The 4‑Booster stacks that win missions—tailored for Automatons, Terminids, and Illuminate—plus the smartest solo picks for public lobbies.
Read this first: how boosters actually work (and why teams keep losing value)
Boosters are squad‑wide buffs you equip in the stratagem loadout screen. Each Helldiver equips one booster; its effect applies to the entire squad. If someone else in your team equips the same booster, it does not stack, and you usually can’t pick a duplicate—so the best lobby is four unique, complementary boosters. New Warbonds regularly add more, but the rule stays the same: one per Diver, effects are global, duplicates don’t stack.
A quick, current list of what these boosters do (and the ones people argue about) is below; exact values and descriptions come from Arrowhead’s community documentation and up‑to‑date fan references:
- Stamina Enhancement – ~30% more sprint duration, ~23% faster regen. Mobility is king.
- Experimental Infusion – Stims also give a brief movespeed and damage‑reduction buff (with some visual sway). Great “oh‑no” button.
- Hellpod Space Optimization (HSO) – You drop (and respawn) fully stocked on ammo, grenades, and stims.
- Vitality Enhancement – Reduces damage taken and lowers limb‑injury chance (torso can still hemorrhage).
- Localization Confusion – Increases the cooldown between unscripted Bug Breaches/Bot Drops (i.e., fewer surprise adds).
- Motivational Shocks – Negates “slow” from hostile effects (like Terminid bile). Does not fix EMS/broken legs.
- UAV Recon Booster – ~50% larger radar; better POI and ping reach (stacks with Scout/Nuclear Radar).
- Muscle Enhancement – Less slowdown from mud, snow, slopes, storms, and Hunter slows.
- Increased Reinforcement Budget – +1 reinforce per Helldiver (max +4 for the team).
- Flexible Reinforcement Budget – Reinforce timer shortens after you hit 0 lives.
- Expert Extraction Pilot – Extraction shuttle arrives ~15% faster.
- Armed Resupply Pods – Every resupply pod doubles as an auto‑turret until destroyed/ammo‑starved.
- Firebomb Hellpods / Stun Pods – Your hellpods explode with fire or a brief stun field on impact (friendlies included). Niche and spicy.
- Sample Extricator / Sample Scanner – Better sample drops and a chance to double pickups; tailor‑made for farming.
Meta snapshot: As of late August 2025, broad community and tier‑list consensus pushes Stamina, Experimental Infusion, HSO, and Vitality into the “always good” bucket; Motivational Shocks is notably better vs Terminids; Localization Confusion shines vs Automatons (and bugs), but not vs Illuminate; and Armed Resupply Pods is excellent for static defenses.
Some boosters (e.g., Localization Confusion) only affect bugs/bots (unscripted breaches/drops) and do not apply to Illuminate—plan stacks accordingly.
Rule of four: Coordinate so you cover four different boosters. If comms are bad, follow the fallback lists under “Solo Picks for Pubs.”
Faction & Mission‑Type Top 4‑Booster Stacks
Below, each faction gets tuned stacks for the main mission archetypes you actually see: Objective Rush (black boxes, uplinks, terminals, sabotage), Defense/Extraction (drills, launch sites, evac‑holds), Eradicate/Search & Destroy, Boss/Heavy Hunts, plus specialty notes. For each, you’ll get the 4‑stack, why it works, and quick swaps if a teammate already locked a slot.
Terminids (Bugs)
Context & quirks: Acid slows, swarming melee, big beasties (Chargers/Bile Titans). Motivational Shocks specifically counters bug “slow,” and Localization Confusion reduces unscripted breaches (but can’t touch scripted spawns). On Hive Worlds (arriving Sept. 2, 2025), stratagems often don’t work underground, which makes raw mobility/sustain boosters even more valuable. Bring flashlights—and legs.
1) Objective Rush (speedrun the map)
Stack: Stamina Enhancement • Experimental Infusion • Hellpod Space Optimization • Motivational Shocks
Why: You’ll sprint more, stim into DR/speed during clutch moments, never waste time resupplying off drop, and ignore bile slows. If someone dies far away, HSO makes a reinforcement a pseudo‑resupply, saving a call‑down under heat.
If taken: If Stamina is gone, slot Vitality; if Infusion is gone, take Muscle for terrain snags.
2) Defense / Extraction (drills, evac holds)
Stack: Localization Confusion • Vitality Enhancement • Armed Resupply Pods • Stamina Enhancement
Why: Fewer unscripted breaches translates to less spike pressure on your hold. Vitality reduces chip and limb breaks during attrition. Resupply turrets give hands‑free crowd control while you manage objectives. Stamina is still map control.
If taken: Swap Stamina → HSO for better sustain between resupplies; consider Expert Extraction Pilot if your team habitually calls the Pelican late.
3) Eradicate / Search & Destroy
Stack: Stamina Enhancement • Vitality Enhancement • Experimental Infusion • Hellpod Space Optimization
Why: Roam faster, live longer, use stims as mini‑ultimates, and stay topped on consumables. It’s the most forgiving bug‑farming four‑stack for mixed‑skill lobbies.
