Trace Rifles in Destiny 2 are special weapons that fire a continuous beam of energy. They are known for their accuracy and consistent damage output. These weapons use special ammo and there are many exotics among them. Trace Rifles are the most effective at mid-range.
Trace Rifles have come a long way and are now some of the best weapons for PvE content. Some of the legendaries of this type and exotics have become meta in D2 TFS. We’ll tell you more about them in the text below.
Trace Rifles offer a strong combination of high DPS and utility. It’s a good choice for clearing enemies and dealing significant damage to bosses or tougher targets. They are great for activities where maintained fire is needed, as they don’t require frequent reloading. It makes them more reliable in many cases compared to burst-damage weapons like Shotguns or Fusion Rifles.
In PvP, Trace Rifles work well at medium range, letting you track and damage enemies over time. While they don’t have the instant kill power of shotguns, they can still melt through enemy health bars if you land your shots.
In this article, we’ll overview the best Trace Rifles for PvE and PvP. We’ll also briefly explain how you can get those weapons and their God Rolls.
Best Trace Rifles for PvE
A good Trace Rifle for PvE should have high DPS (it’s the top priority), clear groups of enemies quickly, and come with strong perks. Weapons like Path of Least Resistance and Acasia’s Dejection are great because they have perks that boost damage and help clear ads fast. Stability and accuracy are important since Trace Rifles use continuous beams for precise hits. Some, like The Navigator, also give team support by boosting defenses. Exotic Trace Rifles like Divinity make enemies easier to hit by creating weak points. In short, a good Trace Rifle should deal solid damage, have useful perks, and work well with different builds.
Below, we’ll give our top of the traces which meet the requirements described above.
Path of Least Resistance (Arc)
| 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. |
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Acasia’s Dejection (Solar)
| Weapon Name: | Acasia’s Dejection |
| Weapon Type: | Trace Rifle |
| Tier Rank: |  S-tier for PvE,  C-tier for PvP |
| Slot: |  Solar |
| Ammo: |  Heavy |
| Archetype: | Adaptive |
| Rarity: | Legendary |
| What Makes it a Meta Weapon? | Acasia’s Dejection is a solid Solar Trace Rifle from the Root of Nightmares raid. What makes this weapon good is its strong perk options, especially for PvE. With perks like Rewind Rounds and Incandescent, it can clear groups of enemies efficiently.
For PvP, Acasia’s Dejection can be equipped with Perpetual Motion and High-Impact Reserves.
Acasia’s Dejection is versatile and reliable, making it a good choice for PvE and PvP. It might not be groundbreaking, but it’s a dependable weapon that can fit into many builds and situations. If you’re looking for a strong Solar Trace Rifle, this is a great option. |
| How to Get it? | To get Acasia’s Dejection in Destiny 2 TFS, you need to play the Root of Nightmares raid. This weapon can drop from the Scission and Macrocosm encounters. If you want to craft it, you’ll need to collect five Deepsight versions of the weapon, which also drop from the raid. Once you have all five, you can craft Acasia’s Dejection at The Enclave and customize its perks to your liking. |
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Microcosm (Kinetic)
| Weapon Name: | Microcosm |
| Weapon Type: | Trace Rifle |
| Tier Rank: | S (PvE) |
| Slot: |  Kinetic |
| Ammo: | Heavy |
| Rarity: | Exotic |
| What Makes it a Meta Weapon? | It is a highly sought-after Exotic Trace Rifle in Destiny 2, introduced in The Final Shape expansion. It is known for its effectiveness in dealing damage to various bosses and enemies, making it a solid choice for players looking for a reliable heavy weapon. The Microcosm deals kinetic damage and is only available to owners of The Final Shape after completing the campaign. |
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Chronophage (Void)
| Weapon Name: | Chronophage |
| Weapon Type: | Trace Rifle |
| Tier Rank: | A-tier for PvE, C-tier for PvP |
| Slot: |  Void |
| Ammo: | Heavy |
| Archetype: | Adaptive |
| Rarity: | Legendary |
| What Makes it a Meta Weapon? | The Chronophage is a versatile and reliable void trace rifle in Destiny 2, making it a good choice for players who prefer a general utility weapon in PvE activities.
