Best Grenade Launchers in Destiny 2: Tier List for PVP and PVE

[toc] Heavy Grenade launchers completely dominated for years until Bungie progressively buffed other weapon types in an effort to bring balance to the PVE meta.

Grenade launchers were eventually left behind, and these days, they are considered the worst Heavy weapons in the game. But that isn’t the case with Special ammo grenade launchers, which get stronger each season.

This guide covers both Heavy and Special ammo Grenade Launchers in Destiny 2, including both Exotics and Legendaries, as well as the best rolls for PVE and PVP.

Destiny 2 Grenade Launchers Tier list

The Tier list below includes every Exotic and non-sunset legendary Grenade Launcher in the game, including both Heavy and Special ammo variants. It starts with the S Tier weapons and moves down from there. It also covers both PVE and PVP, with the “Excels in” column clearly identifying in what area each weapon shines:

Name	Weapons	Type	Archetype	Ammo	Element	Requirements	In loot pool?	Rank	Source	Available?	Tier rank	Source ❘ DLC	Final Verdict	Released	Perks	Best of?
New Pacific Epitaph	New Pacific Epitaph	Grenade Launcher	Wave	Special	Stasis	Deluxe Edition	Yes		Ghost of the Deep Dungeon			Ghost of the Deep Dungeon Deluxe Edition	Slot: Stasis | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Wave	Season 21	Slot: Stasis | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Wave
Witherhoard	Witherhoard	Grenade Launcher	Exotic	Special	Kinetic	Shadowkeep	Yes	S › Best	Exotic Kiosk		Best ❘ S Excels in: PvE + PvP	Exotic Kiosk Shadowkeep	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "Projectiles fired blight the target or nearby area on impact. Blighted targets take damage over time and blight the nearby area on death." ► Witherhoard is the quintessential Grenade Launcher. It can deal good damage, lock down an area, stagger an enemy, deal with ads, and all that while being super easy to use. Witherhoard is also a counter to some 'meta' playstyles in PvP due to its AoE effect, hard countering a Ward of Dawn, or a Lorley Splendor Shield.	Season 11	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "Projectiles fired blight the target or nearby area on impact. Blighted targets take damage over time and blight the nearby area on death."	Top-tier
Dead Messenger	Dead Messenger	Grenade Launcher	Exotic	Special	Void	-	Yes	S › Best	Unobtainable		Best ❘ S Excels in: PvE + PvP	Unobtainable	Slot: Void | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "One-shot handheld Grenade Launcher. Projectiles release a fan of three energy waves on contact with the ground. You can change damage type, cycling between Solar, Arc, and Void." ► Dead Messenger is one of the most potent weapons in the game. Excelling in both PvP and PvE, this Wave Frame Grenade Launcher is not only remarkably easy to use, but it can also completely nullify the Match Game modifier with its ability to change elements.	Season 16	Slot: Void | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "One-shot handheld Grenade Launcher. Projectiles release a fan of three energy waves on contact with the ground. You can change damage type, cycling between Solar, Arc, and Void."	Top-tier
Salvager's Salvo	Salvager's Salvo	Grenade Launcher	Lightweight	Special	Arc	Free-to-Play	Yes	S › Best	Exotic Kiosk		Best ❘ S Excels in: PvE	Exotic Kiosk Free-to-Play	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Lightweight PvE God Roll: Ambitious Assassin (also good: Demolitionist) + Chain Reaction ► Salvager's Salvo is incredibly easy to obtain and is still an extremely powerful option. This is a versatile weapon with its set rolls, allowing for some backup boss damage or some of the best add clear in the game. It is perhaps slightly outmatched by Forbearance but remains close due to how easy it is to get.	Season 13	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Lightweight PvE God Roll: Ambitious Assassin (also good: Demolitionist) + Chain Reaction	Top-tier
Ignition Code	Ignition Code	Grenade Launcher	Lightweight	Special	Kinetic	Free-to-Play	Yes	S › Best	Xûr		Best ❘ S Excels in: PvE	Xûr Free-to-Play	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Lightweight PvE God Roll: Slideshot (also good: Ambitious Assassin) + Frenzy ► Breech-Loaded Grenade Launchers are very strong right now, and Ignition Code is no exception. Being the first Grenade Launcher to roll with Slideshot, it lands some points for uniqueness, but with Slideshot, you can deal high DPS or constantly blind enemies over and over.	Season 14	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Lightweight PvE God Roll: Slideshot (also good: Ambitious Assassin) + Frenzy	Top-tier
Forbearance	Forbearance	Grenade Launcher	Wave	Special	Arc	The Witch Queen	Yes	S › Best	Vow of the Disciple Raid		Best ❘ S Excels in: PvE	Vow of the Disciple Raid The Witch Queen	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Wave PvE God Roll: Ambitious Assassin (also good: Unrelenting) + Chain Reaction ► The first Wave Frame Grenade Launcher to come from a raid, Forbearance is widely regarded as the best Wave Frame we've gotten thus far. With the ability to roll the combo that made Salvager's Salvo famous, this weapon is an ad-clear machine. Not to mention, Wave Frames are extremely fun to use, and the Origin Trait is a nice cherry on top!	Season 16	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Wave PvE God Roll: Ambitious Assassin (also good: Unrelenting) + Chain Reaction	Top-tier
Lingering Dread	Lingering Dread	Grenade Launcher	Lightweight	Special	Stasis	Deluxe Edition	Yes	A › Strong	Duality Dungeon		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvE + PvP	Duality Dungeon Deluxe Edition	Slot: Stasis | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Lightweight PvE/PvP God Roll: Auto-Loading Holster (also good: Ambitious Assassin) + Chill Clip ► Lingering Dread is the first of its kind. It's the first Special Stasis Grenade Launcher, and it comes with one of the newer Stasis perks, Chill Clip. However, despite the potential nuance that Chill Clip may bring, Lingering Dread doesn't shake up the meta. It is merely another 'pretty good' option.	Season 17	Slot: Stasis | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Lightweight PvE/PvP God Roll: Auto-Loading Holster (also good: Ambitious Assassin) + Chill Clip	Top-tier
Anarchy	Anarchy	Grenade Launcher	Exotic	Heavy	Arc	Forsaken Pack	Yes	A › Strong	Exotic Kiosk		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvE	Exotic Kiosk Forsaken Pack	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "Grenades stick to surfaces and chain Arc bolts to other mines. It also has the Moving Target perk." ► Anarchy, to this day, still has the strongest damage over time effect for boss damage. In high-end content, Anarchy still holds strong and is still a decent pick for Raids or high difficulty Nightfalls as you can also deal DPS with a high damage Special weapon such as a Sniper or Fusion Rifle.	Season 5	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "Grenades stick to surfaces and chain Arc bolts to other mines. It also has the Moving Target perk."	Top-tier
