Unleash the Power: Top 19 Trace Rifles You Need in Destiny 2 Right Now!

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In Destiny 2, there’s a wide array of weapon choices, but they aren’t all created equal. The balance in the game can shift due to seasonal updates and the unique characteristics introduced through the seasonal artifact, impacting which weapons prove useful in both Player versus Environment (PvE) and Player versus Player (PvP) scenarios. This pattern hasn’t deviated for the Season of the Lost, as Fusion Rifles have gained prominence, particularly in PvE play.

In the world of Destiny 2, trace rifles are a type of weaponry that sometimes get overlooked by players. These weapons are so scarce that each one belongs to the Exotic category, which can be obtained through quests or random drops from Exotic engrams. Although they might seem somewhat specialized, they are underestimated and possess hidden potential. Some of them even have unexpected capabilities.

Over the past few years, tracing rifles have experienced a significant upgrade, becoming essential in dual special ammo loadouts. During Episode Heresy, several artifact perks were introduced that significantly boosted the power of these laser weapons, until the end of the episode. Consequently, this list has been expanded from its initial eight entries to a comprehensive 19, incorporating the eleven latest additions to the weapon lineup and reevaluating the effectiveness of earlier ranked items.

19. Ruinous Effigy

Exotic Void Special Ammo Trace Rifle

  • How To Get: Buy at Monument to Lost Lights (125,000 Glimmer and 1 Exotic cipher)

The Ruinous Effigy is a trace rifle, originally found in the Shadowkeep DLC expansion for Destiny 2, but the quest to acquire it is now defunct. To get this Exotic weapon, players need to create it using an Exotic cipher. However, despite being introduced, it’s at the bottom of the list when compared to other trace rifles, so it might not be worth the effort.

This weapon can transport enemies into Void Transmutation orbs upon final hits, but it struggles to compete with other trace rifles due to its moderate stats. Its main problem lies in the nerf it received around the time of Beyond Light’s release, making it less popular and somewhat overlooked. Essentially, it doesn’t possess the power that other, superior trace rifles do.

18. Wavesplitter

Exotic Void Special Ammo Trace Rifle

  • How To Get: Exotic engrams and random Exotic world drops

The Wavesplitter is a budget-friendly trace rifle, boasting consistent statistics that outshine the Ruinous Effigy, albeit with questionable additional features. Its Harmonic Laser possesses three power levels, activated when the player maintains trigger pressure. However, other trace rifles may offer more appealing effects in comparison.

Wavesplitter is easier to acquire than the Ruinous Effigy. It may drop at random as an Exotic engram for some players, or Xûr might offer it in one of his weekly Exotic engrams. The Supercharged Battery trait makes this weapon stand out – when charged with Orbs of Power, it deals maximum damage and automatically reloads after being fired.

17. The Navigator

Exotic Strand Special Ammo Trace Rifle

  • How To Get: Randomly dropped by the final boss of the Ghosts of the Deep dungeon

The Navigator weapon offers intrigue, but it might not always impress with its damage output. Instead, it serves best as a utility tool. Fire at an ally to give them Woven Mail, relentlessly shoot an enemy to Sever them, and do this repeatedly to gain the catalyst and special reload, resulting in a Strand grapple tangle being produced.

Besides these particular applications, and the fact that it excels in speed-running strategies, The Navigator often gets outshone by most other options. To fully utilize its potential, players usually need to work together as part of a team.

16. Hollow Denial

Void Adaptive Frame Trace Rifle

  • Best Roll: Lead From Gold and Killing Tally

First introduced in Season 17, Hollow Denial is a weapon that players can craft while pursuing Nightmares. Deepseed variants of this trace rifle are obtainable from the Nightmare Containment activity. However, upon accumulating enough unlocks at the Crown of Sorrow vendor, players can also acquire one free Deepsight version weekly from the seasonal vendor.

The weapon known as Hollow Denial, a Void trace rifle, acquires the Extrovert Origin Trait. It’s highly recommended to build this weapon to unlock certain attractive Enhanced bonuses. To craft it effectively, consider using Projection Fuse, Light Battery, or Tactical Battery. When deciding on your two perks, prioritize either Surplus or Heating Up in the first category, followed by Killing Tally or Wellspring in the second. Adaptive Munitions is also a reliable option.

