Destiny 2 Guide: Understanding Weapon Classes (Kinetic, Energy & Power)
Destiny 2 introduced a major overhaul to the weapon system, moving away from the traditional Primary / Special / Heavy structure used in the original Destiny. Instead, Guardians now equip three weapon slots:
Kinetic
Energy
Power
Understanding how these weapon classes function—and when to use each—is essential for success in both PvE activities like raids and Nightfalls and PvP modes like the Crucible.
Kinetic Weapons
Weapon Types
Hand Cannons
Auto Rifles
Scout Rifles
Pulse Rifles
Sidearms
Submachine Guns (SMGs)
Kinetic weapons fire physical projectiles and are designed to deal maximum damage to enemy health bars. In most PvE scenarios, kinetic weapons are your primary workhorse and generally outperform energy weapons against unshielded enemies.
Why Use Kinetic Weapons?
Highest base damage to non-shielded targets
Ideal for sustained damage
Reliable for clearing standard enemies and bosses without shields
In PvE content, kinetic weapons deal roughly 10% more base damage than energy weapons when comparing weapons of the same archetype and impact.
Energy Weapons
Weapon Types
Hand Cannons
Auto Rifles
Scout Rifles
Pulse Rifles
Sidearms
Submachine Guns (SMGs)
Energy weapons fire elemental rounds and come in three damage types:
Arc (electric)
Void (dark energy)
Solar (fire)
While energy weapons deal slightly less damage to unshielded enemies, they excel at breaking enemy shields.
Shield Damage Explained
Energy weapons deal approximately 2.8× more damage to shields than kinetic weapons
The elemental type does not need to match the shield to deal bonus damage
Matching elements causes a shield explosion, damaging nearby enemies for about 50% of the shield’s HP
This makes energy weapons indispensable for handling shielded foes in high-level PvE content.
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Power Weapons
Weapon Types
Shotguns
Sniper Rifles
Fusion Rifles
Grenade Launchers
Rocket Launchers
Swords
Power weapons replace the Special and Heavy weapons from Destiny 1. They consume Power Ammo (purple bricks), which drops primarily from elite or boss enemies.
When to Use Power Weapons
Boss damage in raids and strikes
Clearing dense enemy waves
Eliminating high-priority targets quickly
Outside of Supers, power weapons offer the highest burst damage available in Destiny 2.
Kinetic vs Energy Weapons in PvE
Unshielded Enemies
Kinetic weapons deal ~10% more damage
Best choice for sustained DPS
Shielded Enemies
Energy weapons deal ~2.8× more damage
Element matching triggers a damaging shield explosion
Optimal Strategy
Break shields with an energy weapon
Swap to a kinetic weapon to finish off health bars
This approach maximizes damage efficiency, especially in endgame activities.
Kinetic vs Energy Weapons in PvP (Crucible)
In Crucible, the damage differences between kinetic and energy weapons are mostly neutralized—with one major exception.
Against Guardians Using Supers
Most Supers grant significant damage resistance
Kinetic weapons deal roughly 40% less damage
Energy weapons perform 10–15% better than kinetics against Super-armored targets
⚠️ Exception:
Gunslinger Supers do not receive the same armor bonus, making them easier to defeat.
While energy weapons still experience reduced damage against Supers, their smaller penalty can be the deciding factor in clutch PvP moments.
Quick Summary
Kinetic weapons
Best for unshielded enemies
Highest sustained PvE damage
Energy weapons
Essential for breaking shields
Trigger explosions when elements match
Power weapons
Highest burst damage
Reserved for bosses and elite enemies
Mastering when to swap between kinetic and energy weapons—and saving your power ammo for the right moment—is a key skill that separates average Guardians from elite ones.
