Destiny 2: 16 Best Scout Rifles [3000+ Hours Experience]
Take out the top-tier scout rifles, its time to pop heads in season 20 of Destiny 2!
Similar to the best kinetic weapons and best PvE weapons, the Scout rifles serve as an equal and adaptable weapon class, but they provide medium to long-range precision and accuracy for dispatching foes. Equipping the best Destiny 2 scout rifle is essential, whether immersed in fierce PvP clashes or facing demanding PvE missions. From the rapid-fire capabilities of Doom Of Chelchis and the formidable impact of Hung Jury SR4, I’ve curated a list of 16 best Destiny 2 scout rifles.
The Best Scout Rifles Destiny 2 are versatile and excel at medium to long-range engagements, here are our top picks:
- Tarnished Mettle: Offers adaptability, strong PvE performance, and customizable perks.
- Transfiguration: High impact and range, ideal for PvE, but challenging recoil control.
- Vouchsafe: High fire rate, Dragonfly perk for crowd control, but low stability.
- Touch of Malice: Unique Exotic perks, high impact, sustained DPS against bosses, but low stability and magazine size.
- Staccato-46: Adaptable for PvE and PvP, fast firing rate, good handling, but poor range and limited ammo.
- Jade Rabbit: High impact, range, precision, ammo regeneration, limited magazine size, requires precision hits.
- Hung Jury SR4: High stability and range, ideal for precision shots and crowd control with Firefly.
- Doom of Chelchis: Legendary scout rifle excelling in long-range engagements with high impact and range.
- Nightwatch: Versatile with high aim assistance and stability, obtainable from various activities and vendors.
- Why Trust Us: Usama has spent more than 2400 hours in Destiny 2, making his guides trustworthy!
All Picks And Comparison Table
Below I’ve outlined a statistical comparison table for the best scout rifles in Destiny 2:
Scout Rifle Name | Best For | Rarity | Power/Attack | Impact | Range | Rounds Per Minute | Magazine |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tarnished Mettle | The Best Fire-Rate Scout Rifle. | Legendary | 1569 Power | 60.0 | 30.0 | 200.0 | 16.0 |
Trustee | The Best Versatile Scout Rifle. | Legendary | 1252 Power | 45.0 | 35.0 | 360.0 | 17.0 |
Tears Of Contrition | The Scout Rifle With Mobility And Agility. | Legendary | 1560 Power | 62.0 | 47.0 | 180.0 | 16.0 |
Transfiguration | The Best Long-Range Scout Rifle. | Legendary | 500 Attack | 67.0 | 74.0 | 150.0 | 14.0 |
Vouch safe | The Best Lightweight Scout Rifle. | Legendary | 542 Attack | 60.0 | 33.0 | 200.0 | 16.0 |
Jararaca-3SR | The Scout Rifle With Precision Shooting. | Legendary | 1579 Power | 45.0 | 24.0 | 260.0 | 17.0 |
Touch Of Malice | The Scout Rifle With Unique Exotic Perks. | Exotic | 1590 Power | 45.0 | 53.0 | 260.0 | 11.0 |
Vision Of Confluence | The Scout Rifle With Excellent Stability. | Legendary | 1315 Power | 62.0 | 72.0 | 200.0 | 19.0 |
Dead Man's Tale | The Best Exotic Scout Rifle. | Exotic | 1763 Power | 67.0 | 60.0 | 120.0 | 14.0 |
Stacatto-46 | The Scout Rifle Smooth Handling. | Legendary | 1561 Power | 62.0 | 39.0 | 180.0 | 16.0 |
The Jade Rabbit | The Best Skilled Scout Rifle. | Exotic | 1564 Power | 67.0 | 80.0 | 150.0 | 10.0 |
Aisha's Embrace | The Best Aim Assistance Scout Rifle. | Legendary | 1528 Power | 45.0 | 34.0 | 260.0 | 18.0 |
MIDA Multi-Tool | The Best Mid-Range Scout Rifle. | Exotic | 1806 Power | 60.0 | 35.0 | 200.0 | 16.0 |
Night Watch | The Best Primary Scout Rifle. | Legendary | 1260 Power | 60.0 | 37.0 | 200.0 | 16.0 |
Doom Of Chelchis | Best Scout Rifle For Solo Players. | Legendary | 1568 Power | 62.0 | 49.0 | 180.0 | 16.0 |
Hung Jury SR4 | The Best Ammo Efficient Scout Rifle. | Legendary | 1312 Power | 62.0 | 49.0 | 180.0 | 16.0 |
Tarnished Mettle
- Why I Chose This: Offers adaptability through its perk customization, allowing players to tailor the weapon to their preferred playstyle.
