Ultimate Guide to the Best Fusion Rifles in Destiny 2 Lightfall

Fusion Rifles (FRs) have long been a curious and potent weapon. Guardians frequently use them in PvP because of the ability to eliminate an enemy with a single shot. In PvE, they are beneficial for tackling major opponents and even bosses. Let’s delve into the types of this weapon, how they impact gameplay, and their perfect variations. Sit back comfortably; we are starting to explore the best Fusion Rifles in Destiny 2 Lightfall.
Weapon Type Guide
- Rapid-Fire Frame (500 Charge Time (CT))
- Adaptive Frame (660 CT)
- Precision Frame (780 CT)
- High-Impact Frame (960 CT)
- Aggressive Frame (660 CT, only Coriolis Force)
It’s worth mentioning the Aggressive Frame right away since even Bungie themselves said that this archetype was an unsuccessful experiment, which is terrible both in PvE and PvP. If you are looking for FRs to use in PvE, then Rapid-Fire Frame will always be a good choice. Rapid-Fire archetype has good DPS, and some models might surprise you with wonderful perks. All the other frames are just as competent, so choose based on your preference.
Speaking of PvP, the top Fusion Rifle in Destiny 2 Lightfall are all a matter of personal taste. The Precision Frame may be considered the easiest one to use since members of this archetype can destroy Guardians with five bolts and usually have good stats. But in terms of rate of fire, they can easily be outperformed by Adaptive or Rapid-Fire. The former is somewhat similar to Precision but possesses slightly worse characteristics. The latter requires some skill since you must land seven bolts at a relatively short range. The High-Impact Frame stands out because they have a long Charge Time but feel more reliable than the rest.
Best PvE Fusion Rifle in Destiny 2 Lightfall
We start our list with guns useful in battles against combatants. The following five variations will come in handy!
Merciless
- How To Get It: Random Exotic Drop

Only a small group of people knew about Merciless‘s existence until it received significant buffs in Season 19. Now, you could see Merciless in many Raids and Dungeons and even in Solo Nezarec. But what exactly does Merciless do? After every shot hit, you’ll receive a buff that gradually reduces its Charge Time to a 0.2x Multiplier. Moreover, you can improve its damage by 50% if you simply reload after eliminating any enemy.
Riptide
- Must-Have Rolls: Arrowhead Brake, Enhanced Battery, Auto-Loading Holster/Lead from Gold, Chill Clip
- How To Get It: Crucible Matches or Crucible Focused Decoding

Riptide can confidently be called the Fusion Rifle meta in Destiny 2 and the best Special Weapon for Grandmaster Nightfalls, all thanks to one perk: Chill Clip. It works quite simply: while at or above 50% Magazine Capacity, your Direct Hits apply 50 stacks of Slow. With Chill Clip, you have the power to stun Overload Champions with a single shot and Unstoppable with two charges from Riptide. If you want to have a better experience playing with Riptide, we suggest selecting these perks in the third column:
- Auto-Loading Holster automatically reloads your stowed weapon
- Lead from Gold provides Special Ammo upon picking up Heavy Ammo
Loaded Question
- Must-Have Rolls: Arrowhead Brake, Accelerated Coils, Overflow/Auto-Loading Holster, Controlled Burst/Reservoir Burst
- How To Get It: Nightfalls or Vanguard Focused Decoding

Even though the High-Impact Frame isn’t the perfect choice in PvE, Loaded Question possesses wonderful perks, which makes it usable. In particular, we recommend looking at the Overflow and Reservoir Burst combination. The former will double the magazine when picking up Ammo. The latter boosts FR damage by 25%. It also explodes foes upon their elimination if the magazine is at or above maximum capacity. Additionally, pay attention to the combination of Auto-Loading Holster and Controlled Burst (raises damage by 20% and decreases Charge Time by 10% upon scoring a hit with every bolt in the burst). Still, if you want a Fusion with the second perk, there’s a better option.
Techeun Force
- Must-Have Rolls: Arrowhead Brake, Enhanced Battery, Reconstruction, Controlled Burst
- How To Get It: Last Wish Raid

Techeun Force can be briefly described as a Mini-Merciless, all thanks to a new perk named Controlled Burst. Landing every shot in a burst will enhance damage by 20% and lower Charge Time by 10%. Besides Controlled Burst, you also have the ability to use Reconstruction, allowing the magazine to hold the weapon’s entire ammo stock. The named combination is perfect for DPS, especially if you run out of Heavy Ammo, making Techeun Force is the best Fusion Rifle for Raids in Destiny 2 Lightfall.
Iterative Loop
- Must-Have Rolls: Arrowhead Brake, Enhanced Battery, Compulsive Reloader, Voltshot
- How To Get It: Heroic Patrols and Public Events on Neomuna or Neomuna Engram

