The ultimate guide to the best SMG in Destiny 2 The Final Shape
Welcome to the comprehensive guide on the most powerful submachine guns in Episode Echoes. Discover the Destiny 2 best SMG for both PvE and PvP gamemodes.
Table of Contents
Key takeaways:
- In this guide you will find ten weapons, which consists of five PvE and PvP guns
- All weapons have various perk recommendations that will make them meta
- Also, you can learn more about SMG frames, which greatly affect the behavior of weapons
In Episode Echoes, one of the best weapon types is SMG. These incredibly fast-firing guns can deal tons of damage and are perfect for annihilating enemies in any game mode in Destiny 2. They are in the PvP meta and essential in any endgame activity. But which ones are worth farming on your account? You are in luck because you will find the answer to this question here. So, let’s take a look at the best SMG in Destiny 2 The Final Shape!
Important note: This is not a tier list. That’s a basic guide, explaining to any player in an understandable language which gun is worth getting out of and why they should do this right now. We see no reason to rate them. They are all good and worth being in your collection. If you to see tier list, then you should see our D2 exotic weapons tier list.
Destiny 2 SMG guide
Did you know that in Destiny 2, each gun has various frames that significantly change the gameplay and approach to weapons? The main differences between them are the dealing damage, RPM, and Base Stats. And as you assumed, Submachine Guns are no exception.
There are four different Frames:
- Precision Frame (600 RPM)
- Aggressive Frame (750 RPM)
- Lightweight Frame (900 RPM)
- Adaptive Frame (900 RPM)
What are the D2 best SMG frames in The Final Shape meta? It’s worth noting right away that, at the moment, the worst is Adaptive Frame, which deals with the lowest DPS in PvE and PvP. Do you want to achieve maximum efficiency in PvE? Then Aggressive and Lightweight Frames are the best options for you. In PvP, Aggressive and Precision SMGs are a popular choice due to their good balance between Range and Stability.
Best SMG for Destiny 2 PvE
The most important thing in PvE is to be ready for Strikes, Nightfalls, Raids and Dungeons. Therefore, keep the top five Submachine Guns for these activities!
Osteo Striga
- How to get: At the Enclave after completing The Witch Queen story campaign
You have definitely heard about one of the best Exotic SMG in Destiny 2: Osteo Striga. Want to deal significant damage to one large target? Or do you want an ultimate weapon against a crowd of mobs? Osteo Striga can provide you with all of this. The Exotic Perk turns shots into toxic projectiles that track the targeted enemy. Toxic Overload lets you poison enemies by final blows or multiple precision hits. An equipped Catalyst will make you forget entirely about reloading. Why? That’s because of Poison’s final blows. They not only return ammo to the magazine but can also overflow it.
Ikelos_SMG_V1.0.3
- How to get: Operation: Seraph’s Shield Exotic Mission
- Must-have Ikelos SMG perks:
- Feeding Frenzy, Threat Detector
- Voltshot
After the release of second version of this gun, many players didn’t understand how to make it even better. But somehow, Bungie achieved the impossible. Studio was introducing the best energy SMG in Destiny 2 The Final Shape: IKELOS_SMG_V1.0.3. Although the Demolitionist disappeared from this weapon, a perk came to replace it, which easily won the hearts of many Guardians. We are talking about Voltshot, which can overcharge the gun, causing it to jolt on its next hit. That’s an excellent perk that can annihilate crowds of enemies in a second.
No Survivors
- How to get: Ghosts of the Deep Dungeon
- Must-have No Survivors perks:
- Demolitionist, Surplus
- Incandescent, Adrenaline Junkie
If you need the best Solar SMG in Destiny 2, then look at No Survivors. Since grenades play an important role in many builds, Demolitionist is a favorite choice in the third column. With it, each final blow will give you 10% grenade energy, and using this ability will reload the weapon. In the fourth column, Solar build enthusiasts will love Incandescent, while other builds can use Adrenaline Junkie for a 33% damage increase.
Imminence
- How to get: Salvation’s Edge Raid
- Must-have Imminence perks:
- Demolitionist, Pugilist, Slice, Enlightened Action
- Chaos Reshaped, Firefly, Desperate Measures, Hatchling
Imminence has an extensive array of excellent perks, making it perfect for many builds and one of the best PvE SMG in Destiny 2. For grenade/melee loadouts, Demolitionist/Pugilist works well, while Slice and Enlightened Action are great overall. Although the fourth column also has excellent perks, Chaos Reshaped stands out the most. With it, you can get up to 35% bonus damage and 35 HP every 7 seconds if you remain in combat for 24 seconds, which often occurs in nightfalls, dungeons, and raids. Firefly is also an interesting choice, especially since this perk appears for the first time on Submachine Guns.
The Recluse
- How to get: Onslaught
- Must-have The Recluse perks:
- Repulsor Brace, Enlightened Action, Threat Detector, Subsistence
- Destabilizing Rounds, Frenzy, Desperate Measures
After several years, one of the best PvE Submachine Guns in Destiny 2 is available for everyone again!
The Recluse is back in Guardians’ hands, now with new random rolls that make it one of the best SMGs. Fans of Void synergies will immediately notice the combo of Repulsor Brace and Destabilizing Rounds, allowing constant Overshield gains and enemy explosions thanks to the Volatile debuff.
