Season of the Wish has seen the meta shift greatly with new weapons and strategies taking over the Crucible. Here are the best PvP weapons in Destiny 2 to use and dominate in Season 23 Competitive & Trials of Osiris.
Contrary to what some players may think, the Crucible remains an extremely popular battleground for Guardians to test their mettle against one another.
One of the biggest draws of PvP in Destiny 2 is the challenge of buildcrafting and finding the right guns to dominate. This is especially tricky as Bungie continues to release new weapons causing the meta to shift constantly.
To help you figure out which guns you should be using in the Crucible we’ve put together this list of the most used and best Destiny 2 PvP weapons in Season of the Wish, courtesy of Destiny Tracker.
Destiny 2: Best PvP weapons in Season of the Wish
These are the most used guns in Destiny 2’s Competitive playlist during Season of the Wish as of March 2024:
10. Ace of Spades
Cayde-6’s trusty hand cannon – Ace of Spades – has always been one of the best weapons in Destiny 2 PvP. First released in Forsaken, it allows Guardians to chamber powerful rounds after securing a final blow courtesy of Memento Mori.
Couple that with its permanent radar and additional AOE Solar damage thanks to Firefly and you’re left with an incredible Exotic Hand Cannon perfectly suited to the Crucible. As long as Destiny’s most iconic weapon type remains strong, so will Ace of Spades.
God Roll: Curated Roll
9. Thorn
Most Guardians probably never thought they’d see a Thorn meta ever again, yet here we are. The renowned Exotic Hand Cannon is being used by almost everyone and although it lost the top spot following a hefty nerf in Season of the Wish, it is still a fantastic weapon.
Thorn’s popularity may be slightly inflated by the arrival of a new catalyst but it is also a phenomenal primary and easily one of the best guns in PvP. If you haven’t used Thorn in a while now is as good a time as ever to pull out this classic option and get to work.
God Roll: Curated Roll
8. Cloudstrike
Cloudstrike was nerfed at the beginning of Season of the Witch but that hasn’t held back the Exotic Sniper Rifle too much. Even though its area of effect lightning is no longer as lethal in PvP this sniper still excels in other ways.
It has fantastic handling, feels wonderful to use, and can still land some of the craziest multi-kills in the right hands.
God Roll: Curated Roll
7. Unending Tempest
Last season saw this unexpected newcomer come to town and it quickly took The Immortal’s title as the best submachine gun in Destiny 2 PvP. Earnable as a drop from Crucible Engrams, Unending Tempest is an excellent SMG that still stands above the rest.
The Stasis SMG not only beats out The Immortal but it’s also much easier to farm than its Strand rival. Those looking to get into PvP with a serious loadout will want to pick one of these up from Lord Shaxx as soon as possible.
God Roll: Corkscrew Rifling + Accurized Rounds + Dynamic Sway Reduction + Target Lock
6. Matador 64
Ever since the Matador 64 was added during the 30th Anniversary Pack, it has remained one of the best close-range guns in Destiny 2 PvP. It isn’t difficult to farm and has access to the incredible combo of Threat Detector + Opening Shot which gives it unbelievable range.
With the right perks, the Matador 64 edges out every other Legendary shotgun as it’s more versatile than many of its competitors. Its ease of use and general effectiveness have helped establish it as Destiny 2’s most lethal CQB option.
God Roll: Corkscrew Rifling + Accurized Rounds + Threat Detector/Perpetual Motion + Opening Shot
5. Ammit AR2
Auto Rifles have regained popularity in PvP and the Ammit AR2 is one of the big reasons for that. This Solar Precision Frame AR has taken over the meta, proving to be not just the best AR but one of the best weapons altogether.
Its high usage isn’t overly surprising given that Ammit AR2 is one of the easiest guns to craft in Destiny 2. Simply complete a handful of crafting tutorial missions and you’ll be free to make it, level it up, and have your very own top-tier God Roll.
God Roll: Fluted Barrel + Ricochet Rounds + Keep Away + Eye of the Storm/Opening Shot
4. Rose
Ladies and gentlemen, Rose is back. This Legendary Hand Cannon fell out of the meta after it stopped being farmable but Season of the Wish brings it back as a focusable weapon at Lord Shaxx.
Otherwise not much has changed with Rose remaining an incredible option and a true fan favorite for just about any Hand Cannon user. These days it’s even a decent PvE weapon so don’t be afraid to pull yours out whenever possible.
God Roll: Smallbore + Accurized Rounds + Slideshot/Perpetual Motion + Explosive Payload
3. Cataphract GL3
First introduced as a new Trials of Osiris weapon in Season 22, Cataphract GL3 is quite simply the best Heavy Grenade Launcher in Destiny 2. Funnily enough, that statement is true of not only PvP but also PvE. It is an absolute monster of a weapon.
For PvP it gets access to the practically essential perk that is Impulse Amplifier while also having Chain Reaction as an option, arguably the best choice on a HGL. This weapon ends up filling the role of an even better Wendigo, another Heavy gun that was already prevalent in the Crucible.
God Roll: Volatile Launch + Proximity Grenades + Impulse Amplifier + Chain Reaction
2. Conditional Finality
When you think of versatile weapons, shotguns probably don’t come to mind. Yet that’s exactly what Conditional Finality is with it being one of the few guns in Destiny 2 to excel in both PvE and PvP.
On top of being an all-around excellent shotgun thanks to its fast handling and remarkable range, the real selling point of Conditional Finality is that it can freeze enemy Guardians. This intrinsic crowd control plus free shatter damage makes it a real threat and the best overall close-range gun in the Crucible.
God Roll: Curated Roll
1. Igneous Hammer
When Igneous Hammer was first released in Season 13 it was a serviceable yet unspectacular Hand Cannon. However, a much-needed reissue in Season 22 has elevated it massively with the Solar weapon now being the most popular weapon in the Crucible.
Not only does it feel good to use but Igneous Hammer also gets access to multiple top-tier PvP perks including Keep Away and Opening Shot. While it can be a lot of effort to farm this primary, it’s more than worth the grind given how strong it is.
God Roll: Fluted Barrel + Ricochet Rounds + Keep Away + Eye of the Storm/Opening Shot
Destiny 2 Best PvP weapons: Most popular Destiny 2 PvP weapons (by usage %)
The Competitive PvP meta as of March 4, 2024, as per Destiny Tracker:
- Igneous Hammer* (4.83%)
- Conditional Finality (4.62%)
- Cataphract GL3* (4.09%)
- Rose (3.43%)
- Ammit AR2 (2.97%)
- Matador 64 (2.63%)
- Unending Tempest (2.16%)
- Cloudstrike (2.09%)
- Thorn (1.90%)
- Ace of Spades (1.19%)
*Usage rate combines both regular and Adept variants.