Hand cannons are one of the most popular weapon types in Destiny 2. It’s nearly impossible to walk into a Crucible match where a player isn’t using one, and they are also extremely versatile in PvE. These weapons are among the highest-damaging primaries in the game—it’s easy to see their appeal.
The best hand cannons in PvE should have perks that can clear adds quickly, but also deal respectable damage to majors. The add-clear part often comes in the form of elemental Synergy, with perks like Incandescent and Destabilizing Rounds.
Here are the very best hand cannons in Destiny 2 for PvE.
7 best PvE hand cannons in Destiny 2
Fatebringer
The classic Fatebringer is an all-around fantastic 140 RPM Kinetic hand cannon. You can farm it from Vault of Glass and collect the pattern for it, or get the Timelost version from the Templar encounter challenge on Master difficulty.
Fatebringer can roll perks like Kinetic Tremors or Explosive Payload in the third column, and One for All or Firefly in the fourth column. Whether you want to clear adds quickly or have to deal with spongier enemies at higher Power levels, Fatebringer has it all.
An honorable mention goes to Midnight Coup. It’s a very similar hand cannon that can roll Firefly with One for All, something Fatebringer can’t do. Unfortunately, the only way to get Midnight Coup after the launch of The Edge of Fate is by waiting until Xûr sells it during the weekend.
Exalted Truth
Exalted Truth got reprised during Episode Heresy, and it’s the best 140 RPM Void hand cannon in Destiny 2, beating Ancient Gospel from Garden of Salvation. You can pick it up from Trials of Osiris, so there’s some PvP grind included, but with the latest changes, going to the Lighthouse and getting a few copies is easier than ever.
The PvE rolls you should be looking for on Exalted Truth include Destabilizing Rounds with Repulsor Brace, Destabilizing Rounds with One for All, and Demoralize with Repulsor Brace. All of these combinations are extremely potent on their own and in conjunction with the Void subclass.
Zaouli’s Bane
Zaouli’s Bane is one of the best Solar hand cannons in Destiny 2. It comes from the King’s Fall raid, and can roll Explosive Payload with Incandescent, giving it both high single-target damage and AoE. It’s the roll you should be using on this weapon, and it’s also craftable, so getting it shouldn’t be a problem.
Unloved
Representing Strand, Unloved from the Sundered Doctrine dungeon, easily takes one of the top spots in the meta. While the Heavy Burst archetype may not be everyone’s favorite, the Subjugation Origin Trait is one of the best in the game. Subjugation grants the weapon an intrinsic Explosive Payload against weaker enemies and reduces the outgoing damage of stronger enemies.
As for the perk combinations, you can go for Dragonfly or Hatchling in the third column, and Paracausal Affinity in the fourth. This gives the weapon AoE damage and a 20 percent damage buff when you kill an enemy with it.
Agape
Agape is the first Solar Heavy Burst hand cannon in Destiny 2. Introduced in The Edge of Fate expansion, it’s the only hand cannon in this list that is a part of the new loot tier system. This means you can increase your Power and grind the Kepler destination to get a Tier 5 version, with enhanced perks in every column, Origin Trait, and even the mod slot.
The weapon has all the best Solar perks in the game, including Heal Clip, Incandescent, and the new addition, Burning Ambition. Hunters with Lucky Pants might also look for a Rewind Rounds and Vorpal Weapon roll.
Graviton Spike
Graviton Spike is an Exotic hand cannon from The Edge of Fate expansion, and is the second 150 RPM hand cannon in Destiny 2. This weapon can swap between Arc and Stasis elements, overcharging the other one while dealing damage and getting kills.
Because Graviton Spike is a craftable Exotic, you can unlock intrinsic upgrades and powerful Catalysts that’ll make the weapon even better than it already is.
Sunshot
The undeniable king of hand cannons is Sunshot. It’s also a 150 RPM hand cannon with the Exotic Perk, Sun Blast. Sun Blast is similar to Incandescent (also makes targets explode and spreads scorch on kills), but with a little more boom to it. It’s a go-to choice for any high-end activity that requires a Solar primary weapon.
