Destiny 2 Best Kinetic Weapons Today (S23 Meta)

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 the Wish (S23).

Best Legendary Kinetic Weapons in Destiny 2

These are the best Legendary Kinetic weapons in Destiny 2 today, whether they use Primary ammo or Special ammo:

Weapons	Type	Ammo	Rarity	Element	Requirements	Source	Source ❘ DLC	Verdict	Part of?
Fatebringer	Hand Cannon	Primary	Legendary	Kinetic	Free-to-Play	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: Explosive Payload + Eye of the Storm ► 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,PVP
Rose	Hand Cannon	Primary	Legendary	Kinetic	Free-to-Play	Playlist: Crucible	Playlist: Crucible Free-to-Play	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Lightweight PvP God Rolls: Moving Target + Explosive Payload (also good: Eye of the Storm) ► Rose was a reward from competitive PvP, so it makes sense that it's a monster in The Crucible. The weapon has absurd stats and perks that allow it to rocket past its competition. Sure, it's harder to obtain than other options, but this grind is easily worth it if you're an avid Crucible player.	PVP
Unending Tempest	Submachine Gun	Primary	Legendary	Stasis	Free-to-Play	Playlist: Crucible	Playlist: Crucible Free-to-Play	Slot: Stasis | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Precision PvE God Rolls: Demolitionist (also good: Perpetual Motion) + Adrenaline Junkie (also good: Headstone) PvP God Roll: Perpetual Motion + Target Lock ► Many call Unending Tempest the king of SMGs. This Precision frame SMG has an excellent TTK, great range, and has all the right perks (Target Lock, anyone?) to compete with The Immortal. If you're a fan of SMGs, you need this weapon.	PVP
Heritage	Shotgun	Special	Legendary	Kinetic	Beyond Light	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 PvP God Roll:Slideshot + Offhand Strike ► 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
Imperial Decree	Shotgun	Special	Legendary	Kinetic	Free-to-Play	Engram Focusing	Engram Focusing Free-to-Play	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Aggressive God Rolls: Threat Detector (also good: Slideshot) + Opening Shot ► Aggressive shotguns are one of the best options for PvP due to their pellet spread and high damage. Imperial Decree comes with excellent perks, making it a contender for Best Shotgun for the kinetic slot. Plus, it can be crafted, which cuts down on the luck required to get a god roll.	PVP
Defiance of Yasmin	Sniper Rifle	Special	Legendary	Kinetic	Free-to-Play	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 ► Defiance of Yasmin rarely gets any talk, which is strange given how solid its perk pool and stats are. Individual snipers are better in specific activities, but Defiance is a jack of all trades that's hard to beat in terms of overall potency.	PVP
Scatter Signal	Fusion Rifle	Special	Legendary	Strand	Season 23	Seasonal activity	Seasonal activity Season 23	Slot: Strand | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Rapid-Fire PvE God Roll: Overflow + Controlled Burst (also good: Slice) PvP God Roll: Perpetual Motion + Under-Over ► Scatter Signal is the Fusion rifle everybody's talking about in Season of the Wish. With amazing PvE perks, including Overflow and Controlled Burst, and the benefits of the Rapid-Fire Frame, it's easy to see why Scatter Signal is one of the most sought-after weapons this season.	PVE,PVP

Best PvE Kinetic Weapons in Destiny 2

In this section, we cover the best Kinetic weapons for PvE, both weapons that use Primary ammo and Special ammo.

Just remember Primary weapons use “normal” ammo, aka, white ammo boxes, whereas Special weapons use “Special” ammo, aka, green ammo boxes:

