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Sniper Rifles have had an up-and-down history throughout Destiny 2. In some Seasons, they’re the king of DPS, and until now, they’ve been the least-used weapon in PvE activities. It’s no secret that they desperately need a huge buff to make them viable again. Until then, we can discuss the ten best Sniper Rifles for both PvE and PvP before Season of the Deep begins in Destiny 2.
Best Sniper Rifles for PvE in Destiny 2 (Season of Defiance)
| Sniper Rifle | How to Obtain | Drop Rate |
| Ikelos Sniper Rifle | Obtained from decrypting Prime Engrams. | Not Guaranteed |
| Uzume | Obtained from purchasing from Zavala. | Guaranteed |
| Supremacy | Obtained from completing encounters in the Last Wish Raid. | Not Guaranteed |
| Thoughtless | Obtained from decrypting Prime Engrams. | Not Guaranteed |
| Cloudstrike | Obtained by purchasing from Exotic Kiosk. | Guaranteed |
| Izanagi’s Burden | Obtained by purchasing from Exotic Kiosk. | Guaranteed |
| Whisper of the Worm | Obtained by purchasing from Exotic Kiosk. | Guaranteed |
| Adored | Obtained from decrypting Prime Engrams. | Not Guaranteed |
| Volta Bracket | Obtained from completing activities on Neomuna. | Not Guaranteed |
| Irukandiji | Obtained from decrypting Prime Engrams. | Not Guaranteed |
Unfortunately, Snipers in PvE are simply not worth using due to their low damage output. They were nerfed back when the Beyond Light DLC was released back in late 2020 and have yet to make it back to the meta since. That said, each can still put in some solid work with the proper setups.
For boss DPS, Whisper of the Worm, Izanagi’s Burden, and Uzume are all top-tier choices to damage a boss from long ranges. Cloudstrike can also be a solid option with a proper Arc build.
Volta Bracket is the first Strand Sniper Rifle introduced to the game, and while it doesn’t have a great perk pool, it does have access to the Hatchling perk, making it a decent option for a Strand Warlock build.
Overall, Sniper Rifles in PvE are a shadow of their former selves unless Bungie gives them a massive buff going into Season of the Deep.
Related:
Destiny 2: Best Scout Rifles For PvE & PvP (Season of Defiance)
Best Sniper Rifles for PvP in Destiny 2 (Season of Defiance)
| Sniper Rifle | How to Obtain | Drop Rate |
| 1000 Yard Stare | Obtained from completing encounters in the Grasp of Avarice Dungeon. | Not Guaranteed |
| Uzume | Obtained from purchasing from Zavala. | Guaranteed |
| Supremacy | Obtained from completing encounters in the Last Wish Raid. | Not Guaranteed |
| Eye of Sol | Obtained from completing matches of Trials of Osiris. | Not Guaranteed |
| Cloudstrike | Obtained by purchasing from Exotic Kiosk. | Guaranteed |
| Mechabre | Obtained by completing Festival of the Lost activities. | Not Guaranteed |
| Frozen Orbit | Obtained by completing matches of PvP. | Not Guaranteed |
| Adored | Obtained from decrypting Prime Engrams. | Not Guaranteed |
| Beloved | Obtained from decrypting Prime Engrams. | Not Guaranteed |
| Occluded Finality | Obtained from completing matches of Iron Banner. | Not Guaranteed |
When it comes to Sniper Rifles in PvP, it all comes down to skill; there’s no other way to sugarcoat it. Of course, there are plenty of options to choose from to ensure the player hits their shot.
The fan-favorite Destiny 1 Sniper, 1000 Yard Stare, is a great starting option for those getting into sniping, as its perk pool is very flexible and easy to use. Frozen Orbit and Adored are excellent alternatives as they’re essentially a carbon copy of the 1000 Yard stare but with different perks.
Returning for the first time in multiple Seasons, the Occluded Finality has been updated with a more modern perk pool and has been quickly rising the ranks in usage throughout the Season.
The Exotic Cloudstrike is far and away the best Sniper Rifle to use in PvP in the current sandbox, as the ability to secure multiple kills in a single shot is crucial in endgame activities like Trials of Osiris. That said, there’s always a catch, as the gun handling is much worse than something like 1000 Yard Stare or Beloved, which both have excellent handling and ease of use. To put it in simple terms, Cloudstrike is the “Get Good” gun, where a player who becomes good with it will be rewarded with multiple kills in one shot.
Overall, Snipers are in a solid spot in PvP, as they’re arguably the only gun in the game where a player needs a certain amount of skill to use them efficiently and correctly. Hopefully, we’ll get more on the PvE side of things to shake the list up when Season of the Deep comes to a close later this summer.
