Even the best Scout Rifles in Destiny 2 don’t see much play, and that’s a shame. If you’re here, then like me you’re a fan of Destiny’s most reliable weapon archetype. Scouts have been a consistently safe pick for high-end PvE content for years, and that’s why you need to get some god-rolls yourself.
I’ve done some testing and come back with what I think are the 12 best Scouts currently in Destiny 2. There’s something here for PvE and PvP players – so all you Crucible sweats don’t need to worry.
Doom of Chelchis
Element: Void.
Source: King’s Fall Raid.
Best For: PvE and PvP
Doom of Chelchis is easily one of the best PvE Scout Rifles in Destiny 2. This Raid weapon drops from King’s Fall, You’re able to craft it, and it has multiple cracked rolls. Column four has the likes of Frenzy, Dragonfly, or if you’re a Void main – Repulsor Brace.
Column three offers up T1 perks in the forms of Firefly, Vorpal, and Explosive Payload, meaning you can craft yourself a Firefly/Dragonfly Doom of Chelchis. Alternatively, you could run Vorpal and Frenzy for double damage perks, or Explosive Payload with Repulsor Brace. It’s as flexible as it is powerful.
Dead Man’s Tale
Element: Kinetic.
Source: Exotic rotator mission being added after Season 20 / Xur.
Best For: PvP
Dead Man’s Tale is the Scout Rifle. It’s a PvP Exotic, so PvE players may not have gotten what the big deal was about. Ask a Crucible player, though, and they’d cry you a river as they replayed all the traumatic gunfights in their head.
DMT’s Exotic perk gives you more range and target Acquisition when you chain precision hits together. That turns it into a monster. Dead Man’s Tale is most effective when fired from the hip – which means you’ll have the natural advantage in almost any gunfight you take. What’s more, it’s one of a few Exotic weapons that has different rolls, meaning you can further supplement this thing’s power with Vorpal or Killing Wind.
Trustee
Element: Solar.
Source: Deep Stone Crypt Raid.
Best For: PvE
Trustee is Deep Stone Crypt’s resident Scout Rifle – meaning it’s craftable. That’s just as well – because it’s possible the best add-clear Scout in the game, tied with Tarnished Metal. It can hold its own in PvP, too, although it’s far from your best option in that regard.
Rapid Hit/Incandescent is the be-all and end-all of this weapon. These two perks make Trustee a contender for the best Scout Rifle title, regardless of the weapon’s Frame or stats. Incandescent is tied only with Voltshot for pure add-clear potential, and there are very few Scouts that roll with it. This is one of them, automatically earning it a spot on this list.
Tarnished Metal
Element: Arc.
Source: No longer obtainable.
Best For: PvE
On one side of the META, you have Incandescent. On the other, you have Voltshot. Tarnished Metal is to Voltshot what Trustee is to Incandescent. On its own, it’s not all that impressive of a weapon. However, with the right roll – it’s easily one of the best Scout Rifles in all of Destiny 2.
Tarnished Metal does have other great perks and rolls. Voltshot is competing with Mulitkill Clip, Swashbuckler, and Explosive Payload. They’re all great, but if you want that kind of Scout Rifle god roll – you’ve got way better options. Play into Tarnished Metal’s unique benefits with a Rapid Hit/Voltshot roll, and you’ll have an add-clear weapon second only to the Ikelos SMG.
Long Arm
Element: Arc.
Source: Spire of the Watcher Dungeon.
Best For: PvP
Once upon a time, Bungie introduced an Exotic called Dead Man’s Tale into Destiny 2. Everyone loved it, so much so that a Legendary variant of the weapon ended up releasing, along with an entire Dungeon based on the western style of DMT. The Long Arm is that Legendary variant.
This is about as good as a Legendary Exotic variant is going to get. For PvE, you’ve got classic rolls like Subsistence/Explosive Payload. For PvP, you’ve got Hip-Fire Grip in column three, so you can combo that with whatever damage-related perk you feel like, all while never having to ADS to hit targets.
Transfiguration
Element: Kinetic.
Source: Last Wish Raid.
Best For: PvE and PvP
Tears of Contrition carved out its niche by offering double ammo-refunding perks. Transfiguration did the same thing, except with damage perks – making it infinitely more impactful on the META. This Scout drops from Last Wish, so it’s not easiest thing to get or farm in the world. For PvP Scout mains, though, it’s worth all that effort and then some.
