Choosing the right stratagems is crucial when preparing your equipment for each mission. Your weapons may always remain the same, but stratagems should be selected depending on the mission objectives and the enemy faction you are fighting.
The Blix team has compiled a dash list of Helldivers 2 stratagems based on the update, their potential, and player feedback.
Highlights
- This is a tier list of Helldivers 2 stratagems based on experience on all difficulty levels, practical experience, and advice from other players
- Strengths and weaknesses of stratagems, their usefulness
Players still often wonder if there’s crossplay in the game. We’ve answered this question in the article: Explaining Helldivers 2 Crossplay.
The game has a very lively Twitter for the latest news and updates:
Best Helldivers 2 Stratagems in 2025
Here are our rankings for the best stratagems in Helldivers 2:
| Tier | Helldivers 2: Stratagems Tier List |
| S-Tier | Railgun, Orbital Laser, Eagle 500kg Bomb, Quasar Cannon, Commando, Recoilless Rifle, Flamethrower, Spear, Orbital Napalm Barrage, Shield Generator Pack |
| A-Tier | Emancipator Exosuit, Autocannon, Grenade Launcher, Orbital Railcannon Strike, Patriot Exosuit, Autocannon Sentry, Anti-Materiel Rifle, Expendable Anti-Tank, 380MM HE Barrage, Orbital Gas Strike, HMG Emplacement, Guard Dog, EMS Mortar Sentry, Hover Pack |
| B-Tier | Portable Hellbomb, FRV Recon Vehicle, Orbital Precision Strike, Stalwart, Napalm Airstrike, Rocket Sentry, Gatling Sentry, Anti-Personnel Minefield, Airburst Rocket Launcher, 120MM HE Barrage, Orbital Walking Barrage, Eagle Airstrike, Eagle Cluster Bomb, Jump Pack, Laser Cannon, Guard Dog Rover, Arc Thrower, Anti-Tank Mines, Heavy Machine Gun |
| C-Tier | Machine Gun Sentry, Orbital Gatling Barrage, Shield Generator Relay, Incendiary Mines, Orbital Airburst Strike, Orbital EMS Strike, Eagle Strafing Run, Heavy Machine Gun, Eagle 110MM Rocket Pods, Tesla Tower, Machine Gun, Supply Pack, Sterilizer |
| D-Tier | Ballistic Shield Backpack, Eagle Smoke Strike, Orbital Smoke Strike |
You can also see player reviews of different stratagems on Reddit:
S-tier
Stratagems that will come in handy in almost any mission or absolute must-picks against certain factions of Helldivers 2.
This game was included in our top crossplay games. If you want to find more interesting crossplay games, we recommend this article: Top Crossplay Games to Enjoy with Friends Across All Platforms.
Railgun
- Call-In Time: 7.75 seconds
- Uses: Unlimited
- Cooldown Time: 480 seconds
Players note that this gun can handle most heavers despite their armor. The Railgun can also remove armor from chargers, one of its most essential features.
With the Railgun, you can single-handedly deal with Bile Titans as long as you have a supply of ammo. It pairs incredibly well with the Engineer and Medic perks. Both are very strong.
Orbital Laser
- Call-In Time: 2 seconds
- Uses: 3
- Cooldown Time: 300 seconds
We also put this stratagem in the S-tier since it targets automatically and can single-handedly massacre an entire camp. Players note that it is beneficial, especially for big targets.
Eagle 500KG Bomb
- Call-In Time: 3.45 seconds
- Uses: 1
- Cooldown Time: 15
Eagle 500KG Bomb requires precise targeting due to its smaller kill zone. According to players, it is the only thing that can take out Titans in one quick hit with a direct hit. Its primary disadvantage is its low AoE and the fact that it is an unguided bomb.
Quasar Cannon
- Call-In Time: 7.75 seconds
- Uses: Unlimited
- Cooldown Time: 480 seconds
The Quasar Cannon has become the best choice in almost any situation if you can avoid being outnumbered. Moreover, it’s the best weapon against Bile Titans, capable of taking them down with just two headshots.
Commando
- Call-In Time: 7.75 seconds
- Uses: Unlimited
- Cooldown Time: 120 seconds
The Commando is a single-shot, four-barrel anti-tank support grenade launcher. Its advantages are that three shots can destroy most heavy targets, and the missiles here are laser-guided, making it convenient to aim at long distances.
This stratagem has a lower cooldown than the Recoilless Rifle, so players usually choose between the two.
