[gpt3]rewrite this content in american english and make it unique and make it human written and make it plagiarism free and please do not include the common chatGPT words and rewrite clearly without using complex words and do not include next post or related post details in the content
has seen some massive weapon sandbox changes since its initial release. Dozens of weapons have been added, many old-school weapons can now be modded with attachments, and nearly every existing weapon has been reworked at some point. Throw in the new enemy types Arrowhead has added, and you have a dizzying array of strategies to consider.
Fortunately, the arsenal of Super Earth has never been stronger. Nearly every gun in Helldivers 2 is viable with the right build. But just like Super Citizens, some guns are more equal than others. We’ll be looking at every weapon currently in Helldivers 2 and ranking them in a tier list for each of the game’s enemy factions.
How We Rank Weapons
The weapon sandbox in Helldivers 2 varies heavily based on your chosen difficulty, enemy faction, and preferred playstyle. With this tier list, we’re focusing on weapon performance per faction based on performance in T7+ difficulty. This includes every enemy type for each faction without a reliance on hard counters for heavily-armored targets or boss-tier units.
Since each faction has unique strengths and weaknesses, this tier list is broken up by faction: Terminids, Automatons, and Illuminate. This allows us to shine a light on weapons that really excel at countering certain enemies—for example, the Torcher against Terminids or the Deadeye against the Automatons. Tiers are broken up as follows:
- S Tier: Meta. These are the best weapons you can use for the listed faction.
- A Tier: Strong. Weapons in this category are great in almost every situation, albeit with one minor flaw that prevents S-tier status.
- B Tier: Good. These weapons are either average or require a specific loadout to excel. Anything in this category can beat the hardest content; you’ll just need to work a little harder for kills than A or S-tier gear.
- C Tier: Weak. Most of these weapons are subpar and should generally be avoided. Only use them if you love how they feel.
- D Tier: Terrible. Don’t use these weapons. Period.
Tier List Overview
Terminids
|
S Tier |
||
|---|---|---|
|
CB-9 Exploding Crossbow |
ADVERTISEMENT 
PLAS-1 Scorcher |
PLAS-101 Purifier |
|
ARC-12 Blitzer |
SG-451 Cookout |
SMG-32 Reprimand |
SG-225IE Breaker Incendiary |
AR-23A Liberator Carbine |
GP-31 Grenade Pistol |
|
A Tier |
||
P-72 Crisper |
FLAM-66 Torcher |
LAS-58 Talon |
BR-14 Adjudicator |
R-36 Eruptor |
SG-8P Punisher Plasma |
SG-225 Breaker |
SG-8 Punisher |
AR-23P Liberator Penetrator |
LAS-16 Sickle |
MP-98 Knight |
LAS-5 Scythe |
AR-23 Liberator |
StA-11 SMG |
P-19 Redeemer |
P-4 Senator |
SG-22 Bushwacker |
|
|
B Tier |
||
SG-225SP Breaker Spray & Pray |
JAR-5 Dominator |
LAS-17 Double-Edge Sickle |
StA-52 Assault Rifle |
R-6 Deadeye |
SG-8S Slugger |
PLAS-15 Loyalist |
P-113 Verdict |
AR-61 Tenderizer |
P-11 Stim Pistol |
SG-20 Halt |
SMG-37 Defender |
R-63 Diligence |
GP-31 Ultimatum |
|
|
C Tier |
||
SMG-72 Pummeler |
LAS-7 Dagger |
R-63CS Diligence Counter |
R-2124 Constitution |
AR-23C Liberator Concussive |
|
|
D Tier |
||
PLAS-39 Accelerator Rifle |
R-2 Amendment |
P-2 Peacemaker |
Automatons
|
S Tier |
||
|---|---|---|
|
CB-9 Exploding Crossbow |
PLAS-1 Scorcher |
PLAS-101 Purifier |
|
SMG-32 Reprimand |
JAR-5 Dominator |
BR-14 Adjudicator |
|
AR-23P Liberator Penetrator |
GP-31 Grenade Pistol |
R-6 Deadeye |
|
A Tier |
||
|
R-36 Eruptor |
SG-8P Punisher Plasma |
ARC-12 Blitzer |
|
LAS-58 Talon |
SG-8S Slugger |
SG-20 Halt |
|
AR-23A Liberator Carbine |
LAS-16 Sickle |
MP-98 Knight |
|
LAS-5 Scythe |
R-63CS Diligence Counter |
AR-23 Liberator |
|
P-4 Senator |
P-113 Verdict |
PLAS-15 Loyalist |
|
B Tier |
||
|
StA-11 SMG |
P-11 Stim Pistol |
P-19 Redeemer |
|
StA-52 Assault Rifle |
LAS-17 Double-Edge Sickle |
SG-22 Bushwacker |
|
AR-61 Tenderizer |
SMG-37 Defender |
GP-31 Ultimatum |
|
SG-225 Breaker |
||
|
C Tier |
||
|
SG-8 Punisher |
SMG-72 Pummeler |
LAS-7 Dagger |
|
R-63 Diligence |
PLAS-39 Accelerator Rifle |
SG-451 Cookout |
|
AR-23C Liberator Concussive |
SG-225IE Breaker Incendiary |
FLAM-66 Torcher |
|
P-72 Crisper |
||
|
D Tier |
||
|
SG-225SP Breaker Spray & Pray |
R-2 Amendment |
R-2124 Constitution |
|
P-2 Peacemaker |
||
Illuminate
|
S Tier |
||
|---|---|---|
|
CB-9 Exploding Crossbow |
Purifier |
ARC-12 Blitzer |
|
SG-8P Punisher Plasma |
SMG-32 Reprimand |
SG-451 Cookout |
|
AR-23P Liberator Penetrator |
SG-20 Halt |
LAS-16 Sickle |
|
GP-31 Grenade Pistol |
||
|
A Tier |
||
|
LAS-5 Scythe |
P-72 Crisper |
PLAS-39 Accelerator Rifle |
|
PLAS-1 Scorcher |
BR-14 Adjudicator |
LAS-58 Talon |
|
SG-225IE Breaker Incendiary |
FLAM-66 Torcher |
JAR-5 Dominator |
|
AR-23A Liberator Carbine |
SG-225 Breaker |
SG-8 Punisher |
|
MP-98 Knight |
AR-23 Liberator |
P-19 Redeemer |
|
SG-22 Bushwacker |
P-4 Senator |
PLAS-15 Loyalist |
|
B Tier |
||
|
StA-11 SMG |
R-36 Eruptor |
LAS-17 Double-Edge Sickle |
|
StA-52 Assault Rifle |
R-6 Deadeye |
P-113 Verdict |
|
AR-61 Tenderizer |
P-11 Stim Pistol |
SMG-37 Defender |
|
R-63 Diligence |
GP-31 Ultimatum |
R-63CS Diligence Counter |
|
C Tier |
||
|
SMG-72 Pummeler |
LAS-7 Dagger |
SG-8S Slugger |
|
SG-225SP Breaker Spray & Pray |
AR-23C Liberator Concussive |
|
|
D Tier |
||
|
R-2124 Constitution |
R-2 Amendment |
P-2 Peacemaker |
Terminid Weapon Tier List
S-Tier Terminid Weapons
|
Weapon |
Archetype |
Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
|
CB-9 Exploding Crossbow |
Primary Grenade Launcher Medium Pen, Explosive |
Best weapon in the game. Kills all bug types, clogs holes, and has plentiful ammo reserves. Explosions can kill you. |
|
PLAS-1 Scorcher |
Primary Energy Rifle Medium Pen, Explosive |
Fires explosive rounds that shred through groups and medium armor. Explosions can kill you. |
|
PLAS-101 Purifier |
Primary Energy Rifle Medium Pen, Explosive |
A variant of the Scorcher you can charge. Trades ease of use for versatility. Explosions can kill you. |
|
ARC-12 Blitzer |
Primary Shotgun Medium Pen |
A shotgun version of the Arc Thrower. Fantastic for clearing fodder bugs. Features infinite ammo. |
|
SG-451 Cookout |
Primary Shotgun Medium Pen, Incendiary |
A variant of the Punisher with incendiary rounds. High sustained DPS and stagger damage. |
|
SMG-32 Reprimand |
Primary SMG Medium Pen |
Jack-of-all-trades SMG. Effectively a stronger Liberator Penetrator with accuracy attachments. Trades the one-handed tag for medium armor penetration. |
|
SG-225IE Breaker Incendiary |
Primary Shotgun Light Pen, Incendiary |
Strong workhorse against crowds. Trades raw damage for incendiary rounds. Attachments allow for spread pattern adjustments. |
|
AR-23A Liberator Carbine |
Primary Assault Rifle Light Pen |
Best Liberator variant once you unlock recoil attachments. Behaves like a primary Stalwart. |
|
GP-31 Grenade Pistol |
Secondary Grenade Launcher Explosive |
Single-shot grenade launcher pistol. Can clog bug holes. Frees up space for different grenades, strategems, or a new primary. |
A-Tier Terminid Weapons
|
Weapon |
Archetype |
Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
|
P-72 Crisper |
Secondary Flamethrower Incendiary |
Strong crowd control weapon that can also kill Chargers and other armored units. Flames can kill you up close. |
|
