The Best Fusion Rifles in Destiny 2

Human Made

Penned by Kody Wirth

Kody is our expert Destiny 2 and shooter genre writer. He lives in Oregon.

Reviewed by Benjamin Barr

I’ve always had a love/hate relationship with the best fusion rifles in Destiny 2. On the one hand, they’re incredibly powerful short-to-mid range, single-shot weapons. On the other, they’re often slower and less accurate than alternative weapons such as shotguns and hand cannons. 

That said, Season of the Chosen has given these energy weapons a much-needed buff, meaning that it may be time to dust off your hip firing skills and give them another go. Not sure which fusion rifle you should be using? Read on, and we’ll help you out!

Popular Destinations..

Destiny 2 Waystone | Navigation Page

Destiny 2 Events Calendar: PvE, PvP, Lost Sectors, Weekly Loot, Xur (The Final Shape, Episode II)

10 Best Destiny 2 Fusion Rifles

September 2021 Update: Season of the Splicer may have introduced a few new interesting Fusion Rifles, but Season of the Lost seems to be fully refreshing the weapon type. Unsurprisingly, it’s all about rapid-fire. Meaning that a few lousy options have been redeemed and some new additions have solidified their spots. 

Luckily, tried and true Exotics like Telesto are still viable, but you finally have some better options. And all of the Fusion Rifles on this list benefit from the addition of the Particle Deconstruction Seasonal Mod which strengthens damage output from any Fusion Rifle source. All in all, it’s a great time to revisit running a Fusion Rifle.

1. Vex Mythoclast

A weapon redeemed 

Why is it one of the best? The return of the Vault of Glass Raid was a momentous occasion that brought back one of the best encounters from Vanilla Destiny. Unfortunately, the iconic Vex Mythoclast came back with the typical problems for most Fusion Rifles. Too long of a charge for too little range.

In Season of the Lost, it’s now the opposite. The power of the Mythoclast is so ridiculous that it can now instantly disintegrate most common enemies as well as more powerful combatants with a few Overcharge stacks. Speed is no longer an issue and the ability to keep ramping up power, especially if you have the Catalyst is simply unmatched. Run this with Elemental Well, Quick Charge, and/or the Particle Accelerator Mods to push it over the edge.

What’s it good for? Until Bungie nerfs Fusion Rifles or updates other mid-range weapon stats, this is a great option for both PvP and PvE.

How do I get it? Acquire as a random drop by defeating Atheon and completing the Vault of Glass Raid.

2. Telesto

An old favorite

Why is it one of the best? Telesto has been a long-standing favorite among fusion rifle mains. This Exotic weapon is incredibly powerful at short range, has almost no kickback, and can basically be used as a semi-automatic energy weapon. On top of that, it also fires projectiles that act like sticky grenades, meaning that you can unleash initial DPS and a secondary Void explosion.

Land a few kills against Guardians or minor enemies, and your primary and secondary weapon clips will automatically reload. Basically, the more you use Telesto, the more ammo you have at the ready, and the more you can keep using it. It’s a vicious cycle that represents how useful fusion rifles can be with the right innate perks.

What’s it good for? Use it in PvE, PvP, and Gambit due to the rapid-fire rate and delayed explosive damage. 

How do I get it? Acquire it from Exotic engrams or purchase it from Xur when available.

3. One Thousand Voices

A Forsaken weapon returns

Why is it one of the best? One Thousand Voices is still unfortunately difficult to acquire. However, it makes revisiting The Last Wish Raid well worth it or if you’re lucky enough to already have it, just drag it out of your Vault storage. That’s because the maxed-out range and impact stats are now boosted with a faster fire rate and broader range.

On top of that, it doesn’t require you to land headshots to stack the damage perk. Meaning that you can just focus on spamming bosses or large groups and still find tremendous results. If you can choose to run Elemental Well or Warmind Cells Mods to try and take advantage of further damage or explosive output. Then leverage the Particle Accelerator Mod and any other Fusion Rifle-specific Mods you feel comfortable running. It’s versatile enough to work with virtually everything.

What’s it good for? High-level PvE playlists due to the wide range and stacked damage output.

How do I get it? Acquire as a random drop by completing The Last Wish Raid.

4. Plug One.1

The best Fusion Rifle for Perks

Why is it one of the best? The Plug One.1 is one of those rare occasions where the Perk Rolls work incredibly well with multiple varieties. Which one you decide to run with fully depends on what you’re playing and which options you roll. For one, it can roll with Reservoir Burst which deals increased damage and explosions on final kills with your first shot. 

If you land this with Bottomless Grief, you can continue to chain your kills together making it perfect for both PvE and more chaotic PvP modes. The other Perks such as Feeding Frenzy, Heating Up, Kickstart, and Backup Plan are all excellent options to roll land mix. In any case, it makes it easier to play aggressively and may make you want to keep grinding Nightfalls.

What’s it good for? PvP and PvE with the right perks.

How do I get it? Acquire from high-level Nightfall rewards.

5. Null Composure

A seasonal quick-fire Fusion Rifle 

Why is it one of the best? Null Composure felt good before the Fusion Rifle rework, It charges incredibly quickly, packs enough of a punch to take out Guardians, and with the right Mods almost provides instant reload. Now, the damage is punched up even further, the range has a slight improvement, and Mods like Particle Deconstruction help take those improvements even further.

Null Composure simply fits the archetype of what we’d like to see from Fusion Rifles. A solid base that is only positively augmented by any changes. It’s fast, doesn’t require a ton of accuracy, and simply feels great to wield.