15. Appetence

Stasis Adaptive Frame Trace Rifle

  • Best Roll: Demolitionist and Headstone

The Appetence stands alone as the sole legendary trace rifle capable of inflicting Stasis damage in the game. However, it primarily serves one purpose – enhancing the potency of Stasis-based gameplay setups. With Demolitionist’s ability to restore grenade energy, this weapon becomes an ideal choice for Warlocks who specialize in a Stasis build centered around Stasis turrets.

Combining Headstone with this ability enhances the accumulation of Stasis, causing crystals to form and freezing areas on the battlefield, aligning well with most Stasis abilities and fragments. However, in terms other than this particular application, Appetence isn’t particularly noteworthy, so many players might choose to disregard it.

14. Path Of Least Resistance

Arc Adaptive Frame Trace Rifle

  • Best Roll: Shoot to Loot and Voltshot

The initial Legendary Trace Rifle, known as Path of Least Resistance, came equipped with an Arc-focused ability called Voltshot. With this ability, the weapon discharges Arc shockwaves to nearby enemies when reloaded after a kill. This creates a chain reaction of lightning bolts across the battlefield, causing significant damage to wide areas.

Although this weapon packs quite a punch, it has started to lose popularity among users who prefer the more recent Arc trace rifles equipped with Jolting Feedback. This feature serves the same purpose as Voltshot without requiring a kill or reload. As such, while Path of Least Resistance remains a solid choice for those capable of crafting it (or lack alternatives), it rapidly becomes less competitive compared to its Arc trace rifle counterparts.

13. Retraced Path

Solar Adaptive Frame Trace Rifle

  • Best Roll: Shoot To Loot or Subsistence and Incandescent

For this Solar trace rifle, players should aim to obtain specific rolls. The barrel can be either Projection Fuse or Tactical Battery. Next, consider Shoot to Loot or Subsistence as your magazine perk. Lastly, for the final slot, Incandescent or Demolitionist work well. This weapon is primarily designed for PVE gameplay, but due to the current weak state of trace rifles in general, it may not see much use even within that context.

Starting from Season 18, you can craft the Retraced Path trace rifle once you’ve gathered sufficient patterns from Deepsights located within Dares of Eternity. This weapon now includes impressive Enhanced abilities such as Incandescent and Focused Fury, in addition to some previously mentioned perks. It complements Solar builds that emphasize Incandescent, but its role in Season 18’s meta is relatively limited.

12. Prometheus Lens

Exotic Solar Special Ammo Trace Rifle

  • How To Get: Exotic engrams and random Exotic world drops

As a gamer, I might find it surprising to see the Prometheus Lens ranked so high among the exotic weapons, given its apparent commonness. Just like the Wavesplitter, it could pop up as an Exotic engram after a random drop or from Xûr’s special weekly stash. Compared to some other guns on this list, it’s relatively easy to come by, earning it an average spot. However, while it’s seen some specific use in PVP, like many trace rifles, it’s largely ineffective in challenging PVE and PVP content.

From a dedicated fan’s perspective, I’d say the Prometheus Lens is often overlooked, yet it packs quite a punch. Its unique Prismatic Inferno ability lets it dish out Solar damage through its stream, making it a valuable asset. The stats may not be top-tier, but its Solar beam gives it an edge over some other weapons due to its versatility. The Flame Refraction trait is a game-changer for the Prometheus Lens; every kill you score boosts your ammo count, enabling you to keep enemies at bay with that powerful beam for longer periods.

11. Acasia’s Dejection

Solar Adaptive Frame Trace Rifle

  • Best Roll: Reconstruction or Rewind Rounds and Incandescent or Target Lock

Acasia’s Despair serves as another Solar trace rifle alternative, obtainable from the Root of Nightmares raid. With a suitable configuration, this weapon performs similarly to a legendary Prometheus Lens, allowing you to utilize an exotic slot for something even more potent. Although some players may find acquiring this weapon challenging, it’s definitely worth crafting if you can participate in raids.

As a gamer, I’ve found that this weapon truly shines with the perks Reconstruction and Rewind Round. The former keeps my ammo supply endless, while the latter is like an instant reload. If I’m in a situation where solar damage is beneficial, Incandescent is a great choice for those explosive Solar bursts and crowd control. But when precision counts, Target Lock provides massive single-target damage. No matter which combo I pick, I can confidently say it’ll make quick work of enemies at any level.