FLAM-66 Torcher |
Primary Flamethrower Incendiary |
Amazing for clearing hordes of Terminids and damaging Chargers. Be careful using this up close. |
|
LAS-58 Talon |
Secondary Revolver Medium Pen, Battery |
Fantastic burst DPS. Can fire six rapid shots without overheating. Great for taking out Hive Guards and other armored targets. |
|
BR-14 Adjudicator |
Primary Battle Rifle Medium Pen |
Great workhorse against fodder units and armored bugs. Attachments make this weapon highly accurate. |
|
R-36 Eruptor |
Primary Assault Rifle Heavy Pen, Explosive |
Effectively a bolt-action launcher. Deals immense damage to unarmored targets. Can shred heavy armor with sustained damage. |
|
SG-8P Punisher Plasma |
Primary Shotgun Medium Pen, Explosive |
Pump-action grenade launcher. Excellent crowd control weapon. Can’t destroy buildings or clog bug holes. |
|
SG-225 Breaker |
Primary Shotgun Light Pen |
Fast-firing, full-auto shotgun with high DPS up close. Attachments allow for spread pattern adjustments and larger magazines. |
|
SG-8 Punisher |
Primary Shotgun Light Pen |
Fantastic stagger damage. Good choice for larger bugs. Rounds reload manually, so you can’t waste ammo. |
|
AR-23P Liberator Penetrator |
Primary Assault Rifle Medium Pen |
Liberator variant that trades damage for more armor penetration. Great jack-of-all-trades weapon. |
|
LAS-16 Sickle |
Primary Energy Rifle Light Pen, Battery |
Strong assault rifle with good ammo efficiency. |
|
MP-98 Knight |
Primary SMG Light Pen |
High DPS for an SMG; surprisingly accurate with recoil attachments. Can be used one-handed. |
|
LAS-5 Scythe |
Primary Beam Rifle Light Pen, Battery |
Good sustained DPS against unarmored targets. Attachments allow you to fire the Scythe for significantly longer. |
|
AR-23 Liberator |
Primary Assault Rifle Light Pen |
Baseline assault rifle. Good damage against crowds of bugs. Attachments make this weapon highly accurate. |
|
StA-11 SMG |
Primary SMG Light Pen |
Strong one-handed SMG, albeit not as good as the Knight since it lacks attachments. |
|
P-19 Redeemer |
Secondary Pistol Light Pen |
Good backup weapon against unarmored bugs. Burns through ammo. |
|
P-4 Senator |
Secondary Revolver Heavy Pen |
Pierces all armor types and deals high precision damage. Best against Stalkers and Hive Guards, not swarms. |
|
SG-22 Bushwacker |
Secondary Shotgun Light Pen |
Triple-barreled shotgun with immense burst DPS. Great for killing tough, unarmored targets instantly. |
B-Tier Terminid Weapons
|
Weapon |
Archetype |
Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
|
SG-225SP Breaker Spray & Pray |
Primary Shotgun Light Pen |
The worst Breaker variant. Trades damage and accuracy for more fire rate. Spread pattern can be mimicked on other Breaker versions. |
|
JAR-5 Dominator |
Primary Assault Rifle Medium Pen |
High-damage, slow-firing assault rifle. Excellent against tankier bugs. |
|
LAS-17 Double-Edge Sickle |
Primary Energy Rifle Light-Heavy Pen |
Absurdly powerful if you spec for fire resistance; otherwise, the standard Sickle is better. Deals up to 70 damage per shot with heavy penetration at max charge, burning the user with each shot. |
|
StA-52 Assault Rifle |
Primary Assault Rifle Light Pen |
Similar to the Liberator but with fewer attachment options. |
|
R-6 Deadeye |
Primary Marksman Rifle Medium Pen |
Excellent headshot damage, although a poor choice against swarms. Pair with a rapid-fire pistol or strategem to balance your loadout. |
|
SG-8S Slugger |
Primary Shotgun Medium Pen |
Great stagger potential, but poor damage for a shotgun. Fires slugs, making it a solid weapon for landing headshots. |
|
PLAS-15 Loyalist |
Secondary Pistol Medium Pen, Explosive |
