Top 10 Destiny 2 weapons to get during the week before Beyond Light

Destiny 2's next big expansion, Beyond Light, is only a week away. The Fallen Kell of Darkness Eramis and her armies look to be some of the toughest foes that Guardians have faced yet, so whether you're a newer player or a returning veteran, you're going to want to have a solid lineup of weapons to take into the new expansion when it releases on November 10. Thankfully, even though there's only a week left before the expansion, you can earn plenty of great guns if you're dedicated. Here are 10 weapons you should get in the week before Beyond Light's release.

Whisper of the Worm

The Whisper of the Worm is a heavy Exotic sniper rifle that has been a fan-favorite for boss damage-per-second (DPS) in Destiny 2 ever since it came out in 2018. Not only is the weapon's base damage on critical hits significantly higher than other sniper rifles, but its special perk, White Nail, makes it so that landing three consecutive hits on a target refills the magazine with your reserve ammo. This means that as long as your aim is true, you can fire nonstop without needing to reload until you run out of ammo. This makes the Whisper a phenomenal option in raids where DPS phases are strictly timed and you'll want to have as much weapon uptime as possible.

To obtain the weapon, you'll need to compete "The Whisper" mission on Io, which is accessible on the planet's map. The mission has a 20-minute timer, a large platforming section, and a pretty ruthless combat gauntlet that ends in an arena with three bosses and tons of support enemies. You'll get the Whisper when all three bosses are dead. This mission is basically impossible without a fireteam, so you'll need to have friends help you or find players willing to squad up. This mission is being removed from the game when Beyond Light releases, so if you don't get the Whisper now, it will be a while before it's available again.

Outbreak Perfected

Outbreak Perfected is arguably the best PvE Exotic pulse rifle in the game due to how applicable it is in a variety of situations. The first of its special perks, The Corruption Spreads, spawns SIVA nanite swarms when you rapidly hit targets and kill enemies with precision damage. These swarms fly into the enemy you're attacking and explode, dealing bonus damage. The second special perk, Parasitism, ramps up the damage of your bullets infinitely as more and more nanites explode on the enemy you're shooting. Additionally, the Outbreak Perfected also comes with the Outlaw perk that drastically increases reload speed after precision kills. This versatile set of perks makes the Outbreak Perfected an amazing option for regular enemies as well as more resilient foes, and it can even be a great choice against bosses too.

To get the weapon, you'll need to complete a mission that's similar to the Whisper one called "Zero Hour," which is accessible from The Farm once you progress a special hidden questline far enough. This video does a great job explaining everything you'll need to do. This mission is also going away on November 10, so this is another weapon you should get right away.

Anarchy

Anarchy is one of the more unique Exotic weapons in Destiny 2, as while it's classified as a grenade launcher, it's more of a trap-laying weapon. Its perk, Arc Traps, makes the grenades that Anarchy fires stick to surfaces (or enemies) and chain bolts of Arc energy to other grenades. These Arc bolts do high continuous damage-over-time, and it only takes two grenades to reach max DPS on a single target, making the Anarchy very ammo-efficient in boss fights. Plus, as your traps sap away the health of a boss, you can do damage with your other weapons as well. The Anarchy is also a strong choice for situations where you need to clear large crowds of enemies, as you can make your "web" of Arc bolts larger by adding more grenades to your trap and properly spacing them out.

To get the Anarchy, you'll have to complete the Scourge of the Past raid (one of Destiny 2's six-man activities with complicated mechanics and a high emphasis on team coordination). You aren't guaranteed to get the weapon upon completion of the raid, but your chances of getting it drastically increase each chance you don't. Plus, since the Scourge of the Past is being removed from the game when Beyond Light launches, Bungie has made it so that you can farm the raid without the typical weekly restriction on raid loot drops. Here's a playlist of guides that explain the mechanics for the Scourge of the Past raid.

Divinity

If you're up for more raiding, the Divinity is easily one of the best Exotic weapons to have for endgame content like raids and Nightfalls. Judgdement, its special perk, causes the weapon to create a special field that envelops enemies when you shoot them with it. This field significantly boosts damage done by your teammates, making the Divinity a phenomenal support tool in boss battles or battles against other tough enemies.

The Divinity is obtainable by completing a series of hidden puzzles throughout the Garden of Salavation raid and then beating the final boss. This video explains how to beat the raid, while this one focuses on the Divinity puzzles.

Xenophage

This Exotic "machine gun" shoots extremely damaging explosive rounds at a slow rate thanks to its Pyrotoxin Rounds perk. It's not the best option for boss DPS in most cases, but its a fantastic option. It doesn't do critical damage on precision hits, too, which means that it's a great choice for people who struggle to hit crits consistently since they aren't needed. It's also one of the best weapons to use in Gambit or the Crucible, as it kills other players in two shots (and leaves them very low after one shot).

