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The Illuminate pose a significant challenge in Helldivers 2 with their advanced technology and precise tactics. They overwhelm players with both numbers and specialized elite units that can attack from the ground and air. To counter their strengths, it's crucial to select loadouts and builds that exploit their weaknesses while offering robust defense against their tech.
Effectively combating the Illuminate requires a strategic mix of weapons, support gear, and stratagems tailored to handle both their light infantry and heavy units. Ignoring either type can render your loadout ineffective against the full force of the Illuminate.
In this guide, we'll explore the best loadouts and builds designed specifically to tackle the Illuminate. Whether you're a veteran or a newcomer, these strategies will enhance your combat effectiveness against this formidable, squid-like faction. Let's gear up and prepare to confront the Illuminate head-on.
The Laser Cannon Loadout: Melting the Illuminate
PLAS-1 Scorcher / PLAS-101 Purifier
GP-31 Grenade Pistol
G-13 Incendiary Impact
Siege-Ready
- 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 are among the top primary weapons in Helldivers 2. They excel at melting Overseers, including jet-pack-equipped Elevated units, and are equally effective against the Voteless. The Siege-Ready armor passive enhances their performance by providing additional ammunition and quicker reloads, allowing you to tackle multiple priority targets efficiently. The increased damage per second is crucial when every shot counts.
The Eagle Strafing Run and GP-31 Grenade Pistol form a potent combination for destroying parked warp ships. Energy-based weapons struggle to deplete their shields, but a single Strafing Run can strip the shields from multiple grounded warp ships in a line. Follow up by shooting a grenade into their open bay doors to cause an explosion. This tactic is particularly effective when clearing medium or heavy Illuminate nests requiring the destruction of multiple warp ships. While the G-13 Incendiary Impact can also be used in the open bay doors, it's more effective against light infantry, so reserve it for when you're using the Grenade Pistol.
The AX/AR-23 "Guard Dog" proves surprisingly effective against medium-armored Overseers. Each burst can take down a single elite unit, making it an excellent choice for protecting your flanks against the Illuminate.
The A/MG-43 Machine Gun Sentry is ideal for securing 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.
Finally, the LAS-98 Laser Cannon rounds out this loadout. It's exceptional at melting Overseers and light infantry within seconds and is highly effective against Harvesters. Use a Strafing Run to deplete their shields, then target the Harvesters' weak points (thighs/eyes) with the Laser Cannon. A single clip is sufficient if your aim is steady. The Laser Cannon's long range allows you to engage targets from a distance, making it a perfect anti-squid weapon.
On higher difficulty levels (9 or 10) where multiple Harvesters are common, an Orbital Laser becomes essential.
The Lightning Loadout: Shocking (& Staggering) the Illuminate
ARC-12 Blitzer
GP-31 Grenade Pistol
G-13 Incendiary Impact
Electrical Conduit / Med-Kit
- ARC-3 Arc Thrower (Support)
- Orbital Railcannon Strike / Orbital Laser
- Eagle Strafing Run
- A/ARC-3 Tesla Tower
The Illuminate's mix of melee and ranged units makes the ARC-12 Blitzer and ARC-3 Arc Thrower ideal for covering both threats. They efficiently handle light infantry, but the Arc Thrower's ability to chain and stagger lightning arcs can render Overseers nearly useless. Continuous ranged attacks can keep Elevated Overseers permanently stunned in mid-air.
The Arc Thrower can also take down unshielded Harvesters, requiring about a dozen hits, each causing a moderate stun that accumulates 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. Combine it with the Arc Thrower for multiple chained lightning attacks to lock down an area. Prioritize targeting key enemies with the Arc Thrower to prevent them from reaching and destroying your Tesla Tower.
Harvesters often target sentries, so avoid deploying your Tesla Tower or other sentry stratagems if you're already engaging them.
The Eagle Strafing Run and Grenade Pistol are essential for destroying parked warp ships. The Blitzer and Arc Thrower are less efficient at depleting their shields during combat, so don't replace them unless another teammate can handle this task.
For dealing with heavy units, the Orbital Railcannon Strike is invaluable due to its unlimited uses. The Orbital Laser is effective against multiple Harvesters but limited to three uses, requiring coordination with teammates. Always 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 other players.
The Machine Gun Loadout: Shredding the Illuminate
StA-52 Assault Rifle
GP-31 Grenade Pistol / CQC-19 Stun Lance
G-13 Incendiary Impact
Peak Physique / Engineering Kit
- 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 the most versatile support weapon against the Illuminate, making it a cornerstone of this loadout. It effortlessly shreds light and medium enemies, as well as Harvesters. Compared to the MG-206 Heavy Machine Gun, the standard Machine Gun offers better handling and faster infantry dispatch.
It's a true all-rounder against the squids, balancing power and reliability. Pair it with the Engineering Kit to reduce recoil or the Peak Physique armor passive to minimize drag, the latter aiding in targeting flying Overseers or Watchers.
The high fire rate of the Machine Gun is effective at depleting shields, eliminating the need for the Eagle Strafing Run to destroy grounded warp ships. Instead, opt for turret sentries to manage large crowds or defend objectives.
The Machine Gun's stationary reload animation is a drawback, but the LIFT-850 Jump Pack helps you quickly relocate to safety and navigate urban maps more effectively.
While the Machine Gun can handle Harvesters by targeting their weak spots, having an Orbital stratagem in your build is crucial for dealing with multiple heavy units. The Orbital Laser can manage two to three shielded Harvesters simultaneously, whereas the Railcannon Strike is effective only against unshielded targets.
For the primary weapon, you can choose any from the Armory. If you prefer to maintain the theme of sustained fire, the StA-52 Assault Rifle from the Helldivers 2 x Killzone 2 crossover is an excellent choice. It features a large drum magazine and provides sustained fire with light-armor-penetrating capabilities, matching the damage output of the standard Liberator.
