In Destiny 2 Renegades there are hundreds of weapons total and dozens of newly-added ones. However, not all of them are suitable for PvE content, especially if you want to gather a meta loadout, allowing you to complete the hardest challenges and encounters, gathering the most precious rewards from raids, dungeons, and Nightfalls.
DPS (damage per second) and TTK (time to kill) are crucial metrics when considering any D2 weapons. TTK is more important for PvP, however, there are situations when considering it in PvE is also a good idea: it measures how quickly a weapon can eliminate an opponent, which is vital for clearing out large groups of enemies swiftly. Conversely, DPS measures the sustained damage output over time, essential for taking down champions.
The best PvE weapons are those that deliver high DPS, allowing Guardians to efficiently clear waves of enemies and defeat bosses. These weapons are reliable, with large magazine sizes, fast reload speeds and manageable recoil. Perks that enhance damage, provide health regeneration, or generate orbs of power are particularly valuable in high-stakes activities like Nightfalls and raids.
The top-tier PvE weapons often have perks that boost DPS and handling, making them meta for endgame activities.
In this text, we’ll explore the best weapons for PvE, and offer the meta loadouts, considering that you can equip only one exotic, and one Kinetic, Energy, and Heavy weapon at a time.
Best Boss DPS weapons in Destiny 2 Renegades
Modified B-7 Pistol (Hand Cannon)
| Weapon Name: | Modified B-7 Pistol |
| Weapon Type: |  Hand Cannon |
| Tier Rank: |  -Tier (PvE),  -Tier (PvP) |
| Slot: |  Kinetic |
| Ammo: |  Primary |
| Archetype: | 180 RPM (Dynamic Heat Frame) |
| Rarity: | Legendary |
| What Makes it a Meta Weapon? | The Modified B-7 Pistol is a 180 RPM Stasis Hand Cannon built around the new Dynamic Heat frame. Instead of reloading, it builds heat as you fire and vents when you stop shooting or use your class ability. This removes downtime and rewards aggressive, rhythmic play.
|
| How to Get it? | To get the Modified B-7 Pistol, you need to participate in Renegades activities within the Lawless Frontier. It is a world drop from this region and can also be found in specific syndicate-controlled chests. Keep an eye out for “Upgraded” versions that offer better base stats and an improved Heat capacity. |
| PvE God Roll: |
|
| PvP God Roll: |
|
| Get it now: | from 13$ Modified B-7 Pistol |
M-17 “Fast Talker” (Submachine Gun)
| Weapon Name: | M-17 “Fast Talker” |
| Weapon Type: |  Submachine Gun |
| Tier Rank: | -Tier (PvE), -Tier (PvP) |
| Slot: | Stasis |
| Ammo: | Primary |
| Archetype: | 900 RPM (Lightweight) |
| Rarity: | Legendary |
| What Makes it a Meta Weapon? | M-17 “Fast Talker” is a high-speed SMG that dominates close-range combat. It uses a unique heat system instead of standard reloading to keep the pressure on.
|
| How to Get it? | To get the M-17 “Fast Talker”, you need to participate in the Renegades activities within the Lawless Frontier. It is a world drop from this region and can also be found in specific syndicate-controlled chests. Keep an eye out for “Upgraded” versions that offer better base stats. |
| PvE God Roll: |
|
| PvP God Roll: |
|
| Get it now: | from 13$ M-17 “Fast Talker” |
Yeartide Apex (Submachine Gun)
| Weapon Name: | Yeartide Apex |
| Weapon Type: | Submachine Gun |
| Tier Rank: |  S-Tier (PvE), A-Tier (PvP) |
| Slot: |  Energy |
| Ammo: | Primary |
| Archetype: | Lightweight (900 RPM) |
| Rarity: | Legendary |
| What Makes it a Meta Weapon? | Yeartide Apex is a Solar Lightweight SMG firing at 900 RPM, putting it in the same blistering archetype as Multimach CCX and Out of Bounds. Its true strength lies in its Tex Mechanica chassis, which gives it excellent base handling and a unique lever-action reload animation that is both stylish and functional.