It excels at providing a replacement for typical primary weapons and offers a solid sweep of increased stats with its optimal perks. While it may not be meta-defining, it is a well-rounded option for players who want a dependable and effective void trace rifle. Its ability to roll with various perks, including Shoot to Loot and One for All, makes it a great fit for different playstyles and builds. |
| How to Get it? | To get Chronophage, you will need to complete the seasonal activity, Breach Executable on Nessus, decode Echoes engrams at the H.E.L.M., increase your reputation with Failsafe, or find drops as you progress through The Final Shape’s campaign. |
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Divinity (Arc)
| Weapon Name: | Divinity |
| Weapon Type: | Trace Rifle |
| Tier Rank: | A-tier in PvE,  B-tier in PvP |
| Slot: | Arc |
| Ammo: | Special |
| Rarity: | Exotic |
| What Makes it a Meta Weapon? | Divinity has unique properties and usefulness in various PvE activities. It is a trace rifle that can debuff enemies, making them more vulnerable to damage from other players. This effect is particularly beneficial in high-level content such as raids and Nightfalls. Divinity’s exotic perk, “Judgment,” creates a persistent area-of-effect damage field and marks enemies hit, making them more susceptible to incoming damage.
Divinity has access to Overload Rounds, which are useful for taking down powerful enemies quickly. Divinity’s ability to weaken enemies and provide a damage bonus makes it a valuable addition to any Destiny 2 player’s arsenal. |
| How to Get it? | The weapon can be obtained by completing the Divine Fragmentation questline, which involves completing various tasks and puzzles in the Garden of Salvation raid. |
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Best Trace Rifles for PvP
A good Trace Rifle for PvP needs to be fast, accurate, and have a strong TTK. It should deal consistent damage at medium range and be able to take down opponents quickly. Stability and aim are key because you need to stay on target. Trace Rifles like Coldheart and Wavesplitter have good TTK, meaning they can match fast-killing primary weapons like sidearms and SMGs.
However, since Trace Rifles use special ammo, managing ammo is important, so finding mods that help with ammo recovery is useful. A good PvP Trace Rifle should also have perks that improve handling and increase DPS during fights in the Crucible.
Below, we’ll give you our top of D2 Traces which we find the best for PvP.
Ager’s Scepter (Stasis)
| Weapon Name: | Ager’s Scepter |
| Weapon Type: | Trace Rifle |
| Tier Rank: | S (PvE,PvP) |
| Element: |  Stasis |
| Ammo: | Special |
| Rarity: | Exotic |
| What Makes it a Meta Weapon? | Ager’s Scepter is excellent due to its unique perks, high aim assistance, and ability to deal Stasis damage. The “Ager’s Call” perk generates a slowing burst around defeated targets after final blows, while “Rega’s Refrain” transfers ammo to the magazine from reserves after Stasis final blows.
These perks make Ager’s Scepter a formidable weapon in both PvE and PvP situations. In PvE, the slowing burst can help control crowds and manage adds, while the ammo transfer perk ensures you’ll have enough ammo for extended engagements. In PvP, the slowing burst can give you an edge in duels and objective control, while the high aim assistance ensures more accurate shots. The weapon’s Stasis damage type allows it to synergize well with other Stasis-based abilities and weapons, making it a valuable addition to any Guardian’s arsenal. Its high inventory size and moderate stats in impact, range, stability, handling, and reload speed make it a versatile and reliable choice for any situation. |
| How to Get it? | It can be obtained from the Exotic Archive at the Tower. |
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The Navigator (Strand)
| Weapon Name: | The Navigator |
| Weapon Type: | Trace Rifle |
| Tier Rank: | A-Tier (PvE and PvP) |
| Element: |  Strand |
| Ammo: | Heavy |
| Rarity: | Legendary |
| What Makes it a Meta Weapon? | The Navigator is highly sought after due to its unique Exotic traits, Protective Weave and Weft Cutter. Protective Weave grants Woven Mail to the user and the targeted ally when fired upon, while Weft Cutter allows for sustained damage to sever the target. The Navigator is particularly effective on the Titan class, dealing high damage with the Grapple Melee, Wormgod Caress, and a one-two punch Shotgun.