Recoilless Rifle
- Call-In Time: 7.75 seconds
- Uses: Unlimited
- Cooldown Time: 480 seconds
Recoilless Rifle deserves a place in the S-tier because, according to player reviews, this weapon can do the greatest damage on single targets and is also better against Terminids, but it has its uses against automatons. On the downside, you’ll have to trade a slot in your backpack for these fantastic benefits and suffer from agonizingly slow reloads.
Flamethrower
- Call-In Time: 7.75 seconds
- Uses: Unlimited
- Cooldown Time: 480 seconds
It comes in handy for low difficulties, but bringing machine guns and Flamethrowers could be more helpful when you’re fighting Chargers and several Bile Titans simultaneously. It will take too long to destroy big units.
Spear
- Call-In Time: 7.75 seconds
- Uses: Unlimited
- Cooldown Time: 480 seconds
It is fantastic at providing good range and damage. However, Stratagem has a complicated blocking mechanism; nevertheless, its damage is not bad. You should remember that the Spear’s targeting module is programmed for a specific set of targets and can only engage them. It is also not suitable for close targets.
Orbital Napalm Barrage
- Call-In Time: 7.45 seconds
- Uses: Unlimited
- Cooldown Time: 240 seconds
This stratagem is without a doubt the best control stratagem in Helldivers 2. It can help players get rid of small and medium-sized enemies almost instantly. The advantage is that the stratagem has a large area of effect, and the damage is done over time, even after the initial explosion, so it can kill many enemies.
Shield Generator Pack
- Call-In Time: 9.75 seconds
- Uses: Unlimited
- Cooldown Time: 480 seconds
Shield Generator Pack works perfectly on all maps and against all enemies. It protects you from stuns, blocks missiles, and dramatically increases your chances of survival. In combination with light armor, it is an indispensable tool.
A-tier
If you use the strategies in this list correctly, you will achieve incredible results and a long-awaited victory.
Emancipator Exosuit
- Call-In Time: 10.5 seconds
- Uses: 3
- Cooldown Time: 600 seconds
Emancipator Exosuit can quickly destroy light and medium units. It has difficulty with heavy units, so be careful before you take him into battle. That’s why he stayed on the A-tier.
Autocannon
- Call-In Time: 7.75 seconds
- Uses: Unlimited
- Cooldown Time: 480 seconds
This stratagem has players noting accuracy at long distances, which helps pick off the bigger ones and let your teammates deal with the smaller ones. Remember to reload before you run out of ammo.
Grenade Launcher
- Call-In Time: 7.75 seconds
- Uses: Unlimited
- Cooldown Time: 480 seconds
Players have noted that the Grenade Launcher helps mop up groups of enemies and take out targets without forcing you to carry a backpack.
Because of the time it takes to reload, players may be vulnerable. Although the Grenade Launcher is designed for enemies wearing light armor, its short range means that you can’t expect it to take out many enemies at once unless they are in a tight group.
Keeping your distance is essential because grenades will bounce off targets too close to you, making it impossible to predict where they’ll hit.
Orbital Railcannon Strike
- Call-In Time: 0 seconds
- Uses: Unlimited
- Cooldown Time: 210 seconds
This stratagem is a niche strategy that can be used to take down the most powerful enemy units in the game. Players can use it in their loadout to ensure they have something to deal with Bile Titans and Hulks while using other Stratagems like the Flamethrower that can’t deal with them.
EXO-45 Patriot Exosuit
- Call-In Time: 10.5 seconds
- Uses: 3
- Cooldown Time: 600 seconds
The Patriot Exosuit is equipped with a machine gun and rockets, perfect for destroying tanks and keeping tiny pests at bay.
Autocannon Sentry
- Call-In Time: 7.75 seconds
- Uses: Unlimited
- Cooldown Time: 150 seconds
As players have noted, the Autocannon Sentry has a long range and good damage. It can rack up many kills and support the team well if well placed. The main problem is that Chargers will always go for them as soon as you drop them. The autocannon turret cannot target aerial units. Be careful of its low turn rate, making it vulnerable to enemy attacks.
Anti-Materiel Rifle
- Call-In Time: 7.75 seconds
- Uses: Unlimited
- Cooldown Time: 480 seconds
It is primarily a sniper rifle with medium armor penetration. Its main purpose is to remove some of Helldivers 2 more difficult targets, such as Scout Striders and Devastators.
The AMR does not have an aiming reticle in third-person mode. To be accurate, players must switch perspectives and use the weapon’s crosshair.
Expendable Anti-Tank
- Call-In Time: 7.75 seconds
- Uses: Unlimited
- Cooldown Time: 70 seconds
In terms of damage, this stratagem ranks in the middle tier compared to other anti-tank weapons. As players have noted, this is an excellent advantage of anti-tank missiles. Throw out two missiles for convenience; in 70 seconds, you’ll have one for the next battle.
The low recovery time means it can and should be called upon early and often if heavy firepower is required.
Orbital 380MM HE Barrage
- Call-In Time: 8.45 seconds
- Uses: Unlimited
- Cooldown Time: 240 seconds
Communication is key when using this stratagem, as players may not realize they are walking into a dangerous area when they first call for barrage fire. Ensuring teammates know the barrage’s location will reduce the risk of friendly fire.
Orbital Gas Strike
- Call-In Time: 4.45 seconds
- Uses: Unlimited
- Cooldown Time: 75 seconds
While Stratagem can be helpful, its actual damage and gas cloud duration could be higher, making it a less practical choice.
HMG Emplacement
- Call-In Time: 7.75 seconds
- Uses: Unlimited
- Cooldown Time: 180 seconds
The HMG Emplacement has an armor pen ideal for holding the front line or covering a retreat. However, it is not mobile and needs to be turned faster.
EMS Mortar Sentry
- Call-In Time: 7.75 seconds
- Uses: Unlimited
- Cooldown Time: 180 seconds
Players have noted that this stratagem works excellently with the mortar turret. It slows down the enemy while the mortar kills them. It is particularly effective in bug-out missions, providing a “free win” button by repeatedly stopping enemy advancement.
Hover Pack
- Call-In Time: 9.75 seconds
- Uses: Unlimited
- Cooldown Time: 480 seconds
When activated, the Hover Pack lifts the wearer into the air for approximately 6 seconds. After six seconds, it deactivates and requires a recharge.
Do not confuse this stratagem with Jump Pack. The Hover Pack is great for gaining altitude and dodging melee units, while the Jump Pack is more suited for horizontal movement and avoiding rugged terrain.
B-tier
Here are some good stratagems that aren’t as strong as S or A-level stratagems. They’re just outclassed by more advanced versions that you might have later. But it can be a good choice in certain situations.
Portable Hellbomb
- Call-In Time: 9.75 seconds
- Uses: Unlimited
- Cooldown Time: 300 seconds
Yes, it’s a valuable stratagem. Yes, it’s necessary. But the only use we see is to blow up gunship fabs or orbital cannons, but again, those are not a problem to the point where you would waste a strat slot for it. This is why the stratagem is at level B since some other players don’t have the same opinion as us.
FRV Recon Vehicle
- Call-In Time: 10.5 seconds
- Uses: Unlimited
- Cooldown Time: 480 seconds
The FRV is a vehicle designed for squad mobility and firepower. It should be viewed primarily as a vehicle for movement rather than an assault vehicle.
Its speed greatly enhances its ability to break away from enemies or return to a captured target later. However, due to its high speed, it has very poor handling and is unsuitable for all game biomes.
Orbital Precision Strike
- Call-In Time: 4.45 seconds
- Uses: Unlimited
- Cooldown Time: 90 seconds
The projectile explosion deals massive damage and can instantly kill any non-heavy enemy within 4 meters of the point of impact. But Stratagem deals only one hit on the hit point, so it is useless if your enemies are scattered. In addition, accurate aiming and timing are essential to maximize the strike’s effectiveness. Otherwise, it’s useless.
Stalwart
- Call-In Time: 7.75 seconds
- Uses: Unlimited
- Cooldown Time: 480 seconds
This stratagem is well suited for fighting swarms. As players note, it may lack armor-piercing, but it makes up for that with the large number of magazines you can carry, the ability to reload on the go, and a democratic approach to effective sweeps. However, it’s still a stratagem that needs improvement, so it’s on the B-tier.
Napalm Airstrike
- Call-In Time: 4.1 seconds
- Uses: 2
- Cooldown Time: 15 seconds
It deals a good amount of damage, killing small mobs and setting large ones on fire. However, the standard Eagle Airstrike overshadows its effectiveness.
Rocket Sentry
- Call-In Time: 7.75 seconds
- Uses: Unlimited
- Cooldown Time: 150 seconds
Rocket Sentry has difficulty dealing with large targets, as it can miss and doesn’t penetrate armor very much. As players have advised, it is best suited for dealing with automatic Dropships.
Gatling Sentry
- Call-In Time: 7.75 seconds
- Uses: Unlimited
- Cooldown Time: 150 seconds
It provides excellent suppressive fire, and players note that it can take out entire groups of enemies, as it has a medium armor feather and low CD.