Truthteller	Truthteller	Grenade Launcher	Lightweight	Special	Void	Free-to-Play	Yes	A › Strong	World loot pool		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvE	World loot pool Free-to-Play	Slot: Void | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Lightweight PvE God Roll: Auto-Loading Holster (also good: Field Prep) + Demolitionist ► Truthteller comes with a variety of strong perks, including utility perks such as Demolitionist and Quickdraw, or raw damage perks like Multikill Clip and Swashbuckler. It is a consistent option and is often kept as an option for many players, even in high-level content.	Season 11	Slot: Void | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Lightweight PvE God Roll: Auto-Loading Holster (also good: Field Prep) + Demolitionist	Top-tier
Deafening Whisper	Deafening Whisper	Grenade Launcher	Wave	Special	Void	Free-to-Play	Yes	A › Strong	Xûr		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvE	Xûr Free-to-Play	Slot: Void | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Wave PvE God Roll: Ambitious Assassin (also good: Lead From Gold) + Auto-Loading Holster ► Deafening Whisper was one of the first Wave Frame grenade launchers in Destiny 2, and it still holds strong despite some recent additions to the archetype. Deafening Whisper has a relatively small perk pool and powerful options, making it easy to get a solid roll.	Season 12	Slot: Void | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Wave PvE God Roll: Ambitious Assassin (also good: Lead From Gold) + Auto-Loading Holster	Top-tier
Pardon Our Dust	Pardon Our Dust	Grenade Launcher	Lightweight	Special	Kinetic	Free-to-Play	Yes	A › Strong	Dares of Eternity		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvE	Dares of Eternity Free-to-Play	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Lightweight PvE God Roll: Auto-Loading Holster (also good: Ambitious Assassin) + Vorpal Weapon ► Pardon Our Dust might be one of the most versatile weapons in the game. It can provide menacing add clear with Ambitious Assassin, strong backup DPS with Auto-Loading Holster and Vorpal Weapon, or work in ability-focused builds with Demolitionist or Wellspring. Pardon Our Dust is simply an excellent weapon all around.	30th Anniversary event	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Lightweight PvE God Roll: Auto-Loading Holster (also good: Ambitious Assassin) + Vorpal Weapon	Top-tier
Parasite	Parasite	Grenade Launcher	Exotic	Heavy	Solar	The Witch Queen	Yes	A › Strong	Exotic Quest		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvE	Exotic Quest The Witch Queen	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "Fires Hive worms which explode on impact. The size and damage of the explosion scales with the number of enemies you've defeated just before firing this weapon. Taking damage from your own worm projectile detonation empowers your weapons for a short time." ► Arguably the most unique gun in the game, Parasite fires live explosive worms instead of regular grenades. If you can get lots of Worm's Hunger stacks, this weapon can do some insane damage. Its unmatched burst damage and extremely high fun factor combine to make Parasite an extremely strong option in PVE.	Season 16	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "Fires Hive worms which explode on impact. The size and damage of the explosion scales with the number of enemies you've defeated just before firing this weapon. Taking damage from your own worm projectile detonation empowers your weapons for a short time."	Top-tier
Explosive Personality	Explosive Personality	Grenade Launcher	Wave	Special	Solar	Deluxe Edition	Yes	A › Strong	PsiOps Battlegrounds		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvE	PsiOps Battlegrounds Deluxe Edition	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Wave PvE God Roll: Feeding Frenzy (also good: Auto-Loading Holster) + Frenzy (also good: One For All) ► There's a lot to love about Explosive Personality. With a solid PVE-oriented perk pool and the Land Tank Origin Trait, which gives you damage resist on kill, you can't go wrong with this amazing Wave Frame Grenade Launcher.	Season 16	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Wave PvE God Roll: Feeding Frenzy (also good: Auto-Loading Holster) + Frenzy (also good: One For All)	Top-tier
Orewing's Maul	Orewing's Maul	Grenade Launcher	Lightweight	Special	Void	Free-to-Play	No	A › Strong	Iron Banner		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvP	Iron Banner Free-to-Play	Slot: Void | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Lightweight PvP God Roll: Quickdraw (also good: Pulse Monitor) + Rangefinder ► Orewing's Maul is a personal favorite. However, compared to its main rival, Truthteller, it falls slightly short in PvE due to its perk pool. However, in PvP, Orewing is excellent. With Rangefinder, you can easily reach maximum velocity, and Quickdraw allows you to hot-swap much quicker.	Season 11	Slot: Void | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Lightweight PvP God Roll: Quickdraw (also good: Pulse Monitor) + Rangefinder	Top-tier
Memory Interdict	Memory Interdict	Grenade Launcher	Adaptive	Heavy	Void	Free-to-Play	Yes	A › Strong	World loot pool		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvP	World loot pool Free-to-Play	Slot: Void | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Adaptive PvP God Roll: Impulse Amplifier (also good: Quickdraw) + Disruption Break ► Memory Interdict is a fan favourite for PvP. With a perk such as Impulse Amplifier, you can easily take down opponents due to the massively increased velocity. Impulse Amplifier also allows you to spec into Blast Radius or Handling instead of Velocity, which improves the overall stats on the gun.	Season 14	Slot: Void | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Adaptive PvP God Roll: Impulse Amplifier (also good: Quickdraw) + Disruption Break	Top-tier
Typhon GL5	Typhon GL5	Grenade Launcher	Adaptive	Heavy	Stasis	Free-to-Play	Yes	A › Strong	World loot pool		Strong ❘ A	World loot pool Free-to-Play	Slot: Stasis | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Adaptive PvE God Roll: Impulse Amplifier + Explosive Light (also good: Chill Klip) ► Even though Typhon GL5 has some great perks like Explosive Light, it doesn't excel in any part of the game simply because it's a heavy Grenade Launcher. Until these become stronger options for either ad clear or DPS, this weapon will sadly be forgotten by most of the community.	Season 16	Slot: Stasis | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Adaptive PvE God Roll: Impulse Amplifier + Explosive Light (also good: Chill Klip)	Top-tier
