One of the biggest questions we get after a big new expansion is: What are the best weapons in the game now?
While we’ve answered that question before, this time we’ll focus on every new weapon released with Beyond Light.
In this guide, we’ll cover both Exotic and Legendary weapons (including their PVP and PVE god rolls), we will include free-to-play weapons, Season Pass weapons, and Beyond Light exclusive weapons, and we will tell you which ones deserve your attention the most.
A big thank you to Apathettic for helping me put together this tier list. I’ve been a big fan of his channel for a while and if you’re looking for great builds and good PVP tips and tricks, you definitely need to check him out on YouTube.
Destiny 2 Beyond Light Weapons Tier list
These are the different Tier levels used for this Tier list:
- S Tier – Best: Highest ranking weapon types.
- A Tier – Strong: Very strong weapon types, but not on the same level as S Tier Choices.
- B Tier – Average: Decent choices that can be lethal in the hands of a skilled player.
- C Tier – Weak: The middle of the pack, somewhat mediocre.
- D Tier – Worst: Lagging behind the competition, these don’t have much to offer.
The list starts with the S Tier and moves down from there:
About TTK & DPS: You’ll see us talk a lot about TTK, or time-to-kill, and DPS, damage per second, throughout this guide. TTK is important in PVP, because the lower the TTK, the quicker you can kill your opponent. DPS is important for PVE, because the higher the DPS, the more damage you can deal to a Boss or Major.
| Weapon | Tier | Excels in | Drops from ❘ Difficulty | Exotic Perk, God Rolls & Verdict | Weapon Type | Slot | Drops from | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 The Lament | Sword | Best ❘ S | PVE | Exotic Quest ❘ Easy  | Slot:  Heavy | Ammo:  Heavy | Sunsets: NAExotic Perk: "Revving the blade increases damage, shield bypass, and adds shield piercing to all attacks. You also gain stacks when dealing damage with revved attacks. Additional stacks increase the damage and damage resistance of heavy attacks." ► The Lament has insane damage-dealing potential, especially when properly using stacks and pairing it with Mods such as Lucent Blade. The Lament is so good, it puts all other swords, except Falling Guillotine, to shame. And to top it all off, this weapon is easy to obtain, meaning virtually everyone can have access to one of the highest DPS weapons ever created. | Sword | Heavy | Exotic Quest | Beyond Light |
 No Time to Explain | Pulse Rifle | Best ❘ S | PVP | Pre-Order ❘ Easy | Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary | Sunsets: NA Exotic Perk: "Precision shots and shots against combatants slowed or frozen by Stasis will return to the magazine and create stacks. 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." ► No Time to Explain is a PVP powerhouse. Not only is it part of the most deadly archetype for Pulse rifles (with insanely low TTKs), it also has great base stats and perks that make it nearly unstoppable when activated. Also, you should definitely get its catalyst as soon as possible, as it enhances the weapon's lethality and aggressiveness even more. | Pulse Rifle | Kinetic | Pre-Order | Beyond Light |
 Succession | Sniper Rifle | Best ❘ S | PVE | Deep Stone Crypt ❘ Hard | Slot: Kinetic | Ammo:  Special | Sunsets: Season 16Succession God Roll: Perk 3: Reconstruction (PVP perk: Moving Target) Perk 4: Vorpal Weapon (PVP perk: Snapshot Sights) ► Succession is one of the gems hidden within the Deep Stone Crypt raid. While it can certainly hold its own in PVP (thanks to clean sights and great perk combinations), in PVE, it's top tier. Perhaps the best there is. With the new Reconstruction perk and something like Vorpal Weapon or Recombination, this can be the best DPS sniper in the entire game. | Sniper Rifle | Kinetic | Deep Stone Crypt Raid | Beyond Light |
