Destiny 2 Exotic Tier List: All 81 weapons ranked for PVE & PVP

It’s easy to get lost with the many exotics available in Destiny 2, especially when you’re new or have been away for a while.

Which ones are good? Which ones are worth grinding for? And a question that applies to veteran players too: How good are the latest Exotics?

As most of the best weapons in Destiny 2 are Exotics, this Tier list focuses on the Exotics currently available in the game, including their difficulty to obtain, main characteristics, and overall ranking.

These are the different Tier levels used for the list:

• S Tier – Best: Highest ranking weapons in our Tier List.
• A Tier – Strong: Very strong weapons, 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 S Tier and moves down until it reaches the bottom Tier.  Also, you can filter and sort the list however you prefer!

Destiny 2 Best Exotic Weapons (as of Beyond Light)

‼️ This list covers both PVE and PVP, but pay special attention to the “Excels in” column, as it clarifies what the best exotics for PVE and PVP are.

Weapons	Tier	Excels in	Drops from / Difficulty	Exotic Perk and Verdict	Drops from	Requires	Type
The Lament | Sword	Best ❘ S	PVE	Exotic Quest ❘ Easy	Slot: Heavy | Ammo: Heavy Exotic 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." ► Swords, in general, can deal some of the highest damage possible, but The Lament puts all other swords to shame. When used properly, The Lament's can both deal with Anti-Barrier champions and dish some the highest DPS numbers in the game.	Exotic Quest		Sword
Anarchy | Grenade Launcher	Best ❘ S	PVE	Exotic Kiosk ❘ Average	Slot: Heavy | Ammo: Heavy Exotic Perk: "Grenades stick to surfaces and chain Arc bolts to other mines. It also has the Moving Target perk." ► With its damage over time, Anarchy is arguably the best boss-DPS Power weapon in Destiny 2. Generally speaking, it's often a favorite for raids and Grandmaster Ordeals, as it can deal a lot of tick damage while you and your fireteam use something like a slug shotgun or sniper rifle in parallel.	Exotic Kiosk		Grenade Launcher
Dead Man's Tale | Scout Rifle	Best ❘ S	PVP	Exotic Quest ❘ Average	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary Exotic Perk: "Chaining precision hits grants bonus damage and quickens reload speed. New drops of this weapon also have random rolls." ► Dead Man's Tale definitely caught everyone off guard. With excellent stats, insane aim assistance, and a good TTK, this is without a doubt the best scout rifle Destiny 2 has ever seen. And unlocking its catalysts makes it even better.	Exotic Quest		Scout Rifle
Divinity | Trace Rifle	Best ❘ S	PVE	Raid ❘ Very Hard	Slot: Energy | Ammo: Special Exotic Perk: "Sustained damage with this weapon envelops the target in a field that weakens and disrupts them." ► Able to deal with Overload Champions and to easily apply a huge debuff on everything, Divinity is a must in high-end PVE activities. It may relegate it user to a more "support" role, but it remains one of the most valuable weapons you can have.	Raid		Trace Rifle
Xenophage | Machine Gun	Best ❘ S	PVE	Exotic Quest ❘ Average	Slot: Heavy | Ammo: Heavy Exotic Perk: "Fires high-powered explosive ammunition. Aiming this weapon increases its effective range and zoom magnification." ► A nerf to snipers and a huge buff to Xenophage made it one of the best DPS weapons. With no precision damage, it's also easy to use and shreds against guardians in Gambit and PVP.	Exotic Quest		Machine Gun
Ace of Spades | Hand Cannon	Best ❘ S	PVP	Exotic Kiosk ❘ Average	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary Exotic Perk: "Precision kills increase reload speed and cause the target to explode. Reloading after a kill increases damage. Grants radar while aiming down sights." ► With a combination of Rampage, Dragonfly and great stats, Ace of Spades is a monster in PVP. It used to be overshadowed by 150 RPM hand cannons, but now that they're gone, Ace of Spades can shine again.	Exotic Kiosk		Hand Cannon
Trinity Ghoul | Combat Bow	Best ❘ S	PVE	Exotic Engram ❘ Average	Slot: Energy | Ammo: Primary 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 was average at best but with its new Catalyst, it became one of the best exotic primaries in this list and potentially the best ad-clear weapon in the entire game.	Exotic Engram		Combat Bow
Witherhoard | Grenade Launcher	Best ❘ S	PVE	Exotic Kiosk ❘ Average	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Special 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." ► With the ability to inflict significant damage over time, Witherhoard acts like a "mini" Anarchy. This weapon has quickly become one of the go-to weapons for PVE, with many using it for the hardest solo feats.	Exotic Kiosk		Grenade Launcher
Eriana's Vow | Hand Cannon	Best ❘ S	PVE	Exotic Kiosk ❘ Average	Slot: Energy | Ammo: Special Exotic Perk: "Fires special shield-piercing ammunition. Bonus damage when aiming down sights on the opening shot of an attack." ► Able to deal with Barrier Champions intrisically, Eriana's Vow can also dish serious damage. This makes it an excellent choice for high-end PVE content and has the community asking for more Exotics like this.	Exotic Kiosk		Hand Cannon
The Chaperone | Shotgun	Best ❘ S	PVP	Exotic Quest ❘ Average	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Special Exotic Perk: "Fires a single-slug precision round. Precision kills briefly grant bonus handling, range, and precision damage with this weapon." ► With unparalleled range and accuracy, The Chaperone is the deadliest exotic shotgun in PVP. It certainly requires more skill than your average pellet shotgun, but in the right hands, The Chaperone can reach insane one-hit-kill distances!	Exotic Quest		Shotgun
