The Best Damage Weapon Choices In Destiny 2 Vesper’s Host Dungeon

Summary

• VS Chill Inhibitor, New Pinnacle Grenade Launcher, offers rapid-fire burst damage & 30% bonus.
• Lost Signal, an Area Denial Frame, boosts damage rotations with its damage-over-time effect.
• Grand Overture, Machine Gun with explosive burst damage, ideal for short damage windows.

With the release of Vesper’s Host, Destiny 2 proudly boasts a collection of nine dungeons, offering an often challenging experience for players to overcome. Compared to some of Destiny’s other dungeons, Vesper’s Host sits comfortably among some of the most difficult.

Even outside the level-capped contest mode environment, Vesper’s Host can be an unforgiving experience, with many puzzles to solve and enemies to slay. Whether fighting through it with a fireteam, or toughing it out solo, this list has weapon recommendations for all players, old and new.

Updated on March 14, 2025, by Luke Brown: With the release of Episode Heresy, and the balance changes and artifact mods it brought, the damage meta has shifted in favor of linear fusion rifles, as well as Arc and Void weapons. If players are looking for good options for this episode, anything that is able to utilize the Particle Reconstruction artifact mod, or the numerous mods that allow players to use Bolt Charge and Volatile Rounds will thrive in the current climate. Take a look at these examples of damage powerhouses that are sure to make a fine addition to any guardian’s arsenal.

13

VS Chill Inhibitor

The New Pinnacle Of Grenade Launchers

• Available as a random drop from the first two encounters of the Vesper’s Host Dungeon
• Stasis Rapid Fire Heavy Ammo Grenade Launcher
• God Roll: Envious Arsenal/Cascade Point & Bait And Switch

This list wouldn’t be complete without the new king of damage, the VS Chill Inhibitor. Its rapid-fire frame allows for incredible burst damage, helped out even further by Cascade Point, and its large ammo reserves offer impressive total damage outputs. With the 30% damage increase provided by Bait and Switch, this weapon can pump out more consistent damage than any other grenade launcher and do so much faster.

It is perfect for the short damage windows the bosses of Vesper’s Host offer the player. The only problem is that a player must complete either of the first two encounters of the Vesper’s Host dungeon to get this gun and hope to get lucky with the perks.

12

Lost Signal

An Area Denial Frame That Packs A Punch

• Available from Episode: Echoes activities and craftable
• Stasis Area Denial Frame Special Ammo Grenade Launcher
• God Roll: Auto-Loading Holster/ Lead From Gold & One For All

Unlike many other weapons on this list, Lost Signal is not a damage powerhouse on its own. Where this weapon shines is being incorporated into damage rotations. Fire this weapon, coating the ground (and enemies) in stasis energy, and switch to another one of the weapons from this list to continue damage.

The damage-over-time effect of Lost Signal will not only bolster damage numbers for minimal effort but also help proc perks like Bait and Switch on heavy weapons with relative ease. Both bosses in the Vesper’s Host dungeon have several enemies with them, meaning it is easy to activate One For All on Lost Signal for even more passive damage.

11

Witherhoard

The Original Area Denial Frame

• Purchasable from the Monument to Lost Light in The Tower
• Kinetic Exotic Special Ammo Grenade Launcher

Witherhoard

occupies a similar position to Lost Signal, bolstering the overall damage of a rotation and consistently activating Bait and Switch with ease. Stick Witherhoard’s projectile to a boss, or shoot it at the boss’ feet to spawn a damaging pool, and switch to a heavy weapon.

While Witherhoard feels somewhat power crept in some instances, it is still well worth using on the final boss of Vesper’s Host as the fight requires the player to move frequently, meaning easy-to-use weapons that can do damage without actively firing are perfect choices.

10

Hullabaloo/Dimensional Hypotrochoid

Underappreciated Area Of Effect Damage

• Hullabaloo was available from Guardian Games 2024, Dimensional Hypotrochoid is available from Neomuna destination activities
• Arc/Stasis Compressed Wave Frame Heavy Ammo Grenade Launchers
• God Rolls: Hullabaloo: Envious Assassin & One For All/ Cascade Point. Dimensional Hypotrochoid: Envious Assassin & One For All

Most have largely forgotten the Compressed Wave Frame weapon type. However, it finds a clear use within the first boss encounter in Vesper’s Host. Due to the boss consisting of multiple smaller enemies, players can do increased damage by hitting multiple enemies simultaneously.

Hullabaloo and Dimensional Hypotrochoid are perfect in this specific situation because their shots burst across the ground, doing decent damage to any enemies in the way. However, Hullabaloo is currently unavailable, so it might be worth hopping over to Neomuna to grab a Dimensional Hypotrochoid.

9

Grand Overture

A Machine Gun With Explosive Burst Damage

• Purchasable from the Monument to Lost Light in The Tower
• Arc Exotic Heavy Machine Gun

Grand Overture

is a unique weapon, functioning primarily as a slow-firing machine gun. However, once a player has landed enough shots with it, holding reload will allow them to release a volley of rockets, dealing incredible burst damage very quickly.

Given the short periods in which each boss can be damaged, this gun is a surefire way to take a chunk out of their health bar. Unlike many popular weapons in the heavy slot, Grand Overture requires no support to provide great damage and consistently available ammo.

8

Still Hunt

Golden Gun In Your Pocket

• Available through a quest in the Pale Heart destination (Requires The Final Shape DLC)
• Solar Exotic Special Ammo Sniper Rifle

The Still Hunt

is a relatively recent addition to the damage weapon roster, released with The Final Shape, but it has taken the community by storm. The weapon charges up by collecting orbs of power and landing precision hits. Once fully charged, the player can hold reload to fire three empowered shots, emulating the hunter’s super Golden Gun.

This puts out a lot of damage, especially when paired with the hunter exotic Celestial Nighthawk, which combines all three shots. Whether the player is using Celestial Nighthawk

or not, the gun is a powerhouse and works amazingly in damage rotations or on its own.

7

Choir Of One

The One And Only Special Ammo Auto Rifle

• Available from the Encore exotic mission (craftable with enhanced intrinsic traits and catalysts after multiple completions)
• Void Special Ammo Auto Rifle

The Choir Of One is a unique weapon, occupying a spot similar to Eriana’s Vow

in that it should be a primary ammo weapon, yet isn’t. This works in its favor, however, giving it an impressive potential damage output while maintaining a decent ammo economy. The Choir Of One can easily tear through ads, helped not only by the Episode Heresy artifact mods but also its catalysts which can give it Subsistance, Onslaught or Destabilizing Rounds, all of which directly feed into its killing potential.

While the perks on this weapon lend it more to clearing rooms full of enemies, its raw damage output allows it to hang with the best of the special ammo damage options, especially when utilizing the artifact perks which allow it to consistently activate Volatile Rounds and Void weaken to make any target melt even faster.

6

Edge Transit

A Fan Favorite That Made A Triumphant Return

• Available from Onslaught (Attune to Edge Transit with Commander Zavala in The Tower for higher drop rates)

• Void
  Adaptive Frame

  Heavy Ammo Grenade Launcher

• God Roll: Envious Assassin/ Cascade Point & Bait And Switch

The Edge Transit was once a meme in the Destiny community, but with its return in Into The Light many players were surprised to see it quickly rise to the top of popular damage options. Rolling with the perk Envious Assassin allows the gun to go from 6 shots in the magazine to 18.

Combined with the 30% bonus from Bait And Switch, Edge Transit is easily one of the best options for consistent damage. However, it is only available through the Onslaught activity, meaning it can take some time to get the exact desired perk roll.