 Cloudstrike | Sniper Rifle | Best ❘ S | PVE + PVP | Empire Hunts ❘ Average | Slot:  Energy | Ammo: Special | Sunsets: NAExotic Perk: "Precision final blows generate a lightning bolt at the target's location. Rapid precision hits create a lightning storm at the point of impact." ► With a higher zoom and slower handling than other top tier snipers, Cloudstrike may feel like a lesser option for PVP. But once you get those lightning strikes going, it's capable of delivering true "holy sh$t moments" with ease. Expect major plays in Trials of Osiris for res snipes from it too. On PVE, it's hands down one of the strongest DPS options against bosses, something no one could have anticipated. | Sniper Rifle | Energy | Empire Hunts | Beyond Light |
 Friction Fire | Submachine Gun | Strong ❘ A | PVE | Wrathborn Hunts ❘ Easy  | Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Special | Sunsets: Season 16Friction Fire God Roll: Perk 3: Threat Detector Perk 4: Vorpal Weapon ► Friction Fire is a great option to pair with Slug Shotties in the energy slot. It can roll with Vorpal weapon and Threat Detector, which is a great combo for clearing adds and DPSing majors. In the PVP side, it can also get the job done thanks to its good TTK and relative ease of us. | Submachine Gun | Kinetic | Wrathborn Hunts | Season Pass |
 Posterity | Hand Cannon | Strong ❘ A | PVE | Deep Stone Crypt ❘ Hard | Slot: Energy | Ammo: Primary | Sunsets: Season 16Posterity God Roll: Perk 3: Reconstruction (also good: Rapid Hit) Perk 4: One for All (also good: Rampage) ► Succession was perhaps the biggest surprise to come out of the Deep Stone Crypt. Everyone was disapointed to see it was 180 RPM hand cannon, but turns out it is the best 180 RPM hand cannon we've ever seen. Posterity may only offer decent DPS and TTK, but it more than makes up for it with excellent stats, an amazing feel and great consistency. Some even call it the new Not Forgotten and that says a lot... | Hand Cannon | Energy | Deep Stone Crypt Raid | Beyond Light |
 Eyes of Tomorrow | Rocket Launcher | Strong ❘ A | PVE + PVP | Deep Stone Crypt ❘ Hard | Slot: Heavy | Ammo: Heavy | Sunsets: NAExotic Perk: "This weapon is capable of tracking and firing at multiple targets simultaneously. Killing four or more combatants in a single volley increases the damage of the next volley." ► On paper, Eyes of Tomorrow was supposed to be one the best heavy exotics released in a long time. Some were calling it the new Gjallarhorn! But in reality, the weapon has a damage reduction against Bosses. Still, it remains a strong weapon overall, with high multikills potential in PVP and Gambit. | Rocket Launcher | Heavy | Deep Stone Crypt Raid | Beyond Light |
 Heritage | Shotgun | Strong ❘ A | PVE + PVP | Deep Stone Crypt ❘ Hard | Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Special | Sunsets: Season 16Heritage God Roll: Perk 3: Reconstruction (PVP perk: Slideshot) Perk 4: Recombination (PVP perk: Snapshot Sights) ► Another Deep Stone Crypt gem, Heritage is a best in class weapon. It has great stats and an excellent selection of perks, including the best perks exclusive to Deep Stone Crypt weapons. While Heritage is called the legendary Chaperone (a big compliment), this slug shotgun truly excels in PVE. With the right perks, this can be the absolute best DPS special weapon in the game. | Shotgun | Kinetic | Deep Stone Crypt Raid | Beyond Light |
 Adored | Sniper Rifle | Strong ❘ A | PVP | Pursuit Weapon ❘ Average  | Slot: Energy | Ammo: Special | Sunsets: Season 16Adored Fixed Rolls: Perk 3: Killing Wind for PVP(Triple Tap for PVE) Perk 4: Snapshot Sights for PVP (Vorpal Weapons for PVE) ► The combination of Killing Wind and Snapshot Sights alone makes this Beloved replacement an easy PVP pick in the energy slot. Plus, 90 RPM snipers offer good overall lethality and it can also be paired with an Exotic hand cannon. | Sniper Rifle | Energy | Pursuit Weapon | Free-to-Play |
