The Best Rocket Launchers In Destiny 2

One of Destiny’s most iconic weapon types is Rocket Launchers. Ever since Gjallarhorn

was introduced in the first game, fans have wanted a similar powerhouse Rocket Launcher in the sequel.

With the various buffs they’ve received throughout Year 4, Rocket Launchers are finally in a good spot. These weapons can pull their weight in damaging hordes of minions and bosses alike. With the right perks and supporting mods, Rocket Launchers are too good to pass up. From Rocket Launchers with permanent damage boosts to those with absurd tracking, here are the ten best Rocket Launchers you can use in Destiny 2.

Updated March 12, 2025, by Charles Burgar: Episode: Heresy has shaken up the Rocket Launcher meta quite significantly. Some new perks, reprised weapons, and new entries have dethroned Apex Predator as the best Rocket Launcher for endgame DPS. We’ve updated this list to include some of this season’s best Rocket Launchers, including Cynosure and the reprised Hezen Vengeance.

10

The Hothead

How to obtain: Vanguard Engram Focusing.

Hothead is now obtainable through Vanguard Engram Focusing, and it’s easily one of Destiny 2’s strongest Rocket Launchers. This weapon has a fantastic perk pool that few Rocket Launchers can match, and it’s fairly easy to obtain.

Arguably the most impressive roll for Hothead is Demolitionist and Clown Cartridge. Fire a rocket, throw a grenade, shoot another rocket, reload to fire two rockets, and repeat. It’s one of the highest DPS Rocket Launchers you’ll find on a grenade build. If you don’t like Demolitionist, you can also farm for Field Prep instead.

Recommended Traits

• Column One: Demolitionist, Field Prep
• Column Two: Clown Cartridge, Explosive Light

9

Eyes Of Tomorrow

How to obtain: Deep Stone Crypt raid.

When most people think of Rocket Launchers, they think of powerful Heavy weapons built to slay majors and bosses. Eyes of Tomorrow

is a little different. The Deep Stone Crypt’s Exotic Rocket Launcher is tuned for add clear more than boss DPS, but this weapon can still pack a serious punch when it needs to.

Eyes of Tomorrow locks onto targets before releasing six micro missiles, aggressively tracking anything it marked beforehand. Each individual missile doesn’t do much damage, but they deal more than enough damage to kill fodder units. And if that swarm kills four targets, you’ll get your rocket refunded and a noticeable damage buff on your next shot.

This makes Eyes of Tomorrow a powerful add-clearing alternative to Machine Guns for loadouts that still need burst DPS. It’s great for killing tankier adds, majors, Champions, and Guardians alike. Take this weapon into Onslaught and watch the carnage unfold.

8

Crowning Duologue

How to obtain: Solstice Event

Crowning Duologue received a massive overhaul in 2024. This Strand Rocket Launcher was an absolute joke in 2023, but thanks to a new set of perks, this weapon can pump some serious DPS with the right build. Right out the gate, this weapon can get Reconstruction with Bait and Switch, the same combination as Apex Predator. Crowning Duologue has worse DPS due to its archetype, but it isn’t far behind.

You can rock some more unique combinations on this weapon like Air Trigger and Deconstruct. Simply jumping will max this gun’s reload speed, and Deconstruct can auto-load rockets into the magazine if it damages enough targets. If you want to spam rockets, you can even run Reconstruction with Envious Assassin to turn this thing into a supersized Grenade Launcher. Don’t ignore this weapon when Solstice comes around.

Recommended Traits

• Column One: Reconstruction, Demolitionist, Air Assault
• Column Two: Bait and Switch, Deconstruct, Envious Assassin

7

Cold Comfort

How to obtain: Ghosts of the Deep dungeon.

Cold Comfort is an Aggressive Frame Rocket Launcher that deals Stasis damage, filling the same niche as Bump in the Night and Palmyra-B. Unlike those two weapons, Cold Comfort features some amazing damage perks and arguably the best origin trait any Rocket Launcher has seen. Restoration Ritual comes with every roll and gives you an instant reload after performing a finisher. This lets you fire two back-to-back rockets at the start of a DPS phase.

You can take this further by using Envious Assassin in the third column to load three rockets in the magazine. Each rocket can then be buffed with Bait and Switch for a massive 30 percent damage buff. You can take this even further if you use Bipod, although this is generally a worse option for boss DPS.

Recommended Traits

• Column One: Envious Assassin
• Column Two: Bait and Switch, Bipod

6

Crux Termination IV

How to obtain: World drop.

Crux Termination is the only Rocket Launcher that can roll with Slideshot, which will automatically reload a rocket when you slide. There’s no cooldown on this, allowing you to bypass reloading entirely if you can keep sliding. It’s an incredibly dangerous way to use a Rocket Launcher, but if you want high burst DPS, few perks can top this.

You can pair Slideshot with Surrounded for tons of bonus damage, or you can run Explosive Light or Bipod for more consistent DPS. And if you don’t like Slideshot, the first column can also roll with Reconstruction and Clown Cartridge. Keep your eyes peeled for a good roll of this weapon.