|
| How to Get it? | Yeartide Apex is a Solstice event weapon, so it is only available for a limited time each year. During the event, it can drop from any Portal activity that rewards a Distorted Solstice Engram. You can also focus Engrams directly into the weapon from the Solstice event screen in the Tower using Event Tokens. Since it’s an event drop, you may need to run multiple activities to get the specific roll (and the high-tier Holofoil version) you are after. |
| PvE God Roll: |
|
| PvP God Roll: |
|
Accrued Redemption (Combat Bow)
| Weapon Name: | Accrued Redemption |
| Weapon Type: |  Combat Bow |
| Tier Rank: | S-Tier (PvE), S-Tier (PvP) |
| Slot: |  Kinetic |
| Ammo: | Primary |
| Archetype: | Precision Frame |
| Rarity: | Legendary |
| What Makes it a Meta Weapon? | Accrued Redemption is one of the strongest kinetic bows in the game. It is a top choice for players who want high damage and long-range precision.
|
| How to Get it? | To get Accrued Redemption, you must play the Garden of Salvation raid on the Moon. It drops from specific encounters within the raid. Since it is a raid weapon, you may need to complete the raid multiple times to get the specific roll you want. |
| PvE God Roll: |
|
| PvP God Roll: |
|
| Get it now: | from 10$ Accrued Redemtion |
Multimach CCX (Submachine Gun)
| Weapon Name: | Multimach CCX |
| Weapon Type: | Submachine Gun |
| Tier Rank: | S (PvE), A (PvP) |
| Slot: | Kinetic |
| Ammo: | Primary |
| Archetype: | Lightweight (900 RPM) |
| Rarity: | Legendary |
| What Makes it a Meta Weapon? | Multimach CCX is a 900 RPM Lightweight Frame submachine gun that has cemented its place as one of the most iconic and versatile workhorses in Destiny 2, beloved for its incredible feel and lethality in both PvE and PvP. Its success stems from a perfect storm of favorable base stats, a phenomenal perk pool, and a forgiving, high-skill-ceiling playstyle. |
| How to Get it? | Multimach CCX is an Iron Banner weapon, available only when the event is active (usually once a month). After a match, it can randomly drop as a post-game reward. Once you’ve unlocked it (for example, by leveling up Lord Saladin’s reputation track), you can focus Iron Banner Engrams directly into Multimach CCX at Saladin for 1 Engram and 25,000 Glimmer. For legacy versions, Xûr can also occasionally sell it as part of his rotating Legacy Focused Decoding inventory when Iron Banner weapons are in the pool. |
| PvE God Roll: |
|
| PvP God Roll: |
|
Apex Predator (Rocket Launcher)
| Weapon Name: | Apex Predator |
| Weapon Type: |  Rocket Launcher |
| Tier Rank: | S (PvE), B (PvP) |
| Slot: | Power |
| Ammo: |  Heavy |
| Archetype: | Adaptive |
| Rarity: | Legendary |
| What Makes it a Meta Weapon? | Apex Predator is a highly sought-after weapon, particularly due to its perk pool. This legendary rocket launcher is praised for its effectiveness in PvE activities. The Apex Predator has the potential to roll with Reconstruction, a perk that quickly reloads the weapon from reserves after a kill, making it highly effective in boss fights. Additionally, its solar damage type can synergize well with certain subclasses and mods, further enhancing its utility. |
| How to Get it? | To acquire the Apex Predator, you can farm any encounter within the Last Wish raid, with the first encounter being the easiest to farm. You can increase your chances by completing all encounters of the Last Wish raid, as the weapon drops from any encounter or secret chests in the raid. |
| PvE God Roll: |
|
| PvP God Roll: |
|
| Get it now | from $10 Apex Predator |
Tractor Cannon (Shotgun)
| Weapon Name: | Tractor Cannon |
| Weapon Type: |  Shotgun |
| Tier Rank: | S-Tier in PvE, A-Tier in PvP |
| Slot: |  Power |
| Ammo: |  Special |
| Rarity: | Exotic |
| What Makes it a Meta Weapon? | The Tractor Cannon Exotic Shotgun in Destiny 2 Renegates is a valuable weapon due to its unique abilities that make it a versatile choice for both solo players and teams in endgame activities. Unlike other Heavy options the Tractor Cannon functions as a support weapon, providing a temporary damage buff to the user and debuffing enemies. Its Exotic perks, The Scientific Method, and Repulsor Force, allow it to increase the speed, handling, and vulnerability of enemies, making them more susceptible to damage. This debuff effect is particularly useful for underleveled players or those struggling with tough enemies in raids and other endgame content. |
| How to Get it? | It can be obtained from Exotic engrams, which are extremely rare world drops. |
| Perks: |
|
Outbreak Perfected (Pulse Rifle)
| Weapon Name: | Outbreak Perfected |
| Weapon Type: |  Pulse Rifle |
| Tier Rank: | S-tier for PvE and PvP |
| Slot: | Kinetic |
| Ammo: | Primary |
| Rarity: | Exotic |
| What Makes it a Meta Weapon? | Outbreak Perfected has a unique Exotic perk and archetype that set it apart. The Corruption Spreads creates SIVA nanite swarms on rapid hits and precision kills, while Parasitism does more damage to enemies based on the number of SIVA nanites that attach to them. |
| How to Get it? | You can acquire the Outbreak Perfected by completing The Zero Hour Exotic Mission on any difficulty setting. Zero Hour is free to all players and can be accessed through the Into the Light tab. |
| PvE God Roll: |
|
| PvP God Roll: |
|
Whisper of the Worm (Sniper Rifle)
| Weapon Name: | Whisper of the Worm |
| Weapon Type: |  Sniper Rifle |
| Tier Rank: | A-tier for PvE,  C-tier for PvP |
| Slot: | Power |
| Ammo: | Special |
| Rarity: | Exotic |
| What Makes it a Meta Weapon? | Whisper of the Worm has high total damage and competitive numbers across the board, making it an easy-to-use DPS weapon that does not require any rotations or strategies to succeed. Its Exotic perk, White Nail, allows for higher base precision damage and the ability to refill the magazine by rapidly landing three precision hits. |
| How to Get it? | You can acquire Whisper of the Worm by completing The Whisper Exotic Mission on any difficulty setting. The Whisper will become part of the Exotic Mission Rotator, free to all players. |
| PvE God Roll: |
|
| PvP God Roll: |
|
Khvostov 7G-0X (Auto Rifle)
| Weapon Name: | Khvostov 7G-0X |
| Weapon Type: |  Auto Rifle |
| Tier Rank: |  S (PvE,PvP) |
| Slot: | Kinetic |
| Ammo: | Primary |
| Rarity: | Exotic |
| What Makes it a Meta Weapon? | The Khvostov 7G-0X is a meta weapon in Destiny 2 Renegades due to its unique Exotic perk, “The Right Choice,” which makes every seventh bullet from this weapon deal additional damage and ricochet to nearby targets. This makes it an effective ad-clear weapon in PvE and a powerful choice in PvP. |
| How to Get it? | To obtain the exotic version of Khvostov 7G-0X, you need to complete a series of steps involving Lost Encryption Bits and Motes of Light. First, collect 15 Lost Encryption Bits from gold region chests and Cyst missions in The Pale Heart. Then, gather 17 Motes of Light from Visions of the Traveler and Overthrow bosses. After obtaining all Motes of Light, use them to unlock the chest in the Speaker’s old location. |
| Perks: |
|
| Get it now | from $29 Khvostov 7G-0X |
Ergo Sum (Sword)
| Weapon Name: | Ergo Sum |
| Weapon Type: |  Sword |
| Tier Rank: | S-tier for PvE, B-tier for PvP |
| Slot: | Energy |
| Ammo: | Heavy |
| Rarity: | Legendary |
| What Makes it a Meta Weapon? | Ergo Sum is a unique weapon in Destiny 2 Renegates as it is a Special Ammunition Sword sitting in the energy slot. This alone makes it quite strong, as having a Heavy weapon-style Exotic as a Special Weapon is incredibly powerful.
In PvE, Ergo Sum’s main use is boosting other Swords’ damage, and it can deal incredibly high damage with the right rolls. In PvP, it is more of a ‘gimmick’ weapon, but it can still be fun and effective if used correctly. |
| How to Get it? | To get Ergo Sum, you must complete The Final Shape campaign and then the ‘Destined Heroes’ questline. After unlocking it, random rolls for the weapon can be farmed by completing the Pale Heart Pathfinder (limited to two times per week) and farming the Grandmaster Excision quest. |
| PvE God Roll: |
|
| PvP God Roll: |
|
| Get it now | from $5 Ergo Sum |
No Hesitation (Auto Rifle)
| Weapon Name: | No Hesitation |
| Weapon Type: | Auto Rifle |
| Tier Rank: | -tier for PvE, -tier for PvP |
| Slot: | Energy |
| Ammo: | Primary |
| Rarity: | Legendary |
| What Makes it a Meta Weapon? | No Hesitation is the first Legendary Support Frame auto rifle in Destiny 2. Its unique firing mode lets you heal allies when hip‑firing (consumes a charge) and damage enemies when aiming down sights. This dual‑nature alone makes it a defining weapon for cooperative PvE.
