Summary
Glaives were the newest weapon archetype to be introduced inThe Witch Queenexpansion forDestiny 2, released in 2022. This is the first time players have access to first-person melee weapons, which also function as ranged weapons that use Special ammo to fire projectiles.
Since then, a few new glaives have been added to the game, including Exotic ones. Glaives have also been anti-champion weapons throughout the last few seasons, but remain an unpopular choice in PVE and a niche yet powerful pick in PVP for those who know how to use the shield. For players looking to pick upthe best glaives inDestiny 2, here’s how all of them rank against each other.
Updated on July 04, 2025, by Luke Brown:In the last two years, this list has almost doubled in size, going from 10 to 17 weapons. On top of this, the exotic class glaives have received a lot of love, and the Episode Heresy artifact has added several perks that empower the weapon type beyond their normal limits. While still not the strongest weapon type in the game, glaives have received a lot of praise from players lately thanks to these changes, and their potency when used in double special ammo builds with rocket-assisted sidearms.
17Edge Of Intent
Solar Exotic Glaive
A glaive that not only hogs an Exotic spot but also provides healing that is so insignificant that the player may not as well use it all,Edge of Intenteasily ranks at the bottom of this list. The Warlock Exotic glaive may be a cool niche weapon for those who want to create the ultimate healer build, but beyond that, it’s mostly an inconvenience to have.
The healing provided is so tiny that in most cases players are better off using a Healing Rift,Well of Radiance, or even aHealing Grenadeto heal their allies. In fact, now thatHeat Riseshas received a healing buff since last season, it’s clear that the healing done byEdge of Intentis just inferior to all the other tools a Warlock has available for them. Since the start of Episode Heresy, the exotic glaives have been reworked slightly, making them more viable; however still left many players feeling underwhelmed. Edge of Intent received the perk incandescent, which helps with add clear but little else.
16Edge Of Action
Void Exotic Glaive
The Titan Exotic glaive doesn’t have much more promise than the Warlock one. Though the idea of having a smallerWard of Dawnis enticing, the reality is entirely different. This mini bubble provides only a fraction of the benefits that an actualWard of Dawnwould have.
As such, this Exotic is niche at best. Most Titan mains will simply be better off using their Exotic slot for something better, or just simply casting theirWard of Dawn. The biggest drawback of thisEdge of Actionglaive is the lack of damage boost that a typicalWard of Dawnhas. With it, this glaive could have potentially been worth some consideration. Edge of Action’s rework gave it destabilizing rounds, making it work better with Void builds, however, this is still not enough for many players to consider it meta.
15Edge Of Concurrence
Arc Exotic Glaive
Although initially,Edge of Concurrencewas easily the weakest glaive of the Exotic bunch, Hunters are infor some fun in Season of the Plunder. The chaining Arc energy works pretty well with Arc 3.0, so it does have some synergy with various Arc builds. Moreover, since glaives benefit from melee range, it’s actually not a bad pick for any Hunters who want to play up close and personal.
That said, it still hurts that this fills up an Exotic slot, and that alone can turn Hunter mains away from this weapon. It’s more of a niche choice even with Arc 3.0 out, but it’s definitely worth a shot for players who are terribly bored of other Arc weapons and are looking to spice up their gameplay. Since the rework, Edge of Concurrence has seen greater interest from many, especially considering the Arc-focused artifact perks in Episode Heresy, and its ability to utilize jolting feedback.
14The Enigma
Void Adaptive Frame Glaive
The first weapon players get to craft is the Enigma glaive. This Legendary Void glaive is by no means bad, but it’s incredibly simple when it comes down to the nitty-gritty with perks. For Void builds, Enigma can be brilliant, as it will play nicely into any melee-oriented Elemental Well Void builds.
Grave Robber, Threat Detector, Unrelenting, and Frenzy are just some of the nice Enhanced perