Arc weapons in Destiny 2 The Final Shape are unique due to their elemental damage, making them perfect for activities with Arc enemy shields. These guns can be found in both the Energy and Heavy slots and are essential for dealing with shielded enemies.
In PvE, the best Arc weapons offer high DPS, allowing players to efficiently clear waves of enemies and damage bosses. Perks that increase reload speed, stability, and handling are particularly valuable. Arc weapons like Forbearance, with its wave frame grenade launcher capabilities, and the Ikelos SMG, known for its aggressive frame and Voltshot perk, are standout choices. These weapons excel in both damage output and utility, making them reliable for endgame content.
In PvP, there are numerous Arc weapons with low TTK, which is the main criterion for being a meta gun in The Crucible. Weapons like the Ikelos SMG and Subjunctive provide the perfect balance of high damage and ease of use. Voltshot is a key perk for PvP as it adds a jolt to targets, increasing the weapon’s effectiveness.
Consider the craftable Arc weapons: they are achieved through Deepsight Resonance (red border) and allow you to get the desired perks for the God Roll with a guarantee, making the grind worthwhile.
In this article, we tell you about the best PvE and PvP Arc weapons, highlighting their top-tier perks (and God Rolls) and explaining how they compare to other weapon types in the current Destiny 2 meta.
Best PvE Arc Weapons in D2 TFS
A good Arc weapon for PvE should have high handling and stability to ensure quick and accurate shots. Perks that enhance damage or speed, like Kill Clip or Quickdraw, are valuable for winning duels. High range is also important. Consistent performance and a high TTK (nothing surprising) are key traits.
Bequest (Sword)
| Weapon Name: | Bequest |
| Weapon Type: |  Sword |
| Tier Rank: |  S-tier for PvE,  C-tier for PvP |
| Element: | Arc |
| Ammo: |  Heavy |
| Archetype: | Adaptive |
| Rarity: | Legendary |
| What Makes it a Meta Weapon? | The Bequest sword is considered a top-tier weapon due to its exceptional damage output and unique perks. It has a high impact of 70, which is 10 more than other swords in the adaptive archetype, essentially giving it permanent frenzy.
When Masterworked, Bequest can reach an Impact stat of 78, matching the Exotic sword The Lament, which is known for its top-tier DPS. Bequest becomes even more effective with the right perks, such as Relentless Strikes and Surrounded. Relentless Strikes helps maintain ammo, while Surrounded boosts damage when you’re surrounded by enemies. This combination makes Bequest excellent for sustained damage against bosses and tough enemies. D2 Bequest is considered an S-tier for PvE due to its impressive damage potential and reliable performance in endgame content. |
| How to Get it? | It can be obtained by completing the final encounter in the Deep Stone Crypt raid. It is also craftable, and collecting 5 Deepsights will unlock its pattern and allow you to shape it in the Enclave. |
| PvE God Roll: |
|
| PvP God Roll: |
|
Brigand’s Law (Sidearm)
| Weapon Name: | Brigand’s Law |
| Weapon Type: |  Sidearm |
| Tier Rank: | S-Tier for PvE and PvP |
| Element: | Arc |
| Ammo: |  Primary |
| Archetype: | Rapid-Fire |
| Rarity: | Legendary |
| What Makes it a Meta Weapon? | Brigand’s Law is a good sidearm in Destiny 2 due to its high damage output, rapid-fire capability, and moderate stability. Its ability to deal Arc damage makes it effective against certain enemies, and its high rounds per minute (450) allows for quick and sustained fire.
Additionally, its moderate recoil and decent handling make it manageable for players of various skill levels. |
| How to Get it? |
|
| PvE God Roll: |
|
| PvP God Roll: |
|
Dead Weight (Shotgun)
| Weapon Name: | Dead Weight |
| Weapon Type: |  Shotgun |
| Tier Rank: | S-Tier in PvE,  A-Tier in PvP |
| Element: | Arc |
| Ammo: |  Special |
| Archetype: | Rapid-Fire |
| Rarity: | Legendary |
| What Makes it a Meta Weapon? | The Dead Weight Shotgun in Destiny 2 is a Rapid-Fire Frame Shotgun with an amazing perk pool for multiple rolls. Although it’s not optimal for PvP activities due to its terrible range, it has potential for PvE rolls. The Dead Weight Shotgun has various possible rolls, and its stats. The weapon’s performance can be improved with the right perks and rolls, making it a viable option for players in PvE activities. The Dead Weight Shotgun offers a lot of flexibility and potential for players to create a powerful build. |
| How to Get it? | It can drop from Gambit and can be focused from Gambit Engrams at the Drifter. |
| PvE God Roll: |
|
| PvP God Roll: |
|
Salvager’s Salvo (Grenade Launcher)
| Weapon Name: | Salvager’s Salvo |
| Weapon Type: |  Grenade Launcher |
| Tier Rank: | S-Tier in PvE, A-Tier in PvP |
| Element: | Arc |
| Ammo: | Special |
| Archetype: | Lightweight |
| Rarity: | Legendary |
| What Makes it a Meta Weapon? | Salvager’s Salvo is favored due to its powerful perks, such as Demolitionist, which reloads your energy weapon after a grenade kill, and Auto-Loading Holster, which automatically reloads the weapon after a short period of time.
