Destiny 2: The 28 Best Legendary Weapons [Expert’s Take]

The Best Legendary Weapons Destiny 2 are hard to come by, especially if you’re a new player; then you will want to hunt each of them down to have the best DPS, as well as shred trash mobs easily. Our list contains a variety of weapons, such as rocket launchers that are best-suited for boss DPS while some are either Auto rifles or SMGs which can be the Best PVE weapons and for PVP.

Destiny 2 Best Legendary Weapons Comparison

1. The Hothead

The Hothead was introduced to the player base in Season 15 and is a part of the Nightfall-exclusive loot in Destiny 2. In the current Season 20, the Hothead rocket launcher is unobtainable unless they purchase it via legacy engram decoding via Zavala. You almost have a guaranteed chance to obtain it if it’s part of the weekly grandmaster nightfall exclusive weapon.

• Purchasing it via Zavala to unlock it for Focused decoding requires 5x Vanguard engrams, 10,000 Glimmer, and 25 legendary shards.

Pros

• The Hothead rocket launcher’s god rolls include Field Prep and either Explosive Light or Vorpal Weapon, enhancing damage through orbs or against bosses.
• Versatile across core playlists and activities, excelling in Gambit and raids like Nezarec.

Cons

• The tracking module perk, while useful in PVP, is less recommended for The Crucible due to superior alternatives.
• For crowd control, heavy slot machine guns offer better utility.

2. Funnelweb

If you ask me, I would easily call the Funnelweb my ‘main’ weapons in Destiny 2 as SMGs are not only the most applicable weapons for ad-clear in almost every activity. The Funnelweb SMG was first introduced in the Season 15 of Destiny 2.

• The Funnelweb SMG is in the general loot pool, and while you could ‘focus decode’ it in the past seasons, you can still obtain it by a random world loot drop.
• In the first column, I suggest obtaining either Perpetual Motion or Subsistence, and lastly, Frenzy, in the last column, makes it the best Destiny 2 Legendary Weapons to use in Lightfall.

Pros

• 900 RPM SMGs, including the Funnelweb with god rolls, excel in ad-clearing across endgame PVE activities.
• Adrenaline Junkie on the Funnelweb enhances grenade builds by aiding grenade ability recharge on kills.

Cons

• As a close-range energy weapon, its effectiveness diminishes in long-range encounters, notably in Grandmaster Nightfalls.

3. Rufus’s Fury

Rufus’s Fury is currently one of my favorite PVE and PVP weapons, so hence why it easily lands at the top of my list for the best Destiny 2 Legendary weapons. Furthermore, the weapon is also craftable as long as you collect five deepsight weapon patterns for it. The weapon is part of the Root of Nightmares raid Loot table, and more specifically, you obtain it through the 3rd and final encounters of the raid itself.

Pros

• Rufus’s Fury has top PVE and PVP perks: Reconstruction (doubles ammo) and Hatchling/Target Lock (increases damage).
• 720-RPM auto rifles excel in both PVE and PVP with their fast fire rate.

Cons

• Requires Lightfall expansion and Root of Nightmares raid experience to get Rufus’s Fury.
• Despite its Kinetic slot, other weapons like Succession with an SMG might be preferred for clearing enemies.
• Challenging to use in high-level activities (e.g., Grandmaster Nightfalls, master raids) due to meta weapon requirements for survival.

4. Blowout

The Blowout is an arc rocket launcher found in the Crucible loot pool. You can also purchase it from Lord Shaxx via Crucible engrams earned by leveling up his reputation. The weapon was launched in Season 19 and is currently popular for the Warlock class mains.

Pros

• God roll perks (Demolitionist, Explosive Light) greatly enhance DPS against bosses.
• Starfire Protocol Warlocks in Season 20 can nearly double DPS uptime with fusion grenades reloading the Rocket Launcher.
• Accessible for F2P players seeking a powerful DPS-heavy weapon.

Cons

• Better heavy weapon options for PVP, despite its availability in the Crucible loot pool.
• Farming can be tedious for some, as it requires playing many Crucible matches for Shaxx’s reputation.

