You can always use whatever weapons you enjoy the most. But as soon as you get destroyed in Trials of Osiris or Comp, figuring out the Meta becomes crucial.
But what is the current Crucible meta? What are the weapons you need should you want to compete in PvP?
Current Crucible Meta (PvP)
SMGs are the top dog right now, with weapons such as the already infamous The Immortal or the Ikelos SMG dominating the Crucible. In fact, The Immortal is so strong that it topped the Leaderboards on trials.report the very same week it was released as the Flawless reward in Trials of Osiris. SMGs boast a disgustingly fast time-to-kill (TTK), and when combined with a damage perk such as Target Lock, it becomes ridiculous how fast they can kill enemies in PvP.
The Immortal, Destiny 2
There are other solid primary options, though. Sidearms are still excellent, with Drang and Forgiveness being some of the top options. Hand Cannons remain great, especially 120 RPMs like Round Robin. A Pulse Rifle like No Time to Explain can still dominate a lobby.
What is “Meta”? The Meta refers to the most used weapons for a particular activity at any given time. Generally, these weapons are the most used because they are the most powerful/efficient, which means they can be used to your advantage when used right.
Special Weapons are relatively balanced across the board. Snipers are, as always, remarkable in the right hands, but Shotguns, Fusion Rifles, Grenade Launchers, and even Glaives are all solid picks.
Class-wise, Titans, at least in high-stakes game modes, are the clear winners. Barricade is a very strong ability; a Titan with the Exotic Legs Peacekeepers and an SMG is not something to mess with. Warlocks are still quite strong with Dawnblade’s movement and Shadebinder’s freezing. Hunters are also decent with their Threadrunner movement and incredibly strong (and annoying) Young Ahamkara’s Spine Tripmine Grenades.
Titan Barricade, Destiny 2
PvP Meta weapons
The PvP meta is the result of the combination of fast TTKs (time-to-kill) and ease of use. We cover TTK values for every weapon in the game in our TTK guide.
PvP Primary weapons meta
| Weapon Type | Rank | Tier | Trend | Role ❘ Current State | Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
  Hand Cannons | A › Strong | Strong ❘ A | - | ► Hand Cannons are in a bit of a strange spot. Many will argue that they are still the best weapons in the game, however, due to the prevalence of Pulse Rifles and especially SMGs, Hand Cannons have slowly been pushed out of many players' main pick. They are still excellent duelling weapons though, and feel amazing to use so they still retain a strong ranking. ► Best Archetype: Adaptive (120 RPM) - Example: Igneous Hammer | PVP Primaries |
  Pulse Rifles | S › Best | Best ❘ S | - | ► Pulse Rifles have seen a resurgence in the past few seasons, with constant buffs to all types of Pulse Rifles. It is hard not to find success with one due to the high-flinch potential of Rapid-Fire Pulses or the lethal time-to-kill of High-Impact Pulses. ► Best Archetype: High-Impact (340 RPM) - Example: The Messenger | PVP Primaries |
  Sidearms | A › Strong | Strong ❘ A |  | ► Sidearms have lost their place at the top of the meta, but they remain a solid pick, especially for players using a Controller, as they inherently have manageable stability with a rapid time-to-kill. Honestly, the main reason they've lost their place at the top is due to how powerful SMGs are right now. ► Best Archetype: Adaptive (325 RPM) - Example: Forgiveness | PVP Primaries |
  Auto Rifles | C › Weak | Weak ❘ C | - | ► Auto Rifles aren't doing greét right now. They contest a similar range as Hand Cannons, however, they lack the peak shooting potential that Adaptive Hand Cannons bring. They can also be contested at close range by SMGs, making them difficult to use everywhere. However, a good player can still find value in an Auto Rifle as they do provide high flinch and constant damage. ► Best Archetype: Adaptive (600 RPM) - Example: Gnawing Hunger | PVP Primaries |
 Combat Bows | B › Average | Average ❘ B | - | ► Bows are incredibly unique. They have a remarkably slow time to kill, however, this isn't where Bows shine. Hotswap builds with bows can be incredibly potent and don't require much learning either. Bows also provide incredible value when teamshooting opponents. Despite this, Bows on their own are quite mediocre and need something behind them to really shine. ► Best Archetype: Precision (Slower Draw Time) - Example: Strident Whistle | PVP Primaries |
  Scout Rifles | B › Average | Average ❘ B | - | ► Scouts have been tuned down to make them less potent in the hands of the average player. However, good scout rifle players will still be able to do pretty well in lobbies, however, they may find themselves outmatched by Pulse Rifles. ► Best Archetype: High-Impact (150 RPM) - Example: Polaris Lance | PVP Primaries |
 Submachine Guns | S › Best | Best ❘ S |  | ► SMGs have soared in power and will absolutely destroy you if you get within their effective range which, nowadays, feels like it's across the map. This, combined with their incredible ease of use and high potential in skilled hands makes for a very oppressive weapon to face against. ► Best Archetype: Aggressive (750 RPM)- Example: IKELOS_SMG_V1.0.3 | PVP Primaries |
PvP Special weapons meta
| 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 |
PvP Heavy weapons meta
| 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 |
These are the different Tier levels used for the list:
- S Tier – Best: Highest ranking weapon types.
- A Tier – Strong: Very strong weapon types, 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.
Before you go…
If you’re looking for the top PvP weapons right now, you should check our Best PvP weapons guide. Unlike this page, which focuses on weapon types, that guide covers the specific weapons currently dominating the Crucible.
If you’re also interested in PvE, we cover the PvE meta here.
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