Scope of Authority Tier List: Sightliner, Nova and Apex

In two community reviews of Scope of Authority, the R-40 Sightliner, the LAS-44 Nova and the Stationary Shroud passive come out on top, especially against the Automatons. The AMW-20 Apex splits opinion, the P-44 Mist is a decent backup pistol, and the G-11 Caltrops rank lowest. Both reviewers say the bot front is where this Warbond shines.

Arrowhead does not publish damage tables or tier lists, so everything in the ratings below comes from community testing, not from Arrowhead. Where the two testers disagree, we say so. If you still need the Warbond itself, it costs 1,000 Super Credits according to the community wiki, and our Scope of Authority Warbond guide lists every item and its Medal cost.

Scope of Authority tier list: every item rated

This table comes from community testing, not from Arrowhead. It combines two YouTube reviews filmed in the first two days after the Warbond launched with patch 7.2.0 on October 20: SwanyPlaysGames (October 20, rated per faction) and OhDough (October 21, one grade per item). The patch notes for the 7.2.1 hotfix on October 22 list only a crash fix and no weapon balance changes.

The best-rated items are spread across the Warbond. According to the community wiki, the Sightliner is on page 1 for 35 Medals, the Apex on page 2 for 50, and the Nova on page 3 for 110, the most expensive item in the Warbond. Clearing all three pages takes 603 Medals, and our Medal farming guide covers how long that takes to earn.

Medals PackMedals for Scope of Authority: the LAS-44 Nova alone is 110 Medals on page 3, and all three pages are 603, per the community wiki.No account login · just your friend codeFrom $5.99View offer

R-40 Sightliner: best against the Automatons

The stats in this section come from community testing, not from Arrowhead. Both testers list the Sightliner, the game’s first bolt-action sniper rifle, at 350 damage with heavy armour penetration and a 10-round magazine. SwanyPlaysGames says an extended 15-round magazine unlocks at weapon level 13, but recommends the default magazine and the 10x scope because the bigger magazine makes the rifle handle worse.

• Automatons: both testers needed two shots to the eye to kill a Hulk. SwanyPlaysGames one-shot Devastators, Berserkers and smaller bots with well-placed shots, and handled Gunships and Scout Striders easily. Factory Striders and War Striders take too many shots to rely on it.
• Illuminate: one headshot kills an Overseer, according to both. SwanyPlaysGames counted four to five shots for a Stingray and up to five or six for a Fleshmob; OhDough says four for a Stingray. Shields slow it down a lot against Harvesters.
• Terminids: good against Warriors, Hive Guards, Alpha Commanders and Spewers with headshots, weak against swarms, Bile Titans, Impalers and Chargers.

The weak spot both testers point to is crowds: you have to cycle the bolt between shots, so a rush of small enemies gets on top of you. That is why the Mist below is the usual pairing.

LAS-44 Nova: the anti-armour pick with unlimited ammo

This section comes from community testing, not from Arrowhead. Arrowhead describes the Nova as an energy rifle with infinite ammo that fires a non-explosive projectile after a short charge, and both testers rate it as one of the strongest items in the Warbond.

• What it kills: OhDough reports one shot to a Hulk’s visor, one shot to a War Strider’s hip joint, one hit on Gunship engines, and one hit on bunker, anti-air and mortar emplacements from any distance, because the shot does not lose damage over range. SwanyPlaysGames adds Chargers, Crushers and Overseers to its strong matchups.
• What it can’t do: OhDough says the Nova cannot close Bug Holes, but can destroy a Fabricator in around three shots. SwanyPlaysGames found it slow against Illuminate shields and swarms, because of the charge-up and cooldown.
• Cold planets: SwanyPlaysGames says it cools down faster there.

OhDough’s view is that it is very strong but does not replace the Railgun, AMR, Quasar or Epoch, because each still does one job better. SwanyPlaysGames prefers it to the Apex for mobility: no reload, no backpack, and no need to stay still.

AMW-20 Apex: strong, but the testers disagree

This section comes from community testing, not from Arrowhead. Both testers describe a backpack-fed rifle with 5-round magazines that knocks you over if you fire it standing up, so you need to be crouched or prone. Both also took a Factory Strider down with about three shots to the eye.

