Sidearms are widely regarded as one of the best Main weapon archetypes for PvE in Destiny ii. Forgiving recoil patterns, high damage output, and a solid selection of perks make this weapon classic a fantastic pick for most Guardians.

Like virtually weapon archetypes, in that location are a few that rise above the rest. Whether it's for their unique perk combinations or incredible harm output, these Sidearms accept carved a niche for themselves in Destiny ii'southward complicated sandbox. Their impairment output and ease of use are hard to match. From common Legendaries to more unique Exotics, hither are the ten best Sidearms in Destiny 2.

Updated June 5th, 2022, past Charles Burgar: Nerfs to Special weapons have made Sidearms stronger in the Crucible than ever before, and this Flavor's Artifact has quite a few Sidearm mods to utilise. We've updated this list to remove entries that are no longer obtainable, and nosotros've added the Trespasser and Forgiveness Sidearms to this list.

10 Empirical Evidence

Destiny 2 Empirical Evidence

How to obtain: Constitute at Savathun'southward Throne World or crafted at The Enclave.

Empirical Evidence is a two-circular burst Sidearm that has a rather impressive stat bundle. 57 range, 86 aim assist, and 41 treatment are all quite solid for this classic. Merely does it live up to the likes of Breachlight or Brass Attacks? No, non actually.

And that's fine. Empirical Evidence is all the same a great weapon that manages to fulfill the function of a Sidearm quite nicely. Pulse Monitor and Harmony is a surprisingly strong combination for blinting or quick-swapping. Alternatively, you lot can craft a roll with Perpetual Move and Swashbuckler for a solid workhorse weapon. Brass Attacks is arguably ameliorate if y'all ain one, but if yous didn't play terminal year, Empirical Evidence is a solid substitute that isn't tied to RNG. But brand 1 with any perks yous desire.

Recommended Traits:

  • Column One: Perpetual Motion, Pulse Monitor (PvP)
  • Column 2: Harmony, Swashbuckler

Why Non Brass Attacks?

Brass Attacks is no longer obtainable, hence why information technology isn't on our list as a proper entry. With that said, Brass Attacks can periodically be sold by Xur and is a fantastic Sidearm in PvE content. If you own a Brass Attacks with a good roll, feel free to use it. If you never got i, Empirical Evidence is craftable and performs well enough. And for those who don't listen Trials of Osiris, Forgiveness is the closest thing to a reissued Breachlight Destiny 2 has ever seen.

9 Devil'south Ruin

Destiny 2 Devil's Ruin Sidearm

How to obtain: Purchased from the Exotic Kiosk in the Tower. It costs 1 Exotic Cipher, 100,000 Glimmer, 150 Dusklight Shards, and 1 Ascendant Shard.

Devil's Ruin is a strange hybrid between a Sidearm and Trace Rifle. Its primary fire behaves as yous'd expect from a Sidearm, firing at 300 rounds per minute. When you concord the fire button downwards, information technology releases a high-harm axle that disintegrates anything in its path. Thank you to the space ammo change in Flavour 15, Devil's Ruin is a fantastic weapon for PvE and especially powerful in PvP.

With virtually no recoil, Devil's Ruin destroys any weaker enemy in ane or ii shots. For waves of enemies or tougher foes, the charged beam tin can brand those encounters trivial. You can as well use Devil's Ruin as a pocket Heavy weapon in PvP since it has infinite ammo. Charge the weapon before starting an engagement, then lookout your enemy atomize in half a second. Information technology's fantastic for PvE, PvP, and practically becomes a Special weapon if you pair this gun with the Surprise Attack Combat Style modernistic.

viii Rat King

Destiny 2 Rat King

How to obtain: Purchased from the Exotic Kiosk in the Tower. Information technology costs i Exotic Cipher, 100,000 Glimmer, 150 Helium Filaments, and 1 Dominant Shard.

Every bit one of 3 Exotic Sidearms in Destiny two, Rat King has massive shoes to fill to be worth using. Thankfully, this is one of Destiny 2'southward subconscious gems.

No other Sidearm in the game can grant invisibility and health after a kill, let alone so consistently. The abiding invisibility this gun grants can trivialize solo flawless dungeons, Master content, and even PvP. Hunters will go even more than use out of this gun, as the invisibility this weapon grants does do good from various Nightstalker subclass passives. Pair this weapon with Omnioculus for a great fourth dimension.

Rat King truly excels as a close-range Primary in PvP. The TTK on Rat Rex is surprisingly short, it'south adequately easy to use, and the invisibility on impale manipulates the enemy's radar—allowing yous to get the bound on your next target. Rat King is an underused Exotic for Destiny's Crucible that tin finally smoothen with recent Shotgun nerfs.

vii Punching Out

Destiny 2 Punching Out

How to obtain: Vanguard Strikes and Engrams.

Rapid-Fire Sidearms are surprisingly powerful in Destiny 2 with the right perks. Punching Out is arguably the best Rapid-Fire Frame in the game, mainly due to its excellent perks. Since it'southward a playlist weapon, you will have to fight against a massive perk pool to get the whorl you want. But when that perfect roll finally drops, you won't want to use anything else.

Overflow, Subsistence, Feeding Frenzy, and Season 15'southward Encore perk are not bad options on this gun for PvE. It can also roll with quite a few harm perks, Kill Prune being the nearly notable. Punching Out can chew through Guardians just equally well as PvE combatants. Encore and Kill Clip is a dream to apply, giving this weapon an immense boost to its stability, accuracy, and damage when you demand it most. All Sidearm fans need to give Punching Out a try, provided you become one to drop.

Recommended Traits:

  • Column One: Encore (PvP), Rangefinder (PvP), Subsistence, Overflow
  • Column Two: Impale Prune, Frenzy, Elemental Capacitor (PvP)

half dozen Drang (Baroque)

Destiny 2 Drang (Baroque)

How to obtain: Opulent chests and Focused Umbral Engrams.

Drang has dominated the Sidearm scene in PvP ever since Destiny 2 launched. This Sidearm analogue to the Sturm Hand Cannon is easy to use, has incredible base stats, and came with a rather solid roll. Thanks to the Menagerie weapons coming back in Season of the Haunted, players can finally farm for a randomly-rolled Drang again with the Drang (Baroque) version.

An aim help stat of 70, higher up-boilerplate zoom of 14, and a good range stat make Drang a dream to use. Landing sequent headshots with this weapon is an absolute breeze. If that wasn't plenty, this weapon has some fantastic perks. Eye of the Storm and Binge gives this weapon a smashing deal of consistency in a duel and a boost in lethality later on you downwardly a Guardian. Well-Rounded and Swashbuckler is also a proficient philharmonic. And if you're a PvP main, consider a curlicue with Disruption Break and Incandescent to synergize nicely with Kinetic weapons and Solar subclasses. Drang also gets bonus points for existence ane of the few Sidearms you tin can craft in Destiny ii.

Recommended Traits:

  • Column I: Eye of the Storm, Moving Target (PvP), Well-Rounded, Disruption Break (PvE)
  • Column 2: Rampage, Swashbuckler, Incandescent (PvE)

v Trespasser

Promotional Art for the Trespasser Exotic Sidearm in Destiny 2

How to obtain: Season Laissez passer advantage.

Trespasser has returned from the original Destiny stronger than ever. This Sidearm fires iii-round bursts that get supercharged upon reloading after a kill. These supercharged bursts burn down six shots in one burst, capable of instantly killing about PvE fodder enemies. Killing an enemy with this burst supercharges your next burst and reloads the gun, assuasive you lot to theoretically fire supercharged bursts indefinitely.

In do, Trespasser isn't going to fire supercharged bursts forever. This weapon can't one-burst a Guardian in PvP, although it can lay in some absurd damage. For PvE, Trespasser is a devastating add-immigration machine that matches the likes of Trinity Ghoul and Riskrunner, admitting slightly less effective than those options. In PvP, Trespasser is a fantastic Sidearm that tin can nab piece of cake kills with proficient trigger discipline and aim.

4 Forerunner

Destiny 2 Halo CE Magnum

How to obtain: Magnum Opus quest.

This really shouldn't be considered a Sidearm. The Forerunner is a 200 RPM Sidearm that uses Special ammo, retaining the iconic design, telescopic, and overall lethality that made the Halo: Combat Evolved Magnum it's based on so special.

