Machine guns are among the most satisfying archetypes to use when it comes to having fun with weapons in the dynamic and ever-evolving world of Destiny 2. You can use these guns to dominate PvP and PvE activities if you know what kind of gun and what kind of perks you need. This weapon class has gained a few buffs since Lightfall‘s release and is now a great choice for almost every activity in the game.
What Are The Best Machine Guns in Destiny 2?
As Destiny 2 keeps growing with new stuff, the best weapons change, too. In this article, we're diving into the action to find and talk about the top 12 machine guns in Destiny 2. Whether you're a pro-Guardian or just starting, we'll help you pick the best machine guns and their god-rolls.
12. Fixed Odds (Best for PVE)
Fixed Odds is a High-Impact Frame Machine Gun that reappeared in the season of the Haunted with the introduction of Duality Dungeon. This weapon could have better stats, but with the correct perks, it may be one of the best machine guns in the game.
Fixed Odds shines in PvE activities, dealing consistent damage to swarms of opponents and mini-bosses. This machine gun is unstoppable with perks like Rampage and Killing Tally, allowing guardians to dispatch enemies with efficiency and style.
Another advantage of this weapon is that it is craftable. To unlock the crafting of this weapon, you must find and attune five patterns of this machine gun.
Fixed Odds Stats
- Impact: 70
- Range: 63
- Stability: 28
- Handling: 30
- Reload Speed: 31
- Reload Time: 5.54 s
- Aim Assistance: 33
- Inventory Size: 37
- Zoom: 16
- Airborne Effectiveness: 16
- Recoil: 66
- Rounds Per Minute: 360
- Magazine: 44
PvE god roll:
- Barrel: Polygonal Rifling (Stability +10)
- Magazine: Appended Mag
- Perk 1: Field Prep
- Perk 2: Killing Tally
To make Fixed Odds the ultimate machine gun for PvE, pick Polygonal Rifling for stable shots and Appended Mag for a bigger magazine. The Field Prep perk speeds up reloading and is especially useful when crouching. The game-changer is Killing Tally, a perk that amps up your damage after each kill, making Fixed Odds a go-to weapon against waves of ads.
How to get it:
The fixed odds Machine gun is included in the updated Opulent Menagerie set, and obtaining it may be more complicated than the others. The weapon pattern can only be gained through any encounter of Duality Dungeon.
11. Circular Logic (Best for PvE)
Circular logic is the only strand machine gun in the game, so it pairs perfectly with your strand build. It was introduced in the lightfall expansion, and it drops from the new location known as Neumona. It could be a better choice for PvP, but the perk combos it offers can make it an excellent choice for PvE and Gambit.
Machine guns overall suffer from the issue of reload speed while clearing ads in activities. Circular logic can drop with perks like Keep away, which gives this weapon bonus reload speed, handling, and accuracy when no enemies are close. This perk makes it an absolute killer while dealing with hoards of ads.
Circular Logic Stats
- Impact: 41
- Range: 40
- Stability: 33
- Handling: 58
- Reload Speed: 51
- Reload Time: 5.04 s
- Aim Assistance: 59
- Inventory Size: 51
- Zoom: 16
- Airborne Effectiveness: 11
- Recoil: 80
- Rounds Per Minute: 450
- Magazine: 53
PvE god roll:
- Barrel: Polygonal Rifling (Stability +10)
- Magazine: Appended Mag
- Perk 1: Keep Away
- Perk 2: Hatchling or Target Lock
How to get it:
Circular logic is not a craftable weapon and can only be acquired through Neomuna activities, specifically Terminal Overload when it is active in the Zephyr Concourse. This activity resets every day and rotates through three distinct zones. Each zone offers a specific weapon drop.
10. Grand Overture (Best for PvE)
Grand Overture debuted in Season 16. It uses heavy ammo o and deals arc damage to your opponents. Grand Overture possesses incredible power and can destroy minibosses, Champions, and bosses with brief periods of vulnerability. The barrel of this weapon resembles a lethal Tesla that shoots high-voltage electricity.
Throughout Year 5, Grand Overture received numerous buffs and developed into a devastating burst DPS weapon for PvE content. It is still ranked lower in our rankings because It's a weapon that could be better for add clearing or PvP.
Exotic perk:
"Heavy slug launcher that charges, then fires full auto while the trigger is held. Land hits with the slug launcher to load missiles and then fire to launch all missiles in a single volley."
