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Destiny 2 has a wide range of weapons for Guardians to choose from. From handheld Sidearms to laser rifles, you have hundreds of options for disintegrating your foes in the Crucible. Sniper Rifles serve as one of Destiny 2's most satisfying weapon archetypes, capable of one-taps to the head.

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With enough skill, a good Sniper Rifle user can swing a Crucible match in their team's favor. Limited ammo does hurt Sniper Rifles when compared to other categories, yet no other Special in Destiny 2 can one-shot players from such great distances. If you're looking to become a sniping powerhouse, these ten weapons will make that journey a little easier.

Updated December 22, 2023, by Charles Burgar: Season of the Wish has brought back the fan-favorite Eye of Sol Sniper Rifle, available in Trials of Osiris. We've updated this list to include the new perk combinations that can roll on Eye of Sol, and we've updated a few entries with better perk combinations. We also added Uzume to the tier list since it was reissued this season.

How We Rank Snipers


We've ranked these Sniper Rifles based on ease of use, perk combinations, and any unique properties the weapon has—origin traits, Exotic perks, etc. Sniper Rifles with high handling, aim assist, and range are what we're looking for. Bear in mind that Sniper Rifles vary highly depending on player preferences, so don't take these entries as definitive ranks.

Entries avoid ranking snipers based on cheesy one-tap strategies when possible, mostly due to the repeated body shot nerfs Sniper Rifles have received over the years. These sorts of TTK shifts will only be mentioned if they're easy to pull off.

10 Occluded Finality

Destiny 2 Occluded Finality

How to obtain: Iron Banner matches and Engrams.

Occluded Finality is a weapon you either love or hate; there's no in-between. Obtained from Iron Banner, this Sniper Rifle can reach 100 range and has a zoom value of 58. In layman's terms, this gun has the Hubble Telescope installed atop the receiver. When you ADS, you'll be looking into your enemy's very soul.

If you can get used to the absurd zoom, Occluded Finality is one of the most forgiving Sniper Rifles in Destiny 2. Headshots are a common occurrence with this gun, especially if your roll has Opening Shot. Give this weapon a try if you get one to drop; you'll be surprised just how consistent this sniper can be.

  • Column One: Snapshot Sights, Surplus
  • Column Two: Opening Shot

9 Uzume RR4

Destiny 2 Uzume RR4

How to obtain: Potential Nightfall reward.

Uzume RR4 was a fan-favorite Sniper Rifle a few years ago. Its last version was renowned for its high handling, range, and clean scope. The same is true with the Lightfall reprisal, but Uzume has seen some rather serious competition since then. It's no longer the top dog of Adaptive Snipers, but it's still a fantastic weapon.

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This weapon's claim to fame is Snapshot Sights paired with Vorpal Weapon. On a 90 RPM Sniper Rifle, this allows you to one-tap any Super with a well-placed headshot. Uzume is also a Nightfall weapon, meaning it can drop as an Adept variant and use Adept mods.

With the right roll, it's possible for Uzume to roll with 80+ handling, making it one of Destiny 2's snappiest Adaptive Frame Sniper Rifles. If you can get used to the 50 zoom scope on this weapon, Uzume RR4 might become your new favorite Sniper Rifle.

  • Column One: Snapshot Sights
  • Column Two: Vorpal Weapon

8 Defiance Of Yasmin

Destiny 2 Defiance of Yasmin

How to obtain: King's Fall raid; craftable at the Enclave.

Consistency is the Defiance of Yasmin's specialty. Excellent base stats, a scope that only appears while aiming, and a great perk pool make this one of Destiny 2's best Sniper Rifles for the Crucible. If you don't mind Adaptive Frames, this weapon is for you.

Snapshot Sights and Opening Shot is a great roll for most PvP modes, making it easy to land a quick headshot mid-duel. And if you don't mind dropping your aim assist value, this weapon's Slickdraw perk is effectively pre-nerf Quickdraw at the cost of aim assist, effectively capping your Handling stat at 100.

Lane snipers can use No Distractions, players that love 6v6 modes might enjoy Firefly, and just about every Sniper main will like Snapshot Sights. If you enjoy sniping at all in Destiny 2, give the Defiance of Yasmin a try.

  • Column One: Snapshot Sights, Firefly, No Distractions
  • Column Two: Opening Shot, Slickdraw, Moving Target

7 Mechabre

Destiny 2 FOTL 2022 Mechabre Sniper Rifle

How to obtain: Festival of the Lost event, currently unobtainable.

Mechabre returns during Destiny's annual Festival of the Lost event, featuring an excellent perk pool and high base stat package. This weapon is a 72 RPM Sniper RIfle that deals Arc damage, sacrificing handling and aim assist for a high range value fo 74. Mechabre also features 45 zoom with a clear scope, making it fairly easy to land headshots with.

This is especially true once you get a good perk combination on Mechabre. Snapshot Sights and Opening Shot is a classic combination for just about every PvP Sniper Rifle, and Mechabre is no exception.

Snapshot pairs nicely with the Search Party origin trait as well, offering a 0.85x ADS scalar when no allies are nearby. Despite the weapon's low handling, both effects allow you to quickly ADS to land headshots at a moment's notice.

  • Column One: Snapshot Sights
  • Column Two: Opening Shot

6 1000 Yard Stare

Destiny 2 1000 Yard Stare

How to obtain: Grasp of Avarice dungeon.

The Grasp of Avarice dungeon brought forward some of Destiny's most iconic weapons, 1000 Yard Stare being no exception. This Sniper Rifle is similar to Beloved when it comes to stats and perks. It has a solid stat package as an Adaptive Frame, can roll with Quickdraw and Snapshot Sights, and resides in the Energy slot.

