All those buffs have catapulted Rocket launchers back to the forefront, making them some of the best weapons in the game.
This guide covers every Rocket launcher in Destiny 2, including both Exotic and Legendaries, as well as the best rolls for PVE and PVP.
Destiny 2 Rocket Launchers Tier list
The Tier list below includes every Exotic and non-sunset legendary GENRE in the game. 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 | Available? | Rank | Source | Obtainable? | Tier rank | Source ❘ DLC | Final Verdict | Released | Perks |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bump in the Night | Bump in the Night | Rocket Launcher | Aggressive | Heavy | Stasis | Season 17 | Yes | Ongoing | Seasonal activity | Ongoing... | Seasonal activity Season 17 | Slot: Review ongoing... | Season 17 | Slot: Review ongoing... |
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Gjallarhorn | Gjallarhorn | Rocket Launcher | Exotic | Heavy | Solar | 30th Anniversary | Yes | S › Best | Grasp of Avarice Dungeon | Best ❘ S Excels in: PVE + PVP | Grasp of Avarice Dungeon 30th Anniversary | Slot: Exotic Perk: "Rounds fired split into tracking cluster missiles upon detonation. Gain increased handling and reload speed when standing near allies. Firing this weapon also grants Wolfpack Rounds to nearby allies wielding non-Exotic Rocket Launchers." ► Gjallarhorn is nowhere as overpowered as it once was but still offers excellent stats and a great exotic perk (especially with the catalyst) that gives it that extra oomph to excel and become the meta option for rocket launcher users. | 30th Anniversary event | Slot: Exotic Perk: "Rounds fired split into tracking cluster missiles upon detonation. Gain increased handling and reload speed when standing near allies. Firing this weapon also grants Wolfpack Rounds to nearby allies wielding non-Exotic Rocket Launchers." |
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Palmyra-B | Palmyra-B | Rocket Launcher | Precision | Heavy | Stasis | Free-to-Play | Yes | S › Best | World loot pool | Best ❘ S Excels in: PVE + PVP | World loot pool Free-to-Play | Slot: PVE God Roll: Auto-Loading Holster + Explosive Light PVP God Roll: Impulse Amplifier + Chain Reaction ► Rockets are S-tier options for boss damage, and Palmyra-B is the best of the bunch. Auto-Loading Holster allows you to use special weapons while Palmyra is reloading, and its damage perks boost this weapon further above its competition. Plus, intrinsic tracking makes Palmyra a great pick for both PVE and PVP. After all, you'll want all the help you can get to hit those shots. | Season 16 | Slot: PVE God Roll: Auto-Loading Holster + Explosive Light PVP God Roll: Impulse Amplifier + Chain Reaction |
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Deathbringer | Deathbringer | Rocket Launcher | Exotic | Heavy | Void | Shadowkeep | Yes | A › Strong | Exotic Quest | Strong ❘ A Excels in: PVE + PVP | Exotic Quest Shadowkeep | Slot: Exotic Perk: "Fires remotely detonated projectiles that drop Void orbs on combatants. Hold to fire, release to detonate. The further a Void orb falls, the more powerful its detonation becomes." ► Deathbringer is a strange beast. In fact, many discard it simply because they don't fully understand it. But when used right, Deathbringer can deal massive damage in PVE and can easily lead to insane multi-kills in PVP. Some even prefer it to Gjallarhorn. | Season 8 | Slot: Exotic Perk: "Fires remotely detonated projectiles that drop Void orbs on combatants. Hold to fire, release to detonate. The further a Void orb falls, the more powerful its detonation becomes." |
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Code Duello | Code Duello | Rocket Launcher | High-Impact | Heavy | Solar | Free-to-Play | Yes | A › Strong | Unobtainable | Strong ❘ A Excels in: PVE | Unobtainable Free-to-Play | Slot: PVE God Roll: Impulse Amplifier (also good: Auto-Loading Holster) + Lasting Impression ► Able to roll with the brand-new Frenzy perk, Code Duello does the highest burst damage in the entire game. And as Frenzy also affects your reload, it can take your DPS numbers even higher. In fact, with Frenzy, it can do +15% damage. | Season 13 | Slot: PVE God Roll: Impulse Amplifier (also good: Auto-Loading Holster) + Lasting Impression |
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Royal Entry | Royal Entry | Rocket Launcher | Precision | Heavy | Void | Free-to-Play | Yes | A › Strong | Playlist: Strikes | Strong ❘ A Excels in: PVE | Playlist: Strikes Free-to-Play | Slot: PVE God Roll: Auto-Loading Holster (also good: Impulse Amplifier) + Lasting Impression ► One of the best Legendary rocket launchers in the game, Royal Entry comes with tracking out of the box. On top of that, it can roll with all the best rocket perks in the game, | Season 13 | Slot: PVE God Roll: Auto-Loading Holster (also good: Impulse Amplifier) + Lasting Impression |
