Best Bows in Destiny 2: Tier List for PvP & PvE

Combat Bows in Destiny 2 were rarely seen in the wild, with the exception of bow aficionados who couldn’t care less about “the meta.” But thanks in part to excellent Exotics, several buffs, and their ease of use in endgame PvE content, Bows are now a permanent fixture of today’s endgame.

This guide covers all Combat Bows in Destiny 2 and their best rolls for PvE and PvP.

Updated as of Episode 1: Echoes. See Updates.

Top Tier Best Bows (Episode 1)

This Tier list features the best Exotic and Legendary Combat Bows right now, including the Wish-Keeper Exotic:

Item	Weapons	Type	Archetype	Ammo?	Element?	Requirements	In loot pool?	Rank	Source	Available?	Tier rank	Source ❘ DLC	Final Verdict	Released	Perks	Best of?
Point of the Stag	Point of the Stag Combat Bow	Combat Bow	Precision	Primary	Arc	Free-to-Play	Yes	S › Best	Iron Banner		Best ❘ S Excels in: PvE + PvP	Iron Banner Free-to-Play	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Precision PvE God Roll: Archer's Tempo + Precision Instrument (also good: Golden Tricorn or Vorpal Weapon) PvP God Roll: Archer's Tempo (also good: Elemental Capacitor) + Swashbuckler ► Back with random rolls, Point of the Stag is even nastier than its first inception. With the ability to roll with Swashbuckler, this will easily be a favorite of any PvP bow user, and the old fixed roll is still there for the PvE mains.	Season 10	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Precision PvE God Roll: Archer's Tempo + Precision Instrument (also good: Golden Tricorn or Vorpal Weapon) PvP God Roll: Archer's Tempo (also good: Elemental Capacitor) + Swashbuckler	Top-tier
Biting Winds	Biting Winds Combat Bow	Combat Bow	Precision	Primary	Kinetic	Beyond Light Pack	Yes	S › Best	Empire Hunts		Best ❘ S Excels in: PvE + PvP	Empire Hunts Beyond Light Pack	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Precision PvEvP God Roll: Rapid Hit + Swashbuckler ► Many Bow users love the Biting Winds. It has some brilliant perks for both PvE and PvP like Swashbuckler, Rapid Hit, Moving Target, Killing Wind, and more, making it a fan-favorite pick.	Season 12	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Precision PvEvP God Roll: Rapid Hit + Swashbuckler	Top-tier
Non-Denouement	Non-Denouement Combat Bow	Combat Bow	Precision	Primary	Arc	The Final Shape	Yes	S › Best	Salvation's Edge Raid		Best ❘ S Excels in: PvE + PvP	Salvation's Edge Raid The Final Shape	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Precision PvE God Roll: Archer’s Tempo or Dragonfly + Voltshot (also good: Chaos Reshaped) PvP God Roll: Opening Shot + Archer’s Gambit ► Non-Denouement receives most of its attention in PvE, primarily due to Voltshot in the final column. This is the first bow to ever roll with the perk, and it functions identically to how you’d expect. Voltshot is so good, in fact, that people are comparing this bow to Trinity Ghoul.	The Final Shape	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Precision PvE God Roll: Archer’s Tempo or Dragonfly + Voltshot (also good: Chaos Reshaped) PvP God Roll: Opening Shot + Archer’s Gambit	Top-tier
Trinity Ghoul	Trinity Ghoul Combat Bow	Combat Bow	Exotic	Primary	Arc	Forsaken Pack	Yes	S › Best	Exotic Engram		Best ❘ S Excels in: PvE	Exotic Engram Forsaken Pack	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "Fires an arrow that splits when released. Aiming down sights and fully drawing the bow both decrease the spread. Precision kills grant the next shot chain-lightning capabilities." ► Trinity Ghoul has always been brilliant for ad-clear, and that doesn't seem to be changing any time soon. Despite the more ability-focused meta we have right now, Trinity Ghoul is still a top contender for ad-clear in all PvE content.	Season 4	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "Fires an arrow that splits when released. Aiming down sights and fully drawing the bow both decrease the spread. Precision kills grant the next shot chain-lightning capabilities."	Top-tier
Wish-Ender	Wish-Ender Combat Bow	Combat Bow	Exotic	Primary	Kinetic	Forsaken Pack	Yes	S › Best	Exotic Quest		Best ❘ S Excels in: PvE	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.	Season 4	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."	Top-tier
