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Hand Cannons have sat at the top of the food chain of weapons for the large majority of Destiny 2’s lifespan. With a new Season of the game coming very soon, we’ll likely see a new shift in the meta. However, until then, we can discuss the best of the bunch for PvE and PvP content before Season of the Deep arrives. That said, it’s time to discuss the current ten best Hand Cannons for PvE and PvP in Destiny 2.
Best Hand Cannons For PvE In Destiny 2 (Season of Defiance)
Hand Cannon | How To Obtain | Drop Rate |
Zaouli’s Bane | Obtained from completing encounters in the King’s Fall Raid. | Not Guaranteed |
Fatebringer | Obtained from completing encounters in the Vault of Glass Raid. | Not Guaranteed |
Round Robin | Obtained from completing activities on Neomuna. | Not Guaranteed |
Posterity | Obtained from completing encounters in the Deep Stone Crypt Raid. | Not Guaranteed |
Eriana’s Vow | Obtained by purchasing from Exotic Kiosk. | Guaranteed |
Sunshot | Obtained by purchasing from Exotic Kiosk. | Guaranteed |
Crimson | Obtained by purchasing from Exotic Kiosk. | Guaranteed |
Nation of Beasts | Obtained from completing encounters in the Last Wish Raid. | Not Guaranteed |
Seventh Seraph Office Revolver | Obtained from completing encounters in the Spire of the Watcher Dungeon. | Not Guaranteed |
Lumina | Obtained by purchasing from Exotic Kiosk. | Guaranteed |
Hand Cannons are in a great spot in the current PvE sandbox. All of the weapons mentioned above can help a team in the proper setups. The problem right now is the need for more variety for PvE versions, as the majority of Hand Cannons are used for PvP. That said, the ones we have are still mighty.
Introduced as the first Legendary Strand Hand Cannon, the Round Robin is a solid option for Strand builds specializing in creating Threadlings. A Warlock should prioritize grinding this weapon out, as they are the best class at easily creating Threadlings.
Otherwise, the list has mostly stayed the same since Season of the Seraph, as only two Hand Cannons were brought in with Season of Defiance and the Lightfall DLC.
Top-tier options like Zaouli’s Bane or Fatebringer will still do the job in nearly all PvE content with minimal issues.
All of the Exotic Hand Cannons are great for average PvE content like Seasonal activities or Strikes but aren’t recommended for endgame grinds like Raids or Nightfalls (except Eriana’s Vow).
Hopefully, Season of the Deep will add more viable options for PvE, as a change in the list is desperately needed to keep things fresh.
Best Hand Cannons For PvP In Destiny 2 (Season of Defiance)
Hand Cannon | How To Obtain | Drop Rate |
Austringer | Obtained from purchasing from the Gunsmith or decrypting Gunsmith Engrams. | Not Guaranteed |
Fatebringer | Obtained from completing encounters in the Vault of Glass Raid. | Not Guaranteed |
Round Robin | Obtained from completing activities on Neomuna. | Not Guaranteed |
Eyasluna | Obtained from completing encounters in the Grasp of Avarice Dungeon. | Not Guaranteed |
Hawkmoon | Obtained by purchasing from Xur with Exotic Cipher. | Guaranteed |
Sunshot | Obtained by purchasing from Exotic Kiosk. | Guaranteed |
Crimson | Obtained by purchasing from Exotic Kiosk. | Guaranteed |
Rose | Obtained from completing competitive crucible matches. | Guaranteed after three. |
Last Word | Obtained by purchasing from Exotic Kiosk. | Guaranteed |
Exalted Truth | Obtained by completing Trials of Osiris matches. | Not Guaranteed |
PvP is a much different story for Hand Cannons. It’s no secret that they rule the meta by an overwhelming amount, with the exception of a few outliers from other weapon types.
While the Round Robin is a solid weapon for PvE content, it shines the most in PvP, as its deadly 120 rpm allows it to two-tap opposing Guardians with ease.
Nearly all the Exotic Hand Cannons are fantastic options, with Hawkmoon and Crimson leading the charge as the most-used of the bunch. While it hasn’t been officially announced, we could see Nerfs for them as we head into Season of the Deep. It has already been confirmed we’ll see a new Exotic Hand Cannon quest appear sometime during the Season. Whether or not it will be used for PvE or PvP activities remains to be seen.
Otherwise, the Legendary Hand Cannons continue to sit at the top of the food chain. Rose and Exalted Truth dominate endgame content such as Trials of Osiris or Competitive matches.
Overall, Hand Cannons are still far and away the best weapons to use in PvP, with little room for argument. Hopefully, Season of the Deep will add only a few options to change this list.