The Best Gambit Weapons in Destiny 2 (October 2023 Meta)

The last major overhaul for Gambit happened during Destiny 2: The Witch Queen days, but a lot has changed since then. Although Destiny 2 Season of the Deep's State of the Game blog post shared some upcoming changes in Gambit, we have compiled the current best weapon for the game mode. Take the following meta list as a good first step towards your perfect Gambit build and find weapons that fit your playstyle.

You May Also Like:

• Bungie: Engagement Too Low to Justify New Gambit Maps in Destiny 2
• The Best PVE Weapons in Destiny 2
• The Best Crucible PVP Weapons in Destiny 2

The Process

Our picks are based on a combination of a few different sources. Our largest source is the Charlemagne Discord bot, which reports the current meta. Among other things, the bot tracks weapon popularity for each game mode. This is super useful for getting our baseline information. We also use general community consensus from the Destiny subreddit and our own experiences playing Gambit.

Currently, the Gambit meta has turned towards auto rifles, submachine guns, and machine guns. As always, hand cannons and the explosive nature of the grenade and rocket launchers remain.

Guide last updated by Alejandro Josan on September 2023.

Destiny 2 Gambit Tier List

S Tier Weapons

Quicksilver Storm

Thunderlord

Ex Diris

Monte Carlo

Osteo Striga

Malfeasance

Sunshot

A Tier Weapons

Centrifuse

Retrofit Escapade

Riskrunner

Qua Xaphan V

Commemoration

B Tier Weapons

Graviton Lance

Gjallarhorn

Funnelweb

Xenophage

Eleatic Principle

Ikelos

C Tier Weapons

Thin Precipice

Ammit AR2

Forbearance

Le Monarque

Circular Logic

Falling Guillotine

D Tier Weapons

Sweet Business

Old Sterling

Rufus's Fury

Krait

Witherhoard

Perpetualis

Best Gambit Kinetic Weapons

Auto Rifles

Quicksilver Storm

You can never go wrong with an auto rifle in Gambit. With great PVE capabilities, these auto rifles occupy almost the entirety of the most popular Kinetic weapons. If you own Lightfall, you should use Quicksilver Storm since it can fire a homing mini-rocket after landing several hits, making it useful for crowd control.

• How to Get the Quicksilver Storm Catalyst in Destiny 2
• Source: Lightfall reward.
• Craftable: No.

Sweet Business

The Sweet Business is a great alternative since it has great accuracy and extended auto-reload capabilities after picking up ammo, providing great support fire.

• Sweet Business - How to Get, God Rolls, Stats, Lore
• Source: Exotic engrams, world drops.
• Craftable: No.

Monte Carlo

You can also pick the Monte Carlo because any damage output reloads your melee ability while your melee kills grant ammo to the weapon. It has an Exotic catalyst now too!

• Monte Carlo - How to Get, God Rolls, Stats, Lore
• Source: Exotic engrams, world drops.
• Craftable: No.

Rufus's Fury

A Rapid-Fire auto rifle, the Rufus’s Fury is a great option due to its unique selection of perks. Reconstruction will make this weapon reload itself over time and Target Lock will increase this weapon’s damage while remaining on target, great for focusing fire on large enemy groups.

• Rufus's Fury Guide - God Roll & How to Get It
• Source: Root of the Nightmares raid.
• Craftable: Yes.

Old Sterling

The Old Sterling is a great Adaptive Frame auto rifle that combined with Surplus will increase its handling, reload, and stability stats. Demolitionist will allow you to collect grenade energy after killing with this weapon, allowing it to reload after using your grenade ability.

• Old Sterling - How to Get, God Rolls, Stats, Lore
• Source: Legendary engrams, faction rank-up rewards.
• Craftable: No.

Krait

The Krait legendary auto rifle has deeper ammo reserves, due to its Rapid-Fire archetype. Use Stats for All to make the best out of crowd control to increase its weapon handling, stability, reload, and rage. Finally, Moving Target will increase your movement speed and target acquisition whenever you move while aiming down the sights, allowing you to deal with invading Guardians.