Under Your Skin	Under Your Skin Combat Bow	Combat Bow	Precision	Primary	Void	The Witch Queen	Yes	S › Best	Vox Obscura		Best ❘ S Excels in: PvE	Vox Obscura Witch Queen	Slot: Void | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Precision PvE God Roll: Archer's Tempo + Successful Warm-up (also good: Explosive Head) ► Allowing you to reduce your draw time to unprecedented levels, Under Your Skin is an easy S-Tier pick. Both Archer's Tempo and Successful Warm-up won't reduce impact (damage per arrow), meaning you can keep doing the same damage while drawing arrows at the speed of light.	Season 16	Slot: Void | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Precision PvE God Roll: Archer's Tempo + Successful Warm-up (also good: Explosive Head)	Top-tier
Wolftone Draw	Wolftone Draw Combat Bow	Combat Bow	Precision	Primary	Arc	Free-to-Play	Yes	A › Strong	Xûr		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvE + PvP	Xûr Free-to-Play	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Precision PvE God Roll: Archer's Tempo + Adagio (also good: Frenzy) PvP God Roll: Archer's Tempo + Frenzy (also good: Harmony) ► Wolftone Draw is able to roll with a number of good perks, making it a solid option everywhere in the game. With options like Harmony allowing some crazy combos in PvP, Wolftone is a really nice choice.	Season 15	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Precision PvE God Roll: Archer's Tempo + Adagio (also good: Frenzy) PvP God Roll: Archer's Tempo + Frenzy (also good: Harmony)	Top-tier
Whistler's Whim	Whistler's Whim Combat Bow	Combat Bow	Lightweight	Primary	Kinetic	The Final Shape	Yes	A › Strong	Trials of Osiris		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvE + PvP	Trials of Osiris The Final Shape	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Lightweight PvE God Roll: Rapid Hit + Kill Clip (also good: Archer's Tempo) PvP God Roll: Rapid Hit + Swaschbuckler (also good: Kill Clip ) ► Thanks to recent buffs, Whistler's Whim is arguably the strongest lightweight bow in Destiny 2 right now. Not only does it roll with solid damage perks for both PvP and PvE, but it has the highest accuracy of any lightweight!	Season 18	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Lightweight PvE God Roll: Rapid Hit + Kill Clip (also good: Archer's Tempo) PvP God Roll: Rapid Hit + Swaschbuckler (also good: Kill Clip )	Top-tier
Lethophobia	Lethophobia Combat Bow	Combat Bow	Lightweight	Primary	Void	Lightfall	Yes	A › Strong	Starcrossed		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvE + PvP	Starcrossed Lightfall	Slot: Void | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Lightweight PvE God Roll: Successful Warmup + Golden Tricorn PvP God Roll: Steady Hand + Disruption Break ► Lethophobia is a bow swapper's dream come true. Rolling with Disruption Break means that most handcannons can clean up after a crit, and in PvE, Golden Tricorn lets you steam roll through ads and majors with ease.	Season 23	Slot: Void | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Lightweight PvE God Roll: Successful Warmup + Golden Tricorn PvP God Roll: Steady Hand + Disruption Break	Top-tier
Tyranny of Heaven	Tyranny of Heaven Combat Bow	Combat Bow	Lightweight	Primary	Solar	Forsaken Pack	Yes	A › Strong	Last Wish Raid		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvE	Last Wish Raid Forsaken Pack	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Lightweight PvE God Roll: Archer's Tempo + Explosive Head ► Now craftable, Tyranny of Heaven is a bow not to be slept on. It has the second highest accuracy of any Lightweight bow, and comes with a lethal perk pool that's sure to pique the interest of any bow user.	Season 4	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Lightweight PvE God Roll: Archer's Tempo + Explosive Head	Top-tier
Accrued Redemption	Accrued Redemption Combat Bow	Combat Bow	Precision	Primary	Kinetic	Shadowkeep Pack	Yes	A › Strong	Garden of Salvation Raid		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvE	Garden of Salvation Raid Shadowkeep Pack	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Precision PvE God Roll: Archer's Tempo + Rampage (also good: Explosive Head) ► Accrued Redemption is a solid bow, it can roll with Archer's Tempo and Explosive Head making it an excellent pick in PvE to quickly stagger targets at any distance.	Season 8	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Precision PvE God Roll: Archer's Tempo + Rampage (also good: Explosive Head)	Top-tier
