best shotguns in destiny 2

Table of Contents

Introduction: The Power of the Shotgun

Chapter 1: The PvP Powerhouses

Chapter 2: PvE Champions and Workhorses

Chapter 3: Exotic Standouts and Unique Tools

Chapter 4: The Art of the Craft: Perks and Playstyles

Conclusion: Finding Your Perfect Fit

In the chaotic arenas of Destiny 2, few weapons command immediate respect and instill primal fear like a well-wielded shotgun. This weapon archetype represents the pinnacle of close-quarters combat, offering devastating burst damage that can decide a Crucible engagement in a blink or erase a major threat from existence in a PvE activity. The shotgun meta is a dynamic landscape, shaped by sandbox updates and new additions, but certain models have consistently risen to the top due to their unique blends of range, consistency, and lethality. Identifying the best shotguns requires understanding their intended battlefield, as a perfect PvP roll may falter in a Grandmaster Nightfall, and vice versa.

The Crucible is where shotguns are most famously tested and terrorize. Here, consistency and effective range are king. The Fractethyst, a precision frame shotgun from the Season of the Lost, remains a top contender. Its intrinsic tight pellet spread allows for impressive one-hit-kill distances when paired with the right perks. A god roll typically seeks Full Choke or Rifled Barrel for range, Accurized Rounds, and the potent combination of Slideshot and Opening Shot. This setup maximizes its effective kill distance, making it a reliable dueling tool. For aggressive players, the Found Verdict from the Vault of Glass raid is a legendary beast. As an aggressive frame, it boasts high impact and a unique perk pool. Its Timelost variant can roll with combinations like Full Choke, Assault Mag, Surplus, and Opening Shot, creating a shotgun that feels incredibly snappy and lethal.

No discussion of PvP shotguns is complete without the Matador 64. This iconic weapon from the Grasp of Avarice dungeon has dominated the meta. Its high base range stat and access to the Precision Frame’s tight spread make it inherently strong. The most sought-after roll includes Barrel Shroud or Full Choke, Accurized Rounds, the new threat-detection perk Threat Detector, and the closing-distance monster that is Opening Shot. The Matador exemplifies the pinnacle of legendary shotgun design for Crucible enthusiasts, offering a blend of stats and perks that is difficult to surpass.

In Player versus Environment activities, the criteria for an excellent shotgun shift dramatically. Here, sustained damage, reload speed, and perks that enhance survivability or add clear become paramount. The First In, Last Out arc slug shotgun has long been a favorite for boss damage phases, especially when paired with the Focusing Lens seasonal mod. Its ability to roll with Auto-Loading Holster and Vorpal Weapon allows Guardians to fire a high-damage shot, switch to a heavy weapon, and then seamlessly cycle back. For rapid-fire add clear, the Without Remorse solar shotgun is exceptional. Craftable through the Witch Queen campaign, it can be tailored with Enhanced Perks like Threat Detector and One-Two Punch, making it devastating for clearing packs of enemies or setting up powerful melee combos.

The Ragnhild-D, a craftable aggressive frame shotgun, serves as a fantastic all-purpose PvE workhorse. Players can craft it with a perfect combination of perks like Auto-Loading Holster and Frenzy for general use, or Subsistence and One-Two Punch for a more aggressive, melee-focused playstyle. Its versatility and accessibility make it a staple in many Guardians’ arsenals. For endgame content, the Heritage slug shotgun from the Deep Stone Crypt raid stands tall. It can roll with Reconstruction and Recombination, allowing it to build up massive damage in its magazine and unleash it in a single, colossal shot, perfect for deleting Champions or damaging bosses.

Exotic shotguns carve their own unique niches, offering powerful effects that define builds and strategies. The Tractor Cannon is not a traditional damage dealer but a premier support tool. Its heavy attack suppresses targets and debuffs them, increasing all incoming damage by a significant margin. It is a cornerstone of optimized team damage phases. For sheer, unadulterated add-clearing power, nothing matches the Witherhoard. While technically a grenade launcher, its area-denial pools function like the ultimate shotgun blast, melting waves of enemies and providing passive boss damage.

The Conditional Finality, earned from the Root of Nightmares raid, is arguably the most powerful exotic shotgun in the game. It fires two barrels simultaneously: one that freezes targets, and one that ignites them. This unique effect allows it to instantly shatter frozen combatants, including Champions in endgame content, bypassing their usual mechanics. It is a tool of unparalleled utility and burst damage. For pure single-target decimation, The Fourth Horseman returns with a vengeance. Its lightning-fast full-auto burst delivers an astonishing amount of damage in a fraction of a second, though it demands careful timing and reload management to use effectively.

Understanding the framework of a shotgun is crucial to unlocking its potential. Barrel perks like Full Choke tighten pellet spread for PvP, while Barrel Shroud offers handling for quicker swaps. Magazine perks such as Assault Mag increase fire rate, crucial for follow-up shots, while Accurized Rounds push out effective range. The true power lies in the final two trait columns. Perks like Opening Shot, Slideshot, and Threat Detector are PvP gold, enhancing consistency and engagement flow. For PvE, perks like Auto-Loading Holster, Vorpal Weapon, One-Two Punch, Frenzy, and Reconstruction transform a shotgun from a simple weapon into a seamless part of a damage rotation or a powerful add-clear engine.

The playstyle must match the tool. Precision and slug shotguns reward careful aim at the head, especially in PvE for massive damage. Aggressive frames demand confident, close-range pushes. Rapid-fire frames excel at clearing multiple weaker enemies quickly. Mastering movement techniques like sliding and aerial play is essential to close distance safely in PvP, while in PvE, positioning is key to avoid being overwhelmed when committing to a close-range attack.

The title of "best shotgun" in Destiny 2 is not held by a single weapon, but by a collection of tools, each masterful in its specific domain. The Crucible demands the consistent lethality of the Matador 64 or Fractethyst. High-level PvE activities call for the sustained damage of Heritage or the utility of Conditional Finality. The best shotgun for any Guardian is the one that perfectly complements their approach to combat, enhances their chosen build, and feels like an extension of their will in the heat of battle. The pursuit of the perfect roll, whether through relentless farming or careful crafting, is a core part of the Destiny experience, and in the close-quarters chaos, the right shotgun makes all the difference.

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