Best PvE Weapons In Beyond Light

Each major update in Destiny 2 has brought change to the game’s equipment meta, but none have been as impactful as the Beyond Light update. With the vaulting of roughly half of the game’s content and the introduction of the sunsetting system, along with many smaller changes, it is not surprising that the old guides to best weapons for PvE have become obsolete. Many fan-favorite weapons that dominated the battlefield before the update are no longer able to compete; conversely, new armaments have gained prominence, while some old ones have benefited from their synergy with the recently introduced Stasis powers.

This article examines some of the best PvE weapons in the Season of the Hunt. It’s important to note that the meta is always evolving, and even without major changes in the game, new champions may emerge as time goes on. Also, the relative strength and PvE suitability of Legendary weapons can depend heavily on their exact rolls. Finally, individual players will naturally favor different types of weapons based on their tactical preferences and personal skills. While keeping all this in mind, it is still possible to identify the popularly acclaimed giants that tower over most other arms on today’s PvE battlefields.

Kinetic

Kinetics: No Time to Explain, an exotic pulse rifle introduced with Beyond Light, is one of the strongest weapons in this category thanks to its ability to summon additional firepower through a time portal. Meanwhile, the Season 8 Monte Carlo exotic auto rifle has finally come into its own due to the potent synergy between Stasis freezing and its melee hit- and kill-based bonuses. The legendary Dire Promise hand cannon continues to benefit from strong PvE rolls like Overflow and Swashbuckler that let it maintain momentum through long encounters. Witherhoard’s area of effect blight abilities keep this exotic grenade launcher at the top of the game by making it irreplaceable for multidirectional crowd control.

Energy

Energy: The truly legendary Gnawing Hunger auto rifle is still a supremely versatile weapon fit for taking on a variety of PvE combat scenarios, especially with powerful random perks like Rampage and Subsistence. IKELOS_SMG_V1.0.2 is one of the few remaining viable weapons that spawn Warmind Cells, giving it a rare edge together with potent anti-crowd perks such as Surrounded and Threat Detector. Sunshot is still unsurpassed as a wave-clearing hand cannon thanks to its explosive area of effect capabilities. Stars in Shadow, a new legendary pulse rifle, has made a strong debut with its comfortable handling and a rich variety of perks including Outlaw, Surplus, Kill Clip, and Killing Wind.

Power

Power: The Lament is a new exotic sword with spectacularly powerful chainsaw-like attacks that has become the new crowd favorite boss-killer. However, the legendary Falling Guillotine remains closely competitive due to its sustained DPS abilities (not to mention that its wielder could also use a ranged exotic). In other regards, this category has gone relatively unchanged. Anarchy is the prime exotic grenade launcher thanks to its unique ability to set up chain Arc minefields, rapidly taking out bosses and keeping hordes at bay. Xenophage continues to lead among machine guns with its unsurpassed long-range DPS abilities.

Your conclusions may differ, but those appear to be the strongest PvE weapons in the game right now. While many things might change in the future, taking out enemies quickly remains the key to success, so the weapons that excel at that now will likely continue to shine before they hit a power cap or a major nerf. As old Legendary weapons gradually retire, it will be very interesting to see what future seasons would bring to the PvE meta.