If taken: Consider Muscle Enhancement on snowy/muddy biomes to keep your tempo.
4) Boss/Heavy Hunts (Chargers, Bile Titans)
Stack: Stamina Enhancement • Experimental Infusion • Vitality Enhancement • Motivational Shocks
Why: Kiting windows and repositioning matter more than anything; Shocks removes the bug slow that gets you killed, Infusion gives emergency DR/speed, and Vitality covers chip while you reload heavies.
If taken: If Shocks is claimed, grab HSO for instant top‑offs on wipes.
5) Hive Worlds (Underground, limited stratagems)
Stack: Stamina Enhancement • Experimental Infusion • Vitality Enhancement • Hellpod Space Optimization
Why: With stratagems frequently offline below ground, raw movement and sustain boosters are the power budget that never gets jammed. If navigating pitch‑black sections or massive caverns, UAV Recon is a workable swap to widen detection and POIs, but prioritize survivability first.
Solo Picks for Pubs (Terminids):
Priority if free: Stamina → HSO → Motivational Shocks → Experimental Infusion → Vitality (in that order). If Stamina/HSO are taken, bringing Shocks is often the most “team‑unique” swing pick on bugs.
Automatons (Bots)
Context & quirks: Gunfire and explosives, frequent drop pods, turret lines, tanks/Striders. Localization Confusion is money here—it reduces unscripted bot drops—and Armed Resupply Pods set up static defense that bots happily run into.
1) Objective Rush
Stack: Localization Confusion • Stamina Enhancement • Experimental Infusion • Hellpod Space Optimization
Why: Fewer surprise drops while you sprint routes; Infusion bails you out of crossfires; HSO means you can push through without diverting to resupply boxes.
If taken: If HSO is gone, Vitality is the safe replacement versus gunlines.
2) Defense / Extraction
Stack: Armed Resupply Pods • Localization Confusion • Vitality Enhancement • Hellpod Space Optimization
Why: Your resupplies become anchor turrets that shoot forever until destroyed; fewer unscripted drops cut angle overload; Vitality keeps limbs intact during suppressive fire; HSO makes every reinforcement a “free box.”
If taken: If HSO is claimed, add Stamina for faster rotates around the hold.
3) Eradicate / Search & Destroy
Stack: Stamina Enhancement • Vitality Enhancement • Localization Confusion • Hellpod Space Optimization
Why: Fast clears need fewer unscripted pods, and this blend keeps the squad moving and sustained while you chain fights.
If taken: Swap HSO → Experimental Infusion to spike survivability during pushes.
4) Boss/Heavy Hunts (Factory Strider/Tanks)
Stack: Localization Confusion • Experimental Infusion • Vitality Enhancement • Hellpod Space Optimization
Why: You’ll spend time setting up shots and fixing angles; cutting unscripted pods is huge. Infusion provides DR/speed when you commit to a weak point; Vitality stops chip death; HSO removes supply downtime between runs.
If taken: UAV Recon is a valid swap here to spot patrols and POIs early.
Solo Picks for Pubs (Automatons):
Priority if free: Localization Confusion → HSO → Stamina → Vitality → Experimental Infusion. This order maximizes unique team value in randoms and reduces the most common failure—getting overwhelmed by extra drop waves.
Illuminate (Squids)
Context & quirks: Teleports, shields, beam spam, and chaos angles. There are no “bot drops” or “bug breaches,” so Localization Confusion doesn’t help here. Lean harder into movement and sustain; Armed Resupply Pods can still build a defensive pocket for objectives. (Recent weapon lists and guides treat Illuminate as a distinct faction in the current cycle, so plan around them accordingly.)
1) Objective Rush
Stack: Stamina Enhancement • Experimental Infusion • Hellpod Space Optimization • Vitality Enhancement
Why: Movement, stim‑powered DR/speed, full kits off drop, and injury resistance—four universally strong picks without wasting a slot on LC (ineffective here).
If taken: Swap Vitality → UAV Recon if you value long‑range radar for route planning.
2) Defense / Extraction
Stack: Armed Resupply Pods • Stamina Enhancement • Vitality Enhancement • Hellpod Space Optimization
Why: Illuminate push angles from every direction; a ring of resupply turrets thins adds while you juggle objectives. Stamina keeps rotations crisp, Vitality blunts chip, and HSO reduces downtime.
If taken: Experimental Infusion is your best alternate for burst survivability.
3) Eradicate / Search & Destroy
Stack: Stamina Enhancement • Experimental Infusion • Vitality Enhancement • Hellpod Space Optimization
Why: A “clean default” that covers mobility, burst DR, sustain, and ammo/grenades. It’s forgiving for mixed‑skill squads fighting teleporters and beam lines.
If taken: UAV Recon is a map‑sense upgrade swap if someone already has HSO.