5. Submission

The kinetic SMG, Submission can be obtained via the Vow of the Disciple raid, which was launched with the Witch Queen expansion for Destiny 2. You can also acquire the adept version of the weapon via the Master difficulty of the raid and craft it at the Relic on Mars if you possess five deepsight weapon patterns for it.

Pros

• God roll perks (Frenzy, Overflow) make Submission excellent for clearing groups of enemies.
• Ideal for PVE when pairing with a special weapon in the energy slot.

Cons

• Diverse raid loot pool makes acquiring Submission difficult, despite its wide availability.
• Outperformed by other SMGs like Funnelweb and Unforgiven.
• Even with a range masterwork, it struggles in long-range combat.

6. The Immortal

The Immortal is one of the most popular weapons right now, as of Season 20 in Destiny 2. Not only is it a decent strand SMG option for PVE, but more so, it is actually one of the best PVP weapons right now. The Immortal SMG can be obtained via rewards from the Trials of Osiris.

Pros

• Threat Detector, Perpetual Motion, and Target Lock make it highly effective in PVP.
• Target Lock increases damage over time, positioning the Immortal as a top Lightfall Legendary Weapon in Destiny 2.

Cons

• Non-PVP players may struggle to find a team for Trials of Osiris to get this weapon.
• While it synergizes with Strand Subclasses for PVE, better Strand weapon options exist, like Rufus’s Fury or Perpetualis.

7. Perpetualis

The Perpetualis is a legendary Auto Rifle introduced with the latest seasons of the Lightfall Expansion, Season of Defiance. The weapon is a part of the Defiance engrams loot pool, which can be progressively earned during Defiant Battlegrounds activity completions and using focus decoding to obtain it in the H.E.L.M.

Pros

• God roll perks (Zen Moment/Keep Away, Target Lock) make Perpetualis outstanding in all content, boosted by a mid-season Auto Rifle buff.
• Its 600 RPM melts enemy health bars in PVE, despite not being a 720 RPM rifle.

Cons

• Will rotate out of the seasonal loot pool, necessitating farming for deepsight patterns to craft it before it’s unobtainable.
• May not meet PVP standards due to shifting Crucible meta.

8. Commemoration

The Commemoration is a legendary machine gun acquired via the Deep Stone Crypt raid in Destiny 2. The raid itself was launched back in the Beyond Light expansion. The weapon is considered to be the deadliest machine gun for PVE as its god roll perks include Reconstruction and either Killing Tally or Rampage.

The special origin trait is called Bray Inheritance which regenerates a small amount of ability energy when dealing damage using the Deep Stone Crypt raid weapons.

Pros

• Reconstruction perk doubles magazine size over time, greatly enhancing performance in PVE.
• Rampage/Killing Tally boosts damage, simplifying mob clearing in endgame activities.
• Easily farmable during weeks when Deep Stone Crypt is the featured raid.

Cons

• Without LFG (Looking For Group) experience, finding a raid group can be challenging.
• Commemoration drops exclusively from the final encounter of the Deep Stone Crypt raid.

9. Corrective Measure

The Corrective Measure Legendary machine gun dates back to Destiny 1, as it was originally launched with the Vault Of Glass raid. The raid has since made its reprisal in Destiny 2, bringing this weapon alongside the other VOG-exclusive loot. Unfortunately, it has no unique origin traits, but you can obtain a timelost version of the weapon on the Master Difficulty of the Vault of Glass.

Pros

• Feeding Frenzy or Subsistence perks make ammo management and reloading effortless for Corrective Measure.
• One For All perk significantly enhances damage against multiple targets, aiding in mob clearance.
• The reprised Vault of Glass is free to play for all players of Destiny 2, so you don’t have to own any expansions in order to access it.

Cons

• Unable to farm deepsight weapon patterns for Corrective Measure.
• Adept version offers additional perks but requires completing the raid on master difficulty to obtain.

