Guard Dogs are backpack Stratagems in Helldivers 2 that come in two varieties: the Guard Dog and the Guard Dog Rover. While these two Stratagems are very similar in their function, causing an offense-focused drone to follow the user, players may want to know which Guard Dog is best before they spend any Requisition. This guide is here to shine some light on this matter, and it will help players pick a suitable Guard Dog in Helldivers 2.

Helldivers 2: Guard Dog vs. Rover

While the Guard Dog and Guard Dog Rover are both excellent Stratagems, the Rover has a slight advantage due to how frequently it is active. Indeed, Helldivers 2 players who use the standard Guard Dog will find that it is often in its backpack recharging, while that is not the case with the Rover.

helldivers 2 medal farm
Helldivers 2: How to Farm Medals

Players who want to unlock items through Helldivers 2's free and premium Warbonds can learn how to quickly earn Medals in this guide.

Players can combat the Guard Dog's frequent inactivity by diligently resupplying and calling in new Guard Dog backpacks, as those actions will cause the drone to become active immediately. The Rover does not require maintenance at that level, though, making it easier to use.

With that said, the Rover is more likely to cause instances of friendly fire than the standard Guard Dog, as it will occasionally sweep the beam of its laser rifle across an active battlefield. The standard Guard Dog is not completely without risk, though, as it can shoot party members in Helldivers 2 just like a turret. Additionally, players who focus on their positioning, and avoid putting their teammates between the Rover and the enemy, should not run into too many problems with the drone.

helldivers 2 guard dog vs rover

Even if the Rover does melt a teammate or two during a mission, the drone makes up for its indiscriminate shooting with its ability to kill enemies. Indeed, players who use this Stratagem will frequently find that they have the most kills at the end of a mission in Helldivers 2, and they have likely played a big role in addressing dangerous bug breaches and automaton drops.

One final thing to mention is that there is one ship module that affects the Guard Dog and Guard Dog Rover. Specifically, it is " Hand Carts," and it decreases cooldown for all Backpack stratagems by 10%. While this module can definitely help address the standard Guard Dog's shortcomings, players will need a lot of supplies in Helldivers 2 before they can unlock it, putting it out of reach for quite some time.

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Helldivers 2 Tag Page Cover Art
Helldivers 2
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9 /10
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Released
February 8, 2024
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WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL
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Developer(s)
Arrowhead Game Studios, Nixxes
Publisher(s)
Sony Interactive Entertainment, PlayStation Publishing
Genre(s)
Third-Person Shooter, Extraction Shooter, Action, Science Fiction
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