Hand cannons in Destiny 2 are the go-to weapons for Guardians who love the feel of a classic six-shooter with a sci-fi twist. They are a part of the meta of every season, as they have great potential in every kind of activity in the game. They deliver powerful shots with a satisfying kick and are versatile in PvE and PvP gameplay.
Hand cannons are suitable for every situation in the game as they have great range and damage. Some of the hand canons in the game can eliminate the guardians from a snipe distance, while others can be an excellent alternative for short-range weapons. The game has tons of hand cannons, which increases further every season.
What are the best hand cannons in Destiny 2?
While a few hand cannons have maintained their dominance since the beginning of the game, some fresh contenders have also secured their spot in the highest tier of this weapon category. Your selection of the best hand cannon largely depends on your preferred playstyle. Below, we've compiled a list of the top 12 hand cannons in Destiny 2 that excel in both PvE and PvP encounters.
12. Zaouli’s Bane (Best for PVE)
When King's Fall was first launched, it brought forth a fantastic set of weapons, and among them, Zaouli's Bane stands out as arguably the best legendary hand cannon for PvE in the game. This weapon boasts exceptional perks, particularly ideal for your Solar 3.0 builds. The standout perk here is Incandescent, which is red-hot in the current Season of the Witch.
It's a 140 RPM hand cannon with well-balanced stats. What sets it apart is the possibility of having both Incandescent and Firefly perks simultaneously, turning it into an ultimate killing machine for all your PvE activities. Additionally, if you complete the Master version of the raid, you can also obtain Harrowed weapons, which essentially are adept versions of the base weapons, providing even more power and versatility.
Zaouli’s Bane Stats
- Impact: 84
- Range: 43
- Stability: 52
- Handling: 46
- Reload Speed: 43
- Reload Time: 3.16 seconds
- Aim Assistance: 77
- Inventory Size: 50
- Zoom: 14
- Airborne Effectiveness: 19
- Recoil: 89
- Rounds Per Minute: 140
- Magazine: 10
PvE God roll:
- Barrel: Hammer-Forged Rifling
- Magazine: Tactical Mag
- Perk 1: Explosive Payload
- Perk 2: Incandescent
How to get Zaouli’s Bane
You can get Zaouli's Bane from the King's Fall Raid in Destiny 2, which has a chance to drop in three encounters. After defeating Golgoroth, the Daughters of Oryx, and Oryx himself, you can open reward chests to find this hand cannon.
11. Targeted Redaction (Best for PVE)
Targeted Redaction was introduced during the Season of the Deep as a seasonal weapon, and it's quite a gem for PvE enthusiasts. This craftable weapon comes with some fantastic perks that make it shine. Notably, hand cannons received a massive 20% damage buff in PvE activities, and Targeted Redaction takes full advantage of this with its Collective Action perk.
It is a void hand canon, making it an excellent fit for synergy with void builds. Despite being a 120 RPM hand cannon, it can transform into an amazing weapon when paired with the correct set of perks. One thing to remember, though, is that its reload speed could be more impressive. To address this issue, consider crafting it with the Outlaw perk, which can significantly improve your reload speed and overall performance.
Targeted Redaction Stats
- Impact: 92
- Range: 56
- Stability: 23
- Handling: 26
- Reload Speed: 25
- Reload Time: 3.71 seconds
- Aim Assistance: 60
- Inventory Size: 49
- Zoom: 14
- Airborne Effectiveness: 15
- Recoil: 99
- Rounds Per Minute: 120
- Magazine: 8
PvE God roll:
- Barrel: Smallbore
- Magazine: Tactical Mag
- Perk 1: Outlaw
- Perk 2: Destabilizing Rounds
How to get Targeted Redaction
To acquire Targeted Redaction in Destiny 2, you must access the Season of the Deep expansion and finish the initial mission. This will unlock the Seasonal Playlists, comprising both Scavenge and Deep Dives, where you can obtain all the Season of the Deep weapons, including Targeted Redaction.
10. Nation of Beasts (Best for PVE)
Nation of Beasts was released with one of the best raids, Last Wish, and it was not the best hand canon then. The weapon was made craftable in the Season of the Deep, and the perk pool was also refreshed, making it one of the best hand cannons for PvE in the game.
The weapon's stats are above average, but its ability to roll with the perk combination of Dragonfly and Voltshot makes it a fantastic weapon. It is a craftable weapon, so you can also get enhanced perks. A few perks are available for this gun that can be utilized for PvP, but this weapon mainly excels in PvE activities.
