Best Trace Rifles in Destiny 2: Tier List for PvP and PvE

Considered second-tier for too long, Trace rifles are finally in a good place. There are now several Legendary alternatives, and the top Exotic Traces are considered among the best weapons in Destiny 2.

This guide covers all Trace Rifles in Destiny 2 and their best rolls for PvE and PvP.

Updated as of Episode 1: Echoes. See Updates.

Top Tier Trace Rifles (Episode 1)

This Tier list features the best Exotic and Legendary Trace rifles right now:

Item	Weapons	Type	Archetype	Ammo?	Element?	Requirements	In loot pool?	Rank	Source	Available?	Tier rank	Source ❘ DLC	Final Verdict	Released	Perks	Best of?
Path of Least Resistance	Path of Least Resistance Trace Rifle	Trace Rifle	Adaptive	Special	Arc	The Witch Queen	Yes	S › Best	Operation: Seraph's Shield		Best ❘ S Excels in: PvE	Operation: Seraph's Shield Witch Queen	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Adaptive PvE God Rolls: Stats for All (also good: Subsistence) + Voltshot (also good: One for All) ► Acting as a mini-Coldheart, Path of Least Resistance is great for Guardians looking for a strong non-exotic weapon pairing for their Arc builds. A solid first column of perks combines with Voltshot to create a weapon that feels potent in any PvE activity you put it up against.	Season 19	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Adaptive PvE God Rolls: Stats for All (also good: Subsistence) + Voltshot (also good: One for All)	Top-tier
Acasia's Dejection	Acasia's Dejection Trace Rifle	Trace Rifle	Adaptive	Special	Solar	Lightfall	Yes	S › Best	Root of Nightmares Raid		Best ❘ S Excels in: PvE	Root of Nightmares Raid Lightfall	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Adaptive PvE God Rolls: Rewind Rounds (also good: Reconstruction) + Incandescent (also good: Paracausal Affinity) ► On the same level as Retraced Path, Acasia's Dejection is one of the best legendary trace rifles for generic gameplay. While it does have Solar synergy through Incandescent, it's typically used without builds in mind. This trace rifle is an excellent pick for anyone looking for one that excels in all situations.	Season 20	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Adaptive PvE God Rolls: Rewind Rounds (also good: Reconstruction) + Incandescent (also good: Paracausal Affinity)	Top-tier
The Navigator	The Navigator Trace Rifle	Trace Rifle	Exotic	Special	Strand	Lightfall Dungeon Key	Yes	S › Best	Ghost of the Deep Dungeon		Best ❘ S Excels in: PvE	Ghost of the Deep Dungeon Lightfall Dungeon Key	Slot: Strand | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "Firing this weapon at an ally grants Woven Mail to both the user and the target. Dealing sustained damage severs the target." ► The Navigator is incredibly powerful. Not only does it have some good supporting tools with Woven Mail, but it enables some of the highest damage combos in the game on both Hunter and Titan.	Season 21	Slot: Strand | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "Firing this weapon at an ally grants Woven Mail to both the user and the target. Dealing sustained damage severs the target."	Top-tier
Microcosm	Microcosm Trace Rifle	Trace Rifle	Exotic	Heavy	Kinetic	The Final Shape	Yes	S › Best	The Pale Heart		Best ❘ S Excels in: PvE	The Pale Heart The Final Shape	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "Fires a beam of Kinetic light, dealing massive bonus damage to shields. Final blows with this weapon grant Super energy. This weapon gains bonus damage once your Super expires." ► Microcosm is the new 'lazy' DPS option. It pumps out okay damage, but it shines as an ad-clearing and Major killing beast. Microcosm feels like it beams through almost anything but bosses in the game, making it an incredibly powerful weapon to use whenever your Exotic Slot is free.	The Final Shape	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "Fires a beam of Kinetic light, dealing massive bonus damage to shields. Final blows with this weapon grant Super energy. This weapon gains bonus damage once your Super expires."	Top-tier
Chronophage	Chronophage Trace Rifle	Trace Rifle	Adaptive	Special	Void	Episode 1: Echoes	Yes	S › Best	Echoes Activities		Best ❘ S Excels in: PvE	Echoes Activities Episode 1: Echoes	Slot: Void | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Adaptive PvE God Roll: Shoot to Loot (also good: Repulsor Brace) + One for All (also good: Demolitionist) ► While the weapon doesn’t have any perk combinations that make it meta-defining, Chronophage excels at what it’s supposed to in PvE: general utility and a replacement for typical primary weapons.	The Final Shape	Slot: Void | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Adaptive PvE God Roll: Shoot to Loot (also good: Repulsor Brace) + One for All (also good: Demolitionist)	Top-tier
