Auto rifles remain the Swiss Army knives of Destiny 2's arsenal – reliable, versatile, and downright satisfying when you land those crispy crits. They've weathered countless sandbox shifts since the franchise's dawn, evolving from dominance to niche picks and back again. Today, they occupy a sweet spot: forgiving for newcomers yet packing serious potential for veterans who find that god roll. With Episode: Heresy shaking things up and fresh loot pools emerging, let's break down which auto rifles genuinely earn their keep in 2025's endgame grind. These picks blend raw power, unique perks, and that intangible 'feel' Guardians chase.

10. VS Pyroelectric Propellant

Dropping from Vesper's Host dungeon, this Arc beast turns sustained fire into an electrical storm. Eddy Current and Jolting Feedback are the dream team here – land shots, get Jolting rounds, and watch enemies chain lightning like bargain-bin Thor. Pair it with Arc abilities? Suddenly you're Amplified, cranking Eddy Current's reload speed into overdrive. Prefer pure chaos? Attrition Orbs + Onslaught turns this 600 RPM into a bullet hose that vomits Orbs of Power. Once Onslaught ramps up, red bars vanish and majors start sweating. Honestly, it’s like the gun gets angrier the longer you shoot.

9. The Summoner

Trials of Osiris rewards the brave, and this Solar auto rifle is worth the PvP pain. It’s the only AR rocking Heal Clip + Onslaught – a combo so good it feels illegal. Slay trash mobs, watch fire rate and reload speed skyrocket, and suddenly Heal Clip procs constantly. Solar builds can swap in Incandescent for crispy Ignitions. Since its reissue? Enhanced perks make this thing a true monster. Finding the motivation to grind Trials? Yeah, that’s the real challenge.

8. Quicksilver Storm

Grab this from Rahool after buying Lightfall. Nerfs? Sure. Still utterly bananas? Absolutely. Fires homing rockets that reload its grenade launcher mode (hold reload to swap). Red bars melt in standard fire, while the GL alt-fire chunks majors like they owe it Glimmer. The Catalyst adds Strand synergy, making it wildly adaptable. It’s basically two exotic weapons duct-taped together – and somehow, it works.

7. Adamantite

The new kid from Episode: Heresy, this Support Frame Strand AR is… weirdly awesome. Hipfire heals allies and Unravels enemies attacking them? That’s right – heal your buddy, and their attackers get tangled in Strand threads. Reciprocity heals you when you heal others, while Circle of Life boosts damage for being a team player. Running Slice? Now you’re debuffing enemy damage too. It’s not the fastest bullet, but man, it turns support into an aggressive strategy. Who knew being helpful could hurt so much?

6. Lethal Abundance

Saladin blessed Iron Banner with this Strand 450 RPM beast. Slice + Onslaught is pure filth – kills boost fire rate and reload speed, while reloading after a kill infuses shots with Sever (40% enemy damage reduction!). Keep chaining kills, and this thing out-DPSes some exotics. Strand synergy with Unraveling Rounds? Chef’s kiss. It’s like the gun rewards you for not stopping.

5. Ros Arago IV

World drops blessed us with this Void monster. Onslaught turns this 600 RPM Adaptive Frame into an 822 RPM bullet blender. Pair with Rewind Rounds or Subsistence for near-bottomless mags. Oh, and it’s Void – meaning Volatile Rounds (from Echo of Instability or Gyrfalcon's) make every shot explode. Add Repulsor Brace for constant Overshields? Yeah, it dethroned Funnelweb as the Void primary king. It just deletes waves.

4. Monte Carlo

Melee builds start here. Hits grant melee energy; kills can fully refill it. But it’s no one-trick pony – Markov Chain gives up to 65% damage buff (stacks with its innate 40% vs. red bars). The Catalyst lets you swap stacks for a bayonet lunge that one-shots most non-bosses… and maxes Markov Chain again. Punch, shoot, repeat. Simple, savage fun.

3. Necrochasm

Earned from Crota’s End, this 720 RPM Kinetic beast makes cursed thrall explosions on precision kills. Reload after one? Desperation kicks in, firing at 900 RPM. Catalyst adds a flat 35% damage buff. Manage the recoil, and you’ve got an ad-clear monster that works even in GMs. Paired with Necrotic Grips? Pure poison poetry.

2. Khvostov 7G-0X

Your first gun, now an exotic powerhouse via a lengthy quest. The Right Choice fires a ricocheting explosive round every 7th shot, clearing rooms. Intrinsic exotic primary buff? Check. Shoot to Loot grabs ammo from range. It’s Sunshot-level add clear without the exotic fuss. Sometimes, nostalgia does hit hard.

1. Choir Of One

From the Encore mission, this is basically a Wyvern cannon. Hipfire? Explosive cross-shaped blasts. ADS? A 225 RPM Special ammo AR hitting like a freight train. Melts Champions and majors. Pair with Volatile Rounds? Endgame S-tier. It trades ammo efficiency for raw, unapologetic destruction. Worth every minute of the grind.

FAQs

Q: Why use an auto rifle over SMGs or Hand Cannons?

A: Range and forgiveness! Autos excel at medium distances where SMGs fall off, and they’re less punishing than Hand Cannons if you miss a shot. Perfect for sustained fire against groups.

Q: What’s the best auto rifle for beginners?

A: Monte Carlo (if you get it) or Ros Arago IV. Both are forgiving, powerful, and teach good engagement ranges.

Q: How do I farm these effectively?

A: Focus on specific activities: Dungeons for VS Pyroelectric, Iron Banner for Lethal Abundance, world drops for Ros Arago. Check vendors weekly!

Q: Is Choir Of One really worth the exotic slot?

A: Against Champions or majors? Absolutely. That special ammo damage is brutal. Just pack a Primary ammo workhorse for trash mobs.

Q: Any underrated perk combos?

A: Don’t sleep on Attrition Orbs + healing/damage perks (like Adamantite’s setup). Generating Orbs while buffing your fireteam? That’s endgame utility gold.