Summary
InHelldivers 2, players can unlock new weapons, armor, and abilities through a menu called a Warbond. All players have access to the nine-page standard Warbond to begin with and can unlock other Warbonds byspending Super Creditsor their own money.
The Cutting Edge Warbond was the second one released after the game launched in February 2024. Many of its items revolve around the theme of Arc damage, which was underrepresented before the Cutting Edge was released. Many of the items that players can unlock are merely cosmetic since capes, helmets, and other items do not impact gameplay in any way. However, this Warbond also contains new and interesting weapons, armor sets, grenades, and a unique Booster, which can all help keep helldivers alive as they spread democracy.
9LAS-7 Dagger
Energy-Based Sidearm
There are not many secondary weapons inHelldivers 2,so the fact that the Cutting Edge Warbond introduced a new, energy-based sidearm was very exciting. Unfortunately, this gun is not nearly as useful as other secondary weapons in the game.
The best thing about the Dagger is that, as an energy weapon, it essentially has unlimited ammo. This makes it very useful in a pinch when the rest of a helldiver’s weapons are empty. Beyond that, it just is not powerful enough to kill many enemies, which is a problem since players will likely only switch to it in dire situations where they are out of ammo.
8Ex-16 Prototype 16
Green Medium Armor That Protects From Arc Damage
This armor set is a green version of a different armor that players can unlock on the first page of the Cutting Edge Warbond. With the standard set ofMedium Armor stats— 100 Armor Rating, 500 Speed, and 100 Stamina Regen — it is as good as any other Medium Armor for protecting the player wearing it against most threats. It shines in missions where players use arc damage since its passive ability is to protect the wearer from 95% of incoming arc damage.
The main thing that sets this armor apart is that it is green, which is relatively uncommon. Completionist players and those who like to customize their looks will want to get this armor once they have unlocked Page 2.
7EX-03 Prototype 3 Armor
Protect Yourself From Arc Damage As Soon As Possible
TheEX-03 Prototype 3armor is the first armor set that players can unlock with the Electrical Conduit passive ability. This passive protects its wearer from 95% of all incoming arc damage, effectively removing the risk of dying byfriendly fire damagefrom Tesla Throwers, Tesla Towers, and other arc weapons.
It is a cheap armor to unlock, which makes it easy to get once players have paid for the Cutting Edge Warbond. They can get their hands on this almost immediately and then go on missions without needing to worry about their squadmates' arc weapons.
6Arc-12 Blitzer
Inconsistent But Powerful Shotgun
Like many other items in the Cutting Edge Warbond, this shotgun is centered around arc damage. It is a shotgun that fires small bolts of lightning in a cone in front of the player. Unlike the Tesla Thrower, the range is much more limited, which is especially disappointing since shotguns need a wide spread to hit extra targets.
Despite this drawback, theArc-12 Blitzeris still a very powerful weapon. If each of the lightning bolts hits a single target, this shotgun can kill Brood Commanders with a single shot. Its power can offset the downsides for some players, although others will want to stick with the Breaker or Scorcher.
5Ex-00 Prototype X
Light Armor That Protects From Arc Damage
TheEx-00 Prototype Xis the only light armor in the Cutting Edge Warbond. Light armor is great for players who like to maximize their mobility since it grants extra speed and faster stamina regeneration. Like the other Cutting Edge armors, it has the Electrical Conduit passive ability, which protects players from nearly all incoming arc damage.
This armor is great for players that prefer light armor and also using Tesla Towers and other electric weapons. It also looks great, which makes it a good choice for players that want to test out a new look for their helldivers.
4SG-8P Punisher Plasma
Primary Weapon With Area Of Effect Attacks
TheSG-8P Punisher Plasmais a powerful primary weapon. It fires explosive rounds that can pierce medium armor, which makes it effective against all but the most powerful enemies.
What sets this Plamsa Shotgun variant apart from the others is that its projectiles are lobbed similar to the way a grenade launcher fires its rounds. This means that players need to adjust the way they aim to account for gravity. It also means that the Punisher Plasma deals damage to all enemies within a small radius of its attacks, so this is a good choice for crowd control.
3G-23 Stun Grenade
Stun Clusters Of Enemies
TheG-23 Stun Grenadedoes exactly what its name suggests. Enemies in the blast radius of this grenade do not die or get set on fire, but rather stop moving and attacking for a few seconds. While it can’t take out a small swarm of enemies in a single blast, this grenade is very useful in a surprising number of situations.
Players can use these grenades to stun enemies in order to soften up a fortified location, make a retreat significantly easier, or even stop Hulks from moving so that the weak spots on their back are easy to hit. As long as playersbring Orbital Strategemsor Support Weapons that can take out Bug Holes, this grenade is a great choice for a helldiver’s loadout.
2Localization Confusion Booster
Booster For Encountering Fewer Enemies
TheLocalization Boosteris one of the best additions to players' arsenals in the Cutting Edge Warbond. It reduces the amount of random enemies that players will face by increasing the time between enemy encounters. This means that there are fewerBug Breaches and Dropshipsthroughout the entire mission, which helps players focus on objectives without having the mission get derailed by swarms of enemies in random places around the map.
Having this booster equipped is essential for missions where players need to traverse large portions of the map, such as Launch ICBM and Blitz missions.
1Las-16 Sickle
Energy-Based Assault Rifle
TheLAS-16 Sickleis an assault rifle that essentially comes with unlimited ammo because energy weapons inHelldivers 2are based on heat instead of bullets. As long as players don’t let the gun overheat, they will never have to reload. Since it comes with up to seven heat sinks, even when overheating, this gun does not slow players down for long. Energy weapons also do not ricochet off of armored enemies, so they do not pose a threat to random friendly fire like traditional guns.
Beyond the perks of being an energy weapon, this assault rifle is great because it packs a punch. It deals around 690 damage per second, which puts it above many of the primary weapons in the game. This is the gun for players looking to test out new weapons and experiment with their loadouts.
