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

The Illuminate are a formidable enemy in Helldivers 2, known for their advanced technologies and overwhelming precision. As you tackle their light infantry, their elite units will close in from both the ground and air. To triumph over them, you need to craft loadouts and builds that exploit their weaknesses while countering their powerful tech.

So, how do you effectively combat the Illuminate? It's all about finding the perfect mix of weapons, support gear, and stratagems to handle their unique strengths. You must balance your arsenal to deal with both the chaff and the armored/heavy units. Neglecting either type will render your loadout ineffective against the full might of the Illuminate horde.

In this guide, we'll explore the best loadouts and builds tailored specifically for battling the Illuminate. Whether you're a seasoned player or just starting out, these strategies will boost your combat effectiveness against this new, squid-like faction. Let's gear up and prepare to face the Illuminate 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 are among the best 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 provides additional ammunition and quick reloads, ensuring you can handle multiple priority enemies. The increased damage per second is crucial when every shot counts.

The Eagle Strafing Run and GP-31 Grenade Pistol form a powerful combo for destroying parked warp ships. Energy-based weapons struggle to deplete their shields, but a single Strafing Run can destroy the shields of every grounded warp ship in a straight line. You can then shoot a grenade into their open bay doors to cause an explosion. This combo is particularly effective when eliminating medium or heavy Illuminate nests requiring the destruction of multiple warp ships. While the G-13 Incendiary Impact can also be thrown into the open bay doors, it's more effective at clearing chaff, so save it for when you're using the Grenade Pistol.

The AX/AR-23 "Guard Dog" is surprisingly effective against medium-armored Overseers. Each burst can take down a single elite unit, making it one of the best stratagems for watching your flank against the Illuminate.

The A/MG-43 Machine Gun Sentry helps lock down areas when defending an objective. If thinning crowds isn't a priority, you can replace it with an Orbital Laser to target Harvesters or potential future heavy units.

Finally, the LAS-98 Laser Cannon completes this Illuminate loadout. It melts Overseers and chaff within seconds and is excellent 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 massive range allows you to pick off targets from afar, making it an ideal anti-squid weapon.

On level 9 or 10 difficulty, where multiple Harvesters are common, having an 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 Illuminate's mix of melee and ranged units makes the ARC-12 Blitzer and ARC-3 Arc Thrower excellent choices for covering both fronts. They easily take out chaff, but the Arc Thrower has the added advantage of rendering Overseers nearly useless. Each lightning arc chains and staggers, stunning Overseers briefly. Continuous attacks from a distance can keep Elevated Overseers perma-stunned in mid-air.

The Arc Thrower can also take down unshielded Harvesters, requiring around a dozen hits, each inflicting a moderate stun that builds up over time.

The A/ARC-3 Tesla Tower is highly effective against all Illuminate enemy types, especially groups of flying Overseers. It provides consistent crowd control and disrupts enemies, making it easier to manage large waves. Combine it with the Arc Thrower for multiple chained lightning attacks to lock down an entire area. Target priority enemies with the Arc Thrower to prevent them from getting close enough to destroy your Tesla Tower.

Harvesters prioritize sentries, so avoid using your Tesla Tower or other sentry stratagems if you've engaged them.

The Eagle Strafing Run and Grenade Pistol are essential for destroying parked warp ships. The Blitzer and Arc Thrower are inefficient at depleting their shields during combat, so don't replace them unless another teammate can handle this task.

For dealing with heavies, the Orbital Railcannon Strike is excellent due to its unlimited uses. The Orbital Laser is effective against multiple Harvesters, but its three uses mean you'll eventually rely on your teammates. Always use a Strafing Run to disable their shields first. This is one of the most powerful builds against the Illuminate, especially when coordinated with other 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 the most versatile support weapon against the Illuminate, making it one of the best loadouts for this faction. 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 jack-of-all-trades against the squids, providing an excellent balance of power and reliability. Pair it with the Engineering Kit to reduce recoil or the Peak Physique armor passive to reduce drag, making it easier to target flying Overseers or Watchers.

The high fire rate is effective at depleting shields, eliminating the need for the Eagle Strafing Run to destroy grounded warp ships. Instead, opt for turret sentries to disperse large crowds or defend objectives.

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

While the Machine Gun can easily defeat Harvesters by targeting their weak spots, having an Orbital stratagem in your build is beneficial for quickly dealing with multiple heavies. The Orbital Laser can handle two to three shielded Harvesters at once, whereas the Railcannon Strike is only effective against unshielded targets.

For the primary weapon in this Illuminate build, you can choose any from the Armory. If you want to maintain the bullet-storm theme, opt for the new StA-52 Assault Rifle from the Helldivers 2 x Killzone 2 crossover. It features a massive drum magazine for sustained fire, penetrating light armor and delivering damage comparable to the standard Liberator.