Best Grenade Launchers in Destiny 2: Tier List for PvP & PvE

Heavy Grenade launchers dominated for years until Bungie progressively buffed other weapon types in an effort to bring balance to the PvE meta. Bungie clearly overdid it, and GLs quickly became the worst Heavy weapons in the game. But after a few buffs, are Power Grenade launchers finally competitive? 

This guide covers all Grenade launchers in Destiny 2 and their best rolls for PvE and PvP.

Updated as of Episode 1: Echoes. See Updates.

Top Tier Heavy Grenade Launchers (Episode 1)

This Tier list features the best Heavy Exotic and Legendary GLs right now:

Item	Weapons	Type	Archetype	Ammo?	Element?	Requirements	In loot pool?	Rank	Source	Available?	Tier rank	Source ❘ DLC	Final Verdict	Released	Perks	Best of?
Edge Transit	Edge Transit Grenade Launcher	Grenade Launcher	Adaptive	Heavy	Void	Free-to-Play	Yes	S › Best	Onslaught Activity		Best ❘ S Excels in: PvE	Onslaught Activity Free-to-Play	Slot: Void | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Adaptive PvE God Roll: Envious Assassin (also good: Cascade Point) + Bait and Switch ► Edge Transit's refresh has turned it into a meta DPS weapon. Envious Assassin lets it virtually load its entire reserves into one mag, and Bait and Switch is still as powerful as ever. Cascade Point is a good alternative to Envious in certain loadouts.	Into the Light	Slot: Void | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Adaptive PvE God Roll: Envious Assassin (also good: Cascade Point) + Bait and Switch	Top-tier
Wendigo GL3	Wendigo GL3 Grenade Launcher	Grenade Launcher	Adaptive	Heavy	Arc	Free-to-Play	Yes	A › Strong	Nightfall: The Ordeals		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvE + PvP	Nightfall: The Ordeals Free-to-Play	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Adaptive PvE God Rolls: Auto-Loading Holster (also good: Field Prep) + Explosive Light (also good: Cascade Point) ► Wendigo GL3's old curated roll is still available, and with spike grenades, it's actually better than its original incarnation for PvE. Try out Cascade Point for a different spin on DPS. For PvP, Grenade Launchers are top-tier, and the Wendigo GL3 is no exception. Impulse Amplifier + Rangefinder allows for a projectile speed of 58m/s, making securing kills remarkably easy with this weapon.	Season 19	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Adaptive PvE God Rolls: Auto-Loading Holster (also good: Field Prep) + Explosive Light (also good: Cascade Point)	Top-tier
Parasite	Parasite Grenade Launcher	Grenade Launcher	Exotic	Heavy	Solar	The Witch Queen	Yes	A › Strong	Exotic Quest		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvE	Exotic Quest 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
Typhon GL5	Typhon GL5 Grenade Launcher	Grenade Launcher	Adaptive	Heavy	Stasis	Free-to-Play	Yes	A › Strong	Gunsmith		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvE	Gunsmith Free-to-Play	Slot: Stasis | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Adaptive PvE God Roll: Impulse Amplifier + Explosive Light (also good: Chill Klip) ► With changes to grenade hit detection, Typhon GL5 is a solid option for both PvE and PvP, even if it lacks Auto-Loading Holster. It also earns points for being one of two world Heavy GLs to get Explosive Light.	Season 16	Slot: Stasis | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Adaptive PvE God Roll: Impulse Amplifier + Explosive Light (also good: Chill Klip)	Top-tier
Marsilion-C	Marsilion-C Grenade Launcher	Grenade Launcher	Rapid-Fire	Heavy	Solar	Free-to-Play	Yes	A › Strong	Lost Sector		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvE	Lost Sector Free-to-Play	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Rapid-Fire PvE God Rolls: Envious Assassin (also good: Field Prep) + Explosive Light ► The only Rapid Fire to get the coveted Explosive Light perk, Marsilion-C is a standout in its frame. While it lacks Auto-Loading Holster, changes to Envious Assassin will make it irrelevant, and make this GL worth the farm.	Season 20	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Rapid-Fire PvE God Rolls: Envious Assassin (also good: Field Prep) + Explosive Light	Top-tier
Regnant	Regnant Grenade Launcher	Grenade Launcher	Adaptive	Heavy	Void	Lightfall	Yes	A › Strong	Avalon		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvE	Avalon Lightfall	Slot: Void | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Adaptive PvE God Rolls: Auto-Loading Holster (also good: Envious Assassin) + Explosive Light (also good: Destabilising Rounds) ► Regnant might be a Void Wendigo on paper, but the ability to use all 7 Explosive Light shots in one mag makes it just that much better. Plus, it doubles as a perfect ad clear weapon with destabilizing rounds, making explosions out of explosions.	Season 20	Slot: Void | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Adaptive PvE God Rolls: Auto-Loading Holster (also good: Envious Assassin) + Explosive Light (also good: Destabilising Rounds)	Top-tier
Memory Interdict	Memory Interdict Grenade Launcher	Grenade Launcher	Adaptive	Heavy	Void	Free-to-Play	Yes	A › Strong	Xûr		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvP	Xûr Free-to-Play	Slot: Void | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Adaptive PvP God Roll: Impulse Amplifier (also good: Quickdraw )+ Danger Zone ► 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. And with Danger Zone, you can ensure you'll deal at least some damage with your shots in case you need to follow-up.	Season 14	Slot: Void | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Adaptive PvP God Roll: Impulse Amplifier (also good: Quickdraw )+ Danger Zone	Top-tier
Cataphract GL3	Cataphract GL3 Grenade Launcher	Grenade Launcher	Adaptive	Heavy	Strand	The Final Shape	Yes	A › Strong	Trials of Osiris		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvP	Trials of Osiris The Final Shape	Slot: Strand | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Adaptive PvP God Rolls: Impulse Amplifier + Vorpal Weapon ► Grenade Launchers are reliable options for PvP as they can typically secure very easy kills on multiple targets if you are accurate. On top of that, Cataphract features great stats and all the right perks to excel in high stakes PvP.	Season 22	Slot: Strand | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Adaptive PvP God Rolls: Impulse Amplifier + Vorpal Weapon	Top-tier

💠 We cover Special ammo Breech-Loaded Grenade launchers here.

Heavy Grenade Launchers: Complete List

This list includes every viable GL in the game:

Art	Name	Type	Archetype	Rarity	Ammo?	Element?	Requirements	In loot pool?	Ammo	Element	Tier	Excels	Source	Craftable?	Requires	Released	Slot	Can be Crafted?	Best of?	Top Perk?
	Anarchy	Grenade Launcher	Exotic	Exotic	Heavy	Arc	Forsaken Pack	Yes	Heavy	Arc	C › Weak	-	Exotic Kiosk	No	Forsaken Pack	Season 5	Heavy	No
	Parasite	Grenade Launcher	Exotic	Exotic	Heavy	Solar	The Witch Queen	Yes	Heavy	Solar	A › Strong	PvE	Exotic Quest	No	Witch Queen	Season 16	Heavy	No	Top-tier
	Salvation's Grip	Grenade Launcher	Exotic	Exotic	Heavy	Stasis	Beyond Light Pack	Yes	Heavy	Stasis	D › Worst	-	Exotic Quest	No	Beyond Light Pack	Season 12	Heavy	No
	The Colony	Grenade Launcher	Exotic	Exotic	Heavy	Void	Free-to-Play	Yes	Heavy	Void	D › Worst	-	Exotic Engram	No	Free-to-Play	Season 2	Heavy	No
	The Prospector	Grenade Launcher	Exotic	Exotic	Heavy	Arc	Free-to-Play	Yes	Heavy	Arc	D › Worst	-	Exotic Engram	No	Free-to-Play	Season 1	Heavy	No
	Acosmic GSp	Grenade Launcher	Rapid-Fire	Legendary	Heavy	Void	Free-to-Play	Yes	Heavy	Void	C › Weak	-	Event: Festival of the Lost	No	Free-to-Play	Season 22	Heavy	No
	Berenger's Memory	Grenade Launcher	Rapid-Fire	Legendary	Heavy	Void	Free-to-Play	Yes	Heavy	Void	C › Weak	-	World loot pool	No	Free-to-Play	Season 11	Heavy	No
	Blast Battue	Grenade Launcher	Adaptive	Legendary	Heavy	Arc	Free-to-Play	Yes	Heavy	Arc	C › Weak	-	Lost Sector	No	Free-to-Play	Season 12	Heavy	No
	Canis Major	Grenade Launcher	Rapid-Fire	Legendary	Heavy	Solar	Free-to-Play	Yes	Heavy	Solar	B › Average	PvE	Xûr	No	Free-to-Play	Season 15	Heavy	No
	Cataphract GL3	Grenade Launcher	Adaptive	Legendary	Heavy	Strand	The Final Shape	Yes	Heavy	Strand	A › Strong	PvP	Trials of Osiris	No	The Final Shape	Season 22	Heavy	No	Top-tier	Bait and Switch
	Crowd Pleaser	Grenade Launcher	Adaptive	Legendary	Heavy	Void	Free-to-Play	Yes	Heavy	Void	B › Average	PvE	Playlist: Gambit	No	Free-to-Play	Season 12	Heavy	No
	Cry Mutiny	Grenade Launcher	Adaptive	Legendary	Heavy	Solar	Free-to-Play	Yes	Heavy	Solar	B › Average	PvE	Exotic Kiosk	No	Free-to-Play	Season 18	Heavy	No
	Dimensional Hypotrochoid	Grenade Launcher	Wave	Legendary	Heavy	Stasis	Lightfall	Yes	Heavy	Stasis	B › Average	PvE	Neomuna	Yes	Lightfall	Season 20	Heavy	Craftable
	Edge Transit	Grenade Launcher	Adaptive	Legendary	Heavy	Void	Free-to-Play	Yes	Heavy	Void	S › Best	PvE	Onslaught Activity	No	Free-to-Play	Into the Light	Heavy	No	Top-tier	Bait and Switch
	Hullabaloo	Grenade Launcher	Wave	Legendary	Heavy	Arc	Free-to-Play	Yes	Heavy	Arc	B › Average	PvE	Event: Guardian Games	No	Free-to-Play	Season 23	Heavy	No		Voltshot
	Interference VI	Grenade Launcher	Adaptive	Legendary	Heavy	Arc	Free-to-Play	Yes	Heavy	Arc	B › Average	-	World loot pool	No	Free-to-Play	Season 10	Heavy	No
	Koraxis's Distress	Grenade Launcher	Rapid-Fire	Legendary	Heavy	Strand	Lightfall	Yes	Heavy	Strand	B › Average	-	Root of Nightmares Raid	Yes	Lightfall	Season 20	Heavy	Craftable		Reconstruction
	Love and Death	Grenade Launcher	Rapid-Fire	Legendary	Heavy	Solar	Free-to-Play	Yes	Heavy	Solar	C › Weak	-	Moon	No	Free-to-Play	Season 14	Heavy	No
	Marsilion-C	Grenade Launcher	Rapid-Fire	Legendary	Heavy	Solar	Free-to-Play	Yes	Heavy	Solar	A › Strong	PvE	Lost Sector	Yes	Free-to-Play	Season 20	Heavy	Craftable	Top-tier	Incandescent,Explosive Light
	Memory Interdict	Grenade Launcher	Adaptive	Legendary	Heavy	Void	Free-to-Play	Yes	Heavy	Void	A › Strong	PvP	Xûr	No	Free-to-Play	Season 14	Heavy	No	Top-tier
	Outrageous Fortune	Grenade Launcher	Rapid-Fire	Legendary	Heavy	Solar	Free-to-Play	Yes	Heavy	Solar	D › Worst	-	World loot pool	No	Free-to-Play	Season 11	Heavy	No
	Regnant	Grenade Launcher	Adaptive	Legendary	Heavy	Void	Lightfall	Yes	Heavy	Void	A › Strong	PvE	Avalon	Yes	Lightfall	Season 20	Heavy	Craftable	Top-tier	Destabilizing Rounds,Repulsor Brace,Explosive Light
	Swarm of the Raven	Grenade Launcher	Rapid-Fire	Legendary	Heavy	Void	Free-to-Play	No	Heavy	Void	B › Average	-	Iron Banner	No	Free-to-Play	Season 11	Heavy	No
	Tarnation	Grenade Launcher	Rapid-Fire	Legendary	Heavy	Arc	The Witch Queen	Yes	Heavy	Arc	C › Weak	-	Wellspring	Yes	Witch Queen	Season 16	Heavy	Craftable
	Typhon GL5	Grenade Launcher	Adaptive	Legendary	Heavy	Stasis	Free-to-Play	Yes	Heavy	Stasis	A › Strong	PvE	Gunsmith	No	Free-to-Play	Season 16	Heavy	No	Top-tier	Explosive Light
	Wendigo GL3	Grenade Launcher	Adaptive	Legendary	Heavy	Arc	Free-to-Play	Yes	Heavy	Arc	A › Strong	PvE + PvP	Nightfall: The Ordeals	No	Free-to-Play	Season 19	Heavy	No	Top-tier	Explosive Light