10. Fixed Odds

Since Machine Guns have become fairly popular again in the current season, I just had to include another one called the Fixed Odds, a legendary Machine Gun introduced back in Season 17. You can acquire this weapon through the Duality Dungeon, and the encounters are worth farming with a group of Guardians, especially for Artifice Armor or god roll weapons you desperately need for PVE.

Pros

• Fixed Odds can roll with Incandescent and Frenzy, enabling quick ad clearing with elemental explosions and fast reloads.
• Optimal DPS strategies allow for efficient farming of Fixed Odds from the final boss of Duality, potentially one-cycling the damage phase.
• Other god rolls feature perks like Rampage or Firing Line, boosting damage when conditions are met.

Cons

• Duality requires the Dungeon Key add-on purchase, separate from main expansions

11. Succession

Next up on the best Legendary Weapons Destiny 2 list we have The Succession, a legendary Sniper Rifle that can be obtained via the Deep Stone Crypt Raid. The raid was launched with the release of the Beyond Light expansion. The only catch is that the weapon is a potential drop via the Atraks-1 encounter, so you might have to farm him until you get the Succession or its deep sight weapon patterns to craft your god roll on it yourself.

Pros

• Succession’s best perks, Reconstruction and Vorpal Weapon, excel in PVE by regenerating ammo and increasing damage against bosses.
• Its high-impact and high-zoom scope ranks it among the top DPS legendary weapons in Lightfall DLC’s endgame PVE.

Cons

• Less viable for PVP compared to options like the 1000-Yard Stare.
• Without the Reconstruction perk, Succession is often considered not worth keeping.

12. Hezen’s Vengeance

Another solid option for Rocket Launcher users comes in the form of Hezen’s Vengeance, which is available from the reprised raid for Destiny 2, Vault of Glass. The following rocket launcher only drops with the Solar element and has an adept version attainable from the master difficulty version of the raid.

Pros

• Hezen’s Vengeance serves as a solid alternative to a god-rolled Hothead.
• Auto-loading Holster perk is especially useful against solar-shielded enemies in endgame content.
• The adept version broadens the perk pool, enhancing its utility in both PVE and PVP in Destiny 2 Lightfall.

Cons

• An Explosive-light rolled Hothead is generally a better option.
• Hezen’s Vengeance is limited to drops from the Gatekeeper and Atheon raid encounters.

13. 1000-Yard Stare

Undoubtedly, in my personal experience with both Destiny titles, the 1000-Yard Stare is one of the best PVP legendary weapons in Destiny 2 Lightfall. The only catch is that you will need the Bungie Anniversary pack to acquire it via the Grasp of Avarice dungeon.

Pros

• Quickdraw and Snapshot perks significantly enhance the 1000 Yard Stare’s handling for quickscoping in PVP.
• Its adaptive frame archetype makes it a top choice for PVP, even without the god roll.
• Offers a PVP-oriented perk pool, including No Distractions for reduced flinch during ADS.

Cons

• Requires the 30th Bungie Anniversary pack to access the Grasp of Avarice dungeon for farming.
• Less effective in PVE, lacking god-roll perks for that gameplay aspect.

14. Wendigo GL3

The Wendigo GL3 is another legendary weapon in Destiny 2 that I would instantly name as the top-tier DPS weapon to dominate PVE. Grenade Launchers had received a buff before Season 20’s launch, and they are performing just as well as Rocket Launchers.

You can acquire the Wendigo GL3 via the featured Nightfall if the weapon is part of its exclusive loot pool for the season. Alternatively, you can also purchase it from Zavala via weapon focusing.

Pros

• Wendigo GL3’s god-roll perks (Explosive Light, Auto-loading Holster) excel at taking down high-level foes and bosses.
• Ideal for burst DPS, making it highly effective in PVE.
• The Vanguard’s Vindication origin trait heals HP upon enemy kills.

Cons

• Farming for the god roll in Nightfalls, particularly grandmaster difficulty, can be tiresome.
• Less effective in PVP, best suited for endgame PVE content like raids.