Crowd Pleaser	Crowd Pleaser	Grenade Launcher	Adaptive	Heavy	Void	Free-to-Play	Yes	B › Average	Playlist: Gambit		Average ❘ B Excels in: PvE	Playlist: Gambit Free-to-Play	Slot: Void | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Adaptive PvE God Roll: Threat Detector (also good: Killing Wind) + Quickdraw ► Crowd Pleaser is a decent option for PvP. It isn't as popular as some of its competition due to its vast perk pool, making it hard to get the god roll. However, Crowd Pleaser comes with good perks such as Quickdraw, Killing Wind, and Threat Detector, which are all decent choices for PvP.	Season 12	Slot: Void | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Adaptive PvE God Roll: Threat Detector (also good: Killing Wind) + Quickdraw
Empty Vessel	Empty Vessel	Grenade Launcher	Lightweight	Special	Solar	Free-to-Play	Yes	B › Average	Vanguard Focusing		Average ❘ B Excels in: PvE	Vanguard Focusing Free-to-Play	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Lightweight PvE God Roll: Auto-Loading Holster (also good: Ambitious Assassin) + Demolitionist ► Empty Vessel is still a decent option, despite the many powerful options out there. Being the first Solar Breech-Loaded Grenade launcher makes it quite unique. The main downside to Empty Vessel though is its massive perk pool.	Season 14	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Lightweight PvE God Roll: Auto-Loading Holster (also good: Ambitious Assassin) + Demolitionist
Cry Mutiny	Cry Mutiny	Grenade Launcher	Adaptive	Heavy	Solar	Free-to-Play	Yes	B › Average	Exotic Kiosk		Average ❘ B Excels in: PvE	Exotic Kiosk Free-to-Play	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Adaptive Static Roll: Incandescent + Swashbucler ► Still too early to tell, review ongoing...	Season 18	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Adaptive Static Roll: Incandescent + Swashbucler
The Militia's Birthright	The Militia's Birthright	Grenade Launcher	Lightweight	Special	Kinetic	Free-to-Play	Yes	B › Average	Nightfall: The Ordeals		Average ❘ B Excels in: PvE	Nightfall: The Ordeals Free-to-Play	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Lightweight God Rolls: Ambitious Assassin (also good: Slideways) + Auto-Loading Holster ► Still too early to tell, review ongoing...	Season 18	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Lightweight God Rolls: Ambitious Assassin (also good: Slideways) + Auto-Loading Holster
Wendigo GL3	Wendigo GL3	Grenade Launcher	Adaptive	Heavy	Arc	Free-to-Play	Yes	B › Average	Nightfall: The Ordeals		Average ❘ B Excels in: PvE	Nightfall: The Ordeals Free-to-Play	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Adaptive God Rolls: Auto-Loading Holster + Explosive Light ► Still too early to tell, review ongoing...	Season 19	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Adaptive God Rolls: Auto-Loading Holster + Explosive Light
Fighting Lion	Fighting Lion	Grenade Launcher	Exotic	Primary	Void	Free-to-Play	Yes	B › Average	Exotic Engram		Average ❘ B Excels in: PvP	Exotic Engram Free-to-Play	Slot: Void | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Exotic 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." ► The Fighting Lion can be one of the most fun weapons to use but also one of the most annoying weapons to fight against. Mastering the Fighting Lion playstyle in the Crucible can yield excellent results. However, it takes time to master and it requires quite a niche playstyle.	Season 1	Slot: Void | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Exotic 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."
Interference VI	Interference VI	Grenade Launcher	Adaptive	Heavy	Arc	Free-to-Play	Yes	B › Average	World loot pool		Average ❘ B	World loot pool Free-to-Play	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Adaptive PvE God Roll: Auto-Loading Holster (also good: Field Prep) + Full Court ► Interference VI is a decent option in terms of Heavy Grenade Launchers. It is an Adaptive frame which makes it pretty average but better than its Rapid-Fire counterparts. Interference VI also receives some points for its solid perk pool with Full Court, allowing it to deal some more damage.	Season 10	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Adaptive PvE God Roll: Auto-Loading Holster (also good: Field Prep) + Full Court
The Prospector	The Prospector	Grenade Launcher	Exotic	Heavy	Arc	Free-to-Play	Yes	C › Weak	Exotic Engram		Weak ❘ C	Exotic Engram Free-to-Play	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "Hold to fire grenades. Release to detonate all live grenades simultaneously. Grenades stick to surfaces and set targets on fire." ► The Prospector isn't too strong right now. While it does have the highest single magazine DPS out of all Grenade Launchers, it is hard to make a case for it as there are much better DPS options out there. However, should Grenade Launchers see a buff, Prospector will be a top contender for damage.	Season 1	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "Hold to fire grenades. Release to detonate all live grenades simultaneously. Grenades stick to surfaces and set targets on fire."
The Colony	The Colony	Grenade Launcher	Exotic	Heavy	Void	Free-to-Play	Yes	C › Weak	Exotic Engram		Weak ❘ C	Exotic Engram Free-to-Play	Slot: Void | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "This weapon's grenades are insectoid robots that chase targets and explode close to them." ► The Colony is a bit of a joke right now in both PvE and PvP. It is notoriously easy to avoid in the Crucible by simply jumping and is near useless in PvE due to its lack of damage. It also hogs up your exotic slot, making it not worth your time.	Season 2	Slot: Void | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "This weapon's grenades are insectoid robots that chase targets and explode close to them."
Berenger's Memory	Berenger's Memory	Grenade Launcher	Rapid-Fire	Heavy	Void	Free-to-Play	Yes	C › Weak	World loot pool		Weak ❘ C	World loot pool Free-to-Play	Slot: Void | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Rapid-Fire PvE God Roll: Field Prep + Auto-Loading Holster ► The Berenger's Memory can roll with a few decent perks in both perk slots. However, Heavy Grenade Launchers aren't in the best of places right now, so it is best to opt for stronger DPS options such as Rocket Launchers or Linear Fusion Rifles.	Season 11	Slot: Void | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Rapid-Fire PvE God Roll: Field Prep + Auto-Loading Holster
Blast Battue	Blast Battue	Grenade Launcher	Adaptive	Heavy	Arc	Free-to-Play	Yes	C › Weak	Xûr		Weak ❘ C	Xûr Free-to-Play	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Adaptive PvP God Roll: Quickdraw + Disruption Break ► Blast Battue is in the Adaptive archetype of Heavy Grenade launchers. This archetype is one of the stronger frames in PvP. However, Blast Battue falls short compared to some of its Adaptive PvP competition.	Season 12	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Adaptive PvP God Roll: Quickdraw + Disruption Break
