because of its low durable damage numbers. Thankfully, it was given a pass by Arrowhead and is now a specialized weapon for killing Automatons. Its misaligned scope buff was fixed, and its heavy armor penetration values means that players now use it as a bot-hunting weapon. Despite this, its low ammo capacity makes it worse against Terminids.
Scythe
When the Scythe laser rifle was released, the community noted how weak the weapon felt, especially when the Sickle came out a few months later. Since then, Arrowhead has given the Scythe the special ability to set enemies on fire after consistent targeting. The new buff now shortens the time needed to ignite enemies. The Scythe is now a great Terminid killer, but will still require a lot of headshots for Automatons, especially against Devastators.
B-Tier
Commando
While the Commando did get the same buff as the other dedicated anti-tank weapons, its inability to one shot Bile Titans and Automaton Fabricators means that the other options are straight up better in comparison. By itself, the Commando is a solid support weapon, but the Recoilless Rifle outshines it in usability. Despite this, it’s still a fun weapon to play.
Liberator Penetrator
While this weapon did get a nice bump to its damage value on paper, it still doesn’t do well enough on the Automaton and Terminid front, especially when some of the other weapons have the same armor penetration stats. Right now, there’s no justification for using this weapon, especially when the Explosive Crossbow and Eruptor are more efficient for the task.