If you need an FR that excels in clearing mobs and DPS, you should go and farm Iterative Loop. Since the Lightfall’s release, you can often spot it in PvE due to Voltshot, which can apply the Jolt debuff on an opponent. To do this, you must achieve a Final Blow and reload the weapon. Consider using a Compulsive Reloader, as it improves your Reload Speed when your weapon’s magazine is almost full. This will come in handy since you’ll likely be reloading often.
Best PvP Fusion Rifle in Destiny 2 Lightfall
We’ve dealt with small and big enemies, and now it’s time to kick the Guardians in the Crucible and Trials of Osiris!
Vex Mythoclast
- How To Get It: Vault of Glass Raid

Vex Mythoclast, in its firing pattern, is closer to Auto Rifles than Fusions. However, we still need to add this fantastic Exotic to our list. Vex Mythoclast has two modes: Full Auto mode and Overcharge mode. The first one is standard, but to switch to the second, you require to acquire six stacks of Overcharge, obtainable by eliminating three Guardians. In return, you get three Linear FR Shots that can One-shot any Guardian. Vex Mythoclast also has a Catalyst that enhances Damage, Accuracy, and Stability after Full Auto Final Blows for a short duration, which can often save your life.
Jötunn
- How To Get It: Monument to the Lost Light

Few will deny the fact that it’s pretty annoying to play against this Exotic, but that doesn’t make Jötunn any less effective. Therefore, it’s considered as the best Exotic Fusion Rifle in Destiny 2 Lightfall. It’s not precisely an FR in the traditional sense, as it fires only one potent tracking projectile that has the power to One-shot any Guardian. And that’s all you need to know about it.
Techeun Force
- Must-Have Rolls: Extended Barrel, Projection Fuse, Under Pressure, Rangefinder/High-Impact Reserves/Kickstart
- How To Get It: Last Wish Raid

The Techeun Force can be considered an excellent choice in PvP due to its outstanding perks. Its significant advantage is that you have the ability to craft it. All you have to do is to obtain 5 Red Borders, and you’ll own a God Roll in your hands. For efficient farming, waiting until the Last Wish is in rotation is recommended, or you could use our services.
So, what makes Techeun Force stand out and be placed among the Fusion Rifles ranked in Destiny 2 Lightfall? Indeed, it’s the combination of a good archetype and excellent perks. In the 3rd column, you’ll find the best perk for FRs: Under Pressure. It provides benefits such as Stability and Accuracy as the magazine gets lower, which always happens in PvP. The 4th column offers a broader choice:
- Rangefinder increases Zoom, improving Damage Falloff and Aim Assist.
- High-Impact Reserves allow more frequent 5-bolt kills instead of 6.
- Kickstart boosts damage and reduces Charge Time by 20% upon Sliding after Sprinting.
The Epicurean
- Must-Have Rolls: Smallbore, Projection Fuse, Surplus, Rangefinder
- How To Get It: Duality Dungeon
Of all the Precision Fusion Rifles, The Epicurean made our list, and many might wonder, “Why this one? Aren’t there better options?” While it’s hard to deny the superiority of the likes of Main Ingredient over its counterparts, after many nerfs, it’s no longer the king. The Epicurean, however, remained untouched by the nerfs and still holds up well.
It’s worth noting that this Legendary Fusion Rifle in Destiny 2 Lightfall can be crafted, allowing for the selection of ideal perks. That’s a significant advantage over other Precision FRs. Speaking of perks, Surplus stands out the most. Depending on the number of fully charged abilities (1/2/3+), The Epicurean will see increased Stability (5/15/25), Handling (10/25/50), and Reload Speed (10/25/60). In the 4th column, the only perk worth attention is Rangefinder. Since Zoom is vital for this weapon type, why not choose a perk that enhances that characteristic? It’ll improve The Epicurean’s Range and Accuracy.
Midha’s Reckoning
- Must-Have Rolls: Smallbore, Projection Fuse, Backup Plan, Successful Warm-Up/Kickstart
- How To Get It: Kings Fall Raid

The only High-Impact Fusion Rifle with two perks reducing its Charge Time is featured on this list. Out of the diverse perks, we highly recommend the following:
- Backup Plan, which lowers Charge Time by 30% and gives 100 Handling for 2 seconds after drawing the gun
- Successful Warm-Up, reducing Charge Time by 37.5% for 6 seconds after a final blow
- Kickstart, which decreases Charge Time and boosts damage by 20% upon sliding after sprinting
While Glacioclasm or The Wizened Rebuke could have replaced Midha’s Reckoning, they are only available during specific times, making them hard to obtain. However, if you get a chance to acquire them, the combination of Under Pressure + High-Impact Reserves won’t disappoint.
Final Words
Well, with that, we conclude our Destiny 2 Lightfall Fusion Rifle guide. If you enjoyed this and want to read more guides on the best weapons, you may check out our articles on Shotguns, Sidearms, Auto Rifles, or even Bows. Everyone has a favorite weapon type, so be sure to handle them with care. Moreover, you could obtain the weapons from this list using our Destiny 2 Services because saving time’s better than spending it on grinding or farming.
Thanks for Reading! Owl is Flying Away.
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