Purifier in pistol form, albeit with far less damage. High damage when charged. |
|
P-113 Verdict |
Secondary Pistol Medium Pen |
High-damage pistol with good armor penetration. Has a small magazine. Outclassed by the Talon. |
|
AR-61 Tenderizer |
Primary Assault Rifle Light Pen |
Average assault rifle. Solid for taking down fodder units. |
|
P-11 Stim Pistol |
Secondary Pistol N/A |
Injects your character with a Stim Shot. Useful if you’re running the Experimental Infusion booster. |
|
SG-20 Halt |
Primary Shotgun Light & Medium Pen |
Strong mobbing tool with a CC alternate ammo type. Not the best against larger bugs, but it’s a solid utility weapon. |
|
SMG-37 Defender |
Primary SMG Light Pen |
Slightly worse Liberator you can use one-handed. Outclassed by the Knight once you unlock attachments. |
|
R-63 Diligence |
Primary Marksman Rifle Light Pen |
Average DMR with high accuracy. Great handling with attachments. Poor choice up close, but a decent option for sniping patrols from a distance. |
|
GP-31 Ultimatum |
Secondary Launcher Explosive |
Strong AoE damage, although it has limited ammo. Explosion can’t destroy buildings. |
C-Tier Terminid Weapons
|
Weapon |
Archetype |
Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
|
SMG-72 Pummeler |
Primary SMG Light Pen |
Poor DPS for an SMG and limited armor penetration. Requires sustained damage to maintain a stagger. Gas grenades are generally better. |
|
LAS-7 Dagger |
Secondary Laser Light Pen |
Average against fodder bugs. Outclassed by the Talon and Redeemer. |
|
R-63CS Diligence Counter |
Primary Marksman Rifle Medium Pen |
Small magazine and awful handling, virtually unusable if you get swarmed. Outclassed by the Deadeye. |
|
R-2124 Constitution |
Primary Marksman Rifle Medium Pen |
Poor DPS and small ammo capacity. Outclassed by the Deadeye. |
|
AR-23C Liberator Concussive |
Primary Assault Rifle Light Pen |
Limited attachment options and subpar DPS. Crowd control is better delivered through gas grenades or stratagems. |
D-Tier Terminid Weapons
|
Weapon |
Archetype |
Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
|
PLAS-39 Accelerator Rifle |
Primary Sniper Medium Pen |
Struggles against swarms; poor armor penetration for its class. Explosions can also kill you. |
|
R-2 Amendment |
Primary Marksman Rifle Light Pen |
Poor DPS for a light armor penetration weapon. Surpassed by most DMRs and assault rifles. |
|
P-2 Peacemaker |
Secondary Pistol Light Pen |
Worst sidearm in the game. Poor damage with only light armor penetration. Talon and Verdict are usually better. |
Automaton Weapon Tier List
S-Tier Automaton Weapons
|
Weapon |
Archetype |
Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
|
CB-9 Exploding Crossbow |
Primary Grenade Launcher Medium Pen, Explosive |
Best weapon in the game. Decimates armor, destroys factories, and has solid AoE damage. Explosions can kill you. |
|
PLAS-1 Scorcher |
Primary Energy Rifle Medium Pen, Explosive |
Fires explosive rounds that shred through groups and medium armor. Explosions can kill you. |
|
PLAS-101 Purifier |
Primary Energy Rifle Medium Pen, Explosive |
A variant of the Scorcher you can charge. Trades ease of use for versatility. Explosions can kill you. |
|
SMG-32 Reprimand |
Primary SMG Medium Pen |
Jack-of-all-trades SMG. Effectively a stronger Liberator Penetrator with accuracy attachments. Trades the one-handed tag for medium armor penetration. |
|
JAR-5 Dominator |
Primary Assault Rifle Medium Pen |
High-damage, slow-firing assault rifle. Excellent against tankier units. |
|
BR-14 Adjudicator |
Primary Battle Rifle Medium Pen |
Counters the Automaton’s armored forces without compromising on accuracy or handling. Attachments make this weapon highly accurate. |
|
