Best Glaives in Destiny 2: Tier List for PvP and PvE

Glaives are a brand-new weapon type that was added to Destiny 2 just a few months ago. They are unlike any other weapon ever seen in the Destiny universe, and while one could argue they still need more fine-tuning, they can still be extremely fun (and effective, when used right).

Today we cover every Glaive in Destiny 2, including both Exotic and Legendary glaives, as well as the best rolls for PvE and PvP.

Updated as of Season of the Seraph (S19).

Destiny 2 Glaive Tier list

This Tier list 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:

Name	Weapons	Type	Archetype	Ammo	Element	Requirements	In loot pool?	Rank	Source	Available?	Tier rank	Source ❘ DLC	Final Verdict	Released	Perks	Best of?
Unexpected Resurgence	Unexpected Resurgence	Glaive	Adaptive	Special	Arc	Lightfall	Yes		Trials of Osiris			Trials of Osiris Lightfall	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Adaptive	Season 21	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Adaptive
Greasy Luck	Greasy Luck	Glaive	Rapid-Fire	Special	Solar	Deluxe Edition	Yes		Ghost of the Deep Dungeon			Ghost of the Deep Dungeon Deluxe Edition	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Rapid-Fire	Season 21	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Rapid-Fire
The Enigma	The Enigma	Glaive	Adaptive	Special	Void	The Witch Queen	Yes	A › Strong	Throne World		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvE	Throne World The Witch Queen	Slot: Void | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Adaptive PvE God Roll: Grave Robber (also good: Impulse Amplifier) + Unrelenting (also good: Frenzy) ► With its well-rounded perk pool and great availability, The Enigma is currently the strongest glaive. While it does contain some great PvE perks, it's in PvP is where it shines. Because it's simply the 'tutorial glaive,' The Enigma could be quickly overtaken on this list soon enough; however, for now, this glaive is the best option.	Season 16	Slot: Void | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Adaptive PvE God Roll: Grave Robber (also good: Impulse Amplifier) + Unrelenting (also good: Frenzy)	Top-tier
Nezarec's Whisper	Nezarec's Whisper	Glaive	Adaptive	Special	Arc	Free-to-Play	Yes	B › Average	Seasonal activity		Average ❘ B Excels in: PvE	Seasonal activity Free-to-Play	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Adaptive PvE God Roll: Demolitionist (also good: Impulse Amplifier) + Unstoppable Force (also good: Adrenaline Junkie) ► Nezarec's Whisper is the first glaive to roll with some S-Tier PVE perks (such as Demolitionist), but that isn't saying much since it's only the third Legendary glaive to be released. Because of those unique perks, it can be used in ways the other two glaives can't, putting it above some of the rest.	Season 17	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Adaptive PvE God Roll: Demolitionist (also good: Impulse Amplifier) + Unstoppable Force (also good: Adrenaline Junkie)
Winterbite	Winterbite	Glaive	Exotic	Heavy	Stasis	Lightfall	Yes	B › Average	Exotic Quest		Average ❘ B Excels in: PvE	Exotic Quest Lightfall	Slot: Stasis | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "Fires a large ball of energy that locks onto nearby targets and freezes them. Blocking damage with your shield increases movement speed while shielding." ► Winterbite faced a myriad of bugs that technically transformed it into one of the best weapons Destiny has ever seen; however, as those bugs are fixed, Winterbite true nature is being revealed: Winterbite is mediocre. Why freeze enemies when you can simply kill them?	Season 20	Slot: Stasis | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "Fires a large ball of energy that locks onto nearby targets and freezes them. Blocking damage with your shield increases movement speed while shielding."
Edge of Action	Edge of Action	Glaive	Exotic	Special	Void	The Witch Queen	Yes	B › Average	Exotic Quest		Average ❘ B	Exotic Quest The Witch Queen	Slot: Void | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "When weapon energy is full, consume it before firing to make your next shot deploy a protective shield on impact.." ► Edge of Action slowly became the best of the three class-specific glaives. That's because of its interactions with Helm of Saint-14 and its general ease of use. All that said, it still can be hard making the call to use your exotic slot on a glaive, and the exotic perk can be tedious to proc at times, making it average on our list.	Season 16	Slot: Void | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "When weapon energy is full, consume it before firing to make your next shot deploy a protective shield on impact.."
Edge of Intent	Edge of Intent	Glaive	Exotic	Special	Solar	The Witch Queen	Yes	B › Average	Exotic Quest		Average ❘ B	Exotic Quest The Witch Queen	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "When weapon energy is full, consume it before firing to make your next shot deploy a healing turret on impact." ► Warlocks have the most average of the three Exotic glaives: It doesn't offer as many build opportunities as the Titan one does, but it's also not utterly useless as the Hunter one. Sure, the healing turret is a nice tool in your kit to have, but there are way more powerful synergies you can experiment with for more potent effects.	Season 16	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "When weapon energy is full, consume it before firing to make your next shot deploy a healing turret on impact."
Lubrae's Ruin	Lubrae's Ruin	Glaive	Adaptive	Special	Solar	The Witch Queen	Yes	C › Weak	Vow of the Disciple Raid		Weak ❘ C	Vow of the Disciple Raid The Witch Queen	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Adaptive PvE God Roll: Grave Robber + Swashbuckler ► While Lubrae's Ruin has amazing lore, it lacks in numerous key gameplay areas. Just like other glaives, the ranged ability feels weak, and the melee attack can get you into trouble if you're not careful. Not to mention, some melee-based traits don't even work with the glaive melee attack, making Lubrae's Ruin feel terrible to wield.	Season 16	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Adaptive PvE God Roll: Grave Robber + Swashbuckler
Edge of Concurrence	Edge of Concurrence	Glaive	Exotic	Special	Arc	The Witch Queen	Yes	D › Worst	Exotic Quest		Worst ❘ D	Exotic Quest The Witch Queen	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "When weapon energy is full, consume it before firing to make your next shot track targets across the ground and unleash chain lightning on impact." ► Hunters are known to sometimes get the short end of the stick, and this happens to be one of those times. Edge of Concurrence and its chain lightning abilities are exceptional in theory, but other exotics already do this significantly better (namely Trinity Ghoul and Riskrunner). All that said, it's hard to recommend Edge of Concurrence, even with Arc 3.0.	Season 16	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "When weapon energy is full, consume it before firing to make your next shot track targets across the ground and unleash chain lightning on impact."
Judgment of Kelgorath	Judgment of Kelgorath	Glaive	Aggressive	Special	Solar	Free-to-Play	Yes	Ongoing	Seasonal activity		Ongoing...	Seasonal activity Free-to-Play	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Aggressive God Rolls: To be confirmed... ► Still too early to tell, review ongoing...	Season 19	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Aggressive God Rolls: To be confirmed...
Ecliptic Distaff	Ecliptic Distaff	Glaive	Adaptive	Special	Void	Free-to-Play	Yes	Ongoing	Playlist: Pursuit		Ongoing...	Playlist: Pursuit Free-to-Play	Slot: Void | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Adaptive God Rolls: To be confirmed...	Season 20	Slot: Void | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Adaptive God Rolls: To be confirmed...

