Best Pulse Rifles in Destiny 2: Tier List (Heresy Meta)

Sometimes referred to as “Dad rifles,” some people love to hate Pulse rifles. They claim Pulses require no skill and are too easy to use, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. In fact, some of them are considered to be among the best weapons in the entire game.

This guide covers all Pulse Rifles in Destiny 2 and their best rolls for PvE and PvP.

Update based on Episode 3: Heresy. See Updates.

Top Tier Pulse Rifles (Episode 3)

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

Item	Weapons	Type	Archetype	Ammo?	Element?	Requirements	In loot pool?	Rank	Source	Available?	Tier rank	Source ❘ DLC	Final Verdict	Released	Perks	Best of?
Redrix's Estoc	Redrix's Estoc Pulse Rifle	Pulse Rifle	Legacy PR-55	Primary	Stasis	Free-to-Play	Yes	S+ > Meta	Crucible Competitive		Meta ❘ S+ Excels in: PvP	Crucible Competitive Free-to-Play	Slot: Stasis | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Legacy PR-55 PvP God Roll: one Wolf or Zen Moment + Headseeker or Kill Clip ► Redrix’s Estoc is one of the strongest weapons in recent memory to be unleashed upon the Crucible thanks to its remarkable ease of use. In PvE, Redrix’s Estoc is serviceable but doesn’t impress much.	Episode 3	Slot: Stasis | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Legacy PR-55 PvP God Roll: one Wolf or Zen Moment + Headseeker or Kill Clip	Top-tier
BxR-55 Battler	BxR-55 Battler Pulse Rifle	Pulse Rifle	Legacy PR-55	Primary	Solar	Free-to-Play	Yes	S › Best	Dares of Eternity		Best ❘ S Excels in: PvE + PvP	Dares of Eternity Free-to-Play	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Legacy PR-55 PvE God Roll: Outlaw (also good: Demolitionist) + Incandescent (also good: Kill Clip) PvE God Roll: Killing Wind (also good: Perpetual Motion) + Kill Clip ► The BxR has always been a powerful pulse rifle, but it recently got even better. Now with the ability to roll with Incandescent (and the ability to craft it), this pulse rifle continues to dominate most areas of the game.	30th Anniversary event	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Legacy PR-55 PvE God Roll: Outlaw (also good: Demolitionist) + Incandescent (also good: Kill Clip) PvE God Roll: Killing Wind (also good: Perpetual Motion) + Kill Clip	Top-tier
Nullify	Nullify Pulse Rifle	Pulse Rifle	Heavy Burst	Primary	Solar	The Final Shape	Yes	S › Best	Salvation's Edge Raid		Best ❘ S Excels in: PvE + PvP	Salvation's Edge Raid The Final Shape	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Heavy Burst PvE God Roll: Demolitionist or Heal Clip + Chaos Reshaped or Incandescent PvP God Roll: Rapid Hit + Multikill Clip (also good: Chaos Reshaped) ► Solar Heavy Burst Pulse Rifle, Nullify is the first of its kind. While other Heavy Burst Pulses exist, like Corrasion or Aisha’s Care, they all fail to match up to Nullify’s outrageously loaded perk pool, especially for PvE.	The Final Shape	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Heavy Burst PvE God Roll: Demolitionist or Heal Clip + Chaos Reshaped or Incandescent PvP God Roll: Rapid Hit + Multikill Clip (also good: Chaos Reshaped)	Top-tier
Red Death Reformed	Red Death Reformed Pulse Rifle	Pulse Rifle	Exotic	Primary	Solar	Free-to-Play	Yes	S › Best	Season Pass		Best ❘ S Excels in: PvE + PvP	Season Pass Free-to-Play	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "Final blows with this weapon cure you and increase reload speed; reloading after final blows cures nearby allies. When you deal damage with this weapon, it gains increased handling, takes reduced flinch, and movement speed is increased for a short time. When you are at reduced health, this weapon deals additional damage." ► Red Death is one of the nicest feeling weapons in D2, mainly thanks to the recent Pulse Rifle buffs. Plus, Red Death's "Redemption" perk providing Cure x2 on kills means it is almost impossible to die when slaying out in PvE. In PvP, it is very stable and can two burst enemies. Its health regen will also save you every so often.	The Final Shape	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "Final blows with this weapon cure you and increase reload speed; reloading after final blows cures nearby allies. When you deal damage with this weapon, it gains increased handling, takes reduced flinch, and movement speed is increased for a short time. When you are at reduced health, this weapon deals additional damage."	Top-tier
Joxer's Longsword	Joxer's Longsword Pulse Rifle	Pulse Rifle		Primary	Void	Free-to-Play	Yes	S › Best	Playlist: Crucible		Best ❘ S Excels in: PvE + PvP	Playlist: Crucible Free-to-Play	Slot: Void | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: PvE God Roll: Repulsor Brace + Destabilizing Rounds PvP God Roll: Lone Wolf (also good: Closing Time) + Headseeker ► Joxer’s Longsword is one of many weapons to benefit greatly from Destabilizing Rounds’ recent buff. If you’re looking for a solid option to complement Void builds, this is the weapon for you.	Episode 3	Slot: Void | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: PvE God Roll: Repulsor Brace + Destabilizing Rounds PvP God Roll: Lone Wolf (also good: Closing Time) + Headseeker	Top-tier
Graviton Lance	Graviton Lance Pulse Rifle	Pulse Rifle	Exotic	Primary	Void	Free-to-Play	Yes	S › Best	Exotic Engram		Best ❘ S Excels in: PvE	Exotic Engram Free-to-Play	Slot: Void | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "Second shot of a burst rips a hole through space-time, doing high damage and recoil with no falloff. Kills with this weapon cause enemies to detonate and spawn tracking Void projectiles." ► Graviton Lance is a beast of a weapon. It clears out entire rooms thanks to its explosive capabilities. It also synergizes well with certain builds, making it an excellent option right now.	Season 1	Slot: Void | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "Second shot of a burst rips a hole through space-time, doing high damage and recoil with no falloff. Kills with this weapon cause enemies to detonate and spawn tracking Void projectiles."	Top-tier
Outbreak Perfected	Outbreak Perfected Pulse Rifle	Pulse Rifle	Exotic	Primary	Kinetic	Free-to-Play	Yes	S › Best	Zero Hour		Best ❘ S Excels in: PvE	Zero Hour Free-to-Play	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "This weapon creates SIVA nanite swarms on rapid hits and precision kills and does more damage to enemies based on the number of SIVA nanites that attach to them." ► Now craftable, Outbreak is the best pulse rifle in the game. Rewind Rounds makes it a solid primary damage weapon, and Headseeker (along with other perks) can turn it into a Crucible nightmare. Did I also mention all pulse rifles got a buff in Final Shape?	Season 6	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "This weapon creates SIVA nanite swarms on rapid hits and precision kills and does more damage to enemies based on the number of SIVA nanites that attach to them."	Top-tier
Blast Furnace	Blast Furnace Pulse Rifle	Pulse Rifle	Aggressive	Primary	Kinetic	Free-to-Play	Yes	S › Best	Onslaught Activity		Best ❘ S Excels in: PvE	Onslaught Activity Free-to-Play	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Aggressive PvE God Roll: Kinetic Tremors (also good: Shoot to Loot) + Frenzy or Desperate Measures ► Blast Furnace is back and better than ever. Refreshed in Season 23, it has a far better perk pool than before, especially for PvE. Plus, The Final Shape's buffs to Pulses make this a monster of a weapon. It is arguably the best Legendary Pulse in the game.	Into the Light	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Aggressive PvE God Roll: Kinetic Tremors (also good: Shoot to Loot) + Frenzy or Desperate Measures	Top-tier
