Weapon Customization (May update): best attachments per gun & recommended unlock order

Turn every trigger pull into a win — how the May update’s attachment system works, what to level first, and the strongest optics/muzzles/underbarrels on the most-used guns (plus faction-specific swaps for Bugs, Bots, and the Illuminate).

What changed in May (and why it matters)

The May 13, 2025 update added full weapon customization and progression to Helldivers 2, letting you level each primary, unlock attachments by weapon level, buy them with Requisition Slips, and save multiple presets you can swap before drop. The patch also rebalanced recoil, spread, and drag across a bunch of guns and made flashlight attachments more effective—small changes that add up once you start tuning.

How leveling, unlocking, and paying for attachments works

• Who can customize? Customization unlocks when you reach Sergeant (player level 10); that’s when the Armory opens attachment slots and camo patterns.
• How to level weapons: Equip the primary you want to progress, complete missions, and the weapon gains XP and levels. Then open the Armory → weapon → press L3 to enter Customization, view the next attachment unlocks, and buy what you’ve earned.
• Currencies: Requisition Slips buy attachments. You earn Slips from objectives and can also loot them at Points of Interest (pods/containers/bunkers). The wiki keeps a running list of where they drop.
• Per‑weapon unlock ladders: Each gun has its own attachment tree and level breakpoints (e.g., foregrips early, muzzle parts mid‑teens, higher-magnification optics in the late teens/20s). The global attachments hub explains the system; always check the Armory for your exact thresholds.

Attachment types, in plain English

• Optics: Reflex/Holo are your fast, low-zoom sights; 2x/1.5x tubes give light magnification without tunnel vision; 4x/10x bring reach for Bots and Illuminate sniping at an ergonomics cost. (Examples: Reflex Sight, 2x Tube Red Dot, 10x Sniper Scope.)
• Underbarrels / Grips & Utilities:
  • Vertical foregrip = maximum vertical recoil control, small ergonomics penalty.
  • Angled foregrip = better ergonomics/handling, but usually worse vertical recoil.
  • Laser/Flashlight combo variants exist; great for target indexing and caves/fog—especially after the flashlight effectiveness buff.
• Muzzles (ballistic weapons):
  • Compensator (verticalrecoil↓), Muzzle Brake (horizontalrecoil↓), Flash Hider (mixed, small recoil cuts, hides muzzle bloom). Shotguns add chokes: Half Choke, Full Choke (tighten spread), and Duckbill (flat horizontal line).
• Energy/laser “magazines”: Some lasers gain heatsink options, trading beam duration vs cooldown (e.g., High Capacity vs High Dissipation).

Ergonomics (ERGO) is the game’s all-in-one “how snappy the gun feels” stat. Sights and grips often shift ERGO up or down; long scopes usually hurt it, while light sights or some grips improve it. (Check your Armory stat card as you attach parts.)

The fast track: recommended unlock order (works for most rifles & shotguns)

1. Sight you like (Reflex/Holo or 1.5x/2x): early unlock on almost all guns, immediate aim clarity.
2. Vertical foregrip: biggest day‑one feel upgrade for recoil; swap to flashlight vertical later if you need cave utility.
3. Muzzle tuned to your gun: Compensator if the weapon climbs; Muzzle Brake if it wobbles sideways; Flash Hider if you want a bit of both. Shotguns: Full Choke for precision or Duckbill for lane-clearing (see faction notes).
4. Magazine/heatsink: drum/extended for swarm control; stick with default if ERGO or reserves take too big a hit. Lasers: pick High Capacity (long beam) or High Dissipation (short, fast-cooling bursts).
5. Higher magnification optics (4x, 10x) for Bots/Illuminate maps with long sightlines.

Best attachments per gun (with faction swaps)

Unlock levels vary slightly by weapon; we cite example ladders for each so you know what to aim for first.

