Tier List for PvP and PvE

Sniper Rifles used to dominate both PvP and PvE content in Destiny 2, but several nerfs knocked them down a few pegs.

But slowly, Snipers are coming back, thanks to recent changes that make them easier to use in PvP and more lethal in PvE. If you’re looking to deal a lot of pain from a safe distance, Sniper Rifles are for you.

This guide covers every Sniper Rifle in Destiny 2, including both Exotic and Legendary snipers, as well as the best rolls for PvE and PvP.

Destiny 2 Sniper Rifle Tier list

The Tier list below includes every Exotic and non-sunset legendary Sniper Rifle in the game. It starts with the S Tier weapons and moves down from there. It also covers both PvE and PvP, with the “Excels in” column clearly identifying in what area each weapon shines:

Name	Weapons	Type	Archetype	Ammo	Element	Requirements	Available?	Rank	Source	Tier rank	Source ❘ DLC	Final Verdict	Released	Perks
Uzume RR4	Uzume RR4	Sniper Rifle	Adaptive	Special	Solar	Free-to-Play	No	S › Best	Nightfall: The Ordeals	Best ❘ S Excels in: PvE + PvP	Nightfall: The Ordeals Free-to-Play	Slot: Solar \| Ammo: Special \| Archetype: Adaptive PvE God Roll: Triple Tap + High-Impact Reserves (also good: Vorpal Weapon) PvP God Roll: Snapshot Sights + Vorpal Weapon (also good: Explosive Payload) ► Arguably the most well-rounded sniper on this list, Uzume RR4 is an almost-perfect choice for both PVE and PVP. Sure, it doesn’t have the best stats in the game, but the versatility of this weapon is unrivaled. No matter what part of the game you play, a good Uzume will complete your loadout.	Season 14	Slot: Solar \| Ammo: Special \| Archetype: Adaptive PvE God Roll: Triple Tap + High-Impact Reserves (also good: Vorpal Weapon) PvP God Roll: Snapshot Sights + Vorpal Weapon (also good: Explosive Payload)
IKELOS_SR_v1.0.2	IKELOS_SR_v1.0.2	Sniper Rifle	Rapid-Fire	Special	Solar	Free-to-Play	Yes	S › Best	World loot pool	Best ❘ S Excels in: PvE	World loot pool Free-to-Play	Slot: Solar \| Ammo: Special \| Archetype: Rapid-Fire PvE God Roll: Fourth Time’s the Charm (also good: Triple Tap) + High-Impact Reserves ► Easily the best energy 140 RPM sniper for PVE, IKELOS_SR_v1.0.2 is a great pick that is sometimes overlooked. And with the highest potential DPS out of all legendary snipers, it will almost always have a place in the meta.	Season 11	Slot: Solar \| Ammo: Special \| Archetype: Rapid-Fire PvE God Roll: Fourth Time’s the Charm (also good: Triple Tap) + High-Impact Reserves
Succession	Succession	Sniper Rifle	Aggressive	Special	Kinetic	Beyond Light	Yes	S › Best	Deep Stone Crypt Raid	Best ❘ S Excels in: PvE	Deep Stone Crypt Raid Beyond Light	Slot: Kinetic \| Ammo: Special \| Archetype: Aggressive PvE God Roll: Reconstruction + Recombination (also good: Vorpal Weapon) PvP God Roll: Moving Target + Snapshot Sights ► Succession is another hidden gem from the Deep Stone Crypt raid. While it can certainly hold its own in PVP (thanks to clean sights and great perk combinations), in PVE, it’s top tier. Perhaps the best there is. With the Reconstruction perk and something like Vorpal Weapon or Recombination, this can easily be the best DPS sniper in the entire game.	Season 12	Slot: Kinetic \| Ammo: Special \| Archetype: Aggressive PvE God Roll: Reconstruction + Recombination (also good: Vorpal Weapon) PvP God Roll: Moving Target + Snapshot Sights
Eye of Sol	Eye of Sol	Sniper Rifle	Adaptive	Special	Kinetic	The Witch Queen	Yes	S › Best	Trials of Osiris	Best ❘ S Excels in: PvP	Trials of Osiris The Witch Queen	Slot: Kinetic \| Ammo: Special \| Archetype: Adaptive PvP God Roll: Moving Target (also good: Surplus) + Snapshot Sights (also good: Opening Shot) ► Because of its similar stats and perks, Eye of Sol is said to be a kinetic version of Beloved. And while it is a little harder to obtain, its low zoom, high aim assist, and S-Tier perks in both columns make it easily worth the effort.	Season 10	Slot: Kinetic \| Ammo: Special \| Archetype: Adaptive PvP God Roll: Moving Target (also good: Surplus) + Snapshot Sights (also good: Opening Shot)