No Time to Explain | Pulse Rifle	Strong ❘ A	PVP	Deluxe Edition❘ Easy	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary 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" ► No Time to Explain is a PVP powerhouse. Not only is it part of the most deadly Pulse rifles archetypes (with insanely low TTKs), it also has great base stats and perks that make it nearly unstoppable when activated.	Exotic Quest		Pulse Rifle
Bastion | Fusion Rifle	Strong ❘ A	PVP	Exotic Kiosk ❘ Average	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Special Exotic Perk: "Charge to fire 3 spreads of Kinetic slugs. A portion of this weapon's damage bypasses elemental shields." ► Each Bastion shot hits like a shotgun pellet with even more range. Most Fusion rifles are completely outmatched by shotguns in PVP, except Bastion, who can still hold its own.	Exotic Kiosk		Fusion Rifle
Sleeper Simulant | Linear Fusion Rifle	Strong ❘ A	-	Exotic Kiosk ❘ Average	Slot: Heavy | Ammo: Heavy Exotic Perk: "The weapon's laser over penetrates enemies and refracts off hard surfaces." ► Sleeper Simulant is finally ready to make a comeback. With the Linear Fusion rifle buffs from Season of the Splicer, Sleeper Simulant will once again become one of the top-tier DPS weapons in the entire game.	Exotic Kiosk		Linear Fusion Rifle
Hawkmoon | Hand Cannon	Strong ❘ A	PVP	Exotic Quest ❘ Easy	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary Exotic Perk: "Final blows and precision hits with Hawkmoon grant stacks of Paracausal Charge. The final round in the magazine deals bonus damage based on the number of stacks. Stowing Hawkmoon on the final round removes this bonus." ► Many don't like it that Hawkmoon is not the same weapon it was in Destiny 1, but with an extremely lethal Exotic perk and off-the-charts stats, Hawkmoon is one of the best hand cannons this franchise has ever seen.	Exotic Quest		Hand Cannon
Sturm | Hand Cannon	Strong ❘ A	PVP	Exotic Kiosk ❘ Average	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary Exotic Perk: "Kills fill the magazine of the equipped Energy weapon from reserves. Kills with Drang reload this weapon and provides bonus damage." ► Sturn went from completely forgotten to top-tier in PVP overnight, largely thanks to the huge buff to 120 RPM hand cannons. And as the only 120 RPM exotic hand cannon, it also has insane stats. The only reason you don't see it more often is because Igneous Hammer exists...	Exotic Kiosk		Hand Cannon
Cloudstrike | Sniper Rifle	Strong ❘ A	PVE + PVP	Empire Hunts ❘ Average	Slot: Energy | Ammo: Special Exotic 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." ► 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. On PVE, it's hands down one of the strongest DPS options against bosses, something no one could have anticipated.	Exotic Quest		Sniper Rifle
Riskrunner | Submachine Gun	Strong ❘ A	PVE	Exotic Quest ❘ Easy	Slot: Energy | Ammo: Primary Exotic Perk: "When taking Arc Damage, this weapon becomes more powerful and resists incoming Arc Damage. Shots fired can become chain lightning and return ammo. Kills extend the duration of the effect." ► An underrated primary exotic, Riskrunner shreds when facing arc-damage dealing enemies. Once its exotic perk is activated, it will turn you into a nearly invincible ad killing machine.	Exotic Quest		Submachine Gun
The Huckleberry | Submachine Gun	Strong ❘ A	PVE	Exotic Engram ❘ Average	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary Exotic Perk: "Increased rate of fire and recoil while you're holding down the trigger. Kills with this weapon temporarily grant increased damage and partially reload the magazine." ► SMGs are currently in a good place right now. And while most guardians keep gushing about their Extraordinary Rendition god rolls, The Huckleberry is just as good. Arguably even better at killing ads once you've unlocked its catalyst..	Exotic Engram		Submachine Gun
Traveler's Chosen | Sidearm	Strong ❘ A	PVP	Exotic Kiosk ❘ Average	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary Exotic Perk: "Final blows grant stacks of Gathering Light. Consuming stacks, grant melee, grenade, and class ability energy based on the number of stacks. Each stack of Gathering Light improves this weapon's reload, handling, and target acquisition." ► Capable of inflicting some of the highest DPS, sidearms are considered a safe bet in PVP. And Traveler's Chosen, the newest exotic in the game, is perhaps the best sidearm ever created. It has the best base stats ever seen on a sidearm AND it features an extremely useful and consistent exotic perk.	Exotic Kiosk		Sidearm
Jötunn | Fusion Rifle	Strong ❘ A	PVE + PVP	Exotic Kiosk ❘ Average	Slot: Energy | Ammo: Special Exotic Perk: "Hold down the trigger to charge up a tracking shot that explodes and burns on impact. Energy matched shield explosion disorients enemies." ► One of my favorite weapons in the entire game, Jötunn is so powerful and easy to use, it almost feels like cheating. Experienced players may know how to counter it in PVP, but most will burn. In PVE and Gambit, it can easily melt Majors from any distance.	Exotic Kiosk		Fusion Rifle
Eyes of Tomorrow | Rocket Launcher	Strong ❘ A	PVE + PVP	Raid ❘ Very Hard	Slot: Heavy | Ammo: Heavy Exotic 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." ► Eyes of Tomorrow has a damage reduction against Bosses, which was disappointing. But still, it remains a strong weapon overall, with high multikills potential in PVP and Gambit, and generally good DPS. By the way, if it didn't have that damage reduction, it would too easily dominate most other Heavy exotic in the game.	Raid		Rocket Launcher
