Added back in the Forsaken expansion, bows have never been a dominant force in Destiny 2. That said, they’re unique weapons that appeal to players looking to go a little more traditional, and have some distinct advantages to offer over the game’s other options. Here are our picks for the best bows in Destiny 2 right now.
Leviathan’s Breath
Leviathan’s Breath is the only bow in Destiny 2 that doesn’t use Primary ammo. In fact, it’s an enormous Power weapon that fires staggering harpoons. It has a hell of a draw time, but it hits like a truck — making it behave more like a rocket launcher than a typical bow. In Gambit, it can be an effective sniping tool. In PVE, it does heavy damage to bosses and Staggers Unstoppable Champions, to boot. The long draw time makes it iffy in Crucible, but if you get the hang of it you can really ruin people’s days.
Great For: PVE, Gambit
Okay For: PVP
No Turning Back
Boasting great power and accuracy, No Turning Back is a solid choice for a kinetic combat bow in PVE that’s also pretty good in the Crucible. Being a curated roll only, it suffers from a lack of access to perks like Rampage or Dragonfly, but Explosive Head and Hip-Fire Grip are pretty useful too. Pair with this season’s Unstoppable Arrows mod for those pesky Unstoppable Champions in high-level Nightfalls.
Great For: PVE
Good For: PVP
Le Monarque
Feel the sting of the Mighty Monarch! This Exotic Black Armory bow is deadly in any Destiny 2 activity — in the right hands. To take full advantage of its poison-spreading abilities, you’ll need to be consistently getting precision hits. Thankfully, it has good accuracy and Snapshot Sights to make that a little easier. Combined with damage-boosting abilities like the Warlock’s Empowering Rift, Le Monarque can sometimes even score single-hit precision kills on Guardians in the Crucible.
Great For: PVP
Okay For: PVE
More Destiny 2:
- Destiny 2 Best Pulse Rifles Guide
- The Destiny Battle Pass is Great Because it Feels Attainable
- Destiny 2 Best Scout Rifles Guide
The Spiteful Fang
A fantastic bow for PVE add clear duties thanks to its useful perk combos like Archer’s Tempo and Rampage, The Spiteful Fang doesn’t perform quite as well in PVP but can be workable with string and arrow perks that increase and reduce draw time. Try something like Flexible String with Fiberglass Arrow Shaft, Archer’s Tempo, and Explosive Head, Rampage, or Quickdraw.
Great For: PVE
Okay For: PVP
Hush
If you’re the kind of person who needs to fire a lot of arrows, fast, then Hush is for you. Its unique Archer’s Gambit perk grants a bonus to draw speed on precision kills, which means as long as you can keep chaining them you’ll be launching volleys like nobody’s business. Great for Gambit and PVE, but since it thrives in a target-rich environment, less useful in PVP.
Great For: PVE, Gambit
Subtle Calamity
Strong and accurate, Subtle Calamity is a great choice for the dedicated Crucible archer. Most of its perks are useful in PVP situations, like Hip-Fire Grip, Moving Target, Explosive Head, and Archer’s Tempo. Get a Polymer or Flexible String to bring down draw time, and aim for Fiberglass, Compact, or Carbon Fiber Arrow Shafts. Oh, and in PVE, Firefly plus Explosive Head equals good times.
Great For: PVP
Good For: PVE
Those are our picks for the best combat bows in Destiny 2! Let us know in the comments if we missed your favs. We’ll update this post alongside most major Destiny 2 updates to add and remove any contenders for best available combat bows.