Love and Death	Love and Death	Grenade Launcher	Rapid-Fire	Heavy	Solar	Free-to-Play	Yes	C › Weak	Moon		Weak ❘ C	Moon Free-to-Play	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Rapid-Fire PvE God Roll: Auto-Loading Holster (also good: Clown Cartridge) + Full Court ► Love and Death suffers from its archetype. Rapid-Fire Grenade Launchers don't exactly deal good total damage. However, they do excel in single magazine DPS, which means that options like Clown Cartridge can elevate Grenade Launchers like Love and Death closer to the level of Adaptive Grenade Launchers.	Season 14	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Rapid-Fire PvE God Roll: Auto-Loading Holster (also good: Clown Cartridge) + Full Court
Tarnation	Tarnation	Grenade Launcher	Rapid-Fire	Heavy	Arc	The Witch Queen	Yes	C › Weak	Wellspring		Weak ❘ C	Wellspring The Witch Queen	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Rapid-Fire PvE God Roll: Clown Cartridge + One For All ► Tarnation suffers from the poor Rapid-Fire archetype and a poor perk pool. However, the saving grace of Tarnation is its ability to be crafted, completely nullifying the RNG aspect. It can also come with Enhanced Perks, which place it above its Rapid-Fire competition.	Season 16	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Rapid-Fire PvE God Roll: Clown Cartridge + One For All
Koraxis's Distress	Koraxis's Distress	Grenade Launcher	Rapid-Fire	Heavy	Strand	Lightfall	Yes	C › Weak	Root of Nightmares Raid		Weak ❘ C	Root of Nightmares Raid Lightfall	Slot: Strand | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Rapid-Fire God Rolls: Demolitionist + Hatchling (also good: Full Court)	Season 20	Slot: Strand | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Rapid-Fire God Rolls: Demolitionist + Hatchling (also good: Full Court)
Swarm of the Raven	Swarm of the Raven	Grenade Launcher	Rapid-Fire	Heavy	Void	Free-to-Play	No	D › Worst	Iron Banner		Worst ❘ D	Iron Banner Free-to-Play	Slot: Void | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Rapid-Fire PvE God Roll: Auto-Loading Holster + Quickdraw ► Swarm of the Raven used to be one of the strongest weapons in the game back in Season of Opulence. However, Destiny 2 has changed a lot since then, and Swarm of the Raven has been left behind with its unimaginative perks and subpar archetype.	Season 11	Slot: Void | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Rapid-Fire PvE God Roll: Auto-Loading Holster + Quickdraw
Outrageous Fortune	Outrageous Fortune	Grenade Launcher	Rapid-Fire	Heavy	Solar	Free-to-Play	Yes	D › Worst	World loot pool		Worst ❘ D	World loot pool Free-to-Play	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Rapid-Fire PvE God Roll: Auto-Loading Holster + Quickdraw ► Outrageous Fortune is yet another victim of the Rapid-Fire archetype. With its lacking perk pool and low damage, Outrageous Fortune fails to compete with other Rapid-Fire Grenade Launchers, let alone stronger archetypes.	Season 11	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Rapid-Fire PvE God Roll: Auto-Loading Holster + Quickdraw
Salvation's Grip	Salvation's Grip	Grenade Launcher	Exotic	Heavy	Stasis	Beyond Light	Yes	D › Worst	Exotic Quest		Worst ❘ D	Exotic Quest Beyond Light	Slot: Stasis | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Exotic 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 hasn't evolved with the rest of the game. Previously, it was the only Stasis weapon in the game; however, simple perks like Headstone can replicate Salvation's Grip's effect without the cost of your Exotic or Heavy slot. It's best to stay away from Salvation's Grip until it receives a rework or strong catalyst.	Season 12	Slot: Stasis | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Exotic 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."
Canis Major	Canis Major	Grenade Launcher	Rapid-Fire	Heavy	Solar	Free-to-Play	Yes	D › Worst	Xûr		Worst ❘ D	Xûr Free-to-Play	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Rapid-Fire PvE God Roll: Field Prep + Vorpal Weapon ► Canis Major is a poor pick right now due to its lack of Auto-Loading Holster, which feels like a necessity for Heavy Grenade Launchers. Being a poor pick for DPS and lacking in PvP, Canis Major falls short everywhere in the game right now.	Season 15	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Rapid-Fire PvE God Roll: Field Prep + Vorpal Weapon
Wilderflight	Wilderflight	Grenade Launcher	Double Fire	Special	Void	Deluxe Edition	Yes	Ongoing	Spire of the Watcher Dungeon		Ongoing...	Spire of the Watcher Dungeon Deluxe Edition	Slot: Void | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Double Fire God Rolls: To be confirmed... ► Still too early to tell, review ongoing...	Season 19	Slot: Void | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Double Fire God Rolls: To be confirmed...
Harsh Language	Harsh Language	Grenade Launcher	Wave	Special	Void	Free-to-Play	Yes	Ongoing	World loot pool		Ongoing...	World loot pool Free-to-Play	Slot: Void | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Wave God Rolls: To be confirmed...	Season 20	Slot: Void | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Wave God Rolls: To be confirmed...
Prodigal Return	Prodigal Return	Grenade Launcher	Lightweight	Special	Arc	Season 20	Yes	Ongoing	Seasonal activity		Ongoing...	Seasonal activity Season 20	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Lightweight God Rolls: To be confirmed...	Season 20	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Special | Archetype: Lightweight God Rolls: To be confirmed...
Dimensional Hypotrochoid	Dimensional Hypotrochoid	Grenade Launcher	Wave	Heavy	Stasis	Lightfall	Yes	Ongoing	Neomuna		Ongoing...	Neomuna Lightfall	Slot: Stasis | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Wave God Rolls: To be confirmed...	Season 20	Slot: Stasis | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Wave God Rolls: To be confirmed...
Marsilion-C	Marsilion-C	Grenade Launcher	Rapid-Fire	Heavy	Solar	Free-to-Play	Yes	Ongoing	World loot pool		Ongoing...	World loot pool Free-to-Play	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Rapid-Fire God Rolls: To be confirmed...	Season 20	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Rapid-Fire God Rolls: To be confirmed...
Regnant	Regnant	Grenade Launcher	Adaptive	Heavy	Void	Season 20	Yes	Ongoing	Seasonal activity		Ongoing...	Seasonal activity Season 20	Slot: Void | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Adaptive God Rolls: To be confirmed...	Season 20	Slot: Void | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Adaptive God Rolls: To be confirmed...