MIDA Multi-Tool | Scout Rifle	Strong ❘ A	PVP	Exotic Kiosk ❘ Average	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary Exotic Perk: "This weapon boosts move speed. Radar stays active while aiming down sights." ► MIDA Multi-Tool is definitely making a comeback! Benefiting from a significant aim assist buff, MIDA has become a real threat in the Crucible. With good a TTK, a mobility bonus, and excellent base stats, MIDA is one of the best PVP Scout rifles right now.	Exotic Kiosk		Scout Rifle
Telesto | Fusion Rifle	Strong ❘ A	PVP	Exotic Engram ❘ Average	Slot: Energy | Ammo: Special Exotic Perk: "Fusion projectiles attach and detonate with a delayed Void blast. Multikills with this weapon immediately reload your equipped Kinetic and Energy weapons from reserves." ► On top of being extremely fun to use, Telesto can be a menace in PVP: Setting traps, getting multikills, and shutting down Supers? This is all possible once you learn to properly use Telesto.	Exotic Engram		Fusion Rifle
Monte Carlo | Auto Rifle	Strong ❘ A	PVE	Exotic Engram ❘ Average	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary Exotic Perk: "Dealing damage with this weapon reduces melee cooldown and can fully charge your melee with each kill. Melee kills and kills with this weapon increase damage." ► On top of dealing good damage from decent ranges thanks to its souped-up Swachbuckler exotic perk, Monte Carlo can also make any melee build out there even better.	Exotic Engram		Auto Rifle
Crimson | Hand Cannon	Strong ❘ A	PVP	Exotic Engram ❘ Average	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary Exotic Perk: "This weapon fires a 3-round burst. Kills with this weapon heal the wielder. Precision kills also refill the magazine." ► A pulse rifle in a hand cannon body, Crimson is a dangerous weapon in the Crucible, especially in consoles. The only reason you don't see it more often is that some of the other exotic hand cannons are excellent.	Exotic Engram		Hand Cannon
Izanagi's Burden | Sniper Rifle	Strong ❘ A	PVE	Exotic Kiosk ❘ Average	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Special Exotic Perk: "Holding reload consumes the magazine and loads a round with additional range and damage." ► One of the top DPS weapons in the game, Izanagi's Burden is also easy to use, consistent and it never runs out of ammo (as it doesn't require Heavy ammo). While it no longer dominates as it used to just a few seasons ago, Izi remains a safe bet when facing endgame PVE content.	Exotic Kiosk		Sniper Rifle
Ticuu's Divination | Combat Bow	Strong ❘ A	PVE	Exotic Kiosk ❘ Average	Slot: Energy | Ammo: Primary Exotic Perk: "Hipfiring this weapon fires multiple tracking projectiles. Targets marked explode upon death, or when struck again. Arrows fired while aiming down sights cause Sacred Flames to instantly detonate." ► This brand-new exotic turned out to be one of the best ad clear exotics in the entire game. Able to "prime" targets with an initial shot and then blow them up when landing a precision follow up shot, Ticuu's Divination is equal parts lethal and satisfying to use.	Exotic Kiosk		Combat Bow
The Last Word | Hand Cannon	Strong ❘ A	PVP	Exotic Kiosk ❘ Average	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary Exotic Perk: "This weapon fires full auto. Hip-fire shots deal bonus precision damage while increasing reload speed and accuracy." ► This weapon is hard to rank as it could be considered S Tier on consoles, but perhaps B-tier on PC. Either way, it's still strong and effective in all platforms and the recent buff to aim assistance when hip-firing will make it even stronger.	Exotic Kiosk		Hand Cannon
Thorn | Hand Cannon	Strong ❘ A	PVP	Exotic Kiosk ❘ Average	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary Exotic Perk: "Rounds pierce targets and deal damage over time. Kills leave behind Remnants which, when absorbed, increase damage." ► Considered a top-tier PVP weapon for a long time, Thorn shows no signs of slowing down. It may have some more competition now that 150 RPM hand cannons became 140 RPM, but it remains the best in class. Plus, with soul devour active, it can 2 tap some guardians!	Exotic Kiosk		Hand Cannon
Polaris Lance | Scout Rifle	Strong ❘ A	PVP	Exotic Kiosk ❘ Average	Slot: Energy | Ammo: Primary Exotic Perk: "Precision hits return ammo to the mag. Landing 4 precision hits loads a delayed Solar explosive round for your next shot." ► Definitely underrated, this is one of the best scout rifles in the game. And now that Scout rifles are finally viable in PVP, Polaris Lance can finally shine a little more.	Exotic Kiosk		Scout Rifle
Tractor Cannon | Shotgun	Strong ❘ A	PVE	Exotic Engram ❘ Average	Slot: Heavy | Ammo: Heavy Exotic Perk: "This weapon emits a powerful impulse that pushes enemies away, suppresses their abilities, and makes them more vulnerable to all incoming damage." ► Tractor Cannon was Top tier just a few seasons ago, but now that buffs and debuffs don't stack, it's no longer a must-have. Having said that, it's still a great weapon that can shine when used right.	Exotic Engram		Shotgun
Outbreak Perfected | Pulse Rifle	Strong ❘ A	PVE	Exotic Kiosk ❘ Average	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary Exotic Perk: "This weapon creates SIVA nanite swarms on rapid hits and precision kills and does more damage to enemies based on the number of SIVA nanites that attach to them." ► With its SIVA nanites, Outbreak Perfected does excellent damage, especially if others in your team are using it too.	Exotic Kiosk		Pulse Rifle
Black Talon | Sword	Strong ❘ A	PVP	Exotic Engram ❘ Average	Slot: Heavy | Ammo: Heavy Exotic Perk: "Can fire heavy projectile attacks. Heavy attacks are stronger with full energy. Most attacks partially bypass elemental shields." ► Swords are definitely back since they were buffed with Season of the Worthy. And while Black Talon may not excel in PVE compared to other swords, it remains fun to use and particularly excellent in PVP when used right.	Exotic Engram		Sword
