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In Helldivers 2, armor is categorized into light, medium, and heavy types, each impacting your mobility and defensive capabilities. However, the real game-changer lies in the armor's passive abilities. These perks can dramatically enhance your gameplay, making them crucial for your strategy and survival.
With a diverse array of armor passives available, understanding which ones to prioritize can be the key to success. Before you dive into your next mission, check out our comprehensive tier list to ensure you're equipped with the best armor passives for any situation.
All Armor Passives & What They Do in Helldivers 2
At the time of writing, Helldivers 2 offers 14 unique armor passives, each designed to shape your playstyle, strategy, and effectiveness in combat. Whether you're looking for extra protection or enhanced scouting capabilities, the right passive can make a significant difference.
In Helldivers 2, armor passives are linked to your body armor, while helmets and capes remain standard-issue without additional bonuses. Here's a detailed rundown of all the armor passives and their effects, helping you tailor your loadouts to meet the challenges of any mission.
Armor Passive | Description |
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Acclimated | - 50 percent resistance to acid, electrical, fire, and gas damage. |
Advanced Filtration | - 80 percent resistance to gas damage. |
Democracy Protects | - 50 percent chance of surviving lethal attacks, such as headshots. - Prevents chest injuries, such as internal bleeding. |
Electrical Conduit | - 95 percent resistance to lightning arc damage. |
Engineering Kit | - +2 grenade capacity. - 30 percent recoil reduction when crouching or prone. |
Extra Padding | - +50 armor rating for improved defense. |
Fortified | - 50 percent resistance to explosive damage. - 30 percent recoil reduction when crouching or prone. |
Inflammable | - 75 percent resistance to fire damage. |
Med-Kit | - +2 stim capacity. - +2 seconds additional stim duration. |
Peak Physique | - 100 percent increased melee damage. - Improves weapon handling by reducing weapon movement drag. |
Scout | - 30 percent reduced range at which enemies can detect players. - Map markers generate radar scans to reveal nearby enemies. |
Servo-Assisted | - 30 percent increased throwing range. - 50 percent additional limb health. |
Siege-Ready | - 30 percent increased reload speed of primary weapons. - 30 percent increased ammo capacity of primary weapons. |
Unflinching | - 95 percent reduced recoil flinching. |
Armor Passive Tier List in Helldivers 2
Our armor passive tier list for Helldivers 2 is based on the 1.002.003 game version, ranking each passive according to its overall value, utility, and effectiveness across various missions and enemy types.
Armor Passive | Why? |
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S Tier | Engineering Kit | Extra grenades are a game-changer, allowing you to close bug holes, destroy fabricators and warp ships, and tear through armor with Thermites. The possibilities are endless. |
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Med-Kit | The ability to heal more often is invaluable. When paired with the Experimental Infusion booster, stims can essentially cheat death, making the Med-Kit the top choice for survival. |
Siege-Ready | Recently added, Siege-Ready is one of the best armor passives. The improved ammo count and reload speed allow you to handle large crowds with ease, especially with ammo-hungry weapons. |
A Tier | Democracy Protects | Offers a solid defense boost, particularly in the early game, allowing you to survive lethal damage from all fronts. |
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Extra Padding | Provides a higher armor rating for flat damage resistance across the board, making it a reliable choice. |
Fortified | Highly useful in general, but becomes an S-tier passive when fighting Automatons. It helps you survive rockets from Devastators, Hulks, and Tanks while enhancing weapons like the Machine Gun. |
Servo-Assisted | Particularly effective against Terminids, allowing you to deploy stratagems from a distance without drawing aggro, and toss grenades to close bug holes. It also helps avoid injuries from claw attacks. |
B Tier | Peak Physique | While the reduced drag is useful against mobile enemies like the Illuminate Overseers, melee combat is generally not recommended, and there are better ways to deal with these threats. |
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Inflammable | Ideal for fire-based builds and especially useful on planets with fire tornadoes. It provides significant value when using Flamethrowers and Incendiaries against Terminids and the Illuminate. |
Scout | The radar effect is useful for revealing enemy positions, allowing you to adjust your approach. It would rank higher if it also highlighted points of interest or side objectives. |
C Tier | Acclimated | The three factions in *Helldivers 2* specialize in specific elemental damage types, so you won't encounter all four types—acid, electrical, fire, and gas—in a single mission. |
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Advanced Filtration | Provides zero value if not running a gas build, and even then, the overall benefits are minimal. |
Electrical Conduit | Only worth considering against the Illuminate, and even then, there are better options—unless friendly fire is a concern. |
Unflinching | The reduced camera shakes and damage recoil barely improve combat effectiveness. |