Beloved	Beloved	Sniper Rifle	Adaptive	Special	Solar	Season 17	Yes	S › Best	Derelict Leviathan	Best ❘ S Excels in: PvP	Derelict Leviathan Season 17	Slot: Solar \| Ammo: Special \| Archetype: Adaptive PvP God Roll: Snapshot Sights + Moving Target (also good: Quickdraw) ► Arguably the community’s favorite legendary sniper in the entire franchise, this “beloved” weapon is back and better than ever before. With low zoom, high aim assist, the ability to be crafted, and Snapshot Sights, it’s no wonder Beloved is so popular in PVP.	Season 17	Slot: Solar \| Ammo: Special \| Archetype: Adaptive PvP God Roll: Snapshot Sights + Moving Target (also good: Quickdraw)
Thoughtless	Thoughtless	Sniper Rifle	Adaptive	Special	Stasis	Deluxe Edition	Yes	A › Strong	PsiOps Battlegrounds	Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvE + PvP	PsiOps Battlegrounds Deluxe Edition	Slot: Stasis \| Ammo: Special \| Archetype: Adaptive PvE God Roll: Overflow + Firing Line (also good: Focused Fury) PvP God Roll: Firmly Planted (also good: Steady Hands) + Snapshot Sights ► A very well-rounded weapon, Thoughtless has something for everyone. With Snapshot Sights and multiple different handling perks for PVP, or Overflow / Firing Line for PVE, this Sniper Rifle can be viable everywhere. That said, most people still prefer snipers that can specialize in either PVP or PVE.	Season 16	Slot: Stasis \| Ammo: Special \| Archetype: Adaptive PvE God Roll: Overflow + Firing Line (also good: Focused Fury) PvP God Roll: Firmly Planted (also good: Steady Hands) + Snapshot Sights
Silicon Neuroma	Silicon Neuroma	Sniper Rifle	Aggressive	Special	Kinetic	Free-to-Play	Yes	A › Strong	Nightfall: The Ordeals	Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvE + PvP	Nightfall: The Ordeals Free-to-Play	Slot: Kinetic \| Ammo: Special \| Archetype: Aggressive PvE God Roll: Triple Tap + Firing Line PvP God Roll: Snapshot Sights + Opening Shot ► Silicon Neuroma is one of the few snipers that can roll with Snapshot Sights and Opening Shot, the holy grail of PVP snipers. On top of that, it packs a low zoom value that helps it excel at closer ranges, and thanks to the recent buff to low zoom snipers, it simply feels great to use.	Season 16	Slot: Kinetic \| Ammo: Special \| Archetype: Aggressive PvE God Roll: Triple Tap + Firing Line PvP God Roll: Snapshot Sights + Opening Shot
Whisper of the Worm	Whisper of the Worm	Sniper Rifle	Exotic	Heavy	Solar	Free-to-Play	Yes	A › Strong	Exotic Kiosk	Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvE	Exotic Kiosk Free-to-Play	Slot: Solar \| Ammo: Heavy \| Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: “Higher base precision damage. Rapidly landing three precision hits refills the magazine and missing a shot has a chance to return ammo.” ► Originally known in Destiny 1 as Black Hammer, then Black Spindle, Whisper of the Worm has seen it all. Even though it’s not meta right now, Whisper can still do great damage (provided you can hit your shots) and is bound to become meta again soon enough.	Season 3	Slot: Solar \| Ammo: Heavy \| Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: “Higher base precision damage. Rapidly landing three precision hits refills the magazine and missing a shot has a chance to return ammo.”
Izanagi’s Burden	Izanagi’s Burden	Sniper Rifle	Exotic	Special	Kinetic	Forsaken Pack	Yes	A › Strong	Exotic Kiosk	Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvE	Exotic Kiosk Forsaken Pack	Slot: Kinetic \| Ammo: Special \| Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: “Holding reload consumes the magazine and loads a round with additional range and damage.” ► An easy-to-use powerhouse of a weapon, Izanagi’s Burden has continued to be a DPS beast even though all the nerfs. Pair this sniper with the rocket launcher of your choice (and maybe a teammate running Divinity), and you’ll be ready to conquer any PVE challenge the game has to offer.	Season 5	Slot: Kinetic \| Ammo: Special \| Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: “Holding reload consumes the magazine and loads a round with additional range and damage.”