Thunderlord | Machine Gun	Strong ❘ A	PVE	Exotic Engram ❘ Average	Slot: Heavy | Ammo: Heavy Exotic Perk: "Kills with this weapon generate lightning strikes from above and increase reload speed for a short time." ► An absolute beast at killing ads, Thunderlord's lighting effects are both lethal and impressive to behold. It also has tons of ammo.	Exotic Engram		Machine Gun
The Wardcliff Coil | Rocket Launcher	Strong ❘ A	PVP	Exotic Engram ❘ Average	Slot: Heavy | Ammo: Heavy Exotic Perk: "This weapon fires a volley of rockets and automatically reloads on ammo pickup." ► Rocket launchers are finally making a comeback in PVE. In PVP, the Wardcliff Coil remains thebest rocket launcher out there and one of the most effective Heavy weapons in the entire game.	Exotic Engram		Rocket Launcher
Duality | Shotgun	Strong ❘ A	-	Exotic Kiosk ❘ Average	Slot: Energy | Ammo: Special Exotic 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 were high, players would immediately choose a more specialized weapon. But now that Felwinter's Lie is getting nerfed (and Duality itself was buffed), expect to see it much more often in high-level PVP.	Exotic Kiosk		Shotgun
Whisper of the Worm | Sniper Rifle	Strong ❘ A	PVE	Exotic Kiosk ❘ Average	Slot: Heavy | Ammo: Heavy Exotic Perk: "Higher base precision damage. Rapidly landing three precision hits refills the magazine and missing a shot has a chance to return ammo." ► Whisper of the Worm is one of the best DPS weapons available, especially if you're a good shot. And since Izanagi's Burden was nerfed, it's again a high-end PVE favorite.	Exotic Kiosk		Sniper Rifle
Le Monarque | Combat Bow	Strong ❘ A	PVP	Exotic Kiosk ❘ Average	Slot: Energy | Ammo: Primary Exotic Perk: "Arrows fired quickly after a full draw become poison arrows. Precision hits with poison arrows spread poison to nearby enemies." ► Albeit niche, Le Monarque is one of the best bows in the game. You may not see it often, but in the hands of an experienced PVP player, it can be extremely lethal, especially when coupled with a Quickdraw hand cannon.	Exotic Kiosk		Combat Bow
Sunshot | Hand Cannon	Strong ❘ A	PVE	Exotic Engram ❘ Average	Slot: Energy | Ammo: Primary Exotic Perk: "This weapon fires explosive rounds. Targets killed with Sunshot explode in Solar energy." ► One of my all-time favorites, Sunshot may not be as good as it once was in PVP. But in PVE, it remains one of the most fun and efficient weapons to use when dealing with ads. Watching entire waves of enemies explode remains one of the most satisfying feelings in this game.	Exotic Engram		Hand Cannon
Vigilance Wing | Pulse Rifle	Strong ❘ A	PVP	Exotic Engram ❘ Average	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary Exotic Perk: "This weapon fires a 5-round burst. When a nearby ally is killed, gain health regeneration, and increased movement speed." ► Vigilance Wing is definitely a sleeper pick for PVP and it's particularly strong in larger maps in PVP where it can destroy Auto rifles and Hand cannons. With the recent nerf to 120 RPM hand cannons, expect to see it much more often in the Crucible.	Exotic Engram		Pulse Rifle
Rat King | Sidearm	Strong ❘ A	PVE	Exotic Kiosk ❘ Average	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary Exotic Perk: "This fully automatic weapon becomes stronger when nearby allies also have it equipped. Reloading immediately after a kill grants a brief period of invisibility." ► One of the most unique primary weapons available, Rat King is strong when used by yourself and VERY strong when used alongside others.	Exotic Kiosk		Sidearm
One Thousand Voices | Fusion Rifle	Strong ❘ A	PVE	Raid ❘ Very Hard	Slot: Heavy | Ammo: Heavy Exotic Perk: "Charging this weapon unleashes a giant continuous beam of death. The beam superheats its targets upon impact, causing delayed explosions." ► Previously S Tier, this weapon has suffered from buffs and nerfs over the years. But overall, it's still a DPS powerhouse and a great weapon to have in your arsenal (if you're lucky enough to get it!).	Raid		Fusion Rifle
Heir Apparent | Machine Gun	Strong ❘ A	PVE	Unobtainable ❘ NA	Slot: Heavy | Ammo: Heavy Exotic Perk: "This weapon can be fired only when fully spun up. While at full health, spinning up this weapon protects you with an Arc Shield." ► Heir Apparent is one of the most original Exotics in Destiny 2. And while many saw it as a novelty, its new catalyst made it a true menace in PVP and even more fun to use in PVE. On top of that, it can deliver good total DPS (for a machine gun) due to its huge magazine.	Unobtainable		Machine Gun
Legend of Acrius | Shotgun	Strong ❘ A	PVE	Exotic Kiosk ❘ Hard	Slot: Heavy | Ammo: Heavy Exotic Perk: "This weapon fires blasts of high-damage Arc energy that over penetrates enemies. Its radar detects enemies from farther away." ► Legend of Acrius can deal some serious DPS, especially with the catalyst, but it could use a little buff to make it more relevant compared to the best Heavy exotics currently dominating the game.	Exotic Kiosk		Shotgun
Deathbringer | Rocket Launcher	Strong ❘ A	PVP	Exotic Quest ❘ Average	Slot: Heavy | Ammo: Heavy Exotic Perk: "Fires remotely detonated projectiles that drop Void orbs on combatants. Hold to fire, release to detonate. The further a Void orb falls, the more powerful its detonation becomes." ► Deathbringer is one of the most underrated weapons in Destiny 2. At first glance, it may not seem special at all. In fact, it isn't for PVE. But for PVP, this rocket launcher can easily net you multikills when used right, especially in 6v6 modes.	Exotic Quest		Rocket Launcher
Cryosthesia 77K | Sidearm	Average ❘ B	-	Season Pass ❘ Easy	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary Exotic Perk: "Final blows with this weapon enable a Charged Shot for a short duration. Targets hit by this shot are instantly frozen at the cost of the weapon's entire magazine." ► The first "viable" weapon to use Stasis as an element, it will be truly interesting to see what the community ends up doing with it. In the meantime, this is a decent weapon with fair stats and perks.	Season Pass		Sidearm
