Skip to main content
Join The Community
- Join our community
11
Premium Benefits
24/7
Access Available
21K+
Active Members
Commenting
Join the discussion
Exclusive Articles Coming Soon
Member-only articles
Weekly Newsletters
Weekly gaming & entertainment news
Member Badges
Earn badges as you go
Exclusive Competitions
Members-only prize draws
Curated Deals Coming Soon
Tech and gaming deals worth grabbing
GET COMMUNITY ACCESS QUICK
For the quickest way to join, simply enter your email below and get access. We will send a confirmation and sign you up to our newsletter to keep you updated on all your gaming news.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
FIND OUT ABOUT OUR MAGAZINE
Want to subscribe to the magazine? Click the button below to find out more information.
Find out more
GET Community ACCESS QUICK

Join the GamesRadar community for quick access. Enter your email below and we'll send confirmation, and sign you up to our newsletter.

By submitting your information, you confirm you are aged 16 or over, have read our Privacy Policy and agree to the Terms & Conditions. Geographical rules apply.

Background
Welcome to GamesRADAR+ Community !
Hi ,

Your membership journey starts here.

Keep exploring and earning more as a member.

MY ACCOUNT

Badge picture
Earn your first badge
Read 1 article to unlock your first badge.
Keep earning badges
Explore ways to get more involved as a member.
Latest Games News

Latest Games News

Breaking gaming news and updates

Read Now
Latest Games Reviews

Latest Games Reviews

Expert verdicts on the newest releases

Read Now

See what you’ve unlocked.

Explore your membership benefits.

Explore
Member Exclusives

Stay Ahead with GamesRadar+

Get the biggest gaming news, reviews, and releases straight to your inbox.

Explore

Sign Out
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Buying Guides
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Video
    • Videos
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
    • G+RLS Podcast
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
  • Home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Buying Guides
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Video
    • View Video
    • Videos
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
    • G+RLS Podcast
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
Trending
  • Countdown to GTA 6
  • Fall Preview
  • Join our monthly RPG Club
  • GTA 6
  • Game of the Week
  • G+RLS Podcast
  • Pre-order GTA 6
  • Best gaming tech
  • Submit your clips. Win prizes
Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


Want to add more newsletters?

GamesRadar+

Every Friday

GamesRadar+

Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.

GTA 6 O'clock

Every Thursday

GTA 6 O'clock

Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.

Knowledge

Every Friday

Knowledge

From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.

The Setup

Every Thursday

The Setup

Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.

Switch 2 Spotlight

Every Wednesday

Switch 2 Spotlight

Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.

The Watchlist

Every Saturday

The Watchlist

Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.

SFX

Once a month

SFX

Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!


Join the club

Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
  1. Games
  2. Action Games
  3. Helldivers 2

The best gun in Helldivers 2 is actually this underrated gem, according to a dedicated cache of players

News
By Hirun Cryer
Published 6 March 2024

The Arc Thrower is winning over plenty of players

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Helldivers 2
(Image credit: Arrowhead Game Studio)
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Subscribe to our newsletter

Helldivers 2 players are praising the underrated Arc Thrower as "one of the strongest weapons in the game" and one you should consider using.

If you don't care much for the Arc Thrower weapon, that's easily forgiven. The powerful Breaker shotgun and piercing Railgun Stratagem have both pretty much dominated the conversation around Helldivers 2 since launch, until now. The Arc Thrower is a compact Stratagem weapon that can be unlocked once you hit level 15, and you can see it in action just below.

YouTube YouTube
Watch On

It's an electricity-based weapon with effectively unlimited ammunition since it doesn't use traditional bullets or rockets like many other weapons in Helldivers 2. While it can sadly take out teammates with its wide fire spread, it crucially ignores enemy armor when striking, meaning it deals huge damage to armored foes like the horrible Terminid Chargers.

Latest Videos FromGamesRadar+
Watch full video here:

That's basically why Helldivers 2 players are now talking up the Arc Thrower as one of the more powerful weapons in the game. The post below, for example, which has over 4,500 upvotes on the Helldivers 2 subreddit, lavishes praise on the Stratagem for tearing through enemy armor, regardless of whether or not you actually hold down the trigger long enough to fully charge up a shot.

People dont realize how strong arc thrower stacking actually is
 from r/Helldivers

Also aiding the Arc Thrower is the fact that it can be used to clear out hordes of smaller enemies with its unlimited ammo, unlike the Railgun. "My squad and I literally just stick in pairs of arc throwers and we melt through helldive like this," the player in the post above writes. 

You may like
  • Helldivers 2 helldiver running with Speagun support weapon Best Support weapons in Helldivers 2
  • Helldivers 2 helldiver running away from automatons with Eruptor weapon equipped Best Helldivers 2 Primary Weapons to use against the Terminids, Automatons, and Illuminate
  • Helldivers 2 helldiver running away from Illuminate with de-escalator Best Helldivers 2 pistols and melee weapons to use against the Terminids, Automatons, and Illuminate

The post below, meanwhile, reads that the Arc Thrower "one taps warriors to the head, 2/3 for brood lords. And then after hitting them, the arc kills other things. Every time you pull the trigger pointed at a crowd, you'll multi-kill." There is a slight warning that the Arc Thrower can turn into the "Team Killer 9000" if used incorrectly, but you could pretty much say that about most Helldivers 2 guns.