Tier Ranks used for our list:

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

Best D2 Grenade Launchers Today

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

5. Parasite

 Excels in PVE

Dropping from a post-Witch Queen mission, Parasite is THE ruler of single mag damage. Now, that’s partially due to it having only one shot loaded at a time, but the other part is due to its perk letting you hit around 600k damage in that single shot, and all for the low cost of killing 20 enemies with other guns. What’s more is that if you get hit by the explosion, you get a 15% damage buff to all guns, letting you get in even more extra damage.

Talk to Mara after the WQ campaign to start your quest for this monster exotic now!

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”.

How to get it:

Art	Name	Type	Archetype	Rarity	Ammo?	Element?	Requirements	In loot pool?	Ammo	Element	Tier	Excels	Source	Craftable?	Requires	Released	Slot	Can be Crafted?	Best of?	Top Perk?
	Parasite	Grenade Launcher	Exotic	Exotic	Heavy	Solar	The Witch Queen	Yes	Heavy	Solar	A › Strong	PvE	Exotic Quest	No	Witch Queen	Season 16	Heavy	No	Top-tier

4. Anarchy

 Excels in PVE

Once the king of free damage, Anarchy’s time has since passed, but it remains one of the best Heavy GLs.

A raid drop from Scourge, now purchasable at the Monument to Lost Light, Anarchy still ranks high on this list, even if it’s seen a fair share of nerfs. While Witherhoard is objectively better for damage over time, Anarchy is able to stack with others, making it a good pick for the old double slug meta or possibly even snipers.

Head into some raids and grab those 240 spoils so that this exotic GL can be yours! 

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	Name	Type	Archetype	Rarity	Ammo?	Element?	Requirements	In loot pool?	Ammo	Element	Tier	Excels	Source	Craftable?	Requires	Released	Slot	Can be Crafted?	Best of?	Top Perk?
	Anarchy	Grenade Launcher	Exotic	Exotic	Heavy	Arc	Forsaken Pack	Yes	Heavy	Arc	C › Weak	-	Exotic Kiosk	No	Forsaken Pack	Season 5	Heavy	No

3. Regnant

 Excels in PVE

While Regnant might seem like a Void Wendigo, it is much more than that.

Many joke that Regnant, with its roll of Auto-Loading Holster + Explosive Light, is just a craftable Wendigo, but that downplays the true standout perks here, being Envious Assassin + Destabilizing Rounds. Since Heavy GLs, for the most part, won’t be outclassing rockets for DPS, this leans heavily into the large ad clear fantasy, making short work of them in any content. These are the top Regnant God Rolls:

• PvE God roll: Envious Assassin + Destabilizing Rounds

How to get it: Regnant is hard to acquire these days. Xûr may randomly sell it on weekends from time to time.

Art	Name	Type	Archetype	Rarity	Ammo?	Element?	Requirements	In loot pool?	Ammo	Element	Tier	Excels	Source	Craftable?	Requires	Released	Slot	Can be Crafted?	Best of?	Top Perk?
	Regnant	Grenade Launcher	Adaptive	Legendary	Heavy	Void	Lightfall	Yes	Heavy	Void	A › Strong	PvE	Avalon	Yes	Lightfall	Season 20	Heavy	Craftable	Top-tier	Destabilizing Rounds,Repulsor Brace,Explosive Light

2. Edge Transit

 Excels in PVE

While you’re unlikely to see Edge Transit used during Season of the Wish, many speculate that the weapon will be the king of DPS upon the launch of The Final Shape.

