Helldivers 2 Best Shotgun For Bugs, Bots, Illuminate, Automatons, Terminids 2026

Helldivers 2 Best Shotgun For Bugs

The best shotgun for bugs in Helldivers 2depends on whether you prioritize crowd control (keeping bugs away) or raw damage (clearing swarms quickly).

Based on community consensus and gameplay meta, here are the top choices:

• SG-451 Cookout: Widely considered the best all-around shotgun for the bug front. It combines high stagger with incendiary damage, allowing you to physically knock back dangerous enemies like Stalkers and Brood Commanders while setting them on fire to deal damage over time. Its rounds-reload mechanic also ensures you never waste ammo.
• SG-225IE Breaker Incendiary: The top choice for pure horde clearing. While it lacks the heavy stagger of the Cookout, its automatic fire and wide spray are unrivaled for lighting entire swarms and Shriekers on fire at once. It is highly effective but benefits from a Supply Pack due to its high ammo consumption.
• SG-8 Punisher: An excellent defensive option available in the free warbond. It has massive pushback force, stopping nearly any medium-sized bug in its tracks. It deals more immediate physical damage than the Cookout but lacks the fire DoT.
• ARC-12 Blitzer: Technically an energy weapon that functions like a shotgun. It is favored for having infinite ammo and the ability to stun-lock multiple bugs simultaneously, including Hunters and Stalkers.
• M90A Shotgun: Best for single-target burst damage. It deals significantly higher damage per shell (605) than the Punisher, making it ideal for quickly dispatching Stalkers and Brood Commanders at point-blank range, though it has a very low magazine capacity.

Best Shotgun For Bots

While shotguns are traditionally seen as "bug-killing" tools, several excel on the Automaton front due to their high stagger and ability to disrupt Devastators. Based on current player consensus and recent performance, here are the top shotgun choices for bots:

1. SG-8P Punisher Plasma

Widely considered the best "shotgun" for bots, though it functions more like a grenade launcher. Reddit users highlight its ability to:

• Stagger Groups: Each shot has an AoE explosion that can stunlock multiple Devastators and Berserkers at once.
• Indirect Fire: The lobbed projectile allows you to hit enemies behind cover or over ridges.
• Shield Bypassing: The splash damage can hit the bot behind a Heavy Devastator's shield.

2. SG-8S Slugger

Ideal for players who want a precision-focused shotgun with medium armor penetration.

• Stagger & Snipe: It features high stagger and better range than spread-based shotguns.
• Weakpoint Killer: It is capable of one-shotting Devastators with a well-placed headshot.
• Ammo Management: Rounds-reloaded system allows you to top off the magazine between shots.

3. SG-451 Cookout

A newer favorite that combines fire damage with high stagger.

• Crowd Control: Even at longer distances, its pellets can stagger bots (including Shield Devastators) and set them on fire.
• Chaff Clear: The lingering burn damage is effective at cleaning up smaller bot units.

4. SG-8 Punisher (Standard)

The basic Punisher remains a solid A-tier choice for close-quarters bot encounters.

• Pushback: It has the highest damage per shot of the standard spread shotguns and can physically push back aggressive Berserkers.
• Stun Juggling: It is excellent for "juggling" a single Devastator, preventing it from firing back.

Quick Comparison Table

Pro Tip: If you find yourself struggling with shotgun range on the bot front, pair them with the P-4 Senator for long-distance precision or a support weapon like the Autocannon or Anti-Materiel Rifle to handle long-range threats.

Best Shotgun For Illuminate

Against the Illuminate, shotguns that offer area-of-effect (AoE), stagger, or high fire rates are the most effective for stripping energy shields and managing "Voteless" (infantry) hordes.