Covering the turret and the player who supplies it with ammunition is necessary, as the Stratagem is vulnerable when reloading. The fast turret rotation speed and the inability to stop firing while turning also risk killing friendly players.
Airburst Rocket Launcher
- Call-In Time: 7.75 seconds
- Uses: Unlimited
- Cooldown Time: 480 seconds
This high-firepower weapon requires a certain play style and cannot be used in any scenario. It is designed to destroy mobs but requires a certain level of experience and familiarity to use effectively.
Anti-Personnel Minefield
- Call-In Time: 7.75 seconds
- Uses: Unlimited
- Cooldown Time: 120 seconds
Ineffective activation and high risk to the user make these mines a liability rather than an asset.
Orbital 120MM HE Barrage
- Call-In Time: 7.45 seconds
- Uses: Unlimited
- Cooldown Time: 180 seconds
This stratagem is not a model of precision bombing. The explosions are directed downward in a radius around where the player summoned it, but many players have been frustrated by its lack of accuracy. The unpredictability and risk of friendly fire make this stratagem a dangerous choice.
While it’s not a bad way to cover a retreat or potentially mop up an area, the stratagem remains at a B tier.
Orbital Walking Barrage
- Call-In Time: 5.45 seconds
- Uses: Unlimited
- Cooldown Time: 240 seconds
Its ability to destroy enemy formations is excellent, but it needs to be more compelling against tanks and turrets. If you’re lucky, you can weaken large bases and hit targets.
Eagle Airstrike
- Call-In Time: 4.1 seconds
- Uses: 2
- Cooldown Time: 15 seconds
This airstrike can quickly destroy targets, exterminate enemies, and even heavy guns in one go. But to control it effectively while avoiding friendly fire, you need to learn how to reload in time and aim accurately, at the very least.
Eagle Cluster Bomb
- Call-In Time: 4.1 seconds
- Uses: 4
- Cooldown Time: 15 seconds
Players note the usefulness of this stratagem when quickly mopping up large groups of enemies with a short timer. However, this stratagem needs to do more with objectives and heavyweights. It also has friendly fire as well.
Jump Pack
- Call-In Time: 9.75 seconds
- Uses: Unlimited
- Cooldown Time: 480 seconds
It lets you jump over obstacles or enemies, significantly increasing your mobility. This can save your life and allow you to climb higher cliffs, but you can’t control your jump once you take off, hence the stratagem in the B-tier list.
Laser Cannon
- Call-In Time: 7.75 seconds
- Uses: Unlimited
- Cooldown Time: 480 seconds
Instead of using ammunition magazines, the Laser Cannon stores heat in its internal cooling element while firing. If too much heat builds up in the internal cooler, it will burn out and render the weapon unable to fire until the cooler is replaced by reloading. Since the laser cannon is an energy weapon, its effectiveness can vary greatly depending on local conditions: cold or hot.
The Laser Cannon’s greatest weakness is that it can only carry two spare ICEs. If the heat sink is burnt out, the wielder only gets two chances to reset the weapon before it is rendered unusable while away from supplies.
Guard Dog Rover
- Call-In Time: 9.75 seconds
- Uses: Unlimited
- Cooldown Time: 480 seconds
According to players, Guard Dog Rover will clear anything it can get its hands on. Its drawbacks are frequent friendly fire and the impossibility of being stealthy.
Arc Thrower
- Call-In Time: 7.75 seconds
- Uses: Unlimited
- Cooldown Time: 480 seconds
Arc Thrower requires specific skills, so it is not the most popular weapon in the game. In addition, the Arc Thrower’s electrical discharges can hit enemies and nearby allies. Perhaps the main plus is the ammo savings and the ability to kill loaders/titans, but the latter is a bit ambiguous.
Anti-Tank Mines
- Call-In Time: 7.75 seconds
- Uses: Unlimited
- Cooldown Time: 120 seconds
Mines are capable of dealing heavy damage that penetrates armor. You can lure a group of enemies to a mine and shoot them to cause an explosion. However, they are ineffective against heavy armor.
Heavy Machine Gun
- Call-In Time: 7.75 seconds
- Uses: Unlimited
- Cooldown Time: 480 seconds
While doing more damage than its standard counterpart, the heavy machine gun suffers disadvantages such as forced downward aiming for accuracy, slow reload times, and rapid depletion of ammunition without the ability to penetrate armor.
Conclusion
Since you can only have four stratagems in a mission, you need to think carefully about which ones you’ll choose – which ones do your allies have? What are the goals of the mission? Are there combinations that work well or poorly together? Answer these questions to select your stratagems most accurately.