AR-23P Liberator Penetrator |
Primary Assault Rifle Medium Pen |
Liberator variant that trades damage for more armor penetration. Excellent jack-of-all-trades pick for the Automatons. |
|
GP-31 Grenade Pistol |
Secondary Grenade Launcher Explosive |
Single-shot grenade launcher pistol. Can destroy factories. Frees up space for different grenades, strategems, or a new primary. |
|
R-6 Deadeye |
Primary Marksman Rifle Medium Pen |
Excellent precision damage. Counters most Automaton enemies. Pair with a rapid-fire pistol or strategem to balance your loadout. |
A-Tier Automaton Weapons
|
Weapon |
Archetype |
Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
|
R-36 Eruptor |
Primary Assault Rifle Heavy Pen, Explosive |
Effectively a bolt-action launcher. Deals immense damage to unarmored targets. Can shred heavy armor with sustained damage. |
|
SG-8P Punisher Plasma |
Primary Shotgun Medium Pen, Explosive |
Pump-action grenade launcher. Excellent crowd control weapon. Can’t destroy buildings or clog factories. |
|
ARC-12 Blitzer |
Primary Shotgun Medium Pen |
A shotgun version of the Arc Thrower. Fantastic for clearing weaker units. Features infinite ammo. |
|
LAS-58 Talon |
Secondary Revolver Medium Pen, Battery |
Fantastic burst DPS. Can fire six rapid shots without overheating. Great for taking out armored units with a well-placed headshot. |
|
SG-8S Slugger |
Primary Shotgun Medium Pen |
Dangerous pick up close, but it can get one-hit headshot kills against most Automatons. Fires slugs, making it a solid weapon for landing headshots. |
|
SG-20 Halt |
Primary Shotgun Light & Medium Pen |
Strong mobbing tool with a CC alternate ammo type. Stuns are useful against larger Automatons; main ammo is good against fodder bots. |
|
AR-23A Liberator Carbine |
Primary Assault Rifle Light Pen |
Best Liberator variant once you unlock recoil attachments. Behaves like a primary Stalwart. Not as good against armor, but still a solid choice. |
|
LAS-16 Sickle |
Primary Energy Rifle Light Pen, Battery |
Strong assault rifle with good ammo efficiency. |
|
MP-98 Knight |
Primary SMG Light Pen |
High DPS for an SMG; surprisingly accurate with recoil attachments. Can be used one-handed. |
|
LAS-5 Scythe |
Primary Beam Rifle Light Pen, Battery |
Good sustained DPS if you stay on target. Attachments allow you to fire the Scythe for significantly longer. |
|
R-63CS Diligence Counter |
Primary Marksman Rifle Medium Pen |
Poor handling, but it is fantastic for one-tapping Automatons. Outclassed by the Deadeye. |
|
AR-23 Liberator |
Primary Assault Rifle Light Pen |
Baseline assault rifle. Solid once you install recoil attachments. Requires headshots to perform in higher difficulties. |
|
P-4 Senator |
Secondary Revolver Heavy Pen |
Great choice for killing a high-priority Automaton. |
|
P-113 Verdict |
Secondary Pistol Medium Pen |
Solid choice if you can land headshots. Outclassed by the Talon. |
|
PLAS-15 Loyalist |
Secondary Pistol Medium Pen, Explosive |
Purifier in pistol form. Great for taking out weaker vehicles and armored Automatons. High damage when charged. |
B-Tier Automaton Weapons
|
Weapon |
Archetype |
Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
|
StA-11 SMG |
Primary SMG Light Pen |
Strong one-handed SMG, albeit not as good as the Knight since it lacks attachments. |
|
P-11 Stim Pistol |
Secondary Pistol N/A |
Injects your character with a Stim Shot. Useful if you’re running the Experimental Infusion booster. |
|
P-19 Redeemer |
Secondary Pistol Light Pen |
Good backup weapon if you pace your shots. Burns through ammo otherwise. |
|
StA-52 Assault Rifle |
Primary Assault Rifle Light Pen |
Similar to the Liberator but with fewer attachment options. |
|
LAS-17 Double-Edge Sickle |
Primary Energy Rifle Light-Heavy Pen |
Absurdly powerful if you spec for fire resistance; otherwise, the standard Sickle is better. Deals up to 70 damage per shot with heavy penetration at max charge, burning the user with each shot. |
|
SG-22 Bushwacker |
Secondary Shotgun Light Pen |
Triple-barreled shotgun with immense burst DPS. Great for killing Berserkers and lighter Automatons quickly. |
|
AR-61 Tenderizer |
Primary Assault Rifle Light Pen |
Average assault rifle. Solid if you can land headshots. |
|
SMG-37 Defender |
Primary SMG Light Pen |
Slightly worse Liberator you can use one-handed. Outclassed by the Knight once you unlock attachments. |
|
GP-31 Ultimatum |
Secondary Launcher Explosive |
Solid choice for AoE damage. Can no longer destroy objectives. |
|
SG-225 Breaker |
Primary Shotgun Light Pen |
Poor choice for armored targets, but decent against fodder Automatons. Attachments allow for spread pattern adjustments and larger magazines. |
C-Tier Automaton Weapons
|
Weapon |
Archetype |
Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
|
SG-8 Punisher |
Primary Shotgun Light Pen |
Struggles to deal with armored bots. Rounds reload manually, so you can’t waste ammo. |
|
SMG-72 Pummeler |
Primary SMG Light Pen |
Poor DPS and accuracy. Requires sustained damage to maintain a stagger. |
|
LAS-7 Dagger |
Secondary Laser Light Pen |
Struggles to kill armored targets, which are most of the Automaton. Outclassed by the Talon and Redeemer. |
|
R-63 Diligence |
Primary Marksman Rifle Light Pen |
Average DMR with high accuracy. Diligence Counter and Deadeye are typically better against Automatons. |
|
PLAS-39 Accelerator Rifle |
Primary Sniper Medium Pen |
Difficult to use while under fire. Burst-fire accuracy also makes it difficult to land consecutive headshots. Explosions can also kill you. |
|
SG-451 Cookout |
Primary Shotgun Medium Pen, Incendiary |
Fire damage is subpar against Automatons, making this the worst Punisher variant. |
|
AR-23C Liberator Concussive |
Primary Assault Rifle Light Pen |
Staggers can’t make up for this weapon’s poor accuracy and base damage. |
|
SG-225IE Breaker Incendiary |
Primary Shotgun Light Pen, Incendiary |
Poor choice for Automatons due to their fire resistance. |
|
FLAM-66 Torcher |
Primary Flamethrower Incendiary |
Poor choice for Automatons due to their fire resistance. Be careful using this up close. |
|
P-72 Crisper |
Secondary Flamethrower Incendiary |
Poor choice for Automatons due to their fire resistance. Flames can kill you up close. |
D-Tier Automaton Weapons
|
Weapon |
Archetype |
Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
|
SG-225SP Breaker Spray & Pray |
Primary Shotgun Light Pen |
The worst Breaker variant. Trades damage and accuracy for more fire rate. Spread pattern can be mimicked on other Breaker versions. |
|
R-2 Amendment |
Primary Marksman Rifle Light Pen |
Poor DPS for a light armor penetration weapon. Surpassed by most DMRs and assault rifles. |
|
R-2124 Constitution |
Primary Marksman Rifle Medium Pen |
Poor DPS and small ammo capacity. Outclassed by the Deadeye. |
|
P-2 Peacemaker |
Secondary Pistol Light Pen |
Worst sidearm in the game. Poor damage with only light armor penetration. Talon and Verdict are usually better. |
Illuminate Weapon Tier List
S-Tier Illuminate Weapons
|
Weapon |
Archetype |
Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
|
CB-9 Exploding Crossbow |
Primary Grenade Launcher Medium Pen, Explosive |
Best weapon in the game. Counters most Illuminate enemies, deals great AoE damage, and has solid ammo reserves. Explosions can kill you. |
|
PLAS-101 Purifier |
Primary Energy Rifle Medium Pen, Explosive |