Recommended Traits

• Column One: Slideshot, Reconstruction, Clown Cartridge
• Column Two: Surrounded, Explosive Light, Bipod

5

Gjallarhorn

How to obtain: And Out Fly The Wolves quest.

Does this need an explanation? It’s Gjallarhorn, the most infamous Exotic in Destiny history. It single-handedly created a meta during the first year of the original Destiny, destroying every boss with a flurry of rockets and cluster bomblets. This iconic weapon has returned with the Bungie 30th Anniversary Pack with some changes.

Gjallarhorn is nothing short of incredible. It isn’t as overpowered as its original variant, but it’s still a powerhouse. Each rocket releases a swarm of tracking cluster bombs called Wolfpack Rounds, dealing additional damage to tougher foes or clearing out fodder enemies. Slain enemies from Gjallarhorn spawn additional Wolfpack Rounds, making it excellent for add-clear.

For bossing, its two-round magazine and ability to buff friendly Legendary Rocket Launchers by giving them Wolfpack Rounds

make this weapon incredibly strong for boss DPS. You’ll only need one Gjallarhorn for your whole fireteam to reap the benefits of it. Overall, Gjallarhorn manages to annihilate PvE enemies with ease and dominates the Crucible Heavy meta.

4

Apex Predator

How to obtain: Last Wish raid; craftable.

Apex Predator used to be the worst Rocket Launcher in Destiny 2, arguably the worst raid weapon in the game. With the Lash Wish perk refresh in Season of the Deep, that’s flipped on its head. Apex Predator is not only a great Rocket Launcher now, it’s easily one of the best Legendary Rocket Launchers in Destiny 2.

That’s mostly due to its ability to get Bait and Switch, the first Rocket Launcher to roll with this perk. Damage a target with your other weapons, then swap to Apex Predator and land a rocket. You’ll gain a massive 30 percent damage buff for the next ten seconds, giving you more than enough time to empty your reserves. Reconstruction gives you a powerful auto-loading effect that can overflow your magazine.

But this weapon’s strengths don’t end there. Since this weapon is craftable, there’s justification to experiment with rolls. If you want to slay an entire army of adds with a well-placed rocket, Incandescent and Explosive Light is a great combination. And for players that are using a grenade build, Demolitionist pairs exceptionally well with this weapon’s Explosive Pact origin trait.

Recommended Traits

• Column One: Reconstruction, Demolitionist, Incandescent
• Column Two: Bait and Switch, Explosive Light

3

Tomorrow’s Answer

How to obtain:

Trials of Osiris
matches and Engrams.

Tomorrow’s Answer is a 15 RPM Void Rocket Launcher with a juiced perk pool. While it’s obtained from a pinnacle PvP game type, this weapon is tailored for PvE endgame players looking for a top-tier DPS option. Envious Arsenal and Bait and Switch is the perfect combination for most, buffing your rocket damage by 30 percent while auto-loading the weapon when you proc Bait and Switch. It’s perfect for hotswap DPS rotations.

If you aren’t a fan of constantly swapping weapons, you can run Envious Assassin with Bipod to carpet an area with explosives or destroy a tough boss. Tomorrow’s Answer is absolutely worth farming for if you don’t mind playing PvP to get one.

Recommended Traits

• Column One: Envious Arsenal, Envious Assassin
• Column Two: Bait and Switch, Bipod

2

Cynosure

How to obtain: Vanguard Engram Focusing.

Cynosure is a powerhouse but is tied to RNG rolls. Available from the Vanguard playlist, this weapon features one of the strongest perk pools we’ve seen on a Rocket Launcher thus far. Nearly every good damage perk is available here: Elemental Honing, Bipod, and Explosive Light are options in the second column.

Any of these perks can be paired with Envious Arsenal for DPS hotswap loadouts, Demolitionist for grenadier builds, or Reconstruction if you want to use this weapon in GM Nightfalls or less intense DPS scenarios. It’s a fantastic weapon if you’re lucky enough to get the right roll.

Recommended Traits

• Column One: Envious Arsenal, Demolitionist, Reconstruction, Overflow
• Column Two: Elemental Honing, Bipod, Explosive Light

1

Hezen Vengeance

How to obtain:

Vault of Glass
raid; craftable.

The Vault of Glass weapons saw a major update in Episode: Heresy, including Hezen Vengeance. This Rocket Launcher is now the strongest burst DPS Rocket Launcher in the game; there’s no contest. That’s partly due to its new origin trait, doubling its base magazine size for 20 seconds upon casting your Super. This stacks multiplicatively with other magazine traits like Overflow and Bipod, fulfilling the same role as a Grenade Launcher but with more damage.

If you prefer hotswap DPS strategies, you can get Envious Arsenal with the new Elemental Honing perk, granting up to a 35 percent damage bonus if your build uses all five damage types. Bait and Switch is also an option if you prefer a simpler damage perk. Best of all, this weapon is fully craftable, so you can freely experiment with perks to see what meshes with your playstyle. It’s the ultimate Rocket Launcher for PvE.

Recommended Traits

• Column One: Envious Arsenal, Overflow, Demolitionist
• Column Two: Elemental Honing, Bait and Switch, Bipod