• Krait Guide - Krait God Roll & How to Get It
• Source: Legendary engrams, faction rank-up rewards.
• Craftable: No.

Perpetualis

The Perpetualis is also a good Adaptive Frame auto rifle to have because of its reliability. Zen Moment combined with Target Lock allows you to have a very stable and increasingly damaging weapon when aiming down the sights.

• Perpetualis - How to Get, God Rolls, Stats, Lore
• Source: Defiant engrams at War Table, HELM.
• Craftable: Yes.

Hand Cannon

Malfeasance

The Malfeasance’s Explosive Shadow perk makes this a great hand cannon for crowd control. Also, if anyone dares to invade and sabotage your progress, the Taken Predator perk will deal bonus damage to invaders.

• How to Get the New Malfeasance Catalyst in Destiny 2
• Source: Exotic quest or challenge (play Gambit to unlock).
• Craftable: No.

Submachine Gun

Osteo Striga

How can you counter the stability and handling nature of a submachine gun? Well, with sentient tracking bullets. Spray and pray requires less prayer than ever, with the bonus of dealing poison damage after final blows or multiple precision hits. 

• Osteo Striga - How to Get, God Rolls, Stats, Lore
• Source: Complete “Vox Obscura” Exotic quest.
• Craftable: Yes.

Grenade Launcher

Witherhoard

Grenade launchers have always been a great way to get rid of enemy-populated areas. The Witherhoard will blight both the target and its nearby area — creating an additional blight with the enemy dies. Shoot the Primeval with this weapon to deal considerable damage while also getting rid of smaller enemies in your way.

• Witherhoard - How to Get, God Rolls, Stats, Lore
• Source: Exotic archive.
• Craftable: No.

Best Gambit Energy Weapons

Auto Rifles

Centrifuse

To say that Centrifuse dominates the world of Energy auto rifles in Destiny 2 would be an understatement. Its Overcharge Capacitor makes it powerful, with the resulting explosions dealing severe damage to enemy groups.

• Centrifuse - How to Get, God Rolls, Stats, Lore
• Source: Season Pass reward.
• Craftable: No.

Ammit AR2

Ammit AR2 is a good alternative if you don’t have Centrifuse. Dynamic Sway Reduction and Incandescent make this a crowd-control monster.

• Ammit AR2 Guide – God Roll and How to Get It
• Source: Legendary engrams, faction rank-up rewards.
• Craftable: Yes.

Pulse Rifle

Graviton Lance

If a weapon is capable of damaging enemies by making a ripple in space and time, I want that weapon in my arsenal. Moreover, each of the Graviton’s kills will provide great crowd control, thanks to the resulting explosions that track nearby targets.

• Graviton Lance - How to Get, God Rolls, Stats, Lore
• Source: Exotic engrams, world drops.
• Craftable: No.

Grenade Launcher

Ex Diris

This Season of the Witch Exotic grenade launcher will increase its rage of fire when it becomes enraged by dealing or taking damage. Moreover, final blows will summon a moth that will seek out targets and explode.

• Ex Diris - How to Get, God Rolls, Stats, Lore
• Source: Season Pass reward.
• Craftable: No.

Forbearance

A grenade launcher that will make the ground shake on impact. The Forbearance brings the balance between the PVP and PVE aspects with traits such as Unrelenting, Ambitious Assassin, Golden Tricorn, and Chain Reaction.

• Forbearance Guide - Forbearance God Roll & How to Get It
• Source: Vow of the Disciple raid.
• Craftable: Yes.

Submachine Guns

Riskrunner

When the Riskrunner receives incoming Arc Damage, it will become more powerful and will be able to resist further incoming Arc Damage. Your shots will also be chained through lightning strikes, returning ammo to your barrel.

• Riskrunner - How to Get, God Rolls, Stats, Lore
• Source: Exotic engrams, world drops.
• Craftable: No.

Funnelweb

Pick the Funnelweb if you wish for extraordinary handling abilities, boosted by its trait variety such as Perpetual Motion, Rangefinder, and Frenzy.

• Funnelweb - How to Get, God Rolls, Stats, Lore
• Source: Legendary engrams, faction rank-up rewards.
• Craftable: No.

IKELOS_SMG_v1.0.3

Submachine guns are also a great choice for Energy weapons, and you have a few options: with the Riskrunner increasing Arc damage while also resisting it, the Funnelweb’s extraordinary handling abilities, or the Arc IKELOS SMG's high damage output with 750 RPM (rounds per minute). Choose wisely!

• Destiny 2 IKELOS SMG Deepsight Guide
• Source: World drop.
• Craftable: Yes.

Hand Cannon

Sunshot

Sunshot has explosive rounds that mark the enemies and make them explode! Not only will it prevent you from being overwhelmed by enemy groups and provide crowd control abilities. Also, since this hand cannon has a longer range than some, you can use this weapon to take down Invaders. 

• 2 Sunshot - How to Get, God Rolls, Stats, Lore
• Source: Exotic engrams, world drops.
• Craftable: No.

Combat Bow

Le Monarque

With an advantage over Overload Champions, Le Monarque deals poison damage that will spread across several enemies. This is a good way to deal with combatants infesting the area.

• Le Monarque - How to Get, God Rolls, Stats, Lore
• Source: Exotic archive.
• Craftable: No.

Best Gambit Power Weapons

Machine Guns

Thunderlord

Think of the Thunderlord as the Mjolnir of Destiny 2, which will generate lightning strikes after final blows, and will also increase your reload speed over time.

• Thunderlord - How to Get, God Rolls, Stats, Lore
• Source: Exotic engrams, world drops.
• Craftable: No.

Commemoration

The Commemoration is an Adaptive Frame machine gun that can be overpowered with its trait combination of Reconstruction and Killing Tally. The first one will make this weapon reload itself over time and the second one will increase its damage output until it is reloaded or stowed.

• Commemoration - How to Get, God Rolls, Stats, Lore
• Source: Deep Stone Crypt raid.
• Craftable: Yes.

Retrofit Escapade

A Rapid-Fire machine gun, the Retrofit Escapade makes the best out of its deeper ammo reserves with the Fourth Time’s The Charm and Target Lock trait combination.

• Destiny 2 Retrofit Escapade Deepsight Guide
• Source: Season Pass reward.
• Craftable: Yes.

Xenophage

How can you upgrade an already efficient machine gun? Well, why not make its projectiles explosive? That is what the Xenophage is about. It also provides a range and zoom bonus after aiming with this weapon.

• Xenophage - How to Get, God Rolls, Stats, Lore
• Source: Exotic quest reward.
• Craftable: No.

Circular Logic

The Circular Logic Legendary machine gun provides stability to a weapon that allows you to keep firing with its increasingly faster reload speed, thanks to the Feeding Frenzy trait. The second trait slot is interchangeable between Golden Tricorn, Target Lock, and even Vorpal Weapon.

• Circular Logic - How to Get, God Rolls, Stats, Lore
• Source: Terminal Overload activity (Zephyr Concourse).
• Craftable: No.

Qua Xaphan V

If you prefer to stay steady while dealing with crowds of foes, then the Qua Xaphan V is the way to go. Triple Tap will return one round to the magazine after landing precision hits, and Destabilizing Rounds makes target final blows explode.

• Qua Xaphan V - How to Get, God Rolls, Stats, Lore
• Source: Gambit matches reward, Drifter rank-up reward.
• Craftable: No.

Eleatic Principle

The Eleatic Principle is the Perpetualis made into a machine gun. The Zen Moment and Target Lock combination is boosted, thanks to the machine gun’s power, making it a competent weapon in the Gambit.

• Eleatic Principle - How to Get, God Rolls, Stats, Lore
• Source: Season of the Witch activity reward.
• Craftable: Yes.

Rocket Launcher

Gjallarhorn

One of the best rocket launchers in the game, the Gjallarhorn is both a reliable and destructive weapon that, after firing and detonating its rounds, will split them into tracking cluster missiles defeating enemies that have survived the blast.

• Destiny 2 Gjallarhorn Guide - And Out Fly the Wolves Quest
• Source: And Out Fly the Wolves quest reward.
• Craftable: No.

Sword

Thin Precipice

If you want to sport a sword as your weapon of choice, the spin of the Thin Precipice is the way to go. Having a sword on your back is a really good countermeasure for those enemies that will try to surprise you up close or even an Invader Guardian that happens to be close by.

• Thin Precipice - How to Get, God Rolls, Stats, Lore
• Source: Season of the Deep activities reward.
• Craftable: Yes.

Falling Guillotine

The Falling Guillotine is a good alternative to the Thin Precipice. It features a similar spin and will feature heavy attacks if fully charged. Moreover, charged sword kills will grant sword ammo.

• Destiny 2 Falling Guillotine Guide
• Source: Season Pass reward.
• Craftable: No.

Update History

September 2023

• Kinetic – Added Perpetualis. Removed Randy’s Throwing Knife.
• Energy – Added Ex Diris. Removed Perpetualis.
• Power – Added Qua Xaphan V, Eleatic Principle, and Falling Guillotine. Removed The Other Half, Taipan-4fr, and Laser Painter.

August 2023

• Kinetic – Added Quicksilver Storm, Osteo Striga, Monte Carlo, Rufus’s Fury, Old Sterling, Krait, and Randy’s Throwing Knife. Removed Servant Leader, Chroma Rush, Scathelocke, Ager’s Scepter, Eyasluna, Vulpecula, and Fatebringer.
• Energy – Added Centrifuse, Graviton Lance, Forbearance, Funnelweb, Sunshot, Positive Outlook, Ammit AR2, and IKELOS_SMG_v1.0.3. Removed Null Composure, Cartesian Coordinate, Vex Mythocalst, Jotunn, Gnawing Hunger, BxR-55 Battler, Salvager’s Salvo, and Ticuu’s Divination.
• Power – Added Thunderlord, Commemoration, Retrofit Escapade, Thin Precipice, Taipan-4fr, Xenophage, Circular Logic, The Other Half, and Laser Painter. Removed Ascendancy, Bad Omens, Eyes of Tomorrow, Guillotine, Quickfang, Half-Truths, The Lament, Sleeper Simulant, and Memory Interdict.

February 2022

• Kinetic – Added Servant Leader, Chroma Rush, Scathelocke, Ager’s Scepter, Eyasluna, Malfeasance, Vulpecula, and Fatebringer. Removed Extraordinary Rendition, Heritage, Dead Man’s Tale, Night Watch, Seventh Seraph Carbine, False Promises, and Thorn.
• Energy – Added Null Composure, Cartesian Coordinate, Vex Mythoclast, BxR-55 Battler, and Le Monarque. Removed Deafening Whisper, Truthteller, IKELOS SMG, Trinity Ghoul, Igneous Hammer, Bottom Dollar, and Cloudstrike.
• Heavy – Added Gjallarhorn, Ascendancy, Bad Omens, Quickfang, Half-Truths, Sleeper Simulant, and Memory Interdict. Removed Code Duello, Truth, Xenophage, Seventh Seraph SAW, Commemoration, and Anarchy.

April 2021

• Kinetic – Added Dead Man’s Tale. Removed No Time to Explain.
• Energy – Added Bottom Dollar and Igneous Hammer. Removed Fighting Lion.
• Heavy – No changes.

February 2021

• Kinetic – Added Extraordinary Rendition, The Huckleberry, Sweet Business, and Thorn. Removed Hailing Confusion, Cold Denial, Monte Carlo, Dire Promise, Malfeasance, and True Prophecy.
• Energy – Added Ticuu’s Divination, Salvager’s Salvo, and Fighting Lion. Removed Death Adder, Adored, Beloved, Xenoclast IV, Bonechiller, Seventh Seraph CQC, and Stars in Shadow.
• Heavy – Added Code Duello, Eyes of Tomorrow, and Truth. Removed Honor’s Edge, Steel Sybil Z-14, Thermal Erosion, Salvation’s Grip, Crowd Pleaser, and Interference VI.

January 2021

• Kinetic – Added False Promises and Sweet Business. Removed Escape Velocity.
• Energy – Added Seventh Seraph CQC.
• Heavy – No changes.

December 2020 (Beyond Light Update 2)

• Kinetic – Added Seventh Seraph Carbine, Witherhoard, Cold Denial, Heritage, and SUROS Regime.
• Energy – Added Seventh Seraph VY-7, Cloudstrike, and Beloved.
• Heavy – Added The Lament, Seventh Seraph SAW, Commemoration, and Temptation’s Hook.

November 2020 (Beyond Light Update 1)

• Kinetic – Added No Time to Explain, Escape Velocity, Dire Promise, Hailing Confusion, Night Watch, and Stars in Shadow. Removed Mountaintop, Sweet Business, Steelfeather Repeater, Exit Strategy, Perfect Paradox, Randy’s Throwing Knife, Breachlight, Spare Rations, Breakneck, The Huckleberry, and SUROS Regime.
• Energy – Added Gnawing Hunger, IKELOS SMG, Adored, Xenoclast IV, Truthteller, Trinity Ghoul, and Bonechiller. Removed The Recluse, Sunshot, Hard Light, Seventh Seraph VY-7, Telesto, Tommy’s Matchbook, The Summoner, and Prometheus Lens.
• Heavy – Added Falling Guillotine, Crowd Pleaser, Salvation’s Grip, Anarchy, Interference VI, and Thermal Erosion. Removed Hammerhead, Heir Apparent, 21% Delirium, Truth, Wendigo GL3, and Black Talon.

May 2020

• Kinetic – Added Malfeasance.
• Energy – Added Tommy’s Matchbook. Removed Loaded Question.
• Heavy – Added Heir Apparent, Honor’s Edge, Steel Sybil Z-14, and Bad Omens. Removed Night Terror, Worldline Zero, and Thunderlord. 

April 2020

• Kinetic – Added Breakneck, The Huckleberry, Exit Strategy, SUROS Regime.
• Energy – Added The Summoner, Seventh Seraph VY-7, Prometheus Lens, Sunshot. Removed Tommy’s Matchbook.
• Power – Added Worldline Zero, Black Talon, Interference VI, Night Terror.

March 2020

• Kinetic – Added Spare Rations, Breachlight, SUROS Regime. Removed Dust Rock Blues, No Turning Back, Bygones.
• Energy – Added Tommy’s Matchbook, Hard Light, Loaded Question, Telesto. Removed Subtle Calamity, Symmetry, Lord of Wolves, IKELOS SG, Mindbender’s Ambition.
• Power – Added Wendigo GL3. Removed Pyroclastic Flow, Zenobia-D, Tractor Cannon.

February 2020

• Kinetic – Added Monte Carlo, The Mountaintop, Breakneck. Removed Parcel of Stardust, Cold Front.
• Energy – Removed Last Man Standing.
• Power – Removed Avalanche.

January 2020

• Kinetic – Added No Turning Back, Bygones, Cold Front, Dust Rock Blues. Removed Threat Level, One Small Step, Exit Strategy, The Mountaintop.
• Energy – Added Python, Jotunn. Removed Prophet of Doom, Wishbringer.
• Power – Added Avalanche, Pyroclastic Flow, Zenobia-D. Removed Edgewise, Legend of Acrius, Wendigo GL3.

