Destiny Rising weapon tier list with all guns ranked

Destiny Rising weapon tier list
(Image credit: NetEase Games)

Having a Destiny Rising weapon tier list to hand can help you work out the best guns (or other arms) to try and add to your collection, so that you can get the upper hand in combat. While there's a randomized route to obtaining a lot of the weaponry in the game thanks to the series' engram system, it's still useful to know a ranking of where your current arsenal sits so you can prioritize what to equip. With that in mind, here is our weapon tier list for Destiny Rising.

Bear in mind that, unsurprisingly, a lot of the higher tier entries are Destiny Rising Exotic weapons, so you'll need to follow the appropriate route for obtaining them. Also, each character can only equip certain types of weapons, so the items you can use may very depending on who is in your fireteam. Finally, this weapon tier list is based primarily on PVP activities, though it should broadly apply to the PVE areas as well.

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Destiny Rising weapon tier list - Primary Weapons

Destiny Rising codes

(Image credit: NetEase Games)

Here is our Primary weapon tier list for Destiny Rising, with bold entries denoting those that are Exotic weapons:

  • S Tier:
    • Concerto (Sidearm)
    • Crimson (Hand Cannon)
    • Furies III (Pulse Rifle)
    • The Huckleberry (SMG)
    • Jötunn (Fusion Rifle)
    • The Old Prefect (Hand Cannon)
    • Polaris Lance (Scout Rifle)
    • Sworn Oath (Auto Rifle)
  • A Tier:
    • Chushingura (Sidearm)
    • DEL2 Sweet Ears (Pulse Rifle)
    • DEL3 Lassi (Scout Rifle)
    • DEL7 Simit (Hand Cannon)
    • IST1 Parantha (Fusion Rifle)
    • Present Fleet (Light Grenade Launcher)
    • Riskrunner (SMG)
    • Sweet Business (Auto Rifle)
    • Ultimatum (Pulse Rifle)
    • Wolfpack (SMG)
  • B Tier:
    • DEL6 Kokoretsi (Sidearm)
    • Total Lockdown (Scout Rifle)
  • C Tier:
    • DEL5 Kulfi (SMG)

For your Primary weapon, Concerto works well when combined with Heavy weapons that reload slowly, and is great at close range – especially if you've unlocked Catalyst Band 01. Crimson will refill ammo if you aim for Precision hits, and you can use Self Sustain to help stay alive. Furies III is one of the easier Exotics to obtain thanks to the Battle Pass, and repeated shots will increase the fire rate to deal more damage. The Huckleberry has a high rate of fire for a significant DPS, and kills can be chained against multiple enemies.

Jötunn is another Primary that combines well with long releasing Heavy weapons, and its target tracking makes it hard to evade. The Old Prefect is powerful enough that accuracy is less of an issue, though combining consecutive hits will get the most from the Dragon Breath's passive. Polaris Lance is strongest when you're landing Precision hits as these return ammo to the mag, so you don't have to waste time reloading if you're accurate. Sworn Oath is generally simple to use and well balanced, but you'll need to make sure you aren't reloading early as the second half of the mag deals increased damage.

Destiny Rising weapon tier list - Heavy Weapons

Destiny Rising codes

(Image credit: NetEase Games)

The following is our Heavy weapon tier list for Destiny Rising, and again the bold entries mark which are Exotic weapons:

  • S Tier:
    • Borealis (Sniper Rifle)
    • Gallows (Machine Gun)
    • Mahamayuri (Auto Crossbow)
    • Nobunaga (Sword)
    • Octant Riot Disperser (Shotgun)
    • Partridge Sky (Sword)
    • Satiyaaliksni Smart Bomb (Grenade Launcher)
    • Two-Tailed Fox (Rocket Launcher)
  • A Tier:
    • The Chaperone (Shotgun)
    • End of the Line (Linear Fusion Rifle)
    • Eternal Retribution (Shotgun)
    • HON2 Tutum'Alik (Rocker Launcher)
    • HON3 Eibellaks (Auto Crossbow)
    • Izanagi's Burden (Sniper Rifle)
    • Royal Contravene (Linear Fusion Rifle)
    • Saizo (Auto Crossbow)
    • Scorched Earth (Machine Gun)
  • B Tier:
    • 40000 Sidereal Year (Sniper Rifle)
    • Heir Apparent (Machine Gun)
    • HON1 Khanom Khrok (Grenade Launcher)
    • IST2 Niaatiks (Shotgun)
    • Makeshift Ending (Sword)
  • C Tier:
    • BVD4 Akutaak (Machine Gun)
    • CLY2 Kakalik (Sword)
    • Magoichi (Sniper Rifle)

When it comes to Heavy weapons, Borealis has passives that make it great for breaking elemental shields, which also reloads and provides a damage boost. Gallows reloads quicker than most other Machine Guns, and its homing Void grenades can deal guaranteed damage to opponents. Mahamayuri has an extremely high DPS output comparted to other Auto Crossbows, and offers flexibility in different combat situations. Nobunaga has a Heavy Attack dash that offsets the weakness of being melee only, and final blows increase your move speed to close down on other enemies.

Octant Riot Disperser has a secondary volley fire mode that can deal huge amounts of burst damage, but this can be risky if you're not accurate so conserve ammo by only using it when needed. Partridge Sky outstrips other swords by firing a ranged attack with its Heavy Attack, though be aware that the Battle Cry perk is significantly nerfed in PVP. Satiyaaliksni Smart Bomb is easy to obtain and upgrade through the main story, and will guarantee damaging opponents with its AoE shots. Two-Tailed Fox fires Void rockets that suppress enemies, while its auto tracking makes landing damage on opponents easier.

Unhappy with the outcome of your starting Draws? There is the option of a Destiny Rising reroll, so we explain how that works in our separate guide.

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Iain Wilson
Guides Editor

Iain originally joined Future in 2012 to write guides for CVG, PSM3, and Xbox World, before moving on to join GamesRadar in 2013 as Guides Editor. His words have also appeared in OPM, OXM, PC Gamer, GamesMaster, and SFX. He is better known to many as ‘Mr Trophy’, due to his slightly unhealthy obsession with amassing intangible PlayStation silverware, and he now has over 800 Platinum pots weighing down the shelves of his virtual award cabinet. He does not care for Xbox Achievements.

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