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Hezen Vengeance | Hezen Vengeance | Rocket Launcher | Aggressive | Heavy | Solar | Free-to-Play | Yes | A › Strong | Vault of Glass Raid | Strong ❘ A Excels in: PVE | Vault of Glass Raid Free-to-Play | Slot: PVE God Roll: Overflow + Vorpal Weapon (also good: Lasting Impression) ► Hezen Vengeance, the rocket launcher from the Vault of Glass raid, is an overall great package. It offers good stats and good perks all-around, and that alone makes it a decent reward for a raid. But thanks to one single perk, Overflow, Hezen Vengeance is a unique weapon. The only rocket launcher that can roll with Overflow, it has the potential of having two rockets in the chamber quite often, which translates into insane burst-DPS. | Season 14 | Slot: PVE God Roll: Overflow + Vorpal Weapon (also good: Lasting Impression) |
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Ascendancy | Ascendancy | Rocket Launcher | Precision | Heavy | Solar | Free-to-Play | Yes | A › Strong | Exotic Kiosk | Strong ❘ A Excels in: PVE | Exotic Kiosk Free-to-Play | Slot: PVE Fixed Roll: Impulse Amplifier + Explosive Light ► Ascendency is one of the most popular rocket launchers this season. It comes with auto-tracking as an intrinsic perk and also offers Explosive Light, one of the best DPS perks for rockets in the game. | Season 15 | Slot: PVE Fixed Roll: Impulse Amplifier + Explosive Light |
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The Wardcliff Coil | The Wardcliff Coil | Rocket Launcher | Exotic | Heavy | Arc | Free-to-Play | Yes | A › Strong | Exotic Engram | Strong ❘ A Excels in: PVP | Exotic Engram Free-to-Play | Slot: Exotic Perk: "This weapon fires a volley of rockets and automatically reloads on ammo pickup." ► One of the best PVP rocket launcher in the game, The Wardcliff Coil is incredibly lethal and could potentially wipe an entire team. On top of that, it's a consistent and reliable weapon that can practically guarantee kills, even in competitive modes. | Season 1 | Slot: Exotic Perk: "This weapon fires a volley of rockets and automatically reloads on ammo pickup." |
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Eyes of Tomorrow | Eyes of Tomorrow | Rocket Launcher | Exotic | Heavy | Solar | Beyond Light | Yes | A › Strong | Deep Stone Crypt Raid | Strong ❘ A Excels in: PVP | Deep Stone Crypt Raid Beyond Light | Slot: Exotic Perk: "This weapon is capable of tracking and firing at multiple targets simultaneously. Killing four or more combatants in a single volley increases the damage of the next volley." ► Eyes of Tomorrow was disappointing at launch because of its low damage output against bosses. A recent buff has improved the situation, but more importantly, it remains an excellent weapon for ad clear and a monster in Gambit and in 6v6 PvP modes. | Season 12 | Slot: Exotic Perk: "This weapon is capable of tracking and firing at multiple targets simultaneously. Killing four or more combatants in a single volley increases the damage of the next volley." |
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Subzero Salvo | Subzero Salvo | Rocket Launcher | Precision | Heavy | Arc | Free-to-Play | Yes | B › Average | Europa | Average ❘ B Excels in: PVE | Europa Free-to-Play | Slot: PVE God Roll: Ambitious Assassin + Chain Reaction ► Being a Precision rocket launcher, Subzero Salvo comes with Tracking out of the box. Add to that Chain Reaction and Ambitious Assassin and you get the best ad clear rocket launcher in the game. | Season 12 | Slot: PVE God Roll: Ambitious Assassin + Chain Reaction |
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The Hothead | The Hothead | Rocket 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: PVE God Roll: Demolitionist (also good: Field Prep) + Adrenaline Junkie (also good: Explosive Light) ► The Hothead is one of the few weapons that can roll with the new Explosive Light perk, previously exclusive to the Wendigo GL3 grenade launcher. Explosive Light is not as powerful as it once was but is still a good perk for DPS phases. | Season 15 | Slot: PVE God Roll: Demolitionist (also good: Field Prep) + Adrenaline Junkie (also good: Explosive Light) |
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Red Herring | Red Herring | Rocket Launcher | Adaptive | Heavy | Void | Free-to-Play | Yes | B › Average | Throne World | Average ❘ B Excels in: PVE | Throne World Free-to-Play | Slot: PVE God Roll: Field Prep + Lasting Impression ► Being part of one of the most competitive weapon types, the Red Herring Rocket Launcher has a high standard to live up to. Sadly, with no intrinsic tracking and few S-tier perks, this weapon isn't worth using over its competitors. | Season 16 | Slot: PVE God Roll: Field Prep + Lasting Impression |