Leviathan's Breath	Leviathan's Breath Combat Bow	Combat Bow	Exotic	Heavy	Void	Shadowkeep Pack	Yes	A › Strong	Exotic Kiosk		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvE	Exotic Kiosk Shadowkeep Pack	Slot: Void | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "Fires a massive heavy bolt that stuns unshielded combatants. Strong against Unstoppable Champions. When fully drawn, the bolt creates a large concussive blast that knocks combatants back." ► With a catalyst and a direct buff, Leviathan's Breath has gone from zero to hero. Not only does it make short work of Champions and apply Volatile! Plus, Leviathan's Breath is relatively easy to use and can put up some of the highest total damage numbers in the game.	Season 8	Slot: Void | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "Fires a massive heavy bolt that stuns unshielded combatants. Strong against Unstoppable Champions. When fully drawn, the bolt creates a large concussive blast that knocks combatants back."	Top-tier
Strident Whistle	Strident Whistle Combat Bow	Combat Bow	Precision	Primary	Solar	Free-to-Play	Yes	A › Strong	Vanguard Focusing		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvE	Vanguard Focusing Free-to-Play	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Precision PvE God Roll: Archer's Tempo + Incandescent (also good: Successful Warm-up) ► Bow players have been waiting long for the next Solar bow, and Strident Whistle doesn't disappoint. With new S-Tier perks like Successful Warm-up and Incandescent alongside old but reliable ones like Archer's Tempo and Explosive Head, this bow can fit any role you need.	Season 17	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Precision PvE God Roll: Archer's Tempo + Incandescent (also good: Successful Warm-up)	Top-tier
Raconteur	Raconteur Combat Bow	Combat Bow	Precision	Primary	Stasis	Lightfall	Yes	A › Strong	Avalon		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvE	Avalon Lightfall	Slot: Stasis | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Precision PvE God Roll: Archer’s Tempo + Headstone (also good: Explosive Head) ► While not the first Stasis bow, Raconteur is arguably the better one. Better perks and a better frame, Raconteur is sure to be a welcome addition for Stasis users in PvE.	Season 20	Slot: Stasis | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Precision PvE God Roll: Archer’s Tempo + Headstone (also good: Explosive Head)	Top-tier
Pre Astyanax IV	Pre Astyanax IV Combat Bow	Combat Bow	Precision	Primary	Solar	Free-to-Play	Yes	A › Strong	Nightfall: The Ordeals		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvE	Nightfall: The Ordeals Free-to-Play	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Precision PvE God Roll: Archer's Tempo + Successful Warmup (also good: Explosive Head) ► With its roll of Archer's Tempo and Successful Warmup, Pre Astynax is essenitally the new Hush. But if a 540 draw time isn't for you, it's got a swathe of perks that are sure to perform very well in any content.	Season 22	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Precision PvE God Roll: Archer's Tempo + Successful Warmup (also good: Explosive Head)	Top-tier
Fortunate Star	Fortunate Star Combat Bow	Combat Bow	Lightweight	Primary	Void	Free-to-Play	Yes	A › Strong	Event: Solstice		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvE	Event: Solstice Free-to-Play	Slot: Void | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Lightweight PvE God Roll: Repulsor Brace (also good: Archer’s Tempo) + Destabilizing Rounds (also good: Golden Tricorn) ► Fortunate Star has some tricks up its sleeve that help it in the current meta (which disfavors bows). Subclass-specific perks are always a win, and when the combo of Repulsor Brace and Destabilizing Rounds is present, it boosts the weapon's viability massively.	The Final Shape	Slot: Void | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Lightweight PvE God Roll: Repulsor Brace (also good: Archer’s Tempo) + Destabilizing Rounds (also good: Golden Tricorn)	Top-tier
Hush	Hush Combat Bow	Combat Bow	Precision	Primary	Solar	Free-to-Play	Yes	A › Strong	Playlist: Gambit		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvP	Playlist: Gambit Free-to-Play	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Precision PvP God Roll: Opening Shot or Offhand Strike + Archer’s Gambit ► Hush is a good Bow compared to the competition, especially because it's Solar. Archer’s Gambit, its trademark perk, also helps, as it's incredibly fun and powerful. However, if you are looking to use a Bow to clear ads, some Exotic options may be better.	The Final Shape	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Precision PvP God Roll: Opening Shot or Offhand Strike + Archer’s Gambit	Top-tier

