Destiny 2 Best Kinetic Weapons right now: Season 20

Chasing the best weapons is one of the cornerstones of the Destiny 2 experience. But as you gain more experience, you realize that finding a great weapon is only a piece of the puzzle. To truly take your game to the next level, you’ll need a great loadout. For that reason, you will soon find yourself chasing the best weapons per slot: Kinetic, Energy, and Heavy.

In this guide, we cover the absolute best Kinetic weapons in Destiny 2. We’ll cover both Exotics and Legendary weapons (including their god rolls) for both PvE and PvP.

Updated as of Season of Defiance (S20)

Best Kinetic weapons: Primary ammo

In this section, we cover the best Kinetic weapons that use Primary ammo. Just remember Primary weapons use “normal” ammo, aka, white ammo boxes:

Top PvE Primary weapons

Weapons	Type	Ammo	Element	Requirements	In loot pool?	Source	Source ❘ DLC	Verdict	Part of?
Wish-Ender	Combat Bow	Primary	Kinetic	Forsaken Pack	Yes	Exotic Quest	Exotic Quest Forsaken Pack	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "While aiming down sights with a fully-drawn bow, enemies behind walls are highlighted. Piercing arrowheads damage the target on entry and exit. One-shot can over-penetrate multiple targets." ► Wish-Ender has never been this strong, nor popular. With the newfound intrinsic ability to deal with Anti Barrier Champions with ease, even in Master and Grandmaster levels, and the fact that it effectively hits 3 times per arrow due to its piercing perk, Wish-Ender is currently a monster in PvE.	PVE
Outbreak Perfected	Pulse Rifle	Primary	Kinetic	Free-to-Play	Yes	Exotic Kiosk	Exotic Kiosk Free-to-Play	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "This weapon creates SIVA nanite swarms on rapid hits and precision kills and does more damage to enemies based on the number of SIVA nanites that attach to them." ► Outbreak Perfected's theme and great firing feel alone make it a popular PVE choice. And with buffs to Exotic primary weapon damage, it's now an excellent option for casual PVE content.	PVE
Fatebringer	Hand Cannon	Primary	Kinetic	Free-to-Play	Yes	Vault of Glass Raid	Vault of Glass Raid Free-to-Play	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Adaptive PvE God Roll: Explosive Payload + Firefly PvP God Roll: Killing Wind + Opening Shot ► One of the most iconic legendary weapons in the game, Fatebringer comes with insane stats and great perks. While it does have some competition, namely Eyasluna, this almost-perfect Hand Cannon holds its ground as an all-time community favorite.	PVE
Osteo Striga	Submachine Gun	Primary	Kinetic	The Witch Queen	Yes	The Witch Queen Campaign	The Witch Queen Campaign The Witch Queen	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "Fires a stream of sentient, toxic projectiles that track the targeted enemy. Landing a final blow or multiple precision hits triggers a burst that poisons nearby targets." ► Feeling extremely nice to use, Osteo Striga became an instant favorite for many. Its poison-spreading effect makes it one of the best ad-clear primaries in PVE, and its enemy-tracking bullets make it an easy-to-use option in PVP. Plus, you can craft your own. What's not to love?	PVE
Submission	Submachine Gun	Primary	Kinetic	The Witch Queen	Yes	Vow of the Disciple Raid	Vow of the Disciple Raid The Witch Queen	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Lightweight PvE God Roll: Overflow (also good: Subsistence) + Frenzy (also good: Swashbuckler) PvP God Roll: Perpetual Motion + Killing Wind ► Containing alright stats and a wide variety of interesting perk combinations, Submission is a strong option overall. While it isn't the best of the best in both PVE and PVP, it can hold its ground in both, making it a great pick if you don't have anything better.	PVE
Rufus's Fury	Auto Rifle	Primary	Strand	Lightfall	Yes	Root of Nightmares Raid	Root of Nightmares Raid Lightfall	Slot: Strand | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Rapid-Fire God Rolls: Demolitionist (also good: Reconstruction) + Hatchling (also good: Target Lock) ► With the ability to roll with some outstanding perk combinations, Rufus's Fury is the best Strand primary weapon we’ve seen thus far. And compared to Perpetualis, the other Strand Auto, Rufus’s has better rolls and is part of what most consider a superior frame (720 RPM).	PVE