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Two-Tailed Fox | Two-Tailed Fox | Rocket Launcher | Exotic | Heavy | Void | Free-to-Play | Yes | B › Average | Exotic Engram | Average ❘ B | Exotic Engram Free-to-Play | Slot: Exotic Perk: "Shoots two rockets, one Void and one Solar, that can track onto the same target. The Void rocket suppresses enemies. The Solar rocket causes damage over time." ► Two-Tailed Fox is, on paper, still a great boss-damage rocket launcher. But with additions such as The Gjallarhorn or even the Deathbringer, the Two-Tailed Fox simply doesn't cut it anymore. | Season 4 | Slot: Exotic Perk: "Shoots two rockets, one Void and one Solar, that can track onto the same target. The Void rocket suppresses enemies. The Solar rocket causes damage over time." |
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Truth | Truth | Rocket Launcher | Exotic | Heavy | Void | Forsaken Pack | Yes | B › Average | Exotic Kiosk | Average ❘ B | Exotic Kiosk Forsaken Pack | Slot: Exotic Perk: "This weapon's rockets have tracking and detonate when they are within close proximity of their targets." ► Truth used to be a must-have weapon for Gambit invaders. But with the release of the Eyes of Tomorrow raid rocket launcher, Truth is nowhere near as popular as it used to be. | Season 7 | Slot: Exotic Perk: "This weapon's rockets have tracking and detonate when they are within close proximity of their targets." |
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Tomorrow's Answer | Tomorrow's Answer | Rocket Launcher | High-Impact | Heavy | Void | The Witch Queen | Yes | B › Average | Trials of Osiris | Average ❘ B | Trials of Osiris The Witch Queen | Slot: PVE God Roll: Impulse Amplifier + Lasting Impression ► Able to roll with Impulse Amplifier and Lasting Impression, Tomorrow's Answer is technically a great DPS rocket launcher. It's just too bad the weapon is not available this season. | Season 10 | Slot: PVE God Roll: Impulse Amplifier + Lasting Impression |
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Hoosegow | Hoosegow | Rocket Launcher | Adaptive | Heavy | Arc | Free-to-Play | Yes | B › Average | World loot pool | Average ❘ B | World loot pool Free-to-Play | Slot: PVE God Roll: Tracking Module (also good: Auto-Loading Holster) + Cluster Bomb ► Hoosegow isn't technically bad. It's just an average weapon that brings nothing special to the table. It can roll with a couple of decent rolls but your time will be better spent chasing more capable weapons. | Season 11 | Slot: PVE God Roll: Tracking Module (also good: Auto-Loading Holster) + Cluster Bomb |
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Heretic | Heretic | Rocket Launcher | Aggressive | Heavy | Arc | Free-to-Play | Yes | B › Average | Moon | Average ❘ B | Moon Free-to-Play | Slot: PVE God Roll: Impulse Amplifier (also good: Field Prep) + Lasting Impression ► A 25 RPM rocket launcher capable of rolling with Impulse Amplifier + Lasting Impression combo, Heretic is a perfectly capable DPS rocket launcher. | Season 13 | Slot: PVE God Roll: Impulse Amplifier (also good: Field Prep) + Lasting Impression |
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Sleepless | Sleepless | Rocket Launcher | High-Impact | Heavy | Arc | Free-to-Play | Yes | B › Average | Dreaming City | Average ❘ B | Dreaming City Free-to-Play | Slot: PVE God Roll: Tracking Module (also good: Auto-Loading Holster) + Chain Reaction ► Able to roll with Chain Reaction, Sleepless is an excellent ad clear rocket launcher. Add to that Tracking Module or Auto-Loading Holster and you get a great all-around rocket launcher perfect for general play and solo adventures. | Season 13 | Slot: PVE God Roll: Tracking Module (also good: Auto-Loading Holster) + Chain Reaction |
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Bad Omens | Bad Omens | Rocket Launcher | Aggressive | Heavy | Void | Free-to-Play | Yes | C › Weak | World loot pool | Weak ❘ C | World loot pool Free-to-Play | Slot: PVE God Roll: Tracking Module (also good: Auto-Loading Holster) + Cluster Bomb ► Bad Omens is average at best. Its God roll includes Tracking Module, which is something all Precision rocket launchers get for "free". On top of that, it's missing all the best PVE damage perks. | Season 11 | Slot: PVE God Roll: Tracking Module (also good: Auto-Loading Holster) + Cluster Bomb |
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Apex Predator | Apex Predator | Rocket Launcher | Adaptive | Heavy | Solar | Forsaken Pack | Yes | D › Worst | Last Wish Raid | Worst ❘ D | Last Wish Raid Forsaken Pack | Slot: PVE God Roll: Tracking Module + Auto-Loading Holster ► What makes this weapon one of the worst of its kind is the fact it has an extremely limited and weak perk selection. And is difficult weapon to acquire, as it can only be found in the Last Wish raid. | Season 4 | Slot: PVE God Roll: Tracking Module + Auto-Loading Holster |
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Shining Sphere | 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.
