Helldivers 2 Guide: Best Builds for All Factions

Starting your journey in Helldivers 2 can feel overwhelming with countless weapon combinations and stratagems to choose from. You need builds that work immediately without requiring hours of grinding or complex micro-management. These three progressive loadouts will transform you from struggling recruit to battlefield dominator, with options that excel against Bugs, Bots, and Illuminates alike.

Helldivers 2 Guide: Best Builds for All Factions

Level 1 Starter Build

This first loadout gets you combat-ready from your very first drop. You'll have everything needed to handle any faction while learning the game's core mechanics.

Precision Strike serves as your heavy-hitter solution. When facing Chargers, Hulks, or any armored threat that your primary weapon can't handle, this stratagem delivers the punch you need. The key is timing - wait for larger enemies to stop moving before calling it in.

Helldivers 2 Guide: Best Builds for All Factions

Eagle Airstrike becomes your crowd control tool. Perfect for clearing Bug breaches or eliminating clustered Bot patrols. You'll unlock this quickly through natural progression, and its versatility makes it valuable across all difficulty levels.

Medium Machine Gun stands out as one of the most reliable support weapons in the game. Its consistent damage output and manageable recoil make it beginner-friendly while remaining effective against medium-armored targets. You can engage Devastators, Warriors, and most mid-tier enemies with confidence.

Helldivers 2 Guide: Best Builds for All Factions

Supply Pack earns its S-tier reputation by solving your biggest early-game problem: running out of ammunition. This backpack keeps you in the fight longer and provides team utility when playing with others.

Armor and Boosters

Start with any armor you currently have, but make unlocking the Medic Armor from page four of the free Warbond your priority. This armor provides two additional Stims and extends healing duration by two seconds, offering a significant boost to your survivability.

For boosters, focus on Stamina Enhancement or Vitality Enhancement if available. These improve your mobility and survivability, two critical factors for new players.

Level 5 Intermediate Build

At level five, you gain access to more sophisticated tools that expand your tactical options significantly. Replace either your Eagle Airstrike or Precision Strike with the Eagle Strafing Run. This stratagem offers excellent damage against both infantry and light vehicles while having a shorter cooldown than the standard airstrike.

Helldivers 2 Guide: Best Builds for All Factions

The Laser Cannon becomes available and transforms your anti-armor capabilities. This weapon excels against Bot factions particularly, cutting through Devastator armor like butter. Its unlimited ammunition (with cooldown management) makes it perfect for extended engagements.

Switch to the P-2 Peacemaker if you haven't already - its higher damage output and better accuracy make it superior to the Peacemaker for most situations.

Prioritize unlocking Impact Grenades from the free Warbond. These grenades detonate on contact, making them more reliable for precise throws and reducing the risk of enemies escaping the blast radius.

Level 10 Advanced Build

Your level 10 build introduces specialized tools that excel against specific enemy types while maintaining overall effectiveness.

Replace the Laser Cannon with the FLAM-40 Flamethrower and swap your Supply Pack for the AX/LAS-5 "Guard Dog" Rover. Add the Orbital Gas Strike to complete this devastating anti-Bug configuration.

Helldivers 2 Guide: Best Builds for All Factions

The Flamethrower ignores armor entirely, making it exceptional against all Bug variants. Bile Titans, Chargers, and swarms all fall to sustained flame damage. The key technique involves burning the ground as you retreat, creating damage zones that pursuing enemies must cross.

Gas and Fire Synergy creates devastating area denial. Drop an Orbital Gas Strike on incoming swarms, then follow up with flamethrower attacks. Enemies take damage from both sources while becoming confused and disoriented.

Helldivers 2 Guide: Best Builds for All Factions

The Guard Dog Rover provides constant background damage and early warning against flanking enemies. Its laser attacks automatically target nearby threats, giving you crucial breathing room during intense encounters.

If the Flamethrower feels too challenging initially, consider the M-105 Stalwart machine gun instead. This weapon offers excellent mobility and sustained fire capability, though it struggles against heavily armored targets due to its light penetration rating.