Machine guns in Destiny 2 have been a weak choice for many years. However, in The Final Shape they were buffed, some of them even became meta and worth farming.
In PvE, machine guns excel at clearing large groups of enemies and providing consistent damage over time, making them ideal for tougher encounters like Nightfalls and Raids. Their large magazine sizes and high ammo reserves allow for extended periods of firing, which is particularly useful for taking down waves of adds and dealing continuous DPS to bosses.
In PvP, top-tier machine guns shine due to their ability to make multiple kills with a single magazine, thanks to their high rate of fire and significant damage output. Their time-to-kill (TTK) can be impressive, especially when perks like Rampage or Killing Tally are active, which enhance their damage output and make them even more formidable in the Crucible.
Compared to other weapon types, machine guns offer a unique balance of high DPS and sustained fire, setting them apart in various combat scenarios. They might not deliver the same burst damage as rocket launchers or grenade launchers, however, they can give steady damage over longer periods.
In this article, we will explore the best PvE and PvP machine guns currently available in Destiny 2 TFS, speculate their perks, and God rolls, and explain how to geat each of the discussed weapons.
Best Machine Guns for PvE: Top-5 Tier List
A good machine gun for PvE needs to have high damage to deal with tougher enemies like bosses and elites effectively.
It should have a large magazine size so you can keep firing without having to reload frequently, which is crucial when facing waves of enemies.
Quick reload speed is also important because, even with a big magazine, you don’t want to be left vulnerable for long when you run out of ammo. Having decent range and stability helps you stay accurate, especially during intense battles.
Additionally, useful perks that boost damage, improve reload speed, or make your ammo last longer can significantly enhance the machine gun’s performance in PvE.
These features together make a machine gun reliable and powerful in clearing enemies and handling difficult situations in the game.
Unwavering Duty: Best Solar Machine Gun
| Weapon Name: | Unwavering Duty |
| Weapon Type: |  Machine Gun |
| Tier Rank: |  A-Tier (PvE and PvP) |
| Slot: |  Power |
| Ammo: |  Heavy |
| Archetype: | Adaptive |
| Rarity: | Legendary |
| What Makes it a Meta Weapon? | The Unwavering Duty is highly desired by players due to its effectiveness in PvE activities. It can easily churn through most mobs, making it a formidable weapon for taking on tough enemies. The weapon has been unveiled as the Trials weapon of the week and is obtained through PVP, but its perk pool is more suited for PVE activities.
The God Roll to look out for is Ambitious Assassin and Cascade Point. It is a Solar Machine Gun with an Adaptive Frame.. |
| How to Get it? | It can be obtained from Trials of Osiris Challenges. |
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Corrective Measure
| Weapon Name: | Corrective Measure |
| Weapon Type: | Machine Gun |
| Tier Rank: | A-Tier (PvE and PvP) |
| Slot: |  Power |
| Ammo: | Heavy |
| Archetype: | Adaptive |
| Rarity: | Legendary |
| What Makes it a Meta Weapon? | Corrective Measure is a powerful Exotic Grenade Launcher that offers unique benefits for players who prefer a supportive role in their fireteam.
Its main perk, “Harsh Truth,” causes the weapon’s explosive projectiles to track enemies and deal bonus damage when they detonate close together. This makes it highly effective against groups of enemies and in PvE activities with numerous adversaries. Corrective Measure’s intrinsic perk, “Breach and Clear,” reloads a portion of the magazine after each precision kill, allowing for sustained damage output. |
| How to Get it? | The Corrective Measure drops from the Conflux, Templar, and Atheon encounters in the Vault of Glass raid. |
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Xenophage
| Weapon Name: | Xenophage |
| Weapon Type: | Machine Gun |
| Tier Rank: |  S-Tier (PvE and PvP) |
| Slot: | Power |
| Ammo: | Heavy |
| Rarity: | Legendary |
| What Makes it a Meta Weapon? | Xenophage is a highly versatile and powerful exotic weapon, suitable for many activities in the game.
Its trait, Picrotoxin Rounds, makes the shots explosive, eliminating the need for critical hits. This feature also allows the weapon to have decent damage and reserves, surpassing even the Sleeper Simulant in some aspects. Xenophage is particularly effective in Gambit, where it excels in add clear, boss damage, and player elimination at any range. The weapon’s heavy ammo is also guaranteed in each match, making it a popular choice among players. |
| How to Get it? | To get the Xenophage in Destiny 2, follow these steps:
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Fixed Odds
| Weapon Name: | Fixed Odds |
| Weapon Type: | Machine Gun |
| Tier Rank: | S-Tier (PvE and PvP) |
| Slot: | Power |
| Ammo: | Heavy |
| Archetype: | High-Impact |
| Rarity: | Legendary |
| What Makes it a Meta Weapon? | Fixed Odds is a Solar weapon that received a rework in Season of the Haunted, dealing significant damage with its Incandescent perk, which makes it easier to get kills. The weapon’s slow firing rate and high damage make it more accurate when stationary or moving slowly.
Its perk pool includes desirable options like Feeding Frenzy, No Distractions, Under Pressure, Incandescent, Firing Line, and Killing Tally. Many players consider the Field Prep and Incandescent combination as the god roll for this weapon in PvE. Its high-impact frame and the recent buffs to Machine Guns make Fixed Odds extremely good, especially for end-game activities and raids. |
| How to Get it? | It is obtained from the final boss encounter in the Duality dungeon. |
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Qullim’s Terminus
| Weapon Name: | Qullim’s Terminus |
| Weapon Type: | Machine Gun |
| Tier Rank: | A-Tier (PvE and PvP) |
| Slot: |  Power |
| Ammo: | Heavy |
| Archetype: | High-Impact |
| Rarity: | Legendary |
| What Makes it a Meta Weapon? | Qullim’s Terminus is a highly regarded machine gun for PvE activities. It boasts a high-impact frame, which means it deals significant damage but fires more slowly than other machine guns. Its accuracy increases when the user is stationary, moving slowly, or aiming down sights.
It becomes more accurate as the user’s health gets lower. Qullim’s Terminus also has a unique perk that automatically reloads it from reserves when stowed for a short time, and it can reduce grenade and melee cooldown with quick, unassisted kills. |
| How to Get it? | It can be obtained by completing the King’s Fall raid and defeating certain bosses, including the Totems, Golgoroth, and Oryx. It can also be purchased from the end-of-raid vendor using 20 Spoils of Conquest. The Adept (Harrowed) variant can be obtained from the Master difficulty version of King’s Fall. |
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Best Machine Guns for PvP: Top-5 Tier List
A good machine gun for PvP should have a good TTK. It needs to be accurate and stable so you can hit your target reliably, even at longer ranges.
Reload speed matters too because you don’t want to get caught reloading during a fight.
Having perks that improve handling, stability, or damage can give you an edge in combat, making the machine gun more effective in various situations.
Commemoration: The Best PvP Machine Gun
| Weapon Name: | Commemoration |
| Weapon Type: | Machine Gun |
| Tier Rank: | S-tier for PvE, A-tier for PvP |
| Slot: | Power |
| Ammo: | Heavy |
| Archetype: | Adaptive |
| Rarity: | Legendary |
| What Makes it a Meta Weapon? | Commemoration is a good weapon because it benefits from recent buffs to machine guns, increasing its DPS and effectiveness, especially in PvE scenarios.
It ranks as one of the top machine guns due to its unique perk combinations, such as Reconstruction paired with Killing Tally, Rampage, or Dragonfly. These perks enhance its capability to handle bosses and clear groups of enemies efficiently without frequent reloading. The weapon’s adaptability and the boost in DPS and ammo reserves make it a preferred choice for many players in Destiny 2’s current meta. |
| How to Get it? | It can be obtained by defeating Taniks The Abomination in the final encounter of the Deep Stone Crypt raid. It can also be obtained by spending 60 Spoils of Conquest at the loot cache at the end of the raid. Additionally, Commemoration can be crafted with 5 Deepsight (red border) versions of the weapon. |
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Circular Logic
| Weapon Name: | Circular Logic |
| Weapon Type: | Machine Gun |
| Tier Rank: | A-Tier (PvE and PvP) |
| Slot: |  Power |
| Ammo: | Heavy |
| Archetype: | Adaptive |
| Rarity: | Legendary |
| What Makes it a Meta Weapon? | Circular Logic is a machine gun that fires at 450 RPM and balances well in combat, making it easy to handle.
