Destiny 2 The Final Shape offers a myriad of choices when it comes to Auto Rifles, with the classic weapon type being amongst the most reliable in the sandbox.
There’s an unmatched appeal of Auto Rifles with them having an attractive simplicity while remaining effective. Gone are the days when Auto Rifles were considered average, as in the current meta they are frequently used in Raids, Dungeons, and even GM Nightfalls.
Auto Rifles are in a really good spot right now, providing a great balance of damage, ease of use, and consistency. Using either Legendary or Exotic weapons in this weapon class ensures that you have a strong weapon regardless of the type of content you prefer.
This ranking is solely based on how strong each Auto Rifle is in the current sandbox. Some are tricky to grind and farm, but everything recommended here is worth the trouble. After all, it’s paramount that you use the best weapons possible to avoid letting down your team.
Best Auto Rifles in PvE
Auto Rifles remain a solid choice in most PvE scenarios thanks to their reasonable DPS and utility. There are some really good options to choose from in The Final Shape and you will never go wrong with one of them in your loadout, with these being the standouts:
Age Old Bond
| Weapon Archetype | Element | Source | God Roll |
|---|---|---|---|
| High Impact Frame | Void | Last Wish Raid | Perk 1: Repulsor BracePerk 2: Destabilizing Rounds |
This is the best Auto Rifle to use if you are running a Void build, especially on Warlocks. The Repulsor Brace and Destabilizing Round combo let you constantly upkeep a Void Shield and easily proc Volatile Rounds, which are great for both add clear and stunning Barrier Champions.
Additionally, these perks make it possible to keep Devour active for prolonged periods if you keep getting kills, which greatly improves sustainability. When taking on some of Destiny’s hardest content, sustain becomes more important than raw damage, making Age Old Bond a strong choice for high-power activities.
No Hesitation
| Weapon Archetype | Element | Source | God Roll |
|---|---|---|---|
| Support Frame | Solar | The Pale Heart | Perk 1: DemolitionistPerk 2: Incandescent |
The No Hesitation Auto Rifle was added along with The Final Shape. This is a Support Frame weapon where dealing damage builds restorative charge. You can then hip-fire the weapon to heal your allies. However, don’t fall into the newbie trap of assuming this is just a fun yet niche healing gun.
No Hesitation is at its best when it’s treated like a Solar AR that can also heal, rather than a healing gun that gets Solar perks. Use this weapon just like you would other meta Solar Auto Rifles like Ammit AR2, and it won’t let you down.
Abyss Defiant
| Weapon Archetype | Element | Source | God Roll |
|---|---|---|---|
| High Impact Frame | Solar | Crota’s End Raid | Perk 1: Heal Clip/ReconstructionPerk 2: Kill Clip/Incandescent |
This is one of the best Auto Rifles you can use in PvE right now. The reason why this weapon is so good is because of its perk combination and accessibility for those who enjoy raiding. The Heal Clip/Kill Clip combination helps with damage and sustainability, while the combination of Reconstruction/Incandescent works well with Solar builds.
The fact you can craft this weapon makes Abyss Defiant even better, as lets you pick whatever Masterwork you want for extra stats. The only downside is that you will need to find a couple of players to run the Crota’s End raid, which can be tricky to do.
Rufus’s Fury
| Weapon Archetype | Element | Source | God Roll |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rapid Fire Frame | Strand | Root of Nightmares | Perk 1: Reconstruction/Rewind RoundsPerk 2: Hatchling/Target Lock |
As Legendary Auto Rifles go, it doesn’t get better than Rufus’s Fury. This weapon offers the exact same benefits as Abyss Defiant, except for Strand builds rather than Solar. Rufus’s Fury being Rapid Fire Frame means it works brilliantly against Minors, with this frame performing extremely well in the current sandbox.
While it is not the best against Major enemies, Target Lock helps mitigate that shortcoming by boosting damage output. Alongside Hatchling, these perks synergize very well with Warlocks, producing one of the best primary weapons for add-clear available.
Quicksilver Storm
| Exotic Perks | Element | Source | God Roll |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rocket Tracers, Grenade Chaser | Strand | Monument of Lost Light | Curated Exotic Roll |
While Rufus’s Fury works best with Warlocks, Quicksilver Storm is the Auto Rifle of choice for Hunter and Titan mains. This weapon hits hard and the Grenades hit even harder. You can deal around 45,000 – 50,000 damage per shot with Grenade Chaser, which makes this one of the very few Primary weapons that can easily dispose of Majors.
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Also, this Exotic weapon fires at 720 RPM, which makes it an ideal choice for efficient add clear. All you need to do is not miss your shots as that will make recharging the Grenades a bit difficult, especially following this gun’s hefty nerfs in Season 23
Best Auto Rifles in PvP
Auto Rifles are a menace when it comes to PvP, and if you are looking to reach the top of the competitive ladder, you should definitely consider using them. Here are the ARs you’ll want to farm if you are looking to slay your enemies and earn Lord Shaxx’s favor:
The Summoner
| Weapon Archetype | Element | Source | God Roll |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adaptive Frame | Solar | Trials of Osiris | Perk 1: Heal Clip/Dynamic Sway ReductionPerk 2: Kill Clip/Onslaught |
The Summoner is one of the most iconic Destiny weapons of all time. Its legacy isn’t just for show either, with this being one of the best PvP weapons you can use, with it shredding through enemies in both 6v6 and 3v3.
While the Heal Clip and Kill Clip combo is pretty good, it’s Onslaught that makes this weapon such a scary prospect. The only challenge is that you’ll have to play Trials of Osiris to farm The Summoner, which can be brutal if you aren’t used to high-level PvP.
Khvostov 7G-0X
| Exotic Perks | Element | Source | God Roll |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Right Choice, Shoot to Loot | Kinetic | The Pale Heart | Curated Exotic Roll |
Khvostov 7G-0X is one of the best PvP weapons that was introduced to Destiny 2 in The Final Shape. This weapon has a special perk where every seventh bullet deals additional damage and ricochets to nearby targets, which it turns out is pretty deadly in The Crucible. So much so that even after it was nerfed, Khvostov has remained one of the most used weapons in PvP.
Considering it can hold 43 bullets in its magazine, you can easily shred through multiple enemies without having to reload. The catch is that obtaining Khvostov 7G-0X involves a time-consuming Exotic quest, but given its incredible strength, you’ll want to go and do it.
Rufus’s Fury
| Weapon Archetype | Element | Source | God Roll |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rapid Fire Frame | Strand | Root of Nightmares | Perk 1: Perpetual Motion/Moving TargetPerk 2: Tap the Trigger/Target Lock |
No, we did not repeat it by mistake, as Rufus’s Fury is just as good in PvP as it is in PvE. While it might not be the first choice when compared to The Summoner or Khvostov, this weapon’s fire rate and stacked perk pool make it good enough to stand its ground, even against those titans.
Perpetual Motion works very well in 3v3 combat, where you will move a lot between cover. Equally, Target Lock ensures that as long as you are landing shots, the damage keeps on increasing, greatly lowering this weapon’s TTK. Additionally, this gun is a lot more accessible when compared to something like The Summoner since Root of Nightmares is an easy raid, even for new players.
Centrifuse
| Exotic Perks | Element | Source | God Roll |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overcharge Capacitor, Regenerative Motion | Arc | Monument of Lost Light | Curated Exotic Roll |
Centrifuse is an Exotic gun that was introduced in Season 21. This unique Exotic hardly ever has to be reloaded, as it automatically tops up the magazine as you run around. That, plus its unique trait granting it greatly increased range, makes this AR a superb all-around choice for run and gun playstyles.
Once you use it with an Arc build, you can get a kill, proc the Amplified buff, and zip around the map at breakneck speed. You should consider using this weapon with something like The Stag or any meta Prismatic Exotic.
Ammit AR2
| Weapon Archetype | Element | Source | God Roll |
|---|---|---|---|
| Precision Frame | Solar | Legendary Engrams | Perk 1: Dynamic Sway ReductionPerk 2: Tap the Trigger |
The Ammit AR2 has a fantastic Origin Trait in Omolon Fluid Dynamics, spectacular range, and access to the unreal combination of Dynamic Sway Reduction and Tap the Trigger. Honestly, this weapon does not have any unique trick to it, but rather it’s just so well-rounded that there’s no reason not to use it.
You can run it with anything you like, and it works. Additionally, the red border for this weapon is extremely easy to get, being received as a reward for completing The Witch Queen campaign. This makes Ammit AR2 by far the most accessible Auto Rifle that dominates the PvP meta.
Looking for a meta Destiny 2 loadout to pair with these Auto Rifles? Check out the best Hunter builds, Titan builds, and Warlock builds to use in The Final Shape. You’ll also want to keep on top of the current Dungeon and Raid rotation to make sure you don’t miss out on Exotics from those encounters.
