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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →The Arc Thrower is a support weapon in Helldivers 2. The reliable details available here are specific historical changes—not a current, complete stat sheet: Arrowhead standardized its charge to one second, reduced its listed distance from 50 m to 35 m, and increased its stagger force in patch 01.000.200. Later, Arrowhead listed inconsistent Arc weapon behavior and occasional misfires as a known issue; whether that issue has since been resolved is not established.
What the Arc Thrower is—and what this guide can verify
The Arc Thrower is an in-game support weapon, identified as the ARC-3 Arc Thrower in the community-maintained Helldivers Wiki. It is not a substantiated physical product. The available official notes confirm selected changes to its charge, distance, and stagger, but do not establish current damage, armor penetration, chain behavior, enemy-specific performance, or a recommended loadout.
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That distinction matters: patch notes record changes on particular dates. They should not be treated as a complete description of how the weapon performs in the current game.
Changes documented in patch 01.000.200
Arrowhead Game Studios published patch 01.000.200 on May 2, 2024. Its notes documented these Arc Thrower changes:
#1 Best Overall
- BECOME A LEGEND - You will be assembled into squads of up to four Helldivers and assigned strategic missions. Watch each other’s back – friendly fire is an unfortunate certainty of war, but victory without teamwork is impossible.
- LOADOUTS - Rain down freedom from above, sneak through enemy territory, or grit your teeth and charge head-first into the jaws of combat. How you deliver liberty is your choice; you’ll have access to a wide array of explosive firepower, life-saving armour and battle-changing stratagems… the jewel in every Helldiver’s arsenal.
- REQUISITION - Super Earth recognises your hard work with valuable Requisition. Use it to access different rewards that benefit you, your squad, your destroyer ship and our overall war effort.
- THREATS - Everything on every planet wants you dead. That’s what we’re dealing with. Each enemy has distinct and unpredictable characteristics, tactics, and behaviour – but they all fight ferociously and without fear or morality.
- Charge: Arrowhead said it fixed charging inconsistencies so the weapon would “always take 1s to charge a shot.”
- Distance: The listed distance was reduced from 50 m to 35 m.
- Stagger: Stagger force was increased.
These are the changes the patch notes state, not independently measured gameplay results. In particular, the 35 m figure describes the documented reduction; it is not, on its own, confirmation of the weapon’s current range in every situation or build.
Known Arc weapon issue in later notes
Arrowhead’s patch 01.000.400 notes, published September 24, 2026, listed a known issue: “Arc weapons sometimes behave inconsistently and sometimes misfire.” The notice refers to Arc weapons generally, not only the Arc Thrower. The sources cited here do not verify whether the issue remains in the current build or has been fixed.
Rank #2
- BECOME A LEGEND - You will be assembled into squads of up to four Helldivers and assigned strategic missions. Watch each other’s back – friendly fire is an unfortunate certainty of war, but victory without teamwork is impossible.
- LOADOUTS - Rain down freedom from above, sneak through enemy territory, or grit your teeth and charge head-first into the jaws of combat. How you deliver liberty is your choice; you’ll have access to a wide array of explosive firepower, life-saving armour and battle-changing stratagems… the jewel in every Helldiver’s arsenal.
- REQUISITION - Super Earth recognises your hard work with valuable Requisition. Use it to access different rewards that benefit you, your squad, your destroyer ship and our overall war effort.
- THREATS - Everything on every planet wants you dead. That’s what we’re dealing with. Each enemy has distinct and unpredictable characteristics, tactics, and behaviour – but they all fight ferociously and without fear or morality.
What not to assume about stats or loadouts
The cited official notes do not provide a current full stat sheet. They do not establish the Arc Thrower’s current damage, armor penetration, precise chain behavior, best enemy matchups, or an optimal build. Nor do they support a sourced comparison with another support weapon. Treat specific claims about those details as unverified unless backed by current, relevant evidence.
If you are comparing weapons for a particular mission, useful questions include range, charge rhythm, crowd control, and heavy-target capability. The patch-note facts above address only some of those dimensions, so they are not enough to rank options or prescribe a universal loadout.
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Sources
- Arrowhead Game Studios, patch 01.000.200 and patch 01.000.400 notes (May 2, 2024, and September 24, 2026).
- Helldivers Wiki, “ARC-3 Arc Thrower”, used for the weapon’s in-game identity, not as an authoritative current stat sheet.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