In high‑end content (Grandmaster Nightfalls, Raids, Dungeons), its best‑in‑slot roll is Physic + Circle of Life. |
| How to Get it? | No Hesitation is obtained from activities in The Pale Heart destination (The Final Shape campaign endgame zone). It can drop from chests after completing Overthrow events, from Cyst activities, and from Paracausal Chests opened with Cipher Keys (obtained by completing Patrols, chests, and mini‑events). The weapon is craftable – you need to extract five Deepsight (red border) versions to unlock its pattern at the Enclave. Once unlocked, you can shape your perfect roll with enhanced perks. Higher drop rates for red borders are tied to completing weekly Overthrow challenges and using targeted keys from Failsafe. |
| PvE God Roll: |
|
| PvP God Roll: |
|
| Get it now | from $10 No Hesitation |
Cataclysmic (Linear Fusion Rifle)
| Weapon Name: | Cataclysmic |
| Weapon Type: |  Linear Fusion Rifle |
| Tier Rank: | S-tier for PvE,  D-tier for PvP |
| Slot: | Power |
| Ammo: | Heavy |
| Rarity: | Legendary |
| What Makes it a Meta Weapon? | Cataclysmic weapon is highly regarded for its unique perks and high damage output. The weapon’s “Bait and Switch” perk, which increases damage output after dealing damage with other weapons, has been recently buffed to 35%, making it a top-tier DPS weapon.
The “Fourth Time’s the Charm” perk reloads the weapon after a precision kill, further increasing its effectiveness. The Cataclysmic has a predictable recoil pattern and can roll with various perks, making it a versatile and powerful weapon in both PvE and PvP. |
| How to Get it? | You must complete the Vow of the Disciple Raid in Savathun’s Throne World to get Cataclysmic. The weapon drops from the first two encounters, with the most efficient method being clearing either the Acquisition encounter or the Caretaker encounter repeatedly. |
| PvE God Roll: |
|
| PvP God Roll: |
|
| Get it now | from $7 Cataclysmic |
Praxic Blade (Sword)
| Weapon Name: | Praxic Blade |
| Weapon Type: | Sword |
| Tier Rank: | (PvE), (PvP) |
| Slot: | Kinetic |
| Ammo: | Special |
| Rarity: | Exotic |
| What Makes it a Meta Weapon? | The Praxic Blade is a Kinetic sword that has quickly become a top-tier choice for aggressive melee builds, particularly on Dawnblade Warlocks and Solar Titans. Its unique frame, the Blazing Edge, allows it to generate Radiant on heavy attacks and extend Restoration timers on kills, making you both deadly and durable in close quarters. |
| How to Get it? | To obtain the Praxic Blade, players must first complete the Renegades expansion campaign. After finishing the story, they should gain access to the “Blazing Light” questline. Completing the first few steps of this quest will eventually lead players to the Praxic Order headquarters in the Lawless Frontier, where an NPC will give them the “Taken Purge” quest. Finishing this questline rewards the Praxic Blade Exotic Sword. |
| PvE God Roll: |
|
Still Hunt (Sniper Rifle)
| Weapon Name: | Still Hunt |
| Weapon Type: | Sniper Rifle |
| Tier Rank: | S (PvE), A (PvP) |
| Slot: | Energy |
| Ammo: | Special |
| Rarity: | Exotic |
| What Makes it a Meta Weapon? | Still Hunt is currently defining the PvE meta due to its unique exotic traits, which allow it to charge the player’s Super bar by picking up Orbs of Power or landing precision hits. Once the Super bar is full, holding reload allows the weapon to fire Golden Gun shots. Its passive bonuses to target acquisition, aim down sight speed, and flinch resistance make it an excellent choice for DPS phases. Additionally, its synergy with the Celestial Nighthawk helmet (though nerfed in Echoes Act 2) further enhances its DPS potential. |
| How to Get it? | To obtain Still Hunt, players must complete The Final Shape’s campaign, at least through the Iconoclasm mission. Upon doing so, they should have access to the Destined Heroes questline. Completing the first few steps of this quest will eventually lead players to Cayde, who will give them the Wild Card quest. Completing this quest rewards the Still Hunt Exotic. |
| PvE God Roll: |
|
| PvP God Roll: |
|
| Get it now | from $7 Still Hunt |
Choir of One (Auto Rifle)
| Weapon Name: | Choir of One |
| Weapon Type: | Auto Rifle |
| Tier Rank: | (PvP) |
| Slot: | Void |
| Ammo: | Special |
| Rarity: | Exotic |
| What Makes it a Meta Weapon? | Choir of One is a unique Special-ammo Exotic Auto Rifle with two distinct firing modes that make it a monster in both PvE and PvP. When aiming down sights, it fires long-range, heavy-caliber projectiles that deal increased precision damage. When fired from the hip, it launches a spread of multiple detonating Void projectiles that essentially turn it into an automatic shotgun with incredible range.