AR‑61 Tenderizer – “heavy hitter AR” (Polar Patriots)

• Core build: Reflex → Vertical Foregrip (Level ~7) → Compensator (Level ~22).
  • Why: You get big per‑shot damage with low recoil already; the comp + vert grip makes it laser‑like while keeping ERGO manageable.
• Automatons: swap to 4x late (Level ~24) for popping Devastator heads; Muzzle Brake if you find lateral sway worse than climb.
• Terminids: keep Reflex and consider default or extended mag if available; you’ll be bursting lots of chaff.
• Illuminate: 2x or Reflex for tracking Overseer heads; stay Comp + Vertical.
  (Attachment levels/stats from AR‑61 Fandom entry.)

BR‑14 Adjudicator – accurate, medium AP rifle

• Core build: Reflex or 2x → Vertical Foregrip (−12 vertical recoil @ L6) → Compensator (big vertical cut @ L22).
• Automatons: 4x (L18) or even 10x (L24) turns it into a pseudo‑DMR; comp keeps sustained headshots steady.
• Terminids: Reflex/Holo, Comp + Vertical; short bursts to avoid overkill on chaff.
• Illuminate: 2x/4x for mid‑range precision; keep Comp.
  (Attachment list and unlocks from BR‑14 page.)

R‑63 Diligence – classic DMR

• Core build: 4x default works, but many prefer 1.5x/Reflex (mid unlocks) + Vertical Foregrip (L7) + Compensator (L21) to make it snappier and reduce vertical climb.
• Automatons: stay 4x, Muzzle Brake if you fight at long range and notice horizontal kick; otherwise Compensator for rapid double‑taps.
• Terminids: drop to Reflex; you’ll rely on clean one‑taps and movement.
• Illuminate: 2x/4x to pick eyes/cores; Comp + Vertical for control.
  (Levels and options per Diligence page.)

R‑63CS Counter‑Sniper – scope monster turned carbine

• Core build: 4x or 2x (swap off the 10x if you’re pushing objectives) + Vertical Foregrip + Compensator.
• Automatons: keep 4x for long lanes; Muzzle Brake if your tracking drifts sideways while sprint‑scoping.
• Terminids & Illuminate: 2x/Reflex for mobility.
  (Attachment set and unlocks on R‑63CS page.)

AR‑23A Liberator Carbine – close‑quarters AR

• Core build: Reflex Mk2 / Holo → Vertical Foregrip (L3) → Compensator (L21).
• Magazine choice: Drum when you expect tight, extended fights (Bugs, caves); Extended or Default for lighter ERGO and better reserve economy on open maps.
• Automatons: add 2x if you must take 75–100 m fights; otherwise Reflex is king.
  (Levels pulled from Carbine attachments table.)

AR‑23P Liberator Penetrator – medium‑AP Liberator

• Core build: 2x/4x (defaults vary) → Vertical Foregrip early → Compensator mid‑20s; Drum is optional—great uptime but hurts ERGO/reserves.
• Automatons/Illuminate: keep 2x/4x for headshots; Penetrator’s medium AP shines here.
• Terminids: reflex sight + default mag is often enough—Penetrator trades raw damage for AP.
  (Role and tuning notes, plus common community attachment picks.)

AR‑23 Liberator (base) – starter’s workhorse

• Core build: Reflex/Holo → Vertical Foregrip → Compensator; consider Extended/Drum only if you’re constantly reloading mid‑pack.
• Automatons: 2x for clean weak‑spot taps beyond 50 m.
• Terminids: stay Reflex, favor Vert + Comp for laser‑straight hip‑to‑ADS control.
  (Attachment grid available on the Liberator wiki entry.)

SMG‑32 Reprimand – two‑handed, medium‑AP SMG

• Core build: Reflex/Holo → Vertical Foregrip (L3, huge vertical cut) → Compensator (L23). This transform it from bucky kicker to controllable beam.
• Automatons: consider 2x for precise semi/burst at mid‑range; otherwise keep low zoom.
• Terminids: pure Reflex, vert + comp; burn through packs with short sprays.
  (Unlocks and big recoil reductions documented on the Reprimand page.)

SG‑225 Breaker – auto shotgun

• Core build: Reflex (or iron) + Vertical Foregrip + muzzle choke to taste:
  • Full Choke = tight pattern → better reach & elite deletion.
  • Duckbill = horizontal “fan” → superior lane control, crowd staggering.
  • Half Choke = middle ground.
• Terminids: Duckbill or Half Choke for sweeping swarms.
• Automatons/Illuminate: often Full Choke to land concentrated weak‑spot shots.
  (Choke types & effects documented on the attachment pages.)