Praedyth’s Revenge	Praedyth’s Revenge	Sniper Rifle	Rapid-Fire	Special	Kinetic	Free-to-Play	Yes	A › Strong	Vault of Glass Raid	Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvE	Vault of Glass Raid Free-to-Play	Slot: Kinetic \| Ammo: Special \| Archetype: Rapid-Fire PvE God Roll: Rewind Rounds + Firefly (also good: High-Impact Reserves) ► Praedyth’s Revenge is one of the best PVE snipers in the entire game. It certainly has the base stats to challenge any other sniper, but even better, it offers excellent PVE-oriented perks that can’t be found in any other sniper. Namely, Rewind Rounds and Firefly.	Season 14	Slot: Kinetic \| Ammo: Special \| Archetype: Rapid-Fire PvE God Roll: Rewind Rounds + Firefly (also good: High-Impact Reserves)
Adored	Adored	Sniper Rifle	Adaptive	Special	Arc	Free-to-Play	Yes	A › Strong	Exotic Kiosk	Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvP	Exotic Kiosk Free-to-Play	Slot: Arc \| Ammo: Special \| Archetype: Adaptive PvP Fixed Rolls: Killing Wind + Snapshot Sights ► The combination of Killing Wind and Snapshot Sights alone makes this Beloved replacement an easy PVP pick in the energy slot. Plus, 90 RPM snipers offer good overall lethality and it can also be paired with an Exotic hand cannon.	Season 12	Slot: Arc \| Ammo: Special \| Archetype: Adaptive PvP Fixed Rolls: Killing Wind + Snapshot Sights
Far Future	Far Future	Sniper Rifle	Adaptive	Special	Solar	Free-to-Play	Yes	A › Strong	Unobtainable	Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvP	Unobtainable Free-to-Play	Slot: Solar \| Ammo: Special \| Archetype: Adaptive PvP God Roll: Surplus (also good: Quickdraw) + Opening Shot ► Although some people love it for PVP, Far Future is hard to recommend considering all of the S-Tier snipers that crowd this slot. And while it can be argued that Surplus makes up for the absence of Snapshot Sights, there’s no reason to jump through those hoops now that Beloved is back.	Season 13	Slot: Solar \| Ammo: Special \| Archetype: Adaptive PvP God Roll: Surplus (also good: Quickdraw) + Opening Shot
Frozen Orbit	Frozen Orbit	Sniper Rifle	Aggressive	Special	Void	Free-to-Play	Yes	A › Strong	Playlist: Crucible	Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvP	Playlist: Crucible Free-to-Play	Slot: Void \| Ammo: Special \| Archetype: Aggressive PvP God Roll: Moving Target (also good: Killing Wind) + Snapshot Sights ► With good stats, S-Tier perks, and an amazing feel, Frozen Orbit is no doubt the best Aggressive Frame sniper in the energy slot. And even though most players will choose Beloved instead, Frozen Orbit excels in its own right, being able to destroy Enemy Supers with ease.	Season 13	Slot: Void \| Ammo: Special \| Archetype: Aggressive PvP God Roll: Moving Target (also good: Killing Wind) + Snapshot Sights
1000 Yard Stare	1000 Yard Stare	Sniper Rifle	Adaptive	Special	Void	30th Anniversary	Yes	A › Strong	Grasp of Avarice Dungeon	Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvP	Grasp of Avarice Dungeon 30th Anniversary	Slot: Void \| Ammo: Special \| Archetype: Adaptive PvP God Roll: Quickdraw (also good: No Distractions) + Snapshot Sights ► One of the best snipers from Destiny 1 returns. With best-in-class stats and excellent perks, 1000 Yard Stare remains a popular sniper among top-tier PVP players. With a fairly low zoom stat, decent sights, and high aim assist, 1000 Yard Stare offers a great combination of lethality and ease of use.	30th Anniversary event	Slot: Void \| Ammo: Special \| Archetype: Adaptive PvP God Roll: Quickdraw (also good: No Distractions) + Snapshot Sights
