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 stand out as a formidable adversary, wielding advanced technologies and tactics that can overwhelm players with precision and sheer numbers. As you're engaged in clearing their light infantry, their elite units stealthily close in from both the ground and the air. The secret to overcoming them lies in selecting loadouts and builds that exploit their vulnerabilities while safeguarding against their powerful tech.

So, what's the best way to combat the Illuminate? It's all about crafting the perfect mix of weapons, support gear, and stratagems to counter their unique strengths. You need a balance that can tackle both the weaker units and the armored, heavy hitters. Neglecting either will render your loadout ineffective against the full might of the Illuminate.

This guide is dedicated to outlining the top loadouts and builds optimized for battling the Illuminate. Whether you're a veteran or just starting out, these strategies will boost your combat prowess against this new, squid-like faction. Let's gear up and take on 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 top-tier primary weapons in Helldivers 2. They excel at melting Overseers, including the jet-pack-wielding Elevated units, and are just as effective against the Voteless. The additional ammunition and quick reloads provided by the Siege-Ready armor passive ensure you're always ready to tackle multiple priority targets. The enhanced damage per second is crucial when every shot counts.

The combination of the Eagle Strafing Run and GP-31 Grenade Pistol is perfect for destroying parked warp ships. Energy-based weapons struggle to deplete their shields, but a single Strafing Run can strip the shields of every grounded warp ship in a line. Following up with a grenade into their open bay doors will cause them to explode. This duo is particularly effective for taking out 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 lighter units, so save it for when you're using the Grenade Pistol.

The AX/AR-23 "Guard Dog" proves surprisingly effective against medium-armored Overseers, with each burst capable of taking down a single elite unit, making it an excellent choice for watching your back against the Illuminate.

The A/MG-43 Machine Gun Sentry is great for securing areas during objective defense. If crowd control isn't your main concern, you can opt for the Orbital Laser to target Harvesters or other heavy units that may be introduced in future updates.

Finally, the LAS-98 Laser Cannon rounds out this loadout perfectly. It melts Overseers and chaff in seconds and is highly effective against Harvesters. Use a Strafing Run to deplete their shields, then 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 allows you to pick off targets from a safe distance, making it an ideal weapon against the Illuminate.

On higher difficulty levels, such as level 9 or 10, where multiple Harvesters are common, having an Orbital Laser is 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 incredibly effective. They easily dispatch lighter units, but the Arc Thrower has the added benefit 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, though it might take around a dozen hits. Each hit causes a moderate stun, which accumulates over time.

The A/ARC-3 Tesla Tower is highly effective against all types of Illuminate enemies, particularly groups of flying Overseers. It offers 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 that can lock down an entire area. Prioritize targeting key enemies with the Arc Thrower to prevent them from reaching your Tesla Tower.

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

The Eagle Strafing Run and GP-31 Grenade Pistol remain crucial for destroying parked warp ships. The Blitzer and Arc Thrower are less efficient at depleting their shields during combat, so don't swap them out unless a teammate can handle this task.

For heavy units, the Orbital Railcannon Strike is a reliable choice due to its unlimited uses. The Orbital Laser is effective against multiple Harvesters, but its limited uses mean you'll need to rely on your teammates eventually. Always use a Strafing Run to disable their shields first. This is one of the most potent builds against the Illuminate in Helldivers 2, especially when coordinated with other players.

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 a top choice for this loadout. 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.

It's a true all-rounder against the squids, 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 is also effective at depleting shields, so you won't need the Eagle Strafing Run to destroy grounded warp ships. Instead, opt for turret sentries to handle large crowds or defend objectives.

The only drawback of the Machine Gun is its stationary reload animation, which requires you to stay still. This is where the LIFT-850 Jump Pack comes in handy, allowing you to quickly relocate to safety and navigate the new urban maps with ease.

While the Machine Gun can take down Harvesters by targeting their weak spots, having an Orbital stratagem in your build ensures you can deal with multiple heavy units efficiently. The Orbital Laser can handle two to three shielded Harvesters at once, whereas the Railcannon Strike is best for unshielded targets.

For the primary weapon in this loadout, you can choose any from the Armory. To maintain the bullet-storm theme, consider the StA-52 Assault Rifle from the Helldivers 2 x Killzone 2 crossover. It features a large drum magazine for sustained fire and light-armor-penetrating capabilities, matching the damage output of the standard Liberator.