Chemical Agents in Helldivers 2 is arguably the most unique Warbond in the game so far. Apart from being almost completely based around dealing and resisting Gas damage, it's also the first Warbond in the game to not have a primary weapon, which may be a dealbreaker for some.
The list of Warbonds in Helldivers 2 is getting longer as the game develops, and as it does, players may find themselves wondering which ones to get first. The following is an analysis of the Chemical Agents Warbond, including insights into its most important individual pieces, to help newer players decide if it's worth unlocking.
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How Good Is The Chemical Agents Warbond In Helldivers 2?'
Simply put: it's alright, but players will want to temper their expectations. The Chemical Agents Warbond focuses heavily on crowd control, featuring a reworked Gas effect that traded damage for the ability to blind and confuse affected targets. Its main standouts are the Sterilizer support weapon, the P-11 Stim Pistol, handheld Gas Grenades, and the Dog Breath Rover, which comes equipped with a Sterilizer gas thrower.
Players who expect to deal tons of damage won't find any of that here. The Sterilizer, Gas Grenades, and Gas Rover all do low damage, while the Stim Pistol is completely useless against enemies. These aren't necessarily the best weapons to use in Helldivers 2, but the crowd control effect from Gas damage can be extremely helpful when players are getting swarmed. Here are some important details about each of the important pieces of gear from this Warbond.
The release of Chemical Agents also saw the addition of the Advanced Filtration perk that reduces Gas damage taken by players. This perk is also available from armor sold in the Super Store.
Sterilizer
The Sterilizer is an interesting support weapon. This weapon feels like a pressure washer to use, and it might as well be one. It has low damage and range, and its tank capacity is about the same as the Flamethrower's. The Sterilizer can quickly cull low-health enemies, and when it comes to chunkier targets like Brood Commanders and Stalkers, this weapon can temporarily take them out of the fight with only a small puff of gas.
Frankly speaking, the Sterilizer is a tough sell because it occupies the support weapon slot. It's fun to use, and its crowd control effect is amazing. However, players can get the same results by bringing Gas Grenades or the 
Orbital Gas Strike, and the Sterilizer isn't exactly the best at dealing with Automatons due to its short range. Still, having a Gas-based support weapon enables broader loadout diversity, and this is a great pick for those who want to commit to a crowd control/support role.
Gas Grenades
As mentioned above, Gas Grenades can more or less fill the Sterilizer's crowd control role without taking up a weapon slot. The damage it deals is middling, but its true value comes from its ability to deploy lingering gas clouds. Enemies that touch the clouds get damaged, blinded, and confused, causing them to attack anything and everything nearby for a short duration.
This is possibly the most valuable item in the Chemical Agents Warbond. It allows for greater loadout diversity without sacrificing an important weapon slot. However, players will likely have trouble destroying bug holes and Bot Fabricators unless they bring some destructive weapons like the Grenade Pistol in Helldivers 2.
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Stim Pistol
Speaking of sidearms and strong picks, the Stim Pistol might be the worst piece of equipment in the Warbond. The idea of shooting allies to heal them is useful in theory, but in practice the need for it rarely appears. Allies either heal themselves, or they die before you get the chance to shoot them.
On top of that, actually hitting teammates with the Stim Pistol is a lot harder than it seems, especially in chaotic situations where players are running, diving, and dying all over the place. It's a fun weapon to use in a coordinated group with clear comms, but not quite as much in public matches.
Dog Breath Rover
The Gas Rover is an odd stratagem. It works exactly like the other Rovers, much to its detriment. It will focus on spewing gas at one target at a time, which makes it feel like the effect itself isn't being used to its full potential. However, this rover is arguably the best at keeping sneaky melee enemies like Stalkers away from players, even more so than the beloved Laser Guard Dog.
The Dog Breath Rover has infinite ammo like the Laser Guard Dog, though it still needs to retreat to your pack to reload. Also, it has a short range of roughly 10 meters, so it won't shoot at distant enemy patrols. The damage it deals is low, but since it can blind and confuse enemies, it's still quite valuable. It won't replace the Sterilizer or Gas Grenade, but it is a handy tool for keeping your back clear.
Helldivers 2
- Released
- February 8, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, In-Game Purchases, Users Interact
- Developer(s)
- Arrowhead Game Studios, Nixxes
- Publisher(s)
- Sony Interactive Entertainment, PlayStation Publishing
- Engine
- bitsquid
- Multiplayer
- Online Co-Op
- Cross-Platform Play
- All platforms
- Franchise
- Helldivers
- Number of Players
- 1-4 players (online)
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
- Genre(s)
- Third-Person Shooter, Extraction Shooter, Action, Science Fiction