15. Regnant

Regnant is one of the newly introduced legendary heavy weapons with the Season of Defiance in the Lightfall expansion of Destiny 2. This legendary grenade launcher has void damage and can be acquired through Defiance engrams. Like the Perpetualis, you can also focus this weapon on dropping in the H.E.L.M. to easily acquire it.

Pros

• Regnant offers the same desirable god roll perks as Wendigo GL3: Spike Grenades, Auto-loading Holster, and Explosive Light.
• Statistically similar to Wendigo GL3, with no significant DPS difference.
• Allows for crafting and customization with five deepsight patterns to achieve a personalized god roll.

Cons

• Being a seasonal weapon, Regnant will eventually be phased out of the loot pool, making it harder to obtain.
• For boss DPS, rocket launchers like Hothead are recommended over Regnant, which is better suited for strikes or Gambit.

16. Heritage

The Heritage Kinetic shotgun is acquired through the Deep Stone Crypt raid, specifically via the Atraks-1 encounter. You can also acquire five deepsight weapon patterns to unlock the Heritage for crafting back at the Relic on the Enclave.

Pros

• Godroll perks (Reconstruction, Recombination) on Heritage regenerate ammo and boost damage after elemental kills.
• Excellently pairs with Grenade kickstart builds or any setup to frequently activate Recombination for increased damage.
• Ideal for taking down champions or major enemies in PVE.

Cons

• In PVP, other shotguns like Matador 64 may offer better performance.
• Farming for the god roll or deepsight patterns requires numerous runs of the Atraks-1 raid encounter.

17. Nessa’s Oblation

Nessa’s Oblation is one of the brand-new weapons introduced with the Lightfall expansion, and you can obtain it via the Root of Nightmares raid. Specifically, you can acquire it through the first and second encounters of the raid and craft it after you receive five deepsight weapon patterns for it.

Pros

• Repulsor Brace perk synergizes well with Void builds, granting an overshield upon defeating void-debuffed targets.
• Destabilizing Rounds cause nearby enemies to become volatile, facilitating chain reactions among trash mobs.

Cons

• Limited utility outside of Shotgun-focused or Void builds due to the current PVE meta.
• Other weapons, like Rufus’s Fury and Acasia’s Dejection, may offer greater overall benefits.

18. Forbearance

Forbearance is a kinetic grenade launcher that is found through the Vow of the Disciple raid. The exact encounters it is obtained through are the Caretaker boss fight as well as the final encounter, Rhulk. It is a wave frame archetype that shoots out projectiles that, upon impact, dish out a shockwave to damage targets. There is also the adept version of Forbearance obtained through the master difficulty of the Vow of the Disciple.

Pros

• Godrolls (Ambitious Assassin, Chain Reaction) enable magazine overflow from kills and create elemental explosions on final blows.
• Forbearance excels in ad clearance, ideal for challenging PVE activities like Day 1 raids and Nightfalls.
• Crafting the Godroll with five deepsight weapon patterns at the Relic is recommended.

Cons

• Limited to the optimal Godroll due to its extensive perk pool, offering little variety in effective setups.
• Vow of the Disciple raid presents a significant challenge, particularly for new Destiny 2 players.

19. Chroma Rush

The Chroma Rush was launched as a seasonal auto rifle during Season of the Splicer. It means that you cannot obtain it anymore unless Gunsmith or Xur are selling it in their inventory. There is a slight chance that Bungie may reprise the weapon in the future so you can earn it from world drops and other activities.

Pros

• I personally found Heating Up and Rampage to be the Godroll perks for the Chroma Rush, as it gains a damage boost by rapidly defeating enemies and also increases its stability/accuracy.
• Versatile perk options, including Feeding Frenzy or Subsistence for PVE and Kill Clip or Tap the Trigger for PVP.
• Benefiting from a recent auto rifle buff in Season 20, the 720 RPM Chroma Rush excels in both PVE and PVP.

Cons

• Chroma Rush is challenging to acquire in the current season of Destiny 2.
• Auto rifles generally underperform at long distances in both PVE and PVP.