The Xenophage can be earned by completing a relatively complicated Exotic quest that involves going through parts of the Pit of Heresy dungeon. This video explains the dungeon's encounters, while this one focuses on the Xenophage quest itself.

Falling Guillotine

Due to some recent buffs, swords in Destiny 2 went from being near-useless to being one of the best weapon types for DPS in the heavy weapons slot. Currently, Falling Guillotine, the star of the Season of Arrivals, is the best sword in the game thanks to its higher raw damage and a unique heavy spin attack that stems from its intrinsic Vortex Frame perk. This makes it a top choice for close-range boss encounters, and it's also an amazing weapon for dealing damage to Primevals in Gambit.

To obtain the weapon, you'll need to rank up the Season of Arrivals Season Pass to Rank 30, which can be done surprisingly quickly if you're willing to grind bounties. The static roll of Enduring Blade, Heavy Guard, Energy Transfer, and Whirlwind Blade is solid, but if you're willing to grind up to Rank 45 you'll also get the static roll for Cold Denial (another weapon on this list) and you can then focus Season of Arrivals' Umbral Engrams into Arrival-Focused Engrams at the Prismatic Recaster near the Drifter. This focused engram will drop either the Falling Guillotine or the Cold Denial with randomly rolled perks — for the Falling Guillotine, the best perk roll is Honed, Jagged, or Tempered Edge, Swordmaster's Guard, Relentless Strikes, and Whirlwind Blade.

Cold Denial

Cold Denial is the latest pulse rifle to hit the loot pool, and it's easily one of the best in the game's history thanks to its minimal recoil, good handling, and strong perk selection for both PvE and PvP. To get it, you'll need to hit Rank 45 on the Season of Arrivals Season Pass. The static roll of Smallbore, Flared Magwell, Zen Moment, and Headseeker is a good jack-of-all-trades option that will serve you fairly well in both PvE and PvP, but farming Arrival-Focused Umbral Engrams for random rolls is recommended (you can farm for a good Falling Guillotine at the same time since they come from the same engram). For PvE, I recommend Corkscrew Rifling, Flared Magwell, Feeding Frenzy, and either Swashbuckler or Multikill Clip. For Crucible, you should aim for Arrowhead Brake, High-Caliber Rounds, Feeding Frenzy, and Unrelenting.

IKELOS_SMG_V1.0.2

This SMG is arguably the best non-Exotic weapon in its class for PvE thanks to its excellent perk selection and compatibility with Warmind Cell mods (mods sold by the Gunsmith that cause shootable explosives to pop out of enemies you kill) and its strong perk pool. Additionally, some rolls are also great for PvP as well. The weapon can drop from the Contact public event on Io or Titan, and it can also be farmed from CQC-Focused Umbral Engrams. The best roll for PvE is Polygonal Rifling, Flared Magwell, Subsistence, and any perk other than Tap the Trigger, while you'll want Chambered Compensator, Seraph Rounds or Steady Rounds, Dynamic Sway Reduction, and Tap the Trigger for PvP play.

IKELOS_SR_V1.0.2

The IKELOS sniper rifle is on the list for the same reason its SMG brother is: it works with Warmind Cell mods and has a wide array of stellar perks. It drops from the Contact public event and from Assassin-Focused Umbral Engrams. For PvE activities, you'll want Polygonal Rifling, Extended Mag or Appended Mag, Triple Tap or Fourth Time's The Charm, and Box Breathing. For PvP, shoot for Fluted Barrel, Seraph Rounds, No Distractions or Moving Target, and Quickdraw.

Gnawing Hunger

Last but certainly not least on our list is the Gnawing Hunger, an auto rifle from Season 6 of Destiny 2 that has become incredibly popular at the moment due to a recent refresh and auto rifle buffs. You can get one as a random drop while playing the game, but it's much easier to get the weapon by opening Dredgen or Lead-Focused Umbral Engrams. It's a beast in both PvE and PvP, so make sure to get this weapon if you're an auto rifle fan. The best PvE roll for it is Arrowhead Brake, Extended Mag, Subsistence, and Rampage or Multikill Clip, while the best PvP one is Hammer-Forged Rifling, Accurized Rounds, Zen Moment, and Kill Clip.

Your thoughts

What do you think of the weapons in this list? Do you agree with our choices, or do you think there are some better options that are quick to earn and can be taken into Beyond Light? Let us know.

Destiny 2: Beyond Light is set to release on November 10, 2020 on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One consoles, and Windows 10 PCs via Steam. It costs $40. You can also play the base game out for free thanks to Destiny 2's "New Light" system, and when Beyond Light releases, the in-game tutorial is getting a massive overhaul. I highly recommend checking Destiny 2 out, as its one of the best Xbox One shooters.