|
| How to Get it? |
|
| Perks: |
|
| Get it now | from $10 Choir of One |
Euphony (Linear Fusion Rifle)
| Weapon Name: | Euphony |
| Weapon Type: | Linear Fusion Rifle |
| Tier Rank: | (PvE,PvP) |
| Slot: |  Kinetic |
| Ammo: | Special |
| Rarity: | Exotic |
| What Makes it a Meta Weapon? | The Euphony is one of the few Linear Fusion Rifles that uses Special ammo, making it a valuable addition to any Guardian’s arsenal. It has unique Exotic traits that make it meta-defining.
Euphony’s Intrinsic trait, Unwound, causes dealing sustained damage with the weapon to spawn Threadlings at the target’s location. The Spindle trait then increases the damage of the Threadlings, which in turn increases the weapon’s damage. |
| How to Get it? | It can only be obtained by defeating the final boss of the Salvation’s Edge Raid, The Witness. It has a base drop rate of around 5%, but completing specific triumphs can increase the chances of earning this Dungeon Exotic. |
| Perks: |
|
| Get it now | from $59 Euphony |
Best Ad Clear Weapons in Destiny 2 Renegades
Finality’s Auger (Linear Fusion Rifle)
| Weapon Name: | Finality’s Auger |
| Weapon Type: | Linear Fusion Rifle |
| Tier Rank: | A (PvE,PvP) |
| Slot: | Heavy |
| Ammo: | Heavy |
| Rarity: | Exotic |
| What Makes it a Meta Weapon? | Finality’s Auger is an Exotic Solar Linear Fusion Rifle from the Sundered Doctrine dungeon. Its unique turret mechanic completely changes how you approach damage phases and area control, making it a standout choice for both PvE and, to a lesser extent, PvP. |
| How to Get it? | Finality’s Auger drops from the final boss of the Sundered Doctrine dungeon (Kerrev, the Erased). Like other dungeon exotics, it’s a random chance, not a guaranteed drop. You only have 3 chances per week (one per character class) unless you have drop rate-increasing Triumphs. To get the Exotic, you must own the Final Shape Dungeon Key (2,000 Silver) or have purchased the expansion that includes it. A guaranteed version was available only during the first 48 hours of the dungeon’s Contest mode. To increase your drop rate, complete the following Triumphs under the Sundered Doctrine tab. |
| Perks: |
|
| Get it now | from $34 Finality’s Auger |
Necrochasm (Auto Rifle)
| Weapon Name: | Necrochasm |
| Weapon Type: | Auto Rifle |
| Tier Rank: | A (PvE,PvP) |
| Slot: | Kinetic |
| Ammo: | Primary |
| Rarity: | Exotic |
| What Makes it a Meta Weapon? | The Necrochasm is an Exotic Auto Rifle that can be obtained from the Crota’s End Raid. It is considered one of the best Primary ammo weapons in the game due to its unique traits and high damage output. The weapon’s exotic traits, Cursebringer and Desperation, allow it to trigger Cursed Thrall explosions on precision final blows and refill the magazine with final blows from Cursed Thrall explosions. However, its lack of synergy with any subclass makes it difficult to use in a build. Despite this, the Necrochasm has been rising in popularity due to a recent buff to its Thrall Explosions, making it an A-Tier weapon for PvE and PvP. |
| How to Get it? | It can be obtained by completing the “Bottomless Pit” quest, which requires farming Essences of the Oversoul from Crota’s End. |
| Perks: |
|
| Get it now | from $29 Necrochasm |
Sunshot (Hand Cannon)
| Weapon Name: | Sunshot |
| Weapon Type: | Hand Cannon |
| Tier Rank: | S (PvE), A (PvP) |
| Slot: | Energy |
| Ammo: | Primary |
| Rarity: | Exotic |
| What Makes it a Meta Weapon? | Sunshot is a powerful exotic hand cannon that packs a significant punch with explosions left and right, thanks to its Explosive Rounds perk. It highlights targets that take damage from Sunshot and causes targets killed with Sunshot to explode in Solar energy, triggering even more explosions and scorching any enemy that doesn’t die initially. Its perks make it a mainstay in PvE and PvP. |