Salvager’s Salvo has a unique arced trajectory that allows for effective long-range attacks, making it a versatile choice for both PvE and PvP content. Players have reported being able to achieve damage phases of up to 1.2 million using this weapon in combination with Anarchy and sniper shots. |
| How to Get it? | To get Salvager’s Salvo, players must complete the Salvager’s Salvo Armament Quest, which can be obtained by speaking with Banshee-44 in the Tower. |
| PvE God Roll: |
|
| PvP God Roll: |
|
Path of Least Resistance (Trace Rifle)
| Weapon Name: | Path of Least Resistance |
| Weapon Type: |  Trace Rifle |
| Tier Rank: | A-Tier in PvE & PvP |
| Element: | Arc |
| Ammo: | Special |
| Archetype: | Adaptive |
| Rarity: | Legendary |
| What Makes it a Meta Weapon? | Path of Least Resistance is a highly regarded Legendary Trace Rifle in Destiny 2. It is praised for its Arc damage and the rapid stacking of its Adaptive Munitions perk, which increases damage with each hit, making it particularly effective in Match Game activities. Its Omolon origin trait provides a clear sight, further enhancing its utility. The weapon has gained popularity in both PvE and PvP, with various god rolls and recommended perks available for crafting. |
| How to Get it? | It can be obtained through completing Season of the Seraph seasonal activities or by focusing it at the H.E.L.M. Once you have acquired enough Deepsight versions, you can craft it. |
| PvE God Roll: |
|
| PvP God Roll: |
|
Trinity Ghoul (Bow)
| Weapon Name: | Trinity Ghoul |
| Weapon Type: |  Combat Bow |
| Tier Rank: | S (PvE) |
| Element: | Arc |
| Ammo: | Primary |
| Rarity: | Exotic |
| What Makes it a Meta Weapon? | It is an excellent weapon due to its Split Electron perk, which splits the arrow fired from the bow. Combined with the Lightning Rod perk, it grants chain-lightning arrow shots after a precision kill. The built-in catalyst enhances the weapon’s combat efficiency, making it one of the best exotic bows in Destiny 2. |
| How to Get it? | Trinity Ghoul can be obtained from exotic engrams. |
| Perks: |
|
Best PvP Arc Weapons in D2 TFS
A good Arc weapon for PvP should have high handling and stability to ensure quick and accurate shots. Perks that enhance damage or speed, like Kill Clip or Quickdraw, are valuable for winning duels. High range is also important. Consistent performance and a high TTK (nothing surprising) are key traits.
Mechabre (Sniper Rifle)
| Weapon Name: | Mechabre |
| Weapon Type: |  Sniper Rifle |
| Tier Rank: | A (PvE,PvP) |
| Element: | Arc |
| Ammo: | Special |
| Archetype: | Aggressive |
| Rarity: | Legendary |
| What Makes it a Meta Weapon? | The Mechabre sniper rifle is a great Arc weapon in Destiny 2 that you can get during the Festival of the Lost event.
Its unique Origin Trait, Search Party, boosts your aim down sights speed and movement speed when you’re alone, making it great for PvP where you need quick reactions. The PvP God Roll includes perks like Snapshot Sights and Opening Shot, which enhance accuracy and aim assistance, making it reliable for long-range engagements. For PvE, Mechabre offers versatility with perks like Clown Cartridge and Vorpal Weapon, allowing you to deal consistent damage to bosses and tougher enemies. Alternatively, combining Voltshot with Demolitionist provides strong crowd control by jolting enemies and generating grenade energy, making it effective in daily PvE activities. |
| How to Get it? | To get the Mechabre sniper rifle in Destiny 2, you need to participate in the Festival of the Lost event. During this event, Mechabre is available as a reward for completing activities tied to the event, such as Haunted Sectors. By playing these activities, you earn special event currency, which you can then use to open chests or purchase event loot from Eva Levante in the Tower.