Claws of the Wolf	Claws of the Wolf Pulse Rifle	Pulse Rifle	Rapid-Fire	Primary	Void	Free-to-Play	Yes	S › Best	Iron Banner		Best ❘ S Excels in: PvE	Iron Banner Free-to-Play	Slot: Void | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Rapid-Fire PvE God Roll: Repulsor Brace + Destabilizing Rounds PvP God Roll: Headseeker + Kill Clip (also good: Zen Moment) ► Claws of the Wolf heavily benefitted from Destabilizing Rounds’ recent buff. While it will continue to slip under the community’s radar for the foreseeable future, giving this weapon a try for yourself is something you won’t regret.	The Final Shape	Slot: Void | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Rapid-Fire PvE God Roll: Repulsor Brace + Destabilizing Rounds PvP God Roll: Headseeker + Kill Clip (also good: Zen Moment)	Top-tier
Horror's Least	Horror's Least Pulse Rifle	Pulse Rifle	Rapid-Fire	Primary	Arc	Free-to-Play	Yes	S › Best	Nightfall: The Ordeals		Best ❘ S Excels in: PvP	Nightfall: The Ordeals Free-to-Play	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Rapid-Fire PvP God Roll: Perpetual Motion (also good: Heating Up) + Kill Clip ► Able to dominate in the Crucible at mid-range, Horror's Least is one of the best pulse rifles in the game. With great stats, an Adept variant, and a well-rounded perk pool, this weapon is a beast and worth grinding if you're a pulse rifle fan.	Season 17	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Rapid-Fire PvP God Roll: Perpetual Motion (also good: Heating Up) + Kill Clip	Top-tier
Elsie's Rifle	Elsie's Rifle Pulse Rifle	Pulse Rifle	High-Impact	Primary	Void	Free-to-Play	Yes	S › Best	Onslaught Activity		Best ❘ S Excels in: PvP	Onslaught Activity Free-to-Play	Slot: Void | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: High-Impact PvP God Roll: Zen Moment (also good: Keep Away) + Headseeker (also good: Desperado) ► Elsie’s Rifle is an extremely powerful pulse rifle inside of the Crucible. It’s got slightly less range than The Messenger, but outside of that? Elsie has it beat. Add on the several stat boosting perks it can roll with, and you’ve got a perfect energy slot contender to The Messenger.	Into the Light	Slot: Void | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: High-Impact PvP God Roll: Zen Moment (also good: Keep Away) + Headseeker (also good: Desperado)	Top-tier
No Time to Explain	No Time to Explain Pulse Rifle	Pulse Rifle	Exotic	Primary	Kinetic	Beyond Light Pack	Yes	A › Strong	Beyond Light Campaign		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvE + PvP	Beyond Light Campaign Beyond Light Pack	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "Precision shots and shots against combatants affected by Stasis return to the magazine. At 10 stacks, a small portal will open, shooting bullets from an alternate timeline version of this weapon. Precision hits extend the portal's duration." ► An exceptional pick in PVP (and a fun one in PVE), No Time to Explain's ability to provide you with an extra set of bullets continues to be helpful in most areas of the game.	Season 12	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "Precision shots and shots against combatants affected by Stasis return to the magazine. At 10 stacks, a small portal will open, shooting bullets from an alternate timeline version of this weapon. Precision hits extend the portal's duration."	Top-tier
The Messenger	The Messenger Pulse Rifle	Pulse Rifle	High-Impact	Primary	Kinetic	The Final Shape	No	A › Strong	Trials of Osiris		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvE + PvP	Trials of Osiris The Final Shape	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: High-Impact PvE & PvP God Roll: Rapid Hit (also good: Outlaw) + Kill Clip(also good: Desperado) ► Because Desperado is no longer exclusive to this pulse (and because the perk has suffered from a handful of nerfs), The Messenger isn't as popular as it once was. Kill Clip allows this weapon to continue to excel in PVP, but it isn't the monster it was previously.	Season 13	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: High-Impact PvE & PvP God Roll: Rapid Hit (also good: Outlaw) + Kill Clip(also good: Desperado)	Top-tier
Insidious	Insidious Pulse Rifle	Pulse Rifle	Aggressive Burst	Primary	Arc	The Witch Queen	Yes	A › Strong	Vow of the Disciple Raid		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvE + PvP	Vow of the Disciple Raid Witch Queen	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Aggressive Burst PvE God Roll: Rapid Hit (also good: Dragonfly) + Rampage PvP God Roll: Rapid Hit (also good: Heating Up) + Rampage ► One of very few 4-burst pulse rifles, people had big expectations for this weapon. And with outstanding perk combinations for both PVE and PVP, Insidious blew those out of the water. With an S-Tier Origin Trait and no terrible perks in its pool, there's not much to hate about this pulse rifle. For PVP in particular, Aggressive Burst Pulses hit like a truck, flinching opponents with ease.	Season 16	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Aggressive Burst PvE God Roll: Rapid Hit (also good: Dragonfly) + Rampage PvP God Roll: Rapid Hit (also good: Heating Up) + Rampage	Top-tier
New Purpose	New Purpose Pulse Rifle	Pulse Rifle	High-Impact	Primary	Stasis	Witch Queen Dungeon Key	Yes	A › Strong	Duality Dungeon		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvE + PvP	Duality Dungeon Episode 3: Heretic	Slot: Stasis | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: High-Impact PvE God Roll: Feeding Frenzy + Headstone (also good: Desperado) PvP God Roll: Perpetual Motion (also good: Tunnel Vision) + Desperado ► For those not wanting to grind out The Messenger, New Purpose is the next best thing. Desperado was recently nerfed and is now significantly less potent, but it's still crazy fun in both PvE and PvP. Plus, New Purpose's Stasis element and Headstone can also play an integral part in a PvE Stasis build.	Season 17	Slot: Stasis | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: High-Impact PvE God Roll: Feeding Frenzy + Headstone (also good: Desperado) PvP God Roll: Perpetual Motion (also good: Tunnel Vision) + Desperado	Top-tier
Battle Scar	Battle Scar Pulse Rifle	Pulse Rifle	Lightweight	Primary	Kinetic	Free-to-Play	Yes	A › Strong	Lost Sector		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvE + PvP	Lost Sector Free-to-Play	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Lightweight PvE God Roll: Perpetual Motion (also good: Shoot to Loot) + Kinetic Tremors PvP God Roll: Perpetual Motion (also good: Keep Away) + Headseeker ► Yet another world drop to make waves, Battle Scar is an exceptionally strong pulse rifle with an equally strong perk pool. Not only that but its origin trait buffs practically all stats for the low cost of simply dealing damage and not dying. The only problem is getting it to drop.	Season 20	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Lightweight PvE God Roll: Perpetual Motion (also good: Shoot to Loot) + Kinetic Tremors PvP God Roll: Perpetual Motion (also good: Keep Away) + Headseeker	Top-tier
Phyllotactic Spiral	Phyllotactic Spiral Pulse Rifle	Pulse Rifle	High-Impact	Primary	Arc	Lightfall	Yes	A › Strong	Neomuna		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvE + PvP	Neomuna Lightfall	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: High-Impact PvE God Roll: Keep Away (also good: Compulsive Reloader) + Voltshot PvP God Roll: Keep Away + Kill Clip (also good: Headseeker) ► The first pulse rifle to get Voltshot, Phyllotactic Spiral has been highly sought after since its release with Lightfall. Its range lets users activate Keep Away more consistently, which aids in the reload speed when proc'ing Voltshot. The only issue you'll find with it is getting it in the first place.	Season 20	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: High-Impact PvE God Roll: Keep Away (also good: Compulsive Reloader) + Voltshot PvP God Roll: Keep Away + Kill Clip (also good: Headseeker)	Top-tier
