Destiny 2: Best Grenade Launchers for PvE, PvP, Gambit (2023)

Destiny 2’s grenade launchers are in a weird spot nowadays. The nerf hammer finally came for Anarchy and rocket launchers have seen a massive buff. Still, there are situations that call for a grenade launcher. Let’s look at the best grenade launchers in Destiny 2 2023 for PvE, PvP, and Gambit as of Destiny 2: Lightfall.

Best Grenade Launchers in Destiny 2 (2023)

Best in PvE & Gambit

• Cry Mutiny (Power, Solar) – Purchase from Exotic Kiosk.
• Forbearance (Energy, Arc) – Possible drop from completing encounters in Vow of the Disciple raid.
• Ignition Code (Kinetic) – Possible drop from Dares of Eternity.
• Pardon Our Dust (Kinetic) – Possible drop from Dares of Eternity.
• Salvager’s Salvo (Energy, Arc) – Purchase from Exotic Kiosk.
• Explosive Personality (Energy, Solar) – Obtained from Season of the Risen activities.
• Witherhorde (Kinetic, Exotic) – Purchase from Exotic Kiosk.
• Parasite (Power, Solar, Exotic) – Purchase from Exotic Kiosk.
• Empty Vessel (Energy, Solar) – Obtained from Vanguard Engrams.
• New Pacific Epitaph (Kinetic, Stasis) – Possible drop from completing encounters in Ghosts of the Deep Dungeon.
• Harsh Language (Energy, Void) – World Loot Drop.

Grenade launchers are a decent PvE option and great for burning down anything tanky, or even taking out hordes of enemies depending on which ones you use.

Any legendary grenade launcher with Spike Grenades and something like Full Court and Auto-loading Holster is going to be a decent burst damage weapon on a boss. If you want, Spike Grenades are less of a requirement and you can just pick stuff that makes the blast radius bigger. Just shoot it into a group of enemies and watch them go boom.

Anarchy took a massive hit and is no longer the king of sustained DPS. That crown has been taken by Witherhorde, which still stands out as one of the best weapons in the game, and certainly among the best grenade launchers.

Witherhorde is a great hybrid weapon that can be effective both against groups of enemies and can also inflict excellent boss damage as well. Stick a Witherhorde shot onto a boss, and then switch to another weapon and watch the damage rack up.

Ignition Code has appeared in Season of the Splicer and adds a new kinetic option for those that miss power-relevant Mountaintop, and can roll with random rolls. If you want a similar experience in the energy slot, then Salvager’s Salvo would be the play there. Or heck, run with both and Parasite in that power slot if you’re a maniac.

Finally, the wave frame launchers have a space now as an excellent add clearing weapon. In particular, Forbearance can roll with Ambitious Assassin which allows you to potentially fire two wave rounds before having to reload if you get enough kills.

Best Grenade Launchers in PvP

• Fighting Lion (Energy, Void, Exotic)- Purchase from Exotic Kiosk.
• Ignition Code (Kinetic) – Possible drop from Dares of Eternity.
• Salvager’s Salvo (Energy, Arc) – Purchase from Exotic Kiosk.
• The Colony (Power, Void, Exotic) – Purchase from Exotic Kiosk.
• Witherhorde (Kinetic, Exotic) – Purchase from Exotic Kiosk.
• Parasite (Power, Exotic, Solar) – Obtained from completing Throne World Exotic Quest.

Grenade launchers are a bit out of vogue in Destiny 2’s PvP scene right now, especially now that The Mountaintop has finally been retired for anything serious, but with the addition of Ignition Code and Salvager’s Salvo in past months, you can kind of get that similar experience back again if you wish.

For the most part, go with whatever grenade launcher you like that has Proxmity Grenades when it comes to legendary weapons.

The exotic options are where it gets a bit more interesting. Witherhorde, especially in the hands of a Hunter that can quickly reload, is really surprisingly effective and very annoying to go up against.

The Colony is a great easy-to-use exotic that you can use if you prefer to use two legendaries in your other two slots. Just shoot the round in the general direction of someone and The Colony’s insectoid rounds should go find and blow up your target.

Parasite is arguably the strongest, as it can one-shot opposing Guardians with ease, even in their Super. Its ludicrous 100 blast radius allows the user to shoot it in the general area of their enemy and still kill them. However, it does take some getting used too, as its very sluggish and has a lot of arch to it, making it difficult to hit enemies from longer distances. Practice does make perfect after all.

Finally, if you want to be that guy, you can run Fighting Lion. While it’s a meme most of the time, in Momentum Control, though, it’s an absolute animal.

That’s all for our best grenade launchers in Destiny 2 2023 for PvE, PvP, & Gambit. Be sure to search for Twinfinite for more tips and information on Destiny 2-related content, including the best Fusion Rifles and Sniper Rifles.