High-damage weapons remain essential in Destiny 2, particularly when facing formidable bosses. Since most encounters feature limited vulnerability windows, teams require firearms capable of delivering maximum damage output during brief opportunities. With countless weapon options available, selecting the optimal choice for boss encounters can overwhelm newcomers. This comprehensive guide explores superior weapons for tackling Destiny 2’s challenging bosses, presented without ranking preference.
Outbreak Perfected
Premier Primary Weapon for Boss Encounters
Primary weapons rarely excel against bosses, yet Outbreak Perfected stands as a notable exception. This pulse rifle devastates boss health through nanite swarm mechanics, with team-wide usage dramatically accelerating swarm generation and boosting collective damage output.
While Outbreak Perfected won’t establish damage records, it serves excellently as backup weaponry during boss encounters featuring final phases, such as Oryx in King’s Fall. When teams exhaust Heavy and Special ammunition, Outbreak Perfected provides reliable support.
Gjallarhorn
Optimal Choice for Rocket Launcher Strategies
Gjallarhorn’s individual boss damage remains modest, but its true value lies in enhancing teammates’ rocket launchers. This exotic weapon grants Wolfpack Rounds to allied launchers, transforming their projectiles into explosive clusters of seeking sub-munitions upon impact. This buff particularly benefits Legendary Rocket Launchers like Hezen Vengeance, which can feature both Envious Arsenal and Bait and Switch perks.
Ideally, only one team member should equip Gjallarhorn, treating it as support weaponry during boss fights while unleashing its full potential against regular enemies.
VS Chill Inhibitor
Maximum Damage Magazine Deployment
Similar to Hezen Vengeance, VS Chill Inhibitor from Vesper’s Host Dungeon can roll with the coveted Envious Arsenal/Bait and Switch combination, making these weapons largely interchangeable. Both qualify as Legendary weapons, preserving exotic slots for team composition flexibility.
Beyond VS Chill Inhibitor, other Legendary Grenade Launchers merit consideration. Generally, any Power weapon featuring Bait and Switch or comparable damage perks performs admirably against most bosses.
Izanagi’s Burden
Dependable Performance
Izanagi’s Burden maintains reliability against bosses, especially for players employing weapon-switching tactics during damage phases. It pairs excellently with Chill Inhibitor and Hezen Vengeance, functioning effectively with other quick-swap weapons when players incorporate Izanagi’s special reload into rotation sequences.
Sniper rifles generally excel against stationary bosses like Templar in Vault of Glass. However, flinch mechanics require consideration when using any sniper rifle during damage phases.
Thunderlord
Dominant Arc Machine Gun
Players seeking alternatives to precision weapons will find Thunderlord exceptional. This exotic machine gun features escalating fire rates while held, simultaneously summoning lightning strikes on targets. It synergises with Bolt Charge Titan builds to generate additional lightning strikes, producing impressive damage numbers.
Thunderlord excels against bosses requiring frequent movement or aim adjustments. When facing difficult-to-hit targets, this weapon provides excellent fallback options.
Queenbreaker
Straightforward Effectiveness
Like Thunderlord, Queenbreaker offers simple yet effective point-and-shoot boss elimination. It delivers substantial damage in three-shot-burst mode, requiring consistent precision hits for maximum effectiveness while remaining relatively forgiving.
Linear Fusion Rifles currently don’t dominate boss damage charts, but seasonal modifications like Particle Deconstruction can restore their viability.
Falling Guillotine
Melee Superiority
Certain boss encounters favour swords over firearms, and the BRAVE variant of Falling Guillotine represents the pinnacle of Legendary swords. Any sword featuring Relentless Strikes/Whirlwind Blade proves effective, but Vortex Frame variants like Falling Guillotine demonstrate exceptional strength and reliability across most boss fights.
This weapon’s accessibility through Onslaught activity farming stands as its greatest advantage. Players need only develop builds capable of managing enemy hordes and exercise patience. With sufficient persistence and fortune, achieving a god-roll Falling Guillotine becomes entirely feasible for all boss-slaying requirements.