December 2019 (Season of Dawn Update)

• Kinetic – Added Wish-Ender, Perfect Paradox, Steelfeather Repeater, Threat Level, Parcel of Stardust, One Small Step, Randy’s Throwing Knife. Removed Braytech Werewolf, Breakneck, Monte Carlo, SUROS Regime, Huckleberry, Ace of Spades, Malfeasance.
• Energy – Added Added Lord of Wolves, Symmetry, IKELOS SG, Last Man Standing, Prophet of Doom, Mindbender’s Ambition, Wishbringer. Removed Bug-Out Bag, Subjunctive, Eriana’s Vow, Sunshot, Misfit, Arsenic Bite, Jotunn, Loaded Question.
• Power – Added Tractor Cannon, Xenophage, Legend of Acrius, Edgewise. Removed Leviathan’s Bow, Zenobia-D, Edge Transit, Through Fire and Flood.

November 2019

• Kinetic – Added Braytech Werewolf, Exit Strategy, SUROS Regime, Malfeasance. Removed Pillager, Bygones, Hazard of the Cast, Cerberus+1.
• Energy – Added Subtle Calamity, Bug-Out Bag, Sunshot. Removed Arc Logic.
• Power – Added Levithan’s Breath, Wendigo GL3, Through Fire and Flood. Removed A Fine Memorial, Deathbringer.

October 2019

• Kinetic – Added Go Figure, Sweet Business, Hazard of the Cast, Monte Carlo, Pillager, Cerberus+1. Removed Blast Furnace, Outbreak Perfected, Spare Rations, Malfeasance, Austringer.
• Energy – Added Eriana’s Vow, Subjunctive, Arc Logic. Removed Telesto, Le Monarque, Ikelos.
• Power – Added Deathbringer, Zenobia-D, A Fine Memorial, Edge Transit. Removed Fixed Odds, One Thousand Voices, Outrageous Fortune, Swarm of the Raven, Tractor Cannon.

September 2019

• Kinetic – Added Spare Rations, Malfeasance. Removed Go Figure, Bad Juju.
• Energy – Added IKELOS, Misfit. Removed CALUS Mini-Tool, Sunshot.
• Power – Added Bad Omens. Removed Bane of Sorrow.

August 2019

• Kinetic – Added The Mountaintop and Go Figure. Removed Malfaesance and Lumina.
• Energy – Added Riskrunner, CALUS Mini-Tool, Sunshot, and Telesto. Removed Trinity Ghoul and IKELOS Shotgun.
• Power – Added Tractor Cannon, Outrageous Fortune, and Swarm of the Raven. Removed Bad Omens, Zenobia-D, and Wendigo GL3.

July 2019

• Kinetic – Added Lumina, Bad Juju, and Malfeasance. Removed Wish-Ender, Spiteful Fang, Go Figure, The Mountaintop, Threat Level, and No Turning Back.
• Energy – Added Loaded Question, CALUS Mini-Tool, and Beloved. Removed Telesto, Riskrunner, and The Vow.
• Power – Added Fixed Odds and Wendigo GL3. Removed Outrageous Fortune, Edge Transit, and Tractor Cannon.

June 2019

• Kinetic – Added Wish Ender, The Spiteful Fang, The Mountaintop, and Threat Level. Removed Thorn, Malfeasance, Midnight Coup, and The Huckleberry.
• Energy – Added Le Monarque, Subtle Calamity, Arsenic Bite-4b, Trinity Ghoul, and The Vow. Removed Lord of Wolves, Misfit, Prometheus Lens, Trust, and Last Man Standing.
• Power – Added Bane of Sorrow and Edge Transit. Removed Avalanche and Play of the Game.

May 2019

• Kinetic – Added Outbreak Perfected. Removed Arbalest.
• Energy – Removed The Ringing Nail, Kindled Orchid. Added Trust and Last Man Standing.
• Power – Removed The Wardcliff Coil. Added Play of the Game.

April 2019

• Kinetic – Added Arbalest. Removed Threat Level.
• Energy –Added Kindled Orchid and The Recluse. Removed Badlander.
• Power – Added Outrageous Fortune.

And that’s that four our guide to the best Gambit weapons in Destiny 2! Thanks for taking the time to check it out. We wish all of you trigger happy Guardians out there the best of luck with those motes of light.