Rocket Launchers are a powerful weapon in Destiny 2, and we rank the best and worst for Destiny 2 in a tier list.
Rocket Launchers have always had a place in Destiny since the earliest days of the first Destiny. They are potent PVE and PVP weapons capable of high burst damage on a single target and the ability to clear multiple enemies in a single shot. Rocket launchers are commonly used during boss damage phases when you need a quick burst of damage in a split second. They are also sometimes used in other high-end content, such as Grandmaster Nightfalls, to burst down large targets or groups of minor enemies.
The best rocket launchers are always Adaptive or Aggressive Frames. They inherently do ten percent more damage than High-Impact Frames and twenty percent more damage than Precision Frames. High-impact and Precision Frames get higher reserves than the previous frames, but that rarely balances out the lack of damage. Rocket Launchers do best with auto-loading perks such as Envious Assassin or Reconstruction and damage perks like Explosive Light and Bait and Switch. Our tier list guide will walk you through the best and worst Rocket Launchers in Destiny 2, how to use them, and which to collect.
What Are the Best Rocket Launchers in Destiny 2?
The best rocket launcher in the game is Apex Predator due to its archetype, perfect combination of perks, and the fact that it is craftable. Because it can be crafted, nearly anyone can get a perfect roll in enough time. After that, we have the Crux Termination IV, which has great perks and the perfect archetype but isn’t as easy to acquire because it isn’t craftable. That being said, it can, in theory, do more damage than the Apex in certain situations with a specific roll. Our third choice is the Cold Comfort, which can theoretically do the most burst damage in the game under specific circumstances. It is hindered because it is harder to obtain, and that particular set of circumstances is difficult to make happen.
Here is the tier list ranking the best Rocket Launchers in Destiny 2 (D2):
- S Tier – Apex Predator
- A Tier – Crux Termination IV, Cold Comfort, Hothead
- B Tier – Blowout, Braytech Osprey, Bump in the Night, Semiotician, Sleepless
- C Tier – Hoosegow, Hezen Vengeance, Roar of the Bear, Code Duello, Red Herring
- D Tier – Crowning Duologue, Shining Sphere, Palmyra-B, Heretic, Bad Omens, Tomorrow’s Answer
- F Tier – Subzero Salvo, Royal Entry, Ascendancy
Related:
F Tier – Gunsmith Reputation
Below are the F Tier Rocket Launchers for Destiny 2:
- Subzero Salvo – found on Europa
- Royal Entry – found in Vanguard Legacy Gear
- Ascendancy – found in the Monument to Lost Lights
When a rocket launcher is F-Tier in Destiny 2, the Glimmer and Reputation you gain from Banshee-44 from breaking it down is worth more than the weapon itself. F-tier rocket launchers are all Precision frame rocket launchers, meaning they have intrinsic tracking but also do 20 percent less base damage than the best rocket launchers. Additionally, all rockets at the bottom of our Tier List lack either a reload perk or a damage buff.
For the most part, even average rocket launchers in Destiny 2 can do a little better than the best if the surge modifier gives it an advantage. In our Tier List, these rockets don’t even have that advantage, as they are still objectively worse than an unmatching rocket launcher with a good damage perk. As stated before, you are better off just using them for materials or infusion fodder.
F-Tier Notable Exceptions
Ascendancy is notable for being very easy to acquire and has a static perk combination. While a bit expensive (it costs a decent amount of glimmer and an ascendant shard), you can go right to the Monument to Lost Lights and get it instantly. Ascendancy’s ease of acquisition and its good damage perk are the only things it has going for it. You are still better off with any rocket in the above Tiers.
D Tier – It’s All You Have
Below are the D Tier Rocket Launchers for Destiny 2:
- Crowning Duologue – found in the Solstice of Heroes event
- Shining Sphere – found in Iron Banner Legacy Gear
- Palmyra-B – found at the Gunsmith, Banshee-44
- Heretic – found at the Altars of Sorrow on the Moon
- Bad Omens – found in Gambit Legacy Gear
- Tomorrow’s Answer – found in the Trials of Osiris (Currently Unobtainable)
The D-Tier of our Rocket Launcher Tier List is full of rockets that aren’t terrible but are just products of a different time. Four of them are from a time before weapon crafting existed in Destiny 2, and the other 2 are just the best of the Precision Frame rockets. These rocket launchers are mostly functional but still lack much of the punch that more contemporary choices have.
Most of the rocket launchers in D-Tier either have mismatched perks, such as two reload perks, or their damage perks are easily outclassed. For instance, Lasting Impression and Cluster Bombs have been great damage perks in the past but are seldom seriously looked at by players anymore. Only two of the weapons in the D-Tier have better damage perks; unfortunately, they are both Precision frames.
D-Tier Notable Exception
The Palmyra-B rocket launcher has the honor of being the best Precision Frame rocket launcher in the game. Now it’s still not great due to the loss in damage but it’s decently easy to acquire and craftable. It was once a best-in-slot pick, and while it has fallen far from its former glory, it is still not a bad option to have in your arsenal. Craft Palmyra-B with the awesome combination of Auto-Loading Holster and Explosive Light.
C Tier – Mostly Usable
Below are the C Tier Rocket Launchers for Destiny 2:
- Hoosegow – found at the Gunsmith, Banshee-44
- Hezen Vengeance – found in the Vault of Glass Raid
- Roar of the Bear – found in Iron Banner
- Code Duello – found in Dares of Eternity
- Red Herring – found in Savathun’s Throne World
Like our D-Tier weapons, the C-Tier is filled with rocket launchers that are products of their time or with more recent examples of weapons with worse perk options. You won’t see any Precision Frame rocket launchers here or any higher as the damage loss hurts them too much. Some of these options are functional in Nightfalls and other mid-to-late-game content but are still outclassed significantly by the rockets in the upper Tiers.
All of the rocket launchers in C-Tier have a good reload perk and damage perk combination, although they may not be in the upper echelons of those perks. Combinations like Field Prep and Cluster Bomb are common. All of these rockets can perform in end-game content, but none will have the best output.
C-Tier Notable Exceptions
While we have now entered the acceptable domain, there are still two rockets in C-Tier worth pointing out. Hezen Vengeance has an adept version that can be claimed from the master version of the Vault of Glass raid. This grants it bonus perks and the ability to equip Adept mods to improve its performance. The Red Herring is also a decent rocket that can be crafted, making it very easy to obtain its perfect god roll.
B Tier – Average
Below are the B Tier Rocket Launchers for Destiny 2:
- Sleepless – found in the Dreaming City
- Semiotician – found in Season of the Witch activities
- Bump in the Night – found in the Presage Exotic Mission
- Braytech Osprey – found in the Nightfall Playlist
- Blowout – found in the Crucible playlist
In Destiny 2, several weapons perform well in any given activity but aren’t necessarily great options. Those weapons make up the B-Tier of our Tier List. Some of them have the potential to be as strong as even the best options if conditions are favorable, like a matching elemental surge. While none of these rocket launchers are particularly flashy, they are solid performers and worth looking at in specific situations.
Every rocket launcher in B Tier has solid options in the perk pool and is of a favored archetype. Some, like the Sleepless, are more suited for Grandmaster Nightfall content, and others, like the Blowout, function better in end-game raids during a boss damage phase. Ironically, even though general performance has increased for all of the rockers at this tier, specialization of perks and archetypes becomes even more apparent at this level. These rockets can do any content, but each can do certain content better than others.
B-Tier Notable Exceptions
Braytech Osprey can be obtained from Nightfalls, which has an Adept version. It is currently the Best-In-Class void rocket launcher in Destiny 2. The best-in-class strand rocket launcher, Semiotician, is craftable and can work well as a Grandmaster Nightfall or end-game raid rocket launcher. An old favorite, Bump in the Night, can be crafted and works well as a great utility rocket since it can get Chill Clip.
A Tier – Strong
Below are the F Tier Rocket Launchers for Destiny 2:
- Hothead – found in Vanguard Legacy focusing
- Cold Comfort – found in the Ghost of the Deep dungeon
- Crux Termination IV – found in the world loot pool
Penultimately, we have reached the A-Tier of the Destiny 2 rocket launchers. All of these rockets are top performers in almost every situation and they all have top-tier damage perks like Explosive Light or Bait and Switch. A-Tier rocket launchers all have some kind of auto-reloading perk. This means you can fire a rocket then swap to another weapon and do damage while it reloads itself. These rockets will always be good but may not always be the best choice in specific situations.
Hothead has remained an A-Tier rocket for several seasons. It used to be an example of an S-Tier rocket. It has since dropped down a bit due to better options coming into the game. The Cold Comfort has the potential in particular instances to load four rockets at once. This is, of course, difficult to do, but it allows for some top-tier burst damage. The newest rocket launcher, Crux Termination IV, is great with standard perk options, but it can also roll with Slideshot and Surrounded. Both are super situational but allow for the greatest damage per rocket and instantly reloads while sliding. This combination is very niche and will rarely come up in regular gameplay, but its potential is intriguing.
S Tier – Best in Slot
Below are the F Tier Rocket Launchers for Destiny 2:
- Apex Predator – found in the Last Wish Raid
The S-Tier of Rocket Launchers only contains one rocket launcher, Apex Predator. S-Tier rocket launchers can perform well in any situation even if there are no surges to boost their damage. The Apex Predator is never a bad choice for any kind of PvE content. While others may be able to do things the Apex Predator cannot do in certain situations, a god-rolled Apex Predator doesn’t need special circumstances to be good.
Apex Predator checks all of the boxes for an S-Tier weapon. It is often used for end-game content where high burst damage is needed. It is favored in activities with a Solar burn for the sheer amount of damage that can be applied quickly. With perks like Reconstruction, allowing for two rockets to be loaded at once, and excellent damage perks like Bait and Switch and Explosive Light boosting its damage to incredible levels, this rocket launcher is a perfect example of form. S-Tier is supposed to mean exemplary or best of its class, and Apex Predator certainly fits that bill.
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