Best Destiny 2 PvE weapons: Meta weapons for Lightfall in Season of the Deep

Destiny 2’s newest expansion, Lightfall, has now been out for a while, and players have become acquainted with the new content. However, Season 21 is shaking things up by introducing a fresh meta. Here are the best PvE weapons in Destiny 2 for the Season of the Deep.

Destiny 2 is at its best when you have an excellent build, using a weapon you care about a lot. The satisfying gunplay makes defending the galaxy against the bad guys feel like one of the most important feats in all of gaming.

However, not all guns are made equal. With randomized perks and different archetypes, there are some guns that stand out above the rest. The PvE meta forms from these particularly strong options, and if you want the best DPS you will want to use them.

Now, with the help of the tried-and-true community tool Destiny Tracker, we’ve compiled a list of the most popular weapons across all of Destiny 2 PvE, covering everything from campaign missions to end-game Raids and Grandmaster Nightfalls.

Destiny 2 best PvE weapons for Season of the Deep

10. The Hothead

Technically, Hothead has been dethroned as the best DPS Rocket Launcher in Destiny 2 by Apex Predator and Cold Comfort. However, they are both harder to get, only slightly better, and arguably harder to use. For a simple yet effective fire-and-forget launcher Hothead remains king.

9. Gjallarhorn

If your team is going to use rocket launchers, one of you needs to be using the Gjallarhorn. This Exotic launcher fires cluster missiles that deal incredible damage and are perfect for add clear. Even better, its unique trait grants teammates the same ability even when using non-Exotic rocket launchers.

Bungie

8. Malfeasance

Ranking as the most used Hand Cannon, Malfeasance has always been a popular choice but its new catalyst added in Season of the Deep has elevated it further. With a Hand Cannon buff confirmed for Season 22, it could climb again and even become the new PvE meta. Only time will tell though.

7. Riptide

The Riptide makes an unsurprising appearance on this list with it still being the best non-Exotic utility weapon. This fusion rifle gets access to Chill Clip which is wonderful for freezing and stunning champions. Plus its synergy with Stasis builds and solid damage make it a dependable all-purpose weapon.

Bungie

6. Witherhoard

Witherhoard has long since established itself as the premier Exotic weapon to use when your build isn’t reliant on a specific weapon. It offers AOE damage, can debuff enemies, has good overtime single-target damage, and benefits from Auto-loading Holster thanks to its catalyst.

5. Forbearance

Chain Reaction for incredible add clear? Check. Ambitious Assasin for a huge magazine and spam potential? Check. Fantastic stats across the board and the ability to be crafted? You know it. Since its release the Forbearance has been the best Legendary grenade launcher in Destiny 2 and that remains true to this day.

Bungie

4. Wish-Ender

For killing Barrier Champions most players will pick one of two options, Arbalest or Wish-Ender. While both work great the Wish-Ender has the added benefit of being a Primary weapon and therefore not requiring ammo. This bow also works great with Oathkeeper which was buffed in Season of the Deep.

3. Thunderlord

The Thunderlord continues to be a popular choice in the Destiny 2 PvE meta thanks to its constantly reloading magazine and impressive damage. It offers both spectacular add clear and great raw damage that is easy to use. Just aim at the target, hold fire, and watch the magic happen.

2. Centrifuse

New to Season of the Deep, this Arc Auto Rifle has proven popular in not just PvP, but also PvE. With ARs getting anti-barrier rounds courtesy of the seasonal artifact, Centrifuse is an obvious choice to take advantage of that. Plus it has some really nice synergy with add clear focused Arc builds.

1. Quicksilver Storm

Quicksilver Storm is still comfortably the best Exotic weapon introduced in Lightfall. This Strand Auto Rifle not only has 100 Stability making it incredibly easy to use but also an alternate fire grenade launcher, perfect for add clear. You just can’t go wrong with running this wonderful AR.

Bungie

Destiny 2 Best PvE weapons: Most popular Destiny 2 PvE weapons (by usage %)

As per Destiny Tracker:

1. Quicksilver Storm (2.61%)
2. Centrifuse (2.29%)
3. Thunderlord (2.23%)
4. Wish-Ender (2.06%)
5. Forbearance (1.93%)
6. Witherhoard (1.70%)
7. Riptide (1.70%)
8. Malfeasance (1.56%)
9. Gjallarhorn (1.52%)
10. The Hothead (1.46%)

Keep an eye on this page to make sure you’re up-to-date on Destiny 2’s best PVE weapons, and check out some other helpful content here:

Best PvP weapons | Destiny 2 best Exotic weapons | Destiny 2 Promo Codes | Destiny 2 Prime Gaming Rewards | Destiny 2 Lightfall complete mission list | Destiny 2 Xur location today | Destiny 2 How to fish | Destiny 2 The Final Shape info | Season of the Deep Season Pass | How to get Epochal Integration