The all-important perk combination for this Scout Rifle is Rampage/Kill Clip. Rampage x3 and Kill Clip active, you’ll have a massive 58% damage buff on your shots. If you ever lose a gunfight with that kind of advantage – then maybe it’s time to move to Roblox.
Nameless Midnight
Element: Kinetic.
Source: Vanguard weapon focusing.
Best For: PvE
This OG Destiny 2 weapon has seen more reprisals than potentially any other Scout Rifle in the series’ history. There’s a reason for that, though, as it’s always incredibly reliable and easy to get, making it a top option for newer Destiny players.
Nameless Midnight saw a rerelease with Lightfall, returning with all the perks that made it a world-beater. In column three, you’ve got Outlaw and Triple Tap. In column four, you’ve got access to Explosive Payload, Rampage, Kill Clip, and more. You can’t craft Nameless Midnight, but you can focus it at Zavala. If you’re newer and in the market for a new Scout, this is an incredibly accessible option.
Hung Jury
Element: Kinetic.
Source: Nightfall Strikes.
Best For: PvE and PvE
Nameless Midnight may be a Destiny 2 OG, but only real ones remember the original Hung Jury. Back in the day, this was the best Scout Rifle in Destiny. You were guaranteed to see a minimum of two or three on every Raid team, simply because it rolled with Triple Tap and Firefly.
When Hung Jury returned to Destiny, it didn’t have its original god roll. What it did have were a few alternatives that are just as good. Triple Tap is replaced by the option of either Rapid Hit or Subsistence, and Firefly makes a reappearance in the fourth column. It shares that column with Explosive Payload and Adagio, which are also T1 options.
Stacatto-46
Element: Solar.
Source: Word loot pool.
Best For: PvE
Like Trustee, the Stacatto-46 is also a T1 Solar Scout contender. It has all the same S-tier perks like Explosive Payload, Incandescent, Rampage, and Firefly. In column three, you’re spoiled for choice between Triple Tap or Outlaw.
Any god role consisting of the perks I just listed is going to be phenomenal. It’s just as well there are so many god rolls, too, because this is a world drop weapon. Whereas Trustee can be farmed from DSC, the Stacatto is a random drop from Legendary Engrams – so good luck grinding it.
Jararaca-3SR
Element: Stasis.
Source: World loot pool.
Best For: PvE and PvP
I thought nothing of this gun when it first came out during Season 19. It has an awkward name, was a world drop weapon, and a Scout Rifle when all I cared about were SMGs. What I learned from using a god roll I stumbled upon is that this is actually one of the best Scout Rifles in Destiny 2.
In column three, it’s a toss-up between Rapid Hit and Fourth Time’s the Charm. In column four, you’ve got Kill Clip, Golden Tricorn, and Headstone. Which of those three you favor will dictate which of the first two perks you want. Whether it’s for PvP or PvE, the right roll on this Scout turns it into a monster.
There are two reasons Tears of Contrition has secured a spot on this list. One is the presence of reliable god rolls like Triple Tap/Explosive Payload. The other is that this 18-round magazine Tears of Contrition can roll with Triple Tap/Fourth Time’s the Charm. Yeah, that’s a gimmicky roll – but it’s so fun to play with.
Sure, you could play it safe with a regular roll. In that case, this is just a solid Scout that is effectively an alternative to Nameless Midnight. However, if you’re willing to spice it up – hitting four precision hits will return three rounds to your mag. That’s over 70 shots per magazine if you’re hitting precisions, and that’s nothing if not hilarious. It’s not as powerful as a typical roll, but it is different and it does have its moments.
Touch of Malice
Element: Kinetic.
Source: King’s Fall Raid.
Best For: PvE
Touch of Malice isn’t all that great. It does have a soft spot in my heart, though, so I’m giving it the last spot on this list out of nostalgia. The reprised King’s Fall Exotic can put in work, provided it’s in the hands of a skilled user with a specialized build.
The weapon’s gimmick is that when you only have one bullet left, firing it will return it to the mag to deal extra damage. However, it’ll drain a portion of your health as tax. Rapidly defeating three targets in this mode returns health. It also has an alt-fire mode that shoots a Taken Captain Orb, so it can do bits if you know how to use it.
Conclusion
That’s all 12 of the best Scout Rifles in Destiny 2. Despite not being all that popular, these weapons are a vital tool for any high-end PvE player. They let you add-clear while staying safe at a distance, and that’s important. If you don’t have any good Scout god rolls, now’s the time to go get some.
