Facing an army of bugs? Try a supersized bug-zapper. The Arc Thrower is a tricky weapon to use correctly, which explains why it’s not the most popular weapon in Helldivers 2. Electricity is a notoriously fickle ally, and it’s as easy to electrocute your fellow soldiers as it is to shock the bugs and bots who threaten Super Earth. With definite pros and cons, the Arc Thrower is a niche weapon that many dismiss as too difficult. Learn to how wield this lightning gun effectively, however, and it’s shocking how effective it can be. Here’s how to get and use the Arc Thrower in Helldivers 2.
How To Get and Use the Arc Thrower in Helldivers 2
The first step to using an Arc Thrower in Helldivers 2 is unlocking it so that you can add it to your loadout. The requirements to do so are straightforward, although they do require a bit of work. You’ll need another weapon to deal with bug holes and some mission objectives, but the Arc Thrower is otherwise a formidable weapon. Here’s what you need to do to unlock it:
- Reach Level 15
- Interact with a Ship Management Terminal
- Navigate to the Stratagems tab
- Find the Arc-3 Arc Thrower in the Engineering Bay
- Spend 7,000 Requisition Slips to purchase the Arc Thrower
Before learning how to use the Arc Thrower against your enemies, you need to know how to avoid killing your friends with it. If you’ve ever used Chain Lightning in D&D, you already know the biggest drawback of this weapon. The electricity it fires will arc from your target to other nearby bodies. That’s great for clearing out multiple enemies with a single shot, but if your allies get too close, it’ll fry them too. To use the Arc Thrower effectively, stay aware of your teammates’ positions and relocate if necessary. After all, this support weapon isn’t very supportive if it keeps getting everyone killed.
Arc Thrower Usage and Tactics
The Arc Thrower has unlimited ammo, but that doesn’t mean you should fire carelessly. The Arc Thrower requires a moment to charge, making it ill-suited if the enemy is already on top of you. Instead, use it as a mid-range tool to clear smaller enemies. Although it’s capable of taking down large enemies like Bile Titans, it’s far less efficient than other options. Use Stratagems to deal with large foes, reserving the Arc Thrower to keep mobs of lesser bugs from amassing. You can charge your Arc Thrower for maximum lethality, but quick, well-timed squeezes create a rapid-fire effect that can be just as deadly.
Helldivers 2 is available for PC and PlayStation 5.
