Best Destiny 2 Swords: Tier List Ranking

Last year, a major reword and a significant buff transformed this previously mediocre weapon type into one of the most lethal and powerful alternatives in the entire game.

While not suited for all situations, swords can deal unparallel damage as long as you can get close enough.

In this guide, we’ll cover both Exotic and Legendary swords (including their PVP and PVE god rolls) and provide a verdict on how good each weapon is.

Swords in Destiny 2: High-risk, high-reward, Swords are closed-range Power weapons that excel at ad clearing and single target damage. Among the best PVE options, these are currently considered top tier.

Destiny 2 Swords Tier list

List updated as of The Witch Queen’s release (S16).  

The Tier list below includes every Exotic and non-sunset legendary Sword in the game. It starts with the S Tier weapons and moves down from there. It also covers both PVE and PVP, with the “Excels in” column clearly identifying in what area each weapon shines:

These are the different Tier levels used for our list:

• S Tier – Best: Highest ranking weapons in our Tier List.
• A Tier – Strong: Very strong weapons, but not on the same level as S Tier Choices.
• B Tier – Average: Decent choices that can be lethal in the hands of a skilled player.
• C Tier – Weak: The middle of the pack, somewhat mediocre.
• D Tier – Worst: Lagging behind the competition, these don’t have much to offer.

More Destiny 2 Tier lists:

Best Destiny 2 Swords in 2022

This section not only covers the top Swords currently in the game, but it also tells you where you can find them. This guide covers every weapon source in Destiny 2 and most of the sources below are self-explanatory, but in doubt, you can always leave a comment below or ask away on our Discord server.

Overall, these are our Top 10 favorite swords for PVE and PVP.

 

10. Quickfang

Excels in PVP

Quickfang is one of a kind. It is the only Lightweight sword in the game, and similar to other Lightweight weapons, you move faster with it when you are wielding it.

In PvE, it falls short. It doesn’t rival Vortex or Aggressive frames and even struggles to keep up with Adaptive archetypes in terms of pure DPS output, but thankfully for Quickfang, this isn’t where this sword finds its niche. Quickfang, being a Lightweight, allows you to reposition much faster in PvP game modes. Unfortunately for the sword, you can’t even draw it unless you have ammo in game modes such as Trials of Osiris or Competitive. However, when you get ammo, with perks such as Assassin’s Blade, which gives you movement speed on kill, you will be moving a decent chunk faster than a regular sword.

Quickfang also has a different running animation that looks cool and makes your head harder to hit from behind, which can help, especially against players using precision weapons like Snipers or Hand Cannons, which are both very common in PvP.

PVP God roll:

• Perk 1: Tireless Blade
• Perk 2: Assassin’s Blade

How to get it: Quickfang can be randomly acquired as end-of-match activities or via the Gunsmith, Legendary engrams and Prime engrams.

Art	Weapon	Type	Archetype	Rarity	Ammo	Element	Requirements	Available?	Ammo?	Element?	Tier	Excels	Source	Obtainable?	Requires	Released	Slot	Craftable?
	Quickfang	Sword	Lightweight	Legendary	Heavy	Void	Free-to-Play	Yes	Heavy	Void	Average ❘ B	PVP	World loot pool		Free-to-Play	Season 14	Heavy	No

 

9. Black Talon

Excels in PVP

Black Talon is the first ranged sword to be introduced to Destiny 2. Firing a ranged void strike on a heavy attack with tracking and one-shot supers on a direct hit is always nice to have up your sleeve.

The sword not only looks stylish, but it is also very nice to use. The heavy void attack can be used while in the air or on the ground and can be involved in combos to quickly eliminate beefier targets in PvE or takedown multiple Guardians in the Crucible.
Black Talon has pretty good DPS, even slightly higher than The Lament’s DPS. However, its total damage is lacking due to the high ammo consumption of the ranged attack.

