Not every Iron Banner weapon is a winner, but a few of them can truly be considered some of the best in the entire game. This guide covers every Iron Banner weapon in Destiny 2, including the best rolls for PVE and PVP.
Destiny 2 Iron Banner Weapons: Ranked
The Tier list below includes every non-sunset legendary Iron Banner weapon in the game. Keep in mind that moving forwards, all Iron Banner weapons will come with the following Origin Trait:
- | Trait | Source | Activation | Effects | Specs | Source Type | Released |
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Skulking Wolf | Iron Banner | During the Hunt, final blows with this weapon grant enhanced radar and remove you from opposing radar. | Only applicable in Iron Banner matches. | Activity | The Witch Queen |
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 where each weapon shines:
⛔ These weapons are on a seasonal rotation. Each season, some weapons will become unobtainable to leave room for previously unavailable weapons to return.
Weapon | Type | Archetype | Ammo | Element | Requirements | Available? | Rank | Source | Obtainable? | Tier rank | Source ❘ DLC | Final Verdict | Released | Perks |
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Peacebond | Sidearm | Adaptive | Primary | Stasis | Free-to-Play | Yes | A › Strong | Iron Banner | Strong ❘ A Excels in: PVE + PVP | Iron Banner Free-to-Play | Slot: PVP God Roll: Rangefinder (also good: Killing Wind) + Swashbuckler PVE God Roll: Subsistence + Headstone ► With good base stats that match those of the fan-favorite High Albedo, Peacebond also happens to offer several top-tier perks for both PVE and PVP. Peacebond was one of the few weapons to offer Headstone and that made it very special. That isn't any longer the case, as many other weapons can roll with Headstone these days. Still, Peacebond remains a solid sidearm. | Season 15 | Slot: PVP God Roll: Rangefinder (also good: Killing Wind) + Swashbuckler PVE God Roll: Subsistence + Headstone |
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Orewing's Maul | Grenade Launcher | Lightweight | Special | Void | Free-to-Play | No | A › Strong | Iron Banner | Strong ❘ A Excels in: PVE | Iron Banner Free-to-Play | Slot: PVP God Roll: Quickdraw (also good: Field Prep) + Auto-Loading Holster (also good: Demolitionist) ► This weapon shines when rolled with Blinding Grenades in the magazine slot, which gives it amazing utility in any high-end PVE activity. | Season 11 | Slot: PVP God Roll: Quickdraw (also good: Field Prep) + Auto-Loading Holster (also good: Demolitionist) |
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Archon's Thunder | Machine Gun | High-Impact | Heavy | Solar | Free-to-Play | Yes | A › Strong | Iron Banner | Strong ❘ A Excels in: PVE | Iron Banner Free-to-Play | Slot: PVE God Roll: Field Prep (also good: Auto-Loading Holster) + Rampage ► Even though machine guns aren't the strongest option right now, those in the High-Impact Archetype (such as THE SWARM or Archon's Thunder) are best. If you're in need of a heavy-duty ad clear, this gun can fill that role well. | Season 14 | Slot: PVE God Roll: Field Prep (also good: Auto-Loading Holster) + Rampage |
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Multimach CCX | Submachine Gun | Lightweight | Primary | Kinetic | Free-to-Play | No | A › Strong | Iron Banner | Strong ❘ A Excels in: PVP | Iron Banner Free-to-Play | Slot: PVP God Roll: Dynamic Sway Reduction (also good: Killing Wind) + Kill Clip (also good: Iron Reach) ► While close-quarters combat is mostly dominated by shotguns, Multimach CCX remains viable thanks to its consistency, insanely fast time-to-kill (one of the fastest among primary ammo weapons), and an absurd amount of range. The Multimach CCX is a must-have for anyone using SMGs in PVP. | Season 13 | Slot: PVP God Roll: Dynamic Sway Reduction (also good: Killing Wind) + Kill Clip (also good: Iron Reach) |
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The Time-Worn Spire | Pulse Rifle | Rapid-Fire | Primary | Kinetic | Free-to-Play | No | A › Strong | Iron Banner | Strong ❘ A Excels in: PVP | Iron Banner Free-to-Play | Slot: PVP God Roll: Under Pressure (also good: Quickdraw) + Iron Grip (also good: Rampage) ► The Time-Worn Spire is a reprised Year 1 Iron Banner weapon that returned with plenty of fantastic perks. It belongs to one of the better archetypes, which, coupled with solid perks, can be a great choice for PVP. | Season 13 | Slot: PVP God Roll: Under Pressure (also good: Quickdraw) + Iron Grip (also good: Rampage) |
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Riiswalker | Shotgun | Lightweight | Special | Kinetic | Free-to-Play | Yes | A › Strong | Iron Banner | Strong ❘ A Excels in: PVP | Iron Banner Free-to-Play | Slot: PVP God Roll: Quickdraw (also good: Surplus) + Iron Reach ► It's not often that the Iron Banner delivers a must-have weapon, yet Season 14's Riiswalker was definitely the case. Taking advantage of the indirect nerfs to Aggressive frame shotguns, Riiswalker came out with some of the best stats and PVP perks ever seen on a Lightweight shotgun. It can roll with the top-tier Quickdraw and Iron Reach, which gives it absurd amounts of range for barely any cost. | Season 14 | Slot: PVP God Roll: Quickdraw (also good: Surplus) + Iron Reach |
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Razor's Edge | Sword | Vortex | Heavy | Void | Free-to-Play | Yes | A › Strong | Iron Banner | Strong ❘ A | Iron Banner Free-to-Play | Slot: PVE God Roll: Relentless Strikes + Chain Reaction (also good: Frenzy) ► Razor's Edge is the first-ever Iron Banner sword. It looks cool, it is part of the Vortex archetype, immediately placing it above many other swords. Furthermore, it can roll with a couple of interesting perks and features the Skulking Frenzy Origin trait. | Season 16 | Slot: PVE God Roll: Relentless Strikes + Chain Reaction (also good: Frenzy) |
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Talons of the Eagle | Scout Rifle | High-Impact | Primary | Kinetic | Free-to-Play | No | B › Average | Iron Banner | Average ❘ B Excels in: PVE | Iron Banner Free-to-Play | Slot: PVE God Roll: Outlaw + Rampage (also good: Explosive Payload) ► High-Impact Scout Rifles have a pretty quick optimal TTK at 0.80s, but require 3 headshots to reach that, making them a slightly inconsistent option. Despite that, if you're going to use one, Talons of the Eagle is a good pick with good perks. | Season 11 | Slot: PVE God Roll: Outlaw + Rampage (also good: Explosive Payload) |
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Forge's Pledge | Pulse Rifle | Adaptive | Primary | Solar | Free-to-Play | Yes | B › Average | Iron Banner | Average ❘ B Excels in: PVE | Iron Banner Free-to-Play | Slot: PVE God Roll: Heating Up (also good: Stats for All) + Rampage (also good: One for All) ► Despite the fact that Pulse Rifles have never been the meta in PVE, Forge's Pledge can roll with Rampage and other good perks, making it decent when the seasonal champion mods support it. | Season 15 | Slot: PVE God Roll: Heating Up (also good: Stats for All) + Rampage (also good: One for All) |
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Crimil’s Dagger | Hand Cannon | Aggressive | Primary | Kinetic | Free-to-Play | No | B › Average | Iron Banner | Average ❘ B Excels in: PVP | Iron Banner Free-to-Play | Slot: PVP God Roll: Rangefinder (also good: Outlaw ) + Kill Clip ► Though Aggressive Frame Hand Cannons were significantly nerfed a while ago, Crimil's can still two-tap with Kill Clip active. However, without the perk active, Crimil's Dagger (and any other 120 RPM hand cannon) lags behind the competition in PVP. | Season 11 | Slot: PVP God Roll: Rangefinder (also good: Outlaw ) + Kill Clip |
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Bite of the Fox | Sniper Rifle | Aggressive | Special | Kinetic | Free-to-Play | No | B › Average | Iron Banner | Average ❘ B Excels in: PVP | Iron Banner Free-to-Play | Slot: PVP God Roll: Snapshot Sights (also good: Firmly Planted) + Opening Shot ► With its strong perks and low zoom compared to other Aggressive Frame snipers, Bite of the Fox has never been a bad option in PVP. That being said, there are better Iron Banner weapons, making it average on this list. | Season 11 | Slot: PVP God Roll: Snapshot Sights (also good: Firmly Planted) + Opening Shot |