| How to Get it? | It can be obtained as a random drop from Exotic Engrams, Activity Completions, or Xur’s Fated Engram. It may take months to get it from Xur, but buying the weapon or class-specific armor piece that Xur is selling will improve your odds. |
| Perks: |
|
Graviton Lance (Pulse Rifle)
| Weapon Name: | Graviton Lance |
| Weapon Type: | Pulse Rifle |
| Tier Rank: | A-tier for PvE and PvP |
| Slot: | Energy |
| Ammo: | Primary |
| Rarity: | Exotic |
| What Makes it a Meta Weapon? | It is known for its stability and explosive rounds. It is good because its third shot of the burst rips a hole through space-time, dealing high damage and creating a void explosion. This makes it very effective for both PvE and PvP content, particularly for add clear due to its chain explosions that empower ability recharge. |
| How to Get it? | To obtain the Graviton Lance, players can complete the campaign mission “Sacrilege” and choose it as a reward, or they can obtain it through Exotic Engrams or rewards. |
| Perks: |
|
Word of Crota (Hand Cannon)
| Weapon Name: | Word of Crota |
| Weapon Type: | Hand Cannon |
| Tier Rank: | A (PvE,PvP) |
| Slot: | Energy |
| Ammo: | Primary |
| Archetype: | Precision (180 RPM) |
| Rarity: | Legendary |
| What Makes it a Meta Weapon? | Word of Crota is a Void Precision Frame Hand Cannon that has become a top-tier choice for both PvE and, to a lesser extent, PvP. Its 180 RPM frame and incredible base stats — notably 78 Aim Assistance and 100 Recoil Direction—make it exceptionally reliable and sticky to use.
|
| How to Get it? | Word of Crota is a craftable weapon that drops from the Crota’s End raid. Specifically, it can be obtained from the following sources:
|
| PvE God Roll: |
|
| PvP God Roll: |
|
Prolonged Engagement (SMG)
| Weapon Name: | Prolonged Engagement |
| Weapon Type: | Submachine Gun |
| Tier Rank: | A (PvE,PvP) |
| Slot: | Kinetic |
| Ammo: | Primary |
| Archetype: | Lightweight |
| Rarity: | Legendary |
| What Makes it a Meta Weapon? | Its unique balance of power and adaptability allows players to make the most of every shot, making it a valuable addition.
Prolonged Engagement comes with various desirable perks, including Subsistence, Retrofit Escapade‘s god roll, and Target Lock. Subsistence allows for automatic reloading after defeating enemies, while Retrofit Escapade’s god roll enhances stability and reload speed. Target Lock is particularly flavorful, as keeping your aim on a target grants increased accuracy and target acquisition. Prolonged Engagement has a min-max impact of 15, stability of 46, handling of 68, and a magazine size of 36. It boasts a rate of fire of 900 RPM and deals Stasis damage. |
| How to Get it? | To obtain Prolonged Engagement, you can acquire it from Vanguard Operations or by ranking up with Commander Zavala. Resetting your Vanguard rank provides multiple perk choices per slot, increasing the chances of obtaining a specific roll. |
| PvE God Roll: |
|
| PvP God Roll: |
|
Empty Vessel (Grenade Launcher)
| Weapon Name: | Empty Vessel |
| Weapon Type: |  Grenade Launcher |
| Tier Rank: | A (PvE,PvP) |
| Slot: | Energy |
| Ammo: | Special |
| Archetype: | Lightweight |
| Rarity: | Legendary |
| What Makes it a Meta Weapon? | The Empty Vessel is versatile and has gained popularity in the Destiny 2 Renegates, with some players praising it for changing their PvE game style and helping them achieve high scores in activities like Dares.