Different Times	Different Times Pulse Rifle	Pulse Rifle	Rapid-Fire	Primary	Strand	Free-to-Play	Yes	A › Strong	Xûr		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvE + PvP	Xûr Free-to-Play	Slot: Strand | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Rapid-Fire PvE God Roll: Subsistence + Hatchling PvP God Roll: Moving Target + Headseeker ► Our first Strand pulse, while just a reskin of Outlast, is a fairly powerful Rapid-Fire. Rapid-fires continue to be a solid choice for PvP, and in PvE, they synergize extremely well with Tangle or Threadling-based builds. And on top of it all, it's craftable!	Season 21	Slot: Strand | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Rapid-Fire PvE God Roll: Subsistence + Hatchling PvP God Roll: Moving Target + Headseeker	Top-tier
Oversoul Edict	Oversoul Edict Pulse Rifle	Pulse Rifle	Rapid-Fire	Primary	Arc	Free-to-Play	Yes	A › Strong	Crota's End Raid		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvE + PvP	Crota's End Raid Free-to-Play	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Rapid-Fire PvE God Roll: Demolitionist (also good: Englightened Action) + Voltshot PvP God Roll: Keep Away + Headseeker (also good: Moving Target) ► From the returning Crota's End raid, Oversoul Edict is one of the best legendary pulses, bar none. Its perk pool has something for everyone and is a solid pick for all manners of content. It is also craftable, so a god roll is only five red borders away.	Season 22	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Rapid-Fire PvE God Roll: Demolitionist (also good: Englightened Action) + Voltshot PvP God Roll: Keep Away + Headseeker (also good: Moving Target)	Top-tier
Belisarius-D	Belisarius-D Pulse Rifle	Pulse Rifle	Aggressive Burst	Primary	Strand	Free-to-Play	Yes	A › Strong	Crucible Competitive		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvE + PvP	Crucible Competitive Free-to-Play	Slot: Strand | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Aggressive Burst PvE God Roll: Slice (also good: Rapid Hit) + Hatchling PvP God Roll: Rapid Hit (also good: Keep Away) + Headseeker (also good: Kill Clip) ► Our first new aggressive burst in over a year, Belisarius-D is one competitive reward you don't want to miss. With stats comprable to Blast Furnace and a suite of perks to ramp those up to 11, this pulse can compete with the heavyweights, like Messenger and Piece of Mind.	Season 23	Slot: Strand | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Aggressive Burst PvE God Roll: Slice (also good: Rapid Hit) + Hatchling PvP God Roll: Rapid Hit (also good: Keep Away) + Headseeker (also good: Kill Clip)	Top-tier
Chattering Bone	Chattering Bone Pulse Rifle	Pulse Rifle	Lightweight	Primary	Kinetic	Forsaken Pack	Yes	A › Strong	Last Wish Raid		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvE	Last Wish Raid Forsaken Pack	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Lightweight PvE God Roll: Rapid Hit (also good: Kill Clip) + Kinetic Tremors (also good: Rampage) ► A simple perk refresh, and now Chattering Bone is one of the best pulse rifles in the game. One of very few guns to get Kill Clip in column 3, Chattering has perk combos that will dominate in any content, no matter the difficulty. And did I mention its craftable?	Season 4	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Lightweight PvE God Roll: Rapid Hit (also good: Kill Clip) + Kinetic Tremors (also good: Rampage)	Top-tier
Sacred Provenance	Sacred Provenance Pulse Rifle	Pulse Rifle	Aggressive Burst	Primary	Kinetic	Shadowkeep Pack	Yes	A › Strong	Garden of Salvation Raid		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvE	Garden of Salvation Raid Shadowkeep Pack	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Aggressive Burst PvE God Roll: Rapid Hit or Demolitionist + Frenzy or Desperate Measures ► Thanks to Garden of Salvation's refresh, Sacred Provenance scored some very nice perks for PvE that let it compete with the likes of Blast Furnace. It also has an origin trait that helps it take down enemy shields quicker, making it perfect when the anti-barrier pulse mad is available.	Season 8	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Aggressive Burst PvE God Roll: Rapid Hit or Demolitionist + Frenzy or Desperate Measures	Top-tier
Smite of Merain	Smite of Merain Pulse Rifle	Pulse Rifle	Adaptive	Primary	Kinetic	Free-to-Play	Yes	A › Strong	King's Fall Raid		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvE	King's Fall Raid Free-to-Play	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Adaptive PvE God Roll: Demolitionist (also good: Focused Fury) + Adrenaline Junkie (also good: One for All) ► From its synergistic combinations like Demolitionist and Adrenaline Junkie to its ability to roll with two damage perks at once, Smite of Merain's perks alone make it a solid choice for PVE. 4-burst pulse rifles will continue to be the most potent option, but this can be a unique alternative.	Season 18	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Adaptive PvE God Roll: Demolitionist (also good: Focused Fury) + Adrenaline Junkie (also good: One for All)	Top-tier
Revision Zero	Revision Zero Pulse Rifle	Pulse Rifle	Exotic	Primary	Kinetic	The Witch Queen	Yes	A › Strong	Operation: Seraph's Shield		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvE	Operation: Seraph's Shield Witch Queen	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "Precision hits grant targeting data. Swap to the alternate scope, loading high-damage rounds based on the amount of targeting data. Strong against Barrier Champions. Increased movement speed and target acquisition when moving while aiming down sights." ► Revision Zero is THE Anti-Barrier Champion weapon. With increased damage to Champions, intrinsic Anti-Barrier, and a sniper mode that deals chunky damage, this weapon is an all-around solid option.	Season 19	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: "Precision hits grant targeting data. Swap to the alternate scope, loading high-damage rounds based on the amount of targeting data. Strong against Barrier Champions. Increased movement speed and target acquisition when moving while aiming down sights."	Top-tier
Veles-X	Veles-X Pulse Rifle	Pulse Rifle	Aggressive Burst	Primary	Void	Free-to-Play	Yes	A › Strong	Exotic Kiosk		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvE	Exotic Kiosk Free-to-Play	Slot: Void | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Aggressive Burst PvE God Roll: Repulsor Brace + Golden Tricorn (also good: Kill Clip) ► Veles-X is a perfect sidekick to any Void 3.0 build and one of the better ritual weapons we've gotten recently. If you don't have Collective Obligation, Veles-X is an exceptional pick.	Season 19	Slot: Void | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Aggressive Burst PvE God Roll: Repulsor Brace + Golden Tricorn (also good: Kill Clip)	Top-tier