Nation of Beasts Stats
- Impact: 84
- Range: 40
- Stability: 57
- Handling: 42
- Reload Speed: 45
- Reload Time: 3.11 seconds
- Aim Assistance: 71
- Inventory Size: 51
- Zoom: 14
- Airborne Effectiveness: 10
- Recoil: 95
- Rounds Per Minute: 140
- Magazine: 11
PvE God roll:
- Barrel: Smallbore
- Magazine: Tactical Mag
- Perk 1: Dragonfly
- Perk 2: Voltshot
How to get Nation of Beasts
To get Nation of Beasts, you must complete the encounters of the Last Wish raid. The weapon can drop from any encounter of the raid, and if you have unlocked it in your collections, you can also get it from the secret chests. We suggest you farm the first encounter (Kalli, the Corrupted) as it is the simplest and the fastest to complete. This weapon is also craftable, so you will need five patterns to craft it. You can farm the raid once it is the featured raid of the week to get all the red borders of the weapon.
9. Lumina (Best for PVE)
Lumina is an exotic hand cannon renowned for its support-oriented abilities. With its unique perk, "Noble Rounds," Lumina can heal and buff allies, earning the nickname "healer's hand cannon." Lumina received several buffs last season and is now considered an S-Tier hand cannon in PvE activities.
Lumina offers a 35% damage buff in PvE, making it highly effective for casual and end-game content. In PvP, it provides a 15% damage boost and offers healing abilities, making it a versatile choice for team support in all game modes.
Exotic Perk:
"Kills with this weapon leave behind Remnants which convert your next hip fired shot into an ally-seeking Noble Round that heals them and grants both of you a weapon damage bonus for a short duration."
Lumina Stats
- Impact: 84
- Range: 53
- Stability: 50
- Handling: 71
- Reload Speed: 61
- Reload Time: 2.7 seconds
- Aim Assistance: 88
- Inventory Size: 58
- Zoom: 14
- Airborne Effectiveness: 27
- Recoil: 95
- Rounds Per Minute: 140
- Magazine: 13
How to get Lumina
You can only get Lumina from the Monument to Lost Lights weapon vault in the Tower. To craft the weapon, you’ll need to bring a hefty list of materials:
- 1x Exotic Cipher
- 100,000 Glimmer
- 1x Ascendant Shard
8. Exalted Truth (Best for PVP)
The Exalted Truth hand cannon in Destiny 2 is a relatively new addition with impressive stats and perk combinations. It excels in stability and handling, making it a top choice for PvP. Its Origin trait, SUROS Synergy, makes it stand out, which significantly boosts your handling and resistance to flinching after a reload.
Trials of Osiris is known for offering fantastic weapons tailored for PvP activities. Exalted Truth stands out, although obtaining it can be challenging. Once you acquire this weapon, it can turn you into a beast in PvP, allowing you to dominate your opponents.
Exalted Truth Stats
- Impact: 84
- Range: 50
- Stability: 58
- Handling: 55
- Reload Speed: 47
- Reload Time: 3.05 seconds
- Aim Assistance: 72
- Inventory Size: 58
- Zoom: 14
- Airborne Effectiveness: 22
- Recoil: 95
- Rounds Per Minute: 140
- Magazine: 11
PvP God roll:
- Barrel: Hammer-Forged Rifling
- Magazine: Accurized Rounds
- Perk 1: Rangefinder
- Perk 2: Eye of the Storm
How to get Exalted Truth
Exalted Truth is one of the difficult weapons to get as it is linked with the Trials of the Osiris activity. You can only obtain it from the lighthouse chest, which you can only unlock by going flawless in trials. Once you open it in your collections, you can buy another one from Saint-14 by sacrificing your card and a few other resources.
7. Round Robin (Best for PVP)
Round Robin was released with the Lightfall DLC. It is one of the new weapons you can get from the new destination, Neumona. 120 rpm hand canons were nerfed in Beyond Light and were way out of the league for a long time. Thanks to some fantastic 120 rpm hand canons like Round Robin, they made a massive comeback in the game.
It is a fantastic hand canon with the perfect origin trait for PvP activities. This trait, “Nanotech Tracer Rockets,” offers extra damage as the weapon can launch a micro missile at the target, dealing a small chunk of damage. You can roll it with Keep Away and Kill Clip perk to make it a two-tap machine.
