Ah, shotguns in Destiny 2. Everyone loves them in PvE, but they have consistently been on the top of the list of frustrating ways to die in PvP. They are popular for a reason: they are really good. So let’s go over the best shotguns in Destiny 2 in 2023 for PvE, PvP, and Gambit as of Lightfall.
Best Shotguns in Destiny 2 (2023)
Best for PvE & Gambit
- Blasphemer (Kinetic) – Possible drop from Pit of Heresy.
- Conditional Finality (Exotic, Stasis) – Possible drop from defeating Nezarec in Root of Nightmares raid.
- Found Verdict (Energy, Arc) – Possible drop from the raid, Vault of Glass.
- Without Remorse (Energy, Solar) – Obtained from Season of the Haunted Activities.
- Heritage (Kinetic) – Possible drop from completing encounters in the Deep Stone Crypt Raid.
- Legend of Acrius (Power, Arc, Exotic) – Purchased from Exotic Kiosk.
- Ikelos_SG (Energy, Solar) – Can be obtained from Season of the Seraph Activities.
- Prophet of Doom (Energy, Arc) – Possible drop from completing encounters in the raid, Garden of Salvation.
- Seventh Seraph CQC-12 (Energy, Arc) – Random world drop.
- The Fourth Horseman (Energy, Arc, Exotic) – Purchased from the Exotic kiosk.
- Tractor Cannon (Power, Void, Exotic) – Rare exotic world drop.
Shotguns in PvE have had a pretty rough year. Aside from a select few slug Shotguns like the Heritage used for DPS purposes, running one in PvE activities is not that efficient. That isn’t to say it isn’t fun, of course, because of new additions like Without Remorse, which gains access to Incandescent, and you can mow enemies down with ease in fiery glory.
The Exotic Shotguns remain vigilant, including the Tractor Cannon, one of the oldest weapons in the game. It still serves as a great gun to debuff bosses with and is used in most “melt” builds.
However, a new Exotic shotgun, Conditional Finality, might be the saving grace that Shotguns needed. For the first time, this weapon can shoot both Stasis and Solar pellets, allowing you to both freeze and scorch your enemies in two shots. This is a great gun to use with Solar Titan builds.
Otherwise, while fun to use in Run and Gun playstyles, Shotguns in PvE leave a lot to be desired for endgame content and are in desperate need of a buff of some form.
Best Shotguns for PvP in Destiny 2 (2023)
- Conditional Finality (Exotic, Stasis) – Possible drop from defeating Nezarec in Root of Nightmares raid.
- Gunnora’s Axe (Energy, Arc) – Possible reward from Iron Banner playlist
- Duality (Energy, Solar, Exotic) – Purchased from Exotic Kiosk.
- Felwinter’s Lie (Energy, Solar) – Purchased from the Exotic Kiosk.
- Raginhild (Kinetic) – World Loot Drop, can be obtained from anywhere in the game.
- Found Verdict (Energy, Arc) – Possible drop from Vault of Glass Raid
- Matador 64 (Energy, Arc) – Possible drop from encounters in the dungeon, Grasp of Avarice.
- The Inquisitor (Energy, Arc) – Complete matches of Trials of Osiris when weapon is featured.
- The Chaperone (Kinetic, Exotic) – Purchased from Exotic Kiosk
- Wastelander (Kinetic) – Possible drop from Dares of Eternity Activity
- Retold Tale (Energy, Void) – Possible drop from Shattered Throne Dungeon
Shotguns in PvP are still dominant as ever, and the latest additions in the last year have only helped to prove this. New additions include Gunnora’s Axe, Raginhild, The Inquisitor, and Conditional Finality, all very powerful Shotguns in their own right.
Returning favorites include Found Verdict, Matador, and Felwinter’s Lie, with Found Verdict being the most used Legendary Shotgun in the game currently. Felwinter’s usage has definitely gone down in the past year, but it can still put in a lot of work when needed.
Wrapping it up, the Exotic Shotguns for PvP have more or less stayed the same, with Chaperone being the most dominant of them all. That said, Duality is a great secondary choice for those that can’t headshot opponents efficiently.
Conditional Finality is also a great option since it deals enough damage to even one-shot enemy Guardians in their super. That’s all for our best shotguns in Destiny 2 for PvE, PvP, & Gambit as of Lightfall.
About the author
