Destiny 2 PvE Meta: What are the best weapons right now?
Destiny 2: What weapons should you be using right now?
There are a lot of weapons in Destiny 2. In fact, there are nearly a thousand weapons in Bungie’s flagship title, so it’s understandable if you are feeling a little lost on which ones you should be using.
Of course, the joy of Destiny 2 is finding a weapon you love and sticking with it, the meta be damned. That said, there is content you will likely have to tailor your loadout to with one of the better-performing weapons out there.
Here’s a big list of the best weapons you will find out there in the PvE side of the game. If you are looking to take on anything from Nightfalls, Raids, or Dungeons you will likely need to run some combination of these weapons. Or perhaps you’re already in one of those activities and have found your way here as your current loadout just isn’t cutting it.
Don’t worry. Here’s what you want to get your hands on.
What are the best weapons in Destiny 2 PvE?
Linear Fusion Rifles are very strong right now (Image credit: Future)
Before we jump into the specifics of the best guns in Destiny 2, let’s take an overall view of the current meta. In Season of the Lost and the 30th Anniversary content pack, two weapon types are excelling: Fusion Rifles and Linear Fusion Rifles.
This is thanks to the seasonal artifact mod, Particle Deconstruction. This puts a massive 40% debuff on enemies, and all you need to do is shoot at them with either a Fusion Rifle or Linear Fusion Rifle. They’ve become monsters for DPS, especially against Champions and Bosses.
Elsewhere, Rocket Launchers are performing well thanks to the new addition of Destiny 1 legend Gjallarhorn. Its exotic perk brings up all other legendary Rocket Launchers too, making the entire archetype even more viable than it was.
Elsewhere, the meta is pretty open. Many timeless classics are good, and in terms of your primary weapon, previous reliable options remain reliable. Hand Cannons, Auto Rifles, and SMGs are all top-tier picks.
What are the worst weapon types in Destiny 2 PvE?
Sniper Rifles could really use some love currently (Image credit: Future)
Snipers (with one Exotic exception) remain in a pretty terrible place when it comes to PvE content. They are both more tricky to use and are outputting less damage than many other specials. They could really use some help in future patches.
Shotguns are also struggling somewhat. They remain decent, but apart from some very specific builds, they are a fairly underwhelming option. Even the once-great double Slug Shotgun option that took over the Taniks boss fight in the Deep Stone Crypt has fallen away.
Lastly, Machine Guns are also in a terrible spot. Besides Xenophage, which has also dropped off from its once mighty reign, it’s hard to justify running these for any reason. Their DPS is poor for a heavy weapon, and while they have deep reserves, so much of Destiny PvE is about doing a lot of damage and doing it quickly. In a world of Champions and Raid bosses, Machine guns currently feel left behind.
Thankfully though, almost every other weapon type has its place or is at least viable somewhere in the meta. Especially when it comes to primary weapons, there’s a ton you can use with it largely coming down to personal preference.
Best Primary Weapons in Destiny 2 right now
(Small note: Primary Weapons are in a fairly balanced spot. A lot of primary guns are viable and if you have one you like over these, it’s unlikely to make or break your build.)
Chroma Rush
Chroma Rush is an excellent all around primary (Image credit: Future)
Chroma Rush has broken out of Season of the Splicer and proven itself to be a fan favorite. The Auto-Rifle is fast firing and has a ton of strong perks meaning it’s not hard to get a roll that will do you just fine.
Subsistence and Feeding Frenzy are great perks for the third column, with Heating Up and Dynamic Sway Reduction also being great substitutes. Pair that with Rampage, Kill Clip, even Wellspring, or the newly buffed Adrenaline Junkie and you have a great auto rifle.
The gun also benefits from Auto Rifles being the Anti-Barrier seasonal mod this season
Where to get it?
Can be crafted from the Umbral Decoder in the H.E.L.M or drops from Season of the Splicer content.
