How to get the SG-8S Slugger in Helldivers 2

There’s nothing better than a reliable shotgun by your side when you’re spreading democracy throughout the galaxy. Here’s how to get one of the late-game shotguns, the SG-8S Slugger, in Helldivers 2.

How to unlock SG-8S Slugger in Helldivers 2

The SG-8S Slugger is a variation of the SG-8 Punisher shotgun in Helldivers 2, with the main difference being that it fires slugs. The weapon is available on page eight of the free Helldivers Mobilize! Warbond battle pass, and costs 60 Warbond medals to unlock. It’s a long grind as you need 390 medals to unlock the page in the first place, making for a total of 450 medals worth of helldiving. 

At first glance, the SG-8S Slugger looks like a downgrade to the original SG-8 with seemingly identical stats and even lower damage. But according to players on Reddit, these stats are actually wrong. They pointed out that the SG-8S Slugger has medium armor penetration and higher damage than displayed.

Even with those things considered, the SG-8S Slugger is a situational weapon. Since it fires slugs, this shotgun will require more accuracy and precision when fighting enemies. It also has a slower fire rate compared to other weapons, which is especially a problem when you’re being swarmed by enemies. If you’re looking for a decent primary weapon, I’d still recommend the SG-225 Breaker. It’s automatic, has high damage, and is available very early in the game. You’ll probably be using the Railgun for armor penetration anyway.

If you still want to make use of the SG-8S Slugger, you can pair it with a Support weapon like the Stalwart machine gun. Use the machine gun for lighter enemies, and reserve the shotgun for dealing with tankier enemies like the Bile Spewer or the Crusher.