Rarity | Legendary |
Damage Type | Kinetic |
Ammo Type | Primary |
Magazine Size | 35 |
Reserve Ammo | 280 |
Rate of Fire | 720 RPM |
Impact | 21 |
Range | 51 |
Stability | 44 |
Handling | 33 |
Reload Speed | 38 |
Aim Assistance | 70 |
Recoil Direction | 60 |
To acquire the Tarnished Mettle gun in Destiny 2, players will need to follow these steps:
- Earn Umbral Engrams from strikes, Gambit, and Crucible matches.
- Decrypt them at the Tower’s Prismatic Recaster.
- Choose “Focused Umbral Engram.”
- Select “Arrivals Focused Umbral Engram” for better Tarnished Mettle chances.
- Note: Tarnished Mettle randomly drops from this engram.
- Increase odds by focusing on “Focused Umbral Engram: Auto Rifle.”
- Buy weapons at Monument to Lost Light in the Tower with Ascendant Shards or Exotic Ciphers.
- Completing Arms Dealer Nightfall Strike (Adept or higher) rewards Tarnished Mettle.
- For a “god roll,” focus on “Focused Umbral Engram: Tarnished Mettle” and farm your desired perks.
- Ineffective at long range, low impact.
- Requires practice for recoil control.
- Lacks unique powers of other legendaries.
- Suboptimal for endgame due to lower damage output.
Trustee
- Why I Chose This: Easily obtainable from the Security encounter within the Deep Stone Crypt Raid introduced in the Beyond Light expansion.
Impact | 45 |
Range | 35 |
Stability | 43 |
Handling | 30 |
Reload Speed | 31 |
Aim Assistance | 67 |
Inventory Size | 56 |
Zoom | 19 |
You can obtain Trustee, easily one of the Best Scout Rifles in Destiny 2, by participating in the Deep Stone Crypt Raid, introduced in the Beyond Light expansion. Trustee drops specifically from the Security Raid encounter. To craft the perfect roll at The Enclave, collect five Deepsight versions of the weapon. However, you must do multiple runs of Deep Stone Crypt to gather each copy.
- God Roll for Trustee includes the following Perks:
- Arrowhead Break
- Accurized Rounds
- Rapid Hit
- Incandescent
- Offers customizable God Roll for PvP and PvE.
- Easily obtained in boss-free Security Raid encounter.
- Strong selection of God Roll perks.
- Excels at clearing distant enemies.
- Perfect roll needs multiple raids.
- Learning Security’s mechanics may delay Trustee acquisition.
- Effectiveness relies on consistent precision hits, challenging for some.
Tears Of Contrition
- Why I Chose This: A viable option for clearing groups of enemies fast, perfect for crowded spawns or rapid-fire encounters.
Archetype | Rapid-Fire Frame |
Rarity | Legendary |
Magazine Size | 17 |
Reserves | 63 |
RPM | 260 |
Impact | 62 |
Range | 60 |
Stability | 47 |
Handling | 68 |
Reload Speed | 45 |
Aim Assistance | 71 |
Recoil Direction | 70 |
Zoom | 20 |
Tears of Contrition is a legendary scout rifle that can be obtained through various activities in Destiny 2, such as:
- Random drop from pinnacle activities.
- Rank-up packages from the Gambit or Crucible vendors.
- Completing the daily bounties from the Gunsmith.
- Purchasing from the Monument to Lost Light kiosk in the Tower.
Once you have obtained the weapon, you can farm for a god roll by focusing on certain perks. The recommended god-roll perks for Tears of Contrition are Heating Up or Wellspring.
- Rapid-Fire Frame excels at crowd control.
- Intrinsic perk Rapid Hit boosts stability and reload speed.