20. Hung Jury SR4

The Hung Jury SR4 has returned in Destiny 2 since its days from the original installment, and for a good reason, it was one of the best scout rifles. However, instead of being acquired as a world drop or purchasable from vendors, you can obtain it as part of exclusive nightfall weapons. The Hung Jury SR4 may occasionally change on what Nightfall it may be dropped, so it is worth checking out periodically.

Pros

• In my experience using the gun and learning through fellow clanmates, I found the most popular choice of perks being Rapid Hit, as well as either Firefly or Explosive Payload.
• A wide selection of perks makes it a top choice among Scout Rifles for PVE.
• Excellent range and 180 RPM make it ideal for long-distance engagements.

Cons

• While Scout Rifles may generally perform great during Grandmaster Nightfalls or Master Lost Sectors, for general ad clear, you may want to use other weapons such as an SMG.
• Hung Jury SR4’s availability may depend on the Nightfall, and you will only have better luck getting it through the hardest difficulty, Grandmaster.

21. Doom Of Chelchis

The Doom Of Chelchis Scout Rifle is obtainable through the King’s Fall raid in Destiny 2. The raid itself returns from Destiny 1, as it features all weapons and armor being reprised too. The Doom of Chelchis also features a unique origin trait like its other raid-exclusive weapons called Runneth Over, where Reloading near allies will overflow the magazine.

Pros

• Offers top PVE perks: Firefly, Explosive Payload, Frenzy, and Focused Fury.
• In PVP, excels with Steady Hands and Eye of the Storm.
• Unique in featuring Explosive Payload, Firefly, and One-for-All perks.
• Kings Fall raid is free, providing access to Doom of Chelchis.

Cons

• Struggles with low reload speed and handling; a masterwork in these areas can help.
• May underperform in PVP on close-range Crucible maps.

22. Cataclysmic

The Cataclysmic is a Linear Fusion rifle in the Heavy slot that can be obtained via the Vow of the Disciple raid. It deals void damage and specifically drops via the first and second encounters of the raid. You can also craft it if you acquire five deepsight weapon patterns.

Pros

• Godrolls (Fourth Time’s the Charm, Bait and Switch) enhance its utility, especially with Bait and Switch offering a damage boost after using other weapons.
• Effective in PVP with perks like Sleight of Hands and High-impact Reserves for swift Guardian takedowns.

Cons

• Nerfs to Linear Fusion Rifles have diminished their PVE DPS superiority in Destiny 2 Lightfall.
• Post-nerf, other weapons like Forbearance might offer better godroll opportunities for PVE.

23. Fatebringer

The Fatebringer kinetic hand cannon is part of the Vault of Glass raid in Destiny 2. The weapon is quite popular for veteran players as it was the most used legendary weapon back in Destiny 1 on consoles for PVE. It returns with exact same prowess and powerful perks that made it a must-have hand cannon.

Pros

• Fatebringer’s perk pool includes excellent rolls like Explosive Payload and Firefly, making it ‘Godroll’ worthy.
• Highly effective in both PVE and PVP with perks like Killing Wind and Eye of the Storm.
• Feasibility to obtain the exact same Godroll as its Destiny 1 counterpart makes it a must-have weapon.

Cons

• Slow reload speed and small magazine size may deter some players.
• Standard and adept versions are non-craftable, relying on RNG for acquisition.

24. Eyasluna

Eyasluna is another weapon returned from Destiny 1 and is available with the Bungie 30th Anniversary pack. You can obtain it with the loot pool of the Grasp of Avarice dungeon. If you’re hunting for the best PVP legendary weapons in Destiny 2 Lightfall, this is the one you want as soon as possible.

Pros

• Eyasluna’s perk pool includes top-tier perks like Outlaw, Perpetual Motion, Headstone, and Moving Target, making it versatile for both PVP and PVE.
• Farmable from encounters in the Grasp of Avarice dungeon when featured.
• Headstone perk synergizes well with Stasis subclass builds.

