Helldivers 2 has a host of primary weapons to choose from, each with its own statistics and features. However, developer Arrowhead has been light on SMG weapons, having only two in the game until recently. With the release of the Polar Patriots Premium Warbond, there is now a big enough lineup to ask: "Which SMG is the best?"
Helldivers 2: Every Marksman Rifle, Ranked
Which of Helldiver 2's Marksman Rifles is the best? Does the answer to this change based on the mission's difficulty? Keep reading to find out.
The answer to that question is, unsurprisingly, not straightforward. Different players will gravitate to different playstyles, and may get more use out of one gun over the others as a result. However, there are overall benefits of some guns that justify a higher ranking, such as versatility, utility in higher tiers of play, and straight up DPS. Keep reading to find out which SMGs Helldivers should take on their next mission.
3 SMG-37 Defender
A Solid Multitasking Gun
Damage | 070 |
|---|---|
Recoil | 010 |
Capacity | 045 |
Fire Rate | 520 |
Other Features |
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The SMG-37 Defender is the most basic of the SMGs in Helldivers 2. It has solid stats, but no standout features. The primary reason to use this gun (other than simply preferring the feel of an SMG) is that it is one-handed. This makes it ideal for using the Ballistic Shield, or carrying SSDs on relevant missions. To unlock the SMG-37 Defender, players will need to purchase it with Medals from the third page of the Helldivers Mobilize Warbond.
In addition to being usable one-handed, it has slightly higher damage than other submachine guns. However, it will start to struggle above difficulty level five due to its lack of significant armor penetration. It only has Light Armor Penetration, meaning it is nearly useless against enemies like Bile Spewers, Chargers, Devastators, or Tanks. Unless players hit these enemies squarely on their weak spot, their bullets will simply bounce off.
Players can somewhat offset this by bringing in a heavy-duty support weapon such as the Quasar Cannon, but this negates the main advantage of the Defender to begin with - its one-handedness. Overall, it is useful to have one person in a squad with the Defender on a mission where they'll need to carry things across the map, but this shouldn't be the go-to primary weapon in other situations.
2 MP-98 Knight
Shreds Enemies, But Struggles With Ammunition
Damage | 050 |
|---|---|
Recoil | 020 |
Capacity | 050 |
Fire Rate | 1380 |
Other Features |
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Unlike the Defender, the MP-98 Knight has a very clear advantage in features. Available to players in the Steeled Veterans Warbond, this SMG has one of the highest fire rates in the game, and less accuracy loss while moving than other crowd control weapons (such as the machine gun). Players who favor a run-and-gun playstyle are likely to enjoy the MP-98 Knight.
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Wondering what Primary Weapons are best in Helldivers 2? This list ranks all Assault Rifles on damage, handling, and armor penetration.
In addition, while it has more recoil than other SMGs, it is not nearly as high as might be expected considering the torrent of bullets it unleashes. All of this, combined with its one-handed nature and burst fire capability, means that this SMG is great for multitasking and horde clearing. It essentially does everything the Defender can and then some.
However, it does have one very noticeable downside - ammo. Due to the Knight's high rate of fire, it uses up its magazine very quickly. This, combined with the limited amount of ammo refills in the wild, can lead to issues. For optimal play, it is advised to bring the Hellpod Space Optimization booster, so that Helldivers deploy with full ammunition. Some players have also found that switching the gun from full-auto to burst fire helps conserve ammunition without a significant loss of effectiveness.
1 SMG-72 Pummeler
Perfect For Dealing With Stalkers & Bile Spewers
Damage | 065 |
|---|---|
Recoil | 010 |
Capacity | 045 |
Fire Rate | 475 |
Other Features |
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The SMG-72 Pummeler, released with the Polar Patriots Premium Warbond, is the newest of the SMGs in Helldivers 2. After looking at its statistics, which are either equal to or lower than the Defender in every category, readers might be wondering why it is placed at number one on this list. While on paper its stats seem lackluster, this is because of a hidden feature, which is balanced with these weaker stats. The Pummeler features Concussive Ammunition, meaning that it stuns enemies on impact.
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This concussive ammo turns the Pummeler from the worst SMG in the game to the best due to its utility. Enemies hit by the Pummeler will briefly stop moving, making it ideal for taking out fast movers like Hunters and Stalkers. In addition, the stun will interrupt enemy attacks such as a Bile Spewers spit. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, staggering enemies will prevent them from calling reinforcements, meaning the wielder can prevent Bot Drops and Bug Breaches. This is key at higher difficulty levels, as these reinforcement calls frequently bring powerful enemies that can overrun a squad.
That being said, the Pummeler is best run when players are in a trusted group. It lacks medium armor penetration, meaning that they'll be hamstrung on higher-difficulty missions (even though that is where the Pummeler's utility shines) and will need to rely on their friends to bring the stopping power necessary to kill heavily armored enemies. The Pummeler's utility, combined with the one-handed perk of SMGs, makes it the best choice for a player with a supportive playstyle, who is playing with some buddies who can back them up and cover for their weaknesses.
