With the recent release of the Solstice of Heroes event the meta in Destiny 2 is getting shaken up quite a bit and previously powerful weapons are now getting sidelined for others. While what’s considered the best weapon is based on your chosen class and playstyle there are some that have proven to be powerful in any player’s hands.
It’s also important to keep in mind that the metas for PVP change on an almost weekly basis as players adapt to new metas in order to stay ahead. So this article will largely focus on the PVE gameplay or what’s considered powerful across the board.
10 The Recluse
The Recluse is a strong SMG with void ammo. It’s obtained as a pinnacle weapon from Lord Shaxx after completing bounties related to the Crucible game mode. The weapon has been available since the Season of Opulence and fans are catching on to how powerful it is.
It’s great for taking down weak enemies fast. Any kill by any weapon will give a damage boost to the Recluse and killing an enemy with the Recluse will net a bonus to reload speeds for a few seconds. Basically it’s a gun that gets more powerful the more you kill things.
9 Breakneck
This auto rifle can be tough to obtain but is definitely worth it. You’ll have to complete the Breakneck quest from the Drifter which requires some hefty feats like killing 500 enemies with an auto rifle or completing 40 Gambit matches, so it’s advised to follow some guides to minimize the time it’ll take.
It’s a strong Kinetic weapon that deals good levels of damage. With an extended magazine and damage boosts after kills you wont have to worry about reloading too much in the middle of fire fights, which is really nice because the reload is on the slow side and why this weapon ranks lower.
8 Blast Furnace
The Blast Furnace is a pulse rifle that’s only acquired by the Izanami Forge. It fires in a two-burst fire pattern and deals some hefty damage. It’s great for long range engagements and can hold it’s own in mid-range fights.
Ideally you’ll want to be targeting weak points with this weapon as the Outlaw and Headseeker traits grants added damage and reload speeds for precision kills and body shots respectively. This is great for players with good accuracy who like to make every shot count rather then spray and pray.
7 Rose
Surprisingly the Rose is a more popular and powerful version than it’s upgraded variant Lumina. As players were busy grinding their way to obtaining the Lumina they found themselves getting attached to how useful the Rose was and after obtaining the Lumina would simply pull the Rose out of Collections and keep using it.
It has great damage and range for a hand cannon and many players love the handling. To get it you’ll need to complete the grind challenges for it to drop.
6 Ace of Spades
Another hand cannon that makes the list is the Ace of Spades. It’s obtained after completing the Cayde’s Will quest. It has great range, reload speeds, and packs a decent punch. Most notable about the Ace of Spades is the Memento Mori perk.
When reloading after a kill the Memento Mori perk causes a number of bonus damage bullets to be loaded in the magazine. Adding to the whollop this gun delivers are the High-Caliber Rounds that knock enemies back a little.
5 Midnight Coup
This beautiful looking weapon is even more beautiful in combat. It’s magazine is a bit on the small side with 12 rounds, but with good damage and tons of perks to improve handling and stability this is an easy weapon to wield and make every bullet count.
It’s great against groups as the Ambitious Assassinn trait will overflow the magazine after performing a number of rapid kills. Each kill also boosts the damage thanks to Rampage. The great handling can also be used to great affect in PVP situations and this hand cannon will put players down quick. Get it from the Emperor Chalus Chest in the Leviathan raid
4 Austringer
The best hand cannon in the game right now is the Austringer and it’s also found on the Menagerie on the Leviathan. It stands higher than the Ace of Spades because of it’s similar stats but a longer range. The Rangefinder trait improves this ranged advantage even further.
If you enjoy hand cannons then this is the one you want to get you through PVE and even be dangerous in PVP. Who knows how long it’ll remain supreme in multiplayer, but for now it can hold it’s own.
3 The Mountaintop
Grenade launchers are seeing a resurgence thanks to buffs and players couldn’t be happier. The Mountaintop is by far the strongest grenade launcher out there thanks to it’s lightning velocity, great handling, and superb reload speed.
The Trait Micro-Missile which causes the weapon to fire in a straight line and increase the projectile speed even further makes this thing a beast. To get one of these powerful weapons in your hands to fire down on your enemies from the mountain tops you’ll need to achieve the rank of Fabled in the Crucible, it’s tough but worth it.
2 Bad Juju
The Bad Juju has been a long-time fan favorite and shows no signs of going anywhere. It’s easily considered the second best weapon in the game and is a fantastic pulse rifle to own. The stats are good, but the phenomenal traits are what make this weapon shine.
Hip-Fire Grip improves accuracy and stability when firing from the hip, which is useful in both PVE and PVP. But String of Curses is where it’s at. Kills refill your magazine, damage is boosted, and it enables the rifle to fire at full-auto. With a weapon like this you’ll definitely bring bad juju to your enemies.
1 Outbreak Perfected
Considered the best weapon in the game right now, the Outbreak Perfected is a monster on the battlefield. It has solid stats for a pulse rifle and would likely hold its own based on that alone, but the traits make it a nightmare for your enemies.
The Corruption Spreads creates SIVA nanite swarms whenever the player performs rapid hits or precision kills. Then Parasitism follows up by causing the weapon to deal more damage based on how many SIVA nanites are swarming the enemy. This one-two punch gives it ridiculous DPS that’ll take even the most stubborn boss or PVP veteran down a notch.