Absolute Best Destiny 2 Crucible Weapons: Season of Arrivals Meta

You’re getting into Season of the Arrivals and want to make your life easier? Have no fear as we prepared a crucible weapons list that will instantly help you kill more opponents, get better scores and better rewards, regardless of your class. We will constantly update the list according to the balancing changes that Bungie makes so that you are always in the known on the current META.

Some of them will be exotics where only luck (and Xur) play a role, others can be gained through quests and we will, where applicable, let you know how to obtain them. The list consists of multiple weapon categories so you are sure to find something that will fit your playstyle. Be sure to also check out our comprehensive guide on how to quickly rank up your season pass and power level.

HAND CANONS

Hand cannons are your heavy hitters and the most popular weapons in Destiny. They are best used if you are a good shot as they’ll deliver a ton of damage and have the potential to kill opponents in a shot or two. No best crucible weapons list is complete without a few of those. 

Ace of Spades

Ace of Spades always finds a way into the META

Ace of Spades had been in the META for some time now and this hasn’t changed when the Season of Arrivals rolled in. Ace is still one of the best crucible weapons around, especially if your aim is right on opponents’ heads.

Spare Rations

Spare Rations is incredibly powerful now

Spare Rations is still an absolute beast in the Season of the Arrivals. Even if you don’t have a popular roll, this weapon will absolutely decimate enemies in two to three taps. Even body shots do amazing damage.

Thorn

Thorn is the best-looking enemy melter

Thorn was a beast even before the Season of the Worthy, and it’s a beast now in Season of Arrivals. It does insane damage at an insane range with only two to three well-placed shots killing your enemy. Plus, it will damage them over time, providing you with their location as the damage numbers pop up, and will leave remnants that you can pick up for additional buffs.

Luna’s Howl

The closest thing to an automatic hand cannon

Luna’s Howl is much the same when it comes to pure stats of the Last Word. High damage, high stability and quick reload times. To get it, you simply need to play Competitive PvP matches, get a bunch of kills and reach Fabled status in the Glory playlist. It’s not easy but it’s well worth it.

SUBMACHINE GUNS

Submachine guns were a crazy popular type of weapon in Destiny 2. However, each season has seen them fall in regards to their usability until only one was left with any sense of relevance. This trusty old weapon will still see you quickly racking up multi-kills at a close enough range. 

The Recluse

Not as powerful but still viable

The Recluse is gained from a simple quest given by Lord Shaxx which tasks you with simply winning the crucible and achieving the Fabled rank. As you’d expect of a submachine gun, this one also has an insane rate of fire but the great thing about it is the damage and reload speed boost it gets each time you kill an enemy. Killing spree anyone?

AUTO RIFLES

When you want to have a good rate of fire with a bit more punch to your shots – you go for the auto rifle. Season of the Worthy has seen them buffed to insane levels, and Season of Arrivals still hasn’t changed that.

Suros Regime

Suros is so good it’s almost unfair

Starting off with the most used auto rifle – the Suros Regime. You can get this weapon either from a random exotic drop, Xur or by finishing a weekly milestone. Suros Regime is a highly versatile weapon thanks to its awesome perks. When firing from the hip, the rate of fire increases the longer you keep shooting while aiming down the sight will get you higher damage output at the expense of the rate of fire. The bottom half of each magazine will also deal bonus damage and sometimes even return health on an enemy kill.

Gnawing Hunger

Season of Arrivals makes it really easy to get this beast

Gnawing Hunger is really easy to obtain since Season of Arrivals rolled in. You simply go to the Umbral focusing vendor and invest seasonal materials to have a high chance of getting it. It’s a 600 RPM auto rifle that melts enemies and is very precise at long ranges currently making it one of the best crucible weapons.

Hard Light

Season of the Worthy is a light show thanks to this bad boy

While Hard Light wasn’t hit very hard by the nerf hammer, it still knocked it down a couple of notches. It’s still a fully viable assault rifle to take with you in the crucible, but it won’t perform as consistently as before, giving a chance to other auto rifles on this list a chance to shine.

Monte Carlo

A reliable and safe choice for both PvE and PvP

Monte Carlo was great in the last season thanks to its perk of granting you melee energy and it’s even better now that it’s a powerhouse. It’s fast, precise, and performs consistently across both PvP and PvE. It’s definitely one to keep in your loadout at all times.

SNIPER RIFLES

As in many FPS games, sniper rifles are usually a one-hit kill – if you are precise enough. So even though these two are top of the line sniper rifles in the current META, be sure you have the skill and confidence before using them.

Beloved

Use it until you get the Revoker

Beloved is a sniper rifle that can be obtained by playing the Menagerie and filling up the Chalice of Opulence to a certain compatibility level. It’s a legendary weapon that is a nice mix of all stats and one that’s a bit easier to control than the second entry in the sniper rifles list.

Revoker

Revoker is so good that we fear the nerf hammer might strike

Probably the most used sniper rifle in the PvP of Destiny 2, the Revoker best crucible weapon when it comes to snipers, period. It can quickly get you aiming down the sights, lining up a shot and killing enemy players in a snap. Additionally, it has a perk that will return each missed bullet to your chamber until you hit someone with it. Neat, right? If you are skilled with it, chances are that you’ve been called a hacker at least once in your Destiny PvP career. It’s a pinnacle weapon that you can obtain by visiting Lord Shaxx and getting his In Your Sights questline.

FUSION RIFLES

Fusion rifles are not very precise, have small, one digit magazines and limited range. So why are they awesome? Well, because of their insanely high damage output. They require less precision than sniper rifles but are still a highly skill-based weapon that can be used to dominate opponents in the Crucible.

Jotunn

Slow and insanely powerful

This norse-inspired weapon looks more like some sort of power-fist than like an actual rifle. It can be obtained by unlocking all he forges and then speaking to ADA-1 to get its calibration quest. As far as its capabilities, you have a charged tracking shot, explosive shots, player disorienting shots and much more for a really versatile, high destruction package.

Erentil FR4

A safe choice for all fusion quest requirements

Second, Erentil FR4. This is a great weapon that’s easily obtained by ranking up with the Gunsmith and much of its potential depends on the rolls you get. It’s one of the most used fusion rifles in the PvP portion of the game and this best weapons list wouldn’t be much without it.

PULSE RIFLES

High power, burst firing pulse rifles reward a steady hand and are liked by many Destiny players. Season of the Worthy saw them pale in comparison to auto rifles, but the trusty weapon from the last season still remains relevant – if you have the right roll.

Bygones 

Bygones is still holding on in the META

Despite pulse rifles falling a bit behind the auto rifles in the current meta, having an outlaw and kill clip Bygones means you’re still set with melting your enemies at a longer range with no issues.

SHOTGUNS

Close ranged and deadly. Shotguns were always very reliable once you get up close and personal but saw a significant uptick in usage in the season of the worthy. Especially in the newer maps like the anomaly where close quarters are the name of the game.

Fellwinter’s Lie

Fellwinter’s Lie will make you love using shotguns

Fellwinter’s Lie quest made it really easy for everyone to get their hands on the best shotgun in the game. Fellwinter’s Lie surpassed Mindbender’s Ambition to become one of the best crucible weapons to keep in your energy slot. 

Mindbenders Ambition

Close range? No problem. Mid-range? Still no problem

Should you see that Hallowed Lair Nightfall strike is in rotation – go in there and get this shotgun! While Mindbender’s ambition isn’t as dominant as it was before Fellwinter’s Lie came out, its still one of the best shotguns in the entire game. 

Dust Rock Blues

Easy to obtain and reliable as ever

Dust Rock Blues is similar to Mindbenders Ambition but is much easier to obtain. Seriously, go check you vault and you’ll probably find one in there collecting dust. Well, it’s time to dust it off and go score some easy kills in both the regular Crucible as well as in Trials of Osiris.

POWER WEAPONS

These are the hard-hitting power weapons with small ammo reserves. Most of the PvP matches will be focused around heavy ammo placements and these are the best ones to use should you be the one to grab it first.

Hammerhead

As subtle as a hammer to the head

You can obtain Hammerhead in the Black Armory forge and this is the best crucible weapons and the most used machine gun in the game. Get a good roll and heads will roll. Need I say more?

21% Delirium

Gotta shoot fast

21% Delirium, on the other hand, is the speedster of machine guns. Its rate of fire is double than that of Hammerhead at the expense of damage output. It’s Killing Tally perk, however, will increase its damage until you reload its magazine which will be deeper than usual thanks to another perk. It’s more suited to less precise players who are more into spraying their bullets to rack up kills. This weapon can be obtained by visiting the Drifter and finishing his By Your Bootstraps questline.

Wardcliff coil

Equivalent to a an air strike

If you aren’t using Exotics in your kinetic and energy slot, taking Wardcliff coil is always a good idea. The rocket spread will make sure you rain death and destruction across a wide area, ensuring you get that kill to end the match victorious.

The Colony

Turn off you brain and just shoot

Don’t sleep on Colony. It might not be the best crucible weapon but some of the top players are using it just because it’s a definite no brainer. You just fire it off in the general direction of an enemy and let it do its work.