Helldivers 2 Scorcher — Stats, Unlock and Best Loadouts

The PLAS-1 Scorcher is a plasma rifle whose exploding bolts deal 100 impact plus 100 explosion damage and bypass medium armor — and it's one of the best free-Warbond weapons in the game, ranked S-tier against Automatons in 2026. It's the final weapon in the free Helldivers Mobilize Warbond (page 10, 75 Medals), which makes it the most-grinded free unlock in the game. Its plasma explosions punch through medium armor that deflects most bullets, which is why it melts Devastators and Scout Striders while other primaries bounce off.

This guide covers the current stats, exactly how long the unlock grind takes, what it's best against (and what it's bad against), and how it compares to the Purifier — its direct upgrade.

Official resources: Steam store page · Helldivers Wiki — PLAS-1 Scorcher · Game8 — Scorcher guide · Screen Rant — Scorcher worth the grind

The Scorcher's Stats, Explained

The Scorcher fires superheated plasma bolts that explode on impact. Current stats per the Helldivers Wiki (patch 1.006.301):

Two mechanics do the heavy lifting. First, the explosion bypasses medium armor: the wiki notes the plasma blasts "can bypass medium armor present on enemies like Hive Guards, Scout Striders, and Devastators" — you shoot the general direction of a Devastator and the splash does real damage even without a headshot. Second, energy-based weapons don't ricochet, which means no friendly-fire ricochets off armored surfaces and no wasted shots bouncing off bot armor.

The catch is the ammo economy: you start missions with only 3 of 5 magazines unless you bring the Hellpod Space Optimization booster, and the explosive bolts will happily kill you and your squadmates at close range.

Per the official Helldivers Wiki — PLAS-1 Scorcher, the Scorcher deals 100 ballistic plus 100 explosion damage with medium armor penetration on the explosion, holds 20 rounds at 350 RPM, and unlocks on page 10 of the Helldivers Mobilize Warbond for 75 Medals.

How to Unlock the Scorcher (The Grind, Honestly)

The Scorcher is on the last page of the free Helldivers Mobilize Warbond — the 10-page starter track everyone gets. Unlocking it means:

1. Spend ~1,275 Medals total to unlock all pages leading to page 10 (the wiki's page costs plus the sequential page-unlock mechanic). Multiple guides quote 1,200–1,300 Medals as the real cost — Screen Rant says "over 1200 Medals," FandomWire says 1,275 minimum.
2. Then spend 75 Medals on the Scorcher itself.
3. That's roughly 30–50 hours of normal play, or far less if you farm Medals deliberately on higher difficulties. It's the longest free unlock in the game — Game8 calls it "one of the hardest weapons to grind," then adds "once you purchase it you quickly realize that it was well worth the grind."

Medals come from missions (higher difficulty = more), Daily Personal Orders, and Major Order rewards. Our Super Credits guide covers the same farming loop for the currency side.

What the Scorcher Is Best Against (and Worst Against)

• Automatons — its home turf. Explosive medium penetration shreds Devastators, Scout Striders (shoot through the front shield to kill the pilot) and Berserkers. The 2026 tier lists agree: S-tier vs bots (our best weapons guide ranks it A vs bugs, S vs bots, A vs squids).
• Illuminate — solid. Voteless clusters and Overseers die to the splash; medium armor on Overseers doesn't stop the explosions.
• Terminids — weak. Bugs close to melee range fast, and the splash damage becomes a self-harm problem. Most guides explicitly recommend a Stalwart or Flamethrower for bug missions instead.

Its direct comparison point is the PLAS-101 Purifier (Polar Patriots Warbond): the Purifier does everything the Scorcher does, only better — charged shots with heavy area damage, ammo-efficient, and S-tier against all three factions. If you own the Purifier, the Scorcher is redundant. If you're free-to-play, the Scorcher is your Purifier.

Best Loadouts Around the Scorcher

The Scorcher covers medium targets at range, so your loadout fills the gaps:

• Close range: the P-4 Senator or P-113 Verdict secondary, plus a Stalwart or Flamethrower support weapon for swarm control.
• Anti-tank: the Scorcher can't touch heavy armor — Chargers, Hulks, Tanks and Bile Titans need an anti-tank stratagem. The Recoilless Rifle guide covers the best pairing.
• Ammo: always bring the Hellpod Space Optimization booster if your squad has it — it gives you the full 5 magazines instead of 3. The Siege-Ready armor passive (+1 magazine, faster reload) also helps; see the best armor guide.
• Attachments: the Angled Foregrip (+10 ergonomics, less recoil) is the community-favorite pick once the weapon is leveled.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Scorcher good in Helldivers 2?

Yes — S-tier against Automatons and solid against Illuminate in 2026. Its explosive plasma bypasses medium armor and never ricochets, which makes Devastators and Scout Striders trivial. It's weak against Terminids because of self-damage risk at close range.

How do you unlock the Scorcher?

It's the last weapon in the free Helldivers Mobilize Warbond — page 10 for 75 Medals. Getting there costs about 1,275 Medals total across the earlier pages, making it the longest free grind in the game.

Is the Scorcher better than the Purifier?

No — the PLAS-101 Purifier is its direct upgrade: charged AoE shots, better ammo economy, S-tier vs all three factions. The Scorcher is the free-to-play Purifier; if you own the Purifier, the Scorcher mostly collects dust.

What is the Scorcher best against?

Automatons (Devastators, Scout Striders, Berserkers) and Illuminate chaff. Its medium-penetration explosions handle anything short of heavy armor — bring separate anti-tank for Chargers, Hulks and Tanks.

Why does the Scorcher hurt me when I shoot?

Every bolt explodes on impact with a small AoE. Shooting at close range or with an ally in the blast radius causes self/friendly damage — keep engagements at mid-range and never fire into a melee scrum.

Related Guides

• Helldivers 2 Best Weapons — 2026 Tier List
• Helldivers 2 Eruptor — Stats, Unlock and 2026 Guide
• Helldivers 2 Recoilless Rifle — Stats, Unlock and Guide
• Helldivers 2 Best Armor — 2026 Passives Tier List
• Helldivers 2 Super Credits — How to Farm Fast
• Helldivers 2 Builds — Best Loadouts for Every Faction

Last updated: August 13, 2026.