Round Robin Stats
- Impact: 92
- Range: 56
- Stability: 20
- Handling: 24
- Reload Speed: 22
- Reload Time: 3.81 seconds
- Aim Assistance: 58
- Inventory Size: 52
- Zoom: 14
- Airborne Effectiveness: 14
- Recoil: 97
- Rounds Per Minute: 120
- Magazine: 8
PvP God roll:
- Barrel: Fluted Barrel
- Magazine: Ricochet Rounds
- Perk 1: Keep Away
- Perk 2: Kill Clip
How to get Round Robin
There are multiple ways to farm Round Robin in the game. The weapon was released with the lightfall expansion, and the grind was tied to the new destination, Neomuna. You can get it from the Lightfall engrams and the chests of Terminal Overload activity. The fastest and easiest way to farm it is by completing the Heroic Petrols on Neumona.
6. Fatebringer Timelost(Best for PVE)
Fatebringer holds a special place in the hearts of Destiny veterans. Fatebringer was initially introduced in Destiny 1 as an iconic hand cannon with perks like Firefly, which caused enemies to explode on precision kills, and Outlaw, which significantly increased reload speed after precision kills.
In Destiny 2, Fatebringer was reintroduced with the release of the Vault of Glass raid. It retains its classic perks, making it a sought-after weapon for PvE activities due to its exceptional add-clearing capabilities and overall effectiveness.
Fatebringer Timelost Stats
- Impact: 84
- Range: 46
- Stability: 57
- Handling: 57
- Reload Speed: 46
- Reload Time: 3.08 seconds
- Aim Assistance: 84
- Inventory Size: 53
- Zoom: 14
- Airborne Effectiveness: 10
- Recoil: 98
- Rounds Per Minute: 140
- Magazine: 11
PvE God roll:
- Barrel: Hammer-Forged Rifling
- Magazine: Tactical Mag
- Perk 1: Explosive Payload
- Perk 2: Firefly
How to get Fatebringer
Fatebringer can only be dropped by completing the third encounter ( The Templar) of the Vault of the Glass raid. The encounter has other weapons in the pool, so getting the hand cannon may take a few tries. To get the Timelost version of the gun, you must complete the encounter on the Master difficulty. Once you have unlocked the weapon in your collections, you can also buy it from the final chest of the raid.
5. Austringer (Best for PVP)
Austringer is one of the best legendary hand cannons in Destiny 2. It was initially introduced in the Season of Opulence and is associated with the Leviathan raid on the Nessus planet. Austringer gained popularity due to its ability to roll with various powerful perks, making it a versatile hand cannon for both PvE and PvP activities.
This weapon boasts impressive stats and a fantastic combination of perks. It's a craftable weapon, allowing you to customize it to your preferences for the god roll. While it offers some PvE-oriented perks, Austringer excels in PvP activities.
Austringer Stats
- Impact: 84
- Range: 46
- Stability: 59
- Handling: 47
- Reload Speed: 46
- Reload Time: 3.08 seconds
- Aim Assistance: 75
- Inventory Size: 53
- Zoom: 14
- Airborne Effectiveness: 13
- Recoil: 95
- Rounds Per Minute: 140
- Magazine: 11
PvP God roll:
- Barrel: Hammer-Forged Rifling
- Magazine: Ricochet Rounds
- Perk 1: Eye of the Storm
- Perk 2: Rangefinder
How to get Austringer
In the Season of the Witch, the only way to get this weapon is from the gunsmith vendor (Banshee-44). Banshee has sold some amazing rolls of this weapon in the past and offers it frequently in its inventory. You need to watch its daily offerings, and you might be lucky enough to get a god-roll.
4. Eriana’s Vow (Best for PVE)
Eriana's Vow in Destiny 2 is an exotic hand cannon known for its distinctive perks and design. Its intrinsic perk, "Eriana's Vow," allows it to fire armor-piercing rounds when aiming down sights, making it effective against shielded enemies and high-health targets. This perk is very helpful in end-game activities against the barrier champions, as it can break the shield with a single bullet.
Eriana's Vow also comes with an exotic catalyst that enhances its stats, including an increased magazine size, which significantly helps as this weapon has a tiny magazine size. This weapon greatly synchronizes with solar builds, especially after the release of Solar 3.0.
Exotic Perk:
Bonus damage when aiming down sights on the opening shot of an attack. This bonus is preserved if the shot deals precision damage or strikes an elemental shield.
