[Top 5] Destiny 2 Best PvP Shotguns (And How To Get Them)

Updated:

17 Dec 2022

“There are few weapons that offer the comfort and familiarity of a shotgun. Built for close quarters combat, they provide immediate, violent conflict resolution.” - Shotguns Grimoire Card

Despite a slew of nerfs to pellet shotguns and the steep learning curve of slug shotties, a trusty shotgun is a reliable tool in the Crucible. Unfortunately for most players, a lot of shotguns without select perks are strictly “meh” and will probably be more of a hindrance to you, and definitely more so than an adaptive frame Fusion Rifle.

However, that being said, there are some outliers that redeem shotguns for PvP, and when used correctly make some pretty solid energy weapons. I’ll rate each shotgun from “decent” to “toxic bullying” so that you know what weapons to pull out when that Trials three-stack starts teabagging you.

5. Wastelander M5 (Trusty and true)

How to get the Wastelander M5 (Legendary Shotgun) plus God Roll Guide in Destiny 2 - YouTube

This weapon has a one-of-a-kind crosshair (smaller than any other shotgun in the game) that makes the gun feel accurate and long-ranged, and a great selection of perks to choose from. In addition, it’s easily farmable and cool-looking. It’s a great gun to live out that old western feel and is a pretty good weapon overall.

The drawbacks are that some people complain about the custom hip-fire crosshair (it’s smaller) and that not a lot of primary energy exotic weapons are a good pair with it. Perhaps a legendary pulse rifle or hand cannon in your energy slot, and then run Gjallarhorn? Either way, this is not the best loadout item.

Wastelander M5 full details: www.light.gg/db/items/1679868061/wastelander-m5/

4. Felwinter’s Lie (Casual player’s go-to option)

Destiny 2 | How to Get Felwinter's Lie in 2021 (Best Shotgun in the Game) - YouTube

It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that this is the best aggressive frame shotgun in the game. It’s a ritual weapon from Season of the Chosen and is available to buy from the exotic kiosk in the tower. Having selectable perk columns, Felwinter’s Lie allows the player to customize the gun to their choosing.

Aggressive Frame shotguns are often the best for PvP due to their lengthy range stat and damage. However, the low handling and hate the gun has gotten over the years might be a deal-breaker in some instances.

Fewleinter's Lie full details: www.light.gg/db/items/1179141605/felwinters-lie/

3. Duality (Good for seasoned players)

Duality can be acquired from the Monument to Lost Lights Exotic Kiosk in the tower, and is available to purchase for 100,000 Glimmer, an Ascendant Shard, an Exotic Cipher, and 150 Glacial Starwort.

Can’t decide whether you want to equip a slug shotty or a pellet thrower? Duality’s got you covered. This gun is probably the most versatile shotgun in the game, being able to fire in two modes: slugs while aiming down sights and pellets when hip-firing. Since slug shotguns take a split-second to aim to OHK and are less useful for surprise attacks, having Duality will cover you both ways.

However, the catalyst is a pain in the backside and it chews up an exotic slot for a gun type that’s not too good anymore. However, I find it trusty enough, and you may too.

Duality full details: www.light.gg/db/items/3460576091/duality/

2. Riiswalker (Hard to get, but colloquially considered the best shotgun)

Destiny 2 - How to get Riiswalker (Legendary Iron Banner Shotgun) Plus God Rolls and Lore - YouTube

This weapon only earns its spot on the list because it’s the only shotgun in the game that can roll with the perk Iron Reach, a perk specific to Iron Banner weapons. This causes it to have a large increase in range at the cost of weapon stability. This just ekes it out over Aggressive Frames while still having the forgiveness of a pellet shotgun.

However, it still falls into the same dilemma as Wastelander M5: It doesn’t have any really great pairings with exotic primary energy weapons. This is all if you have the roll in question.

Riiswalker full details: www.light.gg/db/items/108221785/riiswalker/

1. Lord of Wolves (Trials sweat’s weapon of choice)

HOW TO GET THE LORD OF WOLVES AND ITS CATALYST IN DESTINY 2 - YouTube

Lord of Wolves is the ugly duckling of Destiny 2 shotguns (scratch that, feared duckling). The gun fires in bursts of five and has a 30-round mag. It’s very forgiving and can actually garner headshots for more damage if you shoot your opponent in the head. It starts with 15 rounds in the Crucible, which is three bursts or three shots.

It outranges all legendary pellet shotguns while still retaining their forgiveness and ease of use. The catalyst is a random drop from Crucible playlists, so getting that should be a breeze. Lord of Wolves’ pairability with primary weapons is what makes it the best shotgun in the game.

Lord of Wolves full details: https://www.light.gg/db/items/3413860063/lord-of-wolves/

If you enjoyed this article, do me a favor by dropping a comment below. Be sure to check out my other articles for more Destiny 2 content. And if you’ve ever wanted to get into writing, I can give you some friendly advice at thewritersrack.com, where I blog daily Monday-Friday. Looking for your next fantasy fiction read? You might want to check out Praetors of Lost Magic, Book 1: The Mage’s Gambit on Amazon, soon to be a finished trilogy!