What Are The Best Fusion Rifles in Destiny 2?

Fusion Rifles are a signature weapon type of the Destiny universe. Delivering a hefty amount of damage per shot, they are extremely beginner friendly, but offer plenty of depth for players to master. In the right hands, Fusion Rifles can be some of the deadliest weapons in the entire game, so if you like to make opponents rage quit, you’ve come to the right place.

10. Jotunn (Great for PvE & PvP)

The Exotic Fusion Rifle lovingly (and hatingly) dubbed "the Toaster," Jotunn.

Jotunn in Action

Introduced way back in Season of the Forge, Jotunn has made quite the name for itself over the years. While most famous as a nuisance in the Crucible, it is an extremely underrated weapon in PvE as well.

With the ability to fire off effectively infinite range, tracking projectiles capable of one shotting enemy Guardians and even some majors in PvE, what’s not to love?

What Jotunn Excels In:

• Challenging Snipers – A lot of snipers have the bad habit of repeatedly scoping down lanes from familiar perches. Jotunn is an expert at punishing them for it. You can begin pre-firing your shot from behind cover and pop out for the briefest of instants to let it to in their general direction, letting the tracking projectile take care of the rest.
• Closing the Skill Gap – As a weapon with aggressive tracking, Jotunn is easy for anyone, even new players, to pick up and use. While more seasoned players will sometimes be able to dodge your shots, Jotunn is strong enough that it still commands their respect and attention. If they ignore you or underestimate you, they’ll regret it.
• Playing It Safe – Some encounters in Destiny 2 can be pretty difficult, especially in content where the enemies are at a higher level. In these cases, the safest way for Guardians to overcome them is by playing at a longer range, which Jotunn excels at. A couple of shots from nearly any range, with its built-in tracking to find the target, are enough to take out most enemies and make things easier to manage when you do push forward.

Weapon Stats:

• Impact - 95
• Range - 47
• Stability - 23
• Handling – 26
• Reload Speed – 23
• Aim Assistance – 67
• Airborne Effectiveness – 8
• Charge Time - 820

How to Get:

Jotunn is obtainable at the Exotic Archive in the Tower.

9. Iterative Loop (Great for PvE)

The Arc Rapid Fire Fusion Rifle from Neomuna, Iterative Loop.

Iterative Loop in Action

Part of the Neomuna weapon suite, Iterative Loop was introduced in the Lightfall expansion and quickly made waves, especially with fans of Arc 3.0 builds.

The Iterative Loop has a lot of things going for it. First and foremost, it is a craftable weapon, meaning that you can tailor it to your personal needs and get it to do exactly what you want it to do. Beyond that, it is a Rapid-Fire Frame which are historically some of the best weapons in the game and, as some later entries on this list will show, tend to stand the test of time.

What Iterative Loop Excels In:

• Boss Damage – One of Arc 3.0’s signature effects, Jolting, places a debuff on enemies which scales based on the weapon that it came from. Iterative Loop, being a Special Weapon with Voltshot, is able to place a stronger Jolt debuff than its Primary counterparts.
• Add-Clear – Combining Voltshot with Compulsive Reloader makes for a fun and powerful combat loop that will decimate crowds of enemies extremely quickly.
• Arc 3.0 Builds – With Voltshot’s ability to Jolt enemies, Iterative Loop has natural synergy with Arc 3.0 subclasses. Mix and match it with different Aspects, Fragments, and Exotics to tap into its full potential.

Weapon Stats:

• Impact - 55
• Range - 23
• Stability - 30
• Handling – 52
• Reload Speed – 44
• Aim Assistance – 34
• Airborne Effectiveness – 8
• Charge Time - 500

How to Get:

Complete activities on Neomuna.

8. Royal Executioner (Great for PvE)

The Solar Adaptive Frame Fusion Rifle, Royal Executioner.

Royal Executioner in Action

Royal Executioner is an Adaptive-Frame Fusion Rifle introduced in Season of Defiance. As a seasonal weapon, it brings with it the personalization of weapon crafting and a suite of high-end perks to choose from.

The Royal Executioner has a lot to offer for a variety of playstyles. Whether you like the traditional Fusion Rifle powerhouses like Reservoir Burst or something a little spicier like Incandescent, there’s something here for you.

What Royal Executioner Excels In:

• Reliability – As a craftable weapon, Royal Executioner lets you take the guessing game out of looking for a good Solar Fusion Rifle. With balanced stats across the board, this is a weapon you can count on.
• Add-Clear – With the phenomenal area-of-effect perk in Reservoir Burst along with Envious Assassin, you’re able to stack up multiple Reservoir Burst shots for optimal add-clearing capabilities.  
• Solar 3.0 Builds – Through its Incandescent perk, Royal Executioner can tap into Solar 3.0 synergies for spreading Scorch to build up powerful Ignitions capable of killing even the most powerful enemies. Not only that, but its Noble Deeds Origin Trait also plays very well with Solar as it gains additional benefits from healing and buffing your allies – staples of the Solar playstyle.

Weapon Stats:

• Impact - 70
• Range - 31
• Stability - 35
• Handling – 30
• Reload Speed – 32
• Aim Assistance – 43
• Airborne Effectiveness – 6
• Charge Time - 660

How to Get:

Season of Defiance engrams and activities.

7. Null Composure (Great for PvE)

The Void Rapid Fire Frame Fusion Rifle, Null Composure.

Null Composure in Action

Null Composure is a Ritual Weapon introduced way back in Season of the Splicer. When it was released, it quickly became a fan-favorite for reintroducing the perk Reservoir Burst into the game in a post-sunsetting world.

One great thing all ritual weapons have in common is static rolls. This means that no matter when you start playing, you can reliably go acquire Null Composure and know exactly what you’re going to get, without having to worry about farming for a good roll. Its powerful static rolled perks and best-in-class Rapid-Fire frame make this thing an absolute no-brainer.

What Null Composure Excels In:

• Add-Clear – A prototypical pinnacle perk combo, Feeding Frenzy and Reservoir Burst is tried and true for clearing out enemies.
• Handling Majors – As a Rapid-Fire Fusion Rifle with a built-in damage boost from Reservoir Burst, Null Composure can chew through even the beefiest yellow and orange bars in seconds.
• Void 3.0 Builds – When combining Null Composure with Void 3.0, you can really turn Reservoir Burst up to 11 by mixing in Volatile Rounds. Explosions on explosions – what’s not to love?

Weapon Stats:

• Impact - 55
• Range - 29
• Stability - 35
• Handling – 56
• Reload Speed – 48
• Aim Assistance – 38
• Airborne Effectiveness – 4
• Charge Time - 500

How to Get:

Null Composure is obtainable at the Exotic Archive at the Tower.

6. Plug One (Great for PvE & PvP)

The steady Fusion Rifle of the Vanguard, Plug One, in its Adept ornamentation.

Plug One in Action

Plug One, and its Adept counterpart, was added as a Nightfall weapon in Season of the Splicer. Like Null Composure, Plug One is credited with reintroducing the game to the previously sunset Reservoir Burst perk.

There’s a lot of competition in the world of Arc Fusion Rifles and, while Plug One may not have some of the newer bells and whistles like Voltshot, this thing remains a staple in many loadouts to this day. With base stats well above average and a host of strong perks to choose from, this is a steady weapon that you can feel confident putting into your energy slot.

What Plug One Excels In:

• Winning Outnumbered Engagements – Everyone’s had those games in Crucible where it feels like you’re always outnumbered. Plug One excels at evening the odds. Kickstart is an S-tier perk for bringing the first opponent down in the blink of an eye, allowing you to use its strong Range stat to immediately set your sights on the second one.
• Add-Clear – With the same perk possibilities as Null Composure before it, Plug One is no slouch in the add-clear department. Feeding Frenzy, Reservoir Burst, and Adept Big Ones Spec are all here and, as an Arc weapon, in a more “Murder all the Hive” flavor.
• Utility – By combining Plug One with the Arc Fragment Spark of Beacon, you can add a blinding effect to kills with this weapon. On top of that, it also has the Stunning Recovery Origin Trait for seasons where Fusion Rifles are a featured weapon type.

Weapon Stats:

• Impact - 80
• Range - 58
• Stability - 49
• Handling – 36
• Reload Speed – 31
• Aim Assistance – 66
• Airborne Effectiveness – 8
• Charge Time - 780

How to Get:

Zavala/Nightfalls on select seasons.

5. Vex Mythoclast (Great for PvE and PvP)

The iconic Exotic Fusion Rifle from the Vault of Glass, Vex Mythoclast.

Vex Mythoclast in Action

One of the most iconic weapons from the original Destiny, Vex Mythoclast is the fabled Exotic Weapon from the Vault of Glass raid. Both it and the raid were reintroduced into Destiny 2 in Season of the Splicer.

This weapon is honestly the very definition of an asterisk. It really doesn’t behave or function like a Fusion Rifle in any way. Under normal circumstances, it’s really more like a High-Impact Frame Auto Rifle. When you’re able to trigger its alternate firing mode, it shoots and feels like a Linear Fusion Rifle. Nevertheless, Vex Mythoclast is classified as a Fusion Rifle, and it is a timeless jack-of-all-trades weapon that packs a lot of utility into one weapon slot.

What Vex Mythoclast Excels In:

• Being a Workhorse – Despite being a Fusion Rifle, Vex really functions more like an Auto Rifle. With generous damage perks that aren’t time restricted like most, it also hits much harder than the average Auto Rifle, making it a superb choice for a go-to Primary Weapon.
• Ease of Use – As a full-auto weapon with high aim-assistance and persistent damage-enhancing perks, Vex Mythoclast is extremely easy to use while not sacrificing any effectiveness.
• Versatility – For seasons where Fusions Rifles are a featured weapon type (such as Unstoppable Fusion Rifles), Vex Mythoclast brings unique versatility to loadouts as a Primary Weapon. On top of that, it also has its secondary-fire mode where it behaves like a Linear Fusion Rifle. This allows Guardians to snipe out priority targets at a range while not dedicating a loadout slot to an additional long-range weapon.

Weapon Stats:

• Impact - 33
• Range - 85
• Stability - 30
• Handling – 50
• Reload Speed – 60
• Aim Assistance – 75
• Airborne Effectiveness – 19
• Rounds Per Minute - 360

How to Get:

Vault of Glass raid.

4. Cartesian Coordinate (Great for PvE)

An ideal complementary weapon and boss damage specialist, Cartersian Coordinate.

Cartesian Coordinate in Action

Cartesian Coordinate has been around a long time in one form or another. As a world drop weapon, there’s no direct farm for it, yet players grind and grind searching for god-rolls of this classic.

A traditional no-frills weapon, Cartesian Coordinate is a very straightforward Fusion Rifle that has become something of a benchmark for Special Weapon DPS. As a Rapid-Fire Fusion with Vorpal Weapon, it remains one of the very best choices for a complementary or backup DPS weapon to this day.

What Cartesian Coordinate Excels In:

• Boss Damage – As a Rapid-Fire Fusion, Cartesian can pump out damage faster than most of its competitors. In addition, it sports the classic Vorpal Weapon perk for a flat boost to its damage against bosses. As an always-on perk, Vorpal doesn’t have any additional hoops to jump through to trigger its boost. Just shoot the boss and reap the rewards.
• Taking Out Champions – Some Guardians aren’t aware of this, but Champions actually count as both majors and bosses. This makes them excellent targets for Vorpal Weapon. Equip a Major Spec to your Cartesian for maximum melt potential.
• Ammo Economy – If you’re lucky enough to land Lead From Gold in the third column, you truly have the perfect backup DPS weapon on your hands. Tailor your loadout to feed your Heavy, and Cartesian will restock right along with it.

Weapon Stats:

• Impact - 55
• Range - 21
• Stability - 26
• Handling – 50
• Reload Speed – 46
• Aim Assistance – 60
• Airborne Effectiveness – 4
• Charge Time - 500

How to Get:

World drop.

3. Main Ingredient (Great for PvP)

   
The reason so many Guardians unfriended Xur, Main Ingredient.

Main Ingredient in Action

Like Cartesian Coordinate, Main Ingredient has been around since the launch of Destiny 2. It was re-released in Season of Arrivals with an updated perk pool. Xur has famously sold a couple variations of this weapon that have gone on to absolutely torment the Crucible, cementing its place as one of the most rage-inducing weapons in the game’s history.

Main Ingredient feels a lot like cheating. The ranges this thing can hit are truly outrageous. It can pull off one-shots that it really doesn’t seem like it should be able to. It’s such a Crucible powerhouse that it can single-handedly change the makeup of a lobby. People could be playing Shotguns, but as soon as one person throws on Main Ingredient, Guardians inevitably start loadout-swapping looking for the counter. Spoiler alert: there aren’t many.

What Main Ingredient Excels In:

• Pretending to be a Sniper – Main Ingredient has a somewhat-magical ability to one-shot Guardians at ranges they don’t expect. It’s a master of the surprise “snipe” to opponents who thought they were safely out of range.
• Consistency – Despite their power, Fusion Rifles aren’t perfect. Anyone who’s used them can tell you horror stories of point-blank shots that somehow whiffed the kill. With its high base stats and myriad of powerful perks like Tap the Trigger, High Impact Reserves, Rangefinder, Under Pressure, and Firmly Planted, Main Ingredient truly excels in the consistency department. You’ll get very few whiffs with this one.
• Inviting Hate-Mail – Due to its reputation (for massacre), Main Ingredient is a weapon Guardians love – to complain about. Equipping this beast is a sure-fire way to get under the skin of opposing Guardians and, in some cases, receive some colorful messages for doing so.

