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One of the most acclaimed features of Destiny 2 is its gunplay. Within the game’s PVP sandbox, the most critical aspect is that there are guns to shoot and many of them feel great to shoot thanks to Bungie’s attention to design. A class of weapons that gets a lot of field time is shotguns. There is a large variety in the game but some shine more than others. Here are the best shotguns for PVP in Destiny 2.
Updated on October 29, 2022, by Anastasia Maillot: Shotguns aren’t in the strongest position in Destiny 2’s PVP meta as of season 18 and the year of The Witch Queen overall. Although some outliers like Lord of Wolves have raised their heads, recent Trials Reports show that shotguns are only the second most popular Special ammo weapon in Trials of Osiris. This change goes hand in hand with the introduction of powerful 3.0 subclasses and an ability-spam meta, as well as the reduction of airborne accuracy of most weapons in the game. All that being said, shotguns can still work wonderfully in the right hands, especially when paired with Arc 3.0’s close-range melee gameplay. Here are the best shotguns in Destiny 2 for PVP players.
12 Mindbender’s Ambition
Currently available as a Nightfall Adept weapon, Mindbender’s Ambition is a solid Solar shotgun with some interesting perks for PVP in particular. It pairs well with Solar 3.0 PVP builds, so those who like to play with fire and up close and personal should consider getting this shotgun.
Threat Detector and Swashbuckler are great perks, but it can also come with Slideways and One-Two Punch, both of which have great synergy with most PVP builds. For the barrel, look for Full Choke, Smallbore, or Barrel Shroud, and for the magazine look for Accurized Rounds.
11 Wastelander M5
The Wastelander M5 is probably one of the strongest Legendary shotguns right now. It’s a Kinetic weapon found in the first slot, which conveniently leaves the Energy weapon slot free for a ton of great PVP options. Indeed, the fact that it’s as strong as it is and found in the Kinetic slot is already a huge advantage.
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On top of that Wastelander M5 can now be crafted. It’s a Dares of Eternity weapon that can be unlocked through rewards from Xur’s Treasure Hoard. Crafting it allows access to those juicy Enhanced Perks. Players can go for Slideshot in the first column and One-Two Punch or Opening Shot in the second. For barrel and magazine, Smallbore and Full Choke are favorites, paired with Accurized Rounds for that extra range.
Wastelander M5 also comes with a new origin trait called Hot Swap now, which buffs the player’s handling whenever they’re damaged. This is a huge boon in any Crucible game mode.
10 The Inquisitor
A newcomer in the Trials of Osiris weapon pool, the Inquisitor made some waves in the community during season 18. It’s a Pinpoint Slug Frame, which means precision is key and it might take some getting used to at first, but once unleashed, the Inquisitor packs quite a punch thanks to its incredible stats.
Slideshot should be in the first column, and the second column comes with Opening Shot for that first boost of range and accuracy in a duel. Accurized Rounds is the magazine for choice for some extra range, and for barrel, go for long-time favorites like Smallbore or Fluted Barrel.
9 Duality
The Duality exotic shotgun arrived during the Season of the Hunt in Destiny 2. Its exotic perk “compression chamber” allows the weapon to fire a single slug projectile when aiming down the site or a close-spread pellet projectile when hip-firing.
The Duality is a solar damage weapon and benefits from the On Black Wings perk, which provides a stacking bonus to precision damage and reload speed from pellet projectile final blows. Final blows with the slug projectile from the weapon extend the duration of the buff. The Duality shotgun can be purchased from the exotic kiosk by using an exotic cipher obtained from Xur.
8 Riiswalker
Integrated during Destiny 2’s Season of the Splicer, the Riiswalker is a legendary shotgun belonging to the lightweight frame archetype. Riiswalker is an Iron Banner weapon that can only be obtained through competing in the Iron Banner event as a random drop or completing the third step of the Iron Banner quest line.
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Perks like Slideways and Eye of the Storm considerably improve the weapon’s performance, making it more than a decent weapon to take into the Crucible. While the Riiswalker is not overly exceptional in any field when compared to other shotguns in Destiny 2’s sandbox, it is more than reliable and easy to obtain.
7 Xenoclast IV
The Xenoclast IV is perhaps the most accessible weapon to obtain on this list. A member of the Lightweight frame archetype of shotguns, the Xenoclast is a high-impact weapon with a wide range of perks available for the perfect partner in crime.
Dual perks like Smallbore, which boosts range and stability, paired with Unrelenting, which regenerates health after defeating opponents, rapidly make it a strong support when mixing it up against guardians with shotguns of their own and sidearms. The Xenoclast IV can be obtained from Strikes and rank-up rewards from Zavala at the tower.
6 The Heritage
The Heritage shotgun is a high-performance weapon inside Destiny 2’s PVP content. It is a kinetic shotgun belonging to the pinpoint slug frame archetype. The Heritage shines with its excellent range and handling, complementing high-speed movement and run-and-gun tactics. Matched with special perks such as Corkscrew Rifling and Reconstruction, the Heritage is a top-tier shotgun worthy of praise.
Unfortunately, the Heritage is difficult to farm as it only drops from the Deep Stone Crypt raid. Players must have the Beyond Light campaign, reach the designated light level, and party with five other players for a chance at the weapon.
5 Found Verdict
Found Verdict is a legacy weapon from the original Destiny game that dropped in the Vault of Glass raid. Bungie has recently re-released the raid into Destiny 2, and with it, the weapons and armor that drop as the raid’s rewards. Found Verdict is an aggressive frame shotgun that deals arc damage. The weapon excels with its incredibly high-impact stats.
Additionally, players can obtain several perk combinations such as Slideshot and Accurized Rounds for maximum performance. However, like the Heritage shotgun, players can only obtain Found Verdict from the legendary Vault of Glass raid by grouping with other players and having a bit of luck. For an even stronger version, players should attempt to get the Timelost version of Found Verdict, which is available in the Master version of Vault of Glass.
4 Lord Of Wolves
The Lord of Wolves is an unconventional shotgun in Destiny 2. This exotic weapon does not fire slugs or pellets like most shotguns in the game. Instead, the Lord of Wolves fires in short bursts similar to pulse rifles.
The weapons perk, Shrapnel Launcher, pelts players with high solar damage, which can be boosted with its second perk, “Release the Wolves,” which extends the range, boosts the damage and increases the hits of each burst. The Lord of Wolves shotgun is a random drop within Destiny 2 but can be purchased from Xur via an exotic engram.
3 Matador 64
Another legacy weapon returning from Destiny 1, Matador 64, is a precision frame shotgun that is highly popular among veteran and new light players alike. The weapon is praised for its accuracy and high-impact stats that are highly effective in PVP modes.
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The weapon can roll with several high-performance perks. Favorites among players are Perpetual Motion for increased range and Harmony for a reasonable damage boost from final blows with the weapon. Matador 64 is a legendary drop of the Grasp of Avarice Destiny 2 dungeon. While this dungeon can be soloed, it is recommended to attempt with a Fireteam.
2 Felwinter’s Lie
Felwinter’s Lie is another popular shotgun that dominated PVP in Destiny 1 and reclaimed its glory when it was ported to Destiny 2. Felwinter’s Lie belongs to the rare shot package archetype of shotgun and is famous for its amount of impact, specializing in one-shot kill potential dealing solar damage.
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Felwinter’s Lie is a perfect companion with a run-and-gun play style or a solid secondary option for most players in the Crucible. Originally, Felwinter’s was only available via an exotic quest line, it has since been moved to the exotic kiosk where it can be purchased with an exotic cipher.
1 The Chaperone
The Chaperone shotgun stands at the apex of all shotguns, being the best in slot overall in a guardian’s loadout. The Chaperone shotgun is a precision slug archetype shotgun known for its massive precision damage numbers and range. With the most range of all shotguns in the game, the Chaperone can boost its capabilities even higher with its perk “The Roadhorn,” which increases range, handling, and damage after a final blow.
The Chaperone comes with Accurized Rounds and Hand-Laid Stock, boosting its accuracy even higher and making it the perfect partner for mixing it up mid to close range. The Chaperone can be obtained as a random exotic drop or purchased from Xur.
Destiny 2 is available on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Google Stadia.
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