There are plenty of weapons to use in Helldivers 2 that range from standard armory options to support Stratagems, but that doesn’t mean they can all be upgraded. This guide will cover whether weapons can be upgraded in Helldivers 2 and how the tuning process works.
Can Weapons be Upgraded in Helldivers 2?
Weapons cannot be upgraded in Helldivers 2, but you can change their function or upgrade your Stratagems. When it comes to the standard weapons found in your Armory, though, what you see is exactly what you get. There is no way to increase the damage that each one can dish out or the accuracy it might have.
When you’re out on a Galactic Mission, you can at least change small characteristics for your weapons, such as the firing mode or the zoom of your optic. On a controller, this is done by holding “square” and then using the D-Pad to select new modes. But these are just smaller supporting options, and they don’t change any stats on the weapon.
As for the support weapon Strategems, there are some upgrades you can get through the Ship Management screen on your personal ship. When you open up the manager, there is a tab for Ship Modules that require samples. Some of the upgrades in the Modules section will provide more ammo or lower cooldowns.
It’s always great to have some smaller upgrade options on the most powerful weapons in Helldivers 2, but the option to simply upgrade just doesn’t exist. You need to rely on standard weapon unlocks and a few good teammates if you want to survive the hordes that threaten freedom for Super Earth. For that, you’ll need to save up some Medals.
What Are Stratagems in Helldivers 2
Stratagems are special codes you can enter at any time during a mission in Helldivers 2, and they provide support in the form of extra resources, weapons, targeted attacks, or whatever else you need. You’ll pick the Stratagems you want access to at the start of a mission, and they’ll function on a cooldown as you use them in the field. As you progress in the game, you can purchase new Stratagems through your ship’s Ship Management menu.
The Stratagems you’ll have access to in Helldivers 2 include the following:
- General Stratagems.
- Patriotic Administration Centre Stratagems.
- Orbital Cannons Stratagems.
- Hangar Stratagems.
- Bridge Stratagems.
- Engineering Bay Stratagems.
- Robotics Workshop Stratagems.
If you’re looking for weapon Stratagems, they fall under the Patriotic Administration Centre Stratagems category, including weapons such as a Machine Gun, a Flamethrower, a Railgun, a Spear, and more. You’ll have access to the Machine Gun automatically at the start of the game, and you can unlock more by increasing your player level and purchasing them for a nominal fee.
Each weapon Stratagem has a brief two- to three-second call-in time and unlimited use. All weapon Stratagems have a cooldown time of 480 seconds except for the Expendable Anti-Tank, which has a 70-second cooldown. In addition to weapons, you’ll also have access to targeted offensive support through most of the other Stratagems as well.
How Many Weapons Are in Helldivers 2?
At launch, there are 29 Primary weapons, 8 Secondaries, 12 Stratagem Support weapons, and 10 Grenades, which lead to a current total of 59 weapons in Helldivers 2. However, not all of these weapons appear to be currently obtainable.
That’s all you can do when it comes to upgrading your weapons and artillery in Helldivers 2, but upgrading your character customization is also on the table for any fashion divers out there in the galaxy.
