Let's be real, Guardian. In the world of Destiny 2, where the meta shifts faster than a Hunter dodging a Cabal slug, finding a Primary weapon that can hold its own is like finding a shiny new piece of loot in a sea of blue gear. But fear not, because as we cruise into 2026, Pulse Rifles are having a serious "comeback kid" moment. No longer just the reliable, slightly boring choice, the latest updates and the introduction of the Aggressive Burst archetype have turned these burst-fire beauties into absolute add-clearing monsters. This ain't your grandma's Scout Rifle; we're talking about weapons that can go toe-to-toe with SMGs and Hand Cannons for raw, unadulterated slaying power. So, grab your favorite shader, and let's dive into the crème de la crème of PvE Pulse Rifles.

10. Insidious: The Raid-Ready Powerhouse

How to obtain: Vow of the Disciple raid; craftable at the Enclave.

Think of Insidious as the spiritual successor to the legendary Blast Furnace, but it's been hitting the gym and taking crafting supplements. This Aggressive Frame beast from the Vow of the Disciple raid is a crafting enthusiast's dream. Its claim to fame? The wild synergy between Dragonfly and One for All. Pop a precision kill, watch an enemy go boom, and bam—every enemy hit by that explosion counts towards activating a massive 35% damage buff. Talk about a two-for-one special! If explosions aren't your jam, you can always go for the classic combo of Demolitionist and Adrenaline Junkie for a grenade-spamming loop that would make any Warlock proud.

The Lowdown:

• Best Perks: Dragonfly / Demolitionist in column one, One for All / Adrenaline Junkie in column two.

• Vibe: For the Guardian who likes their damage buffs with a side of fireworks.

9. Collective Obligation: The Void Build's Best Friend

How to obtain: Vow of the Disciple raid.

Alright, let's address the space elephant in the room. On its own, Collective Obligation feels about as exciting as a patrol mission on the Cosmodrome. But oh boy, does it transform when you bring a Void subclass to the party. This Exotic is less of a gun and more of a buildcrafting tool on steroids. It leeches Void debuffs (Suppress, Volatile, Weaken) from enemies and lets you unleash them all at once for a 20% damage boost. Used right, it turns you into a walking debuff machine, trivializing Champions and making Master content feel like a walk in the Pale Heart. It's a high-skill, high-reward weapon that separates the casuals from the legends.

The Lowdown:

• Best Feature: Infinite debuff looping with a Void build.

• Vibe: For the cerebral Guardian who thinks strategy first, shooting second.

8. BXR-55 Battler: The New Player's Holy Grail

How to obtain: Xur's Treasure Trove; craftable at the Enclave.

Not everyone has time to grind raids, and that's totally fine, my dude. Enter the BXR-55 Battler, a craftable love letter to Halo fans and new Lights alike. This thing is an absolute workhorse. The god roll? Demolitionist and Incandescent. Kill an enemy, get grenade energy, and set everything else on fire. It's simple, effective, and incredibly satisfying. For the Titan mains who live for punching, Blunt Execution Rounds offers a comically large 500% damage buff after a melee hit. It's the perfect "get out of jail free" card.

The Lowdown:

• Best Perks: Demolitionist + Incandescent for general use; Blunt Execution Rounds for melee builds.

• Vibe: The reliable, versatile all-rounder that's always there for you.

7. Corrasion: The New Kid on the Block

How to obtain: Episode: Echoes activities.

Representing the new two-round burst Aggressive Burst archetype, Corrasion hits like a truck. It has the highest base damage of any Legendary Pulse Rifle, making it a beast in Legend and Master content. The standout combo is Air Trigger and Voltshot. Get a kill, reload for the zappy round, and watch everything chain lightning. And Air Trigger? Just jump to reload almost instantly. It's weird, it's wonderful, and it works.

The Lowdown:

• Best Perks: Air Trigger / Eddy Current + Voltshot / One for All.

• Vibe: For the Guardian who loves high-risk, high-reward gameplay and doesn't mind looking silly while jumping to reload.

6. Oversoul Edict: The Melee Maniac's Choice

How to obtain: Crota's End raid.

Do you like punching things? Do you like things exploding when you punch other things? Then Oversoul Edict is your soulmate. Its origin trait, Cursed Thrall, gives you a mini-Necrochasm effect after a melee kill. Pair that with Voltshot, and you're not just causing explosions, you're chaining lightning through those explosions. It's add-clear chaos at its finest. For a pure melee rampage build, Enlightened Action and Swashbuckler will have you feeling like an Arc-powered god.

The Lowdown:

• Best Perks: Demolitionist/Enlightened Action + Voltshot/Swashbuckler.

• Vibe: For the Titan or Arcstrider who believes every problem can be solved with a fist or a fist-related explosion.

5. Red Death Reformed: The Unkillable Phoenix

How to obtain: Episode: Echoes Season Pass.

The legend returns, and it's packing more healing than a Well of Radiance. Red Death Reformed is the ultimate sustain weapon. Its Exotic trait is a supercharged Heal Clip, granting Cure on reload after a kill. Get low on health, and you get a 40% damage buff—talk about a comeback mechanic! The Catalyst is the real game-changer, granting stacks of Restoration x2, making you virtually immortal when paired with Solar fragments. In 2026's tough content, staying alive is half the battle, and this gun wins it for you.

The Lowdown:

• Best Feature: Incredible self-healing and survivability.

• Vibe: For the Guardian who's tired of dying and just wants to chill in the middle of a firefight.

4. Outbreak Perfected: The Precision DPS King

How to obtain: Zero Hour Exotic Mission; craftable at the Enclave.

When you need to melt a major or even contribute to boss DPS, Outbreak Perfected is your guy. This laser-beam of a Pulse Rifle spawns SIVA nanites that ramp up damage exponentially. With its recent craftability, you can now ditch Outlaw for god-tier perks like Rapid Hit and Rewind Rounds. The best part? Its nanite damage stacks across your fireteam. Six Guardians with Outbreaks? That's a recipe for deleting anything that isn't a raid boss. It's the Swiss Army knife of Exotic Primaries.

The Lowdown:

• Best Feature: Unmatched single-target and sustained damage for a Primary.

• Vibe: For the coordinated fireteam that loves big numbers and nanite swarms.

3. Chattering Bone: The Perk Pool Prodigy

How to obtain: Last Wish raid; craftable at the Enclave.

Chattering Bone has, without a doubt, the most stacked perk pool of any Legendary Pulse Rifle. Want raw damage? How about Kill Clip and Rampage for a disgusting 66% damage buff? Prefer utility and AoE? Rapid Hit and Kinetic Tremors has you covered. This gun from the Last Wish raid can be built for literally any playstyle. It's the hardest-hitting Legendary Pulse Rifle in the game, and it's not even close. If you can only craft one raid Pulse, make it this one.

The Lowdown:

• Best Perks: Rapid Hit/Kill Clip + Kinetic Tremors/Rampage.

• Vibe: For the min-maxer who spends hours at the Enclave theorycrafting the perfect roll.

2. Nullify: The Salvation's Edge S-Tier

How to obtain: Salvation's Edge raid.

Meet Nullify, arguably one of the strongest Primary weapons in the game right now. As an Aggressive Burst frame from the latest raid, it one-bursts red bars like it's going out of style. Its top-tier roll is a thing of beauty: Firefly and Chaos Reshaped. Precision kills cause explosions and ramp up a 35% damage buff that also heals you. It's utterly busted. If you're a Solar build enthusiast, Heal Clip and Incandescent turns you into an unkillable pyromaniac. This weapon is a meta-defining monster.

The Lowdown:

• Best Perks: Firefly/Heal Clip + Chaos Reshaped/Incandescent.

• Vibe: For the endgame elitist who demands the absolute best from their loot.

1. Graviton Lance: The Add-Clear GOAT

How to obtain: Exotic Engrams; occasionally sold by Xur.

And here we are, at the top of the food chain. Graviton Lance isn't just a Pulse Rifle; it's a Void apocalypse in your hands. After a massive 67% buff, this two-round burst beauty melts everything. Its Cosmology perk is the star: kill one enemy, and it explodes into tracking projectiles that seek out and annihilate everything else in the zip code. Add Volatile Rounds to the mix, and you'll clear entire rooms before your fireteam can even draw their weapons. With its Catalyst adding Vorpal Weapon and Turnabout, it's strong against majors and bosses too. For pure, unadulterated add-clear power, nothing else comes close. It's the king, baby.

The Lowdown:

• Best Feature: Unrivaled chain-reaction add clear with Void synergy.

• Vibe: For the Guardian who views combat as an art form and wants every kill to be a beautiful, explosive masterpiece.

Final Verdict & How to Choose

So, which one is right for you? Let's break it down with a quick guide:

Your Playstyle	Your Gun	Why?
The New Light	BXR-55 Battler	Easy to get, craftable, incredibly forgiving and powerful.
The Solo Survivor	Red Death Reformed	Heals for days, lets you tackle hard content alone.
The Add-Clear Maniac	Graviton Lance	Nothing beats the chain-reaction explosions.
The Raid/DPS Focused	Outbreak Perfected	Top-tier single-target damage for endgame bosses.
The Buildcrafter	Collective Obligation	Turns a powerful Void build into an unstoppable force.
The Min-Maxer	Nullify or Chattering Bone	The highest possible damage numbers from a Legendary.

The beauty of Destiny 2 in 2026 is that there's a powerhouse Pulse Rifle for every kind of Guardian. Whether you're a veteran with every raid exotic or a new player just starting your journey, one of these burst-fire beauties is waiting to become your new best friend. Now get out there and make some fireworks! 🔫💥