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As Arrowhead Games continues to develop the futuristic world ofHelldivers 2, weapon options evolve through periodic updates. While the primary focus of development and player attention may be guns due to the blazing gameplay pace, throwables are no slouch in their own right and often come in handy for dealing with multiple enemies in one go.Helldivers 2currently has 12 throwables in its weapon inventory – each of which differs slightly from others in terms of damage levels, impact radius, and detonation time.
Going toe-to-toe withHelldivers 2’s factions, be it the Terminids, Automatons, or the Illuminate, requires an optimized inventory loadout engineered with crowd control dynamics in mind. While a guns-and-glory approach may be aesthetically appealing, it’s also important to arm a custom build with throwables that fit the situation. Since only one type can be used in a mission at any given time, picking a powerful throwable could be the difference between success or failure. Although rankings are subjective, one can rank the items in this category based on their overall effectiveness.
S-Tier: Non-Stop Fireworks
The Thermite is highly regarded across theHelldivers 2universe for its pure damage-dealing ability. Equipped with the Anti-Tank trait, the G-123 Thermite sports a damage score of 2,000 and a fuse time of less than three seconds, so it’s a quick-trigger option to get out of a pickle. Although the three-meter blast radius limits its crowd control effectiveness, its potential to take down largeenemies like the Bile Titanmakes it a fan favorite.
Anotherhighly dangerous throwable inHelldivers 2is the G-12 High Explosive grenade. Few others handle penetration like the High Explosive, and its versatility is one of its best features; it’s effective in piercing heavily armored enemies and destroying Bug Holes due to its slightly long detonation time. Like the Thermite, it isn’t the most gifted in terms of blast radius, but its wide range of applications and deadly impact value secures its spot as one of the best throwables in the game.
A-Tier: Elite Damage and Disguise
While damage may be the primary metric for judging a throwable’s effectiveness, the G-4 gas grenade’s abilities offer players more than sheer power. Not only does it distract enemies long enough for players to relocate to a better vantage point, but it adds some damage along with it. Coupled with its wide effect range, the G-4 gas grenade’s advantages are hard to overlook.
The G-13 Incendiary Impact has a similar basis in battlefield control. It produces an instant flame shower, dealing a respectable 150 damage to enemies that are within its seven-meter radius, while also coating the surrounding area in white phosphorus (which also affects enemies that walk through it). Recent nerfs may have impacted its effectiveness and it’s not thebest weapon to use against Bots, but the devastation it brings when deployed against Terminids makes it worth it.
The G-23 Stun is quite similar to the G-4 Gas in terms of overall impact. Despite dealing no damage (unlike its gas counterpart), nearly all enemies are affected by its stun and are frozen in place for about three seconds, which is plenty of time to attack. The G-16 Impact is another powerfulHelldivers 2weapon equipped with heavy damageand penetration. Its main drawback is its immediate explosion on impact, which could lead to friendly fire.
Finally, theG-50 Seeker matches theHelldivers 2futuristic aestheticboth in design and functionality. Equipped with a targeting mechanism (players can select the individuals they want to blow up), the Seeker is thrown into the air and armed before locating desired targets. Damage-wise, it has just as much bang for its buck as any impact grenade, with bonus points for not needing guided throws to hit the target.
B-Tier: Not Flashy, But No-Nonsense
Players on the hunt for a trusty throwable to get the job done need look no further than the G-6 Frag. It may not have any fancy custom effects boasted by otherweapons inHelldivers 2, but its status as a basic grenade doesn’t hamper its effectiveness; it has decent damage and a wide radius. The TED-63 Dynamite is essentially in the same boat, sporting a damage score of 700 and a wide blast radius to capture as many enemies as possible in its explosion.
However, detonation requires some patience, taking anywhere between 5 and 60 seconds to blow up. The G-10 Incendiary is another fire-based throwable, although it is considerably less impactful than its G-13 twin. It’s decent for defensive use but lacks the firepower to compete with the elite weapons in its genre.
C-Tier: Knife Gimmick on a Knife’s Edge
The only non-grenade in the throwable arsenal, the intention behind theK-2 Throwing Knife’s designwas presumably to add a stealthy dynamic toHelldivers 2’s gameplay. However, the knife can’t be retrieved after throwing it, can’t be used in close-quarter battles, and using it doesn’t always guarantee a kill.
D-Tier: Mere Smoke and Mirrors
As a cousin to the G-4 gas grenade, the G-3 smoke was created as an evasion mechanism. Unfortunately, using this throwable doesn’t hamper enemy vision in the slightest when they take aim at players, meaning it doesn’t even perform the function it was created for. Coupled with the fact that it does no damage whatsoever, it is currently the worst throwable inHelldivers 2.
