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Although it is the first shotgun in the game, the Punisher is a powerful tool. Read on to see how to get and use the SG-8 Punisher in Helldivers 2.
Helldivers 2 is a squad-based co-op shooter, where you embark on missions to liberate and protect planets from alien threats. You can customize your Helldiver, from purely cosmetic appearance and voice lines to more impactful choices, like weapons and armor. You get new gear using Warbonds, and one of the first weapons that you can unlock is the Punisher Shotgun. So, let’s see how to get and use the SG-8 Punisher in Helldivers 2.
How to Get the SG-8 Punisher in Helldivers 2
Punisher is most probably the first shotgun weapon that you come across. You can find it on the first page of Helldivers Mobilize! Warbond and it will cost you four Medals to unlock it.
Punisher has the following stats:
- Damage – 405
- Capacity – 016
- Recoil – 120
- Fire Rate – 80
It also comes with the following Weapon Traits:
- Light Armor Penetrating
- Rounds Reload
How to Use the SG-8 Punisher
To use the SG-8 Punisher, remember to equip it first as your Primary weapon (either in the Armory or on the Loadout menu, before starting a mission). Being a shotgun, Punisher is best used against close targets. From close to medium range, it still deals some pretty good damage, but against targets that are far away, the chances of hitting and doing any significant damage are slim. One of the best traits of the Punisher is that its shots stagger enemies quite a bit, ie, push them back and stun them. This keeps tough enemies at bay, while still dealing a lot of damage to them.
Note that the Rounds Reload Trait allows you to reload the Punisher round by round, ie, it does not use clips, like most of the other weapons. This is great because you can keep your weapon at full without wasting ammo. But, that can become a problem in the middle of a tough fight when fast reloading is the key.
Best Uses for the Punisher
Punisher excels against Terminids, since they mostly run up to you, thus making every fight a close-range one. The Light Armor Penetrating Trait makes it especially useful against Warriors, who can take a lot of punishment before going down but do not have strong armor plates. You only need one close-range shot to the head to kill them with a Punisher. It can also find good use against Spewers since a couple of point-blank shots to the head will deal with them, and for finishing up Chargers, when their armor is removed.
Against The Automatons, the Punisher is not the best choice, since most Automatons have strong armor and tend to fight from a distance. However, it can be useful against Berkserkers, if you aim for the weak spots. And it can be great again Hulks, if you manage to sneak by and approach them from the back, where their weak point (the glowing reactor) is exposed. Just remember that Hulks tend to explode when killed.
We have found that Punisher works best against medium-sized opponents since its slower rate of fire can be a problem against swarms. In that situation, it is best to switch to your sidearm.
For more Helldivers 2 articles, check out When Is the Next Warbond Coming Out, What Are Injuries, How to Unlock and Use the Eagle Strafing Run Stratagem.