Father’s Sins	Father’s Sins	Sniper Rifle	Rapid-Fire	Special	Void	The Witch Queen	Yes	A › Strong	Wellspring	Strong ❘ A Excels in: PvP	Wellspring The Witch Queen	Slot: Void \| Ammo: Special \| Archetype: Rapid-Fire PvP God Roll: Under Pressure + Snapshot Sights ► Now that Snipers with low zoom levels got a buff, Snipers such as Father’s Sins are back on the table. Able to roll with the indispensable Snapshot Sights, Father’s Sin is the most accessible and competent sniper for PVP right now.	Season 16	Slot: Void \| Ammo: Special \| Archetype: Rapid-Fire PvP God Roll: Under Pressure + Snapshot Sights
D.A.R.C.I.	D.A.R.C.I.	Sniper Rifle	Exotic	Heavy	Arc	Free-to-Play	Yes	B › Average	Exotic Engram	Average ❘ B	Exotic Engram Free-to-Play	Slot: Arc \| Ammo: Heavy \| Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: “Aim at an enemy to activate Personal Assistant and view critical information. When Personal Assistant is active, this weapon has better target acquisition and deals significantly more precision damage.” ► D.A.R.C.I. used to be one of the worst Exotics in the entire game. It was easily surpassed by snipers only requiring Special ammo and its Personal Assistant perk was a joke. Bungie finally gave it a buff, including a 20% damage increase, which helps it a little.	Season 1	Slot: Arc \| Ammo: Heavy \| Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: “Aim at an enemy to activate Personal Assistant and view critical information. When Personal Assistant is active, this weapon has better target acquisition and deals significantly more precision damage.”
Cloudstrike	Cloudstrike	Sniper Rifle	Exotic	Special	Arc	Beyond Light	Yes	B › Average	Exotic Quest	Average ❘ B Excels in: PvE + PvP	Exotic Quest Beyond Light	Slot: Arc \| Ammo: Special \| Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: “Precision final blows generate a lightning bolt at the target’s location. Rapid precision hits create a lightning storm at the point of impact.” ► While it’s easily the most fun sniper to use on this list, Cloudstrike currently doesn’t see much use. By no means is it bad, but there are better options. Plus, while the lightning storms it can produce are cool, they’re niche in PVP and their damage in PVE is just average.	Season 12	Slot: Arc \| Ammo: Special \| Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: “Precision final blows generate a lightning bolt at the target’s location. Rapid precision hits create a lightning storm at the point of impact.”
Shepherd’s Watch	Shepherd’s Watch	Sniper Rifle	Aggressive	Special	Kinetic	Free-to-Play	Yes	B › Average	World loot pool	Average ❘ B Excels in: PvE + PvP	World loot pool Free-to-Play	Slot: Kinetic \| Ammo: Special \| Archetype: Aggressive PvE God Roll: Lead From Gold + Firing Line PvP God Roll: Moving Target + Snapshot Sights ► Considering Shepherd’s Watch’s excellent perk pool, it’s hard to understand why it’s not more popular. Yet the reason is simple: other snipers excel even further. In PVP, Eye of Sol and Beloved have better stats, and the top PVE snipers have better perk combinations.	Season 15	Slot: Kinetic \| Ammo: Special \| Archetype: Aggressive PvE God Roll: Lead From Gold + Firing Line PvP God Roll: Moving Target + Snapshot Sights
The Supremacy	The Supremacy	Sniper Rifle	Rapid-Fire	Special	Kinetic	Forsaken Pack	Yes	B › Average	Last Wish Raid	Average ❘ B Excels in: PvP	Last Wish Raid Forsaken Pack	Slot: Kinetic \| Ammo: Special \| Archetype: Rapid-Fire PvP God Roll: Snapshot Sights + Rapid Hit ► With low zoom and off-the-charts aim assist, The Supremacy is considered one of the best feeling snipers in the game by a big portion of the community. However, while this weapon does still hold its own, snipers higher up on this list have better perks and are easier to farm.	Season 4	Slot: Kinetic \| Ammo: Special \| Archetype: Rapid-Fire PvP God Roll: Snapshot Sights + Rapid Hit
Bite of the Fox	Bite of the Fox	Sniper Rifle	Aggressive	Special	Kinetic	Free-to-Play	No	B › Average	Iron Banner	Average ❘ B Excels in: PvP	Iron Banner Free-to-Play	Slot: Kinetic \| Ammo: Special \| Archetype: Aggressive PvP God Roll: Snapshot Sights (also good: Firmly Planted) + Opening Shot ► With its strong perks and low zoom compared to other Aggressive Frame snipers, Bite of the Fox has never been a bad option in PVP. That being said, there are better Iron Banner weapons, making it average on this list.	Season 11	Slot: Kinetic \| Ammo: Special \| Archetype: Aggressive PvP God Roll: Snapshot Sights (also good: Firmly Planted) + Opening Shot
Occluded Finality	Occluded Finality	Sniper Rifle	Aggressive	Special	Arc	Free-to-Play	No	B › Average	Iron Banner	Average ❘ B Excels in: PvP	Iron Banner Free-to-Play	Slot: Arc \| Ammo: Special \| Archetype: Aggressive PvP God Roll: Snapshot Sights + Opening Shot ► Occluded Finality can get some pretty great perk rolls, but isn’t used too much because of its terribly high zoom value. This wasn’t as much of a problem before, but now that low zoom snipers were buffed, Occluded Finality can’t compete anymore.	Season 14	Slot: Arc \| Ammo: Special \| Archetype: Aggressive PvP God Roll: Snapshot Sights + Opening Shot
Twilight Oath	Twilight Oath	Sniper Rifle	Rapid-Fire	Special	Solar	Free-to-Play	Yes	B › Average	Dreaming City	Average ❘ B Excels in: PvP	Dreaming City Free-to-Play	Slot: Solar \| Ammo: Special \| Archetype: Rapid-Fire PvP God Roll: Opening Shot (also good: Killing Wind) + Snapshot Sights ► Probably the hardest sniper to rank on this list, Twilight Oath is one of those guns that you either love or can’t stand. On paper, this sniper is a beast, but there’s a big part of the community that hates how it feels. Finally, given how strong the competition is, we can only rank it as Average today.	Season 14	Slot: Solar \| Ammo: Special \| Archetype: Rapid-Fire PvP God Roll: Opening Shot (also good: Killing Wind) + Snapshot Sights
Long Shadow	Long Shadow	Sniper Rifle	Adaptive	Special	Kinetic	Free-to-Play	Yes	B › Average	World loot pool	Average ❘ B	World loot pool Free-to-Play	Slot: Kinetic \| Ammo: Special \| Archetype: Adaptive PvP God Roll: Rapid Hit (also good: Field Prep) + Triple Tap ► A fairly popular option since its debut in Forsaken, Long Shadow has never been a bad option in PVE. That said, it doesn’t offer any of the best perks out there, and it’s only a matter of time until a new kinetic 90 RPM sniper comes to take its place.	Season 11	Slot: Kinetic \| Ammo: Special \| Archetype: Adaptive PvP God Roll: Rapid Hit (also good: Field Prep) + Triple Tap
Apostate	Apostate	Sniper Rifle	Rapid-Fire	Special	Arc	Free-to-Play	Yes	B › Average	Moon	Average ❘ B	Moon Free-to-Play	Slot: Arc \| Ammo: Special \| Archetype: Rapid-Fire PvE God Roll: Killing Wind (also good: Firmly Planted) + Opening Shot ► A sniper that some swore by when it first released, Apostate used to be a good pick for PVP. However, since Season of the Chosen, this weapon can no longer roll with Snapshot Sights, immediately making it only an alright choice.	Season 13	Slot: Arc \| Ammo: Special \| Archetype: Rapid-Fire PvE God Roll: Killing Wind (also good: Firmly Planted) + Opening Shot
The Long Walk	The Long Walk	Sniper Rifle	Aggressive	Special	Solar	Free-to-Play	Yes	B › Average	Prophecy Dungeon	Average ❘ B	Prophecy Dungeon Free-to-Play	Slot: Solar \| Ammo: Special \| Archetype: Aggressive PvP God Roll: Clown Cartridge + Firing Line PvE God Roll: Killing Wind + Snapshot Sights ► While not a bad sniper rifle on paper, The Long Walk is just eclipsed by vastly superior snipers. Frankly, you’re better off just farming community favorites such as Uzume RR4 or Beloved.	Season 15	Slot: Solar \| Ammo: Special \| Archetype: Aggressive PvP God Roll: Clown Cartridge + Firing Line PvE God Roll: Killing Wind + Snapshot Sights
Fugue-55	Fugue-55	Sniper Rifle	Adaptive	Special	Void	Free-to-Play	Yes	B › Average	World loot pool	Average ❘ B	World loot pool Free-to-Play	Slot: Void \| Ammo: Special \| Archetype: Adaptive PvP God Roll: Steady Hands + Snapshot Sights ► Fugue-55 can roll with Snapshot Sights, immediately making it decent in PVP. Having said that, its extremely high zoom stat and lackluster other perk column make it one of the weaker options out there.	Season 16	Slot: Void \| Ammo: Special \| Archetype: Adaptive PvP God Roll: Steady Hands + Snapshot Sights
