Scout rifles Destiny 2 are single-shot precision weapons great for high-end content. There are plenty to choose from, so here are our picks for the 10 best PVE auto rifles in Destiny 2. This list isn’t in any particular order — these are all fantastic weapons depending on your needs and preferences.
Update History
- March 2023: Removed Long Arm, added Polaris Lance
- July 2023: Removed Tears of Contrition, Aisha’s Embrace, Vouchsafe, and Perses-D. Added Hung Jury SR4, Dead Man’s Tale, Trustee, Vision of Confluence.
1. Touch of Malice — Best Destiny 2 PVE Scout Rifles
The original gun-in-a-bag, Touch of Malice is a solid scout rifle that’s on this list for one major reason: its alt-fire mode makes it pretty decent at boss DPS. Is it the best choice for most content? Maybe not, but the novelty and fun of whittling a boss’s health down with those big Taken blasts makes it notable.
2. Night Watch
One of the all-timer Destiny 2 guns, Night Watch has been around for ages and nearly always been an effective choice in general PVE activities. Having Explosive Payload on a scout rifle is basically a free damage boost in PVE, and something like Rapid Hit or Overflow to reduce your reloading downtime makes it even more effective. As a Lightweight Frame, Night Watch also boosts your movement speed. Night Watch isn’t only one of the best scout rifles in Destiny 2, it’s one of the best weapons, period.
3. Hung Jury SR4
A classic scout rifle coming from the Season of the Splicer, the Hung Jury SR4 — with a boost on its PVP capabilities — is still a go-to weapon for PVE in Destiny 2. This Precision-Frame kinetic rifle has an excellent fire rate with some deadly trait combinations. Rapid Hit will momentarily increase the rifle’s stability and reload speed after nailing precision hits. Moreover, you can benefit from Kinetic Tremors, where sustained damage to an enemy generates a shockwave, dealing outstanding AOE damage.
How to Get: Hung Jury Destiny 2 Guide – God Roll and How to Get It
4. Dead Man’s Tale
While many Destiny 2 veterans may know this scout rifle for its PVP capabilities, the Dead Man’s Tale is powerful in PVE too. To put it in simple terms, Cranial Spike makes this rifle lethal after chaining precision hits on the enemy, granting extra range and target acquisition. Not only that, this rifle is one of the few Exotics that feature a random slot roll, so you can combine its capabilities with traits such as Vorpal Weapon.
5. Polaris Lance
Polaris Lance finally got updated to work with Solar 3.0 in Season of Defiance, and as a result it’s much more effective than it has been in the past. It also benefits from the ability to fire any weapon full auto. If you haven’t used it in years, it’s worth pulling one from collections and giving it a shot with a Solar subclass.
6. Trustee
Regarded by many as one of the best scout rifles for PVE, this Season of the Hunt weapon has the power of the sun in its barrel as a Rapid-Fire Solar scout rifle. The deadly Incandescent trait spreads scorch from defeated enemies to hunt down other enemies nearby. Combine with Rapid Hit or Reconstruction to get more stability, reload speed, or increase the ammo capacity.
7. Staccato-46 — Best Destiny 2 PVE Scout Rifles
Need a Solar scout rifle? Staccato-46 is your go-to. For lower-level content, Incandescent is a good time. For Grandmaster Nightfalls and the like, there’s Explosive Payload or Adaptive Munitions. The only real issue with this weapon is that there’s no reliable way to farm it. Thankfully, though, it has a pretty small perk pool, so it shouldn’t be too hard to get your desired roll.
8. Doom of Chelchis
Doom of Chelchis is unreal. It’s craftable, it can benefit from Volatile Rounds on Void subclasses, it has a fantastic Origin Trait — it’s got it all. Plus, perks like Repulsor Brace, Firefly, Frenzy, Explosive Payload. You can even roll Firefly/Dragonfly on Doom of Chelchis.
9. Tarnished Mettle
Added in Season of Plunder, Tarnished Mettle is essentially an Arc Night Watch. It’s a Lightweight Frame with access to the Rapid Hit/Explosive Payload perk combo, and — it’s craftable. If you love the feel of Night Watch but need an Arc weapon for whatever reason, Tarnished Mettle is there for you.
10. Vision of Confluence — Best Destiny 2 PVE Scout Rifles
The Vision of Confluence arrived in Season of the Splicer. While not the top choice for many players, this is still a good scout rifle for Guardians looking for a high-damage precision weapon. Having the same Precision Frame as the Hung Jury SR4, its selection of traits makes it stand out. Rewind Rounds refills an empty magazine based on the number of hits. Firefly rewards your precision kills with bonus reload speed and will make your targets explode, dealing Solar damage to nearby enemies.
How to Get: Destiny 2 Vault of Glass Gear Guide – All Weapons, Armor, & Mods