Disparity	Disparity Pulse Rifle	Pulse Rifle	Aggressive Burst	Primary	Stasis	The Witch Queen	Yes	A › Strong	Operation: Seraph's Shield		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvE	Operation: Seraph's Shield Witch Queen	Slot: Stasis | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Aggressive Burst PvE God Roll: Rapid Hit (also good: Outlaw) + Headstone (also good: Kill Clip) ► Being both a Stasis and 4-burst pulse rifle, Disparity doesn't have much competition. Even if it did, however, it would still excel—its S-Tier perks make it an excellent choice for medium-level PVE content.	Season 19	Slot: Stasis | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Aggressive Burst PvE God Roll: Rapid Hit (also good: Outlaw) + Headstone (also good: Kill Clip)	Top-tier
Adhortative	Adhortative Pulse Rifle	Pulse Rifle	Adaptive	Primary	Solar	Free-to-Play	Yes	A › Strong	Undying		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvE	Undying Free-to-Play	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Adaptive PvE God Roll: Heal Clip + Incadescent (also good: Golden Tricorn) ► Yet another refresh done right, Adhorative is a solid PvE pulse rifle for most content. While it comes with the standard fare of perks, the real power is in the Solar 3.0 synergy, rolling with both Incadescent and Heal Clip.	Season 23	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Adaptive PvE God Roll: Heal Clip + Incadescent (also good: Golden Tricorn)	Top-tier
Corrasion	Corrasion Pulse Rifle	Pulse Rifle	Heavy Burst	Primary	Arc	Episode 1: Echoes	Yes	A › Strong	Echoes Activities		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvE	Echoes Activities Episode 1: Echoes	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Heavy Burst PvE God Roll: Enlightened Action + Voltshot or Frenzy ► Pulse Rifles received a buff with The Final Shape, making all Pulse Rifles much stronger, including Corrasion. Plus, its Origin Trait, Radiolaria Transponder, gives Corrasion decent AoE potential.	The Final Shape	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Heavy Burst PvE God Roll: Enlightened Action + Voltshot or Frenzy	Top-tier
Vantage Point	Vantage Point Pulse Rifle	Pulse Rifle	Adaptive	Primary	Arc	Episode 2: Revenant	Yes	A › Strong	Revenant Activities		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvE	Revenant Activities Episode 2: Revenant	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Adaptive PvE God Roll: Keep Away (also good: Stats for All) + Jolting Feedback (also good: One for All) ► In PvE, subclass-focused perks are almost always the desired picks on primary weapons. Vantage Point in particular has Voltshot, making it an especially solid choice for all things Arc.	Episode 2	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Adaptive PvE God Roll: Keep Away (also good: Stats for All) + Jolting Feedback (also good: One for All)	Top-tier
The Time-Worn Spire	The Time-Worn Spire Pulse Rifle	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: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Rapid-Fire 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: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Rapid-Fire PvP God Roll: Under Pressure (also good: Quickdraw) + Iron Grip (also good: Rampage)	Top-tier
Piece of Mind	Piece of Mind Pulse Rifle	Pulse Rifle	Rapid-Fire	Primary	Kinetic	The Witch Queen	Yes	A › Strong	Vox Obscura		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvP	Vox Obscura Witch Queen	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Rapid-Fire PvP God Roll: Perpetual Motion (also good: Overflow) + Moving Target ► With a TTK of 0.80s, Piece of Mind is a solid PVP choice. It's not a High-Impact Pulse and it doesn't have the best TTK, yet it can absolutely shred in PVP while simultaneously feeling great in your hands. As a Rapid-Fire pulse, Piece of Mind isn't great at peak shooting, but if used aggressively, it can easily dominate medium-range engagements.	Season 16	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Rapid-Fire PvP God Roll: Perpetual Motion (also good: Overflow) + Moving Target	Top-tier
Psi Hermetic V	Psi Hermetic V Pulse Rifle	Pulse Rifle	High-Impact	Primary	Stasis	Free-to-Play	Yes	A › Strong	Lost Sector		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvP	Lost Sector Free-to-Play	Slot: Stasis | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: High-Impact PvP God Roll: Outlaw (also good: Enlightened Action) + Kill Clip (also good: Headseeker) ► More than a Stasis Messenger, Psi Heremetic has a small but strong perk pool that will please any player. While it has some decent PvE perks, you might want to wait until Season 23 as pulses are getting a buff then, which could turn this into a solid endgame option.	Season 22	Slot: Stasis | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: High-Impact PvP God Roll: Outlaw (also good: Enlightened Action) + Kill Clip (also good: Headseeker)	Top-tier
Scalar Potential	Scalar Potential Pulse Rifle	Pulse Rifle	Rapid-Fire	Primary	Arc	Lightfall	Yes	A › Strong	Starcrossed		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvP	Starcrossed Lightfall	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Rapid-Fire PvP God Roll: Keep Away + Headseeker ► Lacking any worthwhile PvE perks, Scalar is a monster in PvP, though its held back thanks to its low stability. However, given the nature of rapid-fire pulses, this shouldn't be too much of a problem, especially with Headseeker.	Season 23	Slot: Arc | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Rapid-Fire PvP God Roll: Keep Away + Headseeker	Top-tier
Aisha's Care	Aisha's Care Pulse Rifle	Pulse Rifle	Heavy Burst	Primary	Strand	The Final Shape	Yes	A › Strong	Trials of Osiris		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvP	Trials of Osiris The Final Shape	Slot: Strand | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Heavy Burst PvP God Roll: Zen Moment (also good: To The Pain) + Headseeker (also good: Moving Target) ► Stacked with utility and damage perks, Aisha’s truly is a weapon made for the Crucible. It can kill in 0.87 seconds, which is respectable, especially given its base range. It is also amazing for ‘peek-shooting’, which Pulse Rifles typically struggle with.	The Final Shape	Slot: Strand | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Heavy Burst PvP God Roll: Zen Moment (also good: To The Pain) + Headseeker (also good: Moving Target)	Top-tier
Jurassic Green	Jurassic Green Pulse Rifle	Pulse Rifle	Rapid-Fire	Primary	Solar	Free-to-Play	Timed-Event	A › Strong	Event: Festival of the Lost		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvP	Event: Festival of the Lost Free-to-Play	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Rapid-Fire PvP God Roll: Keep Away (also good: Perpetual Motion) + Headseeker ► With a refreshed perk pool, Jurassic Green is easily an A-tier rapid fire for PvP. Boasting the same range and PvP god roll as Oversoul Edict, this is a pulse worth grinding for.	Episode 2	Slot: Solar | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Rapid-Fire PvP God Roll: Keep Away (also good: Perpetual Motion) + Headseeker	Top-tier
Bygones	Bygones Pulse Rifle	Pulse Rifle	Adaptive	Primary	Kinetic	Free-to-Play	Yes	A › Strong	Playlist: Gambit		Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvP	Playlist: Gambit Free-to-Play	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Adaptive PvP God Rolls: Keep Away or Zen Moment + High Ground or Headseeker (also good: Eye of the Storm) ► While High Ground no longer breaks Bygones' TTK, it's still a very powerful pulse, especially for its frame. Good stats and perks to keep it consistent is all it needs to maintain its optimal speed, even if the grind can be a little long.	Episode 2	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary | Archetype: Adaptive PvP God Rolls: Keep Away or Zen Moment + High Ground or Headseeker (also good: Eye of the Storm)	Top-tier