A variant of the Scorcher you can charge. Semi-auto is great for hordes; charged is ideal for armored Illuminate and objectives. Explosions can kill you. |
|
ARC-12 Blitzer |
Primary Shotgun Medium Pen |
A shotgun version of the Arc Thrower. Fantastic for clearing fodder units and breaking shields. Features infinite ammo. |
|
SG-8P Punisher Plasma |
Primary Shotgun Medium Pen, Explosive |
Pump-action grenade launcher. Excellent crowd control weapon. Can’t destroy buildings. |
|
SMG-32 Reprimand |
Primary SMG Medium Pen |
Jack-of-all-trades SMG. Effectively a stronger Liberator Penetrator with accuracy attachments. Trades the one-handed tag for medium armor penetration. |
|
SG-451 Cookout |
Primary Shotgun Medium Pen, Incendiary |
High DPS and great stagger damage, perfect for dealing with crowds. |
|
AR-23P Liberator Penetrator |
Primary Assault Rifle Medium Pen |
Liberator variant that trades damage for more armor penetration. Great jack-of-all-trades weapon. |
|
SG-20 Halt |
Primary Shotgun Light & Medium Pen |
Strong mobbing tool with a CC alternate ammo type. |
|
LAS-16 Sickle |
Primary Energy Rifle Light Pen, Battery |
Strong assault rifle with good ammo efficiency. Arguably the best jack-of-all-trades weapon against the Illuminate. |
|
GP-31 Grenade Pistol |
Secondary Grenade Launcher Explosive |
Single-shot grenade launcher pistol. Can clog bug holes. Frees up space for different grenades, strategems, or a new primary. |
A-Tier Illuminate Weapons
|
Weapon |
Archetype |
Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
|
LAS-5 Scythe |
Primary Beam Rifle Light Pen, Battery |
Good sustained DPS against unarmored targets. Attachments allow you to fire the Scythe for significantly longer. |
|
P-72 Crisper |
Secondary Flamethrower Incendiary |
Great for clearing out hordes. Flames can kill you up close. |
|
PLAS-39 Accelerator Rifle |
Primary Sniper Medium Pen |
A single burst can kill most armored Illuminate. Great choice if you keep your distance. Explosions can also kill you. |
|
PLAS-1 Scorcher |
Primary Energy Rifle Medium Pen, Explosive |
Fires explosive rounds that shred through groups and medium armor. Explosions can kill you. |
|
BR-14 Adjudicator |
Primary Battle Rifle Medium Pen |
Great workhorse against most units. Attachments make this weapon highly accurate. |
|
LAS-58 Talon |
Secondary Revolver Medium Pen, Battery |
Fantastic burst DPS. Can fire six rapid shots without overheating. Great for taking out armored Illuminate targets. |
|
SG-225IE Breaker Incendiary |
Primary Shotgun Light Pen, Incendiary |
Strong against tougher Illuminate units and crowds. |
|
FLAM-66 Torcher |
Primary Flamethrower Incendiary |
Same as the Crisper but takes your primary slot. Be careful using this up close. |
|
JAR-5 Dominator |
Primary Assault Rifle Medium Pen |
High-damage, slow-firing assault rifle. Excellent against tankier units. |
|
AR-23A Liberator Carbine |
Primary Assault Rifle Light Pen |
Best Liberator variant once you unlock recoil attachments. Behaves like a primary Stalwart. |
|
SG-225 Breaker |
Primary Shotgun Light Pen |
Fast-firing, full-auto shotgun with high DPS up close. Attachments allow for spread pattern adjustments and larger magazines. |
|
SG-8 Punisher |
Primary Shotgun Light Pen |
Fantastic stagger damage. Good choice for tougher Illuminate units. Rounds reload manually, so you can’t waste ammo. |
|
MP-98 Knight |
Primary SMG Light Pen |
High DPS for an SMG; surprisingly accurate with recoil attachments. Can be used one-handed. |
|
AR-23 Liberator |
Primary Assault Rifle Light Pen |
Baseline assault rifle. Good damage against crowds. Attachments make this weapon highly accurate. |
|
P-19 Redeemer |
Secondary Pistol Light Pen |
Good backup weapon against unarmored targets. Burns through ammo. |