Weapons	Type	Ammo	Rarity	Element	Requirements	Source	Source ❘ DLC	Verdict	Part of?
Wish-Ender	Combat Bow	Primary	Exotic	Kinetic	Forsaken Pack	Exotic Quest	Exotic Quest Forsaken Pack	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "While aiming down sights with a fully drawn Bow, combatants behind walls are highlighted, and arrows pierce shields. Strong against Barrier Champions. One shot can over-penetrate multiple targets." ► Wish-Ender has never been this strong or 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
Lumina	Hand Cannon	Primary	Exotic	Kinetic	Forsaken Pack	Exotic Kiosk	Exotic Kiosk Forsaken Pack	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "Kills with this weapon leave behind Remnants which convert your next hip fired shot into an ally-seeking Noble Round that heals them and grants both of you a weapon damage bonus for a short duration." ►Lumina is one of the most unique Exotics in Destiny 2, allowing you to heal allies and spread one of the most potent damage buffs in the game. If you're looking to optimize a DPS phase—or want to play a more significant support role—this is a fantastic pick. This applies to PvP too.	PVE
Quicksilver Storm	Auto Rifle	Primary	Exotic	Strand	Lightfall	Exotic Kiosk	Exotic Kiosk Lightfall	Slot: Strand | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "Landing multiple hits turns your next shot into a homing micro-rocket. Landing multiple rockets loads a grenade." ► Quicksilver Storm may be the best Primary weapon in the game. Good base DPS, a burst damage option that is remarkably simple to use, and the ability to create Tangles allowing for Strand build crafting, make this weapon an exceptional pick.	PVE
Malfeasance	Hand Cannon	Primary	Exotic	Kinetic	Free-to-Play	Exotic Quest	Exotic Quest Free-to-Play	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "Shoot tainted slugs that burrow into the enemy. Stacking enough slugs causes them all to explode. Bonus damage against Taken enemies and Gambit invaders." ► Malfeasance has always been a fascinating weapon, and with the buffs to Hand Cannons, it quickly became one of the strongest Kinetic Primaries in the game, especially against Taken enemies. Malfeasance is even stronger when using the Lucky Pants Exotic, allowing for ridiculous damage.	Gambit,PVE
Fatebringer	Hand Cannon	Primary	Legendary	Kinetic	Free-to-Play	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: Explosive Payload + Eye of the Storm ► 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,PVP
No Time to Explain	Pulse Rifle	Primary	Exotic	Kinetic	Beyond Light	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
Unending Tempest	Submachine Gun	Primary	Legendary	Stasis	Free-to-Play	Playlist: Crucible	Playlist: Crucible Free-to-Play	Slot: Stasis | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Precision PvE God Rolls: Demolitionist (also good: Perpetual Motion) + Adrenaline Junkie (also good: Headstone) PvP God Roll: Perpetual Motion + Target Lock ► Many call Unending Tempest the king of SMGs. This Precision frame SMG has an excellent TTK, great range, and has all the right perks (Target Lock, anyone?) to compete with The Immortal. If you're a fan of SMGs, you need this weapon.	PVP
Heritage	Shotgun	Special	Legendary	Kinetic	Beyond Light	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 PvP God Roll:Slideshot + Offhand Strike ► 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
Izanagi's Burden	Sniper Rifle	Special	Exotic	Kinetic	Forsaken Pack	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 a Bait and Switch Heavy Weapon. Due to how popular Bait and Switch is, Izanagi's is the perfect weapon to deal a chunk of damage with, before swapping to your main damage-dealing Heavy weapon.	PVE
Witherhoard	Grenade Launcher	Special	Exotic	Kinetic	Shadowkeep	Exotic Kiosk	Exotic Kiosk Shadowkeep	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." ► Even a few nerfs to this GL couldn't knock it out of the top spot. A true fire-and-forget weapon, Witherhoard can deal with all manner of enemies in just a few shots. Whether it is used as part of a damage rotation, or just to lock an area down, Witherhoard reigns supreme.	PVE
Defiance of Yasmin	Sniper Rifle	Special	Legendary	Kinetic	Free-to-Play	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 ► Defiance of Yasmin rarely gets any talk, which is strange given how solid its perk pool and stats are. Individual snipers are better in specific activities, but Defiance is a jack of all trades that's hard to beat in terms of overall potency.	PVP
Conditional Finality	Shotgun	Special	Exotic	Stasis	Lightfall	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,PVP
Scatter Signal	Fusion Rifle	Special	Legendary	Strand	Season 23	Seasonal activity	Seasonal activity Season 23	Slot: Strand | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Rapid-Fire PvE God Roll: Overflow + Controlled Burst (also good: Slice) PvP God Roll: Perpetual Motion + Under-Over ► Scatter Signal is the Fusion rifle everybody's talking about in Season of the Wish. With amazing PvE perks, including Overflow and Controlled Burst, and the benefits of the Rapid-Fire Frame, it's easy to see why Scatter Signal is one of the most sought-after weapons this season.	PVE,PVP

Best PvP Kinetic Weapons in Destiny 2

In this section, we cover the best Kinetic weapons for PvP, both weapons that use Primary ammo and Special ammo.

