Raid weapons are the pinnacle endgame grind in Destiny 2. These guns stand above the rest in terms of sheer power and overall value in the sandbox. However, there are quite a lot of Raid weapons now, with eight Raids currently in the game and more on the way. With that in mind, it’s time to discuss what we believe are the top 10 best Raid weapons in Destiny 2 as of the Lightfall DLC and Season of the Wish.
10. Submission
SMGs have been in a dominant position for endgame content for the past year, and amongst them the Submission Kinetic SMG from the Vow of the Disciple Raid.
The submission isn’t an ad-clearing machine like some other SMGs, but its perk pool allows the gun to be a great support tool. With access to the Demolitionist perk, the gun is fantastic for generating grenade energy while slaying enemies easily. Kinetic weapons also have a higher damage output compared to their elemental counterparts.
Overall, it’s just a really good SMG that you can’t go wrong with using. There isn’t a downside to using it, no matter what activity you’re in.
9. Heritage
Slug Shotguns usage varies from Season to Season depending on the new bosses that are introduced, but their value can’t be understated. Continuing its reign as the strongest Slug Shotgun in the game is the Heritage from the Deep Stone Crypt Raid.
With the ability to automatically reload itself with the Reconstruction perk, alongside the damage bonus given from Recombination, the weapon is a monster for close range combat. However, it truly shines in endgame content against specific Raid bosses like the Templar or Taniks, where you’re able to get up close and deal massive damage to them.
Either way, while Slug Shotgun usage varies, the Heritage has been a fantastic go-to weapon that has only gotten better over the years.
8. Song Of Ir Yut
Arc LMGs have had an interesting uprise in the last year. While some LMGs like Thunderlord have jumped the ranks to becoming top-tier options for endgame content, others have more or less fallen off the slope. However, with the reprised Crota’s End Raid, the revamped Song Of Ir Yut LMG became the shining hope for all Arc LMGs.
This weapon has access to the extremely powerful Demolitionist perk, which generates Grenade energy on every kill. Arc Titans and Warlocks specialize in Arc Grenade builds, and this is the weapon they have desperately been waiting for. On top of that, a new perk, Sword Logic, is a free damage buff where all you need to do is kill opposing enemies. Thus, you have an LMG that is granting you Grenade energy while easily slaying waves of enemies in your path.
While there are other LMGs that do a better job at ad-clearing, this weapon is fantastic when used in conjunction with proper builds.
7. Necrochasm
When the Crota’s End Raid was announced to return for Season of the Witch, players were skeptical of how good the Exotic Auto Rifle, Necrochasm, would be. However, said fears quickly diminished once players got their hands on the gun.
Necrochasm essentially has built in Firefly, where getting precision kills causes an explosion to occur, killing nearby enemies. However, a new perk that was added to it, Desperation, increases the guns reload speed and fire rate, allowing you to shred enemies even faster, thus causing more explosions, continuing the chain.
While you don’t see this perk triggered too often in PvP, the weapon’s solid stats also gives it some great PvP usage as an all-around powerful Auto Rifle. In short, the Necrochasm is a must-have Exotic gun to add to your arsenal.
6. Commemoration
LMGs in Destiny 2 have had an up-and-down history, but they saw a massive buff a few Seasons ago, and the Commemoration quickly jumped the tier lists.
Revamped with the ability to be crafted and an updated perk pool during Season of the Seraph, the Commemoration quickly became an ad-clearing machine. Specifically, this gun could automatically reload itself and gain increased damage when killing enemies. On top of that, its stat distribution is fantastic, making it feel great to use alongside its devastating firepower.
Good LMGs are in short supply these days, but the Commemoration has continued to be o’l reliable for nearly a year now.
5. Swordbreaker
With the return of the Crota’s End Raid during Season of the Witch, some old Crota weapons were changed a bit, including the Swordbreaker Shotgun, now becoming a Strand weapon. However, while the addition of Strand was a nice bonus, players quickly realized its true value when they gained access to a Strand Aspect, Banner of War.