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:

	Auto Rifles	Primary
	Combat Bows	Primary
	Fusion Rifles	Special
	Glaives	Special
	Grenade Launchers	Special Heavy
	Hand Cannon	Primary
	Linear Fusion Rifle	Heavy
	Machine Guns	Heavy
	Pulse Rifle	Primary
	Rocket Launcher	Heavy
	Scout Rifle	Primary
	Shotgun	Special
	Submachine Guns	Primary
	Swords	Heavy
	Trace Rifles	Special

Best Destiny 2 Glaives in 2022

These are all six glaives currently in the game, ranked from worst to best for PvE and PvP:

6. Edge of Concurrence

Excels in PvE

While it may be surprising to see an exotic at the bottom of this list, Edge of Concurrence is undoubtedly the weakest glaive in the game.

Chain lightning is an effect that has been used numerous times throughout Destiny’s history, and usually, it’s pretty potent. Trinity Ghoul and Riskrunner are great examples of this and some of the game’s strongest exotics. However, Edge of Concurrence’s chain lightning can’t compare.

Unlike the more powerful chain lightning exotics, Edge of Concurrence requires you to hit at least four shots with your ranged attack to trigger the chain lightning even once. Considering that glaives need special ammo (and that melee attacks don’t count toward the chain lightning charge), this caveat makes Edge of Concurrence a pain to use.

While this glaive may be a fun option to run in PVE every once in a while, it can’t compare to the other options in the game.

How to get it: Edge of Concurrence can be acquired by completing an Exotic quest.

Art	Weapon	Type	Archetype	Rarity	Ammo	Element	Requirements	In loot pool?	Ammo?	Element?	Tier	Excels	Source	Craftable?	Requires	Released	Slot	Can be Crafted?	Best of?	Top Perk?
	Edge of Concurrence	Glaive	Exotic	Exotic	Special	Arc	The Witch Queen	Yes	Special	Arc	Worst ❘ D	-	Exotic Quest		The Witch Queen	Season 16	Energy	Craftable

5. Edge of Intent

Excels in PvE and PvP

The Warlock-specific exotic glaive, Edge of Intent, allows you to place down a healing turret. And while this ability does seem like a great support option, it can be a bit lackluster.