5

Bitter/Sweet

A New Staple In Damage Rotations

• Available from Episode: Revenant activities
• Arc Adaptive Frame Heavy Grenade Launcher
• God Roll: Envious Arsenal & Bait And Switch

Bitter/Sweet is one of the new weapons that arrived with Episode: Revenant. The gun occupies a similar role to Edge Transit, except with an arc elemental damage type and the new perk Envious Arsenal rather than Envious Assassin. Envious Arsenal pairs seamlessly with Bait And Switch as both require the player to do damage with their other equipped weapons.

This combo will consistently refill the magazine and offer a 30% damage boost, so as long as ammo reserves are available, all the player needs to do is tag a boss with their other two weapons and lay on the trigger.

4

Dragon’s Breath

Solar Synergy Perfected

• Available from the Monument to Lost Light in The Tower
• Solar Heavy Ammo Rocket Launcher

Dragon’s Breath

is possibly the most versatile weapon on this list, boasting the ability to do consistent, high, passive damage to a boss and easily clear a group of enemies. The rocket launcher fires a projectile that sticks wherever it lands and continuously produces solar damaging energy which synergizes with solar subclasses, spreading scorch and ignitions.

Dragon’s Breath is great against both bosses in Vesper’s Host, the first boss taking huge amounts of damage from the ignitions produced, the final boss benefiting from the ability to shoot a rocket and focus on dodging the incoming attacks without forfeiting damage.

3

Thunderlord

The Easiest Damage Option Out There

• Available from the Monument to Lost Light in The Tower
• Arc Heavy Ammo Machine Gun

The Thunderlord

has been a fan favorite since its reintroduction into Destiny 2, and has remained firmly lodged in many players’ inventories throughout the various DLC releases since. Able to output an easy, consistent, and surprisingly high level of damage, while also dealing with Overload champions, Thunderlord is a fantastic all-around weapon, the Swiss-army knife of exotic machine guns.

This weapon has found itself a place on this list thanks to its consistency and ease of use, requiring little input from the player other than holding down the trigger and keeping the target in their sights. Paired with the Titan Arc aspect Storm’s Keep, this gun can rain lightning down on its targets with its own exotic trait and constantly activate Bolt Charge shockwaves, increasing the already impressive damage output.

2

Whisper Of The Worm

Precise Damage Never Felt Better

• Available from The Whisper exotic mission (Able to craft with enhanced exotic traits after multiple runs)
• Solar Heavy Ammo Sniper Rifle

Possibly one of the most famous damage weapons in Destiny’s history, the Whisper of the Worm

takes the number two spot on this list. By consistently refunding ammo on every third consecutive precision hit, this sniper can pump out mind-blowing amounts of sustained damage, especially once fully crafted and leveled up.

While it may struggle against the first boss of Vesper’s Host, if the player can find a safe spot against the final boss, Whisper of the Worm will easily put out more damage than any other option, as long as they hit the boss’ crit spot.

1

The Queenbreaker

The Biggest Glow-up The Game Has Ever Seen

• Available from the Monument to Lost Light in The Tower
• Arc Heavy Ammo Linear Fusion Rifle

The Queenbreaker

went from a weapon that had been gathering dust for several years to a top damage option overnight, thanks to three key changes that launched with Episode Heresy. Firstly, The Queenbreaker was given a rework, the sights are now interchangeable in game by simply holding reload, as well as having enhanced functionalities. Secondly, the introduction of the catalyst for this weapon gave the gun Rewind Rounds, able to consistently refund ammo into the magazine for simply hitting shots. The final factor in this gun’s rise to fame was the reintroduction of the Particle Reconstruction perk on the episodic artifact.

Now this weapon is able to pump out unmatched DPS with ease, made even easier by the introduction of a player using Divinity

to make those critical hits a breeze. While The Queenbreaker is not advisable as a weapon choice for the first boss of the dungeon, there truly is not better pick for the final boss, if a player is confident in their ability to hit a small crit spot on a constantly moving target.