Grand Overture Stats
- Impact: 53
- Range: 85
- Stability: 80
- Handling: 36
- Reload Speed: 60
- Reload Time: 4.84 s
- Aim Assistance: 60
- Inventory Size: 45
- Zoom: 17
- Airborne Effectiveness: 11
- Recoil: 59
- Rounds Per Minute: 100
- Magazine: 70
How to get it:
Grand Overture was available in Season 16 via the Season Pass (either the paid or free track). You can now obtain this weapon from the exotic kiosk. Costs 1 Exotic Cipher, 100,000 Glimmer, 200 Legendary Shards, and 1 Ascendant Shard.
9. Deterministic Chaos (Best for PvE)
Deterministic Chaos is another incredible exotic that was launched with the Lightfall DLC. It is a void-heavy machine gun that offers excellent synergy with void builds. The exotic perk is designed in a way that it works exceptionally well with the void subclass.
The damage output of Deterministic Chaos is way more than any other machine gun because of its intrinsic perk that weakens the enemies. This machine gun was a go-to weapon in season 20 with the release of Void 3.0. It is still a good choice, but there are better ones.
Exotic perk:
Heavy Metal: Every fourth bullet weakens targets.
Vexadecimal: While holding down the trigger, every fourth Heavy Metal projectile also makes targets volatile on impact.
Deterministic Chaos Stats
- Impact: 70
- Range: 44
- Stability: 40
- Handling: 44
- Reload Speed: 38
- Reload Time: 5.36 s
- Aim Assistance: 64
- Inventory Size: 40
- Zoom: 16
- Airborne Effectiveness: 19
- Recoil: 80
- Rounds Per Minute: 360
- Magazine: 48
How to get it:
You can get Deterministic Chaos through a quest called "Unfinished Business" that can be acquired from Nimbus. You will get this quest from Nimbus only after completing the campaign. Keep in mind that it doesn't matter what difficulty the campaign is beaten on, as Nimbus will offer the quest regardless.
8. Archon’s Thunder (Best for PvP and PvE)
Archon Thunder was introduced in season 14, and it ruled the season with its amazing perk pool that offers something for both PvE and PvP. It is one of the best-looking iron banner weapons, which deals solar damage to enemies. It is a high-impact frame with high impact but a slow firing rate.
Archon’s Thunder is an excellent ad-clearing machine gun. You can easily handle any PvE activity with the perk combination like Killing Wind and Rampage. Iron Banner weapons have special perks such as Iron Grip and Iron Reach, which are great choices for Crucible and other PvP activities.
Archon’s Thunder Stats
- Impact: 70
- Range: 64
- Stability: 17
- Handling: 33
- Reload Speed: 33
- Reload Time: 5.49 s
- Aim Assistance: 27
- Inventory Size: 41
- Zoom: 16
- Airborne Effectiveness: 14
- Recoil: 76
- Rounds Per Minute: 360
- Magazine: 44
PvE god roll:
- Barrel: Arrowhead Brake
- Magazine: Appended Mag
- Perk 1: Surplus
- Perk 2: Rampage
PvP god roll:
- Barrel: Corkscrew Rifling
- Magazine: Accurized Rounds
- Perk 1: Killing Wind
- Perk 2: Iron Grip
How to get it:
This weapon drops randomly on completion of iron banner matches but, unfortunately is not available in the weapon pool of this season. The iron banner weapons reappear in the collection, and we hope this machine gun reappears.
7. Song of Ir Yût (Adept) (Best for PvE and PvP)
Crota’s End made a fantastic comeback in the season of The Witch alongside all the weapons from Destiny 1. Song of Ir Yût is one of the best weapons among them. It is an arc-heavy machine gun with an adaptive frame, making it a reliable and consistent weapon.
It also comes with a Cursed Thrall origin trait, which can pair sweetly with the melee builds. You can also add adept mods to this weapon, increasing its stats. This machine gun has a great perk pool that can be optimized for PvP and PvE activities. Perks like reconstruction and demolitionist are convenient in ad clearing. On the other hand, it also rolls with Target Lock, which can be used for PvE and PvP content.
Origin Trait:
CURSED THRALL: After defeating a target with a melee attack, final blows with this weapon cause targets to explode for a short duration.
Song of Ir Yût (Adept) Stats
- Impact: 41
- Range: 49
- Stability: 42
- Handling: 59
- Reload Speed: 55
- Reload Time: 4.95 s
- Aim Assistance: 62
- Inventory Size: 53
- Zoom: 16
- Airborne Effectiveness: 19
- Recoil: 80
- Rounds Per Minute: 450
- Magazine: 57
PvE god roll:
- Barrel: Arrowhead Brake
- Magazine: Extended Mag
- Perk 1: Reconstruction
- Perk 2: Target Lock
PvP god roll:
- Barrel: Chambered Compensator
- Magazine: Ricochet Rounds
- Perk 1: Keep Away
- Perk 2: Target Lock
How to get it:
You can get Song of Ir Yût only from Crota’s End raid, specifically from The Abyss and Ir Yut or The Deathsinger encounter. For the adept version, you must complete these encounters on master difficulty. Once you have unlocked this weapon in your collections, you can also buy it from the final chest of the raid after defeating the Crota 25 Spoils of Conquest.
6. Qullim's Terminus Harrowed (Best for PvE)
The best thing about Season of the Plunder was the return of King's Fall raid. This raid offered some amazing weapons. Qullim's Terminus is the only heavy weapon you can get from the raid, and it doesn't disappoint. It is one of the few stasis machine guns with great perks for PvE.
The gun's stats are okay, but it suffers from its slow reloading speed. The origin perk Runneth Over helps it by refilling the magazine depending on the number of guardians nearby. You can boost the weapon's stats by applying adept modes once you get the Harrowed version of this weapon.
Qullim's Terminus Harrowed Stats
- Impact: 70
- Range: 68
- Stability: 20
- Handling: 30
- Reload Speed: 36
- Reload Time: 5.41 s
- Aim Assistance: 32
- Inventory Size: 46
- Zoom: 16
- Airborne Effectiveness: 15
- Recoil: 80
- Rounds Per Minute: 360
- Magazine: 44
PvE god roll:
- Barrel: Corkscrew Rifling
- Magazine: Flared Magwell
- Perk 1: Heating Up
- Perk 2: Headstone or Killing Tally
How to get it:
You can acquire Qullim's Terminus by completing any encounter of the King's Fall raid. For the adept version, you must complete the same encounters on master difficulty. Once you have unlocked this gun in collections, you can also buy it from the last chest of the raid after defeating Oryx.
5. Retrofit Escapade (Best for PvE)
Retrofit Escapade was introduced as a seasonal weapon in the Season of the Seraph. Another machine gun that offers great utility with void builds, as volatile rounds are the best option for quick ad clearing. Overall, the weapon has good stats with a couple of origin traits, which you can choose according to your build.
Void Machine guns are amazing in ad clearing, and this weapon offers excellent perk combinations. Apart from that, it is also a craftable weapon that unlocks the doors of enhanced perks and improved stats. It comes with perks like target lock and Fourth Time's the Charm, which are the perfect choices for PvE activities.
Retrofit Escapade Stats
- Impact: 25
- Range: 23
- Stability: 44
- Handling: 56
- Reload Speed: 67
- Reload Time: 4.69 s
- Aim Assistance: 70
- Inventory Size: 29
- Zoom: 16
- Airborne Effectiveness: 12
- Recoil: 55
- Rounds Per Minute: 900
- Magazine: 77
PvE god roll:
- Barrel: Arrowhead Brake
- Magazine: Extended Mag
- Perk 1: Fourth Time's the Charm
- Perk 2: Target Lock
How to get it:
There is no way to get this weapon instantly in the season of the wishes; however, there are a couple of ways you can get it via weekly rotation. The gunsmith vendor in the tower sells it occasionally. You can also farm it from the Operation Seraph Shield mission, which is on a rotation in the pinnacle activities. Keep an eye out for both of these; you might get the god-roll for this machine gun. Once you've obtained 5 Deepsight versions of the weapon, you can also craft it.
4. Corrective Measure (Timelost) (Best for PvE)
Corrective Measure is the best Adaptive frame machine gun in Destiny 2. It came back in the game with the release of Vault of Glass raid. It is a void machine gun that works amazingly with volatile rounds. It is an excellent option for ad clearing and syncs perfectly with the void builds.
Corrective Measure offers something for everyone. Either you are a dedicated PvE player or a PvP sweat. The perk pool is solid and has excellent combination possibilities. You can also add adept mods to this weapon, increasing the gun's stats.
Corrective Measure Stats
- Impact: 41
- Range: 52
- Stability: 57
- Handling: 64
- Reload Speed: 49
- Reload Time: 5.09 s
- Aim Assistance: 72
- Inventory Size: 59
- Zoom: 15
- Airborne Effectiveness: 6
- Recoil: 85
- Rounds Per Minute: 450
- Magazine: 59
PvE god roll:
- Barrel: Polygonal Rifling
- Magazine: Tactical Mag
- Perk 1: Subsistence
- Perk 2: Firefly
How to get it:
You can acquire Corrective Measure by completing the first, third, or fifth encounter of the Vault of Glass raid. For the adept version, you must complete the same encounters on master difficulty. Once you have unlocked this gun in collections, you can also buy it from the last chest of the Deep Stone Crypt raid.
3. Xenophage (Best for PvE)
Xenophage is an old weapon introduced in season 8, yet any list of best machine guns is incomplete with it. It is the highest-damage machine gun in the game, which can melt major ads and mini-bosses with a single bullet. Xenophage got nerfed in Season of the Haunted. It didn't gain any damage buffs the other Machine Guns received, but it is still devastating in PvE.
Xenophage has a fantastic range, and it fires highly damaging explosive bullets. This combination is very useful in some of the raid encounters. Titans with Actium War Rig make this weapon unstoppable.
Exotic perk:
“Fires high-powered explosive ammunition. Aiming this weapon increases its effective range and zoom magnification.”
Xenophage Stats
- Impact: 100
- Range: 68
- Stability: 32
- Handling: 30
- Reload Speed: 31
- Reload Time: 5.54 s
- Aim Assistance: 33
- Inventory Size: 3
- Zoom: 16
- Airborne Effectiveness: 12
- Recoil: 85
- Rounds Per Minute: 120
- Magazine: 20
How to get it:
You need to complete a hidden quest, “The Journey”, on the moon, to get the exotic machine gun Xenophage. Follow the following video for a detailed walkthrough of the quest.
2. Commemoration (Best for PvP and PvE)
Deep Stone Crypt raid had some of the best-looking weapons in the game. Apart from the looks, these weapons came with new and unique perks. Commemoration is the only heavy weapon launched with the raid. It is an adaptive frame void machine gun with great stats.
Commemoration was launched with one of the best perks in the game reconstruction. This perk reloads 10% of its total magazine every 4 seconds, and it can even allow you to have a magazine size double the base amount. You can pair this with an extended mag and forget about reloading.
Commemoration is now a craftable weapon that allows you to boost the stats of this weapon even higher with the enhanced perks. It is an excellent choice for PvP as it offers incredible handling perks like Dynamic Sway Reduction.
Commemoration Stats
- Impact: 41
- Range: 58
- Stability: 55
- Handling: 57
- Reload Speed: 55
- Reload Time: 4.95 s
- Aim Assistance: 64
- Inventory Size: 55
- Zoom: 16
- Airborne Effectiveness: 18
- Recoil: 80
- Rounds Per Minute: 450
- Magazine: 59
PvE god roll:
- Barrel: Arrowhead Brake
- Magazine: Extended Mag
- Perk 1: Reconstruction
- Perk 2: Dragonfly or Rampage
PvP god roll:
- Barrel: Polygonal Rifling
- Magazine: Accurized Rounds
- Perk 1: Dynamic Sway Reduction
- Perk 2: Under Pressure
How to get it:
You can acquire Commemoration by completing the final encounter of the Deep Stone Crypt raid. Once you have unlocked this gun in collections, you can also buy it from the last chest of the Deep Stone Crypt raid for more rolls. You will need five patterns of this weapon to craft it with your favorite perks.
1. Thunderlord (Best for PvE and PvP)
Thunderlord is undoubtedly a S Tier weapon and ranks on top of our list, especially after the release of its catalyst. It has a lightning-quick ability to clear ads with the intrinsic perk feeding frenzy. Also, the headshots generate lightning strikes from the sky. If that was not enough, its catalyst partially reloads the magazine with headshot kills. This exotic combination makes it an ad-clearing machine.
Thunderlord is an absolute beast in PvE activities and a common choice in load-outs of end-game activities like raids and grandmaster nightfalls. It is not a bad choice for PvP as well, but the fact that it's an exotic and usually not a good option to use that slot for heavy weapons.
Exotic perk:
"Kills with this weapon generate lightning strikes from above and increase reload speed for a short time."
Thunderlord Stats
- Impact: 41
- Range: 60
- Stability: 50
- Handling: 60
- Reload Speed: 69
- Reload Time: 4.65 s
- Aim Assistance: 90
- Inventory Size: 30
- Zoom: 15
- Airborne Effectiveness: 26
- Recoil: 70
- Rounds Per Minute: 450
- Magazine: 62
How to get it:
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