The top shotgun choices for the Illuminate front are:

• SG-8P Punisher Plasma: Widely considered the best shotgun for this faction. Its plasma rounds provide excellent AoE damage and stagger, allowing it to bypass or quickly collapse shields while hitting multiple targets in a cluster.
• ARC-12 Blitzer: Excellent for close-quarters crowd control. It has unlimited ammunition and a powerful stun effect that can lock down Overseers and elite units.
• SG-451 Cookout: Favored for its incendiary pellets and high stagger. The fire damage is particularly effective at "bleeding out" Illuminate units after their shields have been popped.
• SG-225IE Breaker Incendiary: A strong choice for pure volume of fire. Using the "duckbill" spread helps mow down large waves of Voteless infantry quickly.

Why these work:

1. Shield Stripping: Rapid-fire or multi-pellet weapons collapse energy shields faster than single-shot precision weapons.
2. Stagger: The Illuminate often rely on movement and teleportation; shotguns like the Punisher Plasma or Blitzer can stun them in place, preventing them from escaping or counter-attacking.
3. Fire Damage: Once shields are down, Illuminate units have relatively low physical health; fire damage from the Cookout or Breaker Incendiary ensures they die quickly even if you stop shooting.

Best Shotgun For Automatons

While shotguns are often associated with bugs, several models excel against Automatons by offering high stagger or specialized ammunition to bypass armor.

Top Shotgun Picks for Automatons

• SG-8P Punisher Plasma (Helldivers 2 Wiki)
  • Why it's top tier: It fires explosive plasma orbs with a high arc. The splash damage can kill Scout Striders from the front by hitting their top plate and is excellent for staggering groups of Devastators.
• SG-8 Slugger (Helldivers 2 Wiki)
  • Why it's top tier: It behaves more like a marksman rifle than a shotgun, firing a single high-damage slug with Medium Armor Penetration. It can one-shot most small bots and reliably stagger or headshot Devastators from distance.
• SG-225 Breaker (Helldivers 2 Wiki)
  • Best for: Close-quarters defense. It is considered a "panic button" for Berserkers and Assault Bots that jump into your face. Its high fire rate melts unarmored weak points quickly.
• M90A Shotgun (Helldivers 2 Wiki)
  • Specialty: Added in more recent updates, this weapon deals massive single-shot damage (605) and features guaranteed stagger on-hit against light and medium enemies, making it a powerful tool for stopping melee rushes.

Honorable Mention: JAR-5 Dominator

While technically classified as an Explosive weapon rather than a shotgun, the JAR-5 Dominator is often used by shotgun fans against bots. It features heavy stagger and high damage that can one-shot most bot heads, serving as the ultimate "heavy shotgun" alternative.

Best Shotgun For Terminids

Against the Terminid swarm, the best shotgun depends on whether you value raw horde-clearing damage or the ability to stun and push back aggressive threats like Stalkers.

Top Recommendations

• SG-225IE Breaker Incendiary: Widely considered the best for Terminids due to its massive area-of-effect fire damage. It excels at clearing "chaff" (small bugs) by igniting large groups with a few sprays.
• SG-451 Cookout: A community favorite that combines the stagger of a pump-action shotgun with incendiary rounds. It is highly effective for "shoot and scoot" tactics and keeping Stalkers at bay while they burn.
• ARC-12 Blitzer: This arc-based shotgun has infinite ammo and provides heavy stagger that can stop nearly any non-heavy bug in its tracks. It is excellent for "bullying" medium enemies like Brood Commanders.
• SG-8 Punisher: A reliable, high-stagger workhorse available early in the game. It can consistently one-tap warriors and push back larger threats to give you breathing room.

Specialized Picks

• SG-8P Punisher Plasma: Functions more like a grenade launcher, offering excellent crowd control and the ability to take out groups of Hive Guards or Bile Spewers from a distance.
• SG-8S Slugger: Best for players who want medium armor penetration and high precision to snipe bug heads at range.
• SG-20 Halt: Useful for its versatility, offering stun rounds that can completely halt the advance of most bugs, including Stalkers.