Samples are the true endgame currency of Helldivers 2. While Requisition Slips cap easily at 50,000 and Medals cap at 250, unlocking Tier 4 and Tier 5 Super Destroyer modules requires an astonishing number of samples: up to 250 Common Samples, 200 Rare Samples, and 20 Super Uranium samples per upgrade. If you want to max out your ship efficiently, you must optimize your farming routes.
The Three Sample Tiers & Difficulty Requirements
| Sample Type | Icon & Visual Appearance | Minimum Difficulty | Primary Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Common Sample | Circle Icon; yellow glowing canisters, metallic scrap. | Trivial (Diff 1+) | Minor Points of Interest (POIs), Bug Nests, Bot Fabricators. |
| Rare Sample | Square Icon; green fluorescent pods, mineral geode crystals. | Challenging (Diff 4+) | Heavy Outposts, Spore Spewers, extraction pads, POIs. |
| Super Uranium | Diamond Icon; floating pink mercury blobs. | Suicide Mission (Diff 7+) | Exclusively at the landmark “Super Rock” (Cock Rock). |
How to Spot the “Super Rock” Every Time
Super Uranium pink samples do not spawn randomly across the map. On Difficulties 7, 8, 9, and 10, all Super Samples on the map (typically 3 to 7 samples depending on difficulty) are clustered around a single distinct geographic monolith known by the community as the “Super Rock” or “Cock Rock”.
- Visual Profile: A tall, smooth, bulbous gray/black stone pillar streaked with silver-white veins. It stands out prominently against flat terrain.
- Minimap Trick: Zoom in on your minimap. The Super Rock appears as a tiny, distinct oval-shaped rock surrounded by a faint silvery clearing. Pinging the area will often reveal a minor POI diamond icon.
High-Yield Farming Strategy: The Extraction Drop Technique
The most common beginner mistake is carrying 30 samples into enemy heavy outposts and getting killed, causing the sample container to drop deep inside a swarm of Berserkers or Bile Titans.
The Pro Strat: Drop Samples at Extraction Early
Whenever your path crosses near the extraction pad during an operation, open your drop wheel (hold X on PC or Down D-Pad on PS5) and select “Drop Sample Container” directly onto the Pelican beacon pad. The samples will safely sit on the extraction pad for the rest of the mission. When the Pelican lands at the end, simply pick them up and board immediately!
Blitz Missions for Rapid Speed-Farming
For maximum samples per hour, run 12-minute Blitz: Search and Destroy missions on Difficulty 7 or 8. Equip the Autocannon or Grenade Pistol to close bug holes / bot fabricators in under 5 minutes, locate the Super Rock, grab the pink samples, and extract in under 10 minutes total.