With the same perk pool that made Cataphract GL3 so popular upon its release, Edge Transit offers the best heavy grenade launcher experience possible while being extremely easy to obtain. These are the top Edge Transit God Rolls:

• PvE God roll: Envious Assassin + Bait and Switch

How to get it: Edge Transit is a Brave weapon from the Onslaught activity.

Art	Name	Type	Archetype	Rarity	Ammo?	Element?	Requirements	In loot pool?	Ammo	Element	Tier	Excels	Source	Craftable?	Requires	Released	Slot	Can be Crafted?	Best of?	Top Perk?
	Edge Transit	Grenade Launcher	Adaptive	Legendary	Heavy	Void	Free-to-Play	Yes	Heavy	Void	S › Best	PvE	Onslaught Activity	No	Free-to-Play	Into the Light	Heavy	No	Top-tier	Bait and Switch

1. Cataphract GL3

 Excels in PVE

Yet another meta PvE weapon stuck in Trials.

Cataphract caught everyone’s attention in Season 22 when it was revealed it could roll with Bait and Switch, which is not only a massive 35% buff, but it lasts far longer than Explosive Light, making it a top DPS grenade launcher. Tack on the fact that Envious Assassin lets you unload almost all of your ammo, and it’s easy to see why this is our #1 Heavy Grenade Launcher. These are the top Cataphract GL3 God Rolls:

• PvE God roll: Envious Assassin + Bait and Switch

How to get it: Cataphract GL3 can be acquired via Trials of Osiris (engrams and rank ups).

Art	Name	Type	Archetype	Rarity	Ammo?	Element?	Requirements	In loot pool?	Ammo	Element	Tier	Excels	Source	Craftable?	Requires	Released	Slot	Can be Crafted?	Best of?	Top Perk?
	Cataphract GL3	Grenade Launcher	Adaptive	Legendary	Heavy	Strand	The Final Shape	Yes	Heavy	Strand	A › Strong	PvP	Trials of Osiris	No	The Final Shape	Season 22	Heavy	No	Top-tier	Bait and Switch

Grenade Launchers and the PvP Meta: TTK

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

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
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
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
Linear Fusion Rifles	B › Average	Average ❘ B	-	► 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.	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 redundant. ► Best Archetype: Adaptive/Lightweight- Examples: Half-Truths/Quickfang	PVP Heavies

This TTK guide includes the TTKs for every weapon in Destiny 2. But Heavy weapons follow different rules (except machine guns). These are supposed to be the most powerful weapons in the entire game, and the expectation is that they one-shot enemy guardians. This is why TTK is not applicable here.

For PVP, you want your Power weapon to be as reliable and consistent as possible. If you’re looking for a more forgiving weapon, a rocket launcher will be a better option. Having said that, Grenade Launchers get more ammo. Therefore, players who can master Grenade Launchers can easily secure a few kills per ammo brick.

Grenade Launchers and the PvE Meta: DPS

How do GLs compare to other Heavy weapons in PvE?

