The release of the Weapon Customization update in Helldivers 2, has shed light on previously ignored weapons like Liberator Penetrator. Now, players can buff this weapon to their heart’s content before entering the battlefield. In this article, we’ll look at one of the most ideal loadouts, along with each of the upgrades’ stats, and which enemies to take on using the Liberator Penetrator!
Scope
The optics you use for this gun are going to be a personal preference. So, pick whichever you find interesting and suited to your needs. If you’re the kind of guy to play around with the scope zoom, then maybe the iron sight is not for you, as it restricts your vision by magnifying the target and the field of view to a certain degree, even though it offers +11 Ergonomics(check our guide here to understand exactly how Ergonomics works in Helldivers 2). Although, we would suggest unlocking all of these and trying them out, so you can get a feel of what each of these scopes feels like before you come to a conclusion! The stats for each of these optics go as follows:
| Reflex Sight ( Level 4 ) | +6 Ergonomics |
| Holographic Sight | +6 Ergonomics |
| Reflex Sight Mk2 | +6 Ergonomics |
| Iron Sight | +11 Ergonomics |
| 2x Red Tube Dot | +3 Ergonomics |
Underbarrel
You can check the spread and stats for each of the barrels, but it’s safe to say that the Vertical Foregrip, unlocked at Level 3, blows everything else out of the water. This grip enhances the maneuverability of your weapon, and the vertical recoil is below everything else. It has amazing grouping as well, meaning the bullet spread is restricted to a smaller area!
| Laser Sight w/ Flashlight | -5 Ergonomics |
| Vertical Foregrip (Level 3) | -6 Vertical Recoil -5 Ergonomics |
| Angled Foregrip (Level 7) | +6 Vertical Recoil +5 Ergonomics |
| Flashlight Vertical Foregrip (Level 17) | -6 Vertical Recoil -7 Ergonomics |
| Laser Sight Angled Foregrip (Level 22) | +6 Vertical Recoil +3 Ergonomics |
Keep in mind that -6 Vertical Recoil means it reduces the recoil, which is what we want. Whereas -5 ergonomics is a small price to pay for the reduced recoil.
Muzzle
For the muzzle, we suggest using the ‘Flash Hider’. It reduces the size of the muzzle flash when shooting. It groups your shots, and combined with the Vertical Foregrip, it’s a deadly combo!
The Flash Hider, which is unlocked at Level 13, compensates for the -3 Ergo by reducing the Horizontal and Vertical Recoil by 3 as well.
| Muzzle Break | -5 Horizontal Recoil -5 Ergonomics |
| Flash Hider (Level 13) | -3 Horizontal Recoil -3 Vertical Recoil -3 Ergonomics |
| Compensator (Level 21) | -8 Vertical Recoil -5 Ergonomics |
Magazine
We highly suggest using the ‘Drum Magazine’. This is unlocked at Level 24 and is one of the most important parts of this loadout. The Drum Magazine has a very high capacity to offer, but it is quite bulky. Each magazine gives you 60 rounds, addressing a common issue with assault rifles—limited ammo capacity that forces frequent reloads.
| Short Magazine – 30 Rounds ( Level 14 ) | +10 Ergonomics -15 Mag Capacity +4 Spare Magazines – 8 > 12 -1 Second Reload Time |
| Drum Magazine – 60 Rounds (Level 24) | -15 Ergonomics +15 Mag Capacity -2 Spare Mags – 8 > 6 +1 Second Reload Time |
Note that: No matter which magazine you use, you will have 360 rounds anyway.
If you combine this loadout with the Siege-Ready Armor perk, it is a force to be reckoned with. This perk increases the primary weapon’s reserve ammo capacity by 20% and increases the reload speed by 30%!
When To Use The Liberator Penetrator
This loadout is best suited for handling enemies with medium to no armor. It’s pretty good against automatons like Devastators and Scout Striders, and you can also take down some Hulks if you have accurate aim. It can also be used against Warriors and Bile Spewers. This loadout is not ideal for heavy enemies like Chargers or tanks.
Its effective against light enemies where you can take advantage of the faster fire-rate without worrying about the penetrating their armor. It bodes well with Stratagems like Railgun, making it a balanced choice if you’re picking fights against medium-armored threats.
