Best Helldivers 2 stratagems: Tier list, for bugs, Automatons, solo, and early game
Here are the best stratagems to use in Helldivers 2.
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While your standard weapons and grenades will get you through most standard combat encounters in Helldivers 2, you’ll run into plenty of situations that require heavier firepower or specific types of utility. To get it, you’ll need to call in special types of ordnance called stratagems. Available stratagems include powerful support weapons, autonomous sentry turrets, airstrikes from close air support fighters, and more, and each player in your squad can bring along four of them to use throughout every mission (unless there’s one of those annoying operation modifiers limiting your selection to three).
Unlocking stratagems is simple; all you have to do is earn Requisitions by finishing missions and then spend them on the stratagems you want in the Ship Management menu while you’re on your destroyer. However, choosing theright ones to unlockcan be tough, as there’s nearly 50 of them, and some are much better — or worse — than others. And if you or your allies don’t have the right stratagems to deal with the threats you’re facing, you’re in for a bad time.
I’ve put roughly 200 hours intoHelldivers 2since it launched last month, and have taken all of these stratagems (including thenew Exosuit mechs) into battle alongside top weapons many,manytimes. As a result, I’ve got a good grasp on which ones are the best and which ones should generally be avoided, and I’ve used that information to put together a tier list below (now updated with new rankings following the game’slatest balance patches). Beneath it, you’ll find sections that go over my favorite stratagem picks for battles against the Terminid bugs and Automaton bots, as well as some recommendations for solo and early game players.
Helldivers 2 stratagems ranked: Tier list
There are a whopping 48 different stratagems in Helldivers 2, including a wide variety of support weapons, artillery barrages, orbital strikes, air support call-ins, defensive sentry turrets, and more. The vast majority of them are viable in a number of different scenarios, but some are often the best options available — and some are also very underwhelming, and aren’t worth unlocking or using. It’s also worth noting that since the game’s launch, several of these have gotten balance adjustments that have made them stronger or weaker than they were before. Some stratagems have also gotten more useful after changes were made to enemies as well; for example, both the Expendable Anti-Tank and Recoilless Rifle rose in viability after a recent nerf to Charger head health made it possible to one-shot them with rocket launcher headshots.
To help you decide which ones you should focus on getting first and which ones you should ignore or avoid, I’ve ranked each and every stratagem in a tier list you can view in the image above or in the table below. I largely chose their placements based on my own experiences since I’ve unlocked and tested every stratagem in the game now, though the opinions of the community have influenced the list as well.
Note that while I believe you’ll generally find the most success by using the stratagems in high tiers like S or A, I also strongly encourage you to try out the other stratagems yourself and see if they mesh well with your chosen playstyle. I’m not a fan of the Jump Pack and put it in D-tier since I don’t think it’s that useful, for instance, but there are Helldivers who swear by it and say its ability to quickly get you on high ground you wouldn’t be able to reach otherwise can be a difference maker.
Another thing to keep in mind is that some of the stratagems in mid-tiers like B are actually some of the strongest ones you can take into missions with specific objectives or enemy types. For example, thanks to some recent DPS buffs, the Flamethrower has quickly become one of my favorite support weapons to use in levels where I’m facing off against Terminid bugs. However, its lack of range makes it a poor choice against the Automatons, which is why it’s in B tier.
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Best Helldivers 2 support weapons
Arguably the most important Helldivers 2 stratagems are support weapons, which are what you’ll be using when there are either too many foes on the battlefield and you can’t deal with them effectively with your regular weapons, or when the threats you’re up against are thickly armored. Here are my favorites:
Best Helldivers 2 Orbital stratagems
Some of the most versatile stratagems in Helldivers 2 are its orbital strikes. These are best used to eliminate specific targets or to call in heavy artillery against large fortifications or groups of enemy units. Below, I’ve listed what I consider to be the best of them.
Best Helldivers 2 Eagle/Hangar stratagems
Hangar stratagems — also often referred to as “Eagle” stratagems since that’s the name of the close air support aircraft that flies them in for you — are similar to Orbital ones in that they’re typically called in to either destroy structures or wipe out threats bearing down on you. They’re different, though, in that the Eagle pilot eventually has to return to your ship to rearm after a few uses, which begins a cooldown that lasts for two minutes and 30 seconds.
Best Helldivers 2 Sentry/Fortification stratagems
If you’re defending a position or want to back up an attack with some supportive fire, bring along some of the best Sentry or Fortification stratagems. These will protect you by either cutting enemies down outright or by crowd controlling them, and one can even be used to create a large energy shield for your team to stand in.
Best Helldivers 2 Backpack stratagems
Some stratagems can be worn on your character’s backpack slot, and will provide helpful support to either you or your teammates when used. Note that you won’t be able to use them while also carrying an ammo backpack for a support weapon.
Best Helldivers 2 early game stratagems
Many of the best stratagems can’t be unlocked until you’ve leveled up quite a bit and have earned lots of Requisition currency. These ones, though, are available very early on and aren’t terribly expensive to unlock, but are also still pretty powerful.
Best Helldivers 2 stratagems for solo play
Dropping into the battlefield on your own? Consider taking the following stratagems in your loadout, as while they’re amazing in a team, they’re especially valuable while playing solo.
Best Helldivers 2 stratagems for bugs
The bugs of the Terminid faction fight you by constantly trying to rush you down and get in your face, so you’ll want to choose stratagems that are effective at fighting those tactics. Here’s what I recommend using:
Best Helldivers 2 stratagems for Automatons
In stark contrast to the Terminids, the Automaton robots fight more like a traditional military and have fewer, but more armored units that can effectively fight you from longer ranges. Here are the stratagems that have worked best against them in my experience:
Helldivers 2 is available now for $39.99 on both PS5 and PC, and so far, it’s one of thebest PC gamesof the year. Notably, the game also supports cross-platform play between PS5 and PC.
Helldivers 2 —$39.99 at GMG (Steam)Battle aliens, robots, and other beasts in humanity’s quest to spread democracy through an unforgiving galaxy. It’s 4-player co-op at its absolute best, and its most refined.
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Brendan Lowry is a Windows Central writer and Oakland University graduate with a burning passion for video games, of which he’s been an avid fan since childhood. He’s been writing for Team WC since the summer of 2017, and you’ll find him doing news, editorials, reviews, and general coverage on everything gaming, Xbox, and Windows PC. His favorite game of all time is probably NieR: Automata, though Elden Ring, Fallout: New Vegas, and Team Fortress 2 are in the running, too. When he’s not writing or gaming, there’s a good chance he’s either watching an interesting new movie or TV show or actually going outside for once.Follow him on X(Twitter).