Gallu RR3	Gallu RR3	Sniper Rifle	Adaptive	Special	Arc	Free-to-Play	Yes	B › Average	World loot pool	Average ❘ B	World loot pool Free-to-Play	Slot: Arc \| Ammo: Special \| Archetype: Adaptive PvP God Roll: Steady Hands (also good: No Distractions) + Snapshot Sights ► Having amazing stats and great PVP perks, Gallu RR3 seems like a good choice on paper. However, this sniper hasn’t caught the community’s attention, most likely because of Beloved’s return and the lack of a direct farming method.	Season 17	Slot: Arc \| Ammo: Special \| Archetype: Adaptive PvP God Roll: Steady Hands (also good: No Distractions) + Snapshot Sights
Borealis	Borealis	Sniper Rifle	Exotic	Special	Void	Free-to-Play	Yes	C › Weak	Exotic Engram	Weak ❘ C	Exotic Engram Free-to-Play	Slot: Void \| Ammo: Special \| Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: “Holding changes this weapon’s damage type. Breaking an enemy shield with that shield’s energy type grants bonus damage for the rest of the magazine.” ► You would think that Borealis would succeed now that Match Game is such an important part of endgame content. However, Dead Messenger and Arbalest do a way better job at this, and Borealis has almost nothing else going for it, making it a subpar option.	Season 1	Slot: Void \| Ammo: Special \| Archetype: Exotic Exotic Perk: “Holding changes this weapon’s damage type. Breaking an enemy shield with that shield’s energy type grants bonus damage for the rest of the magazine.”
Omniscient Eye	Omniscient Eye	Sniper Rifle	Rapid-Fire	Special	Solar	Shadowkeep	Yes	C › Weak	Garden of Salvation Raid	Weak ❘ C	Garden of Salvation Raid Shadowkeep	Slot: Solar \| Ammo: Special \| Archetype: Rapid-Fire PvP God Roll: No Distractions + Snapshot Sights ► Omniscient Eye was pretty good for its time but has since fallen to new giants that dominate the current PVP meta. Sure, it’s still a nice sniper that feels good to use, but realistically there’s no reason to choose this over something like Beloved or the 1000 Yard Stare.	Season 8	Slot: Solar \| Ammo: Special \| Archetype: Rapid-Fire PvP God Roll: No Distractions + Snapshot Sights
Distant Tumulus	Distant Tumulus	Sniper Rifle	Rapid-Fire	Special	Solar	Free-to-Play	Yes	C › Weak	Xûr	Weak ❘ C	Xûr Free-to-Play	Slot: Solar \| Ammo: Special \| Archetype: Rapid-Fire PvE God Roll: Clown Cartridge + Firing Line ► Distant Tumulus has an alright perk pool for PVE but falls flat when looking at its competition. Uzume RR4 and IKELOS_SR_v1.0.2 both outclass it pretty easily, and they can also be farmed directly. While Distant Tumulus can be a good beginner PVE sniper, there are better options out there.	Season 10	Slot: Solar \| Ammo: Special \| Archetype: Rapid-Fire PvE God Roll: Clown Cartridge + Firing Line
Tranquility	Tranquility	Sniper Rifle	Adaptive	Special	Kinetic	Free-to-Play	Yes	C › Weak	Moon	Weak ❘ C	Moon Free-to-Play	Slot: Kinetic \| Ammo: Special \| Archetype: Adaptive PvE God Roll: Lead From Gold + Firing Line ► Some reissued weapons, such as Beloved, return even stronger than before. Sadly, this wasn’t the case for Tranquility. While its second perk column can roll with Firing Line or even Snapshot Sights, the first column doesn’t have anything desirable for any piece of content in the game.	Season 14	Slot: Kinetic \| Ammo: Special \| Archetype: Adaptive PvE God Roll: Lead From Gold + Firing Line
Widow’s Bite	Widow’s Bite	Sniper Rifle	Rapid-Fire	Special	Solar	Free-to-Play	Yes	D › Worst	World loot pool	Worst ❘ D	World loot pool Free-to-Play	Slot: Solar \| Ammo: Special \| Archetype: Rapid-Fire PvP God Roll: Firmly Planted + Opening Shot ► When looking at stats alone, Widow’s Bite isn’t too bad. However, when you start looking at its perk columns, you’ll find absolutely nothing remarkable for neither PVE nor PVP. With no damage perks or Snapshot Sights, you’re better off looking for any other sniper on this list.	Season 11	Slot: Solar \| Ammo: Special \| Archetype: Rapid-Fire PvP God Roll: Firmly Planted + Opening Shot