|
SG-22 Bushwacker |
Secondary Shotgun Light Pen |
Triple-barreled shotgun with immense burst DPS. Great for killing tough, unarmored targets instantly. |
|
P-4 Senator |
Secondary Revolver Heavy Pen |
Pierces all armor types and deals high precision damage. |
|
PLAS-15 Loyalist |
Secondary Pistol Medium Pen, Explosive |
Purifier in pistol form, albeit with far less damage. High damage when charged. |
B-Tier Illuminate Weapons
|
Weapon |
Archetype |
Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
|
StA-11 SMG |
Primary SMG Light Pen |
Strong one-handed SMG, albeit not as good as the Knight since it lacks attachments. |
|
R-36 Eruptor |
Primary Assault Rifle Heavy Pen, Explosive |
Effectively a bolt-action launcher. Deals immense damage to unarmored targets. Can shred heavy armor with sustained damage. |
|
LAS-17 Double-Edge Sickle |
Primary Energy Rifle Light-Heavy Pen |
Absurdly powerful if you spec for fire resistance; otherwise, the standard Sickle is better. Deals up to 70 damage per shot with heavy penetration at max charge, burning the user with each shot. |
|
StA-52 Assault Rifle |
Primary Assault Rifle Light Pen |
Similar to the Liberator but with fewer attachment options. |
|
R-6 Deadeye |
Primary Marksman Rifle Medium Pen |
Excellent headshot damage, although a poor choice against swarms. Pair with a rapid-fire pistol or strategem to balance your loadout. |
|
P-113 Verdict |
Secondary Pistol Medium Pen |
High-damage pistol with good armor penetration. Has a small magazine. Outclassed by the Talon. |
|
AR-61 Tenderizer |
Primary Assault Rifle Light Pen |
Average assault rifle. Solid for taking down fodder units. |
|
P-11 Stim Pistol |
Secondary Pistol N/A |
Injects your character with a Stim Shot. Useful if you’re running the Experimental Infusion booster. |
|
SMG-37 Defender |
Primary SMG Light Pen |
Slightly worse Liberator you can use one-handed. Outclassed by the Knight once you unlock attachments. |
|
R-63 Diligence |
Primary Marksman Rifle Light Pen |
Average DMR with high accuracy. |
|
GP-31 Ultimatum |
Secondary Launcher Explosive |
Strong AoE damage, although it has limited ammo. Explosion can’t destroy buildings. |
|
R-63CS Diligence Counter |
Primary Marksman Rifle Medium Pen |
Small magazine and awful handling, virtually unusable if you get swarmed. Outclassed by the Deadeye. |
C-Tier Illuminate Weapons
|
Weapon |
Archetype |
Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
|
SMG-72 Pummeler |
Primary SMG Light Pen |
Poor DPS and accuracy. Requires sustained damage to maintain a stagger. Gas grenades are generally better. |
|
LAS-7 Dagger |
Secondary Laser Light Pen |
Outclassed by the Talon and Sickle. |
|
SG-8S Slugger |
Primary Shotgun Medium Pen |
Lacks damage for tougher Illuminate and fire rate for crowds. Fires slugs, making it a solid weapon for landing headshots. |
|
SG-225SP Breaker Spray & Pray |
Primary Shotgun Light Pen |
The worst Breaker variant. Trades damage and accuracy for more fire rate. Spread pattern can be mimicked on other Breaker versions. |
|
AR-23C Liberator Concussive |
Primary Assault Rifle Light Pen |
Staggers can’t make up for this weapon’s poor accuracy and base damage. |
D-Tier Illuminate Weapons
|
Weapon |
Archetype |
Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
|
R-2 Amendment |
Primary Marksman Rifle Light Pen |
Poor DPS for a light armor penetration weapon. Surpassed by most DMRs and assault rifles. |
|
R-2124 Constitution |
Primary Marksman Rifle Medium Pen |
Poor DPS and small ammo capacity. Outclassed by the Deadeye. |
|
P-2 Peacemaker |
Secondary Pistol Light Pen |
Worst sidearm in the game. Poor damage with only light armor penetration. Talon and Verdict are usually better. |
[/gpt3]
