The best gun in Helldivers 2 is actually this underrated gem, according to a dedicated cache of players

06.03.2024 - 19:02 / gamesradar.com / Hirun Cryer

Helldivers 2 players are praising the underrated Arc Thrower as "one of the strongest weapons in the game" and one you should consider using.

If you don't care much for the Arc Thrower weapon, that's easily forgiven. The powerful Breaker shotgun and piercing Railgun Stratagem have both pretty much dominated the conversation around Helldivers 2 since launch, until now. The Arc Thrower is a compact Stratagem weapon that can be unlocked once you hit level 15, and you can see it in action just below.

It's an electricity-based weapon with effectively unlimited ammunition since it doesn't use traditional bullets or rockets like many other weapons in Helldivers 2. While it can sadly take out teammates with its wide fire spread, it crucially ignores enemy armor when striking, meaning it deals huge damage to armored foes like the horrible Terminid Chargers.

That's basically why Helldivers 2 players are now talking up the Arc Thrower as one of the more powerful weapons in the game. The post below, for example, which has over 4,500 upvotes on the Helldivers 2 subreddit, lavishes praise on the Stratagem for tearing through enemy armor, regardless of whether or not you actually hold down the trigger long enough to fully charge up a shot.

Also aiding the Arc Thrower is the fact that it can be used to clear out hordes of smaller enemies with its unlimited ammo, unlike the Railgun. "My squad and I literally just stick in pairs of arc throwers and we melt through helldive like this," the player in the post above writes. 

The post below, meanwhile, reads that the Arc Thrower "one taps warriors to the head, 2/3 for brood lords. And then after hitting them, the arc kills other things. Every time you pull the trigger pointed at a crowd, you'll multi-kill." There is a slight warning that the Arc Thrower can turn into the "Team Killer 9000" if used incorrectly, but you could pretty much say that about most Helldivers 2 guns.

Perhaps all this talk about the Arc Thrower might finally change how Helldivers 2 players approach weapon loadouts. Up until now, the Breaker shotgun and the Railgun Stratagem have been the go-to combination for players, but earlier today, Helldivers 2 nerfed both weapons with its first big weapon balance patch. The Breaker now has less ammo and more recoil, while the Railgun won't pierce armor quite as effectively as before.

Get ready for the next huge update in the near future for Arrowhead's game with our big  Helldivers 2 mechs  guide.