After years of constant updates and expansions, Destiny 2 has seen the rise and fall of certain weapon archetypes. The meta has shifted dramatically over the game's lifespan, ranging from buffing certain weapon archetypes or nerfing others into obscurity.
Sniper Rifles are a fantastic DPS option in PvE during tough activities such as raids and Nightfalls. Even when you aren't firing a salvo of rounds into a boss, you'll want a good weapon for defeating Champions and other tough foes. For those looking for a good PvE Special weapon, here are the ten best PvE Sniper Rifles you should be using in Destiny 2.
Updated September 3rd, 2022, by Charles Burgar: Sniper Rifles are incredibly versatile in PvE content, allowing you to eliminate majors and Champions from a safe distance. Season of the Plunder has added a new Sniper Rifle for Guardians to chase, and it's arguably one of the best Sniper Rifles in the game. We've updated this list to include the Defiance of Yasmin from the King's Fall raid, explaining why its unique perk combination is so powerful with the right build.
10/10 Silicon Neuroma
How to obtain: Nightfall reward (rotates weekly).
While you're farming Nightfalls for Exotics or Masterwork materials, you'll want to be on the lookout for a good Silicon Neuroma roll. This weapon can roll with Triple Tap and either Firing Line or Frenzy, acting as a good DPS Sniper Rifle for those that don't already have one. It's far from the best Sniper Rifle in Destiny 2, but it's a surprisingly good option in PvE if you get a solid roll.
Recommended Traits:
- Column One: Triple Tap
- Column Two: Firing Line, Frenzy
9/10 Fugue-55
How to obtain: Legendary world Engrams.
Fugue-55 is a versatile powerhouse in PvE. This weapon is one of three Sniper Rifles to roll with Auto-Loading Holster and Vorpal Weapon, making this weapon fantastic against Champions and certain boss fights. If you're using your Heavy weapon for boss DPS, Fugue-55 serves as a great Special weapon for killing Majors and other foes that typically aren't worth Heavy ammo.
However, should you want a good boss DPS Sniper Rifle, Fugue isn't a bad option. Fourth Time's the Charm and Firing Line can roll on this weapon, allowing you to fire a barrage of high-power shots before needing to reload. It doesn't compete with the likes of Thoughtless, yet it is a solid DPS Sniper Rifle for low to mid-tier content. Keep your eyes peeled for a good roll.
Recommended Traits:
- Column One: Fourth Time's the Charm, Auto-Loading Holster
- Column Two: Firing Line, Vorpal Weapon
8/10 Adored
How to obtain: Purchased from the Exotic Kiosk in the Tower. Costs 75,000 Glimmer, 100 Legendary Shards, 2 Enhancement Prisms, and 1 Ascendant Shard.
Adored is clearly meant to be the spiritual successor to Beloved, what many considered to be the best PvP Sniper Rifle in Destiny 2. It might not be as strong as Beloved is, but the fact this has Killing Wind makes it a solid substitute.
It's also a surprisingly strong PvE Sniper Rifle, especially considering how easy it is to obtain. Triple Tap and Vorpal Weapon is a great combination for bursting down Champions or bosses in tough content, although it won't outperform the likes of Praedyth's Revenge. It also has Killing Wind and Snapshot Sights if you value consistency, making this weapon a fantastic pick for PvP as well. If you're looking for a good all-rounder, Adored is the Sniper Rifle for you.
Recommended Traits:
- Column One: Triple Tap
- Column Two: Vorpal Weapon
7/10 Cloudstrike
How to obtain: Empire Hunts
Cloudstrike is an absurdly good Sniper Rifle, both for PvE and PvP. This weapon is a Rapid-Fire Sniper Rifle that generates lightning bolts whenever it lands a precision kill.
Lightning bolts from this weapon deal immense damage, capable of clearing out an entire wave of enemies in most activities. If that wasn't enough, Cloudstrike also generates these lightning bolts on rapid precision hits. Since this weapon fires at 140 RPM, expect a flurry of lightning bolts to reign from the sky whenever you use Cloudstrike on a boss. It deals excellent damage, can clear out groups of PvE enemies with ease, and has a high base aim assist value of 68. Combined with its range of 64, Cloudstrike gives a lot of leeway for landing precision hits. No matter the game type, Cloudstrike is a fantastic Sniper Rifle that will serve you well.
6/10 Defiance Of Yasmin
How to obtain: King's Fall raid.
Most Sniper Rifles are rated by their ability to deal sustained DPS versus bosses, with most players opting to use perks like Triple Tap and Firing Line to get the job done. Defiance of Yasmin doesn't excel quite as well in this area, yet it does one thing incredibly well: burst DPS.
This is thanks to Defiance of Yasmin's ability to roll with Osmosis in the first column, allowing this weapon to match your subclass element when you throw a grenade. Osmosis allows Defiance of Yasmin to benefit from the likes of Font of Might, giving you yet another damage multiplier that's typically off-limits for Kinetic Snipers. Pair this with Vorpal or Firing Line, and you have one of the hardest-hitting Kinetic Sniper Rifles in Destiny 2. And if you're looking for a good sustained DPS Sniper Rifle, you can craft Defiance of Yasmin with Ensemble and Firing Line. Just don't expect to top a Thoughtless or Praedyth's Revenge.
Recommended Traits:
- Column One: Osmosis, Ensemble, Firefly
- Column Two: Vorpal Weapon, Firing Line, Focused Fury
5/10 The Long Walk
How to obtain: Prophecy dungeon.
The Long Walk is a Sniper Rifle most players have forgotten about. Obtained from the Prophecy dungeon, this Sniper Rifle hits like a truck and comes with some fantastic perks. The most noteworthy combination is Overflow and Firing Line, allowing this weapon to store up to eight bullets in the magazine. With a damage buff that's persistent with each shot, you'll be pumping out some respectable damage that's close to Succession and other top-tier PvE Sniper Rifles. And if you aren't a fan of those perks, Clown Cartridge and Frenzy is a great combination as well.
Recommended Traits:
- Column One: Overflow, Clown Cartridge
- Column Two: Firing Line, Frenzy
4/10 Thoughtless
How to obtain: PsiOps Battlegrounds and Risen Umbral Engrams.
Destiny 2's first Stasis Sniper Rifle does not disappoint. Named Thoughtless, this PsiOps Sniper Rifle is automatically a good pick in PvE since it deals Stasis damage, allowing it to synergize with Font of Might and Supreme Wellmaker. If you aren't using Izanagi's Burden, this is your next best option. Give this weapon Overflow and Focused Fury, and you'll be dealing respectible damage with each bullet. Weave this gun with a Rocket Launcher for some absurd DPS numbers.
Recommended Traits:
- Column One: Overflow, Rapid Hit
- Column Two: Focused Fury
3/10 Praedyth's Revenge
How to obtain: Vault of Glass raid (Oracle and Atheon encounters)
Praedyth's Revenge is the king of Rapid-Fire Sniper Rifles. This weapon's unique perk, Rewind Rounds, allows Praedyth's to output more rounds than a Triple Tap Sniper Rifle.
This Sniper Rifle also dishes out a ton of damage for a Rapid-Fire Frame. It can roll with High-Impact Reserves as well, increasing the damage most of your shots deal. And thanks to the weapon's ability to roll with Tactical Mag, you can use a Boss Spec mod instead of Backup Mag for even more damage. It out damages every popular PvE Sniper Rifle, including Succession. Praedyth's Revenge is definitely worth farming for.
Recommended Traits:
- Column One: Rewind Rounds
- Column Two: High-Impact Reserves, Frenzy
2/10 Izanagi's Burden
How to obtain: Purchased from the Exotic Kiosk in the Tower. Costs 1 Exotic Cipher, 150,000 Glimmer, 250 Spinmetal Leaves, and 2 Ascendant Shards.
You won't find a better Sniper Rifle for one-shotting enemies than Izanagi's Burden. This Exotic Sniper Rifle is capable of collapsing its magazine into an overcharged shot, causing this weapon to deal an absurd amount of damage. One bullet is usually enough to kill a Major or even Champions in mid-tier content.
Since it's easier than ever to craft a Rocket Launcher with Auto-Loading Holster, Izanagi's Burden has become a staple for raid boss DPS. Fire a rocket, swap to your Izanagi's Burden, fire a shot, reload, and repeat. It's great for Nightfalls, raids, and overworld content when you need something to die in a single round. Just beware of how ammo-hungry this Sniper Rifle can get.
1/10 Succession
How to obtain: Deep Stone Crypt raid (Atraks-1 encounter)
For those looking for a hard-hitting Sniper Rifle, the Deep Stone Crypt raid's Succession Sniper Rifle is arguably the best option available to you.
Reconstruction and Vorpal Weapon make for an S-tier PvE sniper, allowing this weapon to obtain a six or eight-round magazine that passively reloads itself. Recombination can be used in place of Vorpal Weapon for better burst damage, sacrificing sustained DPS. It slightly loses out to a perfect Praedyth's Revenge roll, although Succession is far easier to land shots with. It can one-shot Majors with enough Recombination stacks, can auto-reload itself, and is easy to use. You'll have a hard time finding a better PvE Sniper Rifle than this.
Recommended Traits:
- Column One: Reconstruction
- Column Two: Vorpal Weapon, Recombination