Just like Edge of Concurrence, Edge of Intent requires four hits with ranged attacks to fully recharge the healing turret. While this ability is slightly more potent than the chain lightning that Concurrence offers, it isn’t worth the trouble of molding your playstyle around it.

This exotic also has a few opportunities for a healing or support build, but with how many other options we have now with Solar 3.0, there isn’t a real reason to run Intent. Lumina and Boots of the Assembler can get the job done better if you want to take a significant support role. Still, even then, Solar 3.0 provides enough intrinsic support abilities to satisfy most players.

Overall, Edge of Intent isn’t a bad option in some specific cases but falls flat when compared to the other glaives (or exotic weapon choices). If you like glaives and are a support player, maybe this is for you. But for most players, you’re better off running something else.

How to get it: Edge of Intent can be acquired by completing an Exotic quest.

Art	Weapon	Type	Archetype	Rarity	Ammo	Element	Requirements	In loot pool?	Ammo?	Element?	Tier	Excels	Source	Craftable?	Requires	Released	Slot	Can be Crafted?	Best of?	Top Perk?
	Edge of Intent	Glaive	Exotic	Exotic	Special	Solar	The Witch Queen	Yes	Special	Solar	Average ❘ B	-	Exotic Quest		The Witch Queen	Season 16	Energy	Craftable

4. Lubrae’s Ruin

Excels in PvE

Even though it’s undoubtedly fun to use the weapon wielded by arguably the most incredible boss in the franchise, Lubrae’s Ruin is only average from a gameplay perspective.

Grave Robber and Swashbuckler seem like a fantastic combination at first glance, but because they don’t fully work with the glaive’s melee ability, they fall flat. It’s still an interesting combination to try out with a melee build of your choice, but other options may still be more synergistic.

Lubrae’s Ruin also has various other perk combinations that can be good in the right hands, but for needing to step into a raid to obtain the weapon, it isn’t worth it when comparing it to The Enigma or Nezarec’s Whisper.

Lubrae’s Ruin is a fine glaive that can succeed in numerous situations, but it lacks power when considering its relatively difficult drop source.

How to get it: Lubrae’s Ruin can be acquired by completing the Vow of the Disciple raid.

Art	Weapon	Type	Archetype	Rarity	Ammo	Element	Requirements	In loot pool?	Ammo?	Element?	Tier	Excels	Source	Craftable?	Requires	Released	Slot	Can be Crafted?	Best of?	Top Perk?
	Lubrae's Ruin	Glaive	Adaptive	Legendary	Special	Solar	The Witch Queen	Yes	Special	Solar	Weak ❘ C	-	Vow of the Disciple Raid		The Witch Queen	Season 16	Energy	Craftable

3. Edge of Action

Excels in PvE and PvP

Easily the best of the three class-specific exotic glaives, Edge of Action provides great defensive opportunities everywhere in the game.

After getting the four projectile hits to charge the weapon fully, you can place down a mini Ward of Dawn. While this mini-bubble only lasts a short time, Bungie buffed it at the beginning of Season 17 to give you and your allies an overshield while stationed inside. This effect also works with Helm of Saint-14, allowing you to easily gain even more defensive buffs for you and your fireteam.

Because it’s quite literally a smaller version of a Super ability, Edge of Action’s exotic perk is extremely versatile. In Grandmaster Nightfalls, Action can be used to create a small safe space in the middle of an encounter, or just as a way to get an overshield. Edge of Action can also be used in PVP to lock down heavy ammo, capture zone, or any other important points on the map.

As long as you find a use for the bubble itself, this exotic could be worth a try over a normal legendary glaive.

How to get it: Edge of Action can be acquired by completing an Exotic quest.

Art	Weapon	Type	Archetype	Rarity	Ammo	Element	Requirements	In loot pool?	Ammo?	Element?	Tier	Excels	Source	Craftable?	Requires	Released	Slot	Can be Crafted?	Best of?	Top Perk?
	Edge of Action	Glaive	Exotic	Exotic	Special	Void	The Witch Queen	Yes	Special	Void	Average ❘ B	-	Exotic Quest		The Witch Queen	Season 16	Energy	Craftable

2. Nezarec’s Whisper

Excels in PvE

Only the third legendary glaive to release into the game, Nezarec’s Whisper has some perks that you can’t find on any other glaive as of Season 17.