These are the different Tier levels used for our 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.

More Destiny 2 Tier lists:

	Auto Rifles	Primary
	Combat Bows	Primary
	Fusion Rifles	Special
	Glaives	Special
	Grenade Launchers	Special Heavy
	Hand Cannon	Primary
	Linear Fusion Rifle	Heavy
	Machine Guns	Heavy
	Pulse Rifle	Primary
	Rocket Launcher	Heavy
	Scout Rifle	Primary
	Shotgun	Special
	Submachine Guns	Primary
	Swords	Heavy
	Trace Rifles	Special

Best Destiny 2 Grenade Launcher in 2022

This section not only covers the top Grenade launchers currently in the game, it also tells you where you can find them.

PS: This guide covers every weapon source in Destiny 2 and most of the sources below are self-explanatory, but in doubt, you can always leave a comment below or ask away on our Discord server.

Overall, these are our Top 10 favorite Grenade Launchers for PVE and PVP.

10. Lingering Dread

 Excels in PVE

Being the first Special Stasis Grenade Launcher, Lingering Dread earns some points for uniqueness. It gains some points for style by being a part of the Duality suite of weapons that all look remarkably stylish.

Lingering Dread comes with Chill Clip which functions about how you’d expect it to with a Breech-Loaded Grenade Launcher. The single shot that it fires slows targets hit. This ‘slow’ effect makes it a powerful option in the Crucible and a unique iteration on the crowd control role that Special Grenade Launchers fill in PvE content.

Despite its Stasis capabilities, Chill Clip’s main competitor is Blinding Grenades. While you can get Lingering Dread with Chill Clip and Blinding Grenades, there is no real point as the enemy is already blind, and enemies simply moving slower while blinded doesn’t amplify Lingering Dread by a large margin.

This makes it, despite its uniqueness, a pretty ‘okay’ option that will be as viable as every other Grenade Launcher in the game.

PVE God roll:

• Perk 1: Auto-Loading Holster (also good: Ambitious Assassin)
• Perk 2: Chill Clip

How to get it: Lingering Dread can be acquired by completing the first or final encounter of the Duality dungeon.

Art	Weapon	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?
	Lingering Dread	Grenade Launcher	Lightweight	Legendary	Special	Stasis	Deluxe Edition	Yes	Special	Stasis	Strong ❘ A	PvE + PvP	Duality Dungeon		Deluxe Edition	Season 17	Kinetic	No	Top-tier

9. Fighting Lion

Excels in PVP

The Fighting Lion is a unique weapon as it is the first Grenade Launcher that uses Primary ammo. This alone immediately makes it a potent option as Grenade Launchers, especially in PvP, are very powerful options due to their ‘spamming’ nature. Being able to bounce off of walls and pressure opponents behind cover is a very strong option that many players can often overlook. Fighting Lion can capitalize on spam as it has infinite ammo making it a very high-pressure weapon to play against.
Another benefit to the Fighting Lion is its excellent base stats with an incredible 100 Handling. Furthermore, its Exotic Catalyst, Chimera, allows for an even more fluid playing experience. It grants your equipped Kinetic and Heavy increased Handling and Accuracy for a brief period allowing for a blindingly fast time to kill with a ‘hot-swapping’ build.

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.”

How to get it: Fighting Lion can be acquired via Exotic engrams or Xûr.

Art	Weapon	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?
	Fighting Lion	Grenade Launcher	Exotic	Exotic	Primary	Void	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Void	Average ❘ B	PvP	Exotic Engram		Free-to-Play	Season 1	Energy	No

8. Anarchy

 Excels in PVE

Anarchy has seen quite the fall from grace. It was previously one of the most potent weapons in PvE by trivialising even the most challenging pieces of content in the game. However, Anarchy has had its damage reduced and its ammo reserves cut down.
Many other powerful options exist in the game, especially in the Heavy ammo slot with exotics Gjallarhorn or Sleeper Simulant or even with Legendaries like Reed’s Regret or Hothead. These potent options put Anarchy to the wayside as the damage it does now simply doesn’t match the other options we have.
However, despite the changes and additions of other powerful options, Anarchy remains as one of the strongest Grenade Launchers in the game. The ability to simply stick two Anarchy shots to a target and then swap to a high damage Special Weapon is still a solid option, and in certain Nightfalls with Arc Burns like Lightblade, Anarchy can still hold up as a powerful option.

Exotic Perk: “Grenades stick to surfaces and chain Arc bolts to other mines. It also has the Moving Target perk.”

How to get it: Anarchy can be purchased at the Monument to Lost Lights in the Tower.

Art	Weapon	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?
	Anarchy	Grenade Launcher	Exotic	Exotic	Heavy	Arc	Forsaken Pack	Yes	Heavy	Arc	Strong ❘ A	PvE	Exotic Kiosk		Forsaken Pack	Season 5	Heavy	No	Top-tier

7. Explosive Personality

Excels in PVP

Explosive Personality is one of the two new Wave Frame Grenade Launchers with The Witch Queen and Season of the Risen. As with all new weapons in the past season, Explosive Personality can be crafted, allowing for an easy grind to your own personal god roll.
Explosive Personality is also unique because it is the first Solar Wave Frame Grenade Launcher in the game. It comes with some excellent perk choices that allow for a curated experience.
The new Origin Trait ‘Land Tank’ also comes guaranteed on Explosive Personality. It is one of the strongest Origin Traits we got with the release of The Witch Queen. Land Tank can give you up to a 15% damage resist with three kills which is very easy to do with a Wave Frame Grenade Launcher. All of this together makes Explosive Personality a versatile and powerful option.

PVE God roll:

• Perk 1: Feeding Frenzy (also good: Auto-Loading Holster)
• Perk 2: Frenzy (also good: One For All)

How to get it: Explosive Personality can be acquired by completing PsiOps Battlegrounds and focusing Umbral engrams.

Art	Weapon	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?
	Explosive Personality	Grenade Launcher	Wave	Legendary	Special	Solar	Deluxe Edition	Yes	Special	Solar	Strong ❘ A	PvE	PsiOps Battlegrounds		Deluxe Edition	Season 16	Energy	Craftable	Top-tier

5. Ignition Code

 Excels in PVE

The Ignition Code from Season of the Splicer is a powerful option as a utility or backup weapon. With the ability to roll with Blinding Grenades, the Ignition Code can keep full rooms of enemies at bay in the way that other Grenade Launchers can’t due to Slideshot. Ignition Code is the first Grenade Launcher to come with Slideshot as a perk, and it synergises excellently with Grenade Launchers as the ability to spam Blinding Grenades at a crowd of enemies or Spike Grenades at a boss with a perk like Vorpal Weapon is excellent.
However, the downside of the Ignition Code is that aside from perhaps three perks, there are no other good perks on the gun, and with it no longer being acquirable, you may not have access to a strong roll of this weapon anymore.

PVE God roll:

• Perk 1: Slideshot (also good: Ambitious Assassin)
• Perk 2: Frenzy

How to get it: Ignition Code can be acquired from Xûr.

Art	Weapon	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?
	Ignition Code	Grenade Launcher	Lightweight	Legendary	Special	Kinetic	Free-to-Play	Yes	Special	Kinetic	Best ❘ S	PvE	Xûr		Free-to-Play	Season 14	Kinetic	No	Top-tier

5. Pardon Our Dust

 Excels in PVE

The Pardon Our Dust is a fantastic option released recently with the 30th Anniversary Pack. Players can obtain the Grenade Launcher through the gameplay loop involved with Dares of Eternity by earning treasure Keys to open the Treasure Chest by Xur.
The Pardon Our Dust is a consistent option that is not too hard to farm out and can roll with some excellent perks for boss damage or add control. Like most other Grenade Launchers, it comes with the standard Blinding Grenades or Spike Grenade. Furthermore, Pardon Our Dust can roll with perks like Ambitious Assassin, Auto-Loading Holster, Vorpal Weapon, Demolitionist or even damage perks such as Adrenaline Junkie, it is like the swiss-army knife of Legendary Grenade Launchers. It covers almost all bases and performs excellently across the entire game.

PVE God roll:

• Perk 1: Auto-Loading Holster (also good: Ambitious Assassin)
• Perk 2: Vorpal Weapon

How to get it: Pardon Our Dust can be acquired by completing Dares of Eternity runs or turning in Treasure keys in Eternity.

Art	Weapon	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?
	Pardon Our Dust	Grenade Launcher	Lightweight	Legendary	Special	Kinetic	Free-to-Play	Yes	Special	Kinetic	Strong ❘ A	PvE	Dares of Eternity		Free-to-Play	30th Anniversary event	Kinetic	Craftable	Top-tier

4. Salvager’s Salvo

 Excels in PVE

Salvager’s Salvo is one of the most satisfying weapons in the game. With its set roll of Ambitious Assassin and Chain Reaction, Salvager’s Salvo becomes an add clearing beast. It can also deal some substantial damage as it comes with Spike Grenades and the choice of Vorpal Weapon in the final perk slot.

Salvager’s Salvo is still, to this day, is still one of the best options and a commonly used option, ranking 54th out of all weapons in terms of PvE usage on DestinyTracker.com’s usage list.

Another bonus for the Salvager’s Salvo is that it is straightforward to grab the quest from the Abandoned Quests terminal by the Postmaster and get grinding for it.

In PvP, Salvager’s Salvo is a powerful option due to its Spike Grenades. Grenade Launchers are still quite the menace in the Crucible. With the ability to score a one-hit kill on a direct hit, Salvager’s Salvo emerges as a simple and powerful option in PvP.

PVE God roll:

• Perk 1: Ambitious Assassin (also good: Demolitionist)
• Perk 2: Chain Reaction

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

3. Dead Messenger

Excels in PVE and PVP

The Dead Messenger is a new Exotic Grenade Launcher that dropped with The Witch Queen and is the first Exotic Wave-Frame to be introduced into Destiny 2.
The Dead Messenger comes with the perk that appears on both Hard Light and Borealis, The Fundamentals. This perk allows you to swap between Solar, Arc and Void damage making Dead Messenger a versatile option in Match Game content. This ‘changing element’ feature also allows it to synergise excellently with all of the revamped subclasses such as Void 3.0 and Solar or Arc 3.0 later.
However, what makes Dead Messenger different is the Trinary Vision perk which releases three waves instead of the regular one that comes with Legendary Wave Frames. This perk makes it a menace in the Crucible as it is much harder to avoid and forces you to jump, making it an easy kill for your opponent. In many players’ opinions, it will be one of the meta picks in Season 17 for fast and easy kills.

Exotic Perk: “One-shot handheld Grenade Launcher. Projectiles release a fan of three energy waves on contact with the ground. You can change damage type, cycling between Solar, Arc, and Void.”

How to get it: Dead Messenger can be acquired by completing an Exotic quest.

Art	Weapon	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?
	Dead Messenger	Grenade Launcher	Exotic	Exotic	Special	Void	-	Yes	Special	Void	Best ❘ S	PvE + PvP	Unobtainable			Season 16	Energy	No	Top-tier

2. Forbearance

Best PVE Grenade Launcher in Destiny 2

The Forbearance is the new Special Ammo add clearing monster dropping from the new raid, Vow of the Disciple. Due to its perk pool and element, it is a direct rival to the Salvager’s Salvo, as Forbearance can also roll with perks such as Ambitious Assassin and Chain Reaction.
While the Forbearance is much harder to obtain, in my own and many other players’ opinions, it is well worth it as Forbearance is much easier to use than Salvager’s Salvo, but it also is much easier to use and can provide some better add clear too.
The ‘wave’ of damage that Wave-Frames provide is quite wide and easy to hit, even on the most mobile targets. However, with options like Salvager’s Salvo, you are more prone to missing and dealing hardly any damage. Overall, Forbearance is a weapon you undoubtedly want in your inventory.

PVE God roll:

• Perk 1: Ambitious Assassin (also good: Unrelenting)
• Perk 2: Chain Reaction

How to get it: Forbearance can be acquired by completing the second or final encounter of the Vow of the Disciple raid.

Art	Weapon	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?
	Forbearance	Grenade Launcher	Wave	Legendary	Special	Arc	The Witch Queen	Yes	Special	Arc	Best ❘ S	PvE	Vow of the Disciple Raid		The Witch Queen	Season 16	Energy	Craftable	Top-tier

1. Witherhoard

Excels in PVE and PVP

Witherhoard is one of the best weapons in the entire game. It provides damage over time, area denial, add clear and can counter some of the most oppressive abilities in the Crucible.
The main strength of Witherhoard lies in its versatility. It is one of the best add clearing weapons in the game as it can lock down spawn doors, not even giving the enemies a chance to spawn in and shoot you. This alone makes it a near must-have in your inventory for some of the game’s hardest and most prestigious pieces of content, such as Grandmaster Nightfalls or even Day One Raids.
In the Crucible, Witherhoard is one of the strongest counters to Ward of Dawn. Many in the PvP community agree to be powerful options in gamemodes such as Trials of Osiris or Competitive. Overall, Witherhoard is an excellent option and is a weapon you should have with you at all times.

