Helldivers 2: Top Loadouts vs. Illuminate

Quick Links

• The Laser Cannon Loadout: Melting the Illuminate

• The Lightning Loadout: Shocking (& Staggering) the Illuminate

• The Machine Gun Loadout: Shredding the Illuminate

In Helldivers 2, the Illuminate are a formidable enemy faction known for their advanced technology and strategic precision. Their forces, ranging from light infantry to elite units, can overwhelm players if not countered effectively. To triumph over these squid-like adversaries, it's crucial to select loadouts and builds that exploit their vulnerabilities while safeguarding against their powerful tech.

To effectively combat the Illuminate, you need to strike a perfect balance between weapons, support gear, and stratagems. Ignoring either the chaff or the heavy units can render your loadout ineffective against their full force. In this guide, we'll explore the best loadouts and builds specifically designed to enhance your combat effectiveness against the Illuminate, whether you're a seasoned player or just starting out. Let's prepare to take on this challenging faction head-on.

The Laser Cannon Loadout: Melting the Illuminate

Primary: PLAS-1 Scorcher / PLAS-101 Purifier

Secondary: GP-31 Grenade Pistol

Grenade: G-13 Incendiary Impact

Armor Passive: Siege-Ready

Stratagems:

• LAS-98 Laser Cannon (Support)
• AX/AR-23 "Guard Dog"
• Eagle Strafing Run
• A/MG-43 Machine Gun Sentry / Orbital Laser

The PLAS-1 Scorcher and PLAS-101 Purifier stand out as some of the top primary weapons in Helldivers 2. These weapons are particularly effective against Overseers, including jet-pack-wielding Elevated units, and are equally devastating against the Voteless. The Siege-Ready armor passive enhances their effectiveness by providing additional ammunition and quicker reloads, crucial for dealing with multiple priority targets. The increased damage per second ensures every shot counts.

The Eagle Strafing Run paired with the GP-31 Grenade Pistol forms a potent combination for destroying parked warp ships. Since energy-based weapons struggle to deplete their shields, a single Strafing Run can strip the shields of multiple grounded warp ships in a straight line, allowing you to finish them off with a well-placed grenade through their open bay doors. This strategy is especially useful when tackling medium or heavy Illuminate nests. While the G-13 Incendiary Impact can also be used to destroy warp ships, it's more effective at clearing chaff, so save it for when you're using the Grenade Pistol.

The AX/AR-23 "Guard Dog" proves surprisingly effective against medium-armored Overseers, capable of taking down an elite unit with each burst. It's an excellent choice for watching your flanks against the Illuminate.

The A/MG-43 Machine Gun Sentry is ideal for locking down areas during objective defense. If crowd control isn't your priority, consider swapping it for an Orbital Laser to target Harvesters or future heavy units.

The LAS-98 Laser Cannon rounds out this loadout perfectly. It can melt Overseers and chaff within seconds and is highly effective against Harvesters. After depleting their shields with a Strafing Run, target their weak points (thighs/eyes) with the Laser Cannon. A single clip is sufficient if your aim is steady. The Laser Cannon's long range makes it an excellent choice for picking off targets from a distance, truly an anti-squid weapon. At higher difficulties where multiple Harvesters appear, the Orbital Laser becomes essential.

The Lightning Loadout: Shocking (& Staggering) the Illuminate

Primary: ARC-12 Blitzer

Secondary: GP-31 Grenade Pistol

Grenade: G-13 Incendiary Impact

Armor Passive: Electrical Conduit / Med-Kit

Stratagems:

• ARC-3 Arc Thrower (Support)
• Orbital Railcannon Strike / Orbital Laser
• Eagle Strafing Run
• A/ARC-3 Tesla Tower

The ARC-12 Blitzer and ARC-3 Arc Thrower are exceptional for dealing with both melee and ranged Illuminate units. They easily dispatch chaff, but the Arc Thrower's ability to chain and stagger lightning arcs makes Overseers practically useless. Continuous attacks can keep Elevated Overseers stunned in mid-air.

The Arc Thrower can also take down unshielded Harvesters, requiring around a dozen hits that inflict moderate stuns, building up over time.

The A/ARC-3 Tesla Tower is highly effective against all Illuminate types, particularly flying Overseers. It provides consistent crowd control and disrupts enemy formations, making it easier to manage large waves. Combining the Arc Thrower with the Tesla Tower creates multiple chained lightning attacks that can lock down an entire area. Target priority enemies with the Arc Thrower to prevent them from reaching your Tesla Tower.

Harvesters prioritize sentries, so avoid deploying the Tesla Tower or other sentry stratagems if you've already engaged them.

The Eagle Strafing Run and Grenade Pistol are crucial for destroying parked warp ships, as the Blitzer and Arc Thrower are less efficient at shield depletion during combat. Don't replace these unless another teammate can handle this task.

For dealing with heavy units, the Orbital Railcannon Strike offers unlimited uses and is highly effective. The Orbital Laser can handle multiple Harvesters, but with only three uses, you'll rely on teammates after a while. Ensure you use a Strafing Run to disable their shields first. This build is one of the most powerful against the Illuminate in Helldivers 2, especially when coordinated with teammates.

The Machine Gun Loadout: Shredding the Illuminate

Primary: StA-52 Assault Rifle

Secondary: GP-31 Grenade Pistol / CQC-19 Stun Lance

Grenade: G-13 Incendiary Impact

Armor Passive: Peak Physique / Engineering Kit

Stratagems:

• MG-43 Machine Gun (Support)
• LIFT-850 Jump Pack
• Orbital Railcannon Strike / Orbital Laser
• A/MG-43 Machine Gun Sentry / A/G-16 Gatling Sentry

The MG-43 Machine Gun is incredibly versatile against the Illuminate, making it one of the best choices for this loadout in Helldivers 2. It efficiently shreds light and medium enemies, as well as Harvesters. Compared to the MG-206 Heavy Machine Gun, the standard version offers better handling and faster infantry dispatch.

This weapon is a true all-rounder, providing a perfect balance of power and reliability. Pair it with the Engineering Kit to reduce recoil or the Peak Physique armor passive to lessen drag, which helps when targeting flying Overseers or Watchers.

Its high fire rate also makes it effective at depleting shields, eliminating the need for the Eagle Strafing Run to destroy grounded warp ships. Instead, opt for either the Machine Gun Sentry or Gatling Sentry to disperse large crowds or defend objectives.

The Machine Gun's stationary reload animation is a minor drawback, but the LIFT-850 Jump Pack helps you quickly relocate to safety and navigate urban maps more easily.

While the Machine Gun can effectively target Harvesters' weak spots, having an Orbital stratagem like the Orbital Laser or Railcannon Strike is useful for dealing with multiple heavies quickly. The Orbital Laser can handle two to three shielded Harvesters at once, while the Railcannon Strike is only effective against unshielded targets.

For the primary weapon, the StA-52 Assault Rifle from the Helldivers 2 x Killzone 2 crossover is a great choice. Its large drum magazine allows for sustained fire and light-armor penetration, matching the damage output of the standard Liberator.