[Top 10] Destiny 2 Best Fusion Rifles and How To Get Them

Updated:

24 Sep 2020

In my experience, fusion rifles don’t get a lot of love. They aren’t as aggressive and in your face like shotguns, or give you the sustained fire power that an auto rifle would provide. At first, they might feel awkward to use, but once you get used to it you’ll realize charging up a shot and disintegrating everything in front of you is a satisfyingly different experience you won’t get with another gun.

Today we’ve compiled a list of the top 10 fusion rifles, 5 for PvE and 5 for PvP. With each of these rifles we list their stats and intrinsic/exotic perks. We’ll also link their full details including their curated and randomized perks, to keep things easy to read.

Our Picks for Top 5 Fusion Rifles for PvE

Epicurean
Telesto
Merciless
Loaded Question
Techeun Force

1. Epicurean

An Earth artifact, refashioned to suit the Emperor's modest tastes.

The Epicurean is a precision frame fusion rifle, meaning it’s recoil is a bit easier to predict. One of it’s shining perks if you can get it is Backup Plan which is handy if the enemy’s closing in and you need to quickly switch from your kinetic to your power weapon.

Weapon Stats with Curated Perks:

Impact: 75
Range: 72
Stability: 54
Handling: 46
Reload Speed: 33
Charge Time: 700
Magazine: 6

Intrinsic Perk:

Precision Frame: This weapon's recoil pattern is more predictably vertical.

What makes Epicurean excel:

Good range
Fairly Responsive
Decent charge time

Weapon details: https://destinytracker.com/destiny-2/db/items/4124357815-the-epicurean#

How to get Epicurean:

Epicurean in Action:

2. Telesto

Vestiges of the Queen's Harbingers yet linger among Saturn's moons.

Telesto’s exotic perk allows it’s projectiles to attach and explode, which are handy when facing groups of enemies. Players who use this fusion rifle often like to say,“Telesto is the besto.” I’m sorry if that made you cringe. Thankfully, it doesn’t affect me much because all I am is cringe.

Weapon Stats with Curated Perks:

Impact: 85
Range: 42
Stability: 81
Handling: 66
Reload Speed: 82
Charge Time: 780
Magazine: 4

Exotic Perk:

Unplanned Reprieve: Fusion projectiles attach and detonate with a delayed Void blast.

What makes Telesto excel:

High impact
High stability
Good handling
Fast reload
Maybe it is the besto

Weapon details: https://destinytracker.com/destiny-2/db/items/2208405142-telesto#

How to get Telesto:

Telesto can drop from Exotic engrams, sometimes Xur will sell it for 29 legendary shards.

Telesto in Action:

3. Merciless

Entropy is inevitable.

Don’t think Telesto is besto? Take a gander at Merciless, while the paint job doesn’t do much justice for it’s name it really is a beast that’s great for DPS against bosses and majors. It’s exotic perk lessens the charge time for a shot, so you can really eat away atenemy health bars.

Weapon Stats with Curated Perks:

Impact: 75
Range: 45
Stability: 57
Handling: 38
Reload Speed: 31
Charge Time: 900
Magazine: 8

Exotic Perk:

Conserve Momentum: Non-lethal hits with projectiles make this weapon charge faster until its wielder gets a kill.

What makes Merciless excel:

Higher magazine
Perk allows for higher DPS against powerful enemies

Weapon details: https://destinytracker.com/destiny-2/db/items/4190156464-merciless#

How to get Merciless:

Merciless can drop from Exotic engrams and sometimes Xur will sell it for 29 legendary shards.

Merciless in Action:

4. Loaded Question

Hey. You see Cayde around, tell him his gun's ready. —Banshee-44

Here’s a question for you: do you like high impact fusion rifles? Loaded Question’s high impact frame has got you covered. Another query: do you like making enemies explode? This fusion rifle’s got that covered too, thanks to its Reservoir Burst Perk which creates an explosion when your magazine’s full. It seems like a more fitting name would be “the Answer” rather than the Loaded Question.

Weapon Stats with Curated Perks:

Impact: 95

Range: 62

Stability: 42

Handling: 42

Reload Speed: 10

Charge Time: 860

Magazine: 7

Intrinsic Perk:

High Impact Frame: Slow-firing and high-damage. This weapon is more accurate when stationary and aiming down sights.

What makes Loaded Question excel:

High impact
Reservoir Burst perk Good for clearing groups

Weapon details: https://destinytracker.com/destiny-2/db/items/580961571-loaded-question

How to get Loaded Question:

https://youtu.be/bvmOIzp1AB4

Loaded Question in Action:

https://youtu.be/WV1sh-J6Gk8?t=247

5. Tempered Dynamo

Reinforce the bonds of legacy.

Here’s one of the favorites among fusion rifle fans. It’s a simple but effective choice for anyone who just wants a pure fusion rifle experience. A solid choice all in all.

Weapon Stats with Curated Perks:

Impact: 80
Range: 65
Stability: 61
Handling: 44
Reload Speed: 32
Charge Time: 740
Magazine: 5

Intrinsic Perk:

Precision Frame: This weapon's recoil pattern is more predictably vertical.

What makes Tempered Dynamo excel:

Good impact
Decent Range

Weapon details: https://destinytracker.com/destiny-2/db/items/2753269585-tempered-dynamo#

How to get Tempered Dynamo:

You can get this fusion rifle as a loot drop from bosses in the Scourge of the Past raid.

Tempered Dynamo in Action:

Our Picks for Top 5 PvP Fusion Rifles

Erentil Fr4
Conjecture TSc
Jotunn
Shock and Awe
Main Ingredient

1. Erentil FR4

Bring on the sunrise.

We’re starting this list off strong with the Erentil FR4. For many players this is a go-to thanks to it’s high impact and relatively small spread of the burst, making this a powerful weapon that hits hard at ranges that wouldn’t be effective for fusion rifles.

Weapon Stats with Curated Perks:

Impact: 90
Range: 62
Stability: 30
Handling: 38
Reload Speed: 28
Charge Time: 820
Magazine: 5

Intrinsic Perk:

High Impact Frame: Slow-firing and high-damage. This weapon is more accurate when stationary and aiming down sights.

What makes Erentil FR4 excel:

High impact
Good Range
Low spread bursts

Weapon details: https://destinytracker.com/destiny-2/db/items/3027844941-erentil-fr4

How to get Erentil FR4:

Erentil FR4 in Action:

2. Conjecture TSc

What waits beyond the horizon?

Don’t let this bland looking rifle fool you, Conjecture TSc has quite the power.

This gun is a gem among high impact fusion rifles. It's not as famous as the Erentil but just as good. So don’t judge a book by the cover but rather its ability to kill things.

Weapon Stats with Curated Perks:

Impact: 95
Range: 68
Stability: 32
Handling: 37
Reload Speed: 24
Charge Time: 860
Magazine: 5

Intrinsic Perk:

High Impact Frame: Slow-firing and high-damage. This weapon is more accurate when stationary and aiming down sights.

What makes Conjecture TSc excel:

Great impact
Good Range
Decent Handling

Weapon details: https://destinytracker.com/destiny-2/db/items/3005879472

How to get Conjecture TSc:

You can get this fusion rifle in rank up packages from leveling up your reputation with Banshee-44.

Conjecture TSc in Action:

3. Jötunn

"Untamed. Destructive. As forceful and chaotic as Ymir himself." —Ada-1

While it kinda looks like a toaster I can guarantee it isn’t. Not in the traditional sense at least. This is an exotic solar fusion rifle that has a perk that allows you to shoot a tracking shot that explodes and burns its target. In hindsight, maybe the toaster nickname really is fitting after all.

Weapon Stats with Curated Perks:

Impact: 100
Range: 52
Stability: 31
Handling: 42
Reload Speed: 31
Charge Time: 860
Magazine: 5

Exotic Perk:

Charge Shot: Hold down the trigger to charge up a tracking shot that explodes and burns on impact

What makes Jötunn excel:

Great impact
Powerful exotic perk
Good for chasing down evasive enemies

Weapon details: https://destinytracker.com/destiny-2/db/items/417164956-jotunn#

How to get Jötunn:

Jötunn in Action:

I know this video is heavily edited but man, it's so well done.

4. Shock and Awe

Do not fear. Be what others fear.

Shock and Awe does exactly what it’s name says. . It’s a high impact frame rifle with Backup Plan as one of its perks, which reduces charge time and speeds up weapon swap which you switch to this weapon. It comes in clutch when you need it.

Weapon Stats with Curated Perks:
Impact: 95
Range: 54
Stability: 42
Handling: 35
Reload Speed: 24
Charge Time: 860
Magazine: 5

Intrinsic Perk:

High Impact Frame: Slow-firing and high-damage. This weapon is more accurate when stationary and aiming down sights.

What makes Shock and Awe excel:

Great impact
Decent Stability
Backup Plan is handy for close encounters

Weapon details: https://destinytracker.com/destiny-2/db/items/2502422773-shock-and-awe

How to get Shock and Awe:

This rifle can be found in legendary drops and also from ranking up your reputation with Failsafe on Nessus.

Shock and Awe in Action:

5. Main Ingredient

"Now stir the sauce…"

This fusion rifle is an all around beast. It has pretty good all around stats and charge time. Main Ingredient cooks up a potent recipe for destruction..

Weapon Stats with Curated Perks: