Best Machine Guns in Destiny 2: Tier List for PvP and PvE

Machine guns have been underwhelming for a long time, but thanks to recent buffs, they have finally claimed their place in the meta. In fact, today’s top-tier machine guns can easily compete with the best weapons in the game.

This guide covers every Machine Gun in Destiny 2, including both Exotic and Legendaries, as well as the best rolls for PvE and PvP.

Updated as of Season of Defiance (S20). See Updates.

Destiny 2 Machine Gun Tier List: Top-tier Options

This Tier list features the Top-tier Exotic and Legendary Machine guns in the game and covers both PvE and PvP:

Name	Weapons	Type	Archetype	Ammo	Element	Requirements	In loot pool?	Rank	Source	Available?	Tier rank	Source ❘ DLC	Final Verdict	Released	Perks	Best of?
Thunderlord	Thunderlord	Machine Gun	Exotic	Heavy	Arc	Forsaken Pack	Yes	S › Best	Exotic Engram		Best ❘ S Excels in: PvE + PvP	Exotic Engram Forsaken Pack	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "Kills with this weapon generate lightning strikes from above and increase reload speed for a short time." ► One of the all-time Destiny greats, Thunderlord is the cream of the crop when it comes to Machine Guns. With a good archetype, an excellent exotic perk, and a brilliant catalyst, Thunderlord easily lands in the S tier. It excels everywhere: Ad clear, DPS, and even PvP!	Season 4	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "Kills with this weapon generate lightning strikes from above and increase reload speed for a short time."	Top-tier
Commemoration	Commemoration	Machine Gun	Adaptive	Heavy	Void	Beyond Light	Yes	S › Best	Deep Stone Crypt Raid		Best ❘ S Excels in: PvE	Deep Stone Crypt Raid Beyond Light	Slot: Void | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Adaptive PvE God Roll: Reconstruction + Rampage (also good: Killing Tally) ► Commemoration has been one of the top machine guns since it was released alongside the Deep Stone Crypt raid. With many excellent perks and solid stats, Commemoration can be easily top-tier.	Season 12	Slot: Void | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Adaptive PvE God Roll: Reconstruction + Rampage (also good: Killing Tally)	Top-tier
Corrective Measure	Corrective Measure	Machine Gun	Adaptive	Heavy	Void	Free-to-Play	Yes	S › Best	Vault of Glass Raid		Best ❘ S Excels in: PvE	Vault of Glass Raid Free-to-Play	Slot: Void | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Adaptive PvE God Roll: Rewind Rounds (also good: Subsistence) + One for All (also good: Firefly) ► Corrective Measure is still one of the best Machine guns in the entire game. With great perks, a good archetype, and a nice 'feel' to it, Corrective Measure is a weapon you can't go wrong with.	Season 14	Slot: Void | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Adaptive PvE God Roll: Rewind Rounds (also good: Subsistence) + One for All (also good: Firefly)	Top-tier
Grand Overture	Grand Overture	Machine Gun	Exotic	Heavy	Arc	The Witch Queen	Yes	S › Best	Exotic Kiosk		Best ❘ S Excels in: PvE	Exotic Kiosk The Witch Queen	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "Heavy slug launcher that charges, then fires full auto while the trigger is held. Land hits with the slug launcher to load missiles and then fire to launch all missiles in a single volley." ► Grand Overture is one of the best picks for burst DPS right now. Only rivaled by Parasite, Grand Overture can be used in a myriad of situations. This machine gun is perfect for encounters that require burst damage, but it also delivers solid total damage numbers.	Season 16	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "Heavy slug launcher that charges, then fires full auto while the trigger is held. Land hits with the slug launcher to load missiles and then fire to launch all missiles in a single volley."	Top-tier
Fixed Odds	Fixed Odds	Machine Gun	High-Impact	Heavy	Solar	Deluxe Edition	Yes	S › Best	Duality Dungeon		Best ❘ S Excels in: PvE	Duality Dungeon Deluxe Edition	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: High-Impact PvE God Roll: Field Prep (also good: Feeding Frenzy) + Incandescent (also good: Rampage) ► A fan favorite, Fixed Odds is one of the best options among slow-firing Machine guns. Offering a fine selection of perks, Fixed Odds is a great pick and performs nicely in more difficult content featuring beefier enemies.	Season 17	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: High-Impact PvE God Roll: Field Prep (also good: Feeding Frenzy) + Incandescent (also good: Rampage)	Top-tier
Heir Apparent	Heir Apparent	Machine Gun	Exotic	Heavy	Arc	Free-to-Play	Seasonal	A › Strong	Event: Guardian Games		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvE + PvP	Event: Guardian Games Free-to-Play	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "This weapon can be fired only when fully spun up. While at full health, spinning up this weapon protects you with an Arc Shield." ► Heir Apparent is not only a very fun option, it's a surprisingly competent weapon too. While it's not a great DPS option, it can still provide you with an extra layer of safety thanks to its beefy overshield. Plus, it can generate Super energy remarkably fast due to its 900 RPM damage profile.	Season 10	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "This weapon can be fired only when fully spun up. While at full health, spinning up this weapon protects you with an Arc Shield."	Top-tier
Qullim’s Terminus	Qullim’s Terminus	Machine Gun	High-Impact	Heavy	Stasis	Free-to-Play	Yes	A › Strong	King's Fall Raid		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvE	King's Fall Raid Free-to-Play	Slot: Stasis | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: High-Impact PvE God Roll: Unrelenting + Killing Tally (also good: Headstone) ► Qullim's Terminus is a solid option. But due to its strong competition, namely the Fixed Odds, Qullim's can feel a bit pointless. That said, just because another weapon surpasses it doesn't mean Qullim's is bad. If you have a good roll, hold on to it!	Season 18	Slot: Stasis | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: High-Impact PvE God Roll: Unrelenting + Killing Tally (also good: Headstone)	Top-tier
Circular Logic	Circular Logic	Machine Gun	Adaptive	Heavy	Strand	Lightfall	Yes	A › Strong	Terminal Overload		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvE	Terminal Overload Lightfall	Slot: Strand | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Adaptive God Rolls: Feeding Frenzy + Hatchling (also good: Demolitionist) ► Adaptive Frame variants have always been the go-to machine guns for most players, providing a perfect balance between all stats. This, in addition to Circular Logic’s unique Strand element, makes for a great weapon in all scenarios.	Season 20	Slot: Strand | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Adaptive God Rolls: Feeding Frenzy + Hatchling (also good: Demolitionist)	Top-tier
Xenophage	Xenophage	Machine Gun	Exotic	Heavy	Solar	Shadowkeep	Yes	A › Strong	Exotic Quest		Strong ❘ A	Exotic Quest Shadowkeep	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "Fires high-powered explosive ammunition. Aiming this weapon increases its effective range and zoom magnification." ► Xenophage has seen many ups and downs. Unnecessary changes turned it into a joke and the weapon remained in that state for a long time. But now that Xenophage was returned to its original state, it's once again an excellent PVE weapon that never disappoints.	Season 8	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "Fires high-powered explosive ammunition. Aiming this weapon increases its effective range and zoom magnification."	Top-tier
Unwavering Duty	Unwavering Duty	Machine Gun	Adaptive	Heavy	Solar	Lightfall	Yes	A › Strong	Trials of Osiris		Strong ❘ A	Trials of Osiris Lightfall	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Adaptive PvE God Roll: Subsistence + Incandescent (also good: Killing Tally) ► Unwavering Duty is one of the best Machine guns in the game right now. While you do need to play Trials of Osiris to get it, it will be absolutely worth it if you're looking for a top-tier Solar Adaptive Frame.	Season 19	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Heavy | Archetype: Adaptive PvE God Roll: Subsistence + Incandescent (also good: Killing Tally)	Top-tier

Destiny 2 Machine Guns: The complete list

This database includes every viable Machine gun currently in the game:

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?
	A Fine Memorial	Machine Gun	Adaptive	Legendary	Heavy	Arc	Free-to-Play	Yes	Heavy	Arc	Average ❘ B	PvE	Moon		Free-to-Play	Season 14	Heavy	No
	Archon's Thunder	Machine Gun	High-Impact	Legendary	Heavy	Solar	Free-to-Play	No	Heavy	Solar	Weak ❘ C	-	Iron Banner		Free-to-Play	Season 14	Heavy	No
	Avalanche	Machine Gun	Adaptive	Legendary	Heavy	Solar	Free-to-Play	Seasonal	Heavy	Solar	Average ❘ B	-	Event: Dawning		Free-to-Play	Season 12	Heavy	No
	Blood Feud	Submachine Gun	Aggressive	Legendary	Primary	Stasis	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Stasis	Average ❘ B	PvE	Seasonal activity		Free-to-Play	Season 18	Kinetic	Craftable
	Borrowed Time	Submachine Gun	Aggressive	Legendary	Primary	Solar	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Solar	Average ❘ B	PvE + PvP	Playlist: Gambit		Free-to-Play	Season 14	Energy	No
	Bug-Out Bag	Submachine Gun	Adaptive	Legendary	Primary	Solar	Season 21	Yes	Primary	Solar			Fishing		Season 21	Season 21	Energy	No
	CALUS Mini-Tool	Submachine Gun	MIDA Synergy	Legendary	Primary	Solar	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Solar	Best ❘ S	PvE	Derelict Leviathan		Free-to-Play	Season 17	Energy	Craftable	Top-tier
	Chain of Command	Machine Gun	Adaptive	Legendary	Heavy	Stasis	Free-to-Play	Yes	Heavy	Stasis	Average ❘ B	PvE	Exotic Kiosk		Free-to-Play	Season 17	Heavy	No
	Circular Logic	Machine Gun	Adaptive	Legendary	Heavy	Strand	Lightfall	Yes	Heavy	Strand	Strong ❘ A	PvE	Terminal Overload		Lightfall	Season 20	Heavy	No	Top-tier
	Cold Front	Submachine Gun	Aggressive	Legendary	Primary	Kinetic	Free-to-Play	Seasonal	Primary	Kinetic	Average ❘ B	-	Event: Dawning		Free-to-Play	Season 12	Kinetic	No
	Commemoration	Machine Gun	Adaptive	Legendary	Heavy	Void	Beyond Light	Yes	Heavy	Void	Best ❘ S	PvE	Deep Stone Crypt Raid		Beyond Light	Season 12	Heavy	Craftable	Top-tier
	Corrective Measure	Machine Gun	Adaptive	Legendary	Heavy	Void	Free-to-Play	Yes	Heavy	Void	Best ❘ S	PvE	Vault of Glass Raid		Free-to-Play	Season 14	Heavy	No	Top-tier
	Death Adder	Submachine Gun	Lightweight	Legendary	Primary	Solar	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Solar	Worst ❘ D	-	World loot pool		Free-to-Play	Season 11	Energy	No
	Deterministic Chaos	Machine Gun	Exotic	Exotic	Heavy	Void	Lightfall	Yes	Heavy	Void	Average ❘ B	-	Exotic Quest		Lightfall	Season 20	Heavy	No
	Enyo-D	Submachine Gun	Precision	Legendary	Primary	Kinetic	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Kinetic	Average ❘ B	-	World loot pool		Free-to-Play	Season 17	Kinetic	No
	Escape Velocity	Submachine Gun	Lightweight	Legendary	Primary	Kinetic	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Kinetic	Worst ❘ D	-	World loot pool		Free-to-Play	Season 10	Kinetic	No
	Every Waking Moment	Submachine Gun	Precision	Legendary	Primary	Void	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Void	Average ❘ B	-	Moon		Free-to-Play	Season 14	Energy	No
	Extraordinary Rendition	Submachine Gun	Aggressive	Legendary	Primary	Kinetic	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Kinetic	Average ❘ B	PvE	Xûr		Free-to-Play	Season 13	Kinetic	No
	Fixed Odds	Machine Gun	High-Impact	Legendary	Heavy	Solar	Deluxe Edition	Yes	Heavy	Solar	Best ❘ S	PvE	Duality Dungeon		Deluxe Edition	Season 17	Heavy	Craftable	Top-tier
	Forensic Nightmare	Submachine Gun	Precision	Legendary	Primary	Stasis	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Stasis	Weak ❘ C	-	Throne World		Free-to-Play	Season 16	Kinetic	Craftable
	Friction Fire	Submachine Gun	Precision	Legendary	Primary	Kinetic	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Kinetic	Weak ❘ C	-	Xûr		Free-to-Play	Season 12	Kinetic	No
	Funnelweb	Submachine Gun	Lightweight	Legendary	Primary	Void	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Void	Best ❘ S	PvE	World loot pool		Free-to-Play	Season 16	Energy	No	Top-tier
	Grand Overture	Machine Gun	Exotic	Exotic	Heavy	Arc	The Witch Queen	Yes	Heavy	Arc	Best ❘ S	PvE	Exotic Kiosk		The Witch Queen	Season 16	Heavy	No	Top-tier
	Heir Apparent	Machine Gun	Exotic	Exotic	Heavy	Arc	Free-to-Play	Seasonal	Heavy	Arc	Strong ❘ A	PvE + PvP	Event: Guardian Games		Free-to-Play	Season 10	Heavy	No	Top-tier
	IKELOS_SMG_v1.0.3	Submachine Gun	Aggressive	Legendary	Primary	Arc	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Arc	Best ❘ S	PvE + PvP	World loot pool		Free-to-Play	Season 11	Energy	Craftable	Top-tier
	MIDA Mini-Tool	Submachine Gun	Lightweight	Legendary	Primary	Solar	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Solar	Weak ❘ C	-	The Gunsmith		Free-to-Play	Season 12	Energy	No
	Multimach CCX	Submachine Gun	Lightweight	Legendary	Primary	Kinetic	Free-to-Play	No	Primary	Kinetic	Strong ❘ A	PvP	Iron Banner		Free-to-Play	Season 13	Kinetic	No	Top-tier
	No Survivors	Submachine Gun	Aggressive	Legendary	Primary	Solar	Deluxe Edition	Yes	Primary	Solar			Ghost of the Deep Dungeon		Deluxe Edition	Season 21	Energy	No
	Osteo Striga	Submachine Gun	Exotic	Exotic	Primary	Kinetic	The Witch Queen	Yes	Primary	Kinetic	Best ❘ S	PvE + PvP	The Witch Queen Campaign		The Witch Queen	Season 16	Kinetic	Craftable	Top-tier
	Out of Bounds	Submachine Gun	Lightweight	Legendary	Primary	Arc	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Arc	Average ❘ B	-	Playlist: Crucible		Free-to-Play	Season 18	Energy	No
	Pizzicato-22	Submachine Gun	Adaptive	Legendary	Primary	Kinetic	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Kinetic	Weak ❘ C	-	World loot pool		Free-to-Play	Season 18	Kinetic	No
	Planck's Stride	Machine Gun	Rapid-Fire	Legendary	Heavy	Arc	Free-to-Play	Yes	Heavy	Arc	Weak ❘ C	-	Seasonal activity		Free-to-Play	Season 18	Heavy	Craftable
	Prolonged Engagement	Submachine Gun	Lightweight	Legendary	Primary	Stasis	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Stasis	Strong ❘ A	PvE	Vanguard Focusing		Free-to-Play	Season 19	Kinetic	No	Top-tier
	Qullim’s Terminus	Machine Gun	High-Impact	Legendary	Heavy	Stasis	Free-to-Play	Yes	Heavy	Stasis	Strong ❘ A	PvE	King's Fall Raid		Free-to-Play	Season 18	Heavy	Craftable	Top-tier
	Rapacious Appetite	Submachine Gun	Aggressive	Legendary	Primary	Stasis	Season 21	Yes	Primary	Stasis			Seasonal activity		Season 21	Season 21	Kinetic	Craftable
	Recurrent Impact	Machine Gun	Rapid-Fire	Legendary	Heavy	Stasis	Deluxe Edition	Yes	Heavy	Stasis	Average ❘ B	PvE	PsiOps Battlegrounds		Deluxe Edition	Season 16	Heavy	Craftable
	Retrofit Escapade	Machine Gun	Rapid-Fire	Legendary	Heavy	Void	Free-to-Play	Yes	Heavy	Void	Average ❘ B	PvE	Seasonal activity		Free-to-Play	Season 19	Heavy	Craftable
	Riskrunner	Submachine Gun	Exotic	Exotic	Primary	Arc	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Arc	Strong ❘ A	PvE	Exotic Quest		Free-to-Play	Season 1	Energy	No	Top-tier
	Seventh Seraph SAW	Machine Gun	High-Impact	Legendary	Heavy	Arc	Free-to-Play	Yes	Heavy	Arc	Worst ❘ D	-	Xûr		Free-to-Play	Season 10	Heavy	No
	Seventh Seraph VY-7	Submachine Gun	Precision	Legendary	Primary	Arc	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Arc	Worst ❘ D	-	World loot pool		Free-to-Play	Season 10	Energy	No
	Shattered Cipher	Machine Gun	Rapid-Fire	Legendary	Heavy	Void	Free-to-Play	No	Heavy	Void	Weak ❘ C	-	Unobtainable		Free-to-Play	Season 14	Heavy	No
	Shayura's Wrath	Submachine Gun	Precision	Legendary	Primary	Void	Lightfall	Yes	Primary	Void	Best ❘ S	PvE + PvP	Trials of Osiris		Lightfall	Season 14	Energy	No	Top-tier
	Stochastic Variable	Submachine Gun	Lightweight	Legendary	Primary	Arc	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Arc	Average ❘ B	PvE	World loot pool		Free-to-Play	Season 14	Energy	No
	Submission	Submachine Gun	Lightweight	Legendary	Primary	Kinetic	The Witch Queen	Yes	Primary	Kinetic	Average ❘ B	PvE + PvP	Vow of the Disciple Raid		The Witch Queen	Season 16	Kinetic	Craftable
	Synchronic Roulette	Submachine Gun	Precision	Legendary	Primary	Strand	Lightfall	Yes	Primary	Strand	Average ❘ B	PvE	Terminal Overload		Lightfall	Season 20	Kinetic	No
	Tarrabah	Submachine Gun	Exotic	Exotic	Primary	Solar	Forsaken Pack	Yes	Primary	Solar	Best ❘ S	PvE + PvP	Exotic Kiosk		Forsaken Pack	Season 4	Energy	No	Top-tier
	Terminus Horizon	Machine Gun	High-Impact	Legendary	Heavy	Arc	Deluxe Edition	Yes	Heavy	Arc	Average ❘ B	-	Spire of the Watcher Dungeon		Deluxe Edition	Season 19	Heavy	No
	The Hero's Burden	Submachine Gun	Adaptive	Legendary	Primary	Void	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Void	Average ❘ B	-	Iron Banner		Free-to-Play	Season 17	Energy	No		Destabilizing Rounds
	The Huckleberry	Submachine Gun	Exotic	Exotic	Primary	Kinetic	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Kinetic	Strong ❘ A	PvE	Exotic Engram		Free-to-Play	Season 3	Kinetic	No	Top-tier
	The Immortal	Submachine Gun	Aggressive	Legendary	Primary	Strand	Lightfall	Yes	Primary	Strand	Best ❘ S	PvE + PvP	Trials of Osiris		Lightfall	Season 20	Kinetic	No	Top-tier
	The Manticore	Submachine Gun	Exotic	Exotic	Primary	Void	The Witch Queen	Yes	Primary	Void	Average ❘ B	PvP	Exotic Kiosk		The Witch Queen	Season 19	Energy	No
	THE SWARM	Machine Gun	High-Impact	Legendary	Heavy	Arc	Free-to-Play	Yes	Heavy	Arc	Average ❘ B	PvE	Nightfall: The Ordeals		Free-to-Play	Season 13	Heavy	No
	Thermal Erosion	Machine Gun	Rapid-Fire	Legendary	Heavy	Solar	Beyond Light	Yes	Heavy	Solar	Weak ❘ C	-	Empire Hunts		Beyond Light	Season 12	Heavy	No
	Thunderlord	Machine Gun	Exotic	Exotic	Heavy	Arc	Forsaken Pack	Yes	Heavy	Arc	Best ❘ S	PvE + PvP	Exotic Engram		Forsaken Pack	Season 4	Heavy	No	Top-tier
	Unforgiven	Submachine Gun	Aggressive	Legendary	Primary	Void	Deluxe Edition	Yes	Primary	Void	Strong ❘ A	PvE	Duality Dungeon		Deluxe Edition	Season 17	Energy	No	Top-tier
	Unwavering Duty	Machine Gun	Adaptive	Legendary	Heavy	Solar	Lightfall	Yes	Heavy	Solar	Strong ❘ A	-	Trials of Osiris		Lightfall	Season 19	Heavy	No	Top-tier
	Xenophage	Machine Gun	Exotic	Exotic	Heavy	Solar	Shadowkeep	Yes	Heavy	Solar	Strong ❘ A	-	Exotic Quest		Shadowkeep	Season 8	Heavy	No	Top-tier

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 Machine Guns in Destiny 2: Top 5

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

5. Corrective Measure

 Excels in PVE

Corrective Measure is one of the better options for a 450 RPM Machine Gun, as it has some excellent perks. Given that it drops from the Vault of Glass raid, one of the easiest raids in the game, obtaining Corrective Measure isn’t too much hassle.

Another bonus of being from a raid is its raid unique perks like Rewind Rounds and Firefly, which only come on Raid weapons currently. Corrective Measure is a very solid option, and while it may be slightly worse than others, it is in no way a bad pick.

PVE God roll:

• Perk 1: Rewind Rounds (also good: Subsistence)
• Perk 2: One for All (also good: Firefly)

How to get it: Corrective Measure can be acquired by completing the first, third, or fifth encounter of the Vault of Glass 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?
	Corrective Measure	Machine Gun	Adaptive	Legendary	Heavy	Void	Free-to-Play	Yes	Heavy	Void	Best ❘ S	PvE	Vault of Glass Raid		Free-to-Play	Season 14	Heavy	No	Top-tier

4. Fixed Odds

 Excels in PVE

Fixed Odds is a favorite for many players. It feels nice to use and comes with many excellent perks. While it can be a bit annoying to grind, as it can only drop from the Duality Dungeon, it is craftable, meaning that eventually, you will be able to make your own god roll.

Fixed Odds is the preferred pick among players that want a harder-hitting option compared to the regular Adaptive archetype or players that want to switch it up and enjoy powerful feeling Machine Gun.

PVE God roll:

• Perk 1: Field Prep (also good: Feeding Frenzy)
• Perk 2: Incandescent (also good: Rampage)

How to get it: Fixed Odds can be acquired by completing 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?
	Fixed Odds	Machine Gun	High-Impact	Legendary	Heavy	Solar	Deluxe Edition	Yes	Heavy	Solar	Best ❘ S	PvE	Duality Dungeon		Deluxe Edition	Season 17	Heavy	Craftable	Top-tier

3. Commemoration

Excels in PVE and PVP

A go-to Machine Gun from the Deep Stone Crypt raid, Commemoration has it all. It is craftable, belongs to the Adaptive frame archetype, and comes with a wide selection of excellent perks.

Damage perks like Rampage, Killing Tally, or even Redirection, ammo perks like Reconstruction, Subsistence, and Fourth Time’s the Charm, or utility perks like Repulsor Brace and Unrelenting are all available. You can truly customize Commemoration to your liking.

