What is the best Assault Rifle in Helldivers 2?

Assault Rifles are the bread and butter of any average shooter, and Helldivers 2 is no different. Players start with a standard Assault Rifle known as the AR-23 Liberator but quickly earn the currency to branch out. This begs the question, which guns are worth unlocking?

There are a total of four Assault Rifles in the game, and each has its own advantages, disadvantages, and ideal playstyles. Keep reading to learn how each Assault Rifle ranks in damage, handling, and effectiveness against common enemy types as well as where to unlock it.

4 AR-23p Liberator Penetrator

Less Stopping Power, But More Precision

• Semi-Automatic or Single Shot Fire-rate
• Medium Armor Penetration
• Lower DPS Than A Standard Liberator
• Very Little Recoil or Sway

First on our list is the AR-23p Liberator Penetrator, which players can find on page six of the Helldivers Mobilize Warbond. This Semi-Automatic Assault Rifle trades some of the standard Liberator’s firepower for reduced recoil. This, combined with the greater control of Semi-Automatic fire (players can also switch to single-shot fire by holding down the reload button), makes it a very precise weapon at short to medium range. However, it does also have a smaller capacity, which means it can struggle against large groups.

The Liberator Penetrator used to be among the best guns in the game against Automatons. This was due to its accuracy combined with the rare Medium Armor Penetration tag. However, recent additions to the game such as the Adjudicator have made this feature more commonplace. As a result, the Penetrator has fallen quite low in the weapon tier list.

3 AR-23c Liberator Concussive

More Stopping Power, Less Accuracy

• Explosive Rounds
• Light Armor Penetration
• High DPS
• Moderately High Recoil

Moving in the complete opposite direction of the Liberator Penetrator is the AR-23c Liberator Concussive. This gun, found on the first page of the Steeled Veterans Warbond, trades higher damage and explosive rounds for a significantly higher recoil, which, in turn, results in reduced accuracy. However, players will notice that it also has the smaller magazine capacity that the Penetrator suffers from.

This gun is best used against groups of enemies, or to damage Armored targets when players can’t hit their weak spots. This is because the explosive rounds deal a small AoE, which bypasses armor on tanky enemies and can hit multiple small enemies if they are in a compacted area. Despite this, players who have good enough aim to hit weak spots consistently won’t benefit from this feature enough to make the Concussive better than the standard Liberator.

2 The BR-14 Adjudicator

Tricky To Master, But Worthwhile Learning Curve

• Has A Scope Option
• Single Shot, Semi-automatic, & Fully-automatic Capable
• Medium Armor Penetration
• Very high recoil

The BR-14 Adjudicator, found in the new Democratic Detonation Warbond, is an Assault Rifle with a high skill floor, but a high ceiling as well. It can be changed between automatic, semi-automatic, and single shot mode, as well as options to aim in third-person mode or down a scope. This makes it capable of being effective at any range. In addition, it features Medium Armor Penetration, which makes it ideal to take into higher difficulty missions where armored enemies are plentiful.

However, the main downside of the Adjudicator is its recoil, which nearly matches the game’s shotguns and sniper rifles. Managing this recoil to hit the target, as well as juggling the various fire mode and aim mode options is what makes this weapon tricky to use to its’ potential. Overall, this is a great option against both Terminids and Automatons in higher difficulty modes but fails to have the versatility and ease of use that the Liberator does.

1 AR-23 Liberator

Old Reliable Never Fails You

• Highest Magazine Capacity
• Fully Automatic, Semi-automatic, or Single Fire Modes
• Light Armor Penetration
• Decent Damage

While the starting weapon in most shooters is inferior to those players can purchase, this isn’t the case in Helldivers 2. The standard issue AR-23 Liberator is the most well-rounded Assault Rifle in the game and can serve players well in most situations. Not only does this gun have pretty decent damage, but its large magazine size also gives players breathing room during long engagements.

Really, the only reason to switch away from the Liberator is its lack of Medium Armor Penetration, which causes it to struggle in difficulties where Chargers, Tanks, and other armored enemies are common. However, bringing a support weapon capable of dealing with these enemies (such as the Quasar Cannon) or targeting weak spots can offset this weakness pretty effectively.