15 Best Pulse Rifles in Destiny 2 for 2021 – Part one
The Best Pulse Rifles in Destiny 2
In case you played any of the first Destiny, then you understand the tragic and long history of pulse rifles in the series. In order to put it bluntly, they were worthless for a quite a while. Playing with one felt like you just stopped at a friend’s house only to be handed the knock off, Cheeto crusted Mad Catz controller. They just felt like a slower and less useful version of every single assault rifle.
Although we are a couple of years out from those dark days, the Destiny two best pulse rifles have maintained the same stigma from before. But here is the thing – they are in fact good now. You just need to know which ones to use.
Fifteen Best Destiny two Pulse Rifles in 2021 So, in Destiny two, what’s probably the best pulse rifle? Well, the same as with shotguns, that is somewhat of a complicated question. You will find a number of reliable options you are able to pick up now, but Destiny 2’s best pulse rifles depend on the playstyle of yours, the game mode you are playing, and the mod specialization you choose.
In order to help you start finding probably the best pulse rifle for the needs of yours, here are the top fifteen pulse rifles in Destiny two as of 2021.
1. Stars in Shadow
The Destiny 2 best Legendary pulse rifle
More like a retrofitted scout rifle, the Stars in Shadow is slow to shoot with massive stopping power. It has a decently long range, reasonably even stability, and handling stats that are only elevated with the right perk roles.
Why is it one of the best? This pulse rifle has a deep perk pool, which is both a gift and a curse. Yes, it allows you to farm for just the right build, but that can take hours of Crucible play. But if you find PvP and PvE builds that you like, you can become an expert with this weapon.
What’s it good for? This gun works for every mode as long as you get the right role. Here’s are the weapon perks to look for:
| PvE and Gambit | PvP |
|---|---|
| Thresh | Quickdraw |
| Demolitionist | Killing Wind |
| Kill Clip | Outlaw |
| Disruption Break | Feeding Frenzy |
| Genesis | Thresh |
| Moving Target | |
| Kill Clip | |
| Vorpal Weapon |
How do I get it? Stars in Shadow can only be gained as a random drop when playing Crucible matches or turning in Lord Shaax rank-up packages. Be prepared to grind out Crucible for a bit to get it — it took at least thirty matches to finally drop for me.
2. No Time to Explain
The Destiny 2 best Exotic pulse rifle
The Stranger was the biggest mystery of the original Destiny storyline. Once you met her, you received her weapon, which quickly got outclassed and forgotten. Now it’s back with a vengeance.
Why is it one of the best? This Exotic takes full advantage of the new Stasis sub-class, allowing you to return ammo to your magazine when hitting enemies affected by it. It also acts as an auto rifle, utilizing a full-auto trigger that’s perfect for crowd control. Things only get better when you unlock the catalyst, which improves your temporal orb ability and amplifies the Time-Slip perk.
What’s it good for? PvE. It’s a powerful weapon at any range, but it requires plenty of bullets to get the job done. Don’t expect to be successful with it in Crucible, where the lack of accuracy and impact will get you bodied.
How do I get it? Purchase the Beyond Light preorder bonus or complete the Beyond Light campaign.
3. Hailing Confusion
The Destiny 2 best kinetic pulse rifle
The Beyond Light expansion has done a lot for pulse rifles. Seemingly every new weapon is a step up, and the Hailing Confusion is no exception. Its adaptive frame setup helps it serve as a well-rounded weapon perfect for more open Crucible maps.
Why is it one of the best? This weapon is incredibly reliable. It feels good to shoot both when aiming down the sights and from the hip. Don’t expect to take someone out in a single headshot, but don’t be surprised if you’re able to land two or three before the enemy Guardian even notices.
What’s it good for? PvP. It may work like a mid-range sniper rifle, but the perk pool almost encourages you to keep moving. With a Slideways, Quickdraw, and Zen Moment roll, you’ll find yourself playing more accurately even when you can’t stay still.
How do I get it? It’s acquired during the Beyond Light campaign. To get rerolls, finish weapon missions for Variks by first unlocking Europan Explorer I in his sabotage menu. Or look to defeat high-value targets around Europa.
4. Cold Denial
The Destiny 2 best pulse rifle PvE
Season of Arrivals brought a handful of top-tier weapons that have held strong through the following seasons. However, none may be as useful now as Cold Denial.
Why is it one of the best? Similar to Stars in Shadow, the perk pool on this weapon is insane. It functions best as a PvE weapon, but you can roll it into a solid PvP option. As a high-impact pulse rifle, you can expect to deal a lot of damage at the cost of a slow fire rate. But you’ll be safely out of range and picking off foes with the Extended Barrel and Ricochet Rounds perks, making that fire rate a minimal concern.
What’s it good for? PvE, PvP, and Gambit. This weapon is best for PvE but can be refined for other game modes with the right perk rolls. Expect it to work well with any perk in non-competitive events, but take a careful look before pulling it out in Crucible or Gambit.
How do I get it? It used to be tied to seasonal progression and umbral engrams. Now it’s just a random world drop that is typically more prevalent on the Moon.
5. Sacred Provenance
The Destiny 2 best burst pulse rifle
The best thing about modern Destiny 2 pulse rifles is the potential for them to be something more. That’s never been more evident than in the Sacred Provenance if you happen to roll it with a Rapid Hit perk. Doing so turns a reliable burst rifle with decent range into a rapid-fire powerhouse.
Why is it one of the best? Sacred Provenance is a well-rounded rifle that sacrifices initial damage for range and speed. It makes up for that lost impact by improving precision damage after landing body shots and an additional shot for every burst (giving you four instead of the regular three). Throw in the potential to increase your range by maxing Masterwork and amplify that with Rapid Hit to increase stability, and you can keep on taking down opponents from a distance without fear of kickback.
What’s it good for? PvE and Gambit. With a relatively fast fire rate and deep clip that can be expanded using the Kill Clip perk, this is a great option for crowd control.
How do I get it? Sacred Prominence is acquired as a random drop from defeating bosses in the Garden of Salvation raid within the Black Garden.
6. Vigilance Wing
The Destiny 2 best pulse rifle PvP
In many ways, the Vigilance Wing served as the turning point for pulse rifles in Destiny 2. It’s as if the team at Bungie finally cracked what people want from these weapons. Not another auto rifle, but a dynamic burst rifle with unique perks.
Why is it one of the best? The Sacred Provenance gives you four-shot bursts. Vigilance Wing gives you five. And with the Harsh Truths perk, which provides enhanced health regeneration when an ally dies, this weapon seems like it was built to be one of the Destiny 2 best Crucible pulse rifles. No wonder it could only be acquired in Trials originally.
What’s it good for? PvP and PvE. While it may not be as strong as it once was, the Vigilance Wing still shreds in Crucible. The health regeneration perk alone makes this a clutch option during intense PvP and PvE events.
How do I get it? Vigilance Wing is a rare random Exotic Engram drop, but you can also get it when it cycles into Xûr’s shop or as a random drop during Trials of Osiris.
7. Last Perdition
The Destiny 2 best energy pulse rifle
Energy pulse rifles have been somewhat of a mixed bag the last few seasons. Sure, the added element modifier can be nice, but it somewhat defeats the purpose of what can make a pulse rifle useful. Luckily, it’s just the cherry on top for the Last Perdition.
Why is it one of the best? The adaptive frame makes this weapon easy to manage, which meshes perfectly with the longer range. Opt for the SPO-57 Front Scope to increase that range even further and turn this into a slightly more efficient scout rifle.
What’s it good for? PvE and Gambit. While it drops in Crucible, this weapon is meant for PvE. The stability and range are perfect for taking out enemies from a distance, and the Kill Clip and Outlaw perks only make that more apparent.
How do I get it? It’s a random drop in Crucible.