What’s it good for? Mid-to-high level PvE thanks to the increased range and reload speed/

How do I get it? Seasonal quest from Banshee-44. (No longer available)

6. Merciless

The Destiny 2 best Exotic fusion rifle

Why is it one of the best? One of the biggest problems with most fusion rifles is that you’re working with a single shot. Miss it, and you’re done, especially when playing PvP. Merciless gets around that with the Conserve Momentum perk, which builds up charging speed on any non-lethal shot. This effect compounds until you finally get a killing blow of any kind.

What’s even better is that you can then compound your damage after a kill by reloading. This can give you a small window to take out multiple enemies and continuously maintain your recharge and damage-boosting cycle. The only drawback is that this is an older Exotic, meaning that the Catalyst and additional perks are pretty basic, but it’s still worth running if you have difficulty landing blows.

What’s it good for? Use it in PvE and PvP if you have difficulty landing killing blows. 

How do I get it? Acquire it from Exotic engrams or purchase it from Xur when available.

7. Trinary System

The Destiny 2 best Legendary fusion rifle

Why is it one of the best? Gambit-specific weapons have been a boon during Season of the Chosen. While you’re likely focused on landing a God-roll Bottom Dollar hand cannon, don’t skimp out on doing the same with Trinary System. This Adaptive Frame fusion rifle defies the traditionally mediocre nature of this archetype due to the slightly higher impact and magazine size.

However, what really sets it apart is the ridiculous number of perks that you can roll. No joke, you literally have the possibility of rolling all of the best fusion rifle perks in Destiny 2. For PvE, you’ll want to try and land High-Impact Reserves, Disruption Break, or One For All alongside Feeding Frenzy. For Crucible, opt for Killing Wind and Tap the Trigger to improve accuracy and speed. 

What’s it good for? Try it out in PvE, PvP, and Gambit if you want to run with a well-balanced Adaptive Frame. 

How do I get it? Acquire it as a random drop from playing Gambit matches.

8. Glacioclasm

The Destiny 2 best long-range fusion rifle

Why is it one of the best? If you like taking down enemies from a distance, the Glacioclasm is the best of the best fusion rifles in Destiny 2. The High-Impact Frame means it’s slow-firing but deals out high damage, and this weapon has the added benefit of being more accurate when aiming down sites. 

Roll this with High Impact Reserves and Ambitious Assassin to push your damage output even further or Killing Wind and Unrelenting to build up health regeneration and accuracy. It’s simply not as effective up close, but if you can engage from further away than your typical shotgun or fusion rifle, you’ll typically win out.

What’s it good for? It’s best for PvP and PvE due to the ridiculously long range.

How do I get it? Glacioclasm is only available during Season of the Dawning and will likely come back in late November or early December.

9. Jotunn

A classic Exotic Fusion Rifle

Why is it one of the best? Jotunn was one of the first Exotics, outside of Rocket Launchers, to introduce tracking projectiles. The compact design hides how effective this perk is and how easy it makes finding and shredding enemas a no-brainer in both PvE and PvP.

The one thing to keep in mind is that this is a classic option that doesn’t focus on immediate speed. Even the projectiles float incredibly slowly as they make their way to their final targets. However, that slowness is well worth it, since it actually packs a decent punch and helps you take out more enemies at once from a distance 

What’s it good for? Mid-level PvE content that requires greater accuracy.

How do I get it? Purchase from the Exotic Kiosk.

10. Bastion

The Destiny 2 best PvP fusion rifle

Why is it one of the best? It may seem a bit strange to sacrifice your Exotic slot for a fusion rifle, but the range and quick-fire action make it well worth it. Unlike most fusion rifles, it doesn’t see any damage fall-off for mid-level distances, typically achieving max damage at twenty feet. This is incredibly beneficial due to the Breakthrough perk, which allows you to bypass elemental shields.

The main drawback with this weapon is that besides the impact, all other base stats are sub-par. Meaning that while you can fire from a distance, you may have a hard time actually hitting anything. It’s still worth running if you tend to play up close, and the three-shot firing makes it perfect against groups of Minor enemies. Just be prepared to miss a fair amount in the process. 

What’s it good for? It’s best in PvP and Gambit due to the range and rapid-fire damage.

How do I get it? Acquire it from Exotic engrams or purchase it from Xur when available.

Hold On, I’m Charging

The best fusion rifles in Destiny 2 are still a bit lacking when it comes to energy weapon options, but there’s hope that we’ll see some more upgrades in upcoming seasons. If someone on your Fireteam has been aching to unleash fusion rifle charges on their enemies, be sure to share this article with them on your favorite social channels. To stay up-to-date on the latest from Destiny 2, be sure to subscribe to our newsletter.

Happy gaming!

Update Log

9/2021 Updates

• Vex Mythoclast added and takes the top spot bumping Telesto down to #2.
• Bastion drops from #2 spot to #10 due to more useful PvP options emerging.
• One Thousand Voices, Plug One.1, and Null Composure added and push Trinary System, Merciless, and Glacioclasm out of the top 5.
• Hollow Words is less relevant and dropped from top 10.
• Jotunn added in the ninth spot, overlooked on initial rankings.

Related Reading 

• Best Destiny 2 Settings
• Best PvE Weapons in Destiny 2
• Best PvP Weapons in Destiny 2
• Best Submachine Guns in Destiny 2
• Best Shotguns in Destiny 2