Tearing through Helldiver 2’s bugs and robots is tricky for most main guns—with one notable exception. While most weapons feel “like a BB gun,” players agree one weapon feels right at home in their Hell Diver’s hands—the Breaker automatic shotgun.
In a Jan. 24 post, Reddit user u/beardedwonder0 discussed how the Breaker shotgun is “the ONLY primary weapon” they had been using. They asked for a simple buff, “a slight increase on damage for the other primary weapons,” just to keep them in line with the behemoth of early launch Helldivers 2.
Of the 15 Primary Weapons, the Breaker has shown itself head-and-shoulders above all other primaries. This is largely due to its amazing 330 base damage and an above-average fire rate. If that wasn’t enough, it’s not even abysmal at long ranges, with a tight pellet spread that can take out small enemies from afar. In terms of time-to-kill at even medium ranges, the only competition for the Breaker are other shotguns—all of which sport downsides compared to the original SG-225—or the Dominator and Scorcher, both of which require many Medals and are still often worse picks. This is a shame because many of the laser weapons and explosive ARs are great fun—but lack impact and kill potential.
Responses flooded into this post, with nearly 1,000 comments advocating for different kinds of buffs for weapons. Outside of pleading for a basic damage increase, many players want better armor penetration—and not just for primary weapons, as one of the largest concerns is the Anti-Material Rifle’s poor armor penetration, despite its name.
A top-voted comment on the thread recommended a system from the original Helldivers game, where weapons could be upgraded in specific ways. This could be a Requisition Slip sink for when players are done buying Stratagems or another reason to pick up Samples during a mission.
One sentiment that flooded throughout the thread was the prospect—and fear—of nerfs. The SG-225 Breaker is the best primary in the game, but that doesn’t mean it makes missions a cakewalk. Suicide Mission, Impossible, and Helldive difficulty runs require firearms with high rate-of-fire, crowd control, and damage to clear consistently.
Unfortunately, at this point in the game, it often feels like the Breaker is a necessary evil rather than an overpowered gun that needs toning down. A healthy balance between enemy spawns, the Breaker’s strength, and other weapon’s weaknesses may need to be struck to make Helldivers 2 feature more healthy loadouts while keeping its hectic and heart-pounding high-difficulty extractions.
