Helldivers 2: Best Loadouts for the Illuminate

Quick Links

• The Laser Cannon Loadout: Melting the Illuminate

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

• The Machine Gun Loadout: Shredding the Illuminate

The Illuminate pose a formidable challenge in Helldivers 2, known for their advanced technologies and overwhelming tactics. As you tackle their light infantry, be prepared for their elite units to close in from both ground and air. The key to success against the Illuminate is selecting loadouts and builds that exploit their vulnerabilities while offering protection against their potent tech.

To effectively combat the Illuminate, you need a strategic mix of weapons, support gear, and stratagems tailored to handle their diverse strengths. Balancing your arsenal to manage both the swarms of lesser enemies and the more robust, armored units is crucial. Neglecting either type can render your setup ineffective against the full might of the Illuminate.

In this guide, we'll explore the top loadouts and builds designed specifically to counter the Illuminate. Whether you're a seasoned player or just starting out, these strategies will enhance your effectiveness in battle against this unique, squid-like faction. Let's equip ourselves 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 stand out as some of the best primary weapons in Helldivers 2, capable of quickly melting through Overseers, including jet-pack-equipped Elevated units, and being equally effective against the Voteless. The Siege-Ready armor passive enhances their utility by providing additional ammunition and faster reloads, allowing you to tackle multiple high-priority targets efficiently. The increased damage per second is invaluable when precision is key.

The combination of the Eagle Strafing Run and GP-31 Grenade Pistol is perfect for annihilating parked warp ships. Since energy-based weapons struggle to deplete their shields, a single Strafing Run can strip the shields off multiple grounded warp ships in a line, enabling you to finish them off with a well-placed grenade. This tactic is particularly useful in dealing with medium or heavy Illuminate nests requiring the destruction of multiple warp ships. While the G-13 Incendiary Impact grenades can also be used on open bay doors, they're more effective against swarms, so reserve them for when you're equipped with the Grenade Pistol.

The AX/AR-23 "Guard Dog" proves surprisingly effective against medium-armored Overseers, taking them down with a single burst and making it an excellent choice for safeguarding your flanks against the Illuminate.

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

The LAS-98 Laser Cannon rounds out this loadout, quickly melting through Overseers and chaff, and proving highly effective against Harvesters. After using a Strafing Run to deplete their shields, focus the Laser Cannon on the Harvesters' weak points (thighs/eyes). A single clip can suffice with steady aim. The Laser Cannon's extensive range allows you to engage targets from a distance, making it an essential anti-Illuminate tool.

On difficulties level 9 or 10, where multiple Harvesters are common, incorporating 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 ARC-12 Blitzer and ARC-3 Arc Thrower excel at dealing with both the melee and ranged units of the Illuminate. They efficiently clear out chaff, but the Arc Thrower's ability to chain lightning and stagger Overseers is particularly notable. Continuous attacks can keep Elevated Overseers stunned mid-air, rendering them ineffective.

The Arc Thrower can also take down unshielded Harvesters, requiring around a dozen hits but causing significant stun buildup over time.

The A/ARC-3 Tesla Tower adds significant crowd control, especially effective against groups of flying Overseers. Its ability to disrupt and manage large waves of enemies complements the Arc Thrower's chained lightning attacks, allowing you to lock down entire areas. Focus the Arc Thrower on priority targets to prevent them from reaching and destroying your Tesla Tower.

Harvesters often target sentries, so avoid deploying your Tesla Tower or other sentries if you're engaging them directly.

The Eagle Strafing Run and Grenade Pistol remain essential for destroying parked warp ships, as the Blitzer and Arc Thrower are less effective at depleting their shields during combat. Don't replace these with other stratagems unless another teammate can handle this task.

For dealing with heavy units, the Orbital Railcannon Strike offers unlimited uses, making it ideal. The Orbital Laser is effective against multiple Harvesters, but its limited uses mean you'll eventually depend on your teammates. Always use a Strafing Run to disable their shields first. This build is among the most potent against the Illuminate in Helldivers 2, particularly 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 exceptionally versatile against the Illuminate, making it a cornerstone of this loadout. It effortlessly cuts through light and medium enemies and Harvesters alike. Compared to the MG-206 Heavy Machine Gun, it offers better handling and faster infantry dispatch.

Its high fire rate is also effective at depleting shields, eliminating the need for the Eagle Strafing Run when destroying grounded warp ships. Instead, opt for turret sentries to manage large crowds or secure objectives.

The machine gun's stationary reload is a drawback, but the LIFT-850 Jump Pack allows quick repositioning to safety and easier navigation through urban maps.

While the Machine Gun can effectively target Harvesters' weak spots, having an Orbital stratagem in your build ensures you can swiftly deal with multiple heavies. The Orbital Laser can handle two to three shielded Harvesters simultaneously, whereas the Railcannon Strike is effective against unshielded targets.

For the primary weapon in this loadout, consider the StA-52 Assault Rifle from the Helldivers 2 x Killzone 2 crossover. With its large drum magazine, it provides sustained, light-armor-penetrating fire, matching the damage output of the standard Liberator.