Destiny 2: Renegades is bringing the biggest sandbox shake-up we’ve seen in years. From exotic reworks to new ammo economy changes, Bungie is rewriting how we fight, build, and dominate. Old favorites like Ace of Spades and Hawkmoon are getting massive power boosts, while underdogs like Ruinous Effigy and Black Talon are rising from the vault to claim their moment. Whether you’re a PvE grinder or a Crucible hunter, the weapon meta is about to change — and today, we’re breaking down the ten guns you’ll want locked and loaded when Renegades drops.
Before we jump into the list, let’s talk about how we chose these weapons. The Renegades tuning pass isn’t just a numbers tweak — it’s a full rebalance of Destiny’s sandbox. Bungie has adjusted ammo generation, perk behavior, and exotic identities across the board, giving new life to weapons that were once forgotten. Our picks are based on three things: the strength of their buffs, how well they synergize with current buildcrafting, and their overall impact on both PvE and PvP. These are the weapons that stand to reshape the meta, redefine loadouts, and make you rethink what “best-in-slot” really means.
Ace of Spades
Buff Type: Major PvE Damage Increase
Memento Mori damage bonus raised from 18% → 30%.
Firefly explosion damage and radius significantly increased.
Why It’s Meta: It’s finally a top-tier hand cannon for both add clear and boss damage phases. Cayde’s favorite is back in the spotlight — perfect for emotional and nostalgic appeal in your feature.
Hawkmoon
Buff Type: Paracausal PvE Buff
Each Paracausal Charge stack now grants scaling PvE damage, up to +70% at x8.
Why It’s Meta: Skillful players who land precision shots can output monstrous single-target damage — turning Hawkmoon into a “mini-boss killer.”
Osteo Striga
Buff Type: Burst Cooldown Halved
Poison burst cooldown reduced from 4s → 2s.
Why It’s Meta: Faster poison chaining makes this a true add-clear monster again, especially when paired with Necrotic Grips for infinite spreading kills.
Revision Zero
Buff Type: Added Kinetic Synergy
Hunter’s Trace rounds now create shockwaves and Exhaust targets.
Why It’s Meta: This rework gives it elemental-style crowd control in a Kinetic weapon — making it one of the best all-round utility exotics for both PvE and PvP.
Touch of Malice
Buff Type: Improved Healing + Perk Synergy
Healing effect now easier to trigger and activates on Charged with Blight reloads.
Why It’s Meta: The self-damage drawback is much less punishing, and combined with stronger healing, it becomes a sustainable DPS option for sustained fights.
Ruinous Effigy
Buff Type: Massive Catalyst Rework
Catalyst now gives a 30% damage buff after orb kills or damaging Champions/Bosses.
Why It’s Meta: Finally viable again — the transmutation orb mechanic now rewards chaining kills and targeting priority enemies.
Witherhoard
Buff Type: Reload Time Reduced
Silent Alarm auto-load time reduced from 3.5s → 2s.
Why It’s Meta: Regains top-tier crowd control potential. Pairs beautifully with swap builds for constant DoT uptime.
Still Hunt
Buff Type: Golden Gun Damage Boost (with Celestial Nighthawk)
Golden Gun shots now deal +40% more damage.
Why It’s Meta: Turns Hunters into boss-melting snipers. Perfect for high-skill PvE showcases or raid DPS phases.
Black Talon
Buff Type: Huge Void Build Synergy
Heavy attacks now suppress, spread suppression, and catalyst adds 10% per void debuff boost.
Why It’s Meta: Finally joins the Void ecosystem — suppression and ammo economy buffs make it an exciting Exotic Sword for endgame content.
Collective Obligation
Buff Type: Easier Debuff Leeching
Now auto-leeches Volatile → Weaken → Suppression slowly from any target.
Why It’s Meta: You no longer need a full Void team setup. It’s finally accessible and rewarding to solo players running Prismatic or hybrid builds.
When it comes to the new Renegades meta, three weapons stand above the rest — each representing a different pillar of Destiny’s sandbox: power, precision, and poison. The first is Ace of Spades, which has finally reclaimed its crown as one of the most complete hand cannons in the game. Bungie’s buff to Memento Mori now grants a huge 30% damage bonus, while Firefly’s explosions hit harder and cover a wider radius. That combination makes Ace not just a nostalgia pick, but a true endgame powerhouse — perfect for clearing waves of enemies and holding its own during boss phases. Whether you’re tackling Nightfalls or raids, Ace of Spades feels more lethal, responsive, and rewarding than it has in years.
Next is Hawkmoon, a weapon built for players who live for precision. Its new PvE buff now scales up to an incredible 70% extra damage when fully charged, rewarding accurate shots and careful pacing. In the right hands, Hawkmoon can delete champions, bosses, and high-value targets with style — it’s a weapon that turns mechanical skill into raw power. It bridges the gap between utility and burst damage, giving solo players and raid teams alike a reliable tool for high-risk, high-reward encounters.
And then there’s Osteo Striga, the embodiment of controlled chaos. With its poison burst cooldown halved, it’s faster, deadlier, and more satisfying than ever. When paired with Necrotic Grips, it creates chain reactions of poison that can wipe entire rooms in seconds — effortlessly blending add-clear potential with status effect synergy. In the new sandbox, Striga isn’t just strong; it’s fun, fluid, and endlessly effective for Guardians who love mobility and carnage.
Together, these three define the new Renegades era — Ace of Spades for power, Hawkmoon for precision, and Osteo Striga for poison. Each one thrives in its role, and together, they set the tone for a meta built around creativity, adaptability, and pure Guardian dominance.
Of course, not every weapon could make the top ten, but several stand just behind the front line of Renegades’ new meta. Fusion Rifles have quietly become monsters in PvE with up to a fifteen percent damage boost across multiple frames, while Shotguns — especially the Aggressive and Lightweight types — finally feel rewarding again in endgame content. Tessellation continues to surprise with its elemental synergy and new Transcendence buffs, and Suros Regime returns as a workhorse Exotic with ammo generation bonuses that make it perfect for long encounters. Altogether, these tuning changes point toward a healthier, more diverse sandbox — one where nearly every weapon type has a reason to shine, and creativity in your loadout might matter more than ever before.
Looking ahead, Renegades is shaping up to be one of Destiny 2’s most balanced and creative metas yet. We’re seeing a clear shift toward hybrid loadouts that reward synergy and adaptability — pairing a heavy-hitting Exotic with flexible, ammo-efficient primaries. Ace of Spades and Osteo Striga are poised to dominate general play, while Still Hunt and Hawkmoon could redefine burst damage in raids and boss encounters. Black Talon and Collective Obligation, meanwhile, open the door for Void and Prismatic builds that feel fresh and powerful. If anything, Renegades is pushing Guardians to think less about raw DPS and more about harmony — how your weapons, perks, and subclass all amplify each other to create unstoppable rhythm in the chaos of battle.
The Renegades expansion is setting the stage for a whole new era of Destiny 2 — one built around smarter builds, stronger Exotics, and a meta that rewards experimentation. Whether you’re dusting off your Ace of Spades or crafting new loadouts around these buffs, there’s never been a better time to dive back in. But now it’s your turn — which weapon are you most excited to try when Renegades drops? Let me know in the comments below, and if you enjoyed this breakdown, hit that like button, subscribe for more Destiny deep dives, and I’ll see you in the next one — out there, chasing god rolls in the new frontier.