These are the different Tier levels used for our list:

S Tier – Best: Highest ranking weapons in our Tier List.
A Tier – Strong: Very strong weapons, but not on the same level as S Tier Choices.
B Tier – Average: Decent choices that can be lethal in the hands of a skilled player.
C Tier – Weak: The middle of the pack, somewhat mediocre.
D Tier – Worst: Lagging behind the competition, these don’t have much to offer.

More Destiny 2 Tier lists:

Best Destiny 2 Sniper Rifles in 2022

This section not only covers the top Sniper Rifles in the game, it also tells you where you can find them.

PS: This guide covers every weapon source in Destiny 2 and most of the sources below are self-explanatory, but in doubt, you can always leave a comment below or ask away on our Discord server.

Overall, these are our Top 5 favorite Sniper Rifles for PvE and PvP.

5. Succession

Excels in PvE

One of only a few kinetic Aggressive Frame snipers, Succession quickly cemented itself as an S-Tier choice because of its one-of-a-kind perks and great stats.

In PvE, the best roll is Reconstruction + Recombination, which are only available in the Deep Stone Crypt raid. Reconstruction addresses Succession’s main flaw of a small magazine size, while Recombination boosts this sniper’s already high damage. Vorpal Weapon is also a great choice (instead of Recombination) for boss fights with long DPS phases.

Succession’s clean scope, good stats, and great perks also carry it to the top in PvP. With Moving Target or Killing Wind in column one and Snapshot Sights in column two, this weapon competes with great choices like Bite of the Fox and Eye of Sol.

Even though it barely makes the Top 5, there isn’t too much negative to say about Succession. All of the snipers covered in this section are S-Tier choices that won’t let you down, and Succession is no exception.

PvE God roll:

Perk 1: Reconstruction
Perk 2: Recombination (also good: Vorpal Weapon)

How to get it: Succession can be acquired by completing the Deep Stone Crypt raid.

4. Thoughtless

Excels in PvE and PvP

Arguably the most well-rounded kinetic sniper in the game, Thoughtless is great in nearly every scenario and can even out-DPS Izanagi’s Burden.

To make this sniper a beast in PvE, you’ll want to craft a roll that has enhanced Overflow and Firing Line. In combination with Font of Might and a Stasis subclass, these two perks can allow you to pump out absurd DPS. Best of all, you still have your exotic slot available!

Not only that, but Thoughtless can also excel in PvP with its clean scope and Snapshot Sights. Sure, it’s no Eye of Sol, but it can get the job done just fine. It’s also craftable, making it significantly easier to obtain than its competition.

Just like Succession, Thoughtless can excel everywhere if you play your cards right. And with its unique Stasis element, there currently aren’t any other options that can replace it.

PvE God roll:

Perk 1: Overflow
Perk 2: Firing Line (also good: Focused Fury)

PvP God roll:

Perk 1: Firmly Planted (also good: Steady Hands)
Perk 2: Snapshot Sights

How to get it: Thoughtless can be acquired by completing Seasonal activities (PsiOps Battlegrounds) and focusing Umbral engrams.

3. Izanagi’s Burden

Best PvE Sniper in Destiny 2

An insanely popular choice ever since its debut in Black Armory, Izanagi’s Burden is meta to this day, even through all the nerfs.

Because it no longer benefits from reload speed buffs like Lunafaction Boots or Rally Barricade, Izanagi’s is now primarily used for majors and Champions. These enemies require high burst damage as opposed to DPS (which Izanagi’s is significantly worse at because of its long and frequent reloads).

However, as of the writing of this article, a new DPS strategy with Izanagi’s and an auto-loading rocket launcher has become meta. While it’s slightly advanced, this strategy allows you to fire a rocket while your sniper is reloading. It takes a little practice, but once you have the right weapons and experience, you’re able to constantly fire rockets and powerful sniper shots–two things that are balanced through their long, and usually unavoidable, reload animations.

With all of the buffs and nerfs it receives, Izanagi’s Burden’s potential can vary season by season. However, its high burst damage makes it a constantly stellar choice in high-level PvE content and boosts it to #3 on our list.

Exotic Perk: “Holding reload consumes the magazine and loads a round with additional range and damage.”

How to get it: Izanagi’s Burden can be purchased at the Monument to Lost Lights in the Tower.

2. Beloved

Best PvP Sniper in Destiny 2

Arguably the most popular and well-known sniper in Destiny 2, Beloved was introduced back into the game in Season of the Haunted. And while it lacks in PvE, it’s debatably the best legendary sniper we’ve ever seen for The Crucible.

With low zoom, high aim assist, and a clean scope, Beloved feels nice to use right out of the box. Beloved can also roll with tons of great PvP perks, such as Snapshot Sights, Moving Target, and Quickdraw.