More Destiny 2 Tier lists:
Auto Rifles | ||
Combat Bows | ||
Fusion Rifles | ||
Grenade Launchers | ||
Hand Cannon | ||
Linear Fusion Rifle | ||
Machine Guns | ||
Pulse Rifle | ||
Rocket Launcher | ||
Scout Rifle | ||
Shotgun | ||
Submachine Guns | ||
Swords | ||
Trace Rifles |
Best Destiny 2 Rocket Launchers in 2022
This section not only covers the top Rocket Launchers currently in the game, it also tells you where you can find them. 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 Rocket launchers for PVE and PVP.
10. Subzero Salvo
Excels in PVP
Being a Precision rocket launcher, Subzero Salvo comes with Tracking out of the box. Add to that Chain Reaction and Ambitious Assassin and you get one of the best ad clear rocket launchers in the game.
Indeed, Chain Reaction and Ambitious Assassin pair really well. The first perk makes securing multi-kills a piece of cake while the other will load 2 rockets in the chamber per multi-kill!
PVE God roll:
- Perk 1: Ambitious Assassin
- Perk 2: Chain Reaction
How to get it: Subzero Salvo can be acquired by completing activities in Europa.
Art | Weapon | Type | Archetype | Rarity | Ammo | Element | Requirements | Available? | Ammo? | Element? | Tier | Excels | Source | Obtainable? | Requires | Released | Slot | Craftable? |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Subzero Salvo | Rocket Launcher | Precision | Legendary | Heavy | Arc | Free-to-Play | Yes | Average ❘ B | PVE | Europa | Free-to-Play | Season 12 | Heavy | No |
9. Tomorrow’s Answer
Excels in PVE
Able to roll with Impulse Amplifier and Lasting Impression, Tomorrow’s Answer is technically a great DPS rocket launcher. It’s just too bad the weapon is currently unavailable (Trials of Osiris only offers some of its weapons per Season).
Luckily, other equivalent and arguably easier to obtain options exist (such as the Code Duello).
PVE God roll:
- Perk 1: Impulse Amplifier
- Perk 2: Lasting Impression
How to get it: Tomorrow’s Answer can be acquired via Trials of Osiris engrams and rank ups.
Art | Weapon | Type | Archetype | Rarity | Ammo | Element | Requirements | Available? | Ammo? | Element? | Tier | Excels | Source | Obtainable? | Requires | Released | Slot | Craftable? |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tomorrow's Answer | Rocket Launcher | High-Impact | Legendary | Heavy | Void | The Witch Queen | Yes | Average ❘ B | - | Trials of Osiris | The Witch Queen | Season 10 | Heavy | No |
8. Eyes of Tomorrow
Excels in PVP
Eyes of Tomorrow was somewhat disappointing because of the low damage it does to bosses. Still, it remains an excellent weapon for ad clear, but more importantly, a monster in Gambit and in 6v6 PVP modes.
Exotic Perk: “This weapon is capable of tracking and firing at multiple targets simultaneously. Killing four or more combatants in a single volley increases the damage of the next volley.”
How to get it: Eyes of Tomorrow can be acquired by completing the Deep Stone Crypt raid.