Destiny 2 Pulse Rifles: Complete List

Art	Name	Type	Archetype	Rarity	Ammo?	Element?	Requirements	In loot pool?	Ammo	Element	Tier	Excels	Source	Craftable?	Requires	Released	Slot	Can be Crafted?	Best of?	Top Perk?
	Bad Juju	Pulse Rifle	Exotic	Exotic	Primary	Kinetic	Forsaken Pack	Yes	Primary	Kinetic	B › Average	PvE	Exotic Kiosk	No	Forsaken Pack	Season 7	Kinetic	No
	Collective Obligation	Pulse Rifle	Exotic	Exotic	Primary	Void	The Witch Queen	Yes	Primary	Void	B › Average	PvE	Vow of the Disciple Raid	No	Witch Queen	Season 16	Energy	No
	Graviton Lance	Pulse Rifle	Exotic	Exotic	Primary	Void	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Void	S › Best	PvE	Exotic Engram	No	Free-to-Play	Season 1	Energy	No	Top-tier
	No Time to Explain	Pulse Rifle	Exotic	Exotic	Primary	Kinetic	Beyond Light Pack	Yes	Primary	Kinetic	A › Strong	PvE + PvP	Beyond Light Campaign	No	Beyond Light Pack	Season 12	Kinetic	No	Top-tier
	Outbreak Perfected	Pulse Rifle	Exotic	Exotic	Primary	Kinetic	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Kinetic	S › Best	PvE	Zero Hour	Yes	Free-to-Play	Season 6	Kinetic	Craftable	Top-tier
	Red Death Reformed	Pulse Rifle	Exotic	Exotic	Primary	Solar	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Solar	S › Best	PvE + PvP	Season Pass	No	Free-to-Play	The Final Shape	Energy	No	Top-tier
	Revision Zero	Pulse Rifle	Exotic	Exotic	Primary	Kinetic	The Witch Queen	Yes	Primary	Kinetic	A › Strong	PvE	Operation: Seraph's Shield	Yes	Witch Queen	Season 19	Kinetic	Craftable	Top-tier
	Vigilance Wing	Pulse Rifle	Exotic	Exotic	Primary	Kinetic	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Kinetic	D › Worst	PvP	Exotic Engram	No	Free-to-Play	Season 1	Kinetic	No
	Aisha's Care	Pulse Rifle	Heavy Burst	Legendary	Primary	Strand	The Final Shape	Yes	Primary	Strand	A › Strong	PvP	Trials of Osiris	No	The Final Shape	The Final Shape	Kinetic	No	Top-tier
	Adhortative	Pulse Rifle	Adaptive	Legendary	Primary	Solar	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Solar	A › Strong	PvE	Undying	Yes	Free-to-Play	Season 23	Energy	Craftable	Top-tier	Incandescent
	Autumn Wind	Pulse Rifle	Rapid-Fire	Legendary	Primary	Kinetic	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Kinetic	B › Average	PvP	Playlist: Crucible	No	Free-to-Play	Season 20	Kinetic	No
	Battle Scar	Pulse Rifle	Lightweight	Legendary	Primary	Kinetic	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Kinetic	A › Strong	PvE + PvP	Lost Sector	No	Free-to-Play	Season 20	Kinetic	No	Top-tier	Kinetic Tremors
	Belisarius-D	Pulse Rifle	Aggressive Burst	Legendary	Primary	Strand	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Strand	A › Strong	PvE + PvP	Crucible Competitive	No	Free-to-Play	Season 23	Kinetic	No	Top-tier
	Blast Furnace	Pulse Rifle	Aggressive	Legendary	Primary	Kinetic	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Kinetic	S › Best	PvE	Onslaught Activity	No	Free-to-Play	Into the Light	Kinetic	No	Top-tier	Kinetic Tremors
	BxR-55 Battler	Pulse Rifle	Legacy PR-55	Legendary	Primary	Solar	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Solar	S › Best	PvE + PvP	Dares of Eternity	Yes	Free-to-Play	30th Anniversary event	Energy	Craftable	Top-tier	Incandescent
	Bygones	Pulse Rifle	Adaptive	Legendary	Primary	Kinetic	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Kinetic	A › Strong	PvP	Playlist: Gambit	No	Free-to-Play	Episode 2	Kinetic	No	Top-tier
	Chattering Bone	Pulse Rifle	Lightweight	Legendary	Primary	Kinetic	Forsaken Pack	Yes	Primary	Kinetic	A › Strong	PvE	Last Wish Raid	Yes	Forsaken Pack	Season 4	Kinetic	Craftable	Top-tier	Kinetic Tremors
	Claws of the Wolf	Pulse Rifle	Rapid-Fire	Legendary	Primary	Void	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Void	S › Best	PvE	Iron Banner	No	Free-to-Play	The Final Shape	Energy	No	Top-tier
	Cold Denial	Pulse Rifle	High-Impact	Legendary	Primary	Kinetic	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Kinetic	B › Average	PvP	Arrivals Engrams	No	Free-to-Play	Episode 3	Kinetic	No
	Corrasion	Pulse Rifle	Heavy Burst	Legendary	Primary	Arc	Episode 1: Echoes	Yes	Primary	Arc	A › Strong	PvE	Echoes Activities	Yes	Episode 1: Echoes	The Final Shape	Energy	Craftable	Top-tier	Voltshot
	Darkest Before	Pulse Rifle	Rapid-Fire	Legendary	Primary	Solar	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Solar	B › Average	PvP	Prophecy Dungeon	No	Free-to-Play	Season 23	Energy	No		Incandescent
	Different Times	Pulse Rifle	Rapid-Fire	Legendary	Primary	Strand	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Strand	A › Strong	PvE + PvP	Xûr	Yes	Free-to-Play	Season 21	Kinetic	Craftable	Top-tier
	Disparity	Pulse Rifle	Aggressive Burst	Legendary	Primary	Stasis	The Witch Queen	Yes	Primary	Stasis	A › Strong	PvE	Operation: Seraph's Shield	Yes	Witch Queen	Season 19	Kinetic	Craftable	Top-tier
	Elsie's Rifle	Pulse Rifle	High-Impact	Legendary	Primary	Void	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Void	S › Best	PvP	Onslaught Activity	No	Free-to-Play	Into the Light	Energy	No	Top-tier
	Forge's Pledge	Pulse Rifle	Adaptive	Legendary	Primary	Solar	Free-to-Play	No	Primary	Solar	C › Weak	-	Iron Banner	No	Free-to-Play	Season 15	Energy	No
	Gridskipper	Pulse Rifle	Rapid-Fire	Legendary	Primary	Void	Episode 2: Revenant	Yes	Primary	Void	B › Average	PvP	Splicer Engrams	No	Episode 2: Revenant	Episode 2	Energy	No
	Hailing Confusion	Pulse Rifle	Adaptive	Legendary	Primary	Kinetic	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Kinetic	C › Weak	-	Europa	No	Free-to-Play	Season 12	Kinetic	No
	Horror's Least	Pulse Rifle	Rapid-Fire	Legendary	Primary	Arc	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Arc	S › Best	PvP	Nightfall: The Ordeals	No	Free-to-Play	Season 17	Energy	No	Top-tier
	Insidious	Pulse Rifle	Aggressive Burst	Legendary	Primary	Arc	The Witch Queen	Yes	Primary	Arc	A › Strong	PvE + PvP	Vow of the Disciple Raid	Yes	Witch Queen	Season 16	Energy	Craftable	Top-tier	Bait and Switch