Destiny 2 Bows: Complete List

This list includes every viable Bow 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?
	Hierarchy of Needs	Combat Bow	Exotic	Exotic	Primary	Solar	Witch Queen Dungeon Key	Yes	Primary	Solar	C › Weak	-	Spire of the Watcher Dungeon	No		Season 19	Energy	No
	Le Monarque	Combat Bow	Exotic	Exotic	Primary	Void	Forsaken Pack	Yes	Primary	Void	B › Average	PvE + PvP	Exotic Kiosk	No	Forsaken Pack	Season 5	Energy	No
	Leviathan's Breath	Combat Bow	Exotic	Exotic	Heavy	Void	Shadowkeep Pack	Yes	Heavy	Void	A › Strong	PvE	Exotic Kiosk	No	Shadowkeep Pack	Season 8	Heavy	No	Top-tier
	Ticuu's Divination	Combat Bow	Exotic	Exotic	Primary	Solar	Beyond Light Pack	Yes	Primary	Solar	C › Weak	-	Exotic Kiosk	No	Beyond Light Pack	Season 13	Energy	No
	Trinity Ghoul	Combat Bow	Exotic	Exotic	Primary	Arc	Forsaken Pack	Yes	Primary	Arc	S › Best	PvE	Exotic Engram	No	Forsaken Pack	Season 4	Energy	No	Top-tier
	Verglas Curve	Combat Bow	Exotic	Exotic	Primary	Stasis	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Stasis	B › Average	PvE	Exotic Kiosk	No	Free-to-Play	Season 20	Kinetic	No
	Wish-Ender	Combat Bow	Exotic	Exotic	Primary	Kinetic	Forsaken Pack	Yes	Primary	Kinetic	S › Best	PvE	Exotic Quest	No	Forsaken Pack	Season 4	Kinetic	No	Top-tier
	Wish-Keeper	Combat Bow	Exotic	Exotic	Primary	Strand	Lightfall	Yes	Primary	Strand	B › Average	PvE + PvP	Starcrossed	Yes	Lightfall	Season 23	Kinetic	Craftable
	Accrued Redemption	Combat Bow	Precision	Legendary	Primary	Kinetic	Shadowkeep Pack	Yes	Primary	Kinetic	A › Strong	PvE	Garden of Salvation Raid	No	Shadowkeep Pack	Season 8	Kinetic	No	Top-tier
	Arsenic Bite-4b	Combat Bow	Lightweight	Legendary	Primary	Arc	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Arc	B › Average	PvE	World loot pool	No	Free-to-Play	Season 11	Energy	No
	Biting Winds	Combat Bow	Precision	Legendary	Primary	Kinetic	Beyond Light Pack	Yes	Primary	Kinetic	S › Best	PvE + PvP	Empire Hunts	No	Beyond Light Pack	Season 12	Kinetic	No	Top-tier
	Fel Taradiddle	Combat Bow	Lightweight	Legendary	Primary	Kinetic	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Kinetic	B › Average	PvE	Wellspring	Yes	Free-to-Play	Season 16	Kinetic	Craftable
	Fortunate Star	Combat Bow	Lightweight	Legendary	Primary	Void	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Void	A › Strong	PvE	Event: Solstice	No	Free-to-Play	The Final Shape	Energy	No	Top-tier
	Hush	Combat Bow	Precision	Legendary	Primary	Solar	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Solar	A › Strong	PvP	Playlist: Gambit	No	Free-to-Play	The Final Shape	Energy	No	Top-tier	Incandescent
	Imperial Needle	Combat Bow	Lightweight	Legendary	Primary	Void	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Void	B › Average	-	World loot pool	No	Free-to-Play	Season 13	Energy	No
	Lethophobia	Combat Bow	Lightweight	Legendary	Primary	Void	Lightfall	Yes	Primary	Void	A › Strong	PvE + PvP	Starcrossed	Yes	Lightfall	Season 23	Energy	Craftable	Top-tier
	Lunulata-4b	Combat Bow	Lightweight	Legendary	Primary	Stasis	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Stasis	C › Weak	-	Gunsmith	No	Free-to-Play	Season 17	Kinetic	No
	Non-Denouement	Combat Bow	Precision	Legendary	Primary	Arc	The Final Shape	Yes	Primary	Arc	S › Best	PvE + PvP	Salvation's Edge Raid	Yes	The Final Shape	The Final Shape	Energy	Craftable	Top-tier	Voltshot,Chaos Reshaped
	Point of the Stag	Combat Bow	Precision	Legendary	Primary	Arc	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Arc	S › Best	PvE + PvP	Iron Banner	No	Free-to-Play	Season 10	Energy	No	Top-tier
	Pre Astyanax IV	Combat Bow	Precision	Legendary	Primary	Solar	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Solar	A › Strong	PvE	Nightfall: The Ordeals	No	Free-to-Play	Season 22	Energy	No	Top-tier	Incandescent
	Raconteur	Combat Bow	Precision	Legendary	Primary	Stasis	Lightfall	Yes	Primary	Stasis	A › Strong	PvE	Avalon	Yes	Lightfall	Season 20	Kinetic	Craftable	Top-tier
	Strident Whistle	Combat Bow	Precision	Legendary	Primary	Solar	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Solar	A › Strong	PvE	Vanguard Focusing	No	Free-to-Play	Season 17	Energy	No	Top-tier	Incandescent
	Tripwire Canary	Combat Bow	Lightweight	Legendary	Primary	Arc	The Witch Queen	Yes	Primary	Arc	B › Average	PvP	Operation: Seraph's Shield	Yes	Witch Queen	Season 19	Energy	Craftable
	Tyranny of Heaven	Combat Bow	Lightweight	Legendary	Primary	Solar	Forsaken Pack	Yes	Primary	Solar	A › Strong	PvE	Last Wish Raid	Yes	Forsaken Pack	Season 4	Energy	Craftable	Top-tier	Incandescent
	Under Your Skin	Combat Bow	Precision	Legendary	Primary	Void	The Witch Queen	Yes	Primary	Void	S › Best	PvE	Vox Obscura	Yes	Witch Queen	Season 16	Energy	Craftable	Top-tier
	Vengeful Whisper	Combat Bow	Precision	Legendary	Primary	Kinetic	Lightfall Dungeon Key	Yes	Primary	Kinetic	B › Average	-	Warlord's Ruin Dungeon	No	Lightfall Dungeon Key	Season 23	Kinetic	No
	Whispering Slab	Combat Bow	Lightweight	Legendary	Primary	Kinetic	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Kinetic	B › Average	-	World loot pool	No	Free-to-Play	Season 11	Kinetic	No
	Whistler's Whim	Combat Bow	Lightweight	Legendary	Primary	Kinetic	The Final Shape	Yes	Primary	Kinetic	A › Strong	PvE + PvP	Trials of Osiris	No	The Final Shape	Season 18	Kinetic	No	Top-tier
	Wolftone Draw	Combat Bow	Precision	Legendary	Primary	Arc	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Arc	A › Strong	PvE + PvP	Xûr	No	Free-to-Play	Season 15	Energy	No	Top-tier

