As a passionate Destiny 2 player with over 500 hours invested into the game, I‘ve had the chance to extensively test out many different weapons. Fusion rifles stand out as one of the most unique and powerful options available. When used properly, they can melt bosses in PvE and shut down roaming supers in the Crucible.
In this guide, I‘ll be breaking down the top fusion rifles in Destiny 2 as of Season 19, based on my extensive testing and experience. I‘ll also provide tips on how to use them effectively.
What Makes a Good Fusion Rifle?
When evaluating fusion rifles, there are a few key factors to consider:
- Damage Per Bolt: The higher the damage per bolt, the fewer bolts you need to land to secure a kill. This is crucial in PvP.
- Stability: Stability minimizes recoil, allowing you to land shots more consistently at longer ranges.
- Range: Increased range results in less damage falloff at a distance. This affects aim assist as well.
- Charge Time: Faster charge times mean you can fire off shots quicker. But this is balanced by having less damage per bolt.
The best fusion rifles balance these stats, with stability and damage per bolt being the most important in my opinion. With that in mind, let‘s get into the top options available!
5. Glacioclasm
Glacioclasm is one of the rarest fusion rifles in Destiny 2, only available during the annual Dawning event. But for those lucky enough to get one with a good roll, it‘s an absolute beast.
As a high-impact frame fusion, it hits extremely hard but suffers from low stability and handling. Perks like Under Pressure and High-Impact Reserves enhance its already top-tier damage output. In the right hands, it‘s capable of some miraculous one-shot kills in PvP.
The downsides are its charge time and recoil, which can be difficult to control. But the sheer damage makes it one of the deadliest fusions in Destiny 2. If you manage to get one, don‘t shard it!
God Roll:
- Barrels: Arrowhead Brake / Corkscrew Rifling
- Battery: Projection Fuse / Particle Repeater
- Perk 1: Under Pressure / Auto-Loading Holster
- Perk 2: High-Impact Reserves / Rampage
- Masterwork: Stability / Range
4. Main Ingredient
Unlike Glacioclasm, Main Ingredient is reasonably easy to farm since it‘s a world drop. It‘s widely considered one of the most consistent PvP fusion rifles.
Its precision frame offers great stability, making it extremely forgiving. Perks like Under Pressure, Tap the Trigger, and Rangefinder allow it to excel in duels at most ranges. It can roll with either liquid or particle coils for flexibility as well.
While it may lack the pure stopping power of high-impacts, Main Ingredient‘s versatility and consistency cement it as a top-tier choice for PvP.
God Roll:
- Barrels: Arrowhead Brake / Corkscrew Rifling
- Battery: Liquid Coils / Particle Repeater
- Perk 1: Under Pressure / Firmly Planted
- Perk 2: Tap the Trigger / Rangefinder / High-Impact Reserves
- Masterwork: Stability / Range
3.PLUG ONE
Plug One is an aggressive frame fusion added in Season of the Splicer. It immediately entered the meta as one of the hardest hitting and most versatile fusions in Destiny 2.
It can roll with perks like Reservoir Burst, Kickstart, and Cornered, massively boosting its damage output. Combined with its intrinsic high-impact frame bonuses, it‘s capable of extremely fast TTKs (time-to-kills).
It does have some drawbacks like slower charge time and below average stability. But the lethal damage and flexible perk combinations make this an easy top 3 pick.
God Roll:
- Barrels: Arrowhead Brake / Smallbore
- Battery: Projection Fuse / Particle Repeater
- Perk 1: Under Pressure / Firmly Planted / Auto-Loading Holster
- Perk 2: Kickstart / Reservoir Burst / Cornered
- Masterwork: Stability / Range
2. Telesto
No fusion rifle list would be complete without the infamous Telesto. It‘s balance and bugs have resulted in many memes over the years. But beneath those technical issues lies an extremely potent weapon.
As an exotic fusion, Telesto‘s standout perk creates sticky void detonators with its bolts. These detonators can stick to surfaces and enemies, functioning almost like grenades. It also has intrinsic traits like improved handling and reload speed.
In PvE, Telesto melts majors and ultras thanks to its sticky detonators. And in PvP, it can shutdown roaming supers or multi-kills when shots are stacked. Overall, it offers versatility and lethality few other fusions can match.
How to Get Telesto:
Telesto is an exotic that can drop from various sources:
- Random exotic engram drops
- Xûr‘s weekly inventory
- Solo Legend/Master Lost Sectors (drops on rotation)
1. Deliverance
My pick for #1 is the Deliverance fusion rifle introduced in the Vow of the Disciple raid. It‘s the first craftable fusion added to Destiny 2, and also one of the best for PvE and PvP.
Deliverance comes with several excellent origin traits and perks for defeating challenging content. Firefly and Chill Clip allow it to clear adds or slow majors with ease. And origin traits like Souldrinker heal you on rapid kills.
It belongs to the precision frame archetype, offering stability and versatility over raw damage. But enhanced perks take its lethality to another level. Overall, Deliverance stands at the pinnacle of Destiny 2 fusion rifles.
How to Get Deliverance:
Deliverance is one of the weapons that can drop from beating the Vow of the Disciple raid. Once you unlock the weapon pattern, you‘ll be able to craft it with enhanced perks.
How to Use Fusion Rifles Effectively
Now that you know the top fusion rifle picks, let‘s cover some tips to use them successfully:
- Prefire around corners in PvP to catch opponents by surprise
- Aim center mass to maximize bolt spread hitting the target
- Take advantage of backup plan for lightning quick swaps and shots
- Bait players around corners and precharge for easy kills
- Slide before shooting to make yourself harder to hit
Mastering movement and positioning is crucial to using fusions effectively. But they become lethal options once you learn their unique playstyle.
Answering "Is Telesto Good in Destiny 2?"
Telesto has developed an infamous reputation within the Destiny 2 community. Due to its unusually designed bolts and interactions, it has broken the game and enabled exploits repeatedly. However, beneath those issues lies an extremely powerful and versatile exotic fusion rifle.
The ability for Telesto bolts to stick to surfaces as detonators sets it apart from other fusions. In PvE, it absolutely shreds majors and ultras thanks to the stacking detonator damage. Take on a horde of enemies, stack multiple bolts, and watch the chain reaction go to work.
In Crucible, Telesto functions almost like a grenade launcher thanks to its projectile traits. The sticky detonators can flush opponents out of cover or secure multi-kills when set as traps. It also has high aim assist, flinching snipers and stopping shotgun apes in their tracks.
So while Telesto certainly has its quirks, it more than makes up for them with top tier versatility and lethality. Can it break the game at times? Sure. But is it extremely viable in both PvE and PvP when used properly? Absolutely!
Final Thoughts on Fusion Rifles
Fusion rifles like Glacioclasm, Deliverance, and Telesto offer some of the most unique gameplay experiences in Destiny 2. Despite requiring skill to master, they can melt bosses just as quickly as shotguns and snipers.
The recent 30th Anniversary patch buffed fusions across the board in terms of stability, recoil, and aim assist as well. So there‘s no better time to add one to your arsenal for end game PvE or a flawless Trials run.
Let me know your favorite fusion rifles and rolls in the comments! I‘m always eager to test out new weapons and perk combinations from fellow Guardians and Destiny content creators.