Weapon Stats:

• Impact - 80
• Range - 59
• Stability - 35
• Handling – 31
• Reload Speed – 24
• Aim Assistance – 45
• Airborne Effectiveness – 4
• Charge Time - 780

Where to Get:

Dares of Eternity Loot Rotation.

2. Deliverance (Great for PvE & PvP)

The powerful and versatile Stasis Fusion Rifle, Deliverance.

Deliverance in Action

Deliverance is a member of the incredibly powerful fleet of weapons that launched alongside the Vow of the Disciple raid. While it’s no Forbearance (almost nothing in the game is), this thing is a serious contender that has earned its place in endgame PvE and the Crucible alike.

Admittedly, there are a few excellent Stasis Fusion Rifles in Destiny 2. While they all have their merits, I opted to go for Deliverance on this list for one simple reason: it’s craftable. As a craftable weapon, you can tailor the roll to the pinpoint use or activity type you have in mind for it. With a wide range of S-Tier perks to choose from, you may find yourself crafting more than one for different game types.

What Deliverance Excels In:

• Crowd Control – As a Stasis weapon, Deliverance uh… delivers (sorry) top-notch crowd control with the Chill Clip perk. Shots from the top half of the magazine will slow and eventually freeze enemies. Tie this into a Stasis Subclass for maximum lockdown capabilities.
• Anti-Champion Utility – With the recent rework to Champions, Chill Clip now serves as a counter to both Overload and Unstoppable Champions.
• Loadout Diversification – With its aforementioned ability to stun two Champion types along with being one of the first Fusion Rifles in the Kinetic Slot, Deliverance opens up a host of loadout options for Guardians to build around.

Weapon Stats:

• Impact - 80
• Range - 62
• Stability 52
• Handling – 32
• Reload Speed – 34
• Aim Assistance – 67
• Airborne Effectiveness – 9
• Charge Time - 780

Where to Get:

Vow of the Disciple raid.

1. Techeun Force (Great for PvE and PvP)

Hailing from the Last Wish raid, the new-and-improved Techeun Force is truly best-in-class.

Techeun Force in Action

There’s a new (old) sheriff in town, and its name is Techeun Force. Recently reissued when Last Wish was updated with the crafting treatment, Techeun Force quickly rose to the top of the Fusion Rifle hype chart.

Over the many years of Destiny 2’s lifespan, there has almost never been a weapon with so many incredible perks available on it. With ammo-economy manipulation perks like Reconstruction, Envious Assassin, and Rewind Rounds along with enhancement mainstays like High-Impact Reserves, Kill Clip, Rangefinder, and Golden Tricorn, there are no shortage of elite traits for this weapon. Despite that sparkling list, we haven’t even touched on the weapon’s true power – Controlled Burst. Bringing this brand-new perk along with it, Techeun Force single-handedly reshaped the Fusion Rifle meta.

What Techeun Force Excels In:

• Boss Damage – There are two main ways to increase a Fusion Rifle’s damage: by boosting it directly with something like Vorpal Weapon and by speeding up its charge time with something like Backup Plan. Techeun Force brings with it the new perk Controlled Burst which literally does both of these things in one. Providing a 20% boost to damage and reducing charge time just for using the weapon and hitting your shots is a new level of power for Fusion Rifles that Techeun Force has rode straight to the top.
• Mapping Enemies – In PvP, Techeun Force has a powerful combo in Under Pressure and Rangefinder to increase its stability and effective range. This allows it compete at ranges usually reserved for Precision Frames like Deliverance and Main Ingredient.
• Bypassing the Ammo Economy – While many weapons don’t have any, Techeun Force has a few different options for getting around the need to reload. Envious Assassin is here and can overflow the magazine based on kills with your other weapons. This is ideal for players who main things like Osteo Striga. Rewind Rounds is another terrific choice, particularly if you enjoy High Impact Reserves. That all said, the true winner here is Reconstruction. Originally reserved for weapons from the Deep Stone Crypt raid, Reconstruction is one of the best PvE perks of all-time. Combining the convenience of Auto-Loading Holster and the huge-magazine potential of Overflow into one, Reconstruction actually allows Techeun Force to get every single one of its shots into the current magazine, completely eliminating the need to reload altogether.  

Weapon Stats:

• Impact - 70
• Range - 39
• Stability - 39
• Handling – 27
• Reload Speed – 34
• Aim Assistance – 44
• Airborne Effectiveness – 4
• Charge Time - 660

Where to Get:

Last Wish raid.

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