Art | Weapon | Type | Archetype | Rarity | Ammo | Element | Requirements | Available? | Ammo? | Element? | Tier | Excels | Source | Obtainable? | Requires | Released | Slot | Craftable? |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Eyes of Tomorrow | Rocket Launcher | Exotic | Exotic | Heavy | Solar | Beyond Light | Yes | Strong ❘ A | PVP | Deep Stone Crypt Raid | Beyond Light | Season 12 | Heavy | No |
7. Code Duello
Excels in PVE
Able to roll with the brand-new Frenzy perk, Code Duello does the highest burst damage in the entire game. And as Frenzy also affects your reload, it can take your DPS numbers even higher. In fact, with Frenzy, it can do +15% damage.
Also, as a weapon found in Battlegrounds and focused Umbral engrams, it can be easily farmable this season!
PVE God roll:
- Perk 1: Impulse Amplifier (also good: Auto-Loading Holster)
- Perk 2: Lasting Impression
How to get it: Code Duello can be acquired by completing Battlegrounds and focusing Umbral engrams.
Art | Weapon | Type | Archetype | Rarity | Ammo | Element | Requirements | Available? | Ammo? | Element? | Tier | Excels | Source | Obtainable? | Requires | Released | Slot | Craftable? |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Code Duello | Rocket Launcher | High-Impact | Legendary | Heavy | Solar | Free-to-Play | Yes | Strong ❘ A | PVE | Unobtainable | Free-to-Play | Season 13 | Heavy | No |
6. Royal Entry
Excels in PVP
One of the best Legendary rocket launchers in the game, Royal Entry has a lot going for it. First of all, as a Precision rocket launcher, it comes with tracking out of the box.
On top of that, it can roll with all the best rocket perks in the game, including Clown Cartridge, Lasting Impression, Chain Reaction and Impulse Amplifier.”
PVE God roll:
- Perk 1: Auto-Loading Holster (also good: Impulse Amplifier)
- Perk 2: Lasting Impression
How to get it: Royal Entry can be acquired by completing Strikes from the Vanguard Playlist.
Art | Weapon | Type | Archetype | Rarity | Ammo | Element | Requirements | Available? | Ammo? | Element? | Tier | Excels | Source | Obtainable? | Requires | Released | Slot | Craftable? |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Royal Entry | Rocket Launcher | Precision | Legendary | Heavy | Void | Free-to-Play | Yes | Strong ❘ A | PVE | Playlist: Strikes | Free-to-Play | Season 13 | Heavy | No |
5. Ascendancy
Excels in PVE
Season 15’s Pursuit weapon, Ascendency is one of the most popular rocket launchers this season. It comes with auto-tracking as an intrinsic perk and also offers Explosive Light, one of the best DPS perks for rockets in the game.
PVE God roll:
- Perk 1: Impulse Amplifier
- Perk 2: Explosive Light
How to get it: Ascendancy can be acquired by completing Season 15’s ritual quest.
Art | Weapon | Type | Archetype | Rarity | Ammo | Element | Requirements | Available? | Ammo? | Element? | Tier | Excels | Source | Obtainable? | Requires | Released | Slot | Craftable? |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ascendancy | Rocket Launcher | Precision | Legendary | Heavy | Solar | Free-to-Play | Yes | Strong ❘ A | PVE | Exotic Kiosk | Free-to-Play | Season 15 | Heavy | No |
4. Deathbringer
Excels in PVP
Deathbringer is a strange beast. In fact, many discard simply because they don’t fully understand it. But when used right, Deathbringer can deal massive damage in PVE and can easily lead to insane multi-kills in PVP.
To be fair, Deathbringer’s projectiles are not always consistent, which is why a few bad early experiences can lead players to give up on it far too quickly. But when used right, it can lead to even better DPS numbers than the current king: Gjallarhorn.
Exotic Perk: “Fires remotely detonated projectiles that drop Void orbs on combatants. Hold to fire, release to detonate. The further a Void orb falls, the more powerful its detonation becomes.”
How to get it: Deathbringer can be acquired by completing an Exotic quest.
Art | Weapon | Type | Archetype | Rarity | Ammo | Element | Requirements | Available? | Ammo? | Element? | Tier | Excels | Source | Obtainable? | Requires | Released | Slot | Craftable? |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Deathbringer | Rocket Launcher | Exotic | Exotic | Heavy | Void | Shadowkeep | Yes | Strong ❘ A | PVE + PVP | Exotic Quest | Shadowkeep | Season 8 | Heavy | No |
3. Hezen Vengeance
Excels in PVE
Hezen Vengeance, the rocket launcher from the Vault of Glass raid, is an overall great package. It offers good stats and good perks all-around, and that alone makes it a decent reward for a raid.
But thanks to one single perk, Overflow, Hezen Vengeance is a unique weapon. The only rocket launcher that can roll with Overflow, it has the potential of having two rockets in the chamber quite often, which translates into insane burst-DPS.
PVE God roll:
- Perk 1: Overflow
- Perk 2: Vorpal Weapon (also good: Lasting Impression)
How to get it: Hezen Vengeance can be acquired by completing the fourth or fifth encounter of the Vault of Glass raid.
Art | Weapon | Type | Archetype | Rarity | Ammo | Element | Requirements | Available? | Ammo? | Element? | Tier | Excels | Source | Obtainable? | Requires | Released | Slot | Craftable? |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hezen Vengeance | Rocket Launcher | Aggressive | Legendary | Heavy | Solar | Free-to-Play | Yes | Strong ❘ A | PVE | Vault of Glass Raid | Free-to-Play | Season 14 | Heavy | No |
2. The Wardcliff Coil
Best PVP Rocket Launcher in Destiny 2
Arguably the best rocket launcher for PVP in the entire game, The Wardcliff Coil is incredibly lethal and could potentially wipe an entire team. On top of that, it’s a consistent and reliable weapon that can practically guarantee kills, even in competitive modes.
The Wardcliff Coils also has the ability to easily shut down supers from range.
Exotic Perk: “This weapon fires a volley of rockets and automatically reloads on ammo pickup.”
How to get it: The Wardcliff Coil can be acquired via Exotic engrams or Xûr.
Art | Weapon | Type | Archetype | Rarity | Ammo | Element | Requirements | Available? | Ammo? | Element? | Tier | Excels | Source | Obtainable? | Requires | Released | Slot | Craftable? |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
The Wardcliff Coil | Rocket Launcher | Exotic | Exotic | Heavy | Arc | Free-to-Play | Yes | Strong ❘ A | PVP | Exotic Engram | Free-to-Play | Season 1 | Heavy | No |
1. Gjallarhorn
Best PVE Rocket Launcher in Destiny 2
The most famous weapon in Destiny is finally back and it doesn’t disappoint. Many worried it would come back either as broken as it was in Destiny 1 or so nerfed it would be a shell of its former self.
Gjallarhorn is nowhere as overpowered as it once was but still offers excellent stats and a great exotic perk (especially with the catalyst) that gives it that extra oomph to excel and become the meta option for rocket launcher users.
Exotic Perk: “Rounds fired split into tracking cluster missiles upon detonation. Gain increased handling and reload speed when standing near allies. Firing this weapon also grants Wolfpack Rounds to nearby allies wielding non-Exotic Rocket Launchers.”
How to get it: Gjallarhorn can be acquired by completing the Grasp of Avarice dungeon.
Art | Weapon | Type | Archetype | Rarity | Ammo | Element | Requirements | Available? | Ammo? | Element? | Tier | Excels | Source | Obtainable? | Requires | Released | Slot | Craftable? |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gjallarhorn | Rocket Launcher | Exotic | Exotic | Heavy | Solar | 30th Anniversary | Yes | Best ❘ S | PVE + PVP | Grasp of Avarice Dungeon | 30th Anniversary | 30th Anniversary event | Heavy | No |
Rocket Launchers in PVP: Consistency
TTK is usually important in PVP, because the lowest the TTK, the faster you can kill your opponent.
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.
It’s all about consistency when it comes to rocket launchers in PVP. You want a rocket launcher that can easily secure those one-kills. That’s why The Wardcliff Coil is such a popular choice for PVP.
Rocket 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.
But before we look into damage numbers and ease of use (two of the most important factors to take into account in PVE), we need to be clear about the role Rocket Launchers are supposed to fill. According to Bungie, these are the different roles for Heavy weapons:
Role | Explanation | Target Weapon types |
Add Clear | Clearing weaker enemies faster than you could with a primary ammo weapon. For most content, primaries do the add clear job perfectly well, so this is most useful in high difficulty PvE. | Main: Machine Guns, Grenade Launchers, Swords
Secondary: Rocket Launchers |
Single Target Damage | Burning down a boss. | Main: Linear Fusion Rifles, Exotic Snipers, Swords
Secondary: Grenade Launchers, Machine Guns |
Burst Damage | Burning down a champion quickly, or for bosses with multiple damage phases, clearing a phase quickly. | Main: Rocket Launchers
Secondary: Linear Fusion Rifles |
Based on that, when using a Rocket launchers, you’re looking to dish burst damage to a single target, such as a Champion, or for a short damage phase.
This DPS chart includes the DPS numbers for every weapon in Destiny 2. When it comes to actual DPS, Rocket launchers are in a great place right now, with some of the top exotics and legendary god rolls sitting at the top of the Meta:
- | Weapon Type | Archetype | Average DPS | Burst DPS | Total Damage | Specs | -- | Best in Class | Change? | Ammo |
Top Rocket Launcher Perks
But not every rocket launcher will excel PVE, be it for burst damage against a Boss or crowd control. First of all, we need to keep in mind one important thing:
Every legendary rocket launcher does the same damage per rocket.
This makes perks all the more important. When the base damage is technically the same for all Rocket Launchers, it’s the perks that will make or break them.
Among the many excellent rocket launcher perks available, the most popular are often the damage-dealing perks. These are the damage increases you can expect from the most popular damage-dealing perks:
Perk | Increase | Damage |
Base Damage | – | 73,107 |
Cluster Bomb | 6.1% | 77,559 |
Frenzy | 15% | 84,073 |
Lasting Impression | 19% | 87,017 |
Do note that these figures include the Impact Casing perk, which grants 10% more impact.
The best PVE perks will depend on your expected usage. These are the most common situations you’d want to have a top-tier Rocket launcher for PVE for.
0. All-around perks
The following perks are always good to have, mainly because they will greatly improve your rocket launcher’s uptime:
- Auto-loading Holster: “The holstered weapon is automatically reloaded after a short period of time.”
- Field Prep: “Increased ammo reserves. Faster reload, stow, and ready when you’re crouching.”
- Impulse Amplifier: “Massively increases projectile velocity, increases reload speed.”
1. Boss DPS and/or Damage phases
If you’re looking to deal the highest possible damage to a boss, a god roll will look something like this:
- Lasting Impression: “Rockets attach on impact and detonate after a delay. Increases blast radius and damage.”
- Frenzy: “Being in combat for an extended time increases damage, handling, and reload for this weapon until you are out of combat.”
Needless to say, combining a good uptime perk (such as Impulse Amplifier) with a top-tier damage perk (such as Lasting Impression) can result in one of the best PVE weapons in the game.
2. Crowd Control
Sometimes you just need to deal with a bunch of red bar enemies (ads). In those situations, you’ll need entirely different perks than before, something like these:
- Chain Reaction: “Each final blow with this weapon creates an elemental damage explosion.”
- Cluster Bomb: “Rockets spawn cluster bombs upon detonation.”
Finally, it is worth mentioning that Rocket launchers are not considered optimal for crowd control. A grenade launcher or machine gun will probably better serve you. In the current meta, you’ll want to use a rocket launcher for damage phases against bosses and majors (and benefit from that juicy +30% damage buff they received).
Destiny 2 Rocket Launchers: Are they Meta?
We’ve talked about the best Rocket launchers for PVE and PVP already, but how do they compare, in general, with other primary weapon types? In other words:
Are Rocket Launchers good in Destiny 2?
