Destiny 2 weapons have received a huge rebuild, which initially confused me. Weapon classes I had known in Destiny for so long were no longer there. In their place, we now have Kinetic, Power, and Energy weapons. In this guide, we will explain how each weapon class works in Destiny 2 and where the Kinetic class fits in.
Kinetic weapons in Destiny 2 explained
Kinetic weapons are the most akin to traditional weapons we have in Destiny 2 because they operate by firing solid projectiles. Their primary role is to quickly eat away at the enemy's health because they receive an additional 10% more damage to unshielded enemies. Note that they are less effective against shielded enemies than the other two classes because they cannot deal elemental damage.
If you have any doubts about whether the weapon in question is Kinetic or not, simply take a look at the weapon's icon orientation. The Kinetic weapons always point left. Here are all of the Kinetic weapon types in Destiny 2:
- Auto Rifle
- Combat Bow
- Grenade Launcher
- Hand Cannon
- Linear Fusion Rifle
- Pulse Rifle
- Scout Rifle
- Shotgun
- Sidearm
- Sniper Rifle
- Submachine Gun
Energy weapons in Destiny 2 explained
Energy weapons in Destiny 2 deal damage to their targets either by launching projectiles or energy beams at their targets. Unlike the Kinetic weapons, their primary role in the PvE game is to remove the enemy shields before switching to a Kinetic weapon to finish off their health bar. Against shielded enemies, they do about 2.8 times more base damage than Kinetic weapons. The Energy weapon icon always points to the right for easy reference. Here are the Energy weapon types in Destiny 2:
- Auto Rifle
- Combat Bow
- Grenade Launcher
- Hand Cannon
- Linear Fusion Rifle
- Pulse Rifle
- Scout Rifle
- Shotgun
- Sidearm
- Sniper Rifle
- Submachine Gun
Power weapons in Destiny 2 explained
The Power weapons sit in the Heavy weapon slot in Destiny 2 and are comprised of the game's biggest guns. Power weapons can deal Strand and Stasis damage in addition to the Void, Solar, and Arc damage that Energy weapons can deal. Due to their pure damage output, they are the most apparent choice against boss enemies in Raids or for clearing out large enemy groups. Here are all the Destiny 2 Power weapon types:
- Fusion Rifles
- Grenade Launchers
- Rocket Launchers
- Shotguns
- Sniper Rifles
- Swords
The difference between Energy and Kinetic weapons in PvE and PvP game modes in Destiny 2 explained
The main difference between Energy and Kinetic weapon categories in Destiny 2 PvE is their purpose. As previously explained, taking out a shielded enemy is a two-step process where you chip away their shield bar with an Energy weapon, then finish off their health bar with a Kinetic weapon.
There is almost no difference between Energy and Kinetic weapons when fighting other players in PvP. The only exception to that is when you shoot a Guardian who engaged their Super. Since Super confers additional shield to Guardians, energy weapons are naturally more effective than even the best PvP Kinetic weapons, reflecting their efficiency against shields in PvE.
Looking for more Destiny 2 guides to help you out? You're in the right place; take a look at Iterative Loop Destiny 2 – How to get & best God Roll and How to get Taraxippos & its God Roll in Destiny 2 here on Pro Game Guides!
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What is a Kinetic Weapon in Destiny 2? Weapon Classes Explained
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