PVE God roll:

• Perk 1: Reconstruction
• Perk 2: Rampage (also good: Killing Tally)

PvE God roll:

• Perk 1: Dynamic Sway Reduction
• Perk 2: Under Pressure

How to get it: Commemoration can be acquired by completing the Deep Stone Crypt 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?
	Commemoration	Machine Gun	Adaptive	Legendary	Heavy	Void	Beyond Light	Yes	Heavy	Void	Best ❘ S	PvE	Deep Stone Crypt Raid		Beyond Light	Season 12	Heavy	Craftable	Top-tier

2. Grand Overture

 Excels in PVE

Grand Overture is a DPS monster. Some players often mix and confuse the terms DPS (damage per second) and ‘total damage’. DPS is typically associated with burst damage like Rocket Launchers, and total damage is often mentioned when discussing weapons like Linear Fusion Rifles. Still, Grand Overture can be part of both conversations as it has remarkable DPS with its Rocket Volley and solid total damage with its regular fire.

Grand Overture is a jack of all trades that specializes in dealing incredible burst damage, which makes it a good pick on almost all bosses.

Exotic Perk: “Heavy slug launcher that charges, then fires full auto while the trigger is held. Land hits with the slug launcher to load missiles and then fire to launch all missiles in a single volley.”

How to get it: Grand Overture can be acquired from the Season Pass (either the paid or free track).

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?
	Grand Overture	Machine Gun	Exotic	Exotic	Heavy	Arc	The Witch Queen	Yes	Heavy	Arc	Best ❘ S	PvE	Exotic Kiosk		The Witch Queen	Season 16	Heavy	No	Top-tier

1. Thunderlord

Excels in PVE and PVP

Thunderlord has risen to the top of the meta thanks partly to its recent catalyst, which refills ammo upon lightning strike. This change has turned Thunderlord into even more of a beast capable of excellent ad clear and a solid, albeit suboptimal, boss damage weapon.

Thunderlord is an easy route to doing solid damage on bosses. While it may not be as good as some of the top DPS options in the game, it is undeniable that Thunderlord can be used by anyone with remarkable ease.

Exotic Perk: “Kills with this weapon generate lightning strikes from above and increase reload speed for a short time.”

How to get it: Thunderlord 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?
	Thunderlord	Machine Gun	Exotic	Exotic	Heavy	Arc	Forsaken Pack	Yes	Heavy	Arc	Best ❘ S	PvE + PvP	Exotic Engram		Forsaken Pack	Season 4	Heavy	No	Top-tier

Machine Guns and the PvP Meta: TTK

We covered in detail the Machine guns that are considered top-tier (and should be farmed) and which ones can be safely ignored. But how do they compare to other primary 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
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

Keep in mind that when it comes to PvP, TTK is perhaps the most important factor. As you know, the lower the TTK, the faster you can kill your opponent. This TTK guide includes the TTK figures for every weapon in Destiny 2.

Machine guns and the PvE Meta: DPS

How do Machine guns compare to other primary weapons in PvE?

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

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, Machine guns are much more capable these days:

-	Weapon Type	Archetype	Average DPS	Burst DPS	Total Damage	Specs	---	Best in Class	Change?	Ammo
	Machine Gun	Exotic	17,615	21,100	274,300	-		Xenophage	Same	Heavy
	Machine Gun	Exotic	14,602	16,485	439,600	-		Heir Apparent	Buffed	Heavy
	Machine Gun	Exotic	9,575	10,997	395,880	-		Grand Overture	Same	Heavy
	Machine Gun	Exotic	11,163	15,379	290,904	-		Thunderlord	Buffed	Heavy
	Machine Gun	Rapid-Fire	8,818	11,820	241,128	-		Recurrent Impact	Buffed	Heavy
	Machine Gun	Adaptive	7,759	10,313	319,000	-		Commemoration	Buffed	Heavy
	Machine Gun	High-Impact	7,125	9,522	380,880	-		THE SWARM	Buffed	Heavy

Your turn

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