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.”

How to get it: Witherhoard can be purchased at the Monument to Lost Lights in the Tower.

Art	Weapon	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?
	Witherhoard	Grenade Launcher	Exotic	Exotic	Special	Kinetic	Shadowkeep	Yes	Special	Kinetic	Best ❘ S	PvE + PvP	Exotic Kiosk		Shadowkeep	Season 11	Kinetic	No	Top-tier

Grenade Launchers in PVP: Lethality & TTK

TTK is particularly important in PVP, because the lowest the TTK, the faster you can kill your opponent. You can read all about it in our TTK guide.

However, TTK applies to Primary ammo weapons for the most part. When it comes to Special and Heavy ammo weapons, such as Grenade Launchers, you want an effective weapon that can consistently deliver one-hit-kills.

Heavy grenade launchers

In that department, Heavy grenade launchers can do the job. In fact, I like them a lot because their ammo economy (usually 3 grenades) can help you secure 3 kills if you play your cards right.

Special grenade launchers

Special ammo Grenade launchers were not made for one-hit-kills and it shows. However, they can still be excellent for area control. Witherhoard can do wonders there.

Grenade Launchers in PVE: DPS

DPS is important for PVE, because 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. Below you can find the latest DPS figures for grenade launchers:

Are GENRE Meta?

We’ve talked about the best Grenade Launchers for PVE and PVP already, but how do they compare, in general, with other primary weapon types? In other words:

Are Grenade launchers good in Destiny 2?

The current Meta for PVE

This table summarizes how the several primary weapon types rank against each other in PVE:

Special ammo:

Weapon Type	Rank	Tier	Trend	Role ❘ Current State	Category
Shotguns	A › Strong	Strong ❘ A	-	► Shotguns overall are pretty good right now. There are a good number of Pellet and Slug shotguns that can be used in most content, and shotguns are also an integral part of many melee builds thanks to the shotgun-exclusive '1-2 Punch' perk. However, their severe lack of range makes them a risky pick for high-level content. ► Best Archetype: Pinpoint Slug - Example: Heritage	PVE Specials
Grenade Launchers	S › Best	Best ❘ S	-	► Grenade Launchers are brilliant right now. They are versatile and are arguably the best pick in almost all areas. They can have excellent add control through Blinding Grenades or the Wave Frame archetype, and they can also deal good boss damage in a 'hotswap' build with Spike Grenades. Simply put, having a strong arsenal of Grenade Launchers is something you should definitely prioritize if you're looking to get into high-level content. ► All Breach Grenade Launchers share the same archetype	PVE Specials
Sniper Rifles	C › Weak	Weak ❘ C		► Sniper Rifles are not in a great place right now. They are completely outclassed by Linear Fusion Rifles in terms of DPS and are also lacking at ad clear/major killing by Shotguns and Grenade Launchers. Snipers are also quite difficult to use as they are precision-based weapons. They can be used as a backup DPS weapon if you don't have access to an Arbalest, for example, but right now, they are too niche to recomment. ► Best Archetype: Adaptive (140 RPM) - Example: Succession	PVE Specials
Fusion Rifles	A › Strong	Strong ❘ A		► Fusion Rifles are pretty good right now. They have slightly more range than Shotguns, making them a safer pick in high-level content, however, they lack a top-tier perk such as '1-2 Punch' to rise to S-tier status. Still, they remain a consistent pick for mid to high-level content. ► Best Archetype: Rapid-Fire (500ms Charge Time) - Example: Cartesian Coordinate	PVE Specials
Glaives	B › Average	Average ❘ B	-	► Glaives require a bit of getting used to, but when you do, they can grant you crazy levels of damage resistance. However, they are quite a risky pick, especially if you haven't learned how to master them first. Glaives are also one-dimensional. There is basically no reason to use their melee attack, which is unfortunate as that is probably the most fun part of the Glaives. ► All Glaives share the same archetype	PVE Specials
Linear Fusion Rifles	S › Best	Best ❘ S		► There are only two Linear Fusion Rifles that use Special ammo, but when one of them is arguably the strongest weapon in the game, they have to be ranked S tier. Arbalest is an absolute must-have if you want to take endgame content seriously. Lorentz Driver is an okay option, but Arbalest is completely overpowered and is an excellent pick for whatever content you throw at it.	PVE Specials
Trace Rifles	B › Average	Average ❘ B	-	► Trace Rifles are a strange pick. Legendary Trace Rifles are a very niche pick right now, but Exotic trace Rifles are all pretty good. Wavesplitter can do well with certain builds, and Divinity is always a good pick, even despite the nerfs.	PVE Specials

Heavy ammo:

Weapon Type	Rank	Tier	Trend	Role ❘ Current State	Category
Swords	B › Average	Average ❘ B		► Main roles: Add Clear & Single Target damage (i.e. Boss damage). ► Swords have fallen slightly out of the meta since the days of Falling Guillotine, however, they are still a solid pick. Swords like The Lament and Heartshadow are both solid options for slaying majors and dealing good boss damage. They are unfortunately very risky, though, and when Linear Fusion Rifles deal the incredible amount of damage they do right now, it is difficult to recommend Swords. ► Best Archetype: Exotics - Example: The Lament	PVE Heavies
Rocket Launchers	A › Strong	Strong ❘ A	-	► Main role: Burst Damage (Secondary role: Add Clear) ► Rocket Launchers are solid options. They deal good burst damage and are effective for killing high-health targets like Majors quickly. Their ammo economy is poor, unfortunately, meaning that you will need to be conservative with how you use your rockets. ► Best Archetype: Adaptive (20 RPM) - Example: The Hothead	PVE Heavies
Linear Fusion Rifles	S › Best	Best ❘ S		► Main role: Single Target damage (Secondary role: Burst Damage) ► Linear Fusion Rifles are the cream of the crop. They can deal very high damage consistently. They have solid DPS and incredible total damage, making them amazing for Raids and other high-level pieces of content. There are also plenty of strong options right now, including the Taipan-4FR or Cataclysmic, which both come with excellent perks and have good damage. ► Best Archetype: Precision (533 RPM) - Example: Reed's Regret	PVE Heavies
Machine Guns	B › Average	Average ❘ B	-	► Main role: Add Clear ► Machine Guns are a different kind of Power weapon. Instead of focusing on boss damage (outside of Xenophage), Machine Guns focus on ad clear. And they are excellent at ad clear, especially Thunderlord; however, given that abilities and primary weapons are excellent at add clear, Machine Guns are currently mediocre options for your Heavy slot. ► Best Archetype: Adaptive (140 RPM) - Example:	PVE Heavies
Grenade Launchers	D › Worst	Worst ❘ D		► Main role: Add Clear (Secondary role: Single Target Damage). ► Grenade Launchers are in a very sad state right now. Outside of maybe Typhon GL5, Heavy Grenade Launchers are in a terrible spot. They do not have great boss damage and also do not have good add clear, making them very, very pointless in all content. ► Best Archetype: Adaptive (120 RPM) - Example: Typhon GL5	PVE Heavies
Exotic Sniper Rifles	C › Weak	Weak ❘ C	-	► Main role: Single Target damage ► Exotic Snipers are very niche. They are far from the top of the meta right now as they are simply harder to use and in many ways inferior to Linear Fusion Rifles. ► Best Archetype: Aggressive (72 RPM) - Example: Whisper of the Worm	PVE Heavies