To begin, Nezarec’s Whisper can roll with Demolitionist. While this alone sets it apart from other glaives, it can also roll with Adrenaline Junkie, resulting in a killer combination for PVE. It’s worth noting that, unlike some other perks, Demolitionist triggers on melee kills with the glaive, making it even better.

As a PVP option, Nezarec’s Whisper can roll with Impulse Amplifier and Unstoppable Force, the same combination that makes The Enigma so good. Impulse Amplifier makes it significantly easier to hit opposing Guardians with the ranged attack, and Unstoppable Force can be an excellent addition if appropriately used.

Nezarec’s Whisper is an extremely great option for any activity in the game. That said, there’s one more glaive we have yet to cover that we believe is even better: The Enigma.

How to get it: Nezarec’s Whispercan be acquired by completing Seasonal activities on the Derelict Leviathan and focusing Umbral engrams.

Art	Weapon	Type	Archetype	Rarity	Ammo	Element	Requirements	In loot pool?	Ammo?	Element?	Tier	Excels	Source	Craftable?	Requires	Released	Slot	Can be Crafted?	Best of?	Top Perk?
	Nezarec's Whisper	Glaive	Adaptive	Legendary	Special	Arc	Free-to-Play	Yes	Special	Arc	Average ❘ B	PvE	Seasonal activity		Free-to-Play	Season 17	Energy	Craftable

1. The Enigma

Excels in PvE and PvP

The first glaive Guardians’ ever got their hands on, The Enigma is a solid pick that hasn’t been beaten yet.

Beginning with PVE, this glaive has a little for everyone. There isn’t a standout roll here, but that’s primarily because there’s so much you can do with the weapon. This glaive has everything from damage perks like Kill Clip or Rampage to utility perks like Threat Detector or Thresh. You’re guaranteed to find something that fits your playstyle here.

Moving to PVP, The Enigma has the same S-Tier roll that Nezarec’s Whisper does: Impulse Amplifier + Unstoppable Force. As stated earlier, Impulse Amplifier is a nice bonus to projectile speed, allowing you to hit enemies with your main attack consistently. On the other hand, Unstoppable Force gives you a notable damage increase to the projectile, making an extremely synergistic combination.

While Nezarec’s Whisper could have this spot in other players’ eyes, we believe that The Enigma is still the best glaive to date. It’s a breeze to obtain, and its perk pool is powerful and versatile.

How to get it: The Enigma can be crafted at the Enclave on the Throne World.

Art	Weapon	Type	Archetype	Rarity	Ammo	Element	Requirements	In loot pool?	Ammo?	Element?	Tier	Excels	Source	Craftable?	Requires	Released	Slot	Can be Crafted?	Best of?	Top Perk?
	The Enigma	Glaive	Adaptive	Legendary	Special	Void	The Witch Queen	Yes	Special	Void	Strong ❘ A	PvE	Throne World		The Witch Queen	Season 16	Energy	Craftable	Top-tier

Are Glaives Meta?

How do Glaives compare, in general, with other Special weapons? Are they good in Destiny 2?

The current Meta for PvE

So, are Snipersgood in Destiny 2 PvE? This table summarizes how the several Special weapon types rank against each other in PvE:

Weapon Type	Rank	Tier	Trend	Role ❘ Current State	Category
Shotguns	A › Strong	Strong ❘ A	-	► Shotguns overall are pretty good right now. There are a good number of Pellet and Slug shotguns that can be used in most content, and shotguns are also an integral part of many melee builds thanks to the shotgun-exclusive '1-2 Punch' perk. However, their severe lack of range makes them a risky pick for high-level content. ► Best Archetype: Pinpoint Slug - Example: Heritage	PVE Specials
Grenade Launchers	S › Best	Best ❘ S	-	► Grenade Launchers are brilliant right now. They are versatile and are arguably the best pick in almost all areas. They can have excellent add control through Blinding Grenades or the Wave Frame archetype, and they can also deal good boss damage in a 'hotswap' build with Spike Grenades. Simply put, having a strong arsenal of Grenade Launchers is something you should definitely prioritize if you're looking to get into high-level content. ► All Breach Grenade Launchers share the same archetype	PVE Specials
Sniper Rifles	C › Weak	Weak ❘ C		► Sniper Rifles are not in a great place right now. They are completely outclassed by Linear Fusion Rifles in terms of DPS and are also lacking at ad clear/major killing by Shotguns and Grenade Launchers. Snipers are also quite difficult to use as they are precision-based weapons. They can be used as a backup DPS weapon if you don't have access to an Arbalest, for example, but right now, they are too niche to recomment. ► Best Archetype: Adaptive (140 RPM) - Example: Succession	PVE Specials
Fusion Rifles	A › Strong	Strong ❘ A		► Fusion Rifles are pretty good right now. They have slightly more range than Shotguns, making them a safer pick in high-level content, however, they lack a top-tier perk such as '1-2 Punch' to rise to S-tier status. Still, they remain a consistent pick for mid to high-level content. ► Best Archetype: Rapid-Fire (500ms Charge Time) - Example: Cartesian Coordinate	PVE Specials
Glaives	B › Average	Average ❘ B	-	► Glaives require a bit of getting used to, but when you do, they can grant you crazy levels of damage resistance. However, they are quite a risky pick, especially if you haven't learned how to master them first. Glaives are also one-dimensional. There is basically no reason to use their melee attack, which is unfortunate as that is probably the most fun part of the Glaives. ► All Glaives share the same archetype	PVE Specials
Linear Fusion Rifles	S › Best	Best ❘ S		► There are only two Linear Fusion Rifles that use Special ammo, but when one of them is arguably the strongest weapon in the game, they have to be ranked S tier. Arbalest is an absolute must-have if you want to take endgame content seriously. Lorentz Driver is an okay option, but Arbalest is completely overpowered and is an excellent pick for whatever content you throw at it.	PVE Specials
Trace Rifles	B › Average	Average ❘ B	-	► Trace Rifles are a strange pick. Legendary Trace Rifles are a very niche pick right now, but Exotic trace Rifles are all pretty good. Wavesplitter can do well with certain builds, and Divinity is always a good pick, even despite the nerfs.	PVE Specials

The current Meta for PvP

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

Weapon Type	Rank	Tier	Trend	Role ❘ Current State	Category
Shotguns	A › Strong	Strong ❘ A		► Shotguns received a significant change in Season 19 that made their pellet spread more consistent overall. With pre-determined spread patterns per archetype, and the reversal of some widely disliked nerfs, Shotguns are coming back. ► Best Archetype: Lightweight (65 RPM)- Example: Matador 64	PVP Specials
Linear Fusion Rifles	A › Strong	Strong ❘ A	-	► The special ammo Linear Fusion category of weapon is rather barren, but the two weapons that occupy it, Arbalest and Lorentz Driver, are both forces to be reckoned with. While they have received some deserved nerfs throughout Seasons 17-19, they remain a solid choice for players wanting a long-range option.	PVP Specials
Sniper Rifles	S › Best	Best ❘ S	-	► Sniper Rifles are in an excellent place right now. After the nerfs to Linear Fusion Rifles, it only makes sense that Sniper usage picks up, and with options that come stacked with aim assist and excellent perks like Defiance of Yasmin or Beloved, it's easy to see why Snipers have risen up the ranks. ► Best Archetype: Adaptive (90 RPM)- Example: Beloved	PVP Specials
Trace Rifles	B › Average	Average ❘ B		► Trace Rifles are quite a niche pick and will fall short as a competitive option in most players' hands. Even once you learn to master Trace Rifles, you'll be better off with a Special weapon that can provide a one-hit-kill t rather than one that can be out-dueled by a Primary weapon. ► All Archetypes are 1000 RPM - Best Option: Coldheart	PVP Specials
Glaives	A › Strong	Strong ❘ A	-	► Glaives are somewhat of a sleeper pick. However, with the Season 19 buffs and hit registration improvements they received, they can be quite annoying to play against. However, they do remain heavily outclassed by other mid to long-range options, and can't compete at close range due to the lackluster melee. ► Best Archetype: Adaptive (55 RPM)- Example: The Enigma	PVP Specials
Fusion Rifles	S › Best	Best ❘ S		► Fusion Rifles have seen buff after buff, and with Season of the Haunted, they finally saw a slight nerf. However, this change hasn't altered the state of Fusion Rifles enough to consider them noticeably weaker than before. They are able to cover the close-medium range excellently and a good Fusion Rifle player can be incredibly hard to beat. ► Best Archetype: Precision (780ms Charge Time) - Example: Main Ingredient	PVP Specials
Grenade Launchers	A › Strong	Strong ❘ A	-	► Grenade Launchers remain the most 'annoying' option in PvP. The ability to flush players out from cover is not lost on players in PvP, and being able to 1-hit kill with certain rolls allows Grenade Launchers to be a highly tactical, but also lethal option. They also serve as an excellent 'hot-swap' choice to allow for easy cleanups with your Primary weapon. ► Best Archetype: Wave Frame - Example: Dead Messenger	PVP Specials

Your turn

You now know everything there is to know about Glaives in Destiny 2, whether that is for PvP or PvE content.