Mechabre can drop randomly from these chests or be directly earned through event-specific engrams. Keep in mind that this weapon is only available during the Festival of the Lost, so you’ll need to grind these activities while the event is active to get it. If you’re looking to get the God roll, you’ll need to keep farming until you get the perks you want. Once the event ends, Mechabre will no longer be obtainable until the event returns, so be sure to take advantage of the opportunity while it lasts. |
| PvE God Roll: |
|
| PvP God Roll: |
|
Cloudstrike (Sniper Rifle)
| Weapon Name: | Cloudstrike |
| Weapon Type: | Sniper Rifle |
| Tier Rank: | S-tier for PvE, A-tier for PvP |
| Element: | Arc |
| Ammo: | Special |
| Rarity: | Legendary |
| What Makes it a Meta Weapon? | The Cloudstrike is a top-tier weapon in both PvE and PvP due to its powerful Exotic perks, such as Mortal Polarity and Stormbringer. These perks generate lightning bolts at the target’s location and create a lightning storm at the point of impact, respectively. Additionally, the Triple Tap perk, which is obtained through the catalyst, further enhances the weapon’s effectiveness by providing extra ammo on rapid precision hits. |
| How to Get it? | To get the Cloudstrike, you’ll need to own the Beyond Light DLC and follow these steps:
|
| Perks: |
|
Mercurial Overreach (Sniper Rifle)
| Weapon Name: | Mercurial Overreach |
| Weapon Type: | Sniper Rifle |
| Tier Rank: | S-tier for PvP,  D-tier for PvE |
| Element: | Arc |
| Ammo: | Special |
| Archetype: | Adaptive |
| Rarity: | Legendary |
| What Makes it a Meta Weapon? | Mercurial Overreach is the best Adaptive Frame sniper rifle in PvP, with excellent stats that beat every other sniper in its frame, except for things like Aim Assist or Zoom, which most players won’t notice much, if at all. Its scope is very clean and the center dot is the perfect size, much like Eye of Sol’s. |
| How to Get it? | It can be obtained from Lord Shaxx through the Competitive Playlist. Each player is allowed a certain number of focuses throughout the week based on their current Competitive Division- the higher the division, the more focuses you can get, up to a maximum of seven. Each focus takes three engrams and 25,000 Glimmer. |
| PvE God Roll: |
|
| PvP God Roll: |
|
Techeun Force (Fusion Rifle)
| Weapon Name: | Techeun Force |
| Weapon Type: |  Fusion Rifle |
| Tier Rank: | S (PvE,PvP) |
| Element: | Arc |
| Ammo: | Special |
| Archetype: | Adaptive |
| Rarity: | Legendary |
| What Makes it a Meta Weapon? | The Techeun Force is a fusion rifle that excels in both PvE and PvP. Its unique basic origin trait, Explosive Pact, gains bonus stability and reload speed when the player activates their grenade ability. This makes it a versatile and powerful weapon.
In PvE, Techeun Force is particularly effective due to its ability to gain bonus stability and reload speed, allowing for increased damage output. Its Adaptive frame and 660 Charge Time make it a reliable choice for high-level content. |
| How to Get it? | It can be obtained through various activities in Destiny 2, including strikes, Crucible matches, and Gambit. However, the easiest way to acquire this weapon is by crafting it using the recipe found in the Season 21 update. |
| PvE God Roll: |
|
| PvP God Roll: |
|
Unexpected Resurgence (Glaive)
| Weapon Name: | Unexpected Resurgence |
| Weapon Type: |  Glaive |
| Tier Rank: | S (PvE,PvP) |
| Element: | Arc |
| Ammo: | Special |
| Archetype: | Adaptive |
| Rarity: | Legendary |
| What Makes it a Meta Weapon? | The Unexpected Resurgence Glaive is a strong weapon in Destiny 2, especially for PvE activities.
Its main perk combination, Impulse Amplifier and Voltshot makes it a solid choice for players using Arc builds. Impulse Amplifier greatly increases the speed of your shots and reloads. Voltshot, which activates after reloading following a kill, adds extra damage by jolting enemies, making it effective for clearing groups of enemies. Glaives aren’t always the top choice in Destiny 2’s meta, but this weapon stands out due to its ability to combine speed and crowd control. The weapon’s versatility also makes it a valuable addition to your arsenal if you’re looking to enhance your Arc build or need a reliable Glaive for PvE. Its availability through the Trials of Osiris also makes it a rewarding weapon to chase for those who like the Crucible. |
| How to Get it? | To get the Unexpected Resurgence Glaive in Destiny 2, you need to play the Trials of Osiris.
Participate in matches, and as you complete them, you will earn Trials of Osiris reputation. This reputation helps you rank up with Saint-14, who will reward you with Trials of Osiris Engrams. Once you get an Engram, you can decrypt it for a chance to get the Glaive. If you earn the Glaive once, you can then focus your Engrams specifically to obtain more copies. Additionally, if you win seven matches in a row, you can earn an Adept version of the Glaive. After going flawless, you can also purchase an Adept version directly from Saint-14 using Trials Engrams. |
| PvE God Roll: |
|
| PvP God Roll: |
|