In PvE, this weapon is a menace. Forerunner deals extra damage on precision hits to unshielded targets, which is virtually of the enemy types yous'll exist facing. It one-taps all crimson bars, destroys majors, and can even accept down stunned Champions without much hassle. Use this weapon with the Surprise Attack mod and a Disruption Break Energy weapon to turn Forerunner into a Heavy weapon.

For PvP, Forerunner is also a powerhouse. It can iii-tap Guardians to the head at incredible distances, mimicking the power of Luna'due south How and Not Forgotten during the Forsaken expansion. It as well recovers quite a flake of ammo from Special bricks, assuasive you to use this as a Main weapon afterward a few kills. It isn't a game-breaking Sidearm like some Crucible players have suggested, merely information technology's difficult to deny that Forerunner is 1 of the best Sidearms in Destiny 2. It certainly lives upwardly to the Halo Magnum it'due south based on.

3 Peacebond

Destiny 2 Peacebond

How to obtain: Iron Banner matches and Engrams.

Destiny 2'southward kickoff Legendary Stasis Sidearm, Peacebond is zip short of a powerhouse. This three-round burst Sidearm is unique in that it can whorl with Rangefinder and a Stasis-related perk: Headstone. This perk will spawn a Stasis crystal at a victim'south corpse subsequently y'all land a precision impale. You can then shatter the crystal to bargain massive AoE damage, or preserve it to benefit from Whisper of Chains. This perk's versatility is but unmatched.

If you lot don't similar using Stasis, yous tin can replace Headstone with Swashbuckler, Harmony, or Snapshot Sights if you play PvP. It has great range, feels amazing to utilize, and tin provide some incredible utility when built around. Keep your eyes out for this Sidearm whenever Iron Banner rolls around.

Recommended Traits:

  • Column 1: Rangefinder, Subsistence
  • Cavalcade 2: Headstone, Swashbuckler, Snapshot Sights (PvP)

2 Forgiveness

Destiny 2 Forgiveness

How to obtain: Trials of Osiris Engrams and matches.

Forgiveness is the closest affair to Breachlight we have that isn't sunset. This weapon tin can roll with Demolitionist and Adrenaline Junkie, uses the same archetype equally Breachlight, and Forgiveness has an considerately better stat package than just about every Aggressive Frame Sidearm in the game.

A base range of sixty, 90 aim assist, and an Airborne Effectiveness stat of 25 ways you'll be landing most of your shots with ease. Throw on a Sidearm Targeting mod on your helmet, and this weapon should live upwards to its name by existence ane of the forgiving Sidearms in the game. For PvP, consider a gyre with Killing Wind and Rapid Hit to requite this weapon a degree of consistency that only Exotics tin can lucifer. If you care about Sidearms at all, continue an eye out for this gun whenever Trials of Osiris is active.

Recommended Traits:

  • Column One: Demolitionist, Killing Air current, Well-Rounded
  • Column Two: Adrenaline Junkie, Rapid Hit, Multikill Clip

1 Traveler's Chosen

Destiny 2 Traveler's Chosen Trailer

How to obtain: Purchased from the Exotic Kiosk in the Belfry. Information technology costs 1 Exotic Aught, 125,000 Glimmer, 200 Dusklight Shards, and ane Ascendant Shard.

Similar to the Khvostov in the original Destiny, Traveler'south Called has been brought back as an Exotic. Unlike Khvostov, this weapon is much easier to build around.

Every kill with Traveler'south Called volition grant a stack of Gathering Light which increases to 3 stacks per impale if information technology's against a Guardian. Aim assist, handling, and reload speed are all increased with each stack. Three stacks are plenty to brand this weapon superlative-tier, but going past it makes this weapon a strong contender with the Concluding Word. Information technology even fires in full-automobile and gains Osmosis with its Goad, allowing for some absurd PvE build potential.

What makes this weapon truly bang-up is how these Gathering Light stacks tin can be exchanged at any fourth dimension for ability regeneration. Consuming stacks by holding the reload push will grant grenade, melee, and grade power free energy per stack. For PvP, this is one of the best Sidearms you tin use. For PvE, this is a build-enabling weapon, specially with the Catalyst. Having a pistol that tin can fully recharge your abilities and swap elements is nothing short of S-tier.

Adjacent: Destiny 2: The Witch Queen Complete Guide And Walkthrough