There are a number of different weapon types in Destiny 2. From auto rifles to rocket launchers, Bungie’s looter-shooter has a whole mess of firearms to play around with. If you’re a new player and having trouble keeping them straight, our guide will explain the differences between them.
Note that weapon type in Destiny 2 is distinct from damage type. When the game launched back in 2017, things worked differently. But for a long time now, the primary/special/heavy distinction has operated parallel to the Kinetic/Energy/Power slot system. You always have one Kinetic (or Stasis/Strand) weapon, one Energy weapon, and one Power weapon equipped. Your Kinetic and Energy slots can be any combination of Primary and Special weapons.
Also, note that a few Exotic weapons break these categorizations. For instance, Whisper of the Worm is a sniper rifle, but it’s a Power weapon — not Special. And Forerunner, while a sidearm, is actually a Special weapon rather than Primary. That said, these are unique exceptions to the rule.
Primary Weapons
Primary weapons are your bread and butter in Destiny 2. They have infinite ammo — though they didn’t always — and are what you use to take out most enemies.
Auto Rifles
Auto rifles are basically what they sound like — automatic weapons with decent range. Some of them have extremely high rates of fire with lower damage per shot, while others have harder-hitting bullets but fire fewer of them. Auto rifles are solid all-around choices at medium-long range in most kinds of Destiny 2 content. In both PVE and PVP, they’re often good picks — as long as you can control their recoil and keep your fire on target.
Combat Bows
One of the few non-gun weapon types in Destiny 2, combat bows (more commonly known simply as bows) are slow-firing, high-damage weapons. Bows have some perks that aren’t found on any other weapon, making them rather unique. They can be fantastic weapons in both PVE and PVP, but require that you master the timing involved in drawing back an arrow before a shot.
Hand Cannons
Hand cannons are your classic revolver-type weapons. They hit hard and usually have good range, with the tradeoff of typically having long reload animations. Hand cannons are usually popular in the Destiny 2 PVP meta since they can often take out another Guardian in just a few precision hits. In PVE they’re somewhat less used because of their long reloads, but with the right perks can be effective as well.
Pulse Rifles
The descendants of the Halo 2 battle rifle, pulse rifles are burst-firing weapons that are effective at medium-long range. Some of the most dominant weapons in both PVE and PVP have been pulse rifles, and while their dominance fluctuates as Bungie tunes the sandbox, a handful pulse rifles are usually found in the most commonly-used weapons charts.
Scout Rifles
Semi-automatic guns that fire a single shot at a time, scout rifles are among the most-favored weapon types for endgame PVE in Destiny 2. That’s because they’re effective at a distance, and in modes like Grandmaster Nightfalls, getting up close to enemies is a recipe for disaster. They often use the Explosive Payload perk to deal more damage to enemies in PVE and throw other Guardians off their aim in PVP.
Sidearms
Close-range semi- or fully automatic handguns, sidearms are for Guardians comfortable getting up close and personal with their foes. In high-level PVE they tend to suffer from their short range, but they can be effective PVP weapons as long as you don’t try to outfit opponents at a distance.
Submachine Guns
SMGs are full-auto weapons that are great at taking out weaker enemies in Destiny 2 PVE but suffer in endgame content. In the Crucible, they’ve occasionally been overwhelming powerhouses.
Special Weapons
Special weapons are where things start to get a little spicy in Destiny 2. Special weapons require ammo pickups to fire, which can be difficult to come by in PVP and endgame PVE activities. They typically dish out a lot of direct damage to a single target, can damage multiple targets at once, or else have some “special” characteristics.
Fusion Rifles
Fusion rifles are hard-hitting weapons that fire a burst of fusion bolts. However, they have a short charging time during which the trigger has to be held down before they fire. This can make them a little tricky to get used to, especially in PVP. However, once you master the art of charging, they’re reliable all-around special weapons at short to medium range.
Glaives
Added in the Witch Queen expansion, glaives are hybrid ranged-melee weapons. They can fire damaging blasts or be used to string together combos with the blade. Glaives also have a small shield that can protect you from incoming fire — you charge it by landing hits with the projectiles. They’re more complex weapons than most of Destiny 2‘s guns, but they can be rewarding to use.
Grenade Launchers (Special)
Special grenade launchers are single-shot weapons that can blast crowds of enemies or do high direct impact damage. They have two main downsides: their long reload time and the learning curve around releasing the trigger to detonate the explosive after firing. There are ways of mitigating the reload issue through perks like Auto-Loading Holster, but you’ll just have to learn to judge the timing.
Shotguns
Shotguns are exactly what they sound like. It’s worth noting, however, that there are significant differences within this weapon type. Slug shotguns are close-range precision damage weapons great for punishing bosses and powerful enemies, while spread-firing shotguns are better are taking out weaker foes and aren’t as reliant on landing precision hits.
Sniper Rifles
Again, sniper rifles are pretty self-explanatory. These special weapons can be devastating in the Crucible if you have good aim, and can perform a variety of roles in PVE as well, from nailing tougher foes to damaging bosses. They range from fast-firing rifles with large magazines to slower, higher-impact weapons that require more frequent reloading.
Trace Rifles
Originally, trace rifles were Exotic-only weapons. However, they’ve since expanded into a regular weapon type of their own, with several non-Exotic weapons in the mix. They fire continuous beams of energy which need to be focused on a target for maximum damage. Trace rifles aren’t to everyone’s taste, but they can do some real work in the Crucible if you can keep your aim steady.
Power Weapons
Power — or Heavy — weapons are the literal big guns of Destiny 2. They require rare Heavy ammo, and are how you deal out massive damage to the game’s bosses. In PVP, you have to find special Heavy ammo drops to use them, or kill someone who’s picked some up and take theirs.
Grenade Launchers (Heavy)
Heavy grenade launchers differ from their special cousins in that they have multiple rounds per magazine. Depending on their perks, they can be useful for wiping out adds or damaging bosses. Historically, heavy grenade launchers were extremely powerful weapons in Destiny 2 PVE, but they’ve since come down in the rankings thanks to successive nerfs.
Linear Fusion Rifles
The Power weapon equivalent of the fusion rifle, linear fusion rifles (or LFRs) typically fire a single, high-damage beam at a time. (Some, however, do fire bursts.) These weapons have been the DPS kings of Destiny 2 for some time, though they’re getting significantly nerfed in Lightfall. In the Crucible, they’re effectively Power sniper rifles — if you can land your headshots, they’re great. If not, stick to something else.
Machine Guns
Machine guns spit out fire that’s great at clearing out weaker enemies in PVE. Some of them have specialized perks that make them better at dealing damage to bosses, and they’re getting a bit of a buff to their PVP capabilities in Lightfall.
Rocket Launchers
Slow-firing weapons with high damage and a big blast radius, rocket launchers are flexible weapons. They’re great both for damaging bosses and clearing out enemies, and can be effective in the Crucible as well. Their biggest downside is their slow reload, so perks that ameliorate this like Demolitionist and Auto-Loading Holster are very valuable.
Swords
Once upon a time, swords were the go-to weapon for many boss damage phases. They’ve since fallen out of favor, but are still fun weapons to use in PVE and Quickplay Crucible. Depending on their frame, swords can have a few different heavy attacks ranging from projectile blasts to sweeping spins that hit everything around you.