Divinity	Divinity Trace Rifle	Trace Rifle	Exotic	Special	Arc	Shadowkeep Pack	Yes	A › Strong	Exotic Quest		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvE	Exotic Quest Shadowkeep Pack	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "Sustained damage with this weapon envelops the target in a field that weakens and disrupts them." ► Divinity has been a great choice for years now. Even though a recent nerf reduced its debuff to 15%, this trace rifle still proves its worth through the ability to make crits way easier to hit. Plus, it's still considered the best Overload weapon in the game.	Season 8	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "Sustained damage with this weapon envelops the target in a field that weakens and disrupts them."	Top-tier
Ager's Scepter	Ager's Scepter Trace Rifle	Trace Rifle	Exotic	Special	Stasis	Beyond Light Pack	Yes	A › Strong	Exotic Kiosk		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvE	Exotic Kiosk Beyond Light Pack	Slot: Stasis | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "Final blows with this weapon generate a slowing burst around the defeated target. Stasis final blows transfer ammo to this weapon's magazine from reserves." ► Ager's Scepter is the Stasis weapon; sadly, Stasis isn't awfully good right now. While it can freeze and lock up entire rooms in ice, it doesn't really matter when the alternative is to just outright kill the enemies. Ager's Scepter remains a very powerful option on its own, though.	Season 15	Slot: Stasis | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "Final blows with this weapon generate a slowing burst around the defeated target. Stasis final blows transfer ammo to this weapon's magazine from reserves."	Top-tier
Retraced Path	Retraced Path Trace Rifle	Trace Rifle	Adaptive	Special	Solar	Free-to-Play	Yes	A › Strong	Dares of Eternity		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvE	Dares of Eternity Free-to-Play	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Adaptive PvE God Roll: Subsistence (also good: Feeding Frenzy) + Incandescent (also good: One for All) ► Now that legendary trace rifles have found their niche in the game, Retraced Path has begun to excel in various activities and builds. While it's often overlooked by newer options and exotics like Path of Least Resistance and The Navigator, Retraced Path continues to hold its own—especially when combined with a strong Solar build.	30th Anniversary event	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Adaptive PvE God Roll: Subsistence (also good: Feeding Frenzy) + Incandescent (also good: One for All)	Top-tier
Appetence	Appetence Trace Rifle	Trace Rifle	Adaptive	Special	Stasis	Lightfall	Yes	A › Strong	Starcrossed		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvE	Starcrossed Lightfall	Slot: Stasis | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Adaptive PvE God Roll: Overflow + Killing Tally (also good: One for All) ► One of the first Kinetic legendary trace rifles added into the game, Appetence is a consistent option simply because of its novelty. However, its actual perks aren't all that special, especially compared to Incisor (its only direct competition as of right now). Appetence isn't outstanding unless you're specifically looking for a kinetic legendary trace rifle.	Season 23	Slot: Stasis | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Adaptive PvE God Roll: Overflow + Killing Tally (also good: One for All)	Top-tier
Incisor	Incisor Trace Rifle	Trace Rifle	Adaptive	Special	Strand	The Final Shape	Yes	A › Strong	Trials of Osiris		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvE	Trials of Osiris The Final Shape	Slot: Strand | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Adaptive PvE God Roll: Slice (also good: Subsistence) + Killing Tally ► While Incisor has seen increased competition with Episode: Echoes, it still continues to be a top option if you're looking for a trace rifle specifically. Being Strand, Incisor also has the added benefit of being a legendary version of The Navigator for those who don't have the exotic just yet!	Season 23	Slot: Strand | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Adaptive PvE God Roll: Slice (also good: Subsistence) + Killing Tally	Top-tier

Destiny 2 Trace Rifles: Complete List

This database includes every viable Trace rifle currently in the game:

Art	Name	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?
	Ager's Scepter	Trace Rifle	Exotic	Exotic	Special	Stasis	Beyond Light Pack	Yes	Special	Stasis	A › Strong	PvE	Exotic Kiosk	No	Beyond Light Pack	Season 15	Kinetic	No	Top-tier
	Coldheart	Trace Rifle	Exotic	Exotic	Special	Arc	Free-to-Play	Yes	Special	Arc	B › Average	PvE	Exotic Engram	No	Free-to-Play	Season 1	Energy	No
	Divinity	Trace Rifle	Exotic	Exotic	Special	Arc	Shadowkeep Pack	Yes	Special	Arc	A › Strong	PvE	Exotic Quest	No	Shadowkeep Pack	Season 8	Energy	No	Top-tier
	Microcosm	Trace Rifle	Exotic	Exotic	Heavy	Kinetic	The Final Shape	Yes	Heavy	Kinetic	S › Best	PvE	The Pale Heart	No	The Final Shape	The Final Shape	Heavy	No	Top-tier
	Prometheus Lens	Trace Rifle	Exotic	Exotic	Special	Solar	Free-to-Play	Yes	Special	Solar	C › Weak	-	Exotic Engram	No	Free-to-Play	Season 2	Energy	No
	Ruinous Effigy	Trace Rifle	Exotic	Exotic	Special	Void	Shadowkeep Pack	Yes	Special	Void	C › Weak	-	Exotic Kiosk	No	Shadowkeep Pack	Season 11	Energy	No
	The Navigator	Trace Rifle	Exotic	Exotic	Special	Strand	Lightfall Dungeon Key	Yes	Special	Strand	S › Best	PvE	Ghost of the Deep Dungeon	No	Lightfall Dungeon Key	Season 21	Kinetic	No	Top-tier
	Wavesplitter	Trace Rifle	Exotic	Exotic	Special	Void	Free-to-Play	Yes	Special	Void	B › Average	PvE	Exotic Engram	No	Free-to-Play	Season 4	Energy	No
	Acasia's Dejection	Trace Rifle	Adaptive	Legendary	Special	Solar	Lightfall	Yes	Special	Solar	S › Best	PvE	Root of Nightmares Raid	Yes	Lightfall	Season 20	Energy	Craftable	Top-tier	Incandescent,Reconstruction
	Appetence	Trace Rifle	Adaptive	Legendary	Special	Stasis	Lightfall	Yes	Special	Stasis	A › Strong	PvE	Starcrossed	Yes	Lightfall	Season 23	Kinetic	Craftable	Top-tier
	Chronophage	Trace Rifle	Adaptive	Legendary	Special	Void	Episode 1: Echoes	Yes	Special	Void	S › Best	PvE	Echoes Activities	Yes	Episode 1: Echoes	The Final Shape	Energy	Craftable	Top-tier
	Hollow Denial	Trace Rifle	Adaptive	Legendary	Special	Void	Beyond Light Pack	Yes	Special	Void	C › Weak	-	Presage	Yes	Beyond Light Pack	Season 17	Energy	Craftable		Repulsor Brace
	Incisor	Trace Rifle	Adaptive	Legendary	Special	Strand	The Final Shape	Yes	Special	Strand	A › Strong	PvE	Trials of Osiris	No	The Final Shape	Season 23	Energy	No	Top-tier
	Path of Least Resistance	Trace Rifle	Adaptive	Legendary	Special	Arc	The Witch Queen	Yes	Special	Arc	S › Best	PvE	Operation: Seraph's Shield	Yes	Witch Queen	Season 19	Heavy	Craftable	Top-tier	Voltshot
	Retraced Path	Trace Rifle	Adaptive	Legendary	Special	Solar	Free-to-Play	Yes	Special	Solar	A › Strong	PvE	Dares of Eternity	Yes	Free-to-Play	30th Anniversary event	Energy	Craftable	Top-tier	Incandescent

Tier Ranks used for our list:

• S+ Tier – Meta: Weapons so good they singlehandedly shifted the current meta
• S Tier – Best: Highest ranking weapons.
• A Tier – Strong: Very strong weapons, but not on the same level as S Tier Choices.
• B Tier – Average: Either decent weapons or weapons that fit a very specific niche/use case.
• C Tier – Weak: Mediocre weapons that are easily outclassed by the competition.
• D Tier – Worst: Weapons that don’t have much to offer and don’t deserve your attention.

Best D2 Trace Rifles Today

Ready to dig deeper into the absolute best Traces in Destiny 2 right now? These are the cream of the crop, our favorites (for PvE and PvP):

5. Ager’s Scepter

Excels in PvE and PvP

One of the most underrated exotics in the game, Ager’s Scepter is exceptionally potent—especially compared to other special weapons in the kinetic slot.

In PvE, Ager’s ability to slow and freeze every enemy in sight is unmatched, even compared to Bleak Watcher. This potency extends to Master and Grandmaster-level activities, where debuffing enemies is vital to your fireteam’s success. Ager’s Scepter also has an S-Tier catalyst, allowing its freeze and build potential to skyrocket. While Stasis builds have recently declined in popularity due to Strand’s potent release, Ager’s really brings them to the next level with its unparalleled synergy with Aspects and Fragments.

Overall, Ager’s is an outstanding pick for all areas of the game. Its raw power is only pushed to greater extents through popular Stasis builds and its absurd catalyst.

Exotic Perk: “Final blows with this weapon generate a slowing burst around the defeated target. Stasis final blows transfer ammo to this weapon’s magazine from reserves.”

How to get it: Ager’s Scepter can be purchased at the Monument to Lost Lights in the Tower.

Name: Ager's Scepter

Type: Trace Rifle Archetype: Exotic

Ammo: Special Element: Stasis

Craftable: No Released: Season 15

Source: Exotic Kiosk Requires: Beyond Light Pack

4. Path of Least Resistance

 Excels in PvE

Arguably the best legendary trace rifle the game has to offer, Path of Least Resistance has every perk you’d want in a replacement for a typical primary weapon.

With Shoot to Loot and Stats for All in the first column and either Voltshot or One for All in the second, Path of Least Resistance has an outstanding variety of perks that allow it to excel in any PvE activity. While options with different elemental affinities may prove better for specific builds or setups, this trace rifle is a great one-size-fits-all option.

While legendary trace rifles as a whole have declined in popularity over the past year, Path of Least Resistance continues to be a potent option for those looking to replace their standard primary weapon.

• PvE God roll: Stats for All (also good: Subsistence) + Voltshot (also good: One for All)

How to get it: Path of Least Resistance can be acquired from the Operation: Seraph’s Shield Exotic mission.

Name: Path of Least Resistance

Type: Trace Rifle Archetype: Adaptive

Ammo: Special Element: Arc

Craftable: Yes Released: Season 19

Source: Operation: Seraph's Shield Requires: The Witch Queen

3. The Navigator

Excels in PvE and PvP

Containing everything you’d want and more in an exotic Strand trace rifle, The Navigator combines Lumina’s support power with the build potential of something like Ager’s Scepter.

The main perk of The Navigator deals with Woven Mail, arguably the most potent buff Destiny 2 has to offer. It provides a 60% reduction in damage (25% in PvP), and The Navigator’s perk allows you to keep it applied to yourself and allies 100% of the time.

This exotic also has noticeable synergy with Strand subclasses, especially for Hunters and Titans. While utilizing the Aspects and Fragments these subclasses have to offer isn’t required, they elevate this weapon to the next level.

While the damage output of The Navigator is pretty bad for an exotic weapon, its support capabilities can easily keep you and your allies alive in high-level PvE activities. Any Guardian looking to adopt a greater support playstyle should invest in farming for this exotic, regardless of your opinions on Strand subclasses.

Exotic Perk: “Firing this weapon at an ally grants Woven Mail to both the user and the target. Dealing sustained damage severs the target.”

How to get it: We cover How to get The Navigator + Catalyst here.

Name: The Navigator

Type: Trace Rifle Archetype: Exotic

Ammo: Special Element: Strand

Craftable: No Released: Season 21

Source: Ghost of the Deep Dungeon Requires: Lightfall Dungeon Key

2. Microcosm

 Excels in PvE

The first (and likely only) heavy trace rifle to exist, Microcosm has more novelty than just its ammo type: its kinetic affinity.

While this weapon doesn’t outclass top options like Still Hunt or optimized weapon rotations with heavy grenade or rocket launchers, it pumps out significant damage for being so easy to wield. Especially against boss-level Subjugators and in DPS phases like The Witness, this is a great “lazy” option for new and veteran players alike.

While Microcosm isn’t the king of DPS right now (and likely never will be), it’s an easy-to-use and potent option that’s hard to beat, especially for newer Guardians.

Exotic Perk: “Fires a beam of Kinetic light, dealing massive bonus damage to shields. Final blows with this weapon grant Super energy. This weapon gains bonus damage once your Super expires.”

How to get it: We cover How to get the Microcosm here.

Name: Microcosm

Type: Trace Rifle Archetype: Exotic

Ammo: Heavy Element: Kinetic

Craftable: No Released: The Final Shape

Source: The Pale Heart Requires: The Final Shape

1. Divinity

 Excels in PvE

Divinity continues to dominate the high-end PvE scene, even with a substantial nerf to the debuff it applies. Divinity now only debuffs enemies by 15% in PvE, which is relatively weak compared to other popular options. However, Divinity’s popularity has endured, primarily due to the precision hit field it creates.

While running the weapon effectively removes one player’s damage potential entirely, the addition of the crit bubble on bosses allows precision-based weapons like linear fusion rifles and snipers to be used highly efficiently. Divinity’s one colossal problem is its effectiveness (or lack thereof) in PvP. However, its unwavering power in PvE more than makes up for this flaw.

While running it may be incredibly dull, having a Divinity user in your fireteam is extremely helpful in many raid and dungeon encounters.

Exotic Perk: “Sustained damage with this weapon envelops the target in a field that weakens and disrupts them.”

How to get it: We cover How to get Divinity here.

Name: Divinity

Type: Trace Rifle Archetype: Exotic

Ammo: Special Element: Arc

Craftable: No Released: Season 8

Source: Exotic Quest Requires: Shadowkeep Pack

Trace Rifles and the PvP Meta: TTK

We covered which Trace rifles are considered top-tier (and should be farmed) and which ones can be safely ignored. But how do they compare, in general, to other Special weapons in PvP?

Weapon Type	Rank	Tier	Trend	Role ❘ Current State	Category
Shotguns	S › Best	Best ❘ S	-	► With the introduction of fixed (and consistent) pellet spread patterns per archetype and the reversal of some widely disliked nerfs, Shotguns are finally back. With consistent changes in the right direction, Shotguns are once more a staple pick among many PvP players. ► Best Archetype: Precision (65 RPM) - Example: Matador 64	PVP Specials
Fusion Rifles	S › Best	Best ❘ S	-	► Fusion Rifles have been at the top of the meta for a while now, and it doesn't seem to be changing. Fusions can cover the close to medium ranges excellently, and a good Fusion Rifle player can be incredibly frustrating to play against, no matter the range of the engagement. ► Best Archetype: Precision (780ms Charge Time) - Example: Main Ingredient	PVP Specials
Sniper Rifles	A › Strong	Strong ❘ A		► Sniper Rifles are still remarkably powerful, but due to certain flinch changes, they've become slightly harder to use. All this, as well as how strong certain Shotguns are, it's natural for Snipers to fall down a tier, but they are still strong, especially in Trials of Osiris. ► Best Archetype: Adaptive (90 RPM)- Example: Beloved	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 many players wanting a long range option.	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	B › Average	Average ❘ B	-	► With their buffs in Season 19 and the hit registration improvements they've seen, Glaives can be quite annoying to play against. That said, they are outclassed by other mid/long range options and can't compete at close range due to their lackluster melee. ► Best Archetype: Adaptive (55 RPM)- Example: The Enigma	PVP Specials
Grenade Launchers	C › Weak	Weak ❘ C	-	► Grenade Launchers are annoying to play against, and that's about it. They can be used in a hot-swap loadout, but you'll be better served by a Bow like Le Monarque. Grenade launchers can put pressure on your enemies, but they can't bring the heat like some other Special Weapons can. ► Best Archetype: Lightweight - Example: Truthteller	PVP Specials

Remember that when it comes to PvP, TTK is perhaps the most important factor. As you know, the lower the TTK, the faster you can kill your opponent. We have a TTK guide/chart that includes TTK figures, but that mostly applies to Primary weapons, not Specials.

Having said that, if you equip ammo finder and scavenger mods and use Traces as a Primary weapon (like a souped-up Auto rifle), they can get the job done:

For the record, a 0.67s TTK is extremely fast and matches the fastest Primary weapons in the game (the top sidearms and SMGs). Trace Rifles have better range too, but on the other hand, they use Special ammo, which means you’ll have to be much more careful with how you spend ammo.

Using a Trace rifle may seem like a gimmick, but with the right ammo mods and mindset, you can have tons of fun with them.

Trace Rifles and the PvE Meta: DPS

How do Traces compare to other Special weapons in PvE?