The Navigator is considered to be A-Tier for both PvE and PvP, making it a valuable addition to any player’s arsenal. Players can farm The Navigator when the Ghost of the Deep dungeon is the weekly featured dungeon, allowing for the farming of all Legendary weapons and armor as well. |
| How to Get it? | You need to defeat the final boss of the Ghost of the Deep dungeon to obtain. However, the drop rate of The Navigator is estimated to be around 5%, and actual drop rates are unknown. |
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Retraced Path (Solar)
| Weapon Name: | Retraced Path |
| Weapon Type: | Trace Rifle |
| Tier Rank: | A-tier for PvE and PvP |
| Slot: | Solar |
| Ammo: | Special |
| Archetype: | Adaptive |
| Rarity: | Legendary |
| What Makes it a Meta Weapon? | The Retraced Path is a versatile and powerful Trace Rifle in Destiny 2, particularly due to its ability to utilize a variety of strong perks.
Its Adaptive Frame provides a balanced and reliable grip, making it suitable for both PvE and PvP. With a high stability and manageable recoil, it can effectively clear adds and deal significant damage to enemies. Perks like Subsistence, Incandescent, and Golden Tricorn enhance its capabilities, making it a formidable choice for solar builds and high-density add encounters. Its craftability also allows players to tailor it to their specific playstyle, ensuring it remains relevant regardless of the activity. |
| How to Get it? | It can be obtained from Xûr’s Treasure Hoard in Eternity.
Additionally, the weapon is craftable, allowing players to enhance its perks and stats to better suit their needs. Players will need to have the necessary materials and blueprint to craft it. |
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Hollow Denial (Void)
| Weapon Name: | Hollow Denial |
| Weapon Type: | Trace Rifle |
| Tier Rank: | A-tier for PvE & PvP |
| Slot: | Void |
| Ammo: | Special |
| Archetype: | Adaptive |
| Rarity: | Legendary |
| What Makes it a Meta Weapon? | Hollow Denial, known for its versatility and effectiveness in various activities.
Its Adaptive Frame and Adaptive Munitions perks make it a standout choice for players, allowing it to rack up Adaptive Munitions stacks quickly and deal significant damage. The combination of Adaptive Munitions and Killing Tally is particularly potent, making it a favorite among players for its ability to shred enemies. Its ability to pull double duty as a primary weapon, thanks to Lead from Gold, makes it a valuable addition to any arsenal. |
| How to Get it? | It can be obtained through the Derelict Leviathan activity, which is part of the Season of the Haunted activities. |
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Incisor (Strand)
| Weapon Name: | Incisor |
| Weapon Type: | Trace Rifle |
| Tier Rank: | A-tier for PvE and PvP |
| Slot: | Strand |
| Ammo: | Special |
| Archetype: | Adaptive |
| Rarity: | Legendary |
| What Makes it a Meta Weapon? | Incisor is a good weapon due to its versatility and competitive perks. As the only Legendary Strand Trace Rifle, it fills a void for players who don’t have The Navigator from Ghosts of the Deep.
Its ability to hold its own in both PvE and PvP, combined with its various perk options, make it a desirable choice for many players. In PvE, it offers strong add-clear potential with Incandescent or quality of life with Frenzy, while in PvP, it excels with its Slice utility perk, making it an A-Tier pick in both modes. |
| How to Get it? | It can be obtained from the Trials of Osiris. The regular version can be obtained by focusing it using Trials Engrams at Saint-14 once it has dropped from a regular engram. Players can also focus the Adept variant once they obtain it to get another roll. |
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