- Customizable with various perks.
- High aim assistance and recoil control.
- 17-round magazine for sustained firing.
- Low impact requires more bullets against high-level foes.
- Less effective at long range compared to some scout rifles.
- Low stability and handling require mastery.
- Tricky to obtain god roll perks, limiting potential.
Transfiguration
- Why I Chose This: With perks like Opening Shot and Outlaw, it shines in PvE activities.
Rarity | Legendary |
Ammo Type | Primary |
Damage Type | Kinetic |
Impact | 67 |
Range | 72 |
Stability | 47 |
Handling | 46 |
Reload Speed | 49 |
Rounds Per Minute | 200 |
Magazine | 16 |
Zoom | 20 |
Recoil | 60 |
Aim Assist | 55 |
The Transfiguration is a Legendary Scout Rifle only obtained by completing the Last Wish raid in the Dreaming City. The Last Wish raid is a six-player activity that requires a high level of coordination and skill. The Transfiguration can drop from any encounter in the raid, but the chances of obtaining it are relatively low.
- High impact and range for heavy long-distance damage.
- Good magazine size for sustained firing.
- Powerful perks like Opening Shot and Outlaw ideal for PvE.
- Curated Transfiguration has Rampage for damage boosts.
- Versatile Scout Rifle perfect for adaptable players.
- Recoil hard to control, especially in full-auto.
- Low handling and stability, less effective up close.
Vouchsafe
- Why I Chose This: The Dragonfly Perk creates elemental explosions upon precision kills, damaging nearby enemies. This AoE effect can quickly clear out clusters of enemies.
Rarity | Legendary |
Damage Type | Void |
Impact | 62 |
Range | 72 |
Stability | 54 |
Handling | 70 |
Reload Speed | 59 |
Rounds Per Minute | 200 |
Magazine | 16 |
Aim Assistance | 66 |
Recoil Direction | 64 |
Zoom | 20 |
You can get the Legendary Scout Rifle, Vouchsafe, by doing activities in the Dreaming City. Upon completing almost any activity in the Dreaming City, including the Blind Well and the Ascendant Tasks, you may get a Vouchsafe as a random drop.
Here are the god roll perks for the Vouchsafe gun in Destiny 2:
- Rapid Hit
- Dragonfly
- High-Impact Reserves
- Rampage
- Explosive Payload
- Zen Moment
- Full Auto Trigger System
- High fire rate for fast ad clearing.
- Rapid Hit perk enhances stability and reload speed.
- Dragonfly perk creates elemental explosions.
- Good range and aim assistance.
- Low stability hampers rapid or long-range combat.
- Dragonfly explosions obstruct view.
- Less potent than Exotic weapons in high-level content.
- Low drop rate, needs multiple Dreaming City runs.
Jararaca-3SR
- Why I Chose This: It can be used in various PvE and PvP activities, providing utility in both long-range engagements.
Ammo Type | Special Ammo |
Damage Type | Kinetic |
Impact | 70 |
Range | 76 |
Stability | 42 |
Handling | 29 |
Reload Speed | 40 |
Rounds Per Minute | 90 |
Magazine | 4 |
Zoom | 40 |
Recoil Direction | 70 |
Jararaca-3SR is a legendary sniper rifle that can be obtained randomly as a reward for completing activities or by purchasing engrams from the Cryptarch. It is also available as a world drop, so players can farm various activities such as strikes, Crucible matches, and Gambit to increase their chances of getting it. Players can also try their luck by obtaining it from Xur’s weekly inventory.
- Superior for long-range battles with high impact.
- Devastates bosses and high-health foes.
- Outlaw enables rapid reloads after precise kills.
- High-Impact Reserves boosts low magazine damage.
- 4-round magazine hinders fast eliminations.
- Lack of Outlaw leads to slow reloads.
- Unstable handling causes recoil and accuracy issues.
- Limited effectiveness against elemental shield-protected foes.
Touch Of Malice
- Why I Chose This: Its perks and stats make it ideal for boss encounters where sustained damage output is essential for victory.