Beloved is also craftable and available to free-to-play players, meaning it’s easy to obtain the exact roll you want.

Overall, there isn’t too much to say about Beloved. It’s one of the best feeling snipers in the game and has S-Tier stats and perks, making it a great choice for any PvP player.

PvP God roll:

Perk 1: Snapshot Sights
Perk 2: Moving Target (also good: Quickdraw)

How to get it: Beloved is an Opulent weapon that can be acquired at the Derelict Leviathan.

1. Uzume RR4

Excels in PvE and PvP

Securing the #1 spot on our list is Uzume RR4, potentially the most well-rounded sniper currently in the game.

Beginning with PvE, Uzume can roll with tons of great perks. For the sake of this article, however, we’ll be focusing on one of the more popular combinations: Triple Tap + High-Impact Reserves. Because of the way Triple Tap works, a good handful of your shots will benefit from High-Impact Reserves’ damage increase. And because Uzume is 90RPM, this can excel in both DPS and total damage scenarios, making it great for anything PvE.

Uzume RR4 also has everything that makes a sniper S-Tier in PvP: low zoom, a clean scope, high aim assist, and Snapshot Sights. While its second perk column is lacking, some players do prefer how Uzume feels over Beloved, so we definitely recommend giving both a try!

All in all, Uzume RR4’s great perk selection and above-average stats make it a well-rounded pick that can excel in any situation you put it in.

PvE God roll:

Perk 1: Triple Tap
Perk 2: High-Impact Reserves (also good: Vorpal Weapon)

PvP God roll:

Perk 1: Snapshot Sights
Perk 2: Vorpal Weapon (also good: Explosive Payload)

How to get it: Uzume RR4 can be acquired by completing Nightfall: The Ordeals (the highest difficulties have increased drop rates).

Snipers in PvP: Lethality & TTK

TTK is particularly important in PvP, because the lowest the TTK, the faster you can kill your opponent. You can read all about it in our TTK guide below.

TTK is very important in PvP, because the lowest the TTK, the faster you can kill your opponent. But this only applies to primary weapons. When choosing a Special weapon to bring to the Crucible, you’ll want a weapon that can consistently get you a one-hit kill. Snipers are slowly making a comeback. Partially, because of a few buffs that make them easier to use, but also because shotguns, the most-used Special weapons for PvP, have received a lot of nerfs this year.

For these reasons, Snipers are once again a top choice for PvP.

Snipers in PvE: DPS

DPS is important for PvE, because the higher the DPS, the more damage you can deal to a Boss or Major.

This DPS chart includes the DPS numbers for every weapon in Destiny 2.

Endgame content

Snipers do have a place in endgame content, even if they aren’t the most lethal from a DPS standpoint. The fact they can be used from a distance makes them safer to use than most other Special weapons. In fact, it was this perceived “safety” that pushed Bungie to severely nerf their DPS during the Shadowkeep era.

But even with lower DPS than other weapon types, the best PvE rolls can still dish serious damage to Bosses and Majors. If you’re into high-end PvE, do not sleep on Snipers!

Are Snipers Meta?

How do Snipers compare, in general, with other Special weapons? Are they good in Destiny 2?

The current Meta for PvE

So, are Snipersgood in Destiny 2 PvE? This table summarizes how the several Special weapon types rank against each other in PvE:

The current Meta for PvP

What about PvP? This table summarizes how they rank against each other in PvP:

Your turn

You now know everything there is to know about Snipers in Destiny 2, whether that is for PvP or PvE content.

Destiny 2 Sniper Rifle Tier list

More Destiny 2 Tier lists:

Best Destiny 2 Sniper Rifles in 2022

5. Succession

4. Thoughtless

3. Izanagi’s Burden

<img loading="lazy" class="alignleft wp-image-15102" src="https://www.blueberries.gg/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Vanguard-logo-Destiny-2.png" alt="Vanguard logo Destiny 2" width="45" height="45">Best PvE Sniper in Destiny 2

2. Beloved

<img loading="lazy" class="alignleft wp-image-15100" src="https://www.blueberries.gg/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Crucible-logo-Destiny-2.png" alt="Crucible logo Destiny 2" width="45" height="45">Best PvP Sniper in Destiny 2

1. Uzume RR4

Snipers in PvP: Lethality & TTK

Snipers in PvE: DPS

Endgame content

Are Snipers Meta?

The current Meta for PvE

The current Meta for PvP

Your turn

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Best PvE Sniper in Destiny 2

Best PvP Sniper in Destiny 2