Weapons	Type	Ammo	Rarity	Element	Requirements	Source	Source ❘ DLC	Verdict	Part of?
Fatebringer	Hand Cannon	Primary	Legendary	Kinetic	Free-to-Play	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: Explosive Payload + Eye of the Storm ► 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,PVP
No Time to Explain	Pulse Rifle	Primary	Exotic	Kinetic	Beyond Light	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
Thorn	Hand Cannon	Primary	Exotic	Kinetic	Forsaken Pack	Exotic Kiosk	Exotic Kiosk Forsaken Pack	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "Rounds pierce targets and deal damage over time. Kills leave behind Remnants which, when absorbed, increase damage." ► Thorn has rocketed right back into the meta with the release of its Exotic Catalyst. This catalyst provides practically everything: Range, Mobility, Handling, and Stability upon a single kill, or absorbing a remnant. This allows for constant kill-chaining and lets good players take over any lobby.	PVP
Rose	Hand Cannon	Primary	Legendary	Kinetic	Free-to-Play	Playlist: Crucible	Playlist: Crucible Free-to-Play	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Lightweight PvP God Rolls: Moving Target + Explosive Payload (also good: Eye of the Storm) ► Rose was a reward from competitive PvP, so it makes sense that it's a monster in The Crucible. The weapon has absurd stats and perks that allow it to rocket past its competition. Sure, it's harder to obtain than other options, but this grind is easily worth it if you're an avid Crucible player.	PVP
Unending Tempest	Submachine Gun	Primary	Legendary	Stasis	Free-to-Play	Playlist: Crucible	Playlist: Crucible Free-to-Play	Slot: Stasis | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Precision PvE God Rolls: Demolitionist (also good: Perpetual Motion) + Adrenaline Junkie (also good: Headstone) PvP God Roll: Perpetual Motion + Target Lock ► Many call Unending Tempest the king of SMGs. This Precision frame SMG has an excellent TTK, great range, and has all the right perks (Target Lock, anyone?) to compete with The Immortal. If you're a fan of SMGs, you need this weapon.	PVP
The Chaperone	Shotgun	Special	Exotic	Kinetic	Beyond Light	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 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
Imperial Decree	Shotgun	Special	Legendary	Kinetic	Free-to-Play	Engram Focusing	Engram Focusing Free-to-Play	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Aggressive God Rolls: Threat Detector (also good: Slideshot) + Opening Shot ► Aggressive shotguns are one of the best options for PvP due to their pellet spread and high damage. Imperial Decree comes with excellent perks, making it a contender for Best Shotgun for the kinetic slot. Plus, it can be crafted, which cuts down on the luck required to get a god roll.	PVP
Defiance of Yasmin	Sniper Rifle	Special	Legendary	Kinetic	Free-to-Play	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 ► Defiance of Yasmin rarely gets any talk, which is strange given how solid its perk pool and stats are. Individual snipers are better in specific activities, but Defiance is a jack of all trades that's hard to beat in terms of overall potency.	PVP
Conditional Finality	Shotgun	Special	Exotic	Stasis	Lightfall	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,PVP
Scatter Signal	Fusion Rifle	Special	Legendary	Strand	Season 23	Seasonal activity	Seasonal activity Season 23	Slot: Strand | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Rapid-Fire PvE God Roll: Overflow + Controlled Burst (also good: Slice) PvP God Roll: Perpetual Motion + Under-Over ► Scatter Signal is the Fusion rifle everybody's talking about in Season of the Wish. With amazing PvE perks, including Overflow and Controlled Burst, and the benefits of the Rapid-Fire Frame, it's easy to see why Scatter Signal is one of the most sought-after weapons this season.	PVE,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-ups.

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.