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The Steady Hand | Hand Cannon | Aggressive | Primary | Kinetic | Free-to-Play | No | B › Average | Iron Banner | Average ❘ B Excels in: PVP | Iron Banner Free-to-Play | Slot: PVP God Roll: Killing Wind (also good: Quickdraw) + Swashbuckler ► Because of the nerf to 120 RPM hand cannons a while back, The Steady Hand is no longer a top-tier option. However, Thee Steady Hand still has the ability to two-tap under the right conditions, making it still a decent choice. | Season 12 | Slot: PVP God Roll: Killing Wind (also good: Quickdraw) + Swashbuckler |
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The Guiding Sight | Scout Rifle | High-Impact | Primary | Kinetic | Free-to-Play | No | B › Average | Iron Banner | Average ❘ B Excels in: PVP | Iron Banner Free-to-Play | Slot: PVP God Roll: Rapid Hit + Vorpal Weapon ► Just like Talons of the Eagle (and every other High-Impact scout), The Guiding Sight has a quick TTK that's sadly fairly hard to achieve. However, this weapon is still an alright choice because of its decent base stats. | Season 12 | Slot: PVP God Roll: Rapid Hit + Vorpal Weapon |
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Occluded Finality | Sniper Rifle | Aggressive | Special | Arc | Free-to-Play | Yes | B › Average | Iron Banner | Average ❘ B Excels in: PVP | Iron Banner Free-to-Play | Slot: PVP God Roll: Snapshot Sights + Opening Shot ► Occluded Finality can get some pretty great perk rolls, but isn't used too much because of its terribly high zoom value. This wasn't as much of a problem before, but now that low zoom snipers were buffed, Occluded Finality can't compete anymore. | Season 14 | Slot: PVP God Roll: Snapshot Sights + Opening Shot |
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Frontier's Cry | Hand Cannon | Precision | Primary | Solar | Free-to-Play | Yes | B › Average | Iron Banner | Average ❘ B | Iron Banner Free-to-Play | Slot: PVE God Roll: Rapid Hit + Kill Clip ► Frontier's Cry can actually roll with some decent perks, but still falls flat in every activity as Precision Frame Hand Cannons aren't very good. | Season 16 | Slot: PVE God Roll: Rapid Hit + Kill Clip |
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The Fool's Remedy | Sidearm | SUROS Rapid-Fire | Primary | Solar | Free-to-Play | No | C › Weak | Iron Banner | Weak ❘ C | Iron Banner Free-to-Play | Slot: PVP God Roll: Moving Target + Kill Clip ► The Fool's Remedy can roll with some decent perks, but Sidearms, in general, aren't that good (especially when not on a controller). Plus, while it has a solid optimal TTK at 0.67s, there are Archetypes with better TTKs out there. | Season 11 | Slot: PVP God Roll: Moving Target + Kill Clip |
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The Forward Path | Auto Rifle | Adaptive | Primary | Kinetic | Free-to-Play | No | C › Weak | Iron Banner | Weak ❘ C | Iron Banner Free-to-Play | Slot: PVE God Roll: Feeding Frenzy + Multikill Clip ► When The Forward Path first came out, it was exciting because we thought it could be a kinetic version of Gnawing Hunger… But it has unfortunately too many problems that destroy its usefulness. There’s something about this auto that makes it unwieldy. It has decent stats, nice scopes, and awesome perks. Still, this auto rifle just feels bad to use... | Season 11 | Slot: PVE God Roll: Feeding Frenzy + Multikill Clip |
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Finite Impactor | Hand Cannon | Aggressive | Primary | Arc | Free-to-Play | Yes | C › Weak | Iron Banner | Weak ❘ C | Iron Banner Free-to-Play | Slot: PVP God Roll: Killing Wind + Iron Reach ► While Adaptive Hand Cannons have always been a decent choice in any piece of content, this one lacks good perk rolls for both PVE and PVP activities. | Season 14 | Slot: PVP God Roll: Killing Wind + Iron Reach |
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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: PVE God Roll: Field Prep (also good: Auto-Loading Holster) + Ambitious Assassin (also good: Rampage) ► Heavy ammo Grenade Launchers aren't particularly relevant these days. They haven't been part of the "Meta" for a long time, and that alone makes Swarm of the Raven a poor chose. Plus, Swarm of the Raven also doesn't have any notable perk combination, making it even more lackluster. | Season 11 | Slot: PVE God Roll: Field Prep (also good: Auto-Loading Holster) + Ambitious Assassin (also good: Rampage) |
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Shining Sphere | Rocket Launcher | Adaptive | Heavy | Arc | Free-to-Play | No | D › Worst | Iron Banner | Worst ❘ D | Iron Banner Free-to-Play | Slot: PVE God Roll: Auto-Loading Holster + Tracking Module ► Even though Rocket Launchers are amazing in PVE right now, this one isn't great. Shining Sphere simply can't hold a candle to the many excellent rocket launchers that have been released these past few seasons. | Season 11 | Slot: PVE God Roll: Auto-Loading Holster + Tracking Module |
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.
Best Destiny 2 Iron Banner weapons in 2022
This section covers the top Iron Banner weapons in Destiny 2, including those that can’t be obtained this season. This can be frustrating for those of you who didn’t have a chance to get these before, but rest assured, all the unobtainable weapons will eventually return.
5. Archon’s Thunder
Excels in PVE
Even though Machine Guns aren’t the PVE meta right now, Archon’s Thunder still packs a punch and is very underrated.
With its high damage per bullet, you’ll be able to chunk down both red bar enemies and Elite/Miniboss-level enemies with ease. Plus, with the chance to roll with Rampage or High-Impact Reserves in the second column, you’ll be able to get even more damage out and demolish everything standing in your way.
While LMGs can lack in DPS, they’re still a great option for some situations. Even during a boss fight they can be useful–pair this with Divinity, and you’ll have ad clear on lock while also helping your team with damage.
With its high damage per bullet and additional damage perks, Archon’s Thunder is a great pick for any PVE activity when you need some extra help with ad clear.
PVE God roll:
- Perk 1: Field Prep (also good: Auto-Loading Holster)
- Perk 2: Rampage
Art | Name | Type | Archetype | Rarity | Ammo | Element | Requirements | Available? | Ammo? | Element? | Tier | Excels | Source | Obtainable? | Requires | Released | Slot | Craftable? |
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Archon's Thunder | Machine Gun | High-Impact | Legendary | Heavy | Solar | Free-to-Play | Yes | Strong ❘ A | PVE | Iron Banner | Free-to-Play | Season 14 | Heavy | No |
4. The Time-Worn Spire
Excels in PVP
With its 0.80s TTK and great perk combinations, The Time-Worn Spire is an outstanding option for any Pulse Rifle user out there.
In the first column, this pulse can roll with tons of great perks. With Slideways and Under Pressure, you can get tons upon tons of stability, making this weapon compete with some of the longest-range weapons in the game currently. Moving Target and Feeding Frenzy are also good, depending on how you play.
The second column is also filled with a couple of different amazing perks. Iron Grip provides even more stability, allowing this gun to fire in a nearly straight line. Rampage (and even Vorpal Weapon) can also be used to buff your damage a bit more.
Overall, because of its ability to get tons of stability and differing sights, The Time-Worn Spire is one of the best Pulse Rifles in the game for PVP and is never a bad option.
PVE God roll:
- Perk 1: Under Pressure (also good: Quickdraw)
- Perk 2: Iron Grip (also good: Rampage)
Art | Name | Type | Archetype | Rarity | Ammo | Element | Requirements | Available? | Ammo? | Element? | Tier | Excels | Source | Obtainable? | Requires | Released | Slot | Craftable? |
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The Time-Worn Spire | Pulse Rifle | Rapid-Fire | Legendary | Primary | Kinetic | Free-to-Play | No | Strong ❘ A | PVP | Iron Banner | Free-to-Play | Season 13 | Kinetic | No |
3. Orewing’s Maul
Best PVE Iron Banner weapon in Destiny 2
While this Grenade Launcher doesn’t seem like much at first, Orewing’s Maul is actually an S-Tier pick in PVE with the right perks.