SG‑225IE Breaker Incendiary – burning burst shotgun

• Core build: Like Breaker, but many prefer Full Choke to focus burn stacks on mid‑sized targets; Duckbill is still excellent for hallway control and popping shields.
  (Applies same choke attachments; confirmed Duckbill compatibility.)

LAS‑5 Scythe – beam laser with heatsinks

• Core build: 2x/1.5x/Reflex (your eyesight, your call) + Angled or Laser/Flashlight (no muzzle slot) + heatsink of choice:
  • High Capacity for long burns (more uptime, more cooldown).
  • High Dissipation for short bursts that cool fast.
• Automatons: 2x + High Dissipation lets you “tap laser” Devastator heads again and again.
• Terminids: High Capacity helps scythe through waves before you stow the gun to cool.
  (Scythe’s attachment categories and heatsink behaviors.)

PLAS‑1 Scorcher – explosive plasma rifle

• Core build: 1.5x/Reflex + Vertical Foregrip. (Scorcher’s strength is precise AOE taps; you don’t typically need a muzzle.)
• Automatons: the precision + stagger from explosive bolts is excellent for vents and weak spots—lean on light zoom and control.
  (Attachment options & role summarized from wiki entries.)

Faction‑specific attachment philosophy

Terminids (Bugs): Expect close‑to‑mid fights, lots of lateral dodging, and thick fog/sand on some worlds. Run Reflex/Holo, Vertical Foregrip, and lean into Compensators (ARs/SMGs) or Duckbill/Half Choke (shotguns). A flashlight grip earns its keep in caves and Gloom; it was explicitly buffed in the May patch.

Automatons (Bots): Longer lanes, more weak‑spot head/vent shooting. Favor 2x/4x optics, maintain vertical control (Compensator) or horizontal control (Muzzle Brake) based on your gun’s pattern, and use Vertical grips unless you’re already ultra‑stable. (Many meta picks for Bots emphasize precision rather than pure DPS.)

Illuminate: Shielded, agile targets with punishing ranged pressure. You want fast target acquisition and consistent precision: 2x on ARs/DMRs, Full Choke on shotguns to concentrate pellet damage into eyes/cores, and Compensators on rifles to keep strings tight.

A sample “first week” unlock roadmap

If you’re starting from Level 10 and picking two primaries to main:

1. AR‑61 Tenderizer
   • Day 1 buys: Reflex → Vertical Foregrip.
   • Midweek: Muzzle Brake then Compensator when it unlocks; add 4x later for Bots lanes.
2. SG‑225 Breaker (or Incendiary)
   • Day 1: Reflex + Vertical Foregrip.
   • Midweek: try Duckbill vs Full Choke and stick with the one that matches your squad comp and biome.
3. Bank Requisition Slips from objective chains and POIs so you can immediately purchase the next unlocks when your guns level after ops.

Quick reference: strongest “default” builds (plug‑and‑play)

• Tenderizer: Reflex → Vertical Foregrip → Compensator (4x for Bots).
• Adjudicator: Reflex/2x → Vertical Foregrip → Compensator (10x late for Countersniper duty).
• Diligence: 4x → Vertical Foregrip → Compensator (Reflex for Bugs).
• Reprimand: Reflex → Vertical Foregrip → Compensator (turns it into a controllable killer).
• Breaker: Reflex → Vertical Foregrip → Duckbill (Bugs) / Full Choke (Bots/Illuminate).
• Scythe: 2x → angled or laser/flashlight underbarrel → High Capacity (Bugs) / High Dissipation (Bots).
• Scorcher: 1.5x/Reflex → Vertical Foregrip; play to its precision AOE strengths.

One last tip: build, save, and swap

Because you can save multiple configurations per weapon, it’s worth keeping a “Bugs” and “Bots” preset for your favorites—e.g., AR‑61 Bots loadout with 4x + Brake, and a Bugs version with Reflex + Comp. The patch made these QoL improvements explicit—use them.