The current Meta for PVE
So, are Rocket Launchers good in Destiny 2 PVE? This table summarizes how the several Heavy weapon types rank against each other in PVE:
Weapon Type | Rank | Tier | Trend | Role ❘ Current State | Category |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Swords | S › Best | Best ❘ S | - | ► Main roles: Add Clear & Single Target damage (i.e. Boss damage). ► Current State: Swords are incredibly strong right now. Several buffs and a huge rework during Season of the Worthy made them much more usable. They are now safer to use, have a better ammo economy, and can deal much more damage. Swords are as high risk / high reward as it gets. If used right, a top-tier sword can basically delete any enemy, even on higher difficulties. No wonder The Lament and Falling Guillotine are still some of the best Power weapons available. | PVE Heavies |
Rocket Launchers | A › Strong | Strong ❘ A | ► Main role: Burst Damage (Secondary role: Add Clear) ► Rocket launchers went through a rough patch that relegated to the least preferred Heavy weapon in the entire game. Bungie has been hard at work at making them relevant again, and after two noticeable buffs, Rocket launchers are making a huge comeback. With great DPS potential and bigger magazines, they are among the best tools at your disposal, no matter the content. | PVE Heavies | |
Linear Fusion Rifles | A › Strong | Strong ❘ A | ► Main role: Single Target damage (Secondary role: Burst Damage) ► Current State: Linear fusion rifles have been in the middle of an identity crisis for a while, but that should finally change this season. With increased damage to critical hits, Linear Fusions are now much more lethal and rewarding, provided you can hit your shots. It's still too early to tell how meta they can become, but keep an eye on Sleeper Simulant, or a Threaded Needle with Vorpal Weapon. These will be among your top DPS options this season. | PVE Heavies | |
Machine Guns | B › Average | Average ❘ B | ► Main role: Add Clear ► Current State: Machine guns are not what they used to be, not for PVE at least. While a god-rolled Commemoration or a Thunderlord will definitely get the job done at clearing ads, they remain the shadow of their former selves. Bungie itself has confirmed they need to be fine-tuned, but that could take a while... To be fair, they still have their place and have proven to be excellent to deal with elemental shields in Grandmaster Nightfall: The Ordeals. | PVE Heavies | |
Grenade Launchers | B › Average | Average ❘ B | ► Main role: Add Clear (Secondary role: Single Target Damage). ► Current State: Grenade launchers went from the indisputable PVE choice to just an average, situational weapon type, in a matter of months. To be fair, they remain viable, especially when getting too close to the enemy is impossible. Otherwise, they have been replaced by Swords as the go-to damage-dealing Heavy weapon type in the game. | PVE Heavies | |
Exotic Sniper Rifles | C › Weak | Weak ❘ C | ► Main role: Single Target damage ► Current State: Finally, we have Exotic Sniper rifles, a very niche choice represented by only 2 weapons, D.A.R.C.I and Whisper of the Worm. Heavy Exotic Snipers are far from being meta right now. D.A.R.C.I is one of the most underwhelming Exoticsin the entire game, while Whisper of the Warm is the shadow of its former self due to the blanket nerf all snipers received a few seasons ago. | PVE Heavies |
The current Meta for PVP
What about PVP? This table summarizes how they rank against each other in PVP:
Weapon Type | Rank | Tier | Trend | Role ❘ Current State | Category |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rocket Launchers | S › Best | Best ❘ S | Rocket launchers are in a great place right now for PVP. As ammo economy is not an issue in the Crucible, their insane high-burst damage per rocket allows them to shine. Rocket launchers, and especially the exotics, can basically guarantee a kill without requiring much skill nor effort. And if used right, you can easily get multi kills in 6v6 modes. Rocket launchers even have a place in competitive modes, namely the Wardclif Coil, due to their consistency. | PVP Heavies | |
Machine Guns | A › Strong | Strong ❘ A | Machine guns are always a safe bet in PVP. They have excellent TTK, are very consistent from medium to long-range, and have enough ammo to kill easily 2 to 3 guardians, 4 if you play your cards right. Not all machine guns were created equal, though, as some of them are much stronger than the rest, especially the exotics (Heir Apparent immediately comes to mind). But with the right perks, legendary Machine guns can also shine | PVP Heavies | |
Grenade Launchers | B › Average | Average ❘ B | Grenade launchers can be good options in PVP. They are powerful and can come with great perks, including the newish Chain Reaction, which can easily net you multi kills when hitting enemies grouped together. When used with something like Proximity grenades, grenade launchers can be even more reliable and easy to use. Compared to the other Power weapon in the game, grenade launchers remain strong contenders. And when you take into account the exotics, namely The Colony, they can basically give you free kills. | PVP Heavies | |
Swords | C › Weak | Weak ❘ C | Swords may be a top-tier choice in PVE due to their high-risk, high reward approach. But in PVP, the risk is much higher than the reward. You can, of course, use a sword to benefit from the third-person view and wait for opponents around corners. But in many situations, you could find yourself completely vulnerable out in the open while chasing an enemy. On top of that, 3-peeking with swords is considered a douchy approach by the community, and with reason! | 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 Rocket Launchers in Destiny 2, whether that is for PVP or PVE content.
Latest changes made to this guide
Things change fast in Destiny 2, especially when a new Season or Expansion launches. For that reason, this post will be updated at least once per season.
With the release of Season of the Lost (Season 15) and Bungie’s 30th Anniversary event, the following weapons were added:
- Gjallarhorn
Stay tuned and don’t forget to bookmark this page for next season!
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