SUROS Regime | Auto Rifle	Average ❘ B	PVP	Exotic Engram ❘ Average	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary Exotic Perk: "The bottom half of each magazine deals bonus damage and can return health on kill. Holding down the trigger increases rate of fire." ► 600 RPM Auto Rifles reigned supreme in PVP for a while. But their recent Beyond Light nerf sent them back to the middle of the pack. SUROS Regime remains viable, but other weapon types, such as hand cannons and Pulse rifles, are much more efficient.	Exotic Engram		Auto Rifle
The Colony | Grenade Launcher	Average ❘ B	PVP	Exotic Engram ❘ Average	Slot: Heavy | Ammo: Heavy Exotic Perk: "This weapon's grenades are insectoid robots that chase targets and explode close to them." ► Extremely easy to use, The Colony is a fan-favorite in the Crucible, especially in 6v6 modes. The reason this weapon doesn't rank any higher is because skilled PVP players can easily counter it and will instead use something much more effective like the Wardcliff Coil.	Exotic Engram		Grenade Launcher
Fighting Lion | Grenade Launcher	Average ❘ B	PVP	Exotic Engram ❘ Average	Slot: Energy | Ammo: Primary Exotic Perk: "Grenade projectiles will bounce off surfaces. Hold to fire, and release to detonate. Direct hits do more damage to enemy shields. Rapid kills against grenade-damaged enemies refill the magazine." ► Fighting Lion is as niche as it gets. Some love it while others absolutely hate it. In the end, this can be one of the most fun weapons in the game, provided you know how to use it (especially after some recent buffs).	Exotic Engram		Grenade Launcher
The Jade Rabbit | Scout Rifle	Average ❘ B	PVP	Exotic Engram ❘ Average	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary Exotic Perk: "Chain body shots to gain bonus damage on your next precision shot, return ammo to the magazine, and increases its stability." ► It would be absurd to call Scouts "meta", but thanks to their recent buff, they haven't been this strong in PVP in years. And among the several exotic Scouts, The Jade Rabbit is one of the deadliest, especially in Momentum Control where it can one tap guardians!	Exotic Engram		Scout Rifle
Arbalest | Linear Fusion Rifle	Average ❘ B	-	Exotic Engram ❘ Average	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Special Exotic Perk: "Fires slugs that cause massive damage to elemental shields of enemy combatants. Breaking an enemy's shield with this weapon makes them more vulnerable to Kinetic damage." ► Easy to use in both PVP and PVE, Arbalest is a solid weapon that can sometimes be a refreshing change from all the snipers. Also, the buff to Linear Fusion Rifles will certainly lead to more people using it.	Exotic Engram		Linear Fusion Rifle
Ruinous Effigy | Exotic Trace Rifle	Average ❘ B	-	Exotic Kiosk ❘ Average	Slot: Heavy | Ammo: Special Exotic Perk: "Final blows with this weapon collapse victims into Void Transmutation spheres. Transmutation spheres you create can be picked up and wielded as weapons by you or your allies." ► Ruinous Effigy is hands down one of the most unique and fun weapons ever released in Destiny 2. It won't be replacing any of the top PVE weapons soon, but it can be very effective at close range on Majors: Use it to cancel stomp mechanics, dunk, melee, and finish off with a sword.	Exotic Kiosk		Trace Rifle
Tarrabah | Submachine Gun	Average ❘ B	-	Exotic Kiosk ❘ Hard	Slot: Energy | Ammo: Primary Exotic Perk: "This weapon stores power when dealing or receiving damage. Once full, hold reload to unleash the beast." ► Tarrabah could be a monster but activating its perk consistently is stupidly hard. This weapon has been crying for help for a long time. On the plus side, it is now much easier to acquire via the Monument to Lost Lights.	Exotic Kiosk		Submachine Gun
Symmetry | Scout Rifle	Average ❘ B	-	Exotic Kiosk ❘ Average	Slot: Energy | Ammo: Primary Exotic Perk: "Precision hits build up Dynamic Charge. Swapping to Arc Seeker mode increases damage and partially reloads the magazine. Arc Seekers track toward combatants you target." ► Thanks to the recent buff to Scout rifles, Symmetry is seen a lot more play in The Crucible. And if you can hit your precision shots, Symmetry's alternate firing mode can be extremely lethal in both PVP and Gambit.	Exotic Kiosk		Scout Rifle
Wish-Ender | Combat Bow	Average ❘ B	-	Exotic Quest ❘ Hard	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary Exotic Perk: "While aiming down sights with a fully-drawn bow, enemies behind walls are highlighted. Piercing arrowheads damage the target on entry and exit. One-shot can over-penetrate multiple targets." ► The problem with Wish-Ender is twofold: A/ Bows are generally not great for neither PVP nor PVE. b/ There are stronger bows than Wishender for both PVE and PVP.	Exotic Quest		Combat Bow
Leviathan's Breath | Combat Bow	Average ❘ B	-	Exotic Kiosk ❘ Average	Slot: Heavy | Ammo: Heavy Exotic Perk: "Fires a massive heavy bolt that staggers unshielded combatants. When fully drawn, the bolt knocks combatants back." ► Able to deal with Unstoppable Champions, Leviathan's Breath is a capable and versatile weapon, even if, for some reason, people love to hate.	Exotic Kiosk		Combat Bow
Hard Light | Auto Rifle	Average ❘ B	-	Exotic Engram ❘ Average	Slot: Energy | Ammo: Primary Exotic Perk: "Rounds fired from this weapon have reduced damage falloff, over-penetrate targets, and ricochet off hard surfaces dealing extra damage. It can also change its damage type" ► Hard Light's reign of the Crucible didn't last long. After receiving a specific nerf that was compounded by an overall nerf to 600 RPM Auto rifles, Hard Light went from been God tier in PVP to merely decent. In PVE, it can still be usable when dealing with lots of elemental shields.	Exotic Engram		Auto Rifle
