In Helldivers 2, melee weapons offer a brutal way to dispatch enemies up close. They were introduced with the release of the Urban Legends Warbond as one-handed secondary weapons, offering their own set of advantages and drawbacks when pitted against traditional firearms. Some melee weapons offer speed, allowing for relentless chained attacks. Others deliver devastating damage with a single, well-placed thrust.
Hence, it all comes down to playstyle preferences and mission objectives when choosing a melee weapon. Whether players need a high-DPS option for aggressive combat or a single-target melee weapon to complement a shield.
However, the future of melee weapons in Helldivers 2 remains uncertain. While they add variety to combat, their overall effectiveness in large-scale battles is still up for debate. Other secondary weapons offer just too much value in comparison. For now, though, if players are looking to take the fight up close and personal, here are the best melee weapons in Helldivers 2, ranked from worst to best.
Helldivers 2: Best Secondary Weapons, Ranked
Find the best secondary weapons in Helldivers 2 to help spread managed democracy faster. These powerful sidearms cannot be ignored.
The Peak Physique armor passive increases all melee damage done by 100 percent.
4 CQC-19 Stun Lance
Spears Enemies With Powerful Thrusts
|
Damage |
110 |
|---|---|
|
Penetration |
Medium Armor |
|
Attack Speed |
117 |
|
How to Get |
Urban Legends Warbond (30 Medals) |
The CQC-19 Stun Lance functions like a spear, allowing players to target specific enemy weak points at a decent range with powerful thrusts. Each hit delivers a minor stun, canceling enemy attacks and making them unable to move for a short time.
While useful against high-priority solo targets in Helldivers 2, the Stun Lance's narrow thrusting attacks leave players vulnerable against swarming enemies. Pairing it with the 
SH-20 Ballistic Shield Backpack improves defense, but the limited crowd-control limits its effectiveness in full-scale combat, especially when flanked.
3 CQC-30 Stun Baton
Swings Faster and Wider
|
Damage |
50 |
|---|---|
|
Penetration |
Medium Armor |
|
Attack Speed |
150 |
|
How to Get |
Superstore (200 SC) |
The CQC-30 Stun Baton is a variant of the Stun Lance. What makes it different and better is its faster attack speed. Unlike the Stun Lance, which relies on thrusting attacks, the Stun Baton swings rapidly in a wide arc, hitting all enemies within a short range. Like its counterpart, it also incapacitates enemies on impact. While the Stun Baton has the lowest damage per hit among all melee weapons, its relentless swings, even when stamina is drained, make it an excellent melee choice in Helldivers 2.
2 CQC-5 Combat Hatchet
The Highest DPS Melee Weapon
|
Damage |
110 |
|---|---|
|
Penetration |
Medium Armor |
|
Attack Speed |
150 |
|
How to Get |
Superstore (200 SC) |
The CQC-5 Combat Hatchet combines the high damage of the Stun Lance with the fast attack speed of the Stun Baton. It is the deadliest melee weapon in Helldivers 2 at the time of writing, smashing enemies left and right with relentless broad swings. The only thing that the Combat Hatchet lacks is range and stagger. However, that should not matter against light enemies, which the Combat Hatchet can clear with each swing.
The Combat Hatchet is particularly lethal against the Voteless in Helldivers 2. Its high damage and attack rate, alongside infinite swings, makes for a highly efficient killing machine when facing the Illuminate.
1 Entrenchment Tool
Digs Trenches for Cover
|
Damage |
110 |
|---|---|
|
Penetration |
Medium Armor |
|
Attack Speed |
150 |
|
How to Get |
Found in POIs during missions |
The Entrenchment Tool, also known as the Trench Shovel, shares the same stats as the Combat Hatchet but comes with a unique feature: it can dig through soft ground to create trenches. So, players get a hard-hitting melee weapon as well as a unique utility tool to dig trenches for cover.
Depending on the planet and terrain, because the Trench Shovel cannot dig through the pavements of the Illuminate-controlled urban cities, players can set up defensive positions. For example, digging trenches to protect Mortar Sentries or the entire squad from ranged attacks, especially against the Automatons. Their heavy units, like Devastators and Tanks, are lethal in open areas without cover.
As good as it is, the Entrenchment Tool cannot be equipped from the armory on the Super Destroyer before deployment. Like a few support weapons, the Trench Shovel can only be found at Points of Interest during missions, so players only have a chance to come across one. That said, its utility and effectiveness still make it one of the best melee weapons in Helldivers 2.
Helldivers 2
- Released
- February 8, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, In-Game Purchases, Users Interact
- Developer(s)
- Arrowhead Game Studios, Nixxes
- Publisher(s)
- Sony Interactive Entertainment, PlayStation Publishing
- Engine
- bitsquid
- Multiplayer
- Online Co-Op
- Cross-Platform Play
- All platforms
- Franchise
- Helldivers
- Number of Players
- 1-4 players (online)
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
- Genre(s)
- Third-Person Shooter, Extraction Shooter, Action, Science Fiction
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
