Screenshot: Arrowhead Game Studios

A proper Helldiver’s loadout isn’t just about equipping the best guns or having the most durable gear. To make your loadout pack more of a punch, you’ll need Stratagems. These are important in Helldivers 2. Just like weapons, not all Stratagems will give you what you want. Depending on how you play, get fired up by this guide for the five best Stratagems you can use in Helldivers 2.

Helldivers 2: The five best Stratagems for you to use

You won’t get all of them in the early moments of Helldivers 2, but it’s something you can work towards.

Orbital Precision Strike

Remember the Hammer of Dawn from Gears of War? This Stratagem is similar. I used it against the big and heavily armored robot enemies. While it doesn’t one-shot them, it can severely weaken those enemy types as long as there’s firepower being compounded on top. The best part is it’s the first Stratagem you have and has one of the shortest cooldowns. So using it over and over again is something that you should do.

Guard Dog

This Stratagem can give your team extra firepower. It’s a drone that hovers over you and attacks any enemies nearby. If all four members have one flying overhead, clearing out the hardest nests can be easier to do. What I like about it is that you can leave the Guard Dog alone. It’ll hover all around you and be the extra pair of eyes. I find this is more important when you go up against the insect Terminids

Eagle Strike

I like taking on the bigger enemy types, when I do, Eagle Strike can be my best friend. It drops a carpet bomb-like attack that decimates anything that’s caught in the zone. The chain reaction that follows helps the fight go in your favor. However, from personal experience, when you launch it, run far away since the AoE is quite big.

Eagle Cluster Bomb

While Eagle Strike carpet bombs, Eagle Cluster Bomb goes in more of a line. It’s more for specific targets like nests, so its AoE won’t be as large as its Eagle Strike counterpart. On the other hand, you can hit groups of enemies with the Stratagem. Just make sure the group isn’t massive. While it has a smaller AoE, you should still stay clear of it. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been caught up in its destruction.

Shield Generator Pack

All of the Stratagems in this guide are all about attacking. This one in particular is useful on the defensive end. Being able to lay down fire and annihilate large swaths of bugs or robots is one thing. The Shield Generator Pack gives you and your team some much-needed space, which is almost more important. In Helldivers 2 being overwhelmed is something that will always happen. Having a shield that not only protects you but also absorbs attacks is necessary. It unlocks at level 20, but if one person has the Stratagem, the whole team can use it.

Now that you know what the best Stratagems are in Helldivers 2, why not pair it with some powerful builds? Use this guide to get you started.

Helldivers 2 is available now via Steam and PS5.