Weapon Type	Rank	Tier	Trend	Role ❘ Current State	Category
Exotic Sniper Rifles	S › Best	Best ❘ S		► Main role: Single Target damage ► The recent buffs to certain Snipers, like Whisper of the Worm, and the Sniper's Meditation artifact mod make Exotic Sniper Rifles an easy, accessible, and powerful DPS option on bosses like The Witness in particular. Any boss that has a reasonable crit spot and a decently lengthed damage phase can be destroyed by Whisper right now, and you should definitely take advantage of it. ► Best Archetype: Aggressive (72 RPM) - Example: Whisper of the Worm	PVE Heavies
Grenade Launchers	S › Best	Best ❘ S		► Main role: Add Clear (Secondary role: Single Target Damage). ► Grenade Launchers have finally reached the apex of the DPS meta. Grenade Launchers like Edge Transit and Cataphract GL3 with Envious Assassin and Bait and Switch are incredibly powerful thanks to the amount of burst damage they can put out. Because of this, it's safe to say that Grenade Launchers belong in the top tier of PvE Heavies. ► Best Archetype: Adaptive (120 RPM) - Example: Edge Transit	PVE Heavies
Machine Guns	A › Strong	Strong ❘ A		► Main role: Add Clear ► With the nerf to double-special loadouts, players can't mindlessly spam Machine Guns at enemies anymore and be rewarded for it. However, Machine guns are still excellent at ad clear and remain decent for DPS. That said, for DPS, they are massively outclassed by Rocket Launchers. ► Best Archetype: Rapid-Fire (900 RPM) - Example: Retrofit Escapade	PVE Heavies
Swords	A › Strong	Strong ❘ A		► Main roles: Add Clear & Single Target damage (i.e. Boss damage). ► Swords are pretty decent right now. In fact, they are the go-to option for Crota in Crota's End and for the Herald of Finality in Salvation's Edge. However, this is only because of the design of the boss fight and a specific buff to Sword damage against Crota. Outside of these bosses, Swords are a decent but mediocre option as they are simply out-damaged by other heavy weapons. ► Best Archetype: Whirlwind - Example: Falling Guillotine	PVE Heavies
Rocket Launchers	A › Strong	Strong ❘ A		► Main role: Burst Damage (Secondary role: Add Clear) ► Rockets aren't as good as they used to be, but they are still definitely usable. In most relevant content such as the most recent raid, Salvation's Edge, Rockets aren't too popular (outside of Still Hunt rotations). Despite this Rockets are still a competitive option, and they do some solid burst damage. ► Best Archetype: Adaptive (20 RPM) - Example: Apex Predator	PVE Heavies
Linear Fusion Rifles	A › Strong	Strong ❘ A		► Main role: Single Target damage (Secondary role: Burst Damage) ► Linear Fusion Rifles might not be the top dogs anymore, but they are still serious contenders when it comes to total damage. Options like Cataclysmic and Briar's Contempt can still see some use in today's meta. However, despite their strengths, most situations do not require the amount of total damage that Linear Fusions offer, and if they do, options like Leviathan's Breath can fill that void very easily. ► Best Archetype: Precision (533 RPM) - Example: Reed's Regret	PVE Heavies

According to Bungie, these are the different roles for Heavy weapons:

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

When it comes to actual DPS, GLs are decent:

-	Weapon Type	Archetype	Sustained DPS	Mag DPS	Total Damage	Specs	---	Best in Class	Change?	Ammo
	Grenade Launcher	Exotic	32139	32139	467950	x20 Averaged		Parasite	Same	Heavy
	Grenade Launcher	Exotic	31433	49979	346771	-		The Prospector	Same	Heavy
	Grenade Launcher	Adaptive	27019	37692	358074	-		Memory Interdict	Same	Heavy
	Grenade Launcher	Rapid-Fire	25569	37715	346978	-		Berenger's Memory	Same	Heavy
	Grenade Launcher	Exotic	22014	32618	251622	-		The Colony	Same	Heavy
	Grenade Launcher	Compressed Wave	20777	33600	319200	With Spike Grenades		Dimensional Hypotrochoid	Same	Heavy
	Grenade Launcher	Exotic	16027	16027		Max "Enrage"		Ex Diris		Special
	Grenade Launcher	Exotic	10630	10630	1013420	-		Anarchy	Same	Heavy
	Grenade Launcher	Exotic	9779	9779		-		Witherhoard	Same	Special
	Grenade Launcher	Double Fire	9490	9490	322854	-		Wilderflight	Same	Special
	Grenade Launcher	Lightweight	7757	7757	289041	-		Ignition Code	Same	Special
	Grenade Launcher	Exotic	7555	7555		/w Catalyst		Fighting Lion	Same	Primary
	Grenade Launcher	Wave	6741	6741	251160	-		Forbearance	Same	Special
	Grenade Launcher	Exotic	6741	6741	251160	-		Dead Messenger		Special
	Grenade Launcher	Exotic	3410	3922	70596	-		Salvation's Grip		Heavy

Before you go…

Are you looking for top-tier Primary and Special weapons to round out your loadout? We cover the Best Destiny 2 Sidearms and Best Destiny 2 Sniper Rifles, too.

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