Malfeasance | Hand Cannon	Average ❘ B	-	Exotic Quest ❘ Average	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary 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 is yet another weapon that greatly benefitted from the recent hand cannon buff. With the bigger magazine, using its Exotic perk also became easier. Malfeasance definitely has a place within its niche: Taken-heavy areas and Gambit.	Exotic Quest		Hand Cannon
Coldheart | Trace Rifle	Average ❘ B	-	Exotic Engram ❘ Average	Slot: Energy | Ammo: Special Exotic Perk: "This weapon shoots a steady cold fusion-powered laser that does exponentially more damage the longer it remains on a target." ► Previously one of the best exotics in the game, Coldheart is barely a decent option, mainly because trace rifles are in a bad place overall. On the flip side, its signature perk has been finally fixed after months of been completely broken!	Exotic Engram		Trace Rifle
Tommy's Matchbook | Auto Rifle	Average ❘ B	-	Exotic Kiosk ❘ Average	Slot: Energy | Ammo: Primary Exotic Perk: "Sustained fire with this weapon overheats it, increasing damage but burning the user. Overheat damage is reduced while hip firing." ► Tommy's Matchbook is a fun weapon to use. It even had its 15 minutes of fame when it was first released. Unfortunately, it is overshadowed by stronger Auto rifles both in PVP and PVP, and even more so by stronger weapon types, such as SMGs in PVE and Pulse rifles and Hand cannons in PVP.	Exotic Kiosk		Auto Rifle
Bad Juju | Pulse Rifle	Average ❘ B	-	Exotic Kiosk ❘ Average	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary Exotic Perk: "Kills refill the magazine, increase damage for a short duration, and grant Super energy based on the number of kills. Fires full-auto." ► Bad Juju is not as strong as it used to be. Still, it remains an absolute monster at killing ads and it gets even better with the catalyst. Overall, there are more powerful Pulse rifles out there, but if you're interested in getting your Super fast, Bad Juju is the way to go.	Exotic Kiosk		Pulse Rifle
Devil's Ruin | Sidearm	Average ❘ B	-	Exotic Kiosk ❘ Average	Slot: Energy | Ammo: Primary Exotic Perk: "Variable trigger. Press and release to fire individual shots. Hold to charge up a high-powered, staggering laser." ► Able to deal with Unstoppable Champions, this is a fun weapon that can inflict decent damage overall. And as a bonus, it can also melt shotgun apes in PVP in its laser form.	Exotic Kiosk		Sidearm
Borealis | Sniper Rifle	Average ❘ B	-	Exotic Engram ❘ Average	Slot: Energy | Ammo: Special Exotic Perk: "Holding changes this weapon's damage type. Breaking an enemy shield with that shield's energy type grants bonus damage for the rest of the magazine." ► A completely underrated weapon, Borealis can definitely get the job done in capable hands. It may pale when compared to other Exotic Snipers in terms of pure DPS, especially the brand-new Cloudstrike, but still an extremely usable and capable weapon.	Exotic Engram		Sniper Rifle
Lumina | Hand Cannon	Average ❘ B	-	Exotic Kiosk ❘ Average	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary 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." ► Albeit an interesting weapon with above-average stats, Lumina simply has too much competition. On top of that, it requires a coordinated team and the catalyst to be truly effective.	Exotic Kiosk		Hand Cannon
The Queenbreaker | Linear Fusion Rifle	Average ❘ B	-	Exotic Engram ❘ Average	Slot: Heavy | Ammo: Heavy Exotic Perk: "Fires a long-range precision Arc bolt that blinds enemies on hit. It has a slower charge time and deals greater damage." ► Previously amazing when invading in gambit, The Queenbreaker has suffered from too many nerfs. At this stage, even after receiving a damage buff, The Queenbreaker has little to offer and certainly does not deserve that coveted Exotic slot. Especially when Sleeper Simulant is also available and equally easy to access via the Exotics kiosk.	Exotic Engram		Linear Fusion Rifle
Lord of Wolves | Shotgun	Average ❘ B	-	Exotic Engram ❘ Average	Slot: Energy | Ammo: Special Exotic Perk: "Fires a powerful short-range burst of Solar damage. Hold to swap to a longer, more powerful burst." ► After months of dominating Destiny 2's PVP, Lord of Wolf eventually got a (well-deserved) nerf that made it disappear from the Crucible. That said, Lord of Wolves is still one of the highest DPS weapons in the game.	Exotic Engram		Shotgun
The Fourth Horseman | Shotgun	Average ❘ B	-	Exotic Kiosk ❘ Average	Slot: Energy | Ammo: Special Exotic Perk: "This weapon's rate of fire is increased significantly and fires full auto. Each successive shot has more damage and more spread." ► A good all-around weapon, this shotgun can deal great damage if you manage to get very close. It's too bad most high-end PVE content isn't designed for close-combat...	Exotic Kiosk		Shotgun
Two-Tailed Fox | Rocket Launcher	Average ❘ B	-	Exotic Engram ❘ Average	Slot: Heavy | Ammo: Heavy Exotic Perk: "Shoots two rockets, one Void and one Solar, that can track onto the same target. The Void rocket suppresses enemies. The Solar rocket causes damage over time." ► There's nothing wrong with Two-Tailed Fox. In fact, when used with the right mods and Charge with Light builds, it can do good damage. Having said that, it currently lags behind some of the better legendary rocket launchers currently available.	Exotic Engram		Rocket Launcher