 Bonechiller | Shotgun | Strong ❘ A | PVE | Europa Weapon Quest ❘ Average | Slot:  Energy | Ammo: Special | Sunsets: Season 16Bonechiller God Roll: Perk 3: Auto-Loading Holster (also good: Surplus) Perk 4: Demolitionits (also good: Dragonfly) ► Since their damage buff 2 seasons ago, Slug shotguns are now one of the strongest DPS options in the game. Bonechiller certainly benefits from being one of the few energy slug shotguns available in the game, but on top of that, it has good stats and offers some of the best perks a shotgun could ask for. If you do not have a god roll First In, Last Out, this will be your best option. | Shotgun | Energy | Europa Weapon Quest | Free-to-Play |
 Commemoration | Machine Gun | Strong ❘ A | PVP | Deep Stone Crypt ❘ Hard | Slot: Heavy | Ammo: Heavy | Sunsets: Season 16Commemoration God Roll: Perk 3: Dynamic Sway Reduction (PVE perk: Reconstruction) Perk 4: Under Pressure (PVE perk: Dragonfly or Rampage) ► The natural replacement of the fan-favorite Hammerhead, Commemoration is a solid PVP weapon. It may not have as high base stats as Hammerhead, but it more than makes up for it with great perks. Commemoration also has a lot of potential for PVE. With the right perks, it can certainly outclass any other legendary machine gun for ad clear. | Machine Gun | Heavy | Deep Stone Crypt Raid | Beyond Light |
 Stars in Shadow | Pulse Rifle | Strong ❘ A | PVP | Crucible ❘ Easy | Slot: Energy | Ammo: Primary | Sunsets: Season 16Stars in Shadow God Roll: Perk 3: Outlaw (also good: Killing Wind) Perk 4: Kill Clip ► Stars in Shadow has a lot going for it for PVP. It's part of one of the archetypes with the fastest TTKs in the game and is one of few pulses left that the Outlaw and Kill Clip perk combination. And to top things off, Stars in Shadow regularly drops from playing Crucible matches, so you'll eventually find a good roll without having to do anything in particular. | Pulse Rifle | Energy | Crucible | Free-to-Play |
 The Steady Hand | Hand Cannon | Strong ❘ A | PVP | Iron Banner ❘ Average | Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Special | Sunsets: Season 16The Steady Hand God Roll: Perk 3: Killing Wind (also good: Moving Target) Perk 4: Swashbuckler ► The Steady Hand will a perfect replacement for several 120 RPM hand cannons that were recently sunsetted. And with the recent buff to the 120 RPM archetype (previously 110 RPM), The Steady Hand and the like have never been more relevant in PVP than now. With great range and a decent TTK, these Agressive hand cannons definitely pack a punch. | Hand Cannon | Kinetic | Iron Banner | Free-to-Play |
 Hailing Confusion | Pulse Rifle | Average ❘ B | PVP | Europa Weapon Quest ❘ Average | Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Special | Sunsets: Season 16NAME God Roll: Perk 3: Firmly Planted (also good: Surplus) Perk 4: Demolitionist (also good: Wellspring) ► Hailing Confusion has a slower optimal TTK than 340 RPM Pulse rifles, but it's a more forgiving weapon if accuracy is an issue. It also features a clean Red Dot sight and a healthy selection of perks. Overall, it's not a bad weapon, but it's still outclassed by more lethal / less forgiving archetypes. | Pulse Rifle | Kinetic | Europa Weapon Quest | Free-to-Play |
 Trustee | Scout Rifle | Strong ❘ A | PVP | Deep Stone Crypt ❘ Hard | Slot: Energy | Ammo: Primary | Sunsets: Season 16Trustee God Roll: Perk 3: Surplus (also good: Reconstruction) Perk 4: Wellspring (also good: Opening Shot) ► Against all odds, a scout rifle has managed to rise through the ranks and be considered top tier. Trustee benefits greatly from the recent buff to scout rifles. With better target acquisition, a good TTK, excellent stats, and top tier perks, Trustee can be deadly in the Crucible. | Scout Rifle | Energy | Deep Stone Crypt Raid | Beyond Light |
 Bequest | Sword | Weak ❘ C | - | Deep Stone Crypt ❘ Hard | Slot: Heavy | Ammo: Heavy | Sunsets: Season 16Bequest God Roll: Perk 3: Tresh Perk 4: Surrounded ► Bequest unfortunately came in the wrong time. The sword itself is not bad. It does good base damage and has interesting ad clearing perks. But it has to compete with The Lament and Falling Guillotine, two outstanding weapons. On top of that, Bequest lacks Whirlwind Blade, a must-have perk for any self-respecting DPS sword... | Sword | Heavy | Deep Stone Crypt Raid | Beyond Light |