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 Bows Today

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

5. Wish-Ender

 Excels in PVE

Our first “dungeon exotic”, Wish-Ender has been making waves since it was released.

Released alongside Trinity Ghoul in Forsaken, Wish-Ender’s exotic perk of wall-hacks has been both a blessing and a curse for years, and with it getting intrinsic anti-barrier, it is a staple choice of many a loadout for Grandmaster Nightfalls and even Day One raids. It’s really hot right now thanks to making the Ir Yut encounter in Crota’s End slightly easier by letting you see where the Wizards are.

Wish-Ender is now available as a quest through the Quest Archives for any player that owns Forsaken.

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.”

How to get it: Wish-Ender can be acquired by completing the Hunters’ Remembrance quest.

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?
	Wish-Ender	Combat Bow	Exotic	Exotic	Primary	Kinetic	Forsaken Pack	Yes	Primary	Kinetic	S › Best	PvE	Exotic Quest	No	Forsaken Pack	Season 4	Kinetic	No	Top-tier

4. Point of the Stag

Excels in PvE and PvP

Regarded as one of the best legendary bows, Point of the Stag has returned with random rolls.

Initially released back in Season of the Worthy, Point of the Stag quickly became a hot pick for many players. The curated roll of Archer’s Tempo and Vorpal Weapon made it a solid pick for higher-end content, and now that it has a whole new set of perks, it’s even better than before. While its old roll still exists, many are loving the addition of Precision Instrument for PvE and Swashbuckler for PvP.