The Empty Vessel has a one-shot handheld Grenade Launcher design with remote detonation, making it a potent weapon in the right hands. The weapon has a PvE God Roll with the One For All perk, which increases damage through rapid three-shots. |
| How to Get it? | It can be obtained by earning rank-up packages from Commander Zavala. |
| PvE God Roll: |
|
| PvP God Roll: |
|
Perfect Paradox (Shotgun)
| Weapon Name: | Perfect Paradox |
| Weapon Type: | Shotgun |
| Tier Rank: | S (PvP) C (PvE) |
| Slot: | Kinetic |
| Ammo: | Special |
| Archetype: | Rapid-Fire |
| Rarity: | Legendary |
| What Makes it a Meta Weapon? | Perfect Paradox is a Rapid-Fire Kinetic shotgun originally from Season of Dawn, reprised in Episode Echoes with a refreshed perk pool and the origin trait Cast No Shadows. In PvE, it is a top-tier choice for close-range melee builds. The combination of Pugilist (melee energy on final blows) with One-Two Punch (massive melee damage after landing all pellets) or Trench Barrel (shotgun damage boost after a melee hit) creates a perfect loop: punch, shoot, get melee energy back, repeat. Its Rapid-Fire Frame gives it high uptime and deep reserves, and Cast No Shadows refills the magazine when you deal melee damage, so you almost never need to reload. This makes it excellent for Titans with Wormgod Caress or Synthoceps, or any class running a melee-focused build in dungeons, raids, and Grandmaster Nightfalls.
In PvP, Perfect Paradox is less dominant than slugs or aggressive frames, but it can still shine with the right roll. Slideshot and Opening Shot push out its one-hit kill range, and its high handling makes it snappy. It’s a solid choice for aggressive players who prefer a fast-firing cleanup shotgun in Crucible or Trials of Osiris. While not the absolute meta, it’s a consistent and fun option. |
| How to Get it? | To get your first Perfect Paradox, you need to complete the Episode: Echoes Act 2 story quest. After finishing the story, the weapon is added to the general loot pool. From there, you can get it as a random drop from any Echoes activity, including Breach Executable, Enigma Protocol, and the Nessus Battlegrounds playlist. Once you‘ve unlocked it, you can visit Failsafe in the H.E.L.M. to focus Echo Engrams into specific Perfect Paradox rolls for 4 Engrams and 3,000 Glimmer. |
| PvE God Roll: |
|
| PvP God Roll: |
|
| Get it now | from $12 Perfect Paradox |
Empty Vessel (Grenade Launcher)
| Weapon Name: | Empty Vessel |
| Weapon Type: | Grenade Launcher |
| Tier Rank: | A (PvE,PvP) |
| Slot: | Energy |
| Ammo: | Special |
| Archetype: | Lightweight |
| Rarity: | Legendary |
| What Makes it a Meta Weapon? | The Empty Vessel is versatile and has gained popularity in the Destiny 2 Renegates, with some players praising it for changing their PvE game style and helping them achieve high scores in activities like Dares.
The Empty Vessel has a one-shot handheld Grenade Launcher design with remote detonation, making it a potent weapon in the right hands. The weapon has a PvE God Roll with the One For All perk, which increases damage through rapid three-shots. |
| How to Get it? | It can be obtained by earning rank-up packages from Commander Zavala. |
| PvE God Roll: |
|
| PvP God Roll: |
|
VS Velocity Baton (Grenade Launcher)
| Weapon Name: | VS Velocity Baton |
| Weapon Type: | Grenade Launcher |
| Tier Rank: | (PvE), (PvP) |
| Slot: | Energy |
| Ammo: | Special |
| Archetype: | Adaptive |
| Rarity: | Legendary |
| What Makes it a Meta Weapon? | VS Velocity Baton has become a top-tier choice for endgame PvE content, and here is why:
|
| How to Get it? | VS Velocity Baton is obtained from the Vesper‘s Host dungeon, which was introduced in Episode: Revenant. Here is how to get it:
|
| PvE God Roll: |
|
| PvP God Roll: |
|
| Get it now | from $6 VS Velocity Baton |
Zaouli’s Bane (Hand Cannon)
| Weapon Name: | Zaouli’s Bane |
| Weapon Type: | Hand Cannon |
| Tier Rank: | S (PvE), B (PvP) |
| Slot: | Energy |
| Ammo: | Primary |
| Archetype: | Adaptive |
| Rarity: | Legendary |
| What Makes it a Meta Weapon? | Zaouli’s Bane is particularly noteworthy due to recent buffs to Hand Cannons and the Season of the Wish’s Artifact Perks, which have elevated its status in the PvE meta. The weapon can proc Flint Striker and Rays of Precision, making it a powerful choice for Solar builds
In PvE, Zaouli’s Bane has an S-tier rating due to its ability to synergize well with Solar 3.0 and its potential for high damage output. In PvP, the weapon is rated at B-tier, as it doesn’t have any outstanding stats and isn’t as popular as other Hand Cannons like Igneous Hammer or The Palindrome. This roll aims to improve the weapon’s range and handling, making it more competitive in PvP encounters. |
| How to Get it? | It drops from the King’s Fall raid, specifically from the last three encounters: Golgoroth, Deathsingers, and Oryx. |
| PvE God Roll: |
|
| PvP God Roll: |
|
| Get it now | from $7 Zaouli’s Bane |
Hezen Vengeance (Rocket Launcher)
| Weapon Name: | Hezen Vengeance |
| Weapon Type: | Rocket Launcher |
| Tier Rank: | S (PvE,PvP) |
| Element: | Solar |
| Ammo: | Heavy |
| Archetype: | Aggressive |
| Rarity: | Legendary |
| What Makes it a Meta Weapon? | Hezen Vengeance is an Aggressive Frame Solar rocket launcher. With its reprised perk pool and the new Timelost Magazine origin trait, it has quickly become the best rocket launcher in all of Destiny 2 for PvE damage.