Grade: B+
Eyasluna
Eyasluna has recently returned to the game and is a Hand Cannon of choice for many. (Image credit: Future)
A very new addition to the Destiny 1 arsenal, Eyasluna has proven to be a popular weapon for many. Hand Cannons are the quintessential Destiny weapon, and many love using them. If that is you, this gun, which is earnable from the Dungeon Grasp of Avarice, should be up your alley.
It comes with a ton of good rolls, so it’s not hard to get the one that will work for you. Rangefinder, Outlaw, Rapid Hit, and Perpetual Motion are all very viable in the third column for the gun. On the other side, the fascinating Headstone perk can do a surprising amount of enemy clearing. Failing that a simple Kill Clip roll will do wonders too.
If you are feeling like a Hand Cannon, this is a great stop for you. (Side note: Vault of Glass Hand Cannon Fatebringer is also a great choice too.)
Where to get it?
Grasp of Avarice Dungeon
Grade: B+
Ikelos_SMG_V1.0.2
Ikelos SMG has been a mainstay for over a year (Image credit: Future)
The Ikelos SMG has been an excellent weapon since Season of Arrivals all the way back in Shadowkeep. It’s one of the most consistent primaries out there and something you should really consider getting your hands on.
It’s especially great for those that don’t mind getting their hands a little dirty. It’s the best option for close-ranged combat. It also has several great rolls. Threat Detector, Dynamic Sway Reduction, and Subsistence are excellent options in the third column. In the last column, you probably want Demolitionist or Surrounded, although Disruption Break is a possibility if you want to add a little utility to the gun.
The only real downside to it right now is that it’s in the energy slot, where most of the best Special Weapons currently reside. That being the case, Cold Front and Extraordinary Rendition are excellent options for the Kinetic slot.
Where to get it?
Random World Drop
Grade: B-
Servant Leader
Servant Leader offers a more ranged approach (Image credit: Future)
This is a new gun that drops from the Gambit playlist and it’s a bit of a sleeper hit. Scout Rifles aren’t generally in a great spot in PvE (or PvP for that matter). However, the exception is Rapid-Firing Frame Scouts.
These guns fire fast and can be really helpful in situations where you need your primary to hit things a little further away. It also makes for a very accurate little gun. If you like playing in safety, Servant Leader is a great option.
It has good perks too, although its pool is deep so you might run into some bad rolls on it too. Outlaw, Rapid Hit, Fourth Times the Charm, and Subsistence are great options in the third column. Rampage, Kill Clip, Frenzy and even One for All are great options in the last.
Where to get it?
Gambit Drop
Grade: B-
Best Special Weapons in Destiny 2 right now
Cartesian Coordinate
Cartesian Coordinate has taken over the special slot (Image credit: Future)
Cartesian Coordinate has proven itself to be a versatile little monster this season. Thanks to a massive buff to its archetype at the start of Season of the Lost, it has proven itself to be a king of Fusion Rifles. It’s good for killing anything bigger than red bar enemies, melting just about anything. It even outputs decent boss damage, so if you are out of Heavy Ammo, you will still be doing more than enough for most content.
Of course, it is also benefiting from the ever-present Particle Deconstruction Artifact mod that is near mandatory this season too. Being able to apply the debuff with your special opens up your Heavy to be something that isn’t a Fusion Rifle or a Linear Fusion Rifle.
The one caveat with Cartesian Coordinate is that to get the most out of it, you will want one with the Vorpal Weapon perk on it. This will make it useful against Bosses and in particular, Champions. To focus farm the Fusion Rifle, you can craft the gun using Season of the Splicer designations on your Umbral Engrams in the H.E.L.M.
Where to get it?
World Drop but also craftable in the Umbral Decoder for Season of the Splicer
Grade: A
Null Composure
Null Composure is a very good Fusion Rifle option (Image credit: Future)
The long and short of it: It’s just a great fusion rifle. It won’t put out the immense DPS of the Cartesian Coordinate, but it is much easier to obtain and comes with a locked roll that is always decent. If you don’t have a Cartesian Coordinate with Vorpal, this is a more than decent substitute.