If you want a reprised roll of this legendary bow, you’ll need to wait for Iron Banner to roll around. Once it does, head in and hope for the best! These are the top Point of the Stag: God Rolls:

• PvE God roll: Archer’s Tempo + Precision Instrument
• PvP God roll: Archer’s Tempo + Swashbuckler

How to get it: Point of the Stag can be acquired by completing Iron Banner matches and turning in Iron Banner tokens.

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?
	Point of the Stag	Combat Bow	Precision	Legendary	Primary	Arc	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Arc	S › Best	PvE + PvP	Iron Banner	No	Free-to-Play	Season 10	Energy	No	Top-tier

3. Leviathan’s Breath

 Excels in PVE

Initially regarded as a joke, Leviathan’s Breath has had a glow-up like no other.

An exotic from Season of Undying, Leviathan’s Breath was nowhere close to the monster it is today. It lacked a catalyst, and its damage output overall was C-tier at best. But last year, that all changed when the catalyst and the weapon itself both got buffs. The catalyst gave it what is basically enhanced Archer’s Tempo, and the weapon itself received intrinsic Unstoppable capabilities as well as a 30% buff to Champions. Its only drawback? The insane amount of kills needed for the catalyst.

If a heavy bow with all that sounds like your gun, Leviathan’s Breath can be picked up from the Exotic Kiosk in the Tower.

Exotic Perk: “Fires a massive heavy bolt that stuns unshielded combatants. Strong against Unstoppable Champions. When fully drawn, the bolt creates a large concussive blast that knocks combatants back.”

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

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?
	Leviathan's Breath	Combat Bow	Exotic	Exotic	Heavy	Void	Shadowkeep Pack	Yes	Heavy	Void	A › Strong	PvE	Exotic Kiosk	No	Shadowkeep Pack	Season 8	Heavy	No	Top-tier

2. Lethophobia: Best PvP Bow

Excels in PVP

Make your foes fear oblivion with Lethophobia.

Our newest Lightweight in quite some time, Lethophobia is a bow swapper’s dream come true thanks to the inclusion of Disruption Break. Dealing 50% more damage after breaking an enemy’s shield means most hand cannons can follow up with a body shot to secure the kill. Even with the incoming nerfs, this combo will still be just as potent, so rest easy knowing this.

Head into The Coil or Riven’s Lair to start earning yours today!

• PvP God roll: Steady Hand + Disruption Break

How to get it: Lethophobia can be acquired by completing Seasonal activities and focusing Umbral engrams.

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?
	Lethophobia	Combat Bow	Lightweight	Legendary	Primary	Void	Lightfall	Yes	Primary	Void	A › Strong	PvE + PvP	Starcrossed	Yes	Lightfall	Season 23	Energy	Craftable	Top-tier

1. Trinity Ghoul: Best PvE Bow

 Excels in PVE

One of our first exotic bows, Trinity Ghoul has proven that sometimes all an exotic needs to be S-tier is a simple catalyst.

Released back in Forsaken, Trinity Ghoul wasn’t the hottest ad clear weapon out there. Sure, it could clear a room, but the requirement of precision kills held it back. That all changed, however, when its catalyst dropped and made any arc kill activate its chain lightning arrows. Now, it’s a favorite pick in all manners of content, especially when paired on an Arc subclass.

Trinity Ghoul is available through exotic engrams to any player who owns the Forsaken DLC.

Exotic Perk: “Fires an arrow that splits when released. Aiming down sights and fully drawing the bow both decrease the spread. Precision kills grant the next shot chain-lightning capabilities.”

How to get it: Trinity Ghoul can be acquired via Exotic engrams or Xûr.

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?
	Trinity Ghoul	Combat Bow	Exotic	Exotic	Primary	Arc	Forsaken Pack	Yes	Primary	Arc	S › Best	PvE	Exotic Engram	No	Forsaken Pack	Season 4	Energy	No	Top-tier

Bows and the PvP Meta: TTK

We covered what Bows are considered top-tier (and should be farmed) and which ones can be safely ignored. But how do they compare to other primary weapons in PvP?

