Helldivers 2's Dust Devils Warbond features several exciting new weapons available, including the laser-guided M5-11 Solo Silo, EAT-700 Expendable Napalm, and the S-11 Speargun. Aside from the devastating AR-2 Coyote, the other offerings in the new Dust Devils Warbond don't really offer up any new 'best in slot' additions to the game, but they do offer fun new opportunities to punish the enemies of democracy.
None feel quite as distinct as the S-11 Speargun, however. This guide aims to break down the Speargun's identity, how effective it is at what it sets out to accomplish, as well as the best gear to pair it with to get the most out of it.
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How to Use the Speargun Effectively in Helldivers 2
The S-11 Speargun costs 85 Medals to unlock on the second page of the Dust Devils Warbond. It fires a single spear projectile before needing to reload (2.5-second reload time), and it holds 12 spare rounds. On impact, the projectile deals 650 damage (comparable to a Railgun in Safe Mode) and detonates a small gas grenade that deals an additional 25 damage and blinds/confuses enemies caught in the small gas cloud effect.
The 2.5-second reload is not stationary, so you can keep moving while reloading.
On paper, the Speargun looks kind of underwhelming, despite its cool appearance, but in practice, the Speargun can be an effective support weapon on the battlefield. It's not going to be the most devastating support weapon by any means, but it excels through its utility. Due to its precision ranged gas detonation, it can work wonders for clearing hordes and locking down bug breaches, and that same gas detonation can destroy spawners (bug holes, bot fabricators, and grounded war ships). It also does an admirable job softening up the heaviest targets in the game (more on that below).
The Dust Devils Warbond released alongside the new Gloom-based Terminid tunnels, and the Speargun shines in confined spaces. Due to enemies funneling through tight corridors, firing it off at the lead bug (or the site of a bug breach) will ensure the chaff tears themselves apart, allowing you and the squad to focus on meatier targets. Additionally, firing into the ground above burrowing Rupture variant Terminids will force them to the surface. Yes, a Gas Grenade can do the same thing, but having this flexible tool offers greater build variety, and that's always a good thing.
The main downside to the Speargun is how quickly it can run out of ammo. Bringing along the Supply Pack stratagem can help mitigate this quite a bit, and it opens up more aggressive use of grenades like Thermites.
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How Well Does the Speargun Perform Against the Enemy Factions?
The Speargun performs admirably against Terminids and Automatons, especially against medium-armored targets, though it struggles to justify a place in the loadout when facing off against Illuminate.
- It will pop a Brood Commander's head in one shot and stagger it out of its death charge.
- It can burst a Charger's tail in one or two shots (or four headshots). The gas effect will also pull a Charger out of its signature charge, throwing it into gas-induced confusion. It can kill an Impaler in three or four headshots.
- It can kill a Bile Titan in six headshots, which isn't the best, though it has the added benefit of interrupting a Bile Titan's bile spewing attack.
- It can kill an Automaton Hulk with a direct hit to their glowing eye, and it can one-hit kill Devastators and Berserkers with a single headshot.
- It doesn't shine too brightly against Illuminate Overseers, but it will stagger a Fleshmob from their charge, which can be a significant help when dealing with the Illuminate hordes.
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Best Loadout & Gear to Complement the Speargun
The Speargun deals with medium armored targets remarkably well, and it can certainly help with several heavies, but its limited ammunition and its struggles against heavier armored units can be a thorn in your side. The below loadout works well to counteract these shortcomings and helps to highlight what the Speargun does best.
- Armor Passive: Siege-Ready, Acclimated, Desert Stormer
- Primary: Coyote, Cookout
- Secondary: Ultimatum
- Grenade: Thermite
- Stratagems: Speargun, Supply Pack, Eagle 500kg Bomb, Autocannon Sentry, Eagle Strafing Run, Orbital Gatling Barrage, Emancipator Exosuit
The Siege-Ready armor passive does well to help enhance the effectiveness of the Speargun, increasing the ammo supply from 12 to 15. Acclimated/Desert Stormer passives are both generally effective for most situations, as they help to mitigate elemental damage from your enemies and allies.
For your Primary, this can come down to personal preference, but the new Coyote from the Dust Devils Warbond works incredibly well paired with the Speargun. The fiery Cookout shotgun also fills a similar role (especially going up against the Predator strain), adding some extra fire dots and stopping power on the battlefield in-between Speargun uses.
With the Primary and Speargun both working to cover your bases against hordes of light and medium-armored enemies, the Secondary and Grenade slots can be dedicated to heavier targets. The Ultimatum is a great option when dealing with Bile Titans, Impalers, Tanks, and Factory Striders, and it's especially useful for closing Bile Titan bug holes underground (where you're lacking stratagem options). Thermite is also a great pocket option for heavier units. When time is of the essence, their delay in detonation can be countered with a little helpful stagger from the Speargun itself.
The Supply Pack stratagem acts as the bow that ties all of the above together nicely, allowing you greater freedom with how frequently you're utilizing your Speargun, Ultimatum, and Thermite (not to mention keeping your allies from running out of ammo while delving deep into bug tunnels).
For your final two stratagem slots, these can be up to personal preference or to fill gaps in your squad's overall firepower. Your loadout at this point can do a great job dealing with most chaff and heavier units, so if you'd like more passive assistance, something like the Machine Gun Sentry or Autocannon Sentry can do great work against both ground and air units (especially the new Dragonroach). The Eagle 500kg Bomb is always helpful for taking down larger targets, but for something geared more toward horde clear, the Orbital Gas Strike, Orbital Napalm Barrage, Eagle Strafing Run, or Orbital Gatling Barrage can all complement your Speargun loadout nicely.
If you're struggling to delve into bug tunnels, consider the Emancipator Exosuit. It can act as a powerful wedge when pushing toward a Terminid Spore Lung objective. It does nasty work against Dragonroaches, as well.
Ultimately, the Speargun allows for a smart shuffle of your typical loadout, adding a great amount of flexibility when figuring out what kind of diver you want to be on any given mission. It's going to struggle against the biggest targets in the game, but with how well it can handle medium and lower targets, it opens you up to bring more firepower in other areas.
Helldivers 2
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 83 /100 Critics Rec: 91%
- Released
- February 8, 2024
- 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
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Third-Person Shooter, Extraction Shooter, Action, Science Fiction
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