4) Boss/Heavy Hunts
Stack: Stamina Enhancement • Experimental Infusion • Vitality Enhancement • UAV Recon Booster
Why: You’ll kite, dodge teleports, and peek for damage windows. Stamina + Infusion keep you alive; Vitality handles chip; UAV helps avoid patrols and locate POIs in sprawling biomes.
Solo Picks for Pubs (Illuminate):
Priority if free: Stamina → HSO → Experimental Infusion → Vitality. If those are taken, UAV is the “still useful” fifth pick; avoid LC here—it’s not for squids.
Specialty stacks (use when the mission demands it)
- Sample/Resource Farming (any faction):
Sample Extricator • Sample Scanner • Stamina Enhancement • Hellpod Space Optimization.
The first two juice your haul; the latter two reduce time spent jogging and resupplying. Swap Vitality in for HSO if your squad is bleeding out. - Speed‑clear / Time‑pressure ops (tight timers, lots of running):
Dead Sprint • Stamina Enhancement • Experimental Infusion • Hellpod Space Optimization.
Dead Sprint is risky (health drain), but works if your squad understands it. If not, replace with Vitality. - High‑threat Extracts (habitual wipe during evac):
Expert Extraction Pilot • Stamina Enhancement • Experimental Infusion • Vitality Enhancement—or sub Armed Resupply Pods if you set a turreted perimeter. - Hazard‑heavy biomes (blizzards, sandstorms, deep snow/mud):
Muscle Enhancement • Stamina Enhancement • Experimental Infusion • Vitality Enhancement.
Muscle counters terrain and weather slow (plus Hunter slows), keeping routes on‑time. - “Spicy drops” meme comps (know the risks):
Firebomb Hellpods • Stun Pods • Stamina Enhancement • Vitality Enhancement.
These are fun and occasionally clutch on hot re‑entries, but they can kill your team. Communicate before equipping.
The 10‑second “Pubs Priority” checklist
When you load into a random lobby and see other people’s picks:
- Grab Stamina if it’s free. If not…
- Grab HSO. If not…
- Grab Experimental Infusion. If not…
- Grab Vitality.
- Faction tweak: if Terminids, pick Motivational Shocks next; if Automatons, pick Localization Confusion next; if Illuminate, pick UAV next. (LC does nothing for Illuminate.)
This keeps your lobby at (or near) the high‑value four without needing voice comms.
Why these stacks win (the logic)
- Mobility wins missions. Stamina and Infusion let you decide when to fight and when to leave, which prevents wipes. Multiple current tier lists place them at or near the top for general play, and the logic holds across all three factions.
- HSO squeezes extra economy out of wipes. Every reinforcement becomes a “free box.” In mixed‑skill lobbies where wipes happen, that’s enormous.
- Faction‑specific counters matter. Motivational Shocks (bugs) and Localization Confusion (bots/bugs) remove a surprising amount of random spike pressure that causes most failures, but LC is wasted vs Illuminate.
- Static holds need static damage. Armed Resupply Pods quietly add a turret grid to every defense mission. It’s one of the best “hands‑free” crowd tools on the booster list.
- New mission rules reward raw stats. With Hive Worlds bringing long cave sections where stratagems won’t reach, your non‑stratagem power budget (mobility, DR, HP, ammo/stims) does more work than ever.
TL;DR Master List (by Faction & Mission)
Terminids
- Objective Rush: Stamina • Infusion • HSO • Motivational Shocks
- Defense/Extraction: Localization Confusion • Vitality • Armed Resupply Pods • Stamina
- Eradicate/S&D: Stamina • Vitality • Infusion • HSO
- Boss Hunts: Stamina • Infusion • Vitality • Motivational Shocks
- Hive Worlds (Underground): Stamina • Infusion • Vitality • HSO
Automatons
- Objective Rush: Localization Confusion • Stamina • Infusion • HSO
- Defense/Extraction: Armed Resupply Pods • Localization Confusion • Vitality • HSO
- Eradicate/S&D: Stamina • Vitality • Localization Confusion • HSO
- Boss Hunts: Localization Confusion • Infusion • Vitality • HSO
Illuminate
- Objective Rush: Stamina • Infusion • HSO • Vitality
- Defense/Extraction: Armed Resupply Pods • Stamina • Vitality • HSO
- Eradicate/S&D: Stamina • Infusion • Vitality • HSO
- Boss Hunts: Stamina • Infusion • Vitality • UAV
Specialty
- Sample/Resource: Sample Extricator • Sample Scanner • Stamina • HSO
Final advice
Get four unique boosters every mission. If your team can’t coordinate, follow the pubs priority list and you’ll still land on a high‑value four most of the time. When in doubt, Stamina + Infusion + HSO + Vitality is the most universally strong baseline, then swap in faction‑specific counters (Shocks vs bugs, LC vs bots) and mission‑specific tech (Armed Pods for holds, UAV for recon). That’s how you stop throwing objectives to “one more drop wave.”
Managed Democracy loves a well‑oiled four‑stack.
