[Top 15] Destiny 2 Best DPS Weapons (And How To Get Them)

Updated:

20 Aug 2022

If you’re looking for a list of top-tier DPS options for burning down bosses in Destiny 2 PvE, then look no further! Here I’m going to be breaking down the top 15 best DPS weapons for Destiny 2 (In Season 16) and why they’re so good.

Before we start the list, I have a few Honorable Mentions:

Divinity

NEW !!!!! DIVINITY Guide 2021 (Destiny 2 Beyond Light) - YouTube

While not a great option for DPS in and of itself, its exotic perk creates a huge crit hitbox on enemies that allows other members of the fireteam to hit their crits easier. It also applies a 30% buff to all incoming damage on the target under Divinity’s influence, making it a staple in a lot of raiding groups. (Shoutout to all you Div users who take one for the team on Rhulk DPS. We love you!)

Divinity full details: www.light.gg/db/items/4103414242/divinity/

Outbreak Perfected

Destiny 2 - How to get Outbreak Perfected (Exotic Pulse Rifle) in Beyond Light - YouTube

As far as exotic heavy weapons go, Outbreak goes in the “decent” category for DPS. Wait, I must have muddled my sources…it appears that Outbreak is a primary weapon! With infinite ammo! A primary weapon that can put out as much damage as low-level heavy weapons? That sounds cracked. Plus, it’s great for add clear and you can couple it with a legendary heavy weapon. It’s outstanding in its field, but it can’t compete with high-level heavy weapons.

Outbreak Perfected full details: www.light.gg/db/items/400096939/outbreak-perfected/

Now that we’re through with those, let’s get into the list!

15. Ye Olde One Thousand Voices

Destiny 2 - 1k Voices Guide - Fastest Way to get One Thousand Voices - Riven Strategy - YouTube

Ah, I long for the days of Particle Deconstruction once more! Once a meta option in Season of the Lost, this hard-to-get raid exotic is just not that good. Its DPS is meh, it doesn’t hold a ton of ammo, and it’s highly inaccessible. Perhaps if you wanted to surprise your raid team with a meme?

One Thousand Voices full details: www.light.gg/db/items/2069224589/one-thousand-voices/

14. Wardcliff Coil

Destiny 2 - How to get The Wardcliff Coil (Exotic Rocket Launcher) plus Catalyst and Lore - YouTube

Up until recently, the Wardcliff Coil had a debuff in damage vs bosses. This debuff has since been removed, and now it’s a decent, viable DPS option. However, the unpredictability of the rockets and the lengthy reload (not to mention the tendency to get oneself killed) makes this weapon a “good, but clearly outclassed” kind of gun.

Wardcliff Coil full details: www.light.gg/db/items/1508896098/the-wardcliff-coil/

13. Whisper of the Worm

How to get Whisper of the Worm (Exotic Sniper Rifle) after the Beyond Light Update - YouTube

Too bad this gun’s aesthetic isn’t as good as its DPS numbers. As cool as the Whisper of the Worm is, it’s just not what it used to be. Weapons that require critical hits are usually much harder to use, and Whisper lives on crits. Even if you manage to hit every crit in the mag, it’s still outclassed by a multitude of other weapons. Aside from fighting bosses with big crit hitboxes, this weapon doesn’t have much use.

Whisper of the Worm full details: www.light.gg/db/items/1891561814/whisper-of-the-worm/

12. Parasite

Destiny 2: How to Get The PARASITE! | Witch Queen Exotic Quest Guide! - YouTube

Newly added with Destiny 2: The Witch Queen DLC, Parasite is a one-round-mag grenade launcher that shoots hive worms. Its damage is actually pretty good, but you have to gather stacks of Worm’s Hunger by defeating enemies to boost your DPS numbers. It requires a bit of setup, but even so, it’s less powerful (and at best on par) than several other weapons.

Parasite full details: www.light.gg/db/items/2812324400/parasite/

11. The Lament

Destiny 2: How to get THE LAMENT Exotic Sword! | Beyond Light - YouTube

Ah…personally my favorite option for DPS, the Lament is capable of stupid high amounts of damage. Owing partly to the fact that it’s a sword and partly to its exotic perk, it can dish out some serious damage.

Why is it so low on the list then? Unfortunately, the Lament is limited by its short range, as many raid bosses don’t get close enough for you to give them the treatment. There are exceptions, however, like in the Duality Dungeon where the Lament really shines. But given its restriction in use, it’s far from the best option.

The Lament full details: www.light.gg/db/items/3487253372/the-lament/

10. Deathbringer

Destiny 2: How to Get the DEATHBRINGER! - Exotic Quest Guide - YouTube

A gimmicky and sticky rocket launcher from Shadowkeep, the Deathbringer requires you to shoot its rockets into the air, release the trigger, and allow void orbs of death to rain down on your enemies. The damage is pretty substantial, but the tracking on the falling void orbs is pretty erratic and requires a fair bit of skill to master. A good choice, but not the best.

Deathbringer full details: www.light.gg/db/items/2232171099/deathbringer/

9. Gjallarhorn

Destiny 2: How to get GJALLARHORN! - New Dungeon & Exotic Quest Guide! - YouTube

How the mighty have fallen. Ole’ Gjally was the DPS pick back in Destiny 1, but here in D2, it has to be ranked at merely “good”. The catalyst allows for two rockets to be stuffed in the tube per reload, making it a good pick for “set it and forget it” DPS. For the casual player, the buck usually stops here: you can be content with your Gjallarhorn if you so choose. No shame in this weapon.