10. Incisor

Strand Adaptive Frame Trace Rifle

  • Best Roll: Slice or Subsistence and Hatchling or Killing Tally

Upon its debut, this weapon generated ripples as the initial trace rifle inflicting Strand damage, boasting perks that seamlessly fit into any Strand-focused setup. The Slice and Hatchling abilities scatter Sever and Threadlings across the battlefield, synergizing effectively with numerous Strand build cycles.

In a more conventional damage system, the Subsistence and Killing Tally attribute gives this weapon a substantial damage boost, which it can sustain over time. Although Incisor remains a good weapon, another Strand weapon has taken its place as the top choice in Episode Heresy. Nevertheless, for players who lean towards PvP gameplay, Incisor is an excellent weapon to pursue.

9. Chronophage

Void Adaptive Frame Trace Rifle

  • Best Roll: Repulsor Brace and Destabilizing Rounds

In much the same way that numerous widely-used Void weapons do, Chronophage boasts an effective pairing of Repulsor Brace and Destabilizing Rounds. This causes unstable elements to disperse across the battlefield upon kills, benefiting Void subclasses as well as a number of episodic artifact mods. As a result, it tends to make quick work of most game content.

Using the Repulsor Brace alongside this item grants the user a Void shield whenever they eliminate an enemy with a Void debuff. This makes it an incredible tool for swiftly defeating enemies and a valuable asset to enhance survivability in tougher content. There’s not much to criticize, as the weapon can either be crafted or acquired from Episode Echoes activities.

8. Coldheart

Exotic Arc Special Ammo Trace Rifle

  • How To Get: Exotic engrams, and Exotic world drops

Individuals who initially secured a pre-purchase for Destiny 2 may recall Coldheart as one of the bonus items from their pre-order. Now might be the perfect moment to bring it out, as it’s actually quite an effective weapon. Its statistics are well-balanced, but its inherent ability, Cold Fusion, is truly something special.

The extended winter attribute of Coldheart significantly boosts its effectiveness and power due to its ability to substantially increase damage over time when players focus on the same target. This makes Coldheart exceptionally effective for Player vs Environment (PVE) situations, particularly when it comes to taking down minor bosses. It can also be useful in Player vs Player (PVP), although this depends on a player’s individual playstyle. However, given current circumstances, it is unlikely that Coldheart will be widely used in any meta until there are improvements made to trace rifles as a whole.

7. Warlord’s Spear

Arc Adaptive Frame Trace Rifle

  • Best Roll: Rewind Rounds or High-Impact Reserves and Jolting Feedback or Detonator Beam

In the game, one exceptional legendary Arc trace rifle is the Warlord’s Spear, added to the Iron Banner loot collection during Episode Heresy. Essentially, it’s an upgraded version of Path of Least Resistance. Two standout features make it shine: Rewind Rounds continuously restore ammo, or High-Impact Reserves increase damage as the magazine depletes, allowing Warlord’s Spear to exhaust its ammunition with minimal reloading.

As a fan, I’d say: With the added power of Shocking Response (Jolting Feedback), Warlord’s Spear transforms into a formidable tool for any level of gameplay. If a player is looking for an alternative for crowd control, they can also use the Detonator Beam. However, given its impressive capabilities with Jolting Feedback, it’s hard to resist grabbing one.

6. Keraunios

Arc Adaptive Frame Trace Rifle

  • Best Roll: Recycled Battery or Overflow and Jolting Feedback or Rolling Storm

The newly introduced Keraunios has joined the arsenal of weapons in Guardian Games, making it a desirable yet challenging acquisition. For those who prefer alternatives to Iron Banner’s Warlord’s Spear, this could be an appealing replacement. Equipped with capabilities similar to Recycled Battery and Rolling Storm, this weapon serves as a handy utility item, expediting ability cooldown and triggering Bolt Charge.

To make it useful for a wider range of situations, Overflow and Jolting Feedback mimic the effect of Warlord’s Spear’s optimal roll, disseminating Arc damage across the combat zone and causing the magazine to overflow.

5. Ager’s Scepter

Exotic Stasis Special Ammo Trace Rifle

  • How To Get: Buy at Monument to Lost Lights (125,000 Glimmer and 1 Exotic Cipher)

In the Season of Lost, Mara Sov’s covert weapon, Ager’s Scepter, became highly sought after and was soon ranked among the best new weapons in the game. Since its original source has been vaulted, players can now purchase it from the exotic kiosk located in The Tower. Obtaining its catalyst requires participating in playlist activities.

The distinct quality of Ager’s Scepter lies in its classification as a Kinetic weapon, unlike other Trace Rifles which are categorized as Energy weapons. This weapon excels across all stats, and its perk, Ager’s Call, detonates targets and inflicts damage within a limited area of impact, making it particularly effective against groups of enemies. The catalyst for this weapon has shown to be potent; players can exchange their Super energy to charge the Scepter, granting it the ability to not only explode but also freeze and slow down targets, similar to Stasis. Ager’s Scepter complements Stasis builds well, even though Trace Rifles have a somewhat limited role in the current meta.

4. Lodestar

Exotic Arc Primary Ammo Trace Rifle

  • How To Get: Available from the Episode Heresy season pass

In this game, Lodestar stands out as the sole trace rifle that operates using regular ammo. Moreover, when you peer through its sights, it behaves like a pulse rifle, discharging in quick bursts. As you inflict damage with Lodestar, it accumulates energy in a charge meter. Once this meter is fully charged, you can use the energy to electrify enemies upon impact for a specified duration.

Using Lodestar as your catalyst, you’ll notice improvements in reload speed, aim assistance, and movement while aiming when the weapon is amplified. This enhancement makes the weapon feel even more satisfying to use. Although it may not be the most powerful weapon on this list, it stands out due to its uniqueness and entertainment factor. It’s a versatile choice that all players can enjoy without any cost.

3. Divinity

Exotic Arc Special Ammo Trace Rifle

  • How To Get: Secret quest in Shadowkeep DLC and Garden of Salvation raid.

Without a shadow of a doubt, Divinity reigns supreme among all trace rifles. Its statistics are nothing short of impressive, considering it is unlocked from one of the raids in Destiny 2, specifically the Garden of Salvation featured in the Shadowkeep DLC. The inherent perk, Judgment, is a classic one. Enemies hit by it become vulnerable, as Divinity generates a field around them that causes interference. When coupled with the Penance trait, these enemies will also sustain additional damage while within the area of interference.

This rifle is undeniably among the top choices in this collection. To acquire it, gamers must first locate the Vex portal on the moon, defeat the boss emerging from it, and follow clues across Nessus. Once there, they will need to complete a series of six-player puzzles within the raid to ultimately unlock the Divinity at the final chest.

2. Microcosm

Exotic Kinetic Heavy Ammo Trace Rifle

  • How To Get: Found through an exotic quest in The Pale Heart

The Microcosm is a unique weapon, being the sole trace rifle in the game that relies on heavy ammunition, reminiscent of the original resource management system in Destiny 2. This weapon packs quite a punch, inflicting massive damage on both bosses and common foes.

In simpler terms, the Microcosm possesses a unique feature where it boosts super energy for final attacks and continues to inflict enhanced damage even after the player’s super ability runs out. With the artifact bonuses offered in Episode Heresy, the Microcosm has become a common choice among players, especially for challenging endgame boss fights.

1. Unsworn

Strand Adaptive Frame Trace Rifle

  • Best Roll: Rewind Rounds or Tear and Detonator Beam or Hatchling

Ever since its debut alongside the Sundered Doctrine dungeon, Unsworn has swiftly climbed many players’ preferred lists of trace rifles due to several notable factors. For starters, it is among the rare legendary Strand trace rifles. Additionally, its unique trait makes it the sole trace rifle in the game capable of employing explosive rounds, and more importantly, draining stronger enemies. Lastly, it boasts two highly effective rolls tailored for distinct game scenarios.

The primary build for this trace rifle is Rewind Rounds and Detonator Beam, transforming it into a versatile tool effective in most game content and various situations, whether focusing on single target damage or large-scale crowd control. The alternative build features Tear and Hatchling, mirroring the role of Incisor within Strand builds. Regardless of the choice, this trace rifle is an essential item for any player’s collection.

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2025-03-27 07:04