With four limited slots for Stratagem and so many primary weapons to choose from, it can be difficult to pick which loadout to use in Helldivers 2. When the grind for max levels and Medals finally stops, the experimentation truly begins—and lucky for you, we’ve already tested Helldivers 2‘s very best loadouts.
Loadouts are made up of three compartments in Helldivers 2. You have armor, primary weapons, and Stratagems. There is no right or wrong way to play Helldivers 2. But it’s important to match your loadout to your build, specifically to your armor weight (light, medium, or heavy).
Solo Helldivers should use a more balanced and versatile loadout that can adapt to different battle settings. You want to pick a loadout based on the mission you are entering. If you know you’re targeting a fully armored enemy, equip armor-piercing weapons and powerful Stratagems. On the other hand, thinning hordes of enemies in 12-minute missions requires fast-firing weapons and Stratagems with immediate use.
1) Best Terminid planet loadout in Helldivers 2
| Loadout slot | Best item(s) |
|---|---|
| Armor | Light SC-34 Infiltrator |
| Primary Weapon | SG-225 Breaker Incendiary |
| Secondary Weapon | P-19 Redeemer |
| Grenade | G-16 Impact |
| Strategems | Railgun, Supply Pack, Orbital Precision Strike or Eagle Napalm Strike, Rocket Sentry |
- Weapons that favor up close and personal fights, given the Terminid tendency to charge.
- Armor that prioritizes speed and efficiency.
The SC-34 Infiltrator armor is perfect for fighting Terminids, as its improved speed prevents the bugs from closing the distance, and its scans help you detect additional objectives. The SG-225 Breaker Incendiary has surprisingly good range for a shotgun, and it’s fire damage is super valuable against bugs, especially on ice planets.
Supply Pack keeps your ammo reserves in good standing, and the rest of the Strategems in this build are key to clearing nests and taking down the big, armored bugs. The Orbital Precision Strike is perfect against fully armored enemies like the Brood Commander, Hive Guard, or Charger.
2) Best Automaton planet loadout in Helldivers 2
| Loadout slot | Best item(s) |
|---|---|
| Armor | Medium DP-40 Hero of the Federation SA-12 Servo Assisted |
| Primary Weapon | R-63 Diligence |
| Secondary Weapon | P-2 Peacemaker |
| Grenade | G-12 High Explosive or G-3 Smoke |
| Strategems | Mortar Sentry, Orbital 120MM HE Barrage, Shield Generator Pack, Railgun or Expendable Anti-Tank |
- Armor that protects you from certain death or prevents most cases of limb damage.
- A reliable and precise marksman rifle that excels at hitting weak points.
- Strategems that provide explosive ordinance support, options against armor and vehicles, and valuable defense against ranged foes.
As someone who often gets overwhelmed by Automatons, the passive effect offered by the DP-40 Hero of the Federation armor, which gives you a 50-percent chance not to die when taking lethal damage, is literally a life saver. While the R-63 Diligence marksman sacrifices fire rate for accuracy, you’ll need that accuracy to take down the armored bots via their weak points.
When it comes to Strategems, the Railgun is one of the best anti-armor weapons in the game, and unlike the Autocannon, it can be reloaded and restocked without taking up a backpack slot. Consider swapping out either the mortar or orbital barrage to give yourself the Expendable Anti-Tank as an option, in case you come across a tank. You’ll need the Shield Generator Pack when the Automaton lasers start flying.
3) The best “meta build” in Helldivers 2
| Loadout slot | Best item(s) |
|---|---|
| Armor | Light SC-34 Infiltrator |
| Primary Weapon | SG-225 Breaker |
| Secondary Weapon | P-19 Redeemer |
| Grenade | G-16 Impact |
| Strategems | Railgun, Eagle 500KG bomb, Shield Generator backpack |
- Considered the must-have build for higher difficulties, with players even reportedly getting kicked if they don’t have it.
- The core Strategems provide armor penetration, personal protection, and the most explosive and destructive bomb in the game.
It’s called the “meta build” for a reason, and while some players in quick play lobbies are a little too serious when it comes to making sure everyone has it’s equipped, it is notably very solid.
The SG-225 Breaker shotgun is such a powerful primary weapon, but the strength comes in the three main Strategems. We’ve talked about the value of the Railgun and the Shield Generator backpack above, and what else needs to be said about the bomb with the biggest payload?