The unique aspect of Circular Logic is its Strand element, which allows it to synergize well with Strand subclass builds, opening up new tactical opportunities, especially in PvE. This synergy enhances its utility, making it not just a weapon of damage but also a tool for strategic play. For PvE, the combination of perks like Feeding Frenzy and Demolitionist or Hatchling improve its reload speed and adds to its crowd control capabilities, making it highly effective during high-density combat situations. In PvP, its ability to maintain stability and range makes it a competitive choice against other popular machine guns. |
| How to Get it? | It can be obtained from the new high-level public event, Terminal Overload. The easiest way to farm it is by doing activities on Neomuna, specifically the Zephyr Concourse, where it is guaranteed to drop upon opening the locked chest with a Terminal Overload Key. These keys can be obtained by completing any activities on Neomuna, Nimbus’ bounties, or by completing the Vex Strike Force public event located in the weekly Vex Incursion Zone. |
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Hammerhead: Top-tier Void Machine Gun
| Weapon Name: | Hammerhead |
| Weapon Type: | Machine Gun |
| Tier Rank: | S-Tier (PvE and PvP) |
| Slot: | Power |
| Ammo: | Heavy |
| Archetype: | Adaptive |
| Rarity: | Legendary |
| What Makes it a Meta Weapon? | The Hammerhead is a void machine gun that has made a return in the game’s Into the Light update, boasting double damage perks and a smooth sound. The god roll for this weapon typically includes Rampage and Killing Tally, providing unparalleled damage potential and making it a top choice for many players.
The Hammerhead is praised for its ability to clear ads efficiently and excel in various activities, including Gambit, where it takes out champions and invaders with ease. Its versatile perk pool allows for unique combinations, such as Rampage + Onslaught or Rewind Rounds and Killing Tally, catering to different playstyles. Also, the weapon has a comfortable recoil direction and a solid reload speed, further enhancing its overall performance. |
| How to Get it? | It can be obtained by playing the new activity associated with Into the Light called Onslaught. Arcite offers a quest that unlocks Hammerhead’s attunement, which increases drop chances for the weapon by 50%. |
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Song of Ir Yût
| Weapon Name: | Song of Ir Yût |
| Weapon Type: | Machine Gun |
| Tier Rank: | A-Tier (PvE and PvP) |
| Slot: |  Energy |
| Ammo: | Heavy |
| Archetype: | Aggressive |
| Rarity: | Legendary |
| What Makes it a Meta Weapon? | Song of Ir Yût is highly regarded for its large magazine size and fast reload speed.
In PvE, it is considered to be a good situational tool, particularly for extended single target DPS and grenade builds. It has been reprised in the latest season and can be crafted with enhanced perks. It is also considered to be the best Arc Machine Gun, provided you make a decent god roll. |
| How to Get it? | It can be obtained by completing encounters in the Crota’s End reprised raid, which is free for all players. It can also be crafted by collecting 5 patterns and shaping it at the Enclave. |
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Pro Memoria
| Weapon Name: | Pro Memoria |
| Weapon Type: | Machine Gun |
| Tier Rank: | A-Tier (PvE and PvP) |
| Slot: | Power |
| Ammo: | Heavy |
| Archetype: | Aggressive |
| Rarity: | Legendary |
| What Makes it a Meta Weapon? | Pro Memoria is a Strand element machine gun with Hatchling and Dragonfly in its perk pool, making it a strong proposition for PvE.
In PvP, it can still prove effective due to its Aggressive Frame, which deals higher damage but has increased recoil. The Dealer’s Choice origin trait also grants a small amount of Super energy for each kill, and the combination of Demolitionist and Frenzy perks in the PvE God Roll makes it particularly dangerous for crowd control and damage. |
| How to Get it? | It can be obtained by completing Pale Heart objectives, decoding Pale Heart engrams at your Ghost, increasing reputation ranks with your Ghost, or as drops while progressing through The Final Shape’s campaign. |
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