23 Tips and Tricks to Getting More XP in Helldivers 2

In the vast and unforgiving universe of Helldivers 2, every aspiring hero seeks to stand out, not just for glory, but for the survival of Super Earth. As you embark on this perilous journey, brimming with hostile extraterrestrial threats, one question remains paramount: how can you maximize your efficiency and ascend through the ranks swiftly? Fear not, for we've scoured the cosmos to bring you a comprehensive guide that illuminates the path to rapid progression. From the strategic deployment of stratagems to mastering the art of teamwork, these tips and tricks are your arsenal in the relentless battle for democracy and freedom.

1. Complete All Objectives: It’s tempting to call in the shuttle right after nailing the main objective, but hold your horses! The map is peppered with additional objectives that can significantly boost your XP, medals, samples, and credits. Taking the time to explore and complete these can make a huge difference in your rewards​​.

2. Main Objective First, But Don’t Rush: While it’s crucial to prioritize the main objective to ensure mission success, rushing to exit post-completion could mean missing out on valuable XP and rewards. Balance is key: secure the main objective, then use the remaining time wisely to sweep the area for additional tasks​​.

3. Manage Your Ammo Wisely: Helldivers 2 departs from the conventional shooter mechanic by introducing a magazine ammo system. Reloading prematurely wastes precious bullets, as unused ammo in the magazine is discarded. This demands a tactical approach to reloading and conserving ammo, especially since resupply stratagems should be shared equally among squad members​​.

4. Adjust Your Weaponry: The game allows you to modify your weapon's rate of fire based on the situation. Slow it down for precision against a swarm or ramp it up against formidable foes to maximize damage. Similarly, toggling between firing modes and zoom levels on rifles can drastically improve your effectiveness at various ranges​​.

5. Target Weak Spots: Larger enemies, like the Bile Titan, boast armor that can deflect your attacks. Utilizing weapons with high penetration, such as railguns, allows you to expose and target these creatures' weak spots, dealing substantial damage and conserving ammo in the process. This tactic is invaluable as you face tougher opponents​​.

6. Strategic Stratagem Use: The game's stratagems offer powerful support options, from airstrikes to ammo drops. Use them judiciously, as they can turn the tide of battle. Coordinate with your team to cover various needs, avoiding overlaps that could waste these precious resources​​.

7. Team Synergy is Key: Helldivers 2 emphasizes cooperative play. Building a squad with complementary loadouts enhances your effectiveness in missions. Communication and coordination allow for more strategic plays, leading to successful missions and higher XP gains​​.

8. Utilize Terrain to Your Advantage: Every map in Helldivers 2 comes with its unique terrain features. Use these strategically to funnel enemies into chokepoints or to take cover, reducing your exposure to enemy fire and making your attacks more efficient​​.

9. Master Dodge and Cover Mechanics: Agility can be as crucial as firepower. Mastering the dodge roll and utilizing cover effectively can save you from many deaths, keeping your XP multiplier from resetting. Remember, survival is paramount to maximizing XP​​.

10. Experiment with Different Classes and Loadouts: Each class and loadout offers unique strengths that can be leveraged in different mission types. Experimenting with various combinations can not only make the game more enjoyable but also reveal more effective ways to complete missions and earn XP​​.

11. Participate in Community Events: Arrowhead Game Studios occasionally runs events that offer bonus XP and unique rewards. Staying active in the community and participating in these events can provide a significant boost to your XP earnings​​.

12. Replay Higher Difficulty Missions: As you become more skilled, revisiting missions on a higher difficulty can offer much better XP rewards. These missions are riskier, but the payoff in terms of XP and satisfaction is often worth the challenge​​.

13. Focus on Efficiency Over Speed: While completing missions quickly can be beneficial, focusing on efficiency—completing all objectives without dying—often results in higher XP gains. Take your time to plan and execute missions flawlessly​​.

14. Learn Enemy Patterns and Weaknesses: Each enemy type has specific patterns and weaknesses. Learning these not only allows you to dispatch foes more effectively but also reduces the risk of taking damage, preserving your XP multiplier​​.

15. Invest in Upgrades Wisely: Upgrading your equipment can greatly enhance your effectiveness in missions. Choose upgrades that complement your playstyle and fill gaps in your team's capabilities. A well-placed upgrade can be the difference between failure and victory​​.

16. Use the Environment to Your Advantage: Some environmental features can be used to deal with enemies, such as explosive barrels or strategically placed turrets. Use these to thin out enemy ranks without expending your own resources​​.

17. Practice Makes Perfect: Familiarity with mission types, objectives, and enemy behaviors will greatly enhance your efficiency. Spend time practicing on various maps to reduce the time taken to complete objectives, thus improving your XP rate​​.

18. Help New Players: Assisting newcomers not only fosters a positive community but can also be rewarding in terms of XP, especially if you guide them through difficult missions successfully. Sharing your knowledge can lead to more successful missions and, consequently, higher XP gains​​.

19. Regular Play and Patience: Finally, like many aspects of gaming, regular play and patience play a crucial role in leveling up. The more you play, the better you become, and the more XP you'll accumulate. Set yourself challenges, and don't be discouraged by setbacks​​.

20. Play on Higher Difficulties: The game's difficulty levels are designed to scale with the XP rewards they offer. Starting from Trivial and moving up to Helldiver, each notch up in difficulty presents a chance to earn significantly more XP. It's a risk-reward scenario where playing at Hard or above can yield much better XP gains compared to lower difficulties. Completing operations on one difficulty level unlocks the next, gradually upping the challenge and rewards​​.

21. Complete Side Objectives and Extractions: In addition to the main missions, completing side objectives like destroying Automaton Factories and Bug Nests contributes to your total XP. These activities not only offer XP but also grant Requisition Slips, useful for purchasing new Stratagems. Don't forget to extract after mission completion for an extra XP boost, as every little bit contributes to your progress​​.

22. Target Quicker Missions for Farming: Focus on missions that promise quick completion, such as those requiring you to eliminate hordes of enemies or destroy specific targets. These missions are not only quicker to complete but also offer an XP bonus based on the time remaining upon extraction. If you're working with a squad, spreading out to tackle destruction missions can expedite your efforts, especially on higher difficulty levels for even greater XP rewards​​.

23. Leverage Robot Survival Missions: A highly effective, albeit possibly temporary, method involves exploiting the AI's pathfinding in robot survival missions. Positioning yourself strategically (e.g., at the top of a hill) where AI struggles to reach can allow for easy farming of XP and medals without firing a shot. Deploying mortars, orbital lasers, and rifle turrets can decimate enemy ranks, offering substantial rewards in a short time frame. However, this method may be patched in future updates, so it's wise to take advantage while it lasts​​.

Incorporating these strategies into your gameplay will not only improve your efficiency in Helldivers 2 but also make the experience more rewarding as you level up and unlock new capabilities. Whether you're focusing on team coordination, mastering weapons, or optimizing your approach to objectives, each tip brings you closer to becoming a formidable Helldiver.