Weapon Type	Rank	Tier	Trend	Role ❘ Current State	Category
Hand Cannons	S › Best	Best ❘ S	-	► Hand Cannons feel great right now and can deal with all the other meta options, provided they are in the hands of a skilled player. They are unbelievably forgiving in terms of aim-assist and can compete at solid ranges. Hand Cannons are the jack of all trades, and while they may not dominate up close or far away, they are incredibly scary to face in a mid-range duel. ► Best Archetype: Adaptive (120 RPM) - Example: Igneous Hammer	PVP Primaries
Pulse Rifles	S › Best	Best ❘ S	-	► Pulse Rifles have seen a resurgence in the past few seasons, with constant buffs to all types of Pulse Rifles. It is hard not to find success with one due to the high-flinch potential of Rapid-Fire Pulses or the lethal time-to-kill of High-Impact Pulses. ► Best Archetype: High-Impact (340 RPM) - Example: The Messenger	PVP Primaries
Auto Rifles	S › Best	Best ❘ S		► Auto Rifles are remarkably easy to use. Options like Khvostov or The Summoner both excel at medium range, and if you can close the gap on Pulse Rifles, you can easily take advantage of the high flinch factor and solid time-to-kill that Auto Rifles have. ► Best Archetype: Adaptive (600 RPM) - Example: Khvostov 7G-0X	PVP Primaries
Sidearms	A › Strong	Strong ❘ A	-	► Sidearms have lost their place at the top of the meta, but they remain a solid pick, especially for players using a Controller, as they inherently have manageable stability with a rapid time-to-kill. Honestly, the main reason they've lost their place at the top is due to how powerful SMGs are right now. ► Best Archetype: Adaptive (325 RPM) - Example: Forgiveness	PVP Primaries
Submachine Guns	A › Strong	Strong ❘ A		► SMGs have lost a little bit of power as aggressive play isn't as prevalent as it once was, but you can definitely still succeed with certain SMGs, especially on close-range maps. ► Best Archetype: Aggressive (720 RPM) - Example: Unending Tempest	PVP Primaries
Combat Bows	B › Average	Average ❘ B	-	► Bows are incredibly unique. They have a remarkably slow time to kill, however, this isn't where Bows shine. Hotswap builds with bows can be incredibly potent and don't require much learning either. Bows also provide incredible value when teamshooting opponents. Despite this, Bows on their own are quite mediocre and need something behind them to really shine. ► Best Archetype: Precision (Slower Draw Time) - Example: Strident Whistle	PVP Primaries
Scout Rifles	C › Weak	Weak ❘ C	-	► Scout Rifles are struggling right now. In most situations, the maps are too small to benefit the long range of a Scout rifle. An Aggressive or High-Impact Pulse Rifle will better serve your needs. Plus, Scout Rifles are abysmal up close. There are one or two outliers that shine but, on the whole, Scout Rifles are in a weak spot. ► Best Archetype: Rapid-Fire (260 RPM) - Example: Fang of Ir Yût	PVP Primaries

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. This TTK guide includes the TTK figures for every weapon in Destiny 2. But bows don’t follow that TTK logic. As weapons that take forever to reload, you’ll only want to main a bow in PvP if you can secure a one-hit kill (with something like Swashbuckler) or with a hot-swap build.

Bows and the PvE Meta: DPS

How do Bows compare to other primary weapons in PvE?