	Jian 7 Rifle	Pulse Rifle	Adaptive	Legendary	Primary	Arc	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Arc	D › Worst	-	World loot pool	No	Free-to-Play	Season 10	Energy	No
	Jorum's Claw	Pulse Rifle	Adaptive	Legendary	Primary	Solar	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Solar	B › Average	PvP	Iron Banner	No	Free-to-Play	Season 20	Energy	No		Incandescent
	Joxer's Longsword	Pulse Rifle		Legendary	Primary	Void	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Void	S › Best	PvE + PvP	Playlist: Crucible	No	Free-to-Play	Episode 3	Energy	No	Top-tier
	Jurassic Green	Pulse Rifle	Rapid-Fire	Legendary	Primary	Solar	Free-to-Play	Timed-Event	Primary	Solar	A › Strong	PvP	Event: Festival of the Lost	No	Free-to-Play	Episode 2	Energy	No	Top-tier	Incandescent
	Last Perdition	Pulse Rifle	Adaptive	Legendary	Primary	Void	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Void	C › Weak	-	World loot pool	No	Free-to-Play	Season 11	Energy	No
	Legal Action II	Pulse Rifle	High-Impact	Legendary	Primary	Kinetic	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Kinetic	B › Average	PvP	Xûr	No	Free-to-Play	Season 15	Kinetic	No
	New Purpose	Pulse Rifle	High-Impact	Legendary	Primary	Stasis	Witch Queen Dungeon Key	Yes	Primary	Stasis	A › Strong	PvE + PvP	Duality Dungeon	No	Episode 3: Heretic	Season 17	Kinetic	No	Top-tier
	Nightshade	Pulse Rifle	Lightweight	Legendary	Primary	Strand	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Strand	B › Average	PvP	Recovered Red War	No	Free-to-Play	Season 22	Kinetic	No
	Nullify	Pulse Rifle	Heavy Burst	Legendary	Primary	Solar	The Final Shape	Yes	Primary	Solar	S › Best	PvE + PvP	Salvation's Edge Raid	Yes	The Final Shape	The Final Shape	Energy	Craftable	Top-tier	Incandescent,Chaos Reshaped
	Ogma PR6	Pulse Rifle	Lightweight	Legendary	Primary	Solar	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Solar	B › Average	PvE	Gunsmith	No	Free-to-Play	Season 16	Energy	No
	Outlast	Pulse Rifle	Rapid-Fire	Legendary	Primary	Solar	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Solar	B › Average	PvP	Fishing	No	Free-to-Play	Season 21	Energy	No
	Oversoul Edict	Pulse Rifle	Rapid-Fire	Legendary	Primary	Arc	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Arc	A › Strong	PvE + PvP	Crota's End Raid	Yes	Free-to-Play	Season 22	Energy	Craftable	Top-tier	Voltshot,Sword Logic
	Perses-D	Pulse Rifle	High-Impact	Legendary	Primary	Stasis	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Stasis	C › Weak	-	Gunsmith	No	Free-to-Play	Season 16	Kinetic	No
	Phyllotactic Spiral	Pulse Rifle	High-Impact	Legendary	Primary	Arc	Lightfall	Yes	Primary	Arc	A › Strong	PvE + PvP	Neomuna	Yes	Lightfall	Season 20	Energy	Craftable	Top-tier	Voltshot
	Piece of Mind	Pulse Rifle	Rapid-Fire	Legendary	Primary	Kinetic	The Witch Queen	Yes	Primary	Kinetic	A › Strong	PvP	Vox Obscura	Yes	Witch Queen	Season 16	Kinetic	Craftable	Top-tier
	Premonition	Pulse Rifle	High-Impact	Legendary	Primary	Void	Shadowkeep Pack	Yes	Primary	Void	C › Weak	-	Pit of Heresy Dungeon	No	Shadowkeep Pack	Season 13	Energy	No
	Psi Hermetic V	Pulse Rifle	High-Impact	Legendary	Primary	Stasis	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Stasis	A › Strong	PvP	Lost Sector	No	Free-to-Play	Season 22	Kinetic	No	Top-tier
	Redrix's Estoc	Pulse Rifle	Legacy PR-55	Legendary	Primary	Stasis	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Stasis	S+ > Meta	PvP	Crucible Competitive	No	Free-to-Play	Episode 3	Kinetic	No	Top-tier
	Relentless	Pulse Rifle	High-Impact	Legendary	Primary	Strand	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Strand	B › Average	PvE + PvP	Prophecy Dungeon	No	Free-to-Play	Season 23	Kinetic	No
	Sacred Provenance	Pulse Rifle	Aggressive Burst	Legendary	Primary	Kinetic	Shadowkeep Pack	Yes	Primary	Kinetic	A › Strong	PvE	Garden of Salvation Raid	Yes	Shadowkeep Pack	Season 8	Kinetic	Craftable	Top-tier
	Scalar Potential	Pulse Rifle	Rapid-Fire	Legendary	Primary	Arc	Lightfall	Yes	Primary	Arc	A › Strong	PvP	Starcrossed	Yes	Lightfall	Season 23	Energy	Craftable	Top-tier
	Smite of Merain	Pulse Rifle	Adaptive	Legendary	Primary	Kinetic	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Kinetic	A › Strong	PvE	King's Fall Raid	Yes	Free-to-Play	Season 18	Kinetic	Craftable	Top-tier
	Stars in Shadow	Pulse Rifle	High-Impact	Legendary	Primary	Solar	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Solar	C › Weak	-	Playlist: Crucible	No	Free-to-Play	Season 12	Energy	No
	Stay Frosty	Pulse Rifle	Lightweight	Legendary	Primary	Stasis	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Stasis	B › Average	PvP	Event: Dawning	No	Free-to-Play	Season 19	Kinetic	No
	Syncopation-53	Pulse Rifle	Adaptive	Legendary	Primary	Stasis	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Stasis	B › Average	PvP	Gunsmith	Yes	Free-to-Play	Season 16	Kinetic	Craftable
	The Messenger	Pulse Rifle	High-Impact	Legendary	Primary	Kinetic	The Final Shape	No	Primary	Kinetic	A › Strong	PvE + PvP	Trials of Osiris	No	The Final Shape	Season 13	Kinetic	No	Top-tier	Kinetic Tremors
	The Third Axiom	Pulse Rifle	Adaptive	Legendary	Primary	Arc	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Arc	C › Weak	-	Vanguard Focusing	No	Free-to-Play	Season 13	Energy	No
	The Time-Worn Spire	Pulse Rifle	Rapid-Fire	Legendary	Primary	Kinetic	Free-to-Play	No	Primary	Kinetic	A › Strong	PvP	Iron Banner	No	Free-to-Play	Season 13	Kinetic	No	Top-tier
	Vantage Point	Pulse Rifle	Adaptive	Legendary	Primary	Arc	Episode 2: Revenant	Yes	Primary	Arc	A › Strong	PvE	Revenant Activities	No	Episode 2: Revenant	Episode 2	Energy	No	Top-tier
	Veles-X	Pulse Rifle	Aggressive Burst	Legendary	Primary	Void	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Void	A › Strong	PvE	Exotic Kiosk	No	Free-to-Play	Season 19	Energy	No	Top-tier
	Yesteryear	Pulse Rifle	Adaptive	Legendary	Primary	Void	Free-to-Play	Yes	Primary	Void	B › Average	PvE + PvP	Playlist: Gambit	No	Free-to-Play	Season 18	Energy	No		Repulsor Brace