 Corsair's Wrath | Linear Fusion Rifle | Average ❘ B | - | Wrathborn Hunts ❘ Easy | Slot: Heavy | Ammo: Heavy | Sunsets: Season 16Corsair's Wrath God Roll: Perk 3: Outlaw Perk 4: High-Impact Reservers (also good: Tresh) ► Linear Fusion rifles are generally outclassed by Swords and snipers. That alone means this weapon cannot be ranked much higher. Having said that, Corsair's Wrath has good stats, good perks and very satisfying feel. If you're into linear fusion rifles, this one is a must. | Linear Fusion Rifle | Heavy | Wrathborn Hunts | Season Pass |
 Crowd Pleaser | Grenade Launcher | Average ❘ B | - | Gambit ❘ Easy | Slot: Heavy | Ammo: Heavy | Sunsets: Season 16Crowd Pleaser God Roll: Perk 3: Killing Wind Perk 4: Chain Reaction ► In direct competition with Blast Battue, the other adaptive grenade launcher released this season, Crowd Pleaser seems to be more geared towards PVP. And unlike PVE, PVP currently lacks viable grenade launchers. But with the right perks, Crowd Pleaser can be the perfect replacement for Play of the Game or Edge Transit. | Grenade Launcher | Heavy | Gambit | Free-to-Play |
 Deafening Whisper | Grenade Launcher | Average ❘ B | - | Wrathborn Hunts ❘ Easy | Slot: Energy | Ammo: Special | Sunsets: Season 16Deafening Whisper God Roll: Perk 3: Ambitious Assassin Perk 4: Wellspring ► As Martyr's Retribution, the only other Wave frame grenade launcher in the game, Deafening Whisper is a lot of fun to use. And with the right perks, it can also be an efficient ad clearing weapon that can also benefit from many of the new perks such as Wellspring. | Grenade Launcher | Energy | Wrathborn Hunts | Season Pass |
 Duality | Shotgun | Average ❘ B | - | Season Pass ❘ Easy | Slot: Energy | Ammo: Special | Sunsets: NAExotic Perk: "Fires a pellet spread in hip-fire or a single high-damage slug while aiming. Pellet final blows grant a stacking precision damage and reload speed buff. Precision hits with slugs extend the duration." ► Duality is a fun exotic in low-stress PVE and PVP situations. But when the stakes are high, the reality is that Duality is easily out-performed in both PVE and PVP by more specialized weapons. In PVP, The Chaperone is a better slug shotgun while Felwinter's Lie is a better slug shotgun. And in PVE, the First In, First out slug shotgun will serve you better too. | Shotgun | Energy | Season Pass | Season Pass |
 High Albedo | Sidearm | Average ❘ B | - | Europa Weapon Quest ❘ Average | Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Special | Sunsets: Season 16NAME God Roll: Perk 3: Killing Wind Perk 4: Wellspring ► High Albedo is a good sidearm and will be a good replacement for Breachlight once that weapon becomes sunset. It also offers several of the new Perks released with Beyond Ligh. The only reason this sidearm is not ranked higher is because the quality of top tier weapons released this season is quite high. | Sidearm | Kinetic | Europa Weapon Quest | Free-to-Play |
 Subzero Salvo | Rocket Launcher | Average ❘ B | - | Europa Weapon Quest ❘ Average | Slot: Heavy | Ammo: Heavy | Sunsets: Season 16Subzero Salvo God Roll: Perk 3: Surplus (also good: Ambitious Assassin) Perk 4: Chain Reaction (also good: Cluster Bomb) ► Rocket launchers overall lag behind swords and grenade launchers in terms of DPS and lethality. That said, Subzero Salvo does come with good stats and very interesting perks, such as Chain Reaction, which make it a decent crowd-control weapon. | Rocket Launcher | Heavy | Europa Weapon Quest | Free-to-Play |
 Thermal Erosion | Machine Gun | Average ❘ B | - | Empire Hunts ❘ Easy | Slot: Heavy | Ammo: Heavy | Sunsets: Season 16Thermal Erosion God Roll: Perk 3: Killing Wind Perk 4: Wellspring ► Thermal Erosion is a decent machine gun, but it had the potential to be so much more. With the same archetype as the now retired Delirium 21%, Thermal Erosion has weaker stats accross the board... On PVP, it's largely outclassed by Commemoration. On top of that, being a Rapid-Fire frame, its recoil is much more difficult to control. | Machine Gun | Heavy | Empire Hunts | Beyond Light |
