most used weapons destiny 2

The world of Destiny 2 is defined by its combat, a symphony of abilities and gunplay where the right tool can mean the difference between a glorious victory and a crushing defeat. While the meta shifts with each season and expansion, certain weapons consistently rise to the top, becoming the trusted workhorses for Guardians tackling everything from casual patrols to the most punishing endgame content. These are the most used weapons in Destiny 2, a collection defined not by fleeting popularity but by enduring power, versatility, and reliability.

Table of Contents

Introduction

The Anatomy of a Most-Used Weapon

Kings of the Primary Slot: Legendary Workhorses

Exotic Powerhouses: Defining the Meta

The Heavy Hitters: DPS Champions

Conclusion: The Tools of the Trade

The Anatomy of a Most-Used Weapon

A weapon does not achieve widespread, sustained use by accident. Several key factors converge to create such a staple. First is raw lethality, the ability to dispatch enemies quickly and efficiently. This is often tied to a specific perk combination that maximizes damage output or uptime. Second is versatility; a weapon that excels in both add-clear and major/boss damage is infinitely more valuable than a specialized tool. Third is ease of acquisition and crafting; a powerful weapon locked behind extreme RNG will see less use than one that is reliably farmable or craftable. Finally, synergy with the broader sandbox, including seasonal artifact mods, subclass verbs, and popular exotic armor, can catapult a weapon to the forefront of the meta.

Kings of the Primary Slot: Legendary Workhorses

The primary weapon slot is the Guardian's constant companion, and legendary weapons dominate here due to their flexibility. In the Kinetic slot, few have rivaled the sustained dominance of the Submission submachine gun from the Vow of the Disciple raid. With craftable access to the perfect combination of Envious Assassin and Frenzy, it offers immense magazine size and a permanent damage boost, making it a powerhouse for any content. Similarly, the Fatebringer hand cannon, a reprised classic from the Vault of Glass, remains a perennial favorite. Its ability to roll with Firefly and Explosive Payload provides exceptional crowd control and consistent damage, embodying the feel of a true Destiny exotic in legendary form.

For energy primaries, solar builds have long relied on the Calus Mini-Tool submachine gun, craftable with Incandescent. This perk spreads scorch to nearby enemies, triggering ignitions and perfectly synergizing with solar subclasses. In the arc domain, the Ikelos_SMG_v1.0.3 performs a similar function with its Voltshot perk, chaining lightning to clear entire packs of enemies with a single precision kill and reload. These weapons transcend their archetypes to become essential engines for elemental builds.

Exotic Powerhouses: Defining the Meta

Exotic weapons often define entire eras of Destiny 2's gameplay. The Witherhoard grenade launcher is perhaps the most universally applicable exotic ever created. Its unique blight pools deal damage over time to both enemies and bosses, allowing for potent area denial and sustained damage while freeing the Guardian to use other weapons. It is a staple in difficult solo content and a frequent choice in team-based boss DPS strategies.

The Wishender bow underwent a transformation from a niche pick to an absolute monster. Its ability to see enemies through walls is useful, but its true power lies in its massive intrinsic damage bonus against barrier champions and its over-penetrating arrows that hit multiple times per shot. It trivializes many high-level barrier champion encounters and deals surprising boss damage. For raw, close-quarters decimation, no weapon has maintained a grip like the Gjallarhorn. Its rocket not only deals immense impact and cluster damage but also grants Wolfpack Rounds to nearby allies' legendary rockets, making it the cornerstone of any rocket launcher-based fireteam.

The Heavy Hitters: DPS Champions

When it comes to burning down raid bosses or dungeon champions, the heavy weapon slot is paramount. Legendary linear fusion rifles, particularly the Taipan-4fr and Catra's Heart, became ubiquitous due to their craftable, top-tier perk pools featuring Triple Tap and Firing Line or Bait and Switch. They offer reliable, ammo-efficient, and high-damage output from a safe distance.

Recently, the adaptive frame rocket launcher with Explosive Light has become the gold standard for burst damage. Weapons like the Hothead or Apex Predator, when crafted with Explosive Light and a reload perk like Reconstruction or Demolitionist, deliver unmatched instantaneous damage, especially when paired with a Gjallarhorn user. For exotic heavies, the Sleeper Simulant linear fusion rifle and the Legend of Acrius shotgun have had resurgences, but the sustained precision damage of Whisper of the Worm still claims its place in specific, longer-damage-phase encounters.

Conclusion: The Tools of the Trade

The most used weapons in Destiny 2 form a toolkit of unparalleled efficiency. They are not always the flashiest new additions, but rather the proven, reliable instruments that Guardians return to season after season. From the add-clearing mastery of Voltshot and Incandescent primaries to the boss-melting certainty of top-tier rockets and linears, these weapons represent the collective wisdom of the player base. They are the solutions to the game's toughest problems, the engines for its most powerful builds, and the constant companions on the journey through the solar system. As the game evolves, new weapons will undoubtedly join this elite roster, but they will be measured against the enduring legacy of these established workhorses that have truly shaped the Destiny 2 experience.

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