In Destiny 2 The Final Shape 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 TFS
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. |
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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 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. |
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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. |
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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 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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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Euphony (Linear Fusion Rifle)
| Weapon Name: | Euphony |
| Weapon Type: | Linear Fusion Rifle |
| Tier Rank: | A (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. |
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Best Ad Clear Weapons in Destiny 2 TFS
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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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 community, 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. |
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Zaouli’s Bane (Hand Cannon)
| Weapon Name: | Zaouli’s Bane |
| Weapon Type: | Hand Cannon |
| Tier Rank: | S (PvE), A (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. |
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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. |
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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.