Banner of War allows Strand Titans to have increased Melee damage and healing, letting them one-shot opposing enemies with ease by merely punching them. However, with the right build, they could even one-shot more formidable enemies like Champions, even while under-leveled. The Swordbreaker was a massive addition to this build, as it not only paired well with the Strand build itself, but it’s also one of the few Shotguns in the game that has access to the One-Two Punch perk.
One Two Punch states that when you land a full shot of the gun on an enemy, your next outgoing Melee attack will have 100% increased damage. This stacks with Banner of War, allowing the user to Shotgun, Melee, Shotgun, Melee in a near infinite loop, constantly one-shotting everything in their path.
4. Apex Predator
Revamped during Season of the Deep, the Apex Predator Rocket Launcher from the Last Wish Raid arguably has one of the biggest glow-ups in the franchise, going from the worst Raid weapon the game has ever seen to now one of the strongest guns currently in the sandbox.
With the ability to be crafted, along with an updated perk pool, the Apex Predator has now become the heart and soul of endgame DPS loadouts against bosses, dominating everything in its path. This is mainly thanks to the highly potent Bait and Switch perk, which is currently the strongest DPS perk in the game, granting a whopping 35% increase in damage when used correctly.
With Rocket Launchers not being nerfed anytime soon, nor is Bait and Switch, this gun will remain one of DPS’s kings until further notice as we wait for The Final Shape DLC to arrive.
3. Forbearance
When the Mountaintop Grenade Launcher was sunset with the Beyond Light DLC, players were pretty bummed about losing their go-to ad clear weapon. Thankfully, they didn’t have to wait too long, because a year later with the launch of The Witch Queen expansion came the Forbearance Grenade Launcher from the Vow of the Disciple Raid.
When it comes to sheer ad-clear, this weapon is pretty much unrivaled. Waveframe Grenade Launchers are very easy to use and can kill a lot of enemies in a single shot. However, what makes the Forbearance so good is its access to the Chain Reaction perk. Chain Reaction creates an Arc explosion when an enemy dies to your shot, and the explosion will kill other foes nearby, chaining back and forth to one another until all who oppose you are dead.
Simply put, with no build or setup, this weapon can single-handedly clear an entire room of enemies with only a couple of shots from it. Its overall value and ease of use allows it to decimate endgame content easily. It’s no secret why many Guardians have thousands upon thousands of kills with it because it’s simply that good.
2. Divinity
When it comes to high-value weapons, the Exotic Trace Rifle from the Garden of Salvation Raid, Divinity, is nearly unrivaled. When shot at an enemy, the weapon creates a giant crit spot that allows your allies to deal massive damage to it. It seemed like an odd weapon at first, but players quickly realized its value when used against annoying bosses.
Specifically, Raid encounters like the Harpy boss from the Garden of Salvation or more recent examples like Ir Yut from the Crota’s End Raid, where the boss is incredibly difficult to damage due to their high movement or poor crit spot. That’s where Divinity comes in.
By making a giant crit spot on said boss, the fireteam can now easily shred them down, making your glorious loot that much easier to obtain. Divinity was nerfed a while back, and while it isn’t used on EVERY boss anymore, its value against the large majority of bosses in the game can’t be overlooked.
1. Conditional Finality
Finishing out the list is arguably the most popular weapon in Destiny 2 for nearly a year, the Conditional Finality Exotic Shotgun from the Root of Nightmares Raid. Conditional Finality felt like a breath of fresh air when it released, as it’s arguably one of the most unique Exotic’s we’ve seen in recent years.
This weapon has two shots in the magazine, the first being fueled by Stasis energy that freezes an enemy on impact, while the second explodes in a shower of Solar energy. It’s such a simple but unique combination that opens the door for an abundance of builds. Not only does this weapon excel in endgame PvE activities like Nightfalls or Raids, but it also shreds opposing Guardians in the crucible.
Thanks to the Stasis shot, this weapon has been the go-to counter for dealing with pesky Bubble Titans or Immortal Well of Radiance Warlocks. Currently, it is the most used weapon in all of PvP across every mode.
Unless a nerf is planned for it, it’s highly likely it will remain as one of the most-used weapons in the game and its overall dominance can’t be understated.