This best Void SMG in Destiny 2 is not only great for Void builds, as it also has other excellent perks. Enlightened Action, Threat Detector, and Subsistence will help with reload speed, a common issue with submachine guns. For bonus damage, we recommend using Desperate Measures if you frequently use your abilities or Frenzy in other situations. The origin trait is also noteworthy, allowing you to gain 5% grenade/melee energy when equipped with a Light/Darkness Super.
Best SMG for Destiny 2 PvP
It’s time to break into the Crucible and teach players a lesson in the Trials of Osiris. Guardians will fear you with the following five weapons!
Shayura’s Wrath
- How to get: Trials of Osiris
- Must-have Shayura’s Wrath perks:
- Keep Away, Zen Moment, Dynamic Sway Reduction
- Tap the Trigger, Kill Clip
Shayura’s Wrath is back, and it’s better than ever. It still has great perks, so no wonder why everyone thinks it is one of the best SMG for Trials of Osiris.
With Keep Away and the Nadir Focus origin trait, you can easily reach the 100 range even without Adept mods, not to mention that these perks provide significant accuracy bonuses. However, if you already have enough range, you might prefer Zen Moment for anti-flinch and better recoil or Dynamic Sway Reduction for more stability and accuracy. In the fourth column, only two perks are worth your attention, but both are excellent. Tap the Trigger ensures high stability and accuracy at the start of each engagement, while Kill Clip helps achieve kill streaks in 6v6 with a 25% bonus damage.
Unending Tempest
- How to get: Crucible
- Must-have Unending Tempest perks:
- Moving Target, Dynamic Sway Reduction, Perpetual Motion
- Tap the Trigger, Fragile Focus
Unending Tempest can be called “Shayura’s Wrath in the First Slot” because it shares almost the same perks. This best PvP SMG in Destiny 2 also features Dynamic Sway Reduction, Tap the Trigger, and Nadir Focus, making it a great choice for Crucible. Despite this, we recommend paying attention to perks like Moving Target and Fragile Focus. The first not only gives you +10 aim assistance but also increases strafe speed, giving you an advantage in duels. The second perk is necessary to achieve 100 range on Unending Tempest thanks to the +20 range buff, but it will disappear if your shield is broken.
Ikelos_SMG_V1.0.3
- How to get: Seraph’s Shield Exotic Mission
- Must-have Ikelos_SMG_V1.0.3 perks:
- Dynamic Sway Reduction, Threat Detector
- Tap the Trigger
The main advantage of IKELOS_SMG_V1.0.3 compared to other SMGs for Crucible is its accessibility and the ability to craft a god roll manually. The perfect roll you’ll find on one of the best PvP Submachine Guns in Destiny 2 is Dynamic Sway Reduction and Tap the Trigger, making it one of the most stable weapons in the game. The origin trait also plays an important role, as it replenishes 50% of the magazine when breaking an enemy’s shield, ensuring you won’t run out of ammo during firefights.
Imminence
- How to get: Salvation’s Edge Raid
- Must-have Imminence PvP perks:
- Fragile Focus, Perpetual Motion
- Kill Clip, Desperate Measures, Target Lock
Besides PvE, Imminence is quite good in PvP. You are already familiar with the most recommended perks, so let’s go over the remaining ones:
- Perpetual Motion provides +10 stability, handling, and reload speed if you move for 2 seconds. The bonus increases to +20 if you move for 10 seconds, which is perfect for any D2 best PvP SMG.
- Desperate Measures gives you 0.67 TtK (Time to Kill) after an Imminence final blow, 0.60 TtK after a melee/grenade final blow, and 0.53 TtK after two melee/grenade final blows for 7 seconds.
- If you are a precise shooter, Target Lock will suit you. If you enhance this perk and do not miss the target, you can achieve 0.67 TtK in any firefight.
Also, remember the Adept version of this weapon, which allows you to increase your range further.
Multimach CCX
- How to get: Iron Banner
- Must-have Multimach CCX perks:
- Moving Target, Rangefinder, Dynamic Sway Reduction
- Tap the Trigger, Target Lock, Kill Clip, Enhanced Kinetic Tremors
The final best Submachine Gun for Crucible is the Multimach CCX. We want to highlight two specific perks on Multimach CCX: Rangefinder and Kinetic Tremors. If you thought Rangefinder was useless after the zoom changes, you’re mistaken. It still significantly reduces recoil and increases accuracy, making it much easier to hit enemies. The enhanced version of Kinetic Tremors helps you eliminate guardians quickly with shockwaves after 13 hits, even if they are outside the optimal range.
Final words on the best Submachine Guns in Destiny 2
So, here you go! This Destiny 2 SMG guide for Episode Echoes is done, and you can use it until Episode 2 or 3. Every season we will update our article to help you find the best new guns to pick in the game. Did you like this list? If you do, share it with your friends and tell them how good those guns are! We also recommend checking out best DPS weapons in Destiny 2, if you want to make a perfect loadout for any activity! Can’t get them, and your fireteam makes fun of you? Well, WowVendor’s pros can help you by grinding those SMGs with Destiny 2 Services. They are the best in the game, and 20,000 reviews from buyers aren’t lying!
Thank you for reading! Owl is flying away!
Comments
I’ve been searching high and low for a guide like this 😆 Thanks!