This weapon is a monster in the right hands, yet the existence of Beloved makes this weapon somewhat tough to recommend. You can either farm the dungeon for a good sniper, or you can wait for Beloved to be sold by Banshee-44 or Xur. If you find yourself disliking Beloved and want something similar, give 1000 Yard Stare a try.

  • Column One: Quickdraw, No Distractions
  • Column Two: Snapshot Sights

5 Beloved

Destiny 2 Beloved

How to obtain: Occasionally sold by Xur; craftable at the Enclave.

Beloved is a reprised Sniper Rifle that originally debuted in Season of Opulence. Back then, most players considered Beloved to be the strongest PvP Sniper Rifle in the game. Plenty of changes have happened since then, so how does Beloved hold up today?

It's still a powerhouse in today's sandbox. Despite the changes to aim assist and ammo economy, Beloved is still one of the most responsive Sniper Rifles in the game. Its classic Quickdraw and Snapshot Sights combo is back, but don't sleep on Surplus and Incandescent.

  • Column One: Snapshot Sights, Surplus
  • Column Two: Quickdraw, Incandescent

4 The Supremacy

Destiny 2 The Supremacy Sniper

How to obtain: Last Wish raid; craftable at the Enclave.

The Supremacy received a perk refresh in Season of the Deep, featuring a new suite of perks and the Explosive Pact origin trait. The Supremacy immediately stands out above its peers by having one of the best stat packages for its archetype, featuring above-average stats in all categories.

For perks, the standout combination here is Keep Away with Opening Shot. Keep Away buffs your range, reload speed, and reduces accuracy cone bloom if you're a short distance away from your enemy. Opening Shot will further boost your range and increase your aim assist on the first shot, making this gun a headshot magnet.

Since it's craftable, you can enhance both perks to achieve 100 aim assist and over 85 range on your first shot. Few Sniper Rifles can land headshots as easily as this one. And if you want to slay out, try a roll with Discord and Elemental Capacitor.

Supremacy is also the only Sniper Rifle in Destiny 2 with Enhanced Kinetic Tremors. Crafting this on your weapon will cause the Kinetic Tremors perk to activate after two body shots, releasing three shockwaves that deal 20 damage each. In other words, Supremacy is the only Rapid-Fire Sniper that can two-tap to the body, regardless of Resilience level.

  • Column One: Keep Away, Snapshot Sights, Discord
  • Column Two: Opening Shot, Elemental Capacitor, Enhanced Kinetic Tremors

3 Cloudstrike

Destiny 2 Cloudstrike

How to obtain: Purchased from the Exotic Kiosk in the Tower. Costs 1 Exotic Cipher, 150,000 Glimmer, and 2 Ascendant Shards.

Landing a headshot is one thing, but you haven't truly experienced the joys of sniping until you've wiped an entire team with a single Cloudstrike shot. This Exotic Sniper Rifle releases lightning bolts from the sky whenever you land a precision final blow. This lightning bolt is capable of one-shotting Guardians at all Resilience levels, perfect for 6v6 modes.

Even in more competitive 3v3 activities, Cloudstrike manages to impress. Great base stats and a clean scope make sniping a breeze in the right hands. Spec for additional handling through mods and its Exotic Catalyst, and you have yourself one of Destiny 2's best Sniper Rifles for PvP.

2 Mercurial Overreach

Destiny 2 Mercurial Overreach

How to obtain: Competitive Crucible Reward.

Mercurial Overreach is the spiritual successor to Revoker, a Pinnacle Sniper Rifle from years past. It's a 90 RPM Sniper Rifle that deals Arc damage, and it's nothing short of a stat monster. It has 65 base range, 54 stability, and 52 handling with no perks. It can also roll stocks in place of an origin trait, giving this weapon the best stat package out of all Adaptive Snipers.

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If you prefer a more consistent Sniper Rifle for tough 3v3 modes, Mercurial Overreach is up to the task. Snapshot Sights and Opening Shot is a classic sniper combo that works well here, making this weapon a headshot magnet on your first shot. If you use Sniper Rifles aggressively, you might want to consider Firmly Planted.

Mercurial Overreach also has some more experimental perks that shouldn't be ignored. Mulligan is a major outlier here, giving missed shots a 20% chance to refund ammo directly to your magazine. Vorpal Weapon is also an option if you want to one-tap any Super with a single headshot. And if you just want to buff this weapon's base stats, give Elemental Capacitor a try.

  • Column One: Snapshot Sights, Firmly Planted
  • Column Two: Opening Shot, Elemental Capacitor

1 Eye Of Sol

Destiny 2 Eye of Sol

How to obtain: Trials of Osiris matches and Engrams.

Eye of Sol has returned in Season of the Wish, complete with origin traits and a new perk pool. This is a 90 RPM Kinetic Sniper Rifle with an above-average stat package. Mercurial Overreach has powercrept Eye of Sol somewhat in the stat department, but Eye of Sol makes up for that with perks.

Easily the best perk combination on offer is Moving Target and Opening Shot. When both perks are active, this weapon has a whopping 98 aim assist and up to 100 range. Throw on a targeting mod, and you can easily hit 100 aim assist. And thanks to Eye of Sol originating from Trials, you can get an Adept variant of this gun to further boost its stats.

A perfect roll can get 100 range, 60+ handling, and 100 aim assist with a single targeting mod. No other Adaptive Sniper Rifle can achieve an aim assist value that high, not even Mercurial Overreach. It isn't the snappiest Sniper Rifle, but Eye of Sol is definitely the most consistent.

  • Column One: Moving Target
  • Column Two: Opening Shot
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