Weapon Type	Rank	Tier	Trend	Role ❘ Current State	Category
Pulse Rifles	S › Best	Best ❘ S	-	► Pulse Rifles are in a great place right now. They offer good range and pretty decent damage, allowing you to take down some beefier targets nicely. There are also some excellent pulses in the game right now, like Insidious, Sacred Provenance, or New Purpose. Unfortunately, High-Impact and Aggressive frames are the only archetypes worth your time, as the others rely on Exotic Perks or god rolls to compete. ► Best Archetype: Aggressive (450 RPM) - Example: Insidious	PVE Primaries
Hand Cannons	S › Best	Best ❘ S	-	► Hand Cannons have shot up the rankings thanks to the changes introduced this Season, all the way up to the S tier. They have solid range and can dispatch enemies with complete ease in almost all difficulties. Hand Cannons have truly taken over the spotlight with their most recent buffs, and they shouldn't be leaving it any time soon. ► Best Archetype: Adaptive (140 RPM) - Example: Fatebringer	PVE Primaries
Auto Rifles	A › Strong	Strong ❘ A		► Auto Rifles are in a good place right now, options like Khvostov are incredibly potent, and utility picks such as No Hesitation make Auto Rifles a very solid option for those wanting to use a good Primary Weapon. ► Best Archetype: Adaptive (600 RPM) - Example: Khvostov 76-0X	PVE Primaries
Combat Bows	A › Strong	Strong ❘ A	-	► Bows are a high-damage, high-range option for players who prefer to keep their distance. The main issue with bows is that they are slow at clearing ads (outside of Trinity Ghoul). and when you have to deal with ads up close, bows can massively struggle. However, their solid range and excellent damage make them a strong option. ► Best Archetype: Precision - Example: Under Your Skin	PVE Primaries
Submachine Guns	B › Average	Average ❘ B		► SMGs are not so hot anymore, due to the buffs to other weapon archetypes, as well as the prevalence of ability usage at close range, there is little space for SMGs to compete these days. ►Best Archetype- Aggressive (750 RPM) - Example: Unforgiven	PVE Primaries
Scout Rifles	B › Average	Average ❘ B	-	► Scout Rifles are the definition of average right now. They can do the job just fine, you can plink away at enemies from a safe distance in high-level content; however, when it comes down to it, most players will prefer to use a Hand Cannon or SMG as they simply do the same job better and faster. Scouts aren't bad at all, but they certainly aren't a go-to ► Best Archetype: Lightweight (200 RPM) - Example: Tarnished Mettle	PVE Primaries
Sidearms	C › Weak	Weak ❘ C	-	► Aside from a few select sidearms with certain perks, there really isn't much of a reason to use Sidearms. They have slightly higher damage numbers than SMGs, but typically come with significantly less range. Outside of top-tier weapons like a god-roll Brigand's Law or High Albedo, there is no real reason to run a sidearm. ► Best Archetype: Adaptive (491 RPM) - Example: High Albedo	PVE Primaries

Keep in mind that when it comes to PvE, DPS is one of the most important factors. As you know, the higher the DPS, the more damage you can deal to a Boss or Major. This DPS chart includes the DPS numbers for every weapon in Destiny 2. When it comes to actual DPS, Bows do just fine:

-	Weapon Type	Archetype	Sustained DPS	Mag DPS	Total Damage	Specs	---	Best in Class	Change?	Ammo
	Combat Bow	Exotic	38636	38636	780645	/w Catalyst		Leviathan's Breath	Buffed	Heavy
	Combat Bow	Exotic	15706	15706		w/ Catalyst, "Guidance Ring"		Hierarchy of Needs		Primary
	Combat Bow	Exotic	10741	10741		-		Wish-Ender	Same	Primary
	Combat Bow	Exotic	9370	9370		w/ Catalyst and x6 "Causality Arrows"		Ticuu's Divination		Primary
	Combat Bow	Exotic	6389	6389		-		Le Monarque	Same	Primary
	Combat Bow	Precision	4318	4318		680 ms Draw time		Under Your Skin	Same	Primary
	Combat Bow	Exotic	4207	4207		-		Trinity Ghoul		Primary
	Combat Bow	Lightweight	4179	4179		640 ms Draw time		Arsenic Bite-4b	Same	Primary
	Combat Bow	Exotic	3896	3896		-		Verglas Curve		Primary

Mastering Bows in Destiny 2

If you’re truly interested in mastering combat bows in Destiny 2, there are a few key principles you need to understand. These all come from the excellent Dummies Guide to Bows on Reddit user Mwray:

The most important stat for Bows is their Draw Time:

• For Precision Bows, Reload is the next most impactful stat.
• For Lightweight Bows, Accuracy is the second most impactful, followed by Reload.

Unlike Charge Time, which negatively affects a weapon’s Impact, Draw Time does NOT affect the Impact stat. Because of this, faster Draw Time = better DPS.

Precision Bows have higher impact and much higher accuracy compared to Lightweight Bows and are able to achieve 576 Draw Time with Elastic String and a Draw Time MasterWork.

Unlike other weapons, Bows rely heavily on Strings and/or Masterwork to reduce Draw Time. To give it some perspective, imagine an Iron Grip or Extended Magazine Steady Hand vs. a Steady Hand and with Outlaw proc’d. Most people are running around with the equivalent of Extended Magazine on their Bow.

Endgame content

Bows (Precision bows in particular) excel in endgame content such as Nightfall: The Ordeals, Legend Lost Sectors, etc, as they can 1-2 hit kill red bars without damage perks active, compared to other primaries that can take entire magazines for a single kill.

Before you go…

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

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