Destiny 2 is a game filled with cosmetic items to personalize your Guardian. Some are just aesthetic options, like Emotes, Shaders, and Ornaments. Others, like Finishers and Sparrows, actually have a gameplay purpose. Then there are the Destiny 2 ships, which fall somewhere in the middle of the two.
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It’s always there when you need it to get you from planet to planet, but other than that, it’s sort of a static set-piece. So should you care about what ship you’re flying? Well, it all depends on how good you want to look when transmitting onto a planet. Luckily for you, we can tell you which Destiny 2 ships to try and get.
What Are Ships in Destiny 2?
Known as jumpships according to in-game lore, these vehicles serve as the mode of transportation for Guardians of the Last City to navigate between planets.
In the original Destiny, you had to acquire a ship schematic and salvage a warp speed engine to get it running before you could leave Old Russia. In Destiny 2, after the Cabal’s attack on the Tower, you claimed the Wanderwing during the Adieu mission. Now, with Beyond Light, you simply acquire an Arcadia class jumpship through a mission similar to the original game.
For being necessary to travel to other planets, Destiny 2 ships don’t actually do all that much in-game. They’re really just glorified cosmetics that are showcased when in orbit when traveling through space, and the occasional cutscene during your Transmat. Don’t get us wrong, there’s nothing cooler than a fleet of coordinated ships descending to the planet’s surface. We’ve just always wanted to do more with these slick-looking vehicles.
How Do You Equip Ships in Destiny 2?
Since the best ships in Destiny 2 are labeled as a general cosmetic item, you’ll equip them exactly the same way as you do Shaders and Sparrows. Head on over to your Inventory, scroll down one page and select your Ship on the left-hand side. Just like the latter, you don’t have to worry about running an Exotic ship and interfering with your weapon or armor slot. These are separate items with no relation to any other Exotic items.
Keep in mind that you can only store nine Ships at a time and can only equip one. If you have more that you want to keep, you can always store them in the Vault.
How To Unlock Ships in Destiny 2
Like every other cosmetic item, your ability to unlock Destiny 2 Ships is somewhat random. While there are a few ways to ensure you snag a new Ship, most are based on the same rolls as Shaders, Finishers, and Sparrows. Here are all the methods for unlocking Ships in Destiny 2.
Season Pass
Every season pass includes an Exotic weapon, Armor Ornaments, Shaders, and typically an exclusive Exotic ship (which can include Destiny 2 pyramid ships and Destiny 2 triangle ships).
Keep in mind that you’ll have to purchase the season pass to unlock it and likely grind out Tiers until you reach somewhere in the 70s or 80s. Now, this is unfortunately not a consistent method, as Season of the Splicer saved its ship as a prologue reward for the season. Just know that there is always an unlockable ship every season, and it will be connected to seasonal gameplay in one way or another.
Eververse
There are plenty of Ships available for purchase through the Eververse. There are some weekly offerings that cost Silver and rotate out upon reset. There are also seasonal exclusives that last throughout a season and cost Silver. Lastly, there is sometimes a randomized Ship featured in the Bright Dust section, although that’s a somewhat rare occurrence.
Bright Engrams
Outside of a specialized mission chain or Triumph reward, turning in Bright Engrams is your only method to actually earn Ships by playing Destiny 2. You can gain these by upgrading your Season Pass or as random reward drops. Turn them into the Eververse to unlock a random reward from the current loot pool and hope for a ship.
Amanda Holliday
If you’re really wanting a ship, you can actually purchase several from Amanda Holiday. The only catch is that these are Common ships meant for players just starting the game. For the completionists out there, you can grab all five ships for 5,000 Glimmer a piece.
Top 45 Destiny 2 Ships Ranked Worst to Best
Now you know the ins and outs of Destiny 2 Ships. So, which one is your Guardian going to take out for a spin? Check out our list of the top 45 Legendary and Exotic ships currently available, including a few goofier options.
45. Bombos-CER
Appearance: Season 6
This ship could be mistaken for necrocraft and is likely just as flimsy.
44. Bane of Tyrants
Appearance: Season 8
This ship looks more at home as a hovercraft.
43. Last Flight Home
Appearance: Season 12
Can a ship look like a colorful puffy vest? This one gets pretty close.
42. The Oviraptor
Appearance: Season 7
A cargo ship may be useful for some, but it’s not the best option for Guardians.
41. Fleet SKA IX
Appearance: Season 3
Swift and true like an arrow.
40. Redline Torpedo
Appearance: Season 14
For being named after a torpedo, it isn’t a very streamlined ship.
39. Skulking Fox
Appearance: Season 6
Built to be nimble and easy for scrapping.
38. Gigantes Carrier
Appearance: Season 11
A cargo ship variation that looks like it should be able to transform.
37. Stellar Pavements
Appearance: Season 4
A traditional jumpship that could be mistaken for a quinjet.
36. Long Haul Cruiser
Appearance: Season 14
A simple cargo ship that features a jump drive from the Golden Age.
35. Quality Cut
Appearance: Season 8
Is this ship powered by some special type of Arc-infused engine?
34. Firebreak Warden
Appearance: Season 14
A spelunking and fire rescue vehicle designed to track down lost Ghosts.
33. M3-D1 Valkyrie
Appearance: Season 14
A refurbished emergency response vehicle built to be nimble and swift.
32. Ignition-CER
Appearance: Season 6
A beast of a ship built to take on heavy bombardment from enemies.
31. Taurus Rocketeer
Appearance: Season 13
A gaudy ship design that’s elevated by its dual engine structure.
30. Celestial Kestrel
Appearance: Season 12
This smaller golden variation of the Symmetry Flight.
29. Symmetry Flight
Appearance: Season 1
A basic Exotic iteration on your first ship.
28. Holacanthus
Appearance: Season 6
Ready to live out your dream as a Guardian of the Galaxy?
27. AOKI/FAAS SL-65
Appearance: Season 14
A Golden Age ship designed to win Formula Sol space races.
26. Vaultstrider
Appearance: Season 14
A ship made with unique materials designed to last above Venus.
25. Edge of the Worlds
Appearance: Season 8
A bulky and menacing gunship.
24. Antonio
Appearance: Season 8
Slim wings connected to a primary engine.
23. Kosmos Lightbeam
Appearance: Season 14
A classic Golden Age vehicle meant to reflect old-school diesel racers.
22. Synchrotron Advancer
Appearance: Season 13
Break barriers with the electric field at the front of this ship.
21. Groundswell Nullifier99
Appearance: Season 8
A fighter jet design from the Golden Age.
20. The Third Tide
Appearance: Season 8
A classic starfighter design built to rush in and survive any conflict.
19. Drift Apart
Appearance: Season 4
Reminiscent of a wooden glider, this rustic-looking model is ready to drift through the sky.
18. Buckthorn Approach
Appearance: Season 4
An armor-plated and sleek vehicle that looks ready for combat.
17. Winds of Change
Appearance: Season 13
An elegant-looking ship reminiscent of a stingray.
16. Shadow Trespass
Appearance: Season 3
It may look a little rough around the edges, but it helps avoid detection.
15. Pallas Galliot
Appearance: Season 4
A nimble and elegant craft designed for navigating asteroid fields.
14. Metropolitan Frigate
Appearance: Season 8
A classic model likely designed after a ship from the Golden Age.
13. Threat Display
Appearance: Season 6
A bright orange and sleek ship that isn’t meant to be subtle.
12. Ikora’s Resolve
Appearance: Season 2
Who knew that Ikora had such a rugged style?
11. EGBE-01X
Appearance: Season 6
Are these variations of dropships used by the intergalactic space military of another universe?
10. The Emperor’s Chosen
Appearance: Season 7
Become royalty and fly a ship from Emperor Callus’s fleet.
9. High Gravitas
Appearance: Season 13
A clean-looking ride that celebrates our connection to the Cabal.
8. The Mayfly
Appearance: Season 6
Take hold of a ship as swift as an insect.
7. The Platinum Starling
Appearance: Season 5
A rugged hot rod built for speed.
6. Home Away
Appearance: Season 5
An elegant vehicle that celebrates the Dawning.
5. Starfarer 7M
Appearance: Season 12
Swift and colorful as a sparrow, it even has an exclusive mint engine effect.
4. The Fourth Mark
Appearance: Season 12
A large, threatening presence that’s built for vengeance.
3. Black Peregrine
Appearance: Season 6
Thread the fabric of time with a streamlined ship.
2. Forbidden Memory
Appearance: Season 14
A Splicer-infused ship that blends a tron-aesthetic and Fallen shape.
1. Argentate Dusk
Appearance: Season 14
A refined skimmer that looks like it belongs to royalty.
How To Customize Ships in Destiny 2
Destiny 2 ships may not be vital for gameplay, but they can be tricked out to fit your style. Yes, that means they’re customizable just like every other wearable collectible in the game. For starters, you can apply any of the Shaders you’ve collected to switch up your paint job. On top of that, you can actually customize your Transmat effect.
That means that you can add a mod that changes the color, action, symbol, and overall appearance of your Guardian when you spawn in. Some of these are permanent collectibles, others are temporary options that will be destroyed if you switch them out. You can unlock these through the Eververse, Bright Engrams, and just by randomly playing the game.
To apply either customization option, just click on your chosen Ship. There you’ll see the Shader and Transmat effect mod slots. Select the one you want and there you have it.
Become a High Grounder
We hope this guide on Destiny 2 ships has helped you find a few intergalactic options to help your Guardian navigate the galaxy. Be sure to let your Fireteam know which ship you’ll be flying by sharing this article on your favorite social channels, and sign up for our newsletter for the latest on Destiny 2.
Happy gaming!