This ammo problem is not only an issue in PvE but also PvP, as you can only really get two attacks out from the heavy attack of Black Talon, making it a pretty low kill potential heavy option. Furthermore, while it can easily take down a Super, there are many super killing options in the game now, such as Snipers, Fusion Rifles, or even consistent damage from a primary weapon can scare off a super. So, as a result, the need for Black Talon has slowly dwindled since its release back in Forsaken.

Exotic Perk: “Can fire heavy projectile attacks. Heavy attacks are stronger with full energy. Most attacks partially bypass elemental shields.”

How to get it: Black Talon can be acquired via Exotic engrams or Xûr.

Art	Weapon	Type	Archetype	Rarity	Ammo	Element	Requirements	Available?	Ammo?	Element?	Tier	Excels	Source	Obtainable?	Requires	Released	Slot	Craftable?
	Black Talon	Sword	Exotic	Exotic	Heavy	Void	Free-to-Play	Yes	Heavy	Void	Average ❘ B	PVP	Exotic Engram		Free-to-Play	Season 4	Heavy	No

 

8. Half-Truths

Excels in PVP

The Half-Truths sword is one of the first two swords to roll with the ‘Eager Edge’ perk. Since the perk’s release, it has grown to be a fan favorite in the community as it increases your lunge distance by 100% immediately after switching to the sword. This, of course, allows you to go much faster, but it can also be paired with many other abilities to reach insane speeds. Abilities such as Icarus Dash come to mind, but even some abilities such as Shatterdive, Well of Radiance, or Ward of Dawn can also help you reach incredible speeds with correctly timed inputs.
Because of the Eager Edge perk, you can lunge at people from great distances in PvP, making this legendary sword a solid option in high-stakes PvP.

Aside from this, Half-Truths doesn’t have a ton going for it. It can only roll with some mediocre perks and not some of the core damage options you look for on a sword such as Whirlwind Blade or Surrounded. Half-Truths also suffers from being an Adaptive archetype sword. This type of sword has some of the lowest DPS numbers and total damage numbers compared to other archetypes such as Vortex or Aggressive.

PVP God roll:

• Perk 1: Relentless Strikes
• Perk 2: Eager Edge (also good: Tireless Blade)

How to get it: Half-Truths can be acquired by completing Dares of Eternity runs or turning in Treasure keys at Xûr’s in Eternity.

Art	Weapon	Type	Archetype	Rarity	Ammo	Element	Requirements	Available?	Ammo?	Element?	Tier	Excels	Source	Obtainable?	Requires	Released	Slot	Craftable?
	Half-Truths	Sword	Adaptive	Legendary	Heavy	Arc	Free-to-Play	Yes	Heavy	Arc	Average ❘ B	PVP	Dares of Eternity		Free-to-Play	30th Anniversary event	Heavy	No

 

7. Razor’s Edge

 Excels in PVE

Razor’s Edge, dubbed ‘the Lightsaber sword’ by many in the community, is the first Iron Banner sword to be released. Being an Iron Banner weapon, it comes with the origin trait ‘Skulking Wolf’, which gives enhanced radar and invisibility on your opponents’ radars during a Hunt.

In PvE, it sees some success too. It is part of the Vortex archetype, immediately placing it above most other swords. However, it is a little lacking compared to some of its immediate competition like Falling Guillotine, Hero of Ages or Eternity’s Edge. It can’t roll with either Whirlwind Blade or Surrounded, the best two damage perks on a sword.

However, Razor’s Edge is Void and can also roll with Chain Reaction allowing for a very niche add clear build. However, I would recommend aiming for a damage perk like Frenzy or even One for All.

PVE God roll:

• Perk 1: Relentless Strikes
• Perk 2: Chain Reaction (also good: Frenzy)

How to get it: Razor’s Edge can be acquired by completing Iron Banner matches and turning in Iron Banner tokens.