Top PvP Primary weapons

Weapons	Type	Ammo	Element	Requirements	In loot pool?	Source	Source ❘ DLC	Verdict	Part of?
The Immortal	Submachine Gun	Primary	Strand	Lightfall	Yes	Trials of Osiris	Trials of Osiris Lightfall	Slot: Strand | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Aggressive PvP God Rolls: Rangefinder (also good: Encore) + Target Lock PvE God Roll: Perpetual Motion (also good: Keep Away) + Hatchling (also good: Demolitionist) ► The Immortal is perhaps the best legendary SMG in the game right now. From absurd PvP-centered stats and perks to synergistic options like Demolitionist and Hatchling for PvE, this weapon has no shortage of outstanding aspects. Sure, stepping into Trials of Osiris can be daunting, but this is worth it.	PVP
No Time to Explain	Pulse Rifle	Primary	Kinetic	Beyond Light	Yes	Beyond Light Campaign	Beyond Light Campaign Beyond Light	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "Precision shots and shots against combatants affected by Stasis return to the magazine. At 10 stacks, a small portal will open, shooting bullets from an alternate timeline version of this weapon. Precision hits extend the portal's duration." ► An exceptional pick in PVP (and a fun one in PVE), No Time to Explain's ability to provide you with an extra set of bullets continues to be helpful in most areas of the game.	PVP
Ace of Spades	Hand Cannon	Primary	Kinetic	Forsaken Pack	Yes	Exotic Kiosk	Exotic Kiosk Forsaken Pack	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "Precision kills increase reload speed and cause the target to explode. Reloading after a kill increases damage. Grants radar while aiming down sights." ► Arguably the best 140 RPM hand cannon in the game, Ace of Spades has a lot to offer. With excellent base stats and some of the best perks around, namely Momento Mori, which is like Kill Clip on steroids and the ability to see your radar while zoomed in, this weapon has a bit of everything.	PVP
Austringer	Hand Cannon	Primary	Kinetic	Free-to-Play	Yes	Derelict Leviathan	Derelict Leviathan Free-to-Play	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Adaptive PvE God Roll: Outlaw + Rampage PvP God Roll: Eye of the Storm + Opening Shot (also good: Rangefinder) ► With a fanbase that rivals that of Spare Rations, nearly everyone was waiting for the day that Austringer came back. That day has come, and Austringer is once again a great pick for anything in the game. With amazing stats, even better perks, and the ability to be crafted, it's hard to not see why people love this weapon.	PVP
Hawkmoon	Hand Cannon	Primary	Kinetic	Beyond Light	Yes	Xûr	Xûr Beyond Light	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "Final blows and precision hits with Hawkmoon grant stacks of Paracausal Charge. The final round in the magazine deals bonus damage based on the number of stacks. Stowing Hawkmoon on the final round removes this bonus." ► Many didn't like that Hawkmoon is not the same weapon it was in Destiny 1. But Hawkmoon is arguably the strongest Exotic Hand Cannon in PvP. It can provide very consistent 2 taps and even 1 taps, provided you are accurate enough. Hawkmoon will take some time to get used to, but once you do, it will be hard to go back to any other gun.	PVP

Best PvP Special weapons: Special ammo

In this section, we cover the best Kinetic weapons that use Special ammo. Not to be confused with Energy weapons, Special weapons use “Special” green ammo boxes:

Top PvE Special weapons

Weapons	Type	Ammo	Element	Requirements	In loot pool?	Source	Source ❘ DLC	Verdict	Part of?
Heritage	Shotgun	Special	Kinetic	Beyond Light	Yes	Deep Stone Crypt Raid	Deep Stone Crypt Raid Beyond Light	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Pinpoint Slug PvE God Roll: Reconstruction (also good: Auto-Loading Holster) + Recombination ► Heritage is an absolute staple in the Kinetic Slot and will forever hold a place as a go-to option in my loadouts. It can hit like a truck with Recombination and can get up to double its regular magazine size. It wastes majors and bosses alike and is an option that we 100% recommend you grind for.	PVE
Arbalest	Linear Fusion Rifle	Special	Kinetic	Lightfall	Yes	Exotic Quest	Exotic Quest Lightfall	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "Fires slugs that cause massive damage to enemy shields. Strong against Barrier Champions. Breaking an enemy's shield with this weapon makes them more vulnerable to Kinetic damage." ► Arbalest continues to dominate in every area of the game, even through nerfs to both its damage and aim assist. With the ability to bypass Barrier Champion and elemental shields in 1-2 shots (even on Grandmaster difficulty), Arbalest will remain an unstoppable force.	PVE
Izanagi's Burden	Sniper Rifle	Special	Kinetic	Forsaken Pack	Yes	Exotic Kiosk	Exotic Kiosk Forsaken Pack	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "Holding reload consumes the magazine and loads a round with additional range and damage." ► A powerhouse of a weapon, Izanagi's Burden can reach some incredible DPS numbers, especially when combined with an Auto-Loading Holster Rocket Launcher. While this combo is slightly more demanding than some other DPS options, it is well worth the effort to unlock this beast's potential.	PVE
Witherhoard	Grenade Launcher	Special	Kinetic	Free-to-Play	Yes	Exotic Kiosk	Exotic Kiosk Free-to-Play	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "Projectiles fired blight the target or nearby area on impact. Blighted targets take damage over time and blight the nearby area on death." ► Witherhoard is the quintessential Grenade Launcher. It can deal good damage, lock down an area, stagger an enemy, deal with ads, and all that while being super easy to use. Witherhoard is also a counter to some 'meta' playstyles in PvP due to its AoE effect, hard countering a Ward of Dawn, or a Lorley Splendor Shield.	PVE
Riptide	Fusion Rifle	Special	Stasis	Free-to-Play	Yes	Playlist: Crucible	Playlist: Crucible Free-to-Play	Slot: Stasis | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Rapid-Fire PvE God Roll: Auto-Loading Holster (also good: Compulsive Reloader) + Chill Clip ► Riptide's large perk pool makes it annoying to grind, but it's undoubtedly worth it. You can slow and freeze combatants instantly with incredibly synergistic combinations such as Auto-Loading Holster and Chill Clip. Additionally, because of Riptide's quick charge time and deep ammo reserves, you can stun-lock enemies (including Champions!) with its back-to-back freezing potential.	PVE
Conditional Finality	Shotgun	Special	Stasis	Lightfall	Yes	Root of Nightmares Raid	Root of Nightmares Raid Lightfall	Slot: Stasis | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "Dual barrels split into Stasis and Solar damage. Landing nearly all Stasis pellets will freeze targets; landing nearly all Solar pellets will ignite targets." ► Conditional Finality is remarkable. In PvE, it has Champion stunning capabilities and excellent potential damage with a hot-swap setup, rivaling even Izanagi's Burden. In PvP, it has great handling, solid 1-hit kill range, and can take down supers with its Freeze-Ignite effect.	PVE

Top PvP Special weapons

Weapons	Type	Ammo	Element	Requirements	In loot pool?	Source	Source ❘ DLC	Verdict	Part of?
The Chaperone	Shotgun	Special	Kinetic	Beyond Light	Yes	Exotic Quest	Exotic Quest Beyond Light	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "Fires a single-slug precision round. Precision kills briefly grant bonus handling, range, and precision damage with this weapon." ► It certainly requires more skill than your average pellet shotgun, but in the right hands, The Chaperone is the deadliest shotgun in the entire game. Because of its excellent base stats and its precision-slug frame, The Chaperone has the longest one-hit kill distance of any shotgun in the game, provided you can hit your headshots.	PVP
Fractethyst	Shotgun	Special	Stasis	Free-to-Play	Yes	Xûr	Xûr Free-to-Play	Slot: Stasis | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Precision PvP God Roll: Quickdraw (also good: Slideshot) + Opening Shot ► As Aggressive Shotguns continue to receive indirect nerfs, Precision Shotguns are again on the rise, and Fractethyst is no exception. Fractethyst is one of the best Precision Shotguns available and is a consistent option Guardians should not overlook.	PVP
Forerunner	Sidearm	Special	Kinetic	Free-to-Play	Yes	Exotic Quest	Exotic Quest Free-to-Play	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "Fires full auto with increased rate of fire. Deals increased precision damage to unshielded targets. Tapping the trigger gives it less recoil and improves accuracy." ► Forerunner is a true menace in the right hands. While it may take some time to get used to, there is little you can do against a Forerunner player who is hitting their shots. Boasting a 0.60s time-to-kill at practically infinite range, Forerunner is an incredible pick inside of PvP	PVP
Imperial Decree	Shotgun	Special	Kinetic	Free-to-Play	Yes	Engram Focusing	Engram Focusing Free-to-Play	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Aggressive God Rolls: Threat Detector (also good: Slideshot) + Opening Shot ► Aggressive frames are one of the best options for PvP due to their pellet spread and high damage. Imperial Decree can also get several great perks in both columns for PvP, making it a contender for the best shotgun for the kinetic slot.	PVP
Defiance of Yasmin	Sniper Rifle	Special	Kinetic	Free-to-Play	Yes	King's Fall Raid	King's Fall Raid Free-to-Play	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Adaptive PvP God Roll: Snapshot Sights + Opening Shot PvE God Roll: Firefly + Firing Line ► The "new kid on the block," The Defiance of Yasmin was recently released as part of the King's Fall raid loot table. And as should be expected from a raid weapon, the Defiance of Yasmin truly excels, especially in PvP. It features excellent base stats, the best perks for PvP, and a 40 zoom stat that feels just right...	PVP

Before you go…

If you’re looking to take your game to the next level in PvE and PvP, definitely check out our Top PvE weapons and Top PvP weapons round-up.

Looking for a specific Kinetic weapon archetype/element not covered by this list? Our Kinetic weapons database covers all viable options in Destiny 2 right now.