Rarity | Exotic |
Ammo Type | Primary |
Damage Type | Kinetic |
Impact | 62 |
Range | 52 |
Stability | 29 |
Handling | 41 |
Reload Speed | 26 |
Rounds Per Minute | 150 |
Magazine | 11 |
The Touch of Malice is a returning weapon from Destiny 1, which has returned with the reprised King’s Fall raid in Destiny 2 and has a chance to be dropped from the Oryx encounter.
- Unique Exotic perks increase damage, using health instead of ammo.
- High Impact and Range make it formidable.
- Touch of Mercy boosts damage and stability with lower magazine.
- Ideal for sustained DPS against bosses.
- Touch of Pain damages user for not reloading.
- Exotic perks risk health or magazine use in high-stakes encounters.
- Low Stability and Handling affect recoil and aim.
- Magazine size is relatively low at 11 rounds.
Vision Of Confluence
- Why I Chose This: The full-auto trigger and perks like Zen Moment and Explosive Payload make it versatile in combat.
Rarity | Legendary |
Weapon Type | Scout Rifle |
Ammo Type | Primary |
Damage Type | Solar |
Impact | 62 |
Range | 72 |
Stability | 46 |
Handling | 40 |
Reload Speed | 46 |
Rounds Per Minute | 200 |
Magazine | 19 |
Vision of Confluence is a Legendary & the Best Scout Rifle in Destiny 2 exclusive to the Vault of Glass raid. Players must complete the Vault of Glass raid and defeat the final boss, Atheon, to have a chance to receive the gun as a reward. The drop rate for Vision of Confluence is random, so players may have to run the raid multiple times to obtain it.
The gun’s God Roll perks include Hammer-Forged Rifling, Accurized Rounds, Overflow, and Explosive Payload, which maximize range, stability, and damage.
- High impact and range for long-range combat.
- Full auto trigger and Zen Moment for stability.
- Explosive Payload adds damage and stuns.
- Overflow increases magazine size with ammo pickup.
- Small mag size compared to other scout rifles.
- Average reload speed.
- Low handling speed.
- Exclusive to Vault of Glass raid, challenging for new players.
- Other weapons may perform better in certain situations.
- God Roll perks can be hard to obtain, limiting effectiveness.
Dead Man’s Tale
- Why I Chose This: Perks like Cranial Spike and Killing Wind enhance its performance in various combat scenarios.
Rarity | Exotic |
Magazine Size | 6 |
Max Ammo | 50 |
Reload Time | 1.6s |
Damage | Kinetic |
Impact | 80 |
Range | 70 |
Stability | 50 |
Handling | 35 |
Aim Assistance | 70 |
Recoil | Vertical, Low |
RPM | 150 |
To obtain Dead Man’s Tale gun in Destiny 2, you need to follow these steps:
- Complete the Season of the Chosen introductory questline to unlock the Presage mission.
- The Presage mission is a secret quest that requires a fireteam of at least one and a maximum of three players.
- Play the Presage mission on Master difficulty to increase your chances of getting the Dead Man’s Tale drop.
The following are considered some of the best god rolls for Dead Man’s Tale gun in Destiny 2:
- Barrel: Hammer-forged Rifling, Smallbore, or Fluted Barrel
- Magazine: Accurized Rounds or Tactical Mag
- Perk 1: Killing Wind, Surplus, or Outlaw
- Perk 2: Snapshot Sights, Moving Target, or Vorpal Weapon
- Ideal for long-range battles with high impact.
- Cranial Spike rewards precision and aids hip-fire.
- Efficient in PVE and PVP with precise hits.
- Easy to handle with low recoil and high stability.
- Catalyst enhances stability and handling.
- Compatible with scout rifle mods.
- Slow reload with a 6-round magazine.
- Less effective in close combat due to slow rate of fire.
- Depends on accurate shooting.
- Obtaining is difficult, which may deter some players.
Staccato-46
- Why I Chose This: High rate of fire, excellent stability, and smooth handling make it easy to use, allowing for quick and accurate shots even in fast-paced engagements.
Damage | 180 |
RPM | 300 |
Magazine | 17 |
Reload Speed | 45 |
Stability | 59 |
Aim Assistance | 60 |
Recoil Direction | 100 |
Zoom | 16 |
Inventory Size | 43 |
Handling | 70 |
The Staccato-46 is a scout rifle that can be obtained by playing Crucible matches or by turning in Crucible tokens to Shaxx, the Crucible vendor. It is also a potential reward for completing the weekly Crucible challenge. The weapon can be acquired through random drops during Crucible matches or by turning in Crucible bounties. The god roll for the Staccato-46 includes perks such as Rapid Hit, Zen Moment, and Multikill Clip.
- Excels in PvE and PvP with high rate of fire.
- Easy critical hits with excellent stability and aim.
- Smooth handling for quick weapon swaps.
- Adaptable with numerous attachment options.
- Rapid Hit perk boosts Stability and Reload Speed after precise hits.
- Long-distance engagement in PvP feels tough due to poor range.
- Limited inventory capacity of 43 items.
- Optimal roll varies based on player preference.
Jade Rabbit
- Why I Chose This: Its balanced handling and stability ensure a smooth shooting experience, contributing to its accessibility and ease of use.
Rarity | Exotic |
Damage Type | Kinetic |
Attack | 1360 |
Magazine Size | 10 |
Reserves | 80 |
Rate of Fire | 150 |
Impact | 67 |
Range | 68 |
Stability | 46 |
Reload Speed | 57 ms |
Handling | 42 |
Aim Assistance | 80 |
Recoil Direction | 60 |
Destiny 2’s exotic best Scout Rifle, The Jade Rabbit, is obtainable as a random drop from the world via Exotic Engrams and also has a chance to be found in Xur’s weekly featured inventory at certain times.
- Low fire and reload speed hinder close combat.
- Limited magazine size requires frequent reloading.
- Exotic slot allows only one exotic weapon.
- Precision hits necessary, not always feasible.
Aisha’s Embrace
- Why I Chose This: In PvP encounters, perks like Quickdraw, Snapshot Sights, and Opening Shot enhance Aisha’s Embrace’s performance by improving handling speed and aiming.
Rarity | Legendary |
Magazine Size | 16 |
Reload Speed | 45 |
Handling | 54 |
Aim Assistance | 72 |
Recoil Direction | 70 |
Zoom | 20 |
Range | 68 |
Stability | 46 |
Impact | 67 |
Rate of Fire | 150 |
It is important to note that Aisha’s Embrace was only available in Destiny 2’s Season of the Chosen and may not be available in future seasons or expansions. Players should aim to obtain the God Roll perks, such as Overflow, Explosive Payload, and Frenzy for PvE or Quickdraw, Snapshot Sights, and Opening Shot for PvP.
- Excellent aim assist and recoil control.
- Fast firing rate and large magazine.
- Useful against groups with PvE perks like Overflow.
- Effective in The Crucible with PvP perks like Quickdraw.
- Limited Stability.
- Slower reload compared to other Scout Rifles.
- Finding optimal perks requires multiple rolls.
MIDA Multi-Tool
- Why I Chose This: Lightweight design and fast reload speed make it ideal for aggressive playstyles, allowing players to quickly move around the map, flank enemies, and push objectives.
Damage | 200 |
RPM | 200 |
Magazine | 21 |
Reload Speed | 1.8 seconds |
Range | 67 |
Stability | 46 |
Handling | 55 |
Aim Assist | 100 |
Recoil | Low |
To get the MIDA Multi-tool, you can purchase it from the Exotic archive kiosk in the Tower for 1x Exotic Cipher, 100K Glimmer, 150 Legendary Shards, and 1x Ascendant Shard.
- High aim assist and low recoil for accuracy.
- Third Eye perk provides radar while aiming.
- Lightweight design for faster movement and strafing.
- Fast reload and high rate of fire for close to mid-range.
- Versatile and effective in both PvP and PvE.
- Deals less damage than other exotic weapons.
- Third Eye perk can lead to overreliance on radar.
Night Watch
- Why I Chose This: Due to its availability as a reward for ranking up in Gambit, the it is well-suited for use in Gambit matches.
Rarity | Legendary |
Magazine Capacity | 16 |
Reload Time | 2.1 seconds |
Aim Assistance | 75 |
Zoom | 20 |
Recoil Direction | 60 |
Rounds Per Minute | 200 |
Impact | 62 |
Range | 62 |
Stability | 51 |
Handling | 53 |
Many methods exist in Destiny 2 for acquiring the Nightwatch scout rifle, as you can obtain via Gambit mostly or even successful completions of Nightfalls as a random world pool drop. The recommended perks for the Nightwatch include Rapid Hit, Explosive Payload, Outlaw, and Rampage.
- High aim assist and stability.
- Explosive Payload causes flinching in PvP.
- Rapid Hit enhances stability and reload speed.
- High impact and long range for significant damage.
- Easily obtained by ranking up in Gambit.
- Reloading may leave players vulnerable.
- Maintaining Rampage activation can be challenging.
Doom Of Chelchis
- Why I Chose This: High impact and damage output make it valuable for solo players seeking a reliable primary weapon
Impact | 70 |
Range | 61 |
Stability | 47 |
Handling | 53 |
Reload Speed | 46 |
Rounds Per Minute | 180 |
Magazine | 16 |
Zoom | 15 |
Recoil Direction | 60 |
Aim Assistance | 70 |
Equip Speed | 49 |
The Doom of Chelchis can be obtained via the Reprised King’s Fall raid and has a chance to be dropped via the first and last encounters. The god roll for Doom of Chelchis includes Zen Moment, Outlaw, and Rampage perks, which increase stability, reload speed, and damage respectively.
- High impact and range for long-range engagements.
- Zen Moment boosts stability with each hit.
- Outlaw speeds reloads after precision kills.
- Rampage increases damage after kills for multiple takedowns.
- Slow rate of fire and small magazine.
- Recoil challenging without Zen Moment.
- Only obtainable through King’s Fall raid or world drop, which can be difficult.
Hung Jury SR4
- Why I Chose This: Triple Tap refunds ammo on precision hits, allowing for prolonged firing without needing to reload frequently.
Type | Scout Rifle |
Magazine | 16 rounds |
Reload Speed | 50 |
Stability | 70 |
Handling | 54 |
Range | 63 |
Aim Assist | 62 |
Recoil | 56 |
Zoom | 20 |
Rounds Per Minute | 180 |
To obtain Hung Jury SR4, you must either focus drop it via Zavala using Vanguard engrams or farm it from its specific Grandmaster Nightfall during the season. For the God Roll, a combination of specific perks is considered optimal. These perks are Firefly, Triple Tap, Extended Mag or Appended Mag, and lastly, Tactical Mag or Accurized Rounds.
- High stability and range for precision at medium to long range.
- Firefly causes enemies to explode for crowd control.
- Triple Tap conserves ammo by returning rounds on precision hits.
- High ammo reserves and extended magazine for sustained damage output.
- Low rate of fire and slow reload hinder close combat.
- Low aim assist.
- Limited viable perk options.
- Optimal God Roll requires significant time to obtain.
Best Scout Rifles List Criteria
I have been selected to draft the best Scout Rifles guide (Steam ID Name: LIONT4MER). Boasting more than 3000 hours of experience in both Destiny installments, I am well-versed in the latest expansion and up-to-date with the recent season’s changes.
With my impressive Raid Report stats history, you can confidently rely on this guide to streamline your search for all the best scout rifles in Destiny 2, enabling you to effortlessly achieve triumph.
Summary
One of the best things that set scout rifles apart from other sorts of weapons in Destiny 2 is their adaptability. In addition, scout rifles’ outstanding stability makes them simpler to operate during extended firefights. Scout rifles are a dependable and efficient weapon that may give you the upper hand whether you’re facing off against waves of foes in PvE or competing with other players in PvP.
This brings us to the end of my Best Scout Rifles in Destiny 2 guide. I believe you have enough weapons listed above to master & dominate in the PvP and PvE segments for season 20 of the game. While at it, consider reading my Destiny 2 Unlock Deterministic Chaos, How To Farm Artifice Armor, and Everything New In Destiny’s Lightfall Update guides before leaving this page.
Next:
- Destiny 2: How To Get Cloud Accretions Faster
- How To Get Dawn Chorus In Destiny 2
- Destiny 2 Lightfall Exotics: All Weapons & Armor
- Destiny 2: All Grandmaster Nightfalls
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