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For the past several Seasons in Destiny 2, the available Artifact mods would usually dictate what subclasses players would use that Season. The current Season, Season of the Deep, is no exception, as the Artifact heavily features Arc mods, making Arc weapons incredibly potent to use. With that in mind, we think that it’s time to discuss the top ten Arc weapons in Destiny 2 for Season of the Deep.
PSA: This list does not have a particular order.
Centrifuse
Introduced as the Exotic weapon from the Season Pass, the Centrifuse Exotic Auto Rifle has become one of the most-used weapons in both PvE and PvP activities. The Exotic perk, Overcharge Capacitor, allows the weapon to create Arc explosions when defeating enemies. It can also blind nearby ones if fully charged. The Exotic Catalyst enables the user to create an abundance of Arc explosions easily. It’s no secret how this weapon quickly climbed the ranks. Undoubtedly, it’s safe to say it will remain one of the most-used guns for the remainder of the Season. Make sure to increase your Season rank to level 100 to acquire its unique ornament!
Hothead
Everyone’s favorite Rocket Launcher, Hothead, continues its dominance as one of the best Legendary Rocket Launchers in the game. While it isn’t one of the featured Nightfall weapons this Season, players can still acquire it. They can purchase it from Zavala by using a Nightfall Cipher. Ideally, you should aim for a Field Prep and Clown Cartridge, as it’s an incredibly potent combo for DPS purposes. Use this with a couple of Arc Surges, and you’ll be destroying bosses with the greatest of ease. Unless another one drops in the future, this gun will remain one of the best Arc weapons in Destiny 2.
Forbearance
It’s no secret that the Forbearance Grenade Launcher is one of the most potent Arc weapons in the game — and for a good reason. Waveframe Grenade Launchers have a natural advantage over normal ones. This is mainly because the user can avoid hitting the enemy directly but still deal AoE damage. Pair this natural advantage with the Chain Reaction perk, and players can wipe an entire field of enemies with a glorious Arc explosion. This doesn’t even include its ability to be crafted, and with Enhanced Perks, this weapon becomes stronger than most Exotics. However, this gun can only be obtained by completing encounters in the Vow of the Disciple Raid. This means players must gather a fireteam to acquire this powerful weapon.
Ikelos SMG
Brought back a couple of Seasons ago, the Ikelos SMG is another fine option as an Arc primary weapon without wasting an Exotic slot like Centrifuse. While Heist Battlegrounds have been removed from the game, players can still obtain this gun from Banshee whenever he happens to sell it. A Feeding Frenzy and Voltshot roll would be the best option, as the player can quickly reload the gun while jolting everything in front of them. Players can also use a Deepsight Harmonizer to acquire any Deepsight copies they’re still missing to craft the weapon.
Trinity Ghoul
If there’s ever been a weapon in Destiny 2 that can be accurately labeled as reliable, it would undoubtedly be the Exotic Arc Bow, Trinity Ghoul. Since it got its Exotic Catalyst a while back, Trinity Ghoul has been such a powerful weapon in virtually all PvE content. It’s to the point where the Bow is too strong for regular content and still powerful in more challenging activities like Grandmaster Nightfalls. The ability to chain and jolt enemies from long distances with Trinity Ghoul is too strong for the current sandbox. You can acquire this Bow using an Exotic Cipher at the Exotic Kiosk in the Tower.
Legend of Acrius
Coming in as arguably the most surprising choice on this list, the Legend of Acrius Exotic Shotgun has finally crawled its way into the meta again. The Legend of Acrius has always been a fun weapon to use in regular content. Unfortunately, though, it never got a fair opportunity to shine with a lack of close-range bosses in the game. However, with the arrival of the new Ghost of the Deep Dungeon, the first boss, Echtar, is the perfect enemy for this weapon. Of course, you can also nuke Champions with this gun pretty quickly. Overall, the Legend of Acrius finally got the chance it’s been waiting for, and it’s making full use of it. Like Trinity Ghoul, you can obtain this gun via an Exotic Cipher and Spoils of Conquests at the Exotic Kiosk.
Coldheart
Another surprising addition to the list, the Coldheart Exotic Trace Rifle, has surged to the top with a recent buff to make it a literal laser beam. Its perk, Longest Winter, generates Ionic Traces the more prolonged the beam is held, and for Arc Warlocks, Ionic Traces mean everything. With the proper setup, this weapon can generate Ionic Traces constantly, granting ability energy and more to the wielder. Not to mention that it’s also a solid option for DPS, as the longer the trigger is held, the more damage it outputs. This makes it great for bosses and Champions alike. This weapon can be acquired from the Exotic Kiosk with an Exotic Cipher.
Techeun Force
With the arrival of Season 21, the Last Wish Raid weapons became craftable, including the Techeun Force Fusion Rifle. This weapon was a force of nature in the Crucible during the Forsaken days. Now, with a new suite of perks, it can now dominate the PvE scene as well. Pair this weapon with the Reconstruction and Controlled Burst perks, and you’ll have a Fusion Rifle that can explode everything in your path while automatically reloading itself. On top of that, with the ability to enhance said perks, this weapon becomes a monster and a must-have in virtually any Arc build available. You can acquire this gun by completing encounters with the Last Wish Raid.
Riskrunner
The first Exotic weapon most players receive these days is Riskrunner, a classic weapon to fall back on for Arc builds. With its Exotic perks, Superconductor, this weapon can make the user a one-person army under the right circumstances. For example, the perks are triggered when the user takes Arc damage from any source. This can be easily done when facing Fallen enemies or simply throwing an Arc Grenade at your feet. After that, you gain an Arc Shield that continuously refreshes along with the ability to chain your enemies. If you use an Arc Siphon mod, you’ll be generating Orbs of Power with little effort! Either way, Riskrunner is undoubtedly one of the best Arc weapons in Destiny 2.
Thunderlord
Last but certainly not least is arguably the most dominant weapon on this list, the Exotic LMG, Thunderlord. It received a massive buff with the Lightfall DLC and has dominated every PvE activity in the game. No matter the setup, Thunderlord will be the main focus and carry you to victory with lightning explosions. It’s even an excellent option for DPS against bosses, as the longer the trigger is held, the more damage it does, like Coldheart. Actium War Rig Titans, in particular, are very fond of this weapon. LMGs, in general, are in a great spot in the current sandbox. Unless a nerf is planned, Thunderlord will continue its reign as the strongest of them all.