Skyburner's Oath | Scout Rifle	Average ❘ B	-	Exotic Engram ❘ Average	Slot: Energy | Ammo: Primary Exotic Perk: "This weapon lobs large, explosive, seeking slugs when firing from the hip. When aiming down sights, the slugs travel fast and straight, with higher damage and a lower rate of fire." ► One of the worst-ranked exotics for a long time, Skyburner's Oath was recently fixed and can now be considered "usable". In fact, when dealing with Cabal enemies, it can be a viable option that also happens to be fun to use.	Exotic Engram		Scout Rifle
Truth | Rocket Launcher	Average ❘ B	-	Exotic Kiosk ❘ Average	Slot: Heavy | Ammo: Heavy Exotic Perk: "This weapon's rockets have tracking and detonate when they are within close proximity of their targets." ► Rocket Launchers are finally popular once again thanks to the significant buffs they recently got. Truth received a decent buff too and remains viable in Gambit. But with the release of the new Eyes of Tomorrow raid rocket launcher, Truth became largely irrelevant.	Exotic Kiosk		Rocket Launcher
Graviton Lance | Pulse Rifle	Weak ❘ C	-	Exotic Engram ❘ Average	Slot: Energy | Ammo: Primary Exotic Perk: "Second shot of a burst rips a hole through space-time, doing high damage and recoil with no falloff. Kills with this weapon cause enemies to detonate and spawn tracking Void projectiles." ► While its void projectiles can kill ads in cool ways, Graviton Lance can barely keep up with good legendary Pulse rifles. With that in mind, it's hard to recommend it over something like No Time to Explain or even Outbreak Perfected.	Exotic Engram		Pulse Rifle
The Prospector | Grenade Launcher	Weak ❘ C	-	Exotic Engram ❘ Average	Slot: Heavy | Ammo: Heavy Exotic Perk: "Hold to fire grenades. Release to detonate all live grenades simultaneously. Grenades stick to surfaces and set targets on fire." ► The Prospector has never been the most popular exotic out there, but it used to get the job done when dealing with bosses. Nowadays, with Rocket launchers and Linear Fusion Rifles been stronger than ever, The Prospector struggles to find its place.	Exotic Engram		Grenade Launcher
Wavesplitter | Trace Rifle	Weak ❘ C	-	Exotic Engram ❘ Average	Slot: Energy | Ammo: Special Exotic Perk: "Laser damage has three power levels that oscillate while the trigger is held down. Collecting an Orb of Light grants a short period of maximum power." ► There's nothing wrong with it, but Trace rifles are in a bad spot and are easily outmatched by other types of weapons in both DPS and TTK.	Exotic Engram		Trace Rifle
Sweet Business | Auto Rifle	Weak ❘ C	-	Exotic Engram ❘ Average	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary Exotic Perk: "Larger magazine. Increased accuracy when firing from the hip. Picking up ammo for this weapon immediately reloads it." ► While it can be fun to use, especially when pre-firing it and surprising opponents in PVP, Sweet Business definitely feels underpowered and is easily outclassed by even legendary Auto rifles.	Exotic Engram		Auto Rifle
Prometheus Lens | Trace Rifle	Weak ❘ C	-	Exotic Engram ❘ Average	Slot: Energy | Ammo: Special Exotic Perk: "Fires a Solar trace beam and generates a damaging heat field that grows while the weapon continues to fire. Kills with this weapon return a fraction of the ammo used." ► There's nothing wrong with it, but Trace rifles are in a bad spot and are easily outmatched by other types of weapons in both DPS and TTK.	Exotic Engram		Trace Rifle
Salvation's Grip | Grenade Launcher	Weak ❘ C	-	Exotic Quest ❘ Average	Slot: Heavy | Ammo: Heavy Exotic 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. It definitely struggles in terms of pure DPS, but it can be very useful for PVP Stasis builds that rely on shattering crystals as part of the main strategy.	Exotic Quest		Grenade Launcher
Merciless | Fusion Rifle	Weak ❘ C	-	Exotic Engram ❘ Average	Slot: Energy | Ammo: Special Exotic Perk: "Non-lethal hits make this weapon charge faster. Reloading immediately after a kill increases weapon damage for a short time." ► Merciless outputs decent damage and handles just fine, but unfortunately doesn't offer much compared to other exotic fusion rifles in this list.	Exotic Engram		Fusion Rifle
Cerberus+1 | Auto Rifle	Weak ❘ C	-	Exotic Engram ❘ Average	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary Exotic Perk: "Shoots erratic bullets from all gun barrels at the same time. Aiming this weapon reduces the spread of its projectiles." ► Cerberus+1 can be fun to use, especially with the catalyst, but even then you'll be better served with virtually any other Exotic assault rifle.	Exotic Engram		Auto Rifle
D.A.R.C.I. | Sniper Rifle	Worst ❘ D	-	Exotic Engram ❘ Average	Slot: Heavy | Ammo: Heavy Exotic Perk: "Aim at an enemy to activate Personal Assistant and view critical information. When Personal Assistant is active, this weapon has better target acquisition and deals significantly more precision damage." ► When something like Cloudstrike can do everything better than D.A.R.C.I. while only requiring Special ammo instead of Heavy, it becomes clear that this weapon desperately needs a rework to become viable again.	Exotic Engram		Sniper Rifle
Worldline Zero | Sword	Worst ❘ D	-	Exotic Kiosk ❘ Average	Slot: Heavy | Ammo: Heavy Exotic Perk: "Press while sprinting to launch a heavy blink attack. Attacks partially bypass elemental shields." ► Worldline Zero was a must-have when "warlock skating" was a thing for speed-running, but since Bungie removed that feature, Worldline Zero became completely irrelevant.	Exotic Kiosk		Sword
Vex Mythoclast | Fusion Rifle	-	-	Raid ❘ Very Hard	Slot: Energy | Ammo: Primary Exotic Perk: "This weapon fires a single bolt with each trigger pull. Defeating targets builds stacks of Overcharge. Swap firing modes when fully Overcharged to charge up and fire more powerful linear fusion shots." ► This weapon will be released on May 22 alongside the Vault of Glass raid.	Raid		Fusion Rifle