Cons

• Like most 140 RPM Hand Cannons, Eyasluna suffers from slow reload speed.
• To optimize its performance, separate god rolls for PVP and PVE may be necessary.

25. Nation Of Beasts

The Nation of Beasts hand cannon is dropped via The Last Wish raid, which is included with the Forsaken expansion pack. The weapon has a short perk pool, but thankfully, it allows the Nation of Beasts to quickly achieve and drop with the preferred godroll perks.

Pros

• Nation of Beasts’ Godroll typically features Outlaw paired with Kill Clip or Explosive Payload, offering versatility in PVE.
• Opening Shot perk makes it viable in PVP.
• Accessible drops throughout every encounter in the Last Wish raid make it easy to obtain.

Cons

• Low range may result in damage falloff when used at longer distances.

26. Darkest Before

The Darkest Before pulse rifle was first introduced in the base Destiny 2 content but was later moved out from the loot table completely. But since then, you can now acquire it via the Prophecy dungeon, launched during the Season of the Arrivals.

Pros

• Godroll perks like Overflow or Surplus, combined with Rampage, enhance Darkest Before’s performance.
• Rapid-fire frame and 540 RPM make it highly effective in PVP at mid-to-close distances.
• Obtainable from encounters in the Prophecy Dungeon, which are relatively straightforward.

Cons

• Severe lack of range requires masterworking that stat for effective long-range use in PVP.
• Not ideal for PVE due to lack of powerful perks compared to other Pulse Rifles.

27. Midha’s Reckoning

The Midha’s Reckoning fusion rifle is acquired through the King’s Fall raid. Specifically, you can obtain this by completing the Golgoroth or the final encounter. The weapon also has a harrowed version which is essentially the adept variant via the Master Difficulty mode of the raid.

Pros

• Best perks include Backup Plan or Cornered, along with Reservoir Burst for increased damage output in PVE.
• Offers great PVP perks like Kickstart or Successful Warmup.
• Decent range makes it effective against various targets in both PVP and PVE.

Cons

• Slow charge time can be challenging to manage, particularly in PVP scenarios.
• While craftable, obtaining Midha’s Reckoning is limited to mid-to-late encounters in the raid.

28. BXR-55 Battler

Don’t let my personal ranking for the BXR-55 Battler fool you because this weapon is hands down my best legendary pulse rifle weapon in destiny 2, which I often use in both PVP and PVE activities. The Halo Franchise’s Battle Rifle inspires the weapon’s creation. You can obtain it as a random reward via Xur’s Treasure Hoard engrams and by completing Dares of Eternity runs.

Pros

• Demolitionist and Incandescent perks create an effective Godroll for melting trash mobs in raids and endgame PVE.
• Offers a variety of unique perks like Outlaw, Kill Clip, and Perpetual Motion in its general perk pool.
• Easy acquisition through Xur’s Treasure Hoard chest using treasure keys.

Cons

• Mildly suffers from range, which can be compensated for with a masterwork in that stat.

Best Legendary Weapon Ranking Criteria

I (Steam Name: LIONT4MER) created the following list of the Best Legendary Weapons in Destiny 2, as a player frequently aware of the ongoing meta and the constantly shifting sandbox. Having numerous completions of every raid introduced so far, along with well over 2500+ hours across both Destiny releases, you can be sure that these weapons are ranked and listed with the utmost hands-on experience.

Summing It Up

Destiny 2 is easily one of the longest-running looter shooter titles in the market, with millions of players logging in to play it every week. The annual DLCs, as well as the constant updates made to the game, allow the player base to be glued to its daily happenings or events. There are also many other activities, such as hunting down all the Lightfall Exotics, including Dawn Chorus and more!

If you have any other questions about the list, please let me know in the comments section below! Aside from that, I wish you luck hunting down your favorite weapons from the list!

Up Next:

• Destiny 2 Unlock Deterministic Chaos
• Destiny 2: How To Farm Artifice Armor
• Destiny 2 Guide: How to Get Trinity Ghoul
• Destiny 2: How To Get Spoils Of Conquest