Helldivers 2: Best Loadouts for the Illuminate
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The Illuminate in Helldivers 2 are a formidable foe, known for their advanced tech and precise tactics. While you're busy dealing with their light infantry, their elite units can sneak up on you from the ground and air. To conquer them, you need to craft loadouts and builds that exploit their vulnerabilities while shielding yourself from their powerful technology.
So, what's the secret to effectively combating the Illuminate? It's all about selecting the perfect mix of weapons, support gear, and stratagems to counter their unique strengths. You need to balance your arsenal to handle both the swarms of weaker enemies and the heavily armored units. Neglecting either type will render your loadout ineffective against the full force of the Illuminate.
In this guide, we'll explore the top loadouts and builds specifically designed for battling the Illuminate. Whether you're a seasoned player or new to the game, these strategies will boost your combat prowess against this advanced, squid-like faction. Let's gear up and prepare to take on 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. They are incredibly effective against Overseers, including jet-pack-equipped Elevated units, and equally potent against the Voteless. The Siege-Ready armor passive enhances their performance by providing extra ammunition and quicker reloads, enabling you to tackle multiple high-priority targets efficiently. The increased damage per second is crucial when every shot counts.
The Eagle Strafing Run paired with the GP-31 Grenade Pistol forms a dynamic duo for obliterating parked warp ships. Energy-based weapons struggle to deplete their shields, but a single Strafing Run can strip the shields off multiple grounded warp ships. Follow up by lobbing a grenade into their open bay doors to cause an explosion. This combination is particularly effective when clearing medium or heavy Illuminate nests, where you might need to destroy several warp ships. While the G-13 Incendiary Impact grenades can also be thrown into the open bay doors, they're better used for clearing weaker enemies, so reserve them when using the Grenade Pistol.
The AX/AR-23 "Guard Dog" proves surprisingly effective against medium-armored Overseers, capable of taking down a single elite unit with one burst, making it a top choice for protecting your flanks against the Illuminate.
The A/MG-43 Machine Gun Sentry is perfect for locking down areas during objective defense. If crowd control isn't your primary concern, you can swap it out for an Orbital Laser to target Harvesters or potential heavy units that might be added in future updates.
Finally, the LAS-98 Laser Cannon is the crowning jewel of this Illuminate loadout. It can melt Overseers and weaker enemies in seconds and is exceptionally effective against Harvesters. After using a Strafing Run to deplete their shields, aim the Laser Cannon at their weak points (thighs/eyes). A single clip is sufficient if your aim is steady. The Laser Cannon's significant range allows you to engage targets from a distance, making it a true anti-squid weapon. When facing multiple Harvesters on difficulty levels 9 or 10, 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 are perfect for handling both the Illuminate's melee and ranged units. They excel at clearing weaker enemies, but the Arc Thrower's ability to chain lightning and stagger enemies is particularly useful against Overseers, stunning them momentarily. Continuous attacks from a distance can keep Elevated Overseers permanently stunned in mid-air.
The Arc Thrower can also take down unshielded Harvesters with about a dozen hits, each causing a moderate stun that accumulates over time.
The A/ARC-3 Tesla Tower is exceptionally effective against all types of Illuminate enemies, especially groups of 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 secure an area. Prioritize targeting key enemies with the Arc Thrower to prevent them from getting close enough to destroy your Tesla Tower.
Harvesters tend to 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 taking out parked warp ships. The Blitzer and Arc Thrower aren't efficient at depleting their shields during combat, so don't replace them unless another teammate can handle this task.
For heavy units, the Orbital Railcannon Strike is ideal due to its unlimited uses. The Orbital Laser is effective against multiple Harvesters, but with only three uses, you'll rely on your teammates eventually. 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 a team.
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 top choice for this loadout. It effortlessly tears through 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 takedowns.
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 minimize drag, the latter helping you target flying Overseers or Watchers more effectively.
The high fire rate of the Machine Gun is also effective at depleting shields, eliminating the need for the Eagle Strafing Run to destroy grounded warp ships. Instead, opt for turret sentries to control crowds or defend objectives.
The only drawback of the Machine Gun is its stationary reload animation, which prevents reloading while moving. This is where the LIFT-850 Jump Pack comes in handy, allowing you to quickly reposition to safety and navigate urban maps more easily.
While the Machine Gun can handle Harvesters well when targeting their weak spots, having an Orbital stratagem in your build ensures you can deal with multiple heavy units efficiently. The Orbital Laser can take down two to three shielded Harvesters simultaneously, while the Railcannon Strike is effective against unshielded targets.
For the primary weapon in this loadout, you can choose any from the Armory. If you want to maintain the theme of continuous fire, go for the StA-52 Assault Rifle. Introduced in the Helldivers 2 x Killzone 2 crossover, it features a large drum magazine and delivers sustained fire that penetrates light armor, matching the damage output of the standard Liberator.
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