 Xenoclast IV | Shotgun | Average ❘ B | - | Strikes ❘ Easy | Slot: Energy | Ammo: Special | Sunsets: Season 16Xenoclast IV God Roll: Perk 3: Auto-Loading Holster (also good: Slideshot) Perk 4: Trench Barrel ► The returning Xenoclast IV is a good enough shotgun. The only reason it's not ranked higher is because it has to compete with an excellent Lightweight shotgun, the Seventh Seraph CGC-12. Also, if you're looking for a PVE shotgun, slug shotguns are too far ahead the competition. And in PVP, the Felwinter's Lie and Astral Horizon dominate the competition. | Shotgun | Energy | Strikes | Free-to-Play |
 Arctic Haze | Auto Rifle | Weak ❘ C | - | Europa Weapon Quest ❘ Average | Slot: Energy | Ammo: Primary | Sunsets: Season 16Arctic Haze God Roll: Perk 3: Killing Wind Perk 4: Tresh (also good: Dragonfly) ► On paper, Rapid-Fire auto rifles are some of the most lethal right now. And Artic Haze does have good a TTK. But its limited range, hard to control recoil and lack of damage-dealing perks make it less lethal than other weapons such as the Gnawing Hunger. On PVE, it's a decent choice but still far behind top tier primary weapons such as the IKELOS_SMG_v1.0.2 or a good sidearm. | Auto Rifle | Energy | Europa Weapon Quest | Free-to-Play |
 Biting Winds | Combat Bow | Weak ❘ C | - | Empire Hunts ❘ Easy | Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary | Sunsets: Season 16 Biting Winds God Roll: Perk 3: Rapid Hit (also good: Killing Wind) Perk 4: Explosive Head ► Bows are not particularly strong in neither PVP nor PVE. And for that reason alone, Biting Winds cannot be ranked particularly high on this list. That said, with so many bows sunsetted at the beginning of the season, Biting Winds is one of the best Precision frame bows still available. Also, bows remain a good tool when tackling difficult content from as far as possible... | Combat Bow | Kinetic | Empire Hunts | Beyond Light |
 Blast Battue | Grenade Launcher | Weak ❘ C | - | Season Pass ❘ Easy | Slot: Heavy | Ammo: Heavy | Sunsets: Season 16Blast Battue God Roll: Perk 3: Clown Cartridge Perk 4: Chain Reaction (also good: Rampage) ► Compared to the fan-favorite Interference VI, Blast Battue is outmatched in terms of pure damage. That said, with perks such as Chain Reaction, it can be a good ad clearing weapon. It also competes with Crowd Pleaser, the other new grenade launcher released this season, which is slightly more geared towards PVP. | Grenade Launcher | Heavy | Season Pass | Season Pass |
 The Guiding Sight | Scout Rifle | Weak ❘ C | - | Iron Banner ❘ Average | Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Special | Sunsets: Season 16The Guiding Sight God Roll: Perk 3: Rapid-Hit (also good: Surplus) Perk 4: Iron Grip ► In a similar vein as Royal Chase, this scout could be good on paper. Unfortunately, it's part of an archetype that currently struggles in PVP. I would not chase this weapon, but if you stumble upon a god roll, you should keep it in case someday Bungie decides to buff High-Impact scout rifles. | Scout Rifle | Kinetic | Iron Banner | Free-to-Play |
 Coriolis Force | Fusion Rifle | Weak ❘ C | - | Empire Hunts ❘ Easy | Slot: Energy | Ammo: Special | Sunsets: Season 16Coriolis Force God Roll: Perk 3: Feeding Frenzy (also good: Killing Wind) Perk 4: Tresh ► Fusion Rifles are not in a great place right now. They're outmatched by slug shotguns in close range and by snipers in medium to long-range. If you happen to land on a god roll, you may as well keep it as we never know how the meta may change in the future, but otherwise, don't waste your time chasing this weapon. | Fusion Rifle | Energy | Empire Hunts | Beyond Light |