The bulk of this weapon’s utility doesn’t actually come from a perk in the last two columns; instead, it comes from a magazine option: Blinding Grenades. This perk allows this weapon to completely inhibit your enemy’s ability to fight back, allowing you to get the upper hand in a fight in seconds.
Paired with Field Prep or Auto-Loading Holster, you can blind everything in sight, something extremely useful in any PVE activity–even Grandmaster Nightfalls and Master Raids.
While special ammo Grenade Launchers aren’t amazing as a whole right now in PVE, the utility that Blinding Grenades gives is unmatched, making Orewing’s Maul a great choice.
PVE God roll:
- Perk 1: Quickdraw (also good: Field Prep)
- Perk 2: Auto-Loading Holster (also good: Demolitionist)
Art | Name | Type | Archetype | Rarity | Ammo | Element | Requirements | Available? | Ammo? | Element? | Tier | Excels | Source | Obtainable? | Requires | Released | Slot | Craftable? |
2. Riiswalker
Excels in PVP
Riiswalker is one of the best shotguns in the game as it comes with some unique perk combos, among other things.
To begin, Riiswalker is one of only two kinetic pellet shotguns in the game (that aren’t sunset) that can roll with Quickdraw. This already makes it an extremely great pick, as Quickdraw is an S-Tier perk for shotguns.
Additionally, because its an Iron Banner weapon, Riiswalker can roll with Iron Reach in the second column. This adds almost 20 range, which is the most important stat when talking about the consistency of shotguns.
Lastly, this weapon belongs to the Lightweight archetype, which gives you an extra bump in Mobility and movement speed. While not needed, these buffs are a nice cherry on top.
Riiswalker is a great special weapon for any PVP player and is one of the best shotguns in the game.
PVP God roll:
- Perk 1: Quickdraw (also good: Surplus)
- Perk 2: Iron Reach
Art | Name | Type | Archetype | Rarity | Ammo | Element | Requirements | Available? | Ammo? | Element? | Tier | Excels | Source | Obtainable? | Requires | Released | Slot | Craftable? |
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Riiswalker | Shotgun | Lightweight | Legendary | Special | Kinetic | Free-to-Play | Yes | Strong ❘ A | PVP | Iron Banner | Free-to-Play | Season 14 | Kinetic | No |
1. Multimach CCX
Best PVE Iron Banner weapons in Destiny 2
Submachine Guns have always been a great pick in PVP, and the Multimach CCX is one of the best out there.
Lightweight Frame SMGs in general are very good, as they have an amazing TTK at 0.67s. Additionally, they provide a nice Mobility and movement speed buff.
In the first column, Killing Wind is the best choice, giving this weapon some extra range. In the second, the two most popular options are Iron Reach (for extra range) or Kill Clip (for extra damage).
With the great traits that this can get, plus the ability to change sights, Multimach CCX is able to get insane amounts of range for an SMG, making it one of the best PVP weapons in the game.
Overall, the Multimach CCX is a great and well-rounded choice because of its quick TTK, nice intrinsic movement speed and Mobility buffs, and its ability to get near-max range.
PVP God roll:
- Perk 1: Killing Wind (also good: Dynamic Sway Reduction)
- Perk 2: Kill Clip (also good: Iron Reach)
Art | Name | Type | Archetype | Rarity | Ammo | Element | Requirements | Available? | Ammo? | Element? | Tier | Excels | Source | Obtainable? | Requires | Released | Slot | Craftable? |
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Multimach CCX | Submachine Gun | Lightweight | Legendary | Primary | Kinetic | Free-to-Play | No | Strong ❘ A | PVP | Iron Banner | Free-to-Play | Season 13 | Kinetic | No |
Your turn
You now know everything there is to know about weapons dropping from Iron Banner in Destiny 2, whether that is for PVP or PVE content.
So, which one is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below!
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