Gjallarhorn full details: www.light.gg/db/items/1363886209/gjallarhorn/

8. Sleeper Simulant

Destiny 2 - How to get Sleeper Simulant (Exotic Linear Fusion Rifle) after Beyond Light Update - YouTube

Now we’re into the serious DPS. Sleeper has been a big pick for damage for a really long time (since it came out in the now-vaulted Warmind DLC). It absolutely smacked in Season 15 with Particle Deconstruction, but since we’ve lost that dearly beloved seasonal mod, Linear Fusion power creep slowed to a halt. That doesn’t stop Sleeper from being a PvE staple, though.

Sleeper Simulant full details: www.light.gg/db/items/4036115577/sleeper-simulant/

7. Palmyra-B

How to get Palmyra-B (Legendary Rocket Launcher) Plus God Roll Guide in Destiny 2 - YouTube

What? A Legendary? What are you doing here? Oh, what’s that you say? Explosive Light? Auto-Loading Holster? I guess it’s okay then. The beauty in the option is that if one person in the team is running Gjallarhorn, all legendary rockets in close proximity get to take advantage of Wolfpack Rounds. With exotic energy weapons properly used (we’ll get into a few of the best in a moment) you never have to reload with the god roll.

Palmyra-B full details: www.light.gg/db/items/3489657138/palmyra-b/

6. Eriana’s Vow

HOW TO GET ERIANA'S VOW AND ITS CATALYST IN DESTINY 2 (BEYOND LIGHT) - YouTube

Here’s the deal with legendary heavy weapons: using one opens an exotic slot for an exotic primary or special. Eriana’s vow smacks a bit harder than most energy weapons (especially when paired with Lucky Pants) and adds a chunk of DPS onto an already good legendary heavy weapon like Palmyra-B. The gameplay loop is a little harder than the “shoot rocket, load, repeat” you may be used to, but it’s a small price for a lot more DPS.

Eriana's Vow full details: www.light.gg/db/items/3524313097/erianas-vow/

5. Izanagi’s Burden

How to get Izanagi's Burden catalyst in Season of the Chosen | Destiny 2 Beyond Light - YouTube

On the subject of exotic special weapons, Izanagi’s Burden is perfect for guns like Palmyra-B due to its Auto-Loading Holster capabilities. The gameplay loop goes like this: “Fire rocket, pull out Izzy, shoot empowered round, reload, switch to rocket, fire, repeat). It allows you to squeeze a lot of DPS into a small amount of time, making this a great weapon.

Izanagi's Burden full details: www.light.gg/db/items/3211806999/izanagis-burden/

4. Witherhoard

How To Get The Witherhoard Exotic Grenade Launcher Destiny 2 - How To Buy Weapons From Past Seasons - YouTube

As much of a terror this gun is in PvP, it’s still good in PvE. It kind of works in reverse to the Izzy/Palmyra combo, as the catalyst gives Witherhoard Auto-Loading Holster. This allows you to shoot your heavy for most of the time and switch to Witherhoard to fire off a grenade that deals decent DPS.

Witherhoard full details: www.light.gg/db/items/2357297366/witherhoard/

3. Stormchaser

Destiny 2: DUALITY DUNGEON FOR DUMMIES! | Complete Dungeon Guide & Walkthrough! - YouTube

An absolutely cracked option for DPS and currently the only aggressive Linear Fusion in the game, this gun is just good by way of its “Aggressive Frame” archetype. It’s also easily accessible in a fully-farmable dungeon, so grinding for rolls should be a cinch. Plus, it’s legendary, so it gets the added perk of being able to be utilized with exotic energy weapons like Witherhoard.

Stormchaser drops from the second and third encounters of the Duality dungeon.

Stormchaser full details: www.light.gg/db/items/3652506829/stormchaser/

2. Cataclysmic with Bait and Switch + Fourth Time’s the Charm

Destiny 2: VOW OF THE DISCIPLE RAID FOR DUMMIES! | Complete Raid Guide & Walkthrough! - YouTube

Warning: this weapon is not for the faint of heart. This gun can reach up to 3.4 million damage alone (with buffs applied, of course) Just by itself, it outclasses almost all other options. However, given that to proc Bait and Switch requires you to swap to your other weapons and get hits in order to get the damage buff, the gameplay loop is much more complicated than other weapons, allowing one weapon to edge it out and become the king of DPS.

Cataclysmic drops from the first and second encounters of the Vow of the Disciple raid.

Cataclysmic full details: www.light.gg/db/items/999767358/cataclysmic/

1. But seriously, Stormchaser with Vorpal and Rapid Hit

Are we surprised? Stormchaser with Rapid Hit and Vorpal allows for the second highest DPS numbers in the game, even when solo. (Second to the previous option, of course) However, there’s no frustrating gameplay loop, and can still hit those high DPS numbers without landing all your crits. Plus, this gun comes from a fully farmable dungeon, making it really easy to get.

The previous weapon takes a very long time to acquire, at least five weeks if you want to craft it, and the RNG for getting a god roll is even worse. These factors play into the conclusion that Stormchaser with the Vorpal Weapon perk is the best DPS option for Destiny 2 players in the entire game.

If you enjoyed this article, do me a favor by dropping a comment below. Be sure to check out my other articles for more Destiny 2 content. And if you’ve ever wanted to get into writing, I can give you some friendly advice at thewritersrack.com, where I blog daily Monday-Friday. Looking for your next fantasy fiction read? You might want to check out Praetors of Lost Magic, Book 1: The Mage’s Gambit on Amazon, soon to be a finished trilogy!