How to get the best Exotics in Destiny 2

In a nutshell, there are now 4 ways you can find exotic weapons in Destiny 2:

1. Exotic engrams: These can be found in the Season pass, they are sold by Xur and can also drop randomly at any time.
2. Exotic quests: The most iconic exotics are often tied to Exotic quests of varying degrees of difficulty and length.
3. Raid drops: A select handful of exotics can only drop from raid bosses.
4. The Monument to Lost Lights (aka, the “Exotics Kiosk”): A new way to acquire exotics tied to previous Season Passes or Seasonal Exotic quests no longer around.

There isn’t much more to say about Exotic engrams, only that they have a higher chance to drop from end-game activities. If collecting exotics is your priority, Nightfall: The Ordeals are for you. And the higher the difficulty, the higher the chance to get one.

Things can always change in future seasons, and the best way to be prepared is to keep an eye on our Destiny 2 Roadmap.

Image: Reddit user Kaizion

Exotic quests

Exotic quests are a different story. They are, for the most part, long and complicated, each deserving a good tutorial. To get you started, you can head over to our comprehensive guide featuring all Destiny 2 exotic quests still available (including video guides), but also all the Exotic quests that were recently removed and put into the DCV (Destiny Content Vault).

But worry not, all those weapons that were left with no quest are still available…

Exotic Kiosk: The Monument to Lost Lights

Bungie recently introduced a new method to acquire most Exotic weapons that are no longer available in-game. Most of these weapons were previously connected to vaulted Exotic quests or Exotics that were connected to previous seasons. Either way, the Monument to Lost Lights has all of those exotics for sale.

You can read all about it in our Monument to Lost Lights guide, including the cost to acquire each Exotic and a complete tier list to help you prioritize.

Raid drops

Finally, a few exotics can only drop from raid bosses, such as the brand-new Eyes of Tomorrow rocket launcher which can only drop from the Deep Stone Crypt raid. You can simply filter the Tier list above and set the column “Drops from” to “Raid” to see all of them. The most infamous example was Anarchy, probably because it was one of the best PVE weapons in the game while being hard to obtain…

Exotics are unique weapons and are supposed to be difficult to obtain. And now that Bungie is sunsetting Legendary weapons, Exotics have become even more important.

Destiny 2 Beyond Light Exotics

These weapons are part of the full Tier list above, but for those who want to know more about the latest Exotics, these are all the Exotic weapons released with Beyond Light and Season of the Hunt (from latest released to oldest):

Hawkmoon

Archetype: Exotic Hand Cannon ❘ 140 RPM

Tier: Best ❘ S

Exotic Perks:

• Paracausal Shot: Final blows and precision hits with Hawkmoon grant stacks of Paracausal Charge. The final round in the magazine deals bonus damage based on the number of stacks. Stowing Hawkmoon on the final round removes this bonus.
• Transformative: Future drops of this weapon will have random rolls.

Excels in: PVP.

Eyes of Tomorrow

Weapon Type:	Rocket Launcher	Slot:	Heavy
Ammo:	Heavy	Source:	Final Encounter

Archetype: Exotic Rocket Launcher❘ 20 RPM

Tier: Strong ❘ A

Exotic Perks:

• Eyes on All: This weapon is capable of tracking and firing at multiple targets simultaneously.
• Adaptive Ordnance: Killing four or more combatants in a single volley increases the damage of the next volley.

Excels in: PVP and Gambit.

Cloudstrike

Weapon Type:	Sniper Rifle	Slot:	Arc
Ammo:	Special	Source:	Empire Hunts

Archetype: Exotic Rocket Sniper Rifle ❘ 140 RPM

Tier: Strong ❘ A

Exotic Perks:

• Mortal Polarity: Precision final blows generate a lightning bolt at the target’s location.
• Stormbringer: Rapid precision hits create a lightning storm at the point of impact.

Excels in: PVE, but can hold its own in PVP too.

The Lament

Weapon Type:	Sword	Slot:	Heavy
Ammo:	Heavy	Source:	Exotic Quest

Archetype: Exotic Sword

Tier: Best ❘ S

Exotic Perks:

• Banshee’s Wail: Increases damage, shield bypass, and adds [Shield-Piercing] shield piercing to all attacks. Gain stacks when dealing damage with revved attacks. Additional stacks increase the damage and damage resistance of heavy attacks.
• Revved Consumption: Damaging a combatant heals the wielder.

Excels in: PVE.

Salvation’s Grip

Weapon Type:	Grenade Launcher	Slot:	Stasis Heavy
Ammo:	Heavy	Source:	Exotic Quest

Archetype: Exotic Grenade Launcher ❘ 120 RPM

Tier: Weak ❘ C

Exotic Perks:

• Cryocannon: This weapon’s projectiles create Stasis crystals and freeze nearby targets.
• Flash Freeze: Charging this weapon increases the freeze radius and amount of Stasis crystals created.

Excels in: Neither.

Duality

Weapon Type:	Shotgun	Slot:	Energy
Ammo:	Special	Source:	Season 12 Pass

Archetype: Exotic Slug Shotgun ❘ 65 RPM

Tier: Average ❘ B

Exotic Perks:

• Compression Chamber: Fires a pellet spread in hip-fire or a single high-damage slug while aiming.
• On Black Wings: Pellet final blows grant a stacking precision damage and reload speed buff. Precision hits with slugs extend the duration.

Excels in: Neither.

No Time to Explain

Archetype: Exotic Pulse Rifle  ❘ 340 RPM

Tier: Best ❘ S

Exotic Perks:

• Rewind Again: Precision shots and shots against combatants slowed or frozen by Stasis will return to the magazine.
• Full Auto Trigger System: Holding down the trigger will fire this weapon at full auto.

Excels in: PVP.

Ranking criteria

For the record, as much as I tried to keep this list as objective as possible, it’s still based on my personal experience playing the PC version of the game.

Also, even with hundreds of hours of playtime, I’m far from being neither an expert on the matter nor an amazing PVE/PVP player. But that’s the whole point of this site. I’m just a blueberry who loves this game and wants to share everything I’ve learned so far!

For that reason, this Tier list also takes into account everything I’ve learned from watching hundreds of videos from the most talented Destiny 2 players out there. The Reddit Tier list from Skyknight and the video Tier list from Skarrow9 were both great sources of inspiration.

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! A good example is Fighting Lion. Not the most efficient but sooooo much fun to use!

If you strongly disagree with some of the rankings here, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section. But more importantly, what is your own personal Top 3, and why?