The best grenade launchers in Destiny 2

The best grenade launchers in Destiny 2? Oh yeah, we’re calling it: there are some good ones.

Destiny 2 introduces grenade launchers, and the best ones are worth the effort: they provide much the same explosive actions as rockets, but are safe to use in a greater variety of situations. We can pick a few you’ll learn to like if you put in the effort. Also, they have the most sheer variety in interesting perks across the whole game.

Grenade launchers are arguably the most challenging weapons category in Destiny 2. Although they hit very hard, it’s difficult to get them to do so when and where you want unless the enemy is holding still – which is pretty uncommon, especially in PvP. Very skilled players can use grenade launchers to set traps of sorts or lob projectiles over cover for a nasty surprise, but most of us are better off looking elsewhere.

In PvE, crowds and lacklustre AI mean it’s much easier to use grenades effectively against mobs, just as you would a rocket launcher – or just to fire right at a boss. Be careful not to stand too close, though, and make sure you know whether and when your projectiles explode on impact or after a delay.

On this page, part of our Destiny 2 guide, we’ll run down the best grenade launchers for PvE and PvP. Combine this with our advice on the best armour attributes in Destiny 2 and our lists of armour sets and where to find them, and you have everything you need to craft a perfect Destiny 2 build.

Grenade launchers might not be the most beloved weapons in Destiny 2, but we’re pretty confident that the ones we’ve picked out will serve you well if you’re a fan of lobbing explosives from a distance.

Note that the opinions expressed here are derived from the state of the Destiny 2 PvP and PvE meta during Season 1 (September 2017 onwards). A major rebalance is expected when Season 2 begins, and we’ll update once the dust settles.

Here are the best grenade launchers in Destiny 2. There are more of them than you might expect!

Best grenade launcher for tactical play: Berenger’s Memory

Now, the thing about Berenger’s Memory is it has the option of Sticky Grenades. These not only attach to enemies; they can be laid on floors or walls, and will burst on proximity or after a short delay. This has some very interesting applications including but not limited to: punishing those who rush the power ammo, seeing off Guardians who insist on pursuing you across the map, laying traps on crests in Supremacy, defending Control zones, holding territory against adds in PvP… your imagination is the limit here. Well worth the effort of tracking down. Also, it reloads itself when you put it away; pair with Sturm and Drang for a reload-free experience.

• “Take your place among the company of heroes.”
• View on Destiny Tracker: Berenger’s Memory
• Found in: Io, Gunsmith, Faction and random drop Legendary engrams.
• Alternative: Unfortunately there’s no other Legendary with this perk – but Stampede Mk.32 is a Rare with Sticky Grenades.

Best grenade launcher for easy kills: Play of the Game

Play of the Game has Proximity Grenades, which is a great relief for those who have trouble with this class of weapons – it means your projectiles go “bang” when there’s something for them to go “bang” on rather than while scudding uselessly across the floor several metres away. It also has Threat Detector, which makes it much more deadly in close quarters – exactly the sort of situation where grenade launchers are preferable to rockets. It’a also highly customisable, which rates well with us.

• “Show no mercy.”
• View on Destiny Tracker: Play of the Game
• Found in: Crucible engrams
• Alternative: Again, there’s no Legendary with this perk, but look for the Rare Plemusa-B while you farm for the real deal.

Best grenade launcher for debuffs and crowd control: Flash and Thunder

As unsubtle as they might seem, grenade launchers actually provide us with an opportunity to inflict status effects. Flash and Thunder is so named because it has two options for shutting your enemies down. The “Flash” is Blinding Grenades, which are hugely disorienting in PvP and upset mobs in PvE, too. The “Thunder” is Concussion Grenades, which cause a tremendous amount of stagger. Nothing you hit with the latter is going to be doing much for the next few moments, and if it’s a human player, they will find it difficult to hit the side of a barn – assuming they even survive. A really interesting weapon, deadly effective in team play and the right hands.

• “Show them the Light.”
• View on Destiny Tracker: Flash and Thunder
• Found in: EDZ, Gunsmith, Faction and random drop Legendary engrams.
• Alternative: Truthteller has Concussion Grenades and is a very similar weapon, with the bonus of Quickdraw.

Best Exotic Grenade Launcher: Fighting Lion

Grenade launchers are difficult to use at the best of times, but Fighting Lion is in a class of its own: projectiles only detonate when you release the trigger, meaning you can, with care, lay short-term traps or bounce projectiles around corners before setting them off (other weapons have this perk, but it’s not mandatory on them). It is not easy, but it can be hugely effective, especially as you’ll refill the magazine by murdering enemies who take damage from Fighting Lion. Lob one into a mob then quickly pick them off with an assault rifle to skip the reload, rinse and repeat. It also works great with the Titan’s reload Barricade ability.

• “I call it the Zhang Fei. It hits almost as hard as I do.” – Wei Ning
• View on Destiny Tracker: Fighting Lion
• Found in: Exotic engrams, Xur inventory
• Alternative: Prospector is a great PvE DPS weapon, but mostly outclassed by other contenders.

Let us know if you’ve been having a good run with a grenade launcher not on this list.

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