Weapon Type	Rank	Tier	Trend	Role ❘ Current State	Category
Fusion Rifles	S › Best	Best ❘ S		►Fusion Rifles are brilliant right now. Outside of Sniper Rifles, Fusion Rifles are the traditional 'backup damage' weapons due to options like Scatter Signal or Cartesian Coordinate. On top of this, you can use Fusions like Riptide for some utility instead, or even Merciless as a unique burst DPS option. ► Best Archetype: Rapid-Fire (500ms Charge Time) - Example: Scatter Signal	PVE Specials
Sniper Rifles	S › Best	Best ❘ S		► Sniper Rifles have continued to grow into a strong Special Weapon subtype. With options like The Supremacy, Ikelos Sniper Rifle, and Still Hunt, it's very common for Sniper Rifles to be included in DPS rotations. ► Best Archetype: Rapid-Fire (140 RPM) - Example: Supremacy	PVE Specials
Shotguns	A › Strong	Strong ❘ A		► Shotguns are pretty decent right now. Slug Shotguns aren't as strong as they once were, and Shotguns have mostly been demoted to being a funnel for One-Two Punch Melee builds. However, they are definitely still capable, and can be used in a general loadout. ► Best Archetype: Lightweight (90 RPM) - Example: Wastelander M5	PVE Specials
Grenade Launchers	A › Strong	Strong ❘ A		► Grenade Launchers are brilliant right now. They are versatile and are arguably the best pick in almost all areas. GLs have excellent ad control through Blinding Grenades or Wave Frame GLs like Forbearance, and they also have good boss damage in certain hot-swap builds due to Spike Grenades. Simply put, having a strong arsenal of Grenade Launchers is something you should definitely try to do as a player looking to get into high-level content. ► Best Archetype: Wave-Frame - Example: Forbearance	PVE Specials
Trace Rifles	B › Average	Average ❘ B	-	► With the nerfs to the double-special ammo economy, Trace Rifles have been knocked down a notch. Using a Primary weapon is just more efficient these days. However, they remain solid utility weapons and a go-to if players still want to run double-special lodouts. They also have a couple of solid Exotic options too, making them a decent pick right now.	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. ► Best Archetype: Adaptive (55 RPM) - Example: The Enigma	PVE Specials
Linear Fusion Rifles	C › Weak	Weak ❘ C	-	► Linear Fusion Rifles are difficult to rank as there are only two of them. While Arbalest is definitely a powerful weapon, it is by no means a must-pick anymore. And Lorentz Driver isn't exactly a serious contender for PvE. Overall, this archetype is quite weak, especially now that Arbalest isn't the top-pick it used to be.	PVE Specials

Remember that DPS is one of the most important factors when it comes to PvE. As you know, the higher the DPS, the more damage you can deal to a Boss or Major. This D2 DPS chart includes the DPS numbers for every weapon in Destiny 2.

When it comes to actual DPS numbers, Trace rifles are average:

-	Weapon Type	Archetype	Sustained DPS	Mag DPS	Total Damage	Specs	---	Best in Class	Change?	Ammo
	Trace Rifle	Exotic	15195	18525	685425	-		Ruinous Effigy		Special
	Trace Rifle	Exotic	13819	16638	410868	At Max charge		Coldheart	Buffed	Special
	Trace Rifle	Exotic	11265	13585	543400	Average		Wavesplitter	Buffed	Special
	Trace Rifle	Exotic	10295	11388		With "Judgement"		Divinity	Same	Special
	Pulse Rifle	Exotic	9843	9843		4-burst, Rounds + "Hunter's Trace"		Revision Zero		Primary
	Trace Rifle	Adaptive	8489	10170	407478	-		Appetence		Special
	Trace Rifle	Exotic	8389	10170	394596	-		The Navigator		Special
	Trace Rifle	Exotic	7413	8940	298000	-		Prometheus Lens	Buffed	Special
	Trace Rifle	Exotic		27587	354947	/w Catalyst		Ager's Scepter	Same	Special

Endgame content

Trace rifles do not excel in endgame content due to their lacking DPS numbers. Granted, some, such as Ager’s Scepter, can deal insane DPS. But for the most part, Traces excel thanks to the unique things they bring to the table. For example, Divinity is king for endgame PvE content due to its immense support to teammates.

Before you go…

Are you looking for a top-tier Primary and Heavy weapon to round out your loadout? We cover the Best Destiny 2 Hand Cannons and Best Destiny 2 Linear Fusion Rifles, too.

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