What it lacks in the punch of the Cartesian, it makes up in enemy clearance. Thanks to the weapon’s Reservoir Burst perk, it can create explosions on kills, clearing wide swaths of weaker enemies. Paired with Feeding Frenzy, you will be able to reload and ready the gun for another explosion very quickly.
Where to get it?
Completing Sacred Fusion quest line.
Grade: A-
Ager’s Scepter
(Image credit: Future)
The Exotic Trace Rifle from this season has proven itself to be an excellent weapon. Its ability to freeze wide swaths of enemies is ever useful, as you will make once tough rooms bend to your whims as you control the space.
However, that’s only a part of what makes Ager’s so powerful. Its true power comes from its ability to enable powerful Stasis builds. Getting Stasis effects on the field and, importantly, using shards to boost your abilities means that you can have near-constant Stasis turrets. To see something like this in action, Destiny YouTuber Datto has a great build to consider to help get your head around Ager’s Scepter’s true power.
Ager Scepter is good on its own and top tier with very specific builds. That being said, it has a little less ‘plug and play’ functionality than, say, the Cartesian Coordinate. If you want to reach the weapon’s full potential, you will need access to a decent amount of Stasis fragments and Stasis armor mods.
Where to get it?
Completing the Hollow Coronation questline
Grade: B+ (or A with specific builds)
Witherhoard
It’s hard to imagine a future where Witherhoard is bad (Image credit: Future)
Witherhoard is a weapon that will likely be a part of this list for many future seasons barring a catastrophic nerf. The grenade launcher’s ability to create a damaging pool on the floor is just inherently powerful.
Witherhoard remains one of the most versatile weapons in the game. It’s pools are great for killing red bar enemies, as well as applying additional damage to tougher enemies and Bosses. There is no situation in Destiny 2 that isn’t made better with a Witherhoard.
Placing a Witherhoard shot into a Boss, and then proceeding to do damage with your legendary Heavy Weapon is always going to be one of the best DPS options in the game. It’s usually a little more tricky, but it’s nothing too challenging to get into the rhythm of. No one on your Fireteam will be upset about seeing a Witherhorad.
Where to get it?
Moments to Lost Lights kiosk in the Tower
Grade: B+
Salvager’s Salvo
The Salvager’s Salvo is a great grenade launcher to consider. (Image credit: Future)
Grenade Launchers are not the most used Special Weapon, but they are understated powerhouses that can be excellent at controlling rooms. They are reliable, and if you can get your head around their trajectory, they could do exceptional work for you. If you get really good, you can even do a ton of damage from the back of a room, away from all that death.
While there are a lot of options, Salvager’s Salvo is potentially the easiest of the top-tier Grenade Launchers to get. All it requires you to do is complete a mission, as it was a Pursuit Weapon for Season of the Splicer. It’s a guaranteed drop with set perks that are excellent.
Salvager’s Salvo especially excels with its Chain Reaction perk. Killing an enemy causes it to explode and do damage to other enemies standing around. If you want to kill a bunch of red bars quickly, there are few weapons that can do it this efficiently and safely. It’s like having a grenade ready to go at any point, which is… well, it’s just powerful.
Where to get it?
Complete the Messy Business quest
Grade: B+
Best Heavy Weapons in Destiny 2 right now
Sleeper Simulant
Sleeper Simulant is the king of DPS right now (Image credit: Future)
Sleeper Simulant is probably the best gun in the game right now. There really are few reasons not to run it. It’s exceptionally strong for Boss and Champion damage and will more or less one hit anything else. With Particle Deconstruction in the rotation, allowing not just you to do 40% more damage but also your Fireteam, it’s an absolute monster.
You do have to hit criticals to maximize damage, but that’s really not that hard to do. Just take your time. The aim assist and size of the beam is quite generous. Also, Sleeper’s shots Ricochet off surfaces making DPS even higher if the bounce back hits and enemy.
There are a couple of builds that do outpace the Sleeper Simulant, but they require a lot of pieces, specific classes, and generally a lot of cooldown management. Even then, the gains are only marginal. Unless you really want to impress your friends, don’t worry about it. Just use Sleeper. Your damage will be top tier.
Where to get it?
Moments to Lost Lights kiosk in the Tower
Grade: A
Gjallarhorn + Legendary Rocket Launchers
The Gjallarhorn is once again terrorising bosses in Destiny 2 (Image credit: Future)
Are you sick of relying on Particle Deconstruction, worried you’re missing too many critical hits, or straight up don’t like Linear Fusion Rifles? It’s time to get reacquainted with an old classic. Gjallarhorn was reintroduced with the 30th Anniversary and it is a top-tier option. It’s lagging behind Sleeper a little, but that is entirely down to the Particle Deconstruction mod. Even then, Gjallarhorn is still competitive in the world of top-tier damage.
What’s more, Gjallarhorn is also the rising tide that raises all ships… if ships were legendary Rocket Launchers. Thanks to the Gjallarhorn’s Pack Hunter perk, it gives all other Legendary Rocket Launchers Wolf Pack Rounds. Other Rocket Launchers benefit from this, possibly even outperforming Gjallarhorn itself. More than that, it also opens up other members of your Fireteam’s Exotic slot.
This is a very solid Damage option. However, once Particle Deconstruction leaves the game when Witch Queen drops, expect Gjallarhorn to take its rightful throne back.
Where to get it?
Complete the And Out Fly the Wolves quest
Grade: A-
Reed’s Regret + Threaded Needle
If you’d rather have a Legendary option, Threaded Needle is strong (Image credit: Future)
Both of these Linear Fusions Rifles are benefitting massively from recent buffs to the weapon type, as well as Particle Deconstruction. They offer similar, and in very specific cases, more damage than Sleeper Simulant. For a non-Exotic, that is an enormous benefit, as they can even be paired with Witherhoard, adding tick damage to a Boss.
However, they have a lot more downsides than the Sleeper Simulant. For one, they are generally much harder to use. These live or die by hitting a critical shot, and in some cases require you to do so repeatedly. On that, they also need specific rolls to be good. On Reed’s Regret, you currently want Triple Tap and Firing Line (with Vorpal Weapon a perfectly acceptable alternative) or a Threaded Needle with Clown Cartridge and Vorpal Weapon. That makes these a little more tricky to use and obtain, rather than Sleeper Simulant’s ‘set it and forget it’ mentality.
That said, they are great options if you want to free up your Exotic slot for whatever reason.
Where to get it?
Treaded Needle comes from Umbral Decoder or playing Season of the Chosen content. Reed’s Regret comes from Trials of Osiris.
Grade: B+ (Potentially A)
Whisper of the Worm
Whisper of the Worm is creeping back up the leaderboards (Image credit: Future)
Do you like to be a little different? Run something that is somewhat harder and a touch weaker, but just makes you feel cooler? That’s where Whisper of the Worm lives. Thanks to a recent buff, it’s quite viable now. It does a little worse than Sleeper, and you have to work harder to get it to its optimal DPS, but it does come with an upside too.
Thanks to a new change, Whisper now creates every third shot out of thin air. While not as good as it was when it launched when all ammo came from out of thin air, it means that if you are hitting your shots, your reserves are huge. It has competitive DPS, but an enormous Total Damage output. In long encounters, your ammo economy is going to be excellent.
That being said, that caveat, ‘if you are hitting your shots’, is going to be key. It’s much harder to use than anything on this list because it requires you to hit consecutive critical hits. However, something about Whisper is just… undeniably cool too. If you keep up, even outpace your fireteam, you get serious style points on top of competitive DPS.
Where to get it?
Moments to Lost Lights kiosk in the Tower
Grade: B