 Salvation's Grip | Grenade Launcher | Weak ❘ C | - | Exotic Quest ❘ Easy | Slot: Stasis Heavy | Ammo: Heavy | Sunsets: NAExotic Perk: "This weapon's projectiles create Stasis crystals and freeze nearby targets. Charging this weapon increases the freeze radius and amount of Stasis crystals created." ► Salvation's Grip is a difficult weapon to rank. Compared to some of the top Exotic Heavy weapons, it definitely struggles in terms of sheer DPS. That said, if you're perfecting a Stasis build and count on shattering crystals as part of your main strategy, then Salvation's Grip can do wonders for you. | Grenade Launcher | Heavy | Exotic Quest | Beyond Light |
 Royal Chase | Scout Rifle | Worst ❘ D | - | Season Pass ❘ Easy | Slot: Energy | Ammo: Primary | Sunsets: Season 16Royal Chase God Roll: Perk 3: Dragonfly (also good: Tresh) Perk 4: Auto-Loading Holster (also good: Full Auto Trigger System) ► Precision Frame scouts are unfortunately in a bad place right now, which makes this weapon irrelevant right now. If you happen to land on a god roll, though, you may as well keep it as we never know how the meta may change in the future. If you absolutely want to give Scout rifles a chance, you'll be better of with a Trustee or the MIDA Multi-Tool. | Scout Rifle | Energy | Season Pass | Season Pass |
Destiny 2 Beyond Light Weapon sources: How to get them
The table below includes a column titled “Drops from ❘ Difficulty“. The section below includes more detailed steps on how to acquire all the new Beyond Light weapons:
Deep Stone Crypt Raid Weapons
All of these weapons can be found in the Deep Stone Crypt raid. For a detailed overview of all the weapons found in the newest Destiny 2 raid, this loot table covers both weapons and armor that can be awarded per encounter.
Eyes of Tomorrow, the most sought after Deep Stone Crypt weapon
Exotic Quests: The Lament and Salvation’s Grip
Exotic quests can be very different from one another. Some can be long and painful (such as Xenophage’s quest) while others are fast and easy (The Chaperone). In any case, you can find every single exotic quest in this guide. It also includes the difficulty of the quest itself and links to the best video guides I could find.
Season Pass: Duality, Blast Battue, and Royal Chase
Acquiring these is as straightforward as it gets. All you need to do is earn XP to unlock your Season Pass ranks and earn the different weapons included there.
Wrathborn Hunts: Friction Fire, Defeaning Whisper, and Corsair’s Wrath
A few of the weapons in this list are locked behind, Wrathborn Hunts, the seasonal activity. To earn these, you must use your Cryptolith Lure and select the weapon-based lures.
Europa and Empire Hunts weapons
Finally, most of the weapons on this list can either randomly drop from patrolling Europa or from doing Varik’s Empire Hunts and weapons quests.
Cloudstrike, an Exotic that can only drop from Empire Hunts
Ranking criteria
For the record, as much as we tried to keep this list as objective as possible, it’s still based on our personal experience playing the PC version of the game.
Also, even with a thousand+ hours of playtime, I’m far from being an expert nor an amazing PVE/PVP player. This is why I brought Apathettic along, to give you a more educated overview and description of all the new weapons!
Finally, if you’re wondering what criteria was used to build this Tier list, these are the main factors I took into account:
- Lethality: The higher the effective DPS and usability, the higher the ranking.
- Consistency: Some weapons may not have the highest DPS numbers, but they are so consistent, they more than make up for their lower DPS numbers.
- Ease of use: Similar to the point above, some weapons are very effective because they are easy to use and don’t require too much skill or setup. This is also rewarded with higher rankings.
- PVE/PVP Performance: High lethality in either PVE or PVP is equally valuable. However, a weapon that is good at both PVE and PVP should rank higher than one that is slightly better on only PVE or PVP.
- Fun factor: Not the most important factor, but it also helps if the weapon is damn fun to shoot with!
If you strongly disagree with some of the rankings here, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section. By the way, what is your personal Top 3?
