The big balance patch for Helldivers 2 significantly buffed the majority of the game's weapons, from the worst-performers and even some of the guns that were already considered to be quite good. Patch 1.001.100 basically took the previous meta and threw it out the window, and now, players are left wondering which of the newly-buffed weapons are worth diving with.
This update affected every part of the game's arsenal, from grenades to Helldivers 2's many primary weapons and support weapons. With so many changes made to so many weapons, finding a gun that works for you is going to take some time. Here's an overview of the best new weapons in the game to help players make up their minds, arranged in no particular order.
The following mainly covers weapons that were affected by Patch 1.001.100. Weapons like the Dominator and Scorcher are still excellent choices despite not getting any buffs.
7 Thermite Grenade
Can't Go Wrong With A 20x Damage Boost
- Explosion damage increased from 100 to 2000
- Now ignites and explodes faster
Many players were disappointed with how the Thermite Grenade performed when it was first added to the game, but now, players will be able to take out most heavy units like Chargers, Bile Titans, and Hulks with just one or two Thermite Grenades to a weakspot. This is a massive improvement, as it pretty much lets players dive without an anti-tank support weapon and still be able to destroy heavily-armored enemies.
Bringing some other form of AT is still recommended, however, as the maximum number of Thermite Grenades players can carry has been reduced from four to three. The buffed 
Eagle 500Kg Bomb stratagem is a great choice for this, as it now hits targets in a larger area. The EAT-17 rocket launcher in Helldivers 2 is another excellent option for those who truly want to dedicate themselves to the anti-tank role.
6 Crisper
Pocket-Sized Flamer For Cooking Armor
- Damage increased by 50%
- Penetrates level 4 armor
The Crisper is now exactly what everyone has wanted it to be — a miniature flamethrower that can toast armored targets to death. It was changed to work exactly like how the Flamethrower support weapon did before the Escalation of Freedom update, which means it can torch Terminid Hive Guard and Chargers with surprising efficiency for a sidearm.
As of writing, this is the only pistol in the game with an Armor Penetration value of 4, which is just one point higher than the beloved Senator revolver. However, considering how short its range is, it's best used on the Terminid front. This same logic applies to the Torcher under the primary weapons category.
5 Railgun
Piercing Shots That Pack A Punch
- Durable damage increased from 60 to 225
- Overcharge damage increased from 150% to 250%
The Railgun is in a much better place now compared to even its launch version. It can consistently one-shot most medium enemies like Berserkers, Devastators, and Helldivers 2's Bile Spewers, and it can now comfortably take care of bigger enemies like tanks and Bile Titans with just a few shots when used in Unsafe mode.
While dedicated AT weapons like the Quasar Cannon and Recoilless Rifle are still better against armored enemies, the Railgun is an extremely versatile weapon that can handle any threat. It is especially effective against Automatons — it still has a maximum round count of 20, making it very efficient for taking out large numbers of Reinforced Striders and Hulk Bruisers in a single engagement.
4 Exploding Crossbow
Budget Grenade Launcher
- Explosion Damage increased from 150 to 350
- Damage radius increased by 50%
The Exploding Crossbow has finally found its place in the arsenal as a one-handed elite killer that can blow up multiple targets at once. It now deals more damage over a larger area, making it viable against both bugs and bots. It's still better against the latter, though — the ability to wield it with a Ballistic Shield makes it one of the best weapons to use against Automatons in Helldivers 2.
This weapon can mess up Devastators and conga lines of Berserkers even without precision. Just point it at the enemy and expect them to go down in one or three bolts. It still suffers from its small magazine and relatively lengthy reload time, so it might be a bit hard to use on Super Helldive difficulty.
3 Eruptor
Shrapnel's Back On The Menu
- Explosion damage is reduced from 350 to 225, but the radius is increased by 33%
- Shots now release 30 Shrapnel projectiles that deal 110 damage each
The Eruptor got its shrapnel back, albeit tweaked to not be as strong as it was before. Every shot still explodes, but now, they also launch shrapnel to damage everything unlucky enough to be in the way. It performs almost identically to the Exploding Crossbow, except the Eruptor deals more damage with each shot at the expense of having a slower rate of fire.
Picking between the Eruptor and Exploding Crossbow is purely up to personal preference. Fans of marksman playstyles may lean more towards the former, while aggressive players may flock towards the latter.
2 Diligence Marksman Rifle
Long-Range Headpopper
- Damage increased from 125 to 165
- Durable damage increased from 32 to 43
- First-person scopes are now properly aligned
The base Diligence rifle used to be overshadowed by its Counter Sniper variant in previous patch versions. Now, it feels like a proper marksman rifle that can take out many small-medium-sized enemies with a single, well-placed shot. The buff to the weapon's damage output and reductions to the health values of enemies like Hunters, Devastators, and Berserkers have made the Diligence a very strong pick for snipers.
The Counter Sniper variant is still stronger in terms of damage, AP value, and Stagger force, but unless you plan on shooting armored targets like Gunships or the miniguns of a Factory Strider in Helldivers 2, the regular Diligence may be the better weapon to use since it has more ammo and better handling, letting players chain headshots more quickly.
1 Liberator Penetrator
Dependable Battle Rifle On All Fronts
- Damage increased from 45 to 60
The Liberator Penetrator's damage was buffed to match the pre-patch value of its standard variant, which means it can now eliminate lightly-armored enemies more quickly and consistently. It's one of the best general-purpose weapons you can use against both bots and bugs, as both factions tend to throw a mix of both light and medium armor at players.
As before, this weapon is a more mobile alternative to the Adjudicator. The Penetrator is easier to control, but it deals less damage in comparison. Still, it's now a worthy option to pick over the Adjudicator, especially for players who like to spray bullets into groups of enemies without having to deal with strong recoil.
Other Notable Weapons
Much like the Penetrator, many other weapons received small but significant buffs to their performance. The most notable ones include:
- Laser beam weapons: Laser Cannon, Scythe, and Dagger now cool down quicker and set enemies on fire faster.
- Arc Thrower and Blitzer: Can now stun enemies after shooting them enough times like the Pummeler.
- Autocannon, Anti-Materiel Rifle, and HMG: Both weapons can now damage armored parts of heavy enemies like Chargers, Bile Titans, and Hulks.
- Flamethrower: Damage increased by 33%, and it can hurt Chargers, BIle Titans, Hulks, and Impalers again.
- Breaker Spray and Pray: Damage increased to 240. Now equipped with a duckbill muzzle that spreads pellets horizontally.
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