The reason it stands out is the perfect synergy between its new origin trait and its perk pool. Timelost Magazine doubles the magazine size immediately after you use your Super, letting you fire two rockets in quick succession. This alone is huge, but it also interacts beautifully with Hezen Vengeance’s main perk. The community consensus for PvE is that the best-in-slot perk combination is Envious Arsenal and Bait and Switch. Envious Arsenal is the key – it automatically refills the rocket launcher’s magazine after you deal damage with your other two weapons. This reload pairs perfectly with Bait and Switch, which provides a whopping 30% damage bonus for the same weapon-swapping rotation. This allows you to complete entire damage phases without ever manually reloading. |
| How to Get it? | To get your hands on a god roll Hezen Vengeance, you’ll need to run the Vault of Glass (VoG) raid. It’s a craftable weapon, and there are a few reliable paths to get the patterns, as well as a more powerful Timelost (Adept) version for endgame players. |
| PvE God Roll: |
|
| PvP God Roll: |
|
| Get it now | from $7 Hezen Vengeance |
Forbearance (Grenade Launcher)
| Weapon Name: | Forbearance |
| Weapon Type: | Grenade Launcher |
| Tier Rank: | S-tier in PvE, C-tier in PvP |
| Slot: |  Energy |
| Ammo: | Special |
| Archetype: | Wave Frame |
| Rarity: | Legendary |
| What Makes it a Meta Weapon? | Forbearance is one of the best weapons in PvE due to its powerful perks. The BRAVE variant is especially noteworthy, offering Demolitionist, which is unique to this weapon and enhances builds involving grenades. This perk, along with others, allows Forbearance to excel in add-clearing, making it a must-have for serious PvE players.
In terms of specific perks, Demolitionist is recommended for the first perk slot, while Chain Reaction or One for All can be chosen for the second slot. |
| How to Get it? | It is acquired from the final two encounters in the Vow of the Disciple Raid or can be crafted once five Deepsight versions have been obtained. |
| PvE God Roll: |
|
| PvP God Roll: |
|
| Get it now | from $7 Forbearance |
Top-3 PvE Loadouts
How to make a good PvE loadout:
- Choose a Kinetic Weapon: Pick something versatile like a bow or SMG that can handle both ads and stronger enemies.
- Select a Special Weapon: Use a Grenade Launcher, Fusion Rifle, or Shotgun that excels at quickly clearing groups of enemies or dealing focused damage to tougher foes.
- Equip a Heavy Weapon: Go for a Rocket Launcher or Linear Fusion Rifle that can dish out high damage to bosses and big targets.
Make sure your loadout complements your subclass and abilities for maximum effectiveness.
Here are the best PvE loadouts that we recommend:
- Witherhoard + CALUS Mini-Tool + Apex Predator
- Witherhoard is great for applying damage over time to both bosses and large groups of enemies.
- CALUS Mini-Tool is a fast-firing SMG perfect for quickly taking out ads.
- Apex Predator is one of the best Rocket Launchers for high burst damage, making it ideal for boss fights.
- Wish-Ender + Forbearance + Cataclysmic
- Wish-Ender is a powerful bow that excels in long-range encounters and penetrating shielded enemies.
- Forbearance is a wave-frame Grenade Launcher that easily clears groups of enemies.
- Cataclysmic is a Linear Fusion Rifle that delivers high precision damage, making it perfect for boss DPS.
- Osteo Striga + Riptide + Tractor Cannon
- Osteo Striga is an SMG that spreads poison, making it excellent for ad clearing.
- Riptide with Chill Clip is effective for freezing and controlling enemies while dishing out consistent damage.
- Tractor Cannon not only deals damage but also debuffs enemies, making them take more damage from all sources, which is especially useful in boss encounters.
