The best grenades in Helldivers 2 ranked

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Finding the best grenade in Helldivers 2 can be a bit of a challenge… there are quite of them to pick, and you only get to bring one type. Thankfully, we’ve put in hours of testing and tried all of them to come with, what we think, are the best of the bunch. So whether you’re on a mission against the Automatons or the Terminids, make sure your loadout includes some of our top picks. Let’s take a look at how they stack up.

Helldivers 2 best grenades tier list

Nearly all types of grenades can be useable in the game. Technically, the K-2 Throwing Knife could slot into the throwables category, but it’s laughably bad. The main point to take away is that if the grenade is able to deal even 1 point of damage, it can close enemy spawners – which instantly makes it more useful.

TierThrowables
SG-12 High Explosive, G-123 Thermite
AG-16 Impact, G-13 Incendiary Impact, G-23 Stun, G-50 Seeker
BG-6 Frag, G-4 Gas, G-10 Incendiary
CNone
DG-3 Smoke
Helldivers 2 best grenades tier list at a glance

Avoid the Smoke grenade at all costs – it simply does not work as it should!

1. G-12 High Explosive (S-tier)

  • Damage: 800
  • Blast radius: 7 meters
  • Fuse time: 3.5 seconds
Helldivers 2 best throwables tier list - G-12 High Explosive Grenade
The High Explosive Grenade is great for destroying fabricators and bug holes. Image captured by VideoGamer
Pros
  • Very high damge
  • Can be effective even against armoured foes
  • You don’t need a Warbond to unlock it
Cons
  • Long fuse time and small radius

The G-12 High Explosive grenade is a brilliant all-rounder, capable of dealing with large groups of enemies or closing bug holes. That’s why it’s first on our list. With a damage score of 400, it’s effective against armoured enemies although be aware of the slightly long 3.5 seconds fuse. The damage radius of 7 meters doesn’t give you the largest kill zone, so we recommend using it against tightly bunched foes. Plus it’s unlocked when you start the game, so it’s win-win.

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2. G-123 Thermite (S-tier)

  • Damage: 2000
  • Damage radius: 3 meters
  • Fuse time: 2.9 seconds
Helldivers 2 best throwables tier list - G-123 Thermite grenade
The Thermite grenade has a long fuse time before it explodes. Image captured by VideoGamer
Pros
  • Sticks to enemies it hits
  • Very high damage, able to take down large foes and tanks with a few throws.
Cons
  • Very low radius makes it inefficient against hordes.

The G-123 Thermite deals damage to enemies it gets stuck to before it explodes, dealing very high damage that can take down even the largest foes. It takes two of them to put a big dent in a Bile Titan, but you can only carry three, so be aware of that. However, the low radius is a bit of a kicker, really limiting its use against swarms of enemies when compared to other throwables in the list.


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3. G-23 Stun (A-tier)

  • Damage: 0
  • Blast radius: 10 meters
  • Fuse time: 1.8 seconds
Helldivers 2 best throwables tier list - G-23 Stun grenade examination screen
The G-23 Stun grenade is great for most situations. Image captured by VideoGamer
Pros
  • Stuns enemies for a few seconds – even big ones
  • Excellent for stratagem setups
Cons
  • Situationally useful if you’re being overwhelmed
  • Doesn’t close spawners

Don’t let the Stun grenade’s ‘0’ damage put you off – it’s easily one of the most effective throwables in Helldivers 2.

Don’t let the zero damage put you off, the G-23 Stun grenade is one of the most effective throwables in the game. Upon detonation, enemies (even elite foes) will be stunned for around two to three seconds, giving you plenty of time to deal heavy damage. Pairing it with the 500 KG bomb is a super satisfying, and deadly, strategy. Simply stun a foe (don’t try to do it to a Bile Titan) and then deploy the bomb. It can also get you out of trouble if you find yourself under heavy fire.

4. G-50 Seeker (A-tier)

  • Damage: 400
  • Blast radius: 7 meters
  • Trait: Medium armor penetrating
Image of the stat screen for the G-50 Seeker grenade in Helldivers 2.
The G-50 Seeker is the perfect grenade if your throwing aim is off. Captured by VideoGamer
Pros
  • Seeks out enemies before exploding
  • Penetrates medium armor
Cons
  • Can be overkill against light enemies

Coming as the only throwable in the Servants of Freedom Warbond, the Seeker is a great addition to any kit. The way it operates is that you throw it and wait for the drone to arm. Then, it will hover along with you and seek out approaching enemies to target and explode. The best part? It deals as much damage as any impact grenade, with the added benefit of piercing through medium armor. That makes it great for stopping most enemies in their tracks and you don’t have to worry about aiming it.

5. G-16 Impact (A-tier)

  • Damage: 400
  • Blast radius: 7 meters
  • Fuse time: 0 seconds
Helldivers 2 best throwables tier list - G-16 Impact grenade
The G-16 Impact Grenade will help you out with its large explosive radius. Image captured by VideoGamer
Pros
  • Explodes immediately on impact
  • High damage
Cons
  • Instant impact can make closing spawners in a hurry a bit finicky
  • Doesn’t give you time to move away on close-range throws

The G-16 Impact grenade from Helldivers Mobilize! Warbond is a decent throwable that, as the name suggests, explodes on impact. This is great for moments when you simply can’t afford to wait for a fuse, but tread with caution, as the blast radius is big enough to put you at risk of serious damage. While the G-12 is incredibly effective at bug holes, the G-16 is a bit hit and miss.

