Guardians playing Bungie Destiny 2 You don’t always have to head into battle guns blazing. However, other players with a talent for tactical battles might want to approach their missions with a degree of finesse. After all, what better way to stay safe on the battlefield than by dealing damage from afar? And thanks to the sniper rifle, players can easily pick off enemies from behind while their allies take them out.
Additionally, sniper rifles come in a wide range of varieties, from kinetic variants to more specialized energy and power types. Players who want to add a little flair to their gaming experience can add a sniper rifle to their Guardian’s arsenal. However, which ones are the best?
Updated August 29, 2024 by Nathan Halsey: Snipers have received a significant boost in Destiny 2 with the release of The Final Shape, and this list has been updated to reflect this. Many of these new weapons not only go above and beyond in terms of damage, but Bungie has also increased the utility of the weapon type with a particular input. As a result, snipers are increasingly being used across the PvE landscape, from grandmaster attacks and raid encounters to dungeons and basic attacks. While they are not the easiest weapon to use and often require good intuition regarding enemy movement, many of these weapons are worth practicing and will not skimp on results.
9
Embraced identity
A great choice when vacuum is required
- How to purchase: The Fate Weapon of the Pale Heart
- Element: Empty
- Frame: Adaptive frame, 90 RPM
Embraced identity is a pretty decent sniper for those who require a Void Sniper. Not only can it be crafted, but it comes with very flexible PvE perks that allow players to tailor it to their needs. In activities like Grandmaster Nightfalls, perk combinations like Reconstruction and Fourth Time’s the Charm are useful for making every bullet count while reducing the need to reload.
On damage, Precision Instrument increases damage by up to 25% with enough hits. The weapon is by no means a must-have, but high-level players will want to have one of these for when Void Surge is active, where it really outperforms the competition.
8
cloud strike
Single objective and bonus elimination in one
How to purchase: Empire Fighters
Element: Bow
RPM: 140
cloud strike It’s like a smaller Thunderlord in the Special Weapon slot. It has practically the same usefulness, but with the disadvantage of being a sniper rifle instead of a machine gun. This translates into a sniper that works with both sustained single-target damage and lower damage thanks to its beams.
This gives the weapon a lot of flexibility as long as the player can operate within its effective range. Do not sleep with this weapon in activities modified by Arc Surge.
7
Izanagi’s Charge
Easily deployable explosive damage
- How to purchase: Monument to the lost lights
- Element: Kinetic
- RPM: 90
Izanagi’s Charge It’s a niche choice, but it’s so unique in what it does that it’s hard to recommend anything else that fits the job. What sets Izanagi’s Burden apart from the rest is that he can retain an absurd amount of burst damage, which can be unleashed whenever desired.
Unlike long-term DPS options like Still Hunt, which have long animations and timers, Izanagi’s Burden can store its powerful shot for the perfect moment and won’t disappear unless the player dies. This is particularly useful when dealing with ranged mini-bosses, or in fights that require a lot of movement and positioning where Still Hunt can lose its effectiveness.
6
Worm Whisper
One of the best options to sustain damage
- How to purchase: Whisper’s Exotic Mission
- Element: Solar
- RPM: 72
An incarnation of Xol, the Will of Thousands, and one of the horrible Worm Gods, the Worm Whisper It is a terrifying sniper rifle in both looks and ability. Matching his disturbing “infected” appearance is an impressive array of stats with high impact, range, and aim assist.
Helping players greatly is its White Nail, an exotic perk that not only grants this weapon high-precision damage at base, but also reloads the magazine by performing three quick precision hits. As such, Whisper of the Worm becomes an incentive weapon for snipers who don’t want to reposition frequently and can take advantage of their extra shots.
5
The supremacy
High mobility PvE and PvP weapon
- How to purchase: The Last Wish Raid
- Element: Kinetic
- Frame: Rapid fire, 140 RPM
Players who want a kinetic sniper rifle should look into The supremacy to see if it fits your needs. It’s an incredibly varied weapon, with perks that work in PvP while also being one of the best snipers in PvE. Perks like Fourth Time’s the Charm and Rewind Rounds expand ammo economy, and Bait and Switch adds 30% to damage as long as players use every weapon in their arsenal beforehand.
PvP buffs are much simpler, with Snapshot Sights or Elemental Capacitor to modify your stats further. It’s also an incredibly agile weapon, with a fast rate of fire and good mobility, a boon in both PvE and PvP.
4
Succession
A high capacity rifle that hits hard
- How to purchase: Deep Stone Crypt Raid, Onslaught
- Element: Kinetic
- Frame: Aggressive frame, 72 RPM.
Succession It boasts incredible firepower for a special weapon, and its destructive power matches its large size, with impressive impact and inventory size, as well as decent aim assist.
Succession is even more impressive when you consider its advantages. Rebuilding keeps the weapon loaded to double the magazine size, and recombining causes kills with the various in-game items to rack up a damage bonus of up to 100%. This weapon can also work with Focus Fury and Firing line, making it a great option for dealing sustained damage to champions and mini-bosses. The weapon is also incredibly easy to acquire in Onslaught and can be farmed as a target in Zavala, as well as acquired from its original source, Deep Stone Crypt. Both options for this weapon are great, especially for players who want a slower, more deliberate rifle than The Supremacy.
3
Beloved
A PvP Solar Threat
- How to purchase: Omen Exotic Quest
- Element: Solar
- Frame: Adaptable, 90 RPM
One of the most artistically savvy sniper rifles in the game, Beloved He is easily one of the best snipers in terms of reliability and consistency. In addition to impressive impact and aiming assist, the rifle also boasts one of the fastest RPMs in the game, making it a fast-hitting sniper rifle perfect for skirmishes.
In terms of general setups, hunters may want to consider relying on sheer speed to secure their targets as quickly as possible. For example, Instant Sights and Moving Target are great for getting into combat quickly, as both traits increase ADS time, especially when you’re on the move. Another interesting trait includes Box Breathing, which increases damage when waiting in ADS before firing, perfect for those who want to commit to the sniper role.
2
Critical anomaly
For the best champion utility
- How to purchase: Raid on the brink of salvation
- Element: Stasis
- Frame: Aggressive, 72 RPM
Critical anomaly It arguably provides more utility than any previous sniper rifle. Not only is this a great damage dealing weapon (with almost all the boss damage buffs one could want), but it is also the first of destiny 2 Sniper rifles to roll with Chill Clip. This allows players to stun overpowered champions in one shot by applying slow, and stun unstoppable champions in at least two sniper shots by applying freeze, which will stun them and deal damage when they are shattered by any other weapon.
This makes the weapon an easy choice for players doing high difficulty Nightfalls up to Grandmaster. And the kicker? Chill Clip appears in the first buff column, meaning there are plenty of damage buffs available.
1
Still hunting
Solar sniper designed for hunters
- How to purchase: wildcard mission
- Element: Solar
- RPM: 90
Still hunting He is one of the strongest snipers in the game, if not definitely the best. His main trait, Cayde’s Retribution, allows the weapon to fire Golden Gun shots after landing enough headshots and/or collecting enough power orbs.
These Golden Gun shots are powerful and interact similarly to the super ability, although it does not create Power Orbs on kill like the actual Golden Gun. Exotics like Celestial Nighthawk can transform their Golden Gun rounds into a single round, like the original.