Tier Ranks used for our list:

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

Best D2 Pulse Rifles Today

If you’re prepared to only chase the best of the best, these are the 5 absolute best Pulse rifles in Destiny 2:

5. Claws of the Wolf

Excels in PvE and PvP

Claws of the Wolf heavily benefitted from Destabilizing Rounds’ recent buff. While it will continue to slip under the community’s radar for the foreseeable future, giving this weapon a try for yourself is something you won’t regret. These are the top Nullify God Rolls:

• PvE God roll: Repulsor Brace + Destabilizing Rounds
• PvP God roll: Headseeker + Kill Clip (also good: Zen Moment)

How to get it: Claws of the Wolf is an Iron Banner weapon that can be acquired from activity completions, Engrams, and/or rank-ups.

Name: Claws of the Wolf

Type: Pulse Rifle Archetype: Rapid-Fire

Ammo: Primary Element: Void

Craftable: No Released: The Final Shape

Source: Iron Banner Requires: Free-to-Play

4. Nullify

Excels in PvE

Solar Heavy Burst Pulse Rifle, Nullify is the first of its kind. While other Heavy Burst Pulses exist, like Corrasion or Aisha’s Care, they all fail to match up to Nullify’s outrageously loaded perk pool, especially for PvE. These are the top Nullify God Rolls:

• PvE God roll: Demolitionist or Heal Clip + Chaos Reshaped or Incandescent
• PvP God roll: Rapid Hit + Multikill Clip (also good: Chaos Reshaped)

How to get it: Nullify can be acquired from the Salvation’s Edge Raid.

Name: Nullify

Type: Pulse Rifle Archetype: Heavy Burst

Ammo: Primary Element: Solar

Craftable: Yes Released: The Final Shape

Source: Salvation's Edge Raid Requires: The Final Shape

3. Elsie’s Rifle

Excels in PvP

Elsie’s Rifle is an extremely powerful pulse rifle inside of the Crucible. It’s got slightly less range than The Messenger, but outside of that? Elsie has it beat. Add on the several stat boosting perks it can roll with, and you’ve got a perfect energy slot contender to The Messenger. These are the top Elsie’s Rifle God Rolls:

• PvP God roll: Zen Moment (also good: Keep Away) + Headseeker (also good: Desperado)

How to get it: Elsie’s Rifle is an Onslaught weapon that can be acquired from activity completions, Engrams, and/or rank-ups.