SwanyPlaysGames rates it A to S against all three factions, especially with a teammate doing team reloads. OhDough gives it B and reports that, in his testing, the Apex loses damage over distance in a way he believes is not intended: beyond about 15 metres it took two shots to strip a Charger’s armour instead of one. This claim comes from a single community source, and Arrowhead has not confirmed it. OhDough says his B grade is based on the damage he believes is intended.

P-44 Mist: a backup pistol for the Sightliner

This section comes from community testing, not from Arrowhead. The Mist is a one-handed machine pistol. Both testers list 110 damage and a 25-round magazine, but they give different fire rates: 400 rounds per minute according to SwanyPlaysGames, 440 according to OhDough. Check the number in your own loadout screen.

Both agree it handles small and medium enemies and struggles against anything big. SwanyPlaysGames rates it A to B and sees it as the fix for the Sightliner’s crowd problem; OhDough rates it C, finding it on par with other ballistic sidearms such as the Redeemer and Peacemaker.

G-11 Caltrops: the lowest-rated item

This section comes from community testing, not from Arrowhead. Arrowhead says the Caltrops scatter a field of proximity submunitions that slow and stun enemies. SwanyPlaysGames lists 50 damage and five carried; OhDough measured the stun at about 1.5 seconds and found that one enemy, such as a Charger, can set off most of the field.

That is where the two reviews split furthest. SwanyPlaysGames gives it B and uses it to cover a retreat, hold a choke point on defence missions, or keep enemies still for an airstrike. OhDough gives it F, because 1.5 seconds is too short to buy a sentry or a teammate real time. Neither tester found it useful against the largest enemies.

Stationary Shroud: S tier against the Automatons

This section comes from community testing, not from Arrowhead. Arrowhead’s announcement only said the passive reduces sway and detection while crouched or prone. Both testers read the same numbers from the in-game description: 35% less weapon sway while aiming, 15% less noise while moving, and foliage-level concealment while you stay still and crouched or prone. It comes on both Warbond armour sets, the SS-33 Mimetic Marshal and SS-15 Focal Point, which also change camouflage to match the planet.

SwanyPlaysGames found the stealth surprisingly strong against bots, sniping from a crouch while enemies failed to react, and rates it S there and B against the other two factions, where large groups spot you more easily. OhDough rates it S mainly for the sway reduction and says the stealth helps without making you invisible.

Helldivers 2 Super Credits and Medals for Scope of Authority

The Warbond costs 1,000 Super Credits and 603 Medals to clear, both per the community wiki. These cover either cost:

1000 Super Credits1,000 Super Credits, the community wiki's listed price for Scope of Authority.No account login · just your friend codeFrom $1.89View offer Medals PackMedals in bulk; the wiki puts all three Scope of Authority pages at 603 Medals.No account login · just your friend codeFrom $5.99View offer

Frequently asked questions

What is the best weapon in the Scope of Authority Warbond?

In community testing, the R-40 Sightliner and the LAS-44 Nova are rated highest, both at their best against the Automatons. Arrowhead has not published a ranking.

Is Scope of Authority worth it?

Both reviewers call it a good Warbond, especially if you fight the Automatons and like long-range or stealth play. It is weaker against swarms of small Terminids and Illuminate.

How many shots does the Sightliner need to kill a Hulk?

Two shots to the eye, according to both testers.

Is the AMW-20 Apex bugged?

One tester, OhDough, reports that it loses damage over distance in a way he believes is unintended. Arrowhead has not confirmed this. Not confirmed.

Does the Nova replace the Railgun?

Not according to OhDough, who says the Railgun, AMR and Quasar each still do one job better. It is a strong alternative with unlimited ammo.

Which Scope of Authority items are worst?

The G-11 Caltrops get the lowest ratings: B from one tester and F from the other.

Sources and update history

• SwanyPlaysGames: I fully tested the Scope of Authority Warbond, Here’s what I found!, YouTube, October 20, 2026 (per-faction tiers and test results; community source)
• OhDough: Ranking the Best & Worst of Scope of Authority Warbond, YouTube, October 21, 2026 (grades, breakpoints and the Apex range claim; community source)
• Arrowhead Game Studios: Scope of Authority Premium Warbond announcement, Steam, October 13, 2026 (item descriptions and images)
• Arrowhead Game Studios: Devoid of Liberty: 7.2.1, Steam, October 22, 2026 (crash fix only)
• Helldivers Wiki (community): Scope of Authority (Super Credit price, page layout and Medal costs), checked October 21, 2026

Update history: Published October 26, 2026. Facts last checked October 26, 2026 against the sources above.