The arc thrower is better than you think...
 from r/Helldivers

Perhaps all this talk about the Arc Thrower might finally change how Helldivers 2 players approach weapon loadouts. Up until now, the Breaker shotgun and the Railgun Stratagem have been the go-to combination for players, but earlier today, Helldivers 2 nerfed both weapons with its first big weapon balance patch. The Breaker now has less ammo and more recoil, while the Railgun won't pierce armor quite as effectively as before.

Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Get ready for the next huge update in the near future for Arrowhead's game with our big Helldivers 2 mechs guide.

CATEGORIES
PS5 PC Gaming Platforms PlayStation
Hirun Cryer
Hirun Cryer
Social Links Navigation
Freelance Writer

Hirun Cryer is a freelance reporter and writer with Gamesradar+ based out of U.K. After earning a degree in American History specializing in journalism, cinema, literature, and history, he stepped into the games writing world, with a focus on shooters, indie games, and RPGs, and has since been the recipient of the MCV 30 Under 30 award for 2021. In his spare time he freelances with other outlets around the industry, practices Japanese, and enjoys contemporary manga and anime.

Read more
Helldivers 2 helldiver running with Speagun support weapon
Third Person Shooters Best Support weapons in Helldivers 2
 
 
Helldivers 2 helldiver running away from automatons with Eruptor weapon equipped
Third Person Shooters Best Helldivers 2 Primary Weapons to use against the Terminids, Automatons, and Illuminate
 
 
Helldivers 2 helldiver running away from Illuminate with de-escalator
Third Person Shooters Best Helldivers 2 pistols and melee weapons to use against the Terminids, Automatons, and Illuminate
 
 
Helldivers 2 Entrenched Division warbond
Third Person Shooters Best Helldivers 2 Warbonds to buy first and tier list ranking all 21 of them
 
 
Helldivers 2 x Warhammer 40,000 crossover
Third Person Shooters Helldivers 2's Warhammer collab arrives in 2 weeks, bringing the Bolt Pistol and other 40K weapons
 
 
Helldivers 2 Warhammer 40K Warbond store page with helldiver in full kasrkin gear holding hot-shot lasgun
Third Person Shooters All items in the Warhammer 40K Helldivers 2 Warbond
 
 
Latest in Action Games
Marvel's Wolverine - Sabertooth holding Wolverine up with a clawed hand ready to strike and a big grin
Action Games That great PS3 Wolverine game saw zero crunch because the movie it accompanied was delayed, dev says
 
 
Ocarina of time remake
The Legend of Zelda Nintendo has updated the Zelda timeline, and the Ocarina of Time remake has made it more complicated
 
 
Link looks at an NPC couple twirling
The Legend of Zelda After another scalping disaster, Nintendo is restocking the Legend of Zelda Switch 2
 
 
Lucia yells from the window in joy as Jason drives a stolen car down the highway, from the GTA 6 extended look
Grand Theft Auto Politicians clear $3m in GTA 6 Miami Beach marketing despite violence concerns because "It's a video game, it's fake"
 
 
Hideo Kojima
Action Games Sony reportedly axed Physint because Hideo Kojima's Metal Gear successor is over budget, years away
 
 
Metroid Ravenous gameplay screenshot captured on Nintendo Switch 2
Metroid Metroid Ravenous fans think the Dread studio has already confirmed its involvement
 
 
Latest in News
Space Marine 2 4K texture pack shots
Third Person Shooters Space Marine 2 dev says its games are so profitable in part because they're made outside of the US
 
 
Touhou Koumakyou: New Classic - the Embodiment of Scarlet Devil art showing Reimu in red
Games One of the most influential Japanese games becomes one of the highest-rated Steam games of 2026
 
 
Genshin Impact
Open World Games Genshin Impact dev HoYoverse wins $112K in court after AI company stole 63 of its characters' voices
 
 
Marvel's Wolverine - Sabertooth holding Wolverine up with a clawed hand ready to strike and a big grin
Action Games That great PS3 Wolverine game saw zero crunch because the movie it accompanied was delayed, dev says
 
 
Austin Abrams as Bryan in Resident Evil
Horror Movies Resident Evil director says test audiences thought movie was "too funny," so he toned down humor
 
 
God of War
Games Fed up with Sony, PlayStation fans compile a list of times the company said "you own" your games
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. Space Marine 2 4K texture pack shots
    1
    Space Marine 2 dev says its games are so profitable in part because they're made outside of the US, and the company has "no real development in North America any more"
  2. 2
    24 years later, one of the most influential Japanese games of all time becomes one of the highest-rated Steam games of 2026
  3. 3
    Genshin Impact dev HoYoverse wins $112,000 in court after AI company stole 63 of its characters' voices
  4. 4
    The shockingly good Wolverine game on PS3 saw zero crunch because the terrible movie it accompanied was delayed, dev says: "We still had time to goof around"
  5. 5
    Resident Evil director says test audiences thought the movie was "too funny," so he toned down the humor: "There’s not a single joke I took out of this movie that I miss"

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • About us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...