The current Meta for PVP

What about PVP? This table summarizes how they rank against each other in PVP:

Special ammo:

Weapon Type	Rank	Tier	Trend	Role ❘ Current State	Category
Shotguns	A › Strong	Strong ❘ A		► Shotguns received a significant change in Season 19 that made their pellet spread more consistent overall. With pre-determined spread patterns per archetype, and the reversal of some widely disliked nerfs, Shotguns are coming back. ► Best Archetype: Lightweight (65 RPM)- Example: Matador 64	PVP Specials
Linear Fusion Rifles	A › Strong	Strong ❘ A	-	► The special ammo Linear Fusion category of weapon is rather barren, but the two weapons that occupy it, Arbalest and Lorentz Driver, are both forces to be reckoned with. While they have received some deserved nerfs throughout Seasons 17-19, they remain a solid choice for players wanting a long-range option.	PVP Specials
Sniper Rifles	S › Best	Best ❘ S	-	► Sniper Rifles are in an excellent place right now. After the nerfs to Linear Fusion Rifles, it only makes sense that Sniper usage picks up, and with options that come stacked with aim assist and excellent perks like Defiance of Yasmin or Beloved, it's easy to see why Snipers have risen up the ranks. ► Best Archetype: Adaptive (90 RPM)- Example: Beloved	PVP Specials
Trace Rifles	B › Average	Average ❘ B		► Trace Rifles are quite a niche pick and will fall short as a competitive option in most players' hands. Even once you learn to master Trace Rifles, you'll be better off with a Special weapon that can provide a one-hit-kill t rather than one that can be out-dueled by a Primary weapon. ► All Archetypes are 1000 RPM - Best Option: Coldheart	PVP Specials
Glaives	A › Strong	Strong ❘ A	-	► Glaives are somewhat of a sleeper pick. However, with the Season 19 buffs and hit registration improvements they received, they can be quite annoying to play against. However, they do remain heavily outclassed by other mid to long-range options, and can't compete at close range due to the lackluster melee. ► Best Archetype: Adaptive (55 RPM)- Example: The Enigma	PVP Specials
Fusion Rifles	S › Best	Best ❘ S		► Fusion Rifles have seen buff after buff, and with Season of the Haunted, they finally saw a slight nerf. However, this change hasn't altered the state of Fusion Rifles enough to consider them noticeably weaker than before. They are able to cover the close-medium range excellently and a good Fusion Rifle player can be incredibly hard to beat. ► Best Archetype: Precision (780ms Charge Time) - Example: Main Ingredient	PVP Specials
Grenade Launchers	A › Strong	Strong ❘ A	-	► Grenade Launchers remain the most 'annoying' option in PvP. The ability to flush players out from cover is not lost on players in PvP, and being able to 1-hit kill with certain rolls allows Grenade Launchers to be a highly tactical, but also lethal option. They also serve as an excellent 'hot-swap' choice to allow for easy cleanups with your Primary weapon. ► Best Archetype: Wave Frame - Example: Dead Messenger	PVP Specials

Heavy ammo:

Weapon Type	Rank	Tier	Trend	Role ❘ Current State	Category
Rocket Launchers	S › Best	Best ❘ S	-	► Rocket Launchers remain a staple in many players' loadouts. They can provide high-range one-shot kills, and can also do AoE damage which can potentially allow you to clear teams if they are close enough together. ► Best Archetype: Precision (15 RPM) - Example: Gjallarhorn	PVP Heavies
Machine Guns	A › Strong	Strong ❘ A	-	► Machine Guns are still an incredible option for Control as they can provide many kills. However, they do require multiple shots to kill which can lead to you potentially being Sniped or peak-shot by a Primary Weapon. ► Best Archetype: Adaptive (450 RPM) - Example: Corrective Measure	PVP Heavies
Grenade Launchers	S › Best	Best ❘ S		► Heavy Grenade Launchers are an incredible option for those who are confident in landing their direct hits. They can functionally serve as a Rocket Launcher, but instead of coming with only a single shot, Grenade Launchers can bring 3, which, of course, means more potential kills. ► Best Archetype: Adaptive (120 RPM) - Example: Memory Interdict	PVP Heavies
Swords	C › Weak	Weak ❘ C	-	► Swords are perhaps the most fun option (especially with Eager Edge), however, they are too inconsistent to warrant any competitive use. Furthermore, benefitting from third-person view is no longer possible without Heavy ammo, making the only niche usage swords had now redundant. ► Best Archetype: Adaptive/Lightweight- Examples: Half-Truths/Quickfang	PVP Heavies
Linear Fusion Rifles	C › Weak	Weak ❘ C		Linear fusion rifles are in the middle of an identity crisis. They are stronger than sniper rifles and have more aim assistance, but they still require Heavy ammo and a headshot to one-shot an enemy. On top of that, they also have a charge time to take into account. Compared to a sniper rifle that fires immediately and only uses Special ammo, Linear Fusion rifles make little sense for the Crucible. In PVP, you want a Heavy weapon that can either easily down several guardians or guarantee a kill in a high-stakes match. It isn't impossible to do with a linear fusion rifle, but other weapon types can accomplish that more easily.	PVP Heavies

Your turn

You now know everything there is to know about Grenade launchers in Destiny 2, whether that is for PVP or PVE content.