Coming in hot from Season of the Worthy, auto rifles continue to dominate in Destiny 2. These weapons are hugely powerful picks across any kind of activity, to the extent that they’ve crowded out SMGs and pulse rifles. Here are our picks for the best auto rifles in Destiny 2 right now.
August 2020 Update:
- Added Gnawing Hunger, The Forward Path, The Summoner, False Promises
- Removed Misfit, Tommy’s Matchbook, Sweet Business, Monte Carlo
March 2020 Update:
- Revised Hard Light
- Added Suros Regime, Monte Carlo, Tommy’s Matchbook, Misfit
- Removed Pluperfect, Age-Old Bond
Gnawing Hunger
God, this thing is an absolute beast. Good range, stability, and reload speed combine with great handling to make for a solid base. Kill Clip and Tap the Trigger make it a menace in Crucible, and Multikill Clip works wonders in PVE. Gnawing Hunger will almost certainly see a nerf next season if Adaptive Frames or auto rifles generally don’t, but for now, it’s the king.
Great For: PVE, PVP
Hard Light
It’s a testament to how good Gnawing Hunger is that it’s overtaken Hard Light, which last season turned the Crucible into a constant laser light show. Hard Light is still a great weapon, but its minor nerf and use of an Exotic slot have rendered it much less popular than its Legendary brethren. Still, it’s the only weapon that lets you reliably get kills around corners.
Great For: PVP
The Forward Path
Available from the Iron Banner, The Forward Path can roll with special perks themed to that mode, but only Iron Gaze is worth using. In PVP, it’s a good choice if you want to run an energy sniper or shotgun, running Dynamic Sway Reduction and Iron Gaze or Tap the Trigger. For PVE, the combination of Feeding Frenzy or Fourth Time’s the Charm plus Multikill Clip makes for a powerful add clear weapon that keeps your Exotic and energy slots free to run something like Ruinous Effigy, Jotunn, or Eriana’s Vow.
Great For: PVE, PVP
Suros Regime
Suros Regime is a powerful kinetic auto rifle for any Crucible players looking to run Beloved or Mindbender’s Ambition in their energy slot. Its exotic perk provides some extra survivability in shootouts, and it’s even better with its catalyst installed.
Great For: PVP, PVE
More Destiny 2:
- Destiny 2 Best Sidearms Guide
- A Humble Proposal For the Next Season of Destiny 2
- Destiny 2 Class Tier List
False Promises
False Promises is a weapon that takes some getting used to, but with the right roles it can really shine in PVE. Feeding Frenzy and Rampage is the obvious choice, but Overflow pairs nicely with Unrelenting or Swashbuckler too, giving this accurate, high-damage weapon a nearly-bottomless magazine.
Great For: PVE
The Summoner
Only available from Trials of Osiris, The Summoner boasts good range, reload speed, and stability, as well as fantastic handling. As an Adaptive Frame, it’s similar to Gnawing Hunger, but its perk pool is more suited for Trials and other competitive modes. Moving Target and Dynamic Sway Reduction will help you hit your mark, and Celerity can help you pull out clutch wins by improving your aim, handling, and reload speed when you’re the sole surviving member of your team.
Great For: PVP
Are you a die-hard auto rifle fan? Have a favorite we missed? Let us know in the comments. We’ll update this post alongside most major Destiny 2 updates to add and remove any contenders for best available auto rifles.
