The PvP of Destiny 2 puts you against other players in a Crucible of skill, making Sniper Rifles, with the potential to one-shot opponents, some of the best weapons to wield. Single-firing guns that deal high damage, Snipers are notorious for their ability to take out anyone at long range. In PvP, these weapons can be hard to master against fast-moving players, but the reward for getting headshots could turn the tide in any battle.
The Sniper Rifles available in Destiny 2 are delicate instruments with vastly different handling and recoil that make even two Exotics feel unique from each other. Various perks make every Rifle finely tuned, so it may take time to find the specific gun that fits your playstyle best. Unlike Shotguns or Pulse Rifles, which have built-in strengths that are simple to understand, Sniper Rifles are complex beasts whose power ties directly to your comfort with the gun.
7 Adored
- How To Unlock: Decrypting Prime Engrams (Not Guaranteed)
An altered version of the Beloved Sniper Rifle, the Adored, was added to Destiny 2 along with the Beyond Light expansion as a weapon with a fixed perk pool that is great for PvP. Sporting moderate range but incredibly high impact damage, this gun comes equipped with the Adaptive Frame trait. A Legendary Intrinsic, this feature gives you a better grip on the Adored, allowing for a well-rounded control that is reliable in combat.
The best traits to get in a roll for this Sniper are Killing Wind and Snapshot Sights to increase the weapon's overall mobility. Other traits such as Triple Tap are also useful, rewarding you for landing precision hits by returning a round into the ittedly small magazine of the Adored. Sniper Rifles have great power but are sometimes slow and have heavy recoil, which the Adored has better improvements to in Destiny 2.
6 Gallu RR3
- How To Unlock: Dropped from the World Drop weapon pool from Legendary Engrams (Not Guaranteed)
The Gallu RR3 Sniper Rifle in Destiny 2 also has an Adaptive Frame like the Adored, but this weapon has perks from its possible God Roll that make it even more potent in PvP. A Fluted Barrel gives this gun far better Stability and Handling than any other Sniper, which pairs well with a fairly quick Reload Speed. Considering how long it takes to reload other Sniper Rifles, the Gallu RR3 stands out from the rest.
One of the main draws to the Gallu RR3 is how it deals Arc damage whenever it fires in Destiny 2, similar to the Beloved mentioned earlier. However, this Sniper has a far more balanced spread of options during a roll, making it reliable and less risky. Many Sniper Rifles offer either the longest range or highest damage, but only by sacrificing speed or handling, so this weapon provides a comfortable middle ground.
5 The Bite of the Fox
- How To Unlock: Participate in Iron Banner Matches and Decrypt Iron Engrams (Not Guaranteed)
Precision makes up the core of The Bite of the Fox, one of the Sniper Rifles that deals the highest damage in Destiny 2 to easily one-shot enemy Guardians in Crucible matches. As part of the Lightfall expansion in Season 20, this weapon was first seen as early as Season 4. A rework significantly improved this gun, adding far better perks in its drop rotation that make up for its original weaknesses.
The Bite of the Fox has an Aggressive Frame Intrinsic, giving it even bigger damage but a noticeable increase in its recoil. Already firing at an impressive Range, you should seek an Extended Mag to have even more of these powerful shots at your disposal in PvP matches. A Fluted Barrel is almost necessary in Destiny 2 to fully realize this Sniper's potential since that attachment bolsters both Stability and Handling a lot.
4 Eye of Sol
- How To Unlock: Complete Matches in Trials of Osiris (Not Guaranteed)
The Eye of Sol offers a new approach to Sniper Rifles in Destiny 2 by prioritizing Reload Speed and incredibly high Stability. This gives players more opportunities to prepare and fire consistent shots over a short period, with above-average damage to score tons of kills. A Tactical Mag boosts this strategy further with even higher Reload Speed, while the Surplus trait boosts several stats for each ability you keep fully charged.
3 Mechabre
- How To Unlock: Complete Festival of the Lost Activities (Not Guaranteed)
Not everyone will have access to the Mechabre Sniper Rifle in Destiny 2 since it was part of a limited event, but those who own this weapon will have an extraordinarily accurate gun for PvP. Similarly to the Bite of the Fox, Mechabre has an Aggressive Frame that trades higher recoil for hefty damage. Perks like Opening Shot are where this Sniper shines, though, giving you a considerable boost to Range and Accuracy when you first fire.
Again, a Fluted Barrel is a must-have with Mechabre, and an Extended Mag to give you more shots to work with. However, a key trait of this Sniper is the Auto-Loading Holster, which automatically reloads the weapon when it's holstered after a short time. This allows you to easily switch from a fully loaded Mechabre into an Opening Shot that can be a devastating first strike against an enemy team in Destiny 2.
2 1000 Yard Stare
- How To Unlock: Finish Encounters seen in the Grasp of Avarice Dungeon (Not Guaranteed)
Since so many Sniper Rifles usually try to play into one core strength, a weapon like 1000 Yard Stare is a welcome all-rounder that is versatile enough to do just about anything. Even without perks, this gun has scores for Range, Stability, and Handling that are far beyond other Snipers in Destiny 2. Adding a Fluted Barrel from a good roll and a Tactical Mag to boost Reload Speed makes this an excellent pick for PvP.
1 Cloudstrike
- How To Unlock: Purchase from the Exotic Kiosk (Guaranteed)
The Exotic Sniper Rifle Cloudstrike in Destiny 2 is simply the best in the game due to its ability to take out multiple targets in a single shot. The Exotic PerksStormbringer and Mortal Polarity have additional effects when you land precision hits or final blows onto opponents. Strombringer creates a lightning storm at the point of impact, while Mortal Polarity causes a lightning bolt to form at your target's location.
This weapon already has fantastic Stability, Handling, and a larger magazine than most Snipers. With a Hand-Laid Stock, you can get even more Stability to make Cloudstrike perhaps the best Sniper Rifle in Destiny 2 from how reliable it can be in PvP.