Art	Weapon	Type	Archetype	Rarity	Ammo	Element	Requirements	Available?	Ammo?	Element?	Tier	Excels	Source	Obtainable?	Requires	Released	Slot	Craftable?
	Razor's Edge	Sword	Vortex	Legendary	Heavy	Void	Free-to-Play	Yes	Heavy	Void	Strong ❘ A	-	Iron Banner		Free-to-Play	Season 16	Heavy	No

 

6. Hero of Ages

 Excels in PVE

Hero of Ages is an interesting sword. It can roll with a couple of intriguing perk combinations that can provide a high fun factor. The most standout combination is Demolitionist or Unrelenting and Chain Reaction. Demolitionist is a solid perk on its own and combined with the additional add clear that Chain Reaction brings, you will be able to get grenade energy very quickly.

On the other hand, however, Unrelenting can provide a lot more survivability as the explosive kills from Chain Reaction will contribute to kills to proc Unrelenting. This perk choice is personal preference; however, given how strong Grenades are with certain Void 3.0 Fragments and Aspects, I recommend Demolitionist.

In terms of damage, Hero of Ages is in an okay spot. It is a Vortex Frame that places it above many other swords. However, like Razor’s Edge, it lacks a proper damage perk like Whirlwind Blade or Surrounded, putting it below a few different options.

PVE God roll:

• Perk 1: Demolitionist (also good: Unrelenting)
• Perk 2: Chain Reaction (also good: One for All)

How to get it: Hero of Ages can be acquired by completing any Grasp of Avarice encounter.

Art	Weapon	Type	Archetype	Rarity	Ammo	Element	Requirements	Available?	Ammo?	Element?	Tier	Excels	Source	Obtainable?	Requires	Released	Slot	Craftable?
	Hero of Ages	Sword	Vortex	Legendary	Heavy	Arc	30th Anniversary	Yes	Heavy	Arc	Strong ❘ A	PVE	Grasp of Avarice Dungeon		30th Anniversary	30th Anniversary event	Heavy	No

 

5. Eternity’s Edge

 Excels in PVE

Eternity’s Edge is the Warlock-specific sword. Being a Vortex Frame automatically places it higher than most other swords. However, Eternity’s Edge is bolstered by the fact that it can roll with Relentless Strikes and Surrounded, some of the best perks on a sword.

The main downsides to Eternity’s Edge are the rest of its perks, they are lacking, with the only other decent perk being Thresh, but even that is somewhat underwhelming, so you need to land the god roll when it comes to perks. Eternity’s Edge doesn’t bring much to the table in PvP, it can roll with Assassin’s Blade, but there are much better options if you want to use a sword inside the Crucible.

PVE God roll:

• Perk 1: Relentless Strikes
• Perk 2: Surrounded

How to get it: Eternity’s Edge can be randomly acquired as end-of-match activities or via the Gunsmith, Legendary engrams and Prime engrams.

Art	Weapon	Type	Archetype	Rarity	Ammo	Element	Requirements	Available?	Ammo?	Element?	Tier	Excels	Source	Obtainable?	Requires	Released	Slot	Craftable?
	Eternity's Edge	Sword	Vortex	Legendary	Heavy	Solar	Free-to-Play	Yes	Heavy	Solar	Strong ❘ A	PVE	World loot pool		Free-to-Play	Season 14	Heavy	No

 

4. The Other Half

Best PVP Sword in Destiny 2

The Other Half is in the same boat as Half-Truths. It lives and dies by the Eager Edge perk. Without it, The Other Half is a mediocre at best option. Despite rolling some desirable perk combinations such as Relentless Strikes and Whirlwind Blade, it is still an Adaptive Frame, making it automatically weaker than most other types of swords.

The Other Half places slightly higher than Half-Truths as it can roll with those perks that are best on swords, and it is also Void, meaning it is a lot more friendly with Void 3.0 builds; however, this advantage will shift once Arc 3.0 is released in the season(s) to come.

PVE God roll:

• Perk 1: Eager Edge
• Perk 2: Whirlwind Blade (also good: Frenzy)

How to get it: The Other Half can be acquired by completing Dares of Eternity runs or turning in Treasure keys at Xûr’s in Eternity.

Art	Weapon	Type	Archetype	Rarity	Ammo	Element	Requirements	Available?	Ammo?	Element?	Tier	Excels	Source	Obtainable?	Requires	Released	Slot	Craftable?
	The Other Half	Sword	Adaptive	Legendary	Heavy	Void	Free-to-Play	Yes	Heavy	Void	Average ❘ B	PVP	Dares of Eternity		Free-to-Play	30th Anniversary event	Heavy	No

 

3. Falling Guillotine

 Excels in PVE

Falling Guillotine is still the king of Vortex swords, which means it’s the best Vortex sword, but it is also better than almost every other Legendary sword as the Vortex frame is the strongest type of sword in the game. It can roll with the god roll combination of Relentless Strikes and Whirlwind Blade, but it can also roll with Surrounded, making two of the four potential perks in the second slot S tier perks on swords.

In PvP, like all other Vortex swords, Falling Guillotine doesn’t bring anything to the table as it can’t even roll with Assassin’s Blade making it next to useless in the Crucible.

However, Falling Guillotine is a Void weapon, making it Void 3.0 build-friendly, and that’s always a bonus. Unfortunately, it is not easily obtained, but you should definitely hold onto it if you get the dream roll of Relentless Strikes and Whirlwind Blade to drop.

PVE God roll:

• Perk 1: Relentless Strikes
• Perk 2: Whirlwind Blade

How to get it: Falling Guillotine can be randomly acquired as end-of-match activities or via the Gunsmith, Legendary engrams, and Prime engrams.

Art	Weapon	Type	Archetype	Rarity	Ammo	Element	Requirements	Available?	Ammo?	Element?	Tier	Excels	Source	Obtainable?	Requires	Released	Slot	Craftable?
	Falling Guillotine	Sword	Vortex	Legendary	Heavy	Void	Free-to-Play	Yes	Heavy	Void	Best ❘ S	PVE	World loot pool		Free-to-Play	Season 11	Heavy	No

 

2. Crown-Splitter

 Excels in PVE

When it comes to sword DPS, the Crown-Splitter is unrivalled. A simple chain of light attacks over and over is enough to have the highest damage in the game. It also comes with the incredibly high single instance burst damage from the heavy attack making it a sword that can cover all types of damage. Crown-Splitter also receives some style points as the running animation is really cool as you wield a massive broadsword in a single hand.

In PvP, while it might not be the most optimal choice, it is better than many other options. You can deal considerable damage to supers with correct timing on the heavy attack.

What makes Crown-Splitter even better is its perk pool. It can roll with Relentless Strikes, perfect for the high DPS combo, but it can also roll with Whirlwind Blade, which synergizes even better with the light attack damage cycle. It can also roll other perks such as Vorpal Weapon or Surrounded; however, these are either a lower damage buff or riskier to activate.

PVE God roll:

• Perk 1: Relentless Strikes
• Perk 2: Vorpal Weapon (also good: Whirlwind Blade)

How to get it: Crown-Splitter can be randomly acquired as end-of-match activities or via the Gunsmith, Legendary engrams and Prime engrams.

Art	Weapon	Type	Archetype	Rarity	Ammo	Element	Requirements	Available?	Ammo?	Element?	Tier	Excels	Source	Obtainable?	Requires	Released	Slot	Craftable?
	Crown-Splitter	Sword	Aggressive	Legendary	Heavy	Void	Free-to-Play	Yes	Heavy	Void	Best ❘ S	PVE	World loot pool		Free-to-Play	Season 14	Heavy	No

 

1. The Lament

Best PVE Sword in Destiny 2

The Lament is still top dog when it comes to swords as it does so much. Good damage, lifesteal, and it has anti-barrier capabilities. It shreds through champions while giving you that safety net of some healing on hit and also has an engaging gameplay loop with the varying combos that you can do when revving the sword.