Name: Elsie's Rifle

Type: Pulse Rifle Archetype: High-Impact

Ammo: Primary Element: Void

Craftable: No Released: Into the Light

Source: Onslaught Activity Requires: Free-to-Play

2. Outbreak Perfected

Excels in PvE and PvP

Now craftable, Outbreak is the best pulse rifle in the game. Rewind Rounds makes it a solid primary damage weapon, and Headseeker (along with other perks) can turn it into a Crucible nightmare. Did I also mention all pulse rifles got a buff in Final Shape? These are the top Outbreak Perfected God Rolls:

• Exotic Perk: “This weapon creates SIVA nanite swarms on rapid hits, and precision kills and does more damage to enemies based on the number of SIVA nanites that attach to them.”
• PvE God roll: Rewind Rounds
• PvP God roll: Headseeker

How to get it: Outbreak Perfected can be acquired from the Zero Hour Exotic Mission.

Name: Outbreak Perfected

Type: Pulse Rifle Archetype: Exotic

Ammo: Primary Element: Kinetic

Craftable: Yes Released: Season 6

Source: Zero Hour Requires: Free-to-Play

1. Redrix’s Estoc

Excels in PvP

Redrix’s Estoc is one of the strongest weapons in recent memory to be unleashed upon the Crucible thanks to its remarkable ease of use. In PvE, Redrix’s Estoc is serviceable but doesn’t impress much. These are the top Redrix’s Estoc God Rolls:

• PvP God roll: Lone Wolf or Zen Moment + Headseeker or Kill Clip

How to get it: Redrix’s Estoc can be acquired from the PvP Competitive Playlist.

Name: Redrix's Estoc

Type: Pulse Rifle Archetype: Legacy PR-55

Ammo: Primary Element: Stasis

Craftable: No Released: Episode 3

Source: Crucible Competitive Requires: Free-to-Play

Pulse Rifles and the Meta

How do Pulse rifles compare to other Primary weapons in PvE and PvP?

The PvE Meta

Weapon Type	Rank	Tier	Trend	Role ❘ Current State	Category
Pulse Rifles	S › Best	Best ❘ S	-	► Pulse Rifles are in a great place right now. They offer good range and pretty decent damage, allowing you to take down some beefier targets nicely. There are also some excellent pulses in the game right now, like Insidious, Sacred Provenance, or New Purpose. Unfortunately, High-Impact and Aggressive frames are the only archetypes worth your time, as the others rely on Exotic Perks or god rolls to compete. ► Best Archetype: Aggressive (450 RPM) - Example: Insidious	PVE Primaries
Hand Cannons	S › Best	Best ❘ S	-	► Hand Cannons have shot up the rankings thanks to the changes introduced this Season, all the way up to the S tier. They have solid range and can dispatch enemies with complete ease in almost all difficulties. Hand Cannons have truly taken over the spotlight with their most recent buffs, and they shouldn't be leaving it any time soon. ► Best Archetype: Adaptive (140 RPM) - Example: Fatebringer	PVE Primaries
Auto Rifles	A › Strong	Strong ❘ A		► Auto Rifles are in a good place right now, options like Khvostov are incredibly potent, and utility picks such as No Hesitation make Auto Rifles a very solid option for those wanting to use a good Primary Weapon. ► Best Archetype: Adaptive (600 RPM) - Example: Khvostov 76-0X	PVE Primaries
Combat Bows	A › Strong	Strong ❘ A	-	► Bows are a high-damage, high-range option for players who prefer to keep their distance. The main issue with bows is that they are slow at clearing ads (outside of Trinity Ghoul). and when you have to deal with ads up close, bows can massively struggle. However, their solid range and excellent damage make them a strong option. ► Best Archetype: Precision - Example: Under Your Skin	PVE Primaries
Submachine Guns	B › Average	Average ❘ B		► SMGs are not so hot anymore, due to the buffs to other weapon archetypes, as well as the prevalence of ability usage at close range, there is little space for SMGs to compete these days. ►Best Archetype- Aggressive (750 RPM) - Example: Unforgiven	PVE Primaries
Scout Rifles	B › Average	Average ❘ B	-	► Scout Rifles are the definition of average right now. They can do the job just fine, you can plink away at enemies from a safe distance in high-level content; however, when it comes down to it, most players will prefer to use a Hand Cannon or SMG as they simply do the same job better and faster. Scouts aren't bad at all, but they certainly aren't a go-to ► Best Archetype: Lightweight (200 RPM) - Example: Tarnished Mettle	PVE Primaries
Sidearms	C › Weak	Weak ❘ C	-	► Aside from a few select sidearms with certain perks, there really isn't much of a reason to use Sidearms. They have slightly higher damage numbers than SMGs, but typically come with significantly less range. Outside of top-tier weapons like a god-roll Brigand's Law or High Albedo, there is no real reason to run a sidearm. ► Best Archetype: Adaptive (491 RPM) - Example: High Albedo	PVE Primaries

Remember that DPS is one of the most important factors when it comes to PvE. 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.

The PvP Meta

Weapon Type	Rank	Tier	Trend	Role ❘ Current State	Category
Hand Cannons	S › Best	Best ❘ S	-	► Hand Cannons feel great right now and can deal with all the other meta options, provided they are in the hands of a skilled player. They are unbelievably forgiving in terms of aim-assist and can compete at solid ranges. Hand Cannons are the jack of all trades, and while they may not dominate up close or far away, they are incredibly scary to face in a mid-range duel. ► 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
Auto Rifles	S › Best	Best ❘ S		► Auto Rifles are remarkably easy to use. Options like Khvostov or The Summoner both excel at medium range, and if you can close the gap on Pulse Rifles, you can easily take advantage of the high flinch factor and solid time-to-kill that Auto Rifles have. ► Best Archetype: Adaptive (600 RPM) - Example: Khvostov 7G-0X	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
Submachine Guns	A › Strong	Strong ❘ A		► SMGs have lost a little bit of power as aggressive play isn't as prevalent as it once was, but you can definitely still succeed with certain SMGs, especially on close-range maps. ► Best Archetype: Aggressive (720 RPM) - Example: Unending Tempest	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	C › Weak	Weak ❘ C	-	► Scout Rifles are struggling right now. In most situations, the maps are too small to benefit the long range of a Scout rifle. An Aggressive or High-Impact Pulse Rifle will better serve your needs. Plus, Scout Rifles are abysmal up close. There are one or two outliers that shine but, on the whole, Scout Rifles are in a weak spot. ► Best Archetype: Rapid-Fire (260 RPM) - Example: Fang of Ir Yût	PVP Primaries

Remember 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.

Before you go…

Are you looking for a top-tier Special and Heavy weapon to round out your loadout? We cover the Best Destiny 2 Breech Grenade Launchers and Best Destiny 2 Machine Guns, too.

You now know everything there is to know about Pulses in Destiny 2, whether that is for PvP or PvE content.