Fusion rifles are one of the coolest and most underrated Special weapon archetypes in Destiny 2. Sitting somewhere between shotguns and snipers, fusion rifles are superbly adaptable firearms that work in almost any type of activity. However, there are a lot of fusion rifles, so it can be difficult to know which ones to hunt for. Fear not Guardian, as I have compiled a list of some of my favorite and best fusion rifles in the game. So if you want to disintegrate some enemies of the Darkness, here are some guns to hunt down!
10 Best PVE Fusion Rifles
1. Deliverance
Let’s start with my absolute favorite PVE fusion rifle. Available in the Vow of the Disciple raid, the Deliverance is a precision frame weapon that deals solid damage and rolls with some terrific perks. Some of my favorite combinations are Demolitionist/Adrenaline Junkine and Compulsive Reloader/Chill Clip. Or you can be like me and embrace the best of both worlds with Demolitionist/Chill Clip. This gives us great ability regeneration, with solid crowd control since you can keep slowing and freezing enemies. Don’t forget, you can craft Deliverance, which means you can get enhanced versions of all these perks.
2. Glacioclasm
This one stings a bit because it’s only available for a few weeks every year. Tied to The Dawning seasonal event, the Glacioclasm is a PVE monster if you get the right roll. Capable of having both Subsistence and Reservoir Burst, the Glacioclasm utterly melts through hordes of enemies. However, since it’s a high-impact frame you’ll want to ensure you have Accelerated Coils and ideally a Charge Time masterwork. Getting this makes the weapon far more consistent, but they aren’t entirely required.
3. Delicate Tomb
Our first exotic fusion rifle on this list, Delicate Tomb was introduced in Season of Plunder and was clearly designed to synergize with Arc 3.0. The horizontal, shotgun-Esque spread makes this a rather unique fusion rifle and one that’s good against groups of enemies. Where this gun really excels is when you start generating Ionic Traces which not only offer ability regeneration but make it so you jolt the next target hit. On its own, this is a fun, powerful loop that makes it a good choice for add clear. However, when combined with Arc 3.0 it turns into a synergistic masterpiece that works beautifully with any Ionic Trace fragments.
4. Midha’s Reckoning
Another raid legendary fusion rifle, this weapon can be found in the King’s Fall raid. Similar to Deliverance, the Midha’s Reckoning is a craftable weapon that can get some fairly strong perk combinations. While we have our usual fusion rifle staples like Reservoir Burst, Surrounded, and Vorpal Weapon, the Midha’s Reckoning can also roll with Pugilist. This makes it ideal for those looking to craft a melee-focused build, as it only takes a couple of kills to fully restore your melee energy. It’s also Ac, which makes it a nice choice for Arc builds that don’t want to dedicate an exotic slot to Delicate Tomb.
5. Aurvandil FR6
Too many of you are sleeping on Aurvandil FR6 and it shows. This is probably the best legendary fusion rifle in the game that you cannot craft. A Stasis weapon, the Aurvandil rolls with the Deep Stone Crypt raid perk, Reconstruction which is completely bonkers when combined with Chill Clip. Meaning, you can keep killing enemies and triggering Chill Clip since Reconstruction will gradually refill your magazine over time. Oh, it can also roll with Subsistence, which is equally wild with Chill Clip and works wonders in lower-tier activities where one fusion rifle burst typically kills most enemies. Seriously, keep an eye out for this one because it’s worth snagging.
6. Vex Mythoclast
A rather unique fusion rifle, the Vex Mythoclast is a primary weapon that fires and functions like an auto rifle. But don’t let appearances deceive you, this weapon still does a ton of damage – especially once you get the catalyst to boost its full auto damage even further. Where things get exciting is after killing a few enemies, you can Overcharge the gun and turn it into a mini linear fusion rifle. This gives you a great way to deal burst damage to enemies or pick off pesky long-range targets you wouldn’t normally hit in full auto mode. The Vex Mythoclast also works wonders with mods like Quick Charge since this gun is still classified as an auto rifle.
7. Jotunn
Oh, Jotunn, everyone’s favorite killer toaster. Similar to Vex Mythoclast, the Jotunn is a Solar fusion rifle that has a unique spin on this weapon archetype. Instead of firing multiple bolts, the Jotunn just hurls a single, tracking fireball that does heavy damage and ignites a small area around a foe. Yes, the Jotunn isn’t the best fusion rifle in the game, but it’s consistent, capable of killing troublesome adds, and just a ton of fun to use. Plus, the catalyst gives Jotunn Incandescent which makes it ideal for Solar builds that have an exotic slot open.
8. Plug One.1
At the time of writing this, the Plug One.1 is the only fusion rifle on this list you cannot get. However, this doesn’t mean the weapon isn’t strong or usable in the current sandbox! Unlike many of the other fusion rifles available right now, the Plug One.1 isn’t terribly flashy or boasts some wildly unique perk combinations. It makes up for this with sheer consistency and strong stats, as it can roll with perks like Feeding Frenzy/Reservoir Burst, Feeding Frenzy Adrenaline Junkie, and Adaptive Munitions.
9. Trinary System
Trinary System is the Swiss Army knife of fusion rifles. Even though it offers some pretty middle-of-the-pack stats, this weapon has an almost comically deep perk pool. With 12 primary perks per column, players can almost certainly find a combination that suits their playstyle or build. It’s also a legendary Solar fusion rifle, which can be useful for specific builds even if it doesn’t come with any specific perks like Incandescent.
10. Merciless
For the first time in literally years, the Merciless fusion rifle is useful and quite powerful. Following a buff at the beginning of Season of the Seraph, Merciless’ increasing fire rate no longer resets upon killing an enemy, but is tied to a timed perk called Conserve Momentum. Meaning, as long as you keep this perk active you can just fire Merciless at its fastest fire rate and melt any foe that is in front of you. Despite the small damage nerf you get when triggering Conserve Momentum, the charge time decrease is worth it. Seriously, make sure to give Merciless a try this season it’s a ton of fun.