The best combo to do with the sword to net you the highest total damage and DPS on average is five light attacks, one heavy attack while revving the sword, and two light attacks while the sword is recharging. Once it is recharged, rinse and repeat. This is a fast combo, and it gives you multiple instances of healing while also dealing good consistent damage, saving the massive final burst of the heavy attack for the end.

As of Season 16, The Lament has tracking issues, but these have been ignored due to it being a bug. Once these bugs are fixed, Lament will be leagues ahead of other swords simply due to its versatility.

Exotic Perk: “Revving the blade increases damage, shield bypass, and adds shield piercing to all attacks. You also gain stacks when dealing damage with revved attacks. Additional stacks increase the damage and damage resistance of heavy attacks.”

How to get it: The Lament can be acquired by completing an Exotic quest.

Art	Weapon	Type	Archetype	Rarity	Ammo	Element	Requirements	Available?	Ammo?	Element?	Tier	Excels	Source	Obtainable?	Requires	Released	Slot	Craftable?
	The Lament	Sword	Exotic	Exotic	Heavy	Solar	Beyond Light	Yes	Heavy	Solar	Best ❘ S	PVE	Exotic Quest		Beyond Light	Season 12	Heavy	No

Swords in PVP: Lethality & TTK

This TTK guide includes the TTKs for every primary weapon in Destiny 2. TTK is particularly important in PVP, because the lowest the TTK, the faster you can kill your opponent.

That said, TTK figures rarely apply to Heavy weapons. When choosing a heavy weapon for PVP, you want something reliable and able to deliver one-hit-kills with consistency. Swords can certainly do that but do require you to get up close and personal. This carries a lot of risks, which is why you’ll rarely see a Sword user in endgame PVP content. You can still choose one and have fun with it in 6v6 matches, but you’ll be better off with other weapon types. More on that below.

Swords in PVE: Ad clearing

DPS is important for PVE, because the higher the DPS, the more damage you can deal to a Boss or Major.

But before we look into damage numbers and ease of use (two of the most important factors to take into account in PVE), we need to be clear about the role Swords are supposed to fill. According to Bungie, these are the different roles for Heavy weapons:

Role	Explanation	Target Weapon types
Add Clear	Clearing weaker enemies faster than you could with a primary ammo weapon. For most content, primaries do the add clear job perfectly well, so this is most useful in high difficulty PvE.	Main: Machine Guns, Grenade Launchers, Swords Secondary: Rocket Launchers
Single Target Damage	Burning down a boss.	Main: Linear Fusion Rifles, Exotic Snipers, Swords Secondary: Grenade Launchers, Machine Guns
Burst Damage	Burning down a champion quickly, or for bosses with multiple damage phases, clearing a phase quickly.	Main: Rocket Launchers Secondary: Linear Fusion Rifles

Based on that, when using a Sword, you’re looking for an ad clear or single target damage weapon. The ad clear part of the equation is easy to achieve, as one swipe will get rid of any red bar enemy. When it comes to single target damage, Swords can do well, provided the enemy doesn’t have a stomp mechanic that will instantly kill you or throw you a mile away…

This DPS chart includes the DPS numbers for every weapon in Destiny 2. When it comes to actual DPS, Swords can do well, probably you can get (and stay) close to your target:

Are Swords Meta?

We already covered the best Swords for PVE and PVP, but how do they compare, in general, with other Heavy weapon types? In other words:

The current Meta for PVE

So, are Swords good in Destiny 2’s PVE? This table summarizes how the several Heavy weapon types rank against each other in PVE:

The current Meta for PVP

What about PVP? This table summarizes how they rank against each other in PVP:

Your turn

You now know everything there is to know about Swords in Destiny 2, whether that is for PVP or PVE content.

Latest changes made to this guide

Things change fast in Destiny 2, especially when a new Season or Expansion launches. For that reason, this post will be updated at least once per season.

With the release of Season of the Risen (Season 16), the following weapons were added:

• Half-Truths
• Hero of Ages
• The Other Half
• Zephyr
• Razor’s Edge

Stay tuned and don’t forget to bookmark this page for next season!