Destiny 2’s current meta goes through twists and turns as weapons rise in popularity, dominate the raid meta, and then get nerfed. In this guide, we’re going to run through the best weapons for PvE and raids in Destiny 2 in 2023 as of Lightfall and Season of Defiance. We’ll start with the best Legendary weapons and then dive into the best Exotic weapons for PvE and raid content as well.
Best Legendary Weapons for PvE & Raids in Destiny 2 (2023)
- Acasia’s Dejection (Energy, Solar, Trace Rifle)
- BXR-55 Battler (Pulse Rifle, Energy, Solar)
- Bump in the Night (Rocket Launcher, Power, Stasis)
- CALUS Mini Tool (SMG, Energy, Solar)
- Cataclysmic (Linear Fusion Rifle, Power, Solar)
- Chain of Command (Machine Gun, Power, Stasis)
- Commemoration (Machine Gun, Power, Arc)
- Corrective Measure (Machine Gun, Power, Void)
- Doom of Chelchis (Scout Rifle, Energy, Void)
- Eyasluna (Hand Cannon, Kinetic, Stasis)
- Explosive Personality (Grenade Launcher, Energy, Solar)
- Fatebringer (Hand Cannon, Kinetic)
- Fire and Forget (Power, Stasis)
- Forbearance (Grenade Launcher, Arc)
- Heritage (Shotgun, Kinetic)
- Hezen Vengeance (Rocket Launcher, Power, Solar)
- Ikelos_SMG_v.1.02 (SMG, Energy, Arc)
- Ikelos_SR_ v.1.02 (Sniper Rifle, Energy, Solar)
- Insidious (Pulse Rifle, Energy, Arc)
- Nessa’s Oblation (Shotgun, Energy, Void)
- Night Watch (Scout Rifle, Kinetic)
- Path of Least Resistance (Trace Rifle, Energy, Arc)
- Posterity (Hand Cannon, Energy, Arc)
- Qullim’s Terminus (Machine Gun, Power, Stasis)
- Riptide (Fusion Rifle, Kinetic, Stasis)
- Royal Entry (Rocket Launcher, Power, Void)
- Salvager’s Salvo (Grenade Launcher, Energy, Arc)
- Smite of Merain (Pulse Rifle, Kinetic)
- Succession (Sniper Rifle, Kinetic)
- Taipan (Linear Fusion Rifle, Power, Void)
- Tarnished Mettle (Scout Rifle, Energy, Arc)
- The Other Half (Sword, Power, Void)
- Trustee (Scout Rifle, Energy, Solar)
- Unforgiven (SMG, Energy, Void)
- Vision of Confluence (Energy, Solar)
Before the pitchforks come out, please know that this is not a definitive list of every weapon that is good in PvE Destiny 2. Weapons that are left off this list are not bad or “trash.”
This is merely a curated greatest hits collection from our various Destiny 2 weapon guides, including at least one of nearly every firearm type to help build up your legendary collection with a variety of solid guns.
Let’s highlight, though, a few of the biggest and best Destiny 2 PvE weapons that are particularly game-changing. These are the ones that you should definitely seek out!
The most impactful, if you can consistently clear Deep Stone Crypt, are its raid weapons; particularly: Commemoration, Heritage, Posterity, Succession, and Trustee.
The other raids, Vow of the Disciple, and King’s Fall, also have powerful weapons that will prove useful. If you aren’t prepared for raids yet, then Seasonal weapons such as Tarnished Mettle, the Ikelos SMG, and CALUS Mini Tool are prime examples of weapons to grind and craft up.
To top it off, the brand new raid, Root of Nightmares, has a few weapons that are quickly rising the ranks to becoming meta, such as the Acasia’s Dejection, Nessa’s Oblation, and the new Conditional Finality Exotic Shotgun, which we’ll discuss below.
Overall, there’s an abundance of Legendary weapons to choose from that can benefit you in PvE/Raid activities.
Best Exotic Weapons for PvE & Raids in Destiny 2 (2023)
- Anarchy (Grenade Launcher, Power, Arc)
- Cloudstrike (Sniper Rifle, Energy, Arc)
- Collective Obligation (Pulse Rifle, Energy, Void)
- Conditional Finality (Shotgun, Stasis/Solar)
- Divinity (Trace Rifle, Energy, Arc)
- Gjallarhorn (Rocket Launcher, Power, Solar)
- Izanagi’s Burden (Sniper Rifle, Kinetic)
- Jotuun (Fusion Rifle, Energy, Solar)
- One Thousand Voices (Fusion Rifle, Power, Solar)
- Osteo Striga (SMG, Kinetic)
- Outbreak Perfected (Pulse Rifle, Kinetic)
- Parasite (Grenade Launcher, Power, Solar)
- Quicksilver Storm (Auto Rifle, Strand)
- Revision Zero (Pulse Rifle, Kinetic)
- Riskrunner (SMG, Energy, Arc)
- Sunshot (Hand Cannon, Energy, Solar)
- The Lament (Sword, Power, Solar)
- The Fourth Horseman (Shotgun, Energy, Arc)
- Ticuu’s Divination (Bow, Energy, Solar)
- Trinity Ghoul (Bow, Energy, Arc)
- Vexcaliber (Glaive, Energy, Void)
- Vex Mythoclast (Energy, Solar)
- Whisper of the Worm (Sniper Rifle, Power, Solar)
- Witherhorde (Grenade Launcher, Kinetic)
- Xenophage (Machine Gun, Power, Solar)
Same disclaimer as for the legendary weapons, let’s look at the best exotic weapons for Destiny 2’s PvE scene that you’ll want to have in your arsenal ASAP.
We’ll mention a few of the absolutely critical weapons when it comes to difficult PvE encounters such as Nightfalls and raids right away first: Parasite, Divinity, Gjallarhorn, Witherhorde, and Thunderlord.
With those five exotic weapons in hand, there’s really nothing you won’t be able to do when it comes to boss damage for anything remotely difficult in Destiny 2’s PvE scene.
Drilling down a bit further from there are the three exotic snipers: Cloudstrike, Izanagi’s Burden, and Whisper of the Worm. In a scenario where you need to do long-range DPS and Thunderlord isn’t as good an option, you won’t go wrong with using one of those three exotics.
As far as clearing out waves of enemies quickly — another situation you’re going to want to consider using your exotic weapon for — Ticuu’s Divination, Collective Obligation, Trinity Ghoul and Witherhorde stand out above the rest.
Riskrunner is also just as good if you are fighting Fallen (and to a lesser extent Hive) to get its exotic chain lightning attacks rolling by taking Arc damage. If you’re a big hand cannon fan, Sunshot can also be quite destructive in the add clearing role.
Wrapping up the list are some new Exotics, Vexcaliber, and Conditional Finality. Vexcaliber is a new Void glaive that can give you infinite overshield if used correctly. At the same time, Conditional Finality is the first-ever Light and Darkness weapon, using both Stasis and Solar to blow past your enemies in consecutive shots.
That’s all for our picks for the best legendary weapons for PvE and raids in Destiny 2 and the best Exotics for PvE and raids as of the current meta in Lightfall and Season of Defiance. Be sure to search for Twinfinite for more tips and information on Destiny 2-related content.
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