6. G-13 Incendiary Impact (A-tier)

  • Damage: 150
  • Damage radius: 7 meters
  • Fuse time: 0 seconds
Helldivers 2 best throwables tier list - G-13 Incendiary Impact Grenade
The incendiary impact grenade can quickly clear out foes. Image captured by VideoGamer
Pros
  • Instant shower of flame that deals DoT damage
  • Exceptional against Terminids
Cons
  • Isn’t worth it against Automatons
  • Instant impact can easily cause literal friendly fire.

The Incendiary Impact grenade is great to use against Terminids and should be a go-to throwable for missions on Terminid-controlled planets. The grenade explodes instantly and is great for clearing out bug nests, plus there’s a damage over time effect for those caught on fire. It even has the ability to plug bug holes, but not as effectively as the G-12. It’s very effective against light to medium foes, but limited as you start coming up against heavier, armored enemies.

7. G-6 Frag (B tier)

  • Damage: 500
  • Damage radius: 8 meters
  • Fuse time: 2.4 seconds
Helldivers 2 best throwables tier list - G-6 frag grenade
The G-6 Frag grenade is good for dealing with lower-tier enemies. Image captured by VideoGamer
Pros
  • The most basic frag grenade that performs very well in most situations
Cons
  • Outshined by better picks in the same category

The G-6 Frag is one of the basic throwables that you can get early in the game and it’s sort of lost in Helldivers 2. It doesn’t do nearly as much damage as the G-16 or G-12, but a shorter fuse does make it slightly more useable in combat than the former. It’s decent for smaller enemies, and the larger blast radius does give it an edge, but you’re better off with the G-13 as this has damage over time after the initial blast.

8. G-4 Gas (B-tier)

  • Damage: 3
  • Damage radius: 7 meters
  • Fuse time: 2.9 seconds
Image of a stat screen for the Gas grenade in Helldivers 2.
The caustic effect of the grenade debuffs enemies caught in its radius. Captured by VideoGamer
Pros
  • It applies the Caustic debuff that confuses enemies and deals ticking DoT damage
  • Useful for crowd control to help you deal with large groups
Cons
  • The ticking damage is fairly low, so you’ll need to mop up the survivors
  • Other grenades are generally more efective

The G-4 Gas Grenade operates as a payload for the Caustic effect, shared with other gas weapons. It applies a weak damage-over-time effect while adding a debuff that confuses the enemies. You can use this effect to your benefit to pick off foes, and the grenade’s generous radius helps it a lot. It is still only situationally useful, but one team member running them is not a bad idea. In some ways, you can look at it as a weaker version of the Stun grenade, but with the added benefit of dealing some damage.

9. G-10 Incendiary (B-tier)

  • Damage: 300
  • Damage radius: 7 meters
  • Fuse time: 2.9 seconds
Helldivers 2 best throwables tier list - G-10 Incendiary grenade
The G-10 Incendiary grenade burns enemies for a long time. Image captured by VideoGamer
Pros
  • Has decent defensive use against Terminids
  • Buffed damage, but still behind it’s Impact counterpart
Cons
  • The near-3 second fuse doesn’t help its effectiveness
  • Bad against bots

The G-10 Incendiary grenade is just like the G-13, only with a timer. So again, it’s great against weaker foes, and we like the double damage from both the initial explosion and the fire afterwards which has been buffed to last longer. Still, if the G-13 didn’t exist, this would be higher up the charts, but as it stands, if you like fire, the G-13 really is the only serious option – unless you need a certain spot to burn for longer.

✓ Where’s C-tier?

You haven’t read the list wrong – there are no grenades currently in C-tier. But that doesn’t mean that the Smoke grenade moves up by defaut… it is still very firmly D-tier, marking just how far it ranks behind the others.

10. G-3 Smoke (D-tier)

  • Damage: 0
  • Damage radius: 5 meters
  • Fuse time: 2.4 seconds
Helldivers 2 best throwables tier list - G-3 Smoke grenade
The G-3 Smoke grenade is good for creating cover. Image captured by VideoGamer
Pros
  • None!
Cons
  • Doesn’t even do what it was intended for
  • Useless, especially compared to all other grenades

The G-3 Smoke grenade’s main objective is to block the enemy’s line of sight. Sadly, it’s just not very good at it. If you do attempt to use it as a smokescreen, be prepared to get shot to bits, as the smoke just doesn’t seem to stop foes seeing where you are. Instead, you are far better off opting for the Stun grenade, and using this as a last ditch attempt to get some distance between you and attacking foes. It’s so bad that Arrowhead really need to do something about it. In its current state, it’s absolutely useless.

Whatever grenade you choose, make sure your pair with best weapons and stratagems for maximum effect. Just don’t pick the smoke grenade… it really is rubbish.

✓ Where are the knives!?

Though technically a throwable like the grenades, the K-2 Throwing Knives don’t really fit in their own category. Despite the recent buffs, the knives are still regarded as a meme weapon. The grenades’ ability to close down spawners is their major draw, while the ones that can’t have to outshine that with their utility. With that, the Knives simply can’t measure up to the usefulness of other grenades.

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About the Author

Aden Carter

Aden Carter is a guides writer for VideoGamer with a focus on action RPGs and adventure games. When he isn't busy writing, he is spinning tales with his friends at the local game shop.

Helldivers 2

  • Platform(s): PC, PlayStation 5
  • Genre(s): Action, Shooter, Third Person
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