Eriana’s Vow Stats
- Impact: 100
- Range: 100
- Stability: 30
- Handling: 23
- Reload Speed: 24
- Reload Time: 3.74 seconds
- Aim Assistance: 80
- Inventory Size: 0
- Zoom: 24
- Airborne Effectiveness: 9
- Recoil: 100
- Rounds Per Minute: 90
- Magazine: 6
How to get Eriana’s Vow
You can only get Eriana’s Vow from the Monument to Lost Lights weapon vault in the Tower. To craft the weapon, you’ll need to bring a hefty list of materials:
- 1x Exotic Cipher
- 100,000 Glimmer
- 1x Ascendant Shard
3. Ace of Spades (Best for PVP)
Ace of Spades in Destiny 2 is a beloved exotic hand cannon, once wielded by the iconic character Cayde-6. It's renowned for its unique perks, Memento Mori and Firefly, which enhance its precision and crowd-clearing capabilities. This hand cannon combines a smooth feel with a stylish design, making it a fan favorite among guardians.
Ace of Spades has been part of the meta since its release in the Forsaken DLC and is still one of the most used hand cannons in PvP. Its exotic perk can be synchronized with damage builds, making this gun a two-tap machine.
Exotic Perk:
"Precision kills increase reload speed and cause the target to explode. Reloading after a kill increases damage. Grants radar while aiming down sights."
Ace of Spades Stats
- Impact: 84
- Range: 75
- Stability: 40
- Handling: 40
- Reload Speed: 42
- Reload Time: 3.19 seconds
- Aim Assistance: 70
- Inventory Size: 56
- Zoom: 14
- Airborne Effectiveness: 14
- Recoil: 100
- Rounds Per Minute: 140
- Magazine: 13
How to get Ace of Spades
You can only get Ace of Spades from the Monument to Lost Lights weapon vault in the Tower. To craft the weapon, you’ll need to bring a hefty list of materials:
- 1x Exotic Cipher
- 100,000 Glimmer
- 1x Ascendant Shard
2. Thorn (Best for PVP)
Thorn in Destiny 2 is an exotic hand cannon with a dark and sinister history. It is known for its unique perk called "Mark of the Devourer," which causes rounds fired from Thorn to damage an enemy over time. If you land successive shots, the damage over time stacks, making Thorn a potent weapon for PvE and PvP activities.
Thorn was originally introduced in Destiny 1 and returned in Destiny 2 through a special exotic questline. The quest involved players delving into the lore surrounding the weapon and its malevolent influence. Upon completing the quest, players could wield Thorn's power once again.
Exotic Perk:
"Rounds pierce targets and deal damage over time. Kills leave behind Remnants which, when absorbed, increase damage."
Thorn Stats
- Impact: 84
- Range: 34
- Stability: 55
- Handling: 65
- Reload Speed: 40
- Reload Time: 3.25 seconds
- Aim Assistance: 85
- Inventory Size: 60
- Zoom: 14
- Airborne Effectiveness: 21
- Recoil: 100
- Rounds Per Minute: 140
- Magazine: 11
How to get Thorn
You can only get Thorn from the Monument to Lost Lights weapon vault in the Tower. To craft the weapon, you’ll need to bring a hefty list of materials:
- 1x Exotic Cipher
- 125,000 Glimmer
- 1x Ascendant Shard
1. Rose (Best for PVP)
Rose is regarded as one of the game's most desirable hand cannons for PvP. It was the reward for competing in the competitive playlist and was challenging to obtain. Here's why it's so sought after: First, it has a lightweight frame, making it easy to handle, and it boasts an incredibly high amount of aim assist, which helps you land shots more accurately.
The stats of this weapon are impressive, and it comes with a great set of perks tailored for PvP. The most desired perk for Rose is Perpetual Motion, which continuously improves the weapon's performance as you move around. You can pair it with Rangefinder to enhance its range, making it even more dangerous in PvP.
Rose Stats
- Impact: 84
- Range: 43
- Stability: 45
- Handling: 60
- Reload Speed: 55
- Reload Time: 2.84 seconds
- Aim Assistance: 85
- Inventory Size: 58
- Zoom: 14
- Airborne Effectiveness: 20
- Recoil: 95
- Rounds Per Minute: 140
- Magazine: 11
PvP God roll:
- Barrel: Hammer-Forged Rifling
- Magazine: Accurized Rounds
- Perk 1: Perpetual Motion
- Perk 2: Rangefinder
How to get Rose
Rose was the reward for the PvP Competitive Playlist in a previous season. Unfortunately, there is no way to obtain this gun in the game right now.
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