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10 Best Solar Weapons in Destiny 2 for PvE, Ranked by Role

A role-based guide to Destiny 2’s best Solar PvE weapons, covering add clear, support and boss damage without claiming an unsupported universal ranking.
WorldDestiny 2 for PvE, Ranked by Role Length5 min Posted Quest giverVGSources Team
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There is no reliable universal ranking that puts a Solar hand cannon, support rifle, rocket launcher and linear fusion rifle on one damage scale. For Destiny 2 PvE in the post-Update 9.7.0 sandbox, the useful way to choose is by job: Solar primary weapons for add clear, a support rifle for team sustain, and heavy weapons for boss damage. This list ranks ten picks editorially by how clearly each fills a distinct PvE role, not by a measured head-to-head performance test.

Bungie says planned live-service content updates ended with Update 9.7.0 on June 9, 2026, though stability hotfixes may still occur; Monument of Triumph content is permanent. Check for a later hotfix if you are reading this after that date. Bungie’s Destiny 2 content guide describes the update policy.

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How this Solar weapon ranking works

The ranking favors practical PvE roles and the strength of the available support, rather than pretending these weapons compete directly. A hand cannon used to clear groups should not be scored against a rocket launcher as if both were doing the same job. A 2026-10-01 endgame weapon snapshot rates No Hesitation, Hezen Vengeance and Cataclysmic S tier in their respective categories; those class-specific ratings are useful context, not a cross-category leaderboard. Light.gg’s weapon database provides the snapshot classifications.

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Perk recommendations and role descriptions below are editorial recommendations, not official Bungie rankings. Weapon availability and roll details can change, so confirm them in-game before committing resources.

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The 10 best Solar weapons for PvE

1. Zaouli’s Bane — best Legendary Solar primary

This Solar Adaptive Hand Cannon from King’s Fall is the strongest all-round pick when you want Solar primary-weapon add clear without spending your Exotic slot. The cited general-PvE roll is Explosive Payload with Incandescent, pairing reliable hit damage with Solar-area effects. A 2026 PvE guide recommends that combination and describes the weapon as craftable from King’s Fall. The guide’s Zaouli’s Bane recommendation is an editorial pick, not a Bungie endorsement.

2. Sunshot — best Exotic for add clear

Sunshot is a Solar Exotic Hand Cannon recommended as a straightforward add-clear choice. Its main loadout trade-off is the Exotic slot: choosing it means another Exotic cannot occupy that weapon slot. It is an appealing pick when clearing groups is the priority, rather than a support or heavy-boss-damage role. The 2026 PvE guide identifies it as an add-clear option.

3. No Hesitation — best support-oriented Solar primary

No Hesitation is a Solar Support Auto Rifle, rated S in the 2026-10-01 endgame PvE snapshot. It belongs on this list for its support role, not because that rating proves it deals more damage than a hand cannon or heavy weapon. Bungie’s build advice is to start with the way you want to play: “The goal is to make the best possible combination that allows you to play the way you want.” Bungie’s Creating a Good Build guide also points to Solar Restoration and the Heal Clip weapon perk as possible survivability tools; those benefits are not automatic for every Solar weapon.

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4. Apex Predator — best craftable Solar rocket for a swap rotation

Apex Predator is a craftable Solar Rocket Launcher from Last Wish. A cited PvE guide recommends Auto-Loading Holster and Bait and Switch for a weapon-swap sustained-fire loop: use other weapons to build the damage perk, then return to the launcher as it reloads itself while stowed. This makes it a role-specific heavy choice rather than a general-purpose Solar primary. The guide’s Apex Predator roll recommendation is not a universal damage ranking.

5. Hezen Vengeance — best S-rated aggressive rocket

Hezen Vengeance is a Solar Aggressive Rocket Launcher rated S in the 2026-10-01 endgame PvE snapshot. That makes it a credible heavy-slot candidate when a rocket launcher suits the encounter, but the rating alone does not establish a best roll or prove it beats Apex Predator in every damage rotation. The reviewed snapshot supports its type and rating, not a specific perk combination. The weapon snapshot is useful for that class-specific context.

6. Cataclysmic — best precision-damage heavy option

Cataclysmic is a Solar Precision Linear Fusion Rifle rated S in the same endgame snapshot. Its precision-focused weapon type makes it the distinct option here for encounters where accurate sustained damage is a better fit than rockets. The available rating does not establish a universal boss-DPS advantage or a preferred roll, so choose it based on encounter demands and your build rather than rank alone. The 2026-10-01 weapon snapshot lists its classification and rating.

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7. CALUS Mini-Tool — best comfortable Solar SMG for lower-tier PvE

CALUS Mini-Tool is a craftable Solar SMG whose Incandescent roll is recommended as a comfortable primary for casual and lower-tier PvE. It is a sensible choice if you prefer close-range automatic fire and want a Solar primary, but the cited guide positions it for that use rather than as a top-end universal endgame pick. The 2026 PvE guide supplies this role recommendation.

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8. No universal seventh pick: choose an Exotic primary by activity

There is not enough current item and perk evidence here to responsibly name a seventh Solar Exotic primary as a ranking-worthy recommendation. Rather than invent one, use Sunshot when its add-clear role and Exotic-slot cost suit the activity, or keep the slot open for another loadout need.

9. No universal Solar special-weapon pick

A good Solar special weapon depends on ammo role, encounter, and the rest of the loadout. The current recommendations do not establish a named special weapon with enough detail to rank it fairly, so verify current item data and activity fit before selecting one.

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10. Choose the last heavy slot by encounter, not by a forced rank

The supported Solar heavy choices already cover different needs: Apex Predator and Hezen Vengeance are rockets, while Cataclysmic is a precision linear fusion rifle. There is no defensible universal order among them without specifying the boss, roll, damage phase and team composition. Match the weapon to the encounter instead of treating this final slot as a claim that one heavy is always best.

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Choose by role, slot and acquisition

Weapon Best-fit role Loadout or acquisition note
Zaouli’s Bane Legendary Solar primary and add clear King’s Fall; cited roll is Explosive Payload and Incandescent.
Sunshot Exotic add clear Uses the Exotic slot.
No Hesitation Support-oriented primary S-rated in the 2026-10-01 endgame PvE snapshot.
Apex Predator Rocket damage rotation Craftable from Last Wish; cited roll is Auto-Loading Holster and Bait and Switch.
Hezen Vengeance Aggressive rocket launcher S-rated in the 2026-10-01 snapshot; no specific roll is established here.
Cataclysmic Precision linear fusion damage S-rated in the 2026-10-01 snapshot; no specific roll is established here.
CALUS Mini-Tool Close-range Solar primary for casual or lower-tier PvE Craftable; cited recommendation is Incandescent.

Use the role first, then consider whether the weapon consumes your Exotic slot, whether you can craft it or need a suitable roll to drop, and whether your subclass build supplies the effects you expect. Bungie’s build guide recommends assembling a loadout around your own goals rather than assuming Solar damage alone provides healing or a particular subclass benefit.

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Why the order is editorial, not a universal damage ranking

The 2026-10-01 weapon snapshot rates weapons within their categories; it does not provide a common DPS test or a win-rate comparison across hand cannons, support rifles, rockets and linear fusion rifles. The 2026 guide’s primary recommendations are also editorial advice. That evidence supports role-based picks, but not an exact measured order for all ten. Treat the first seven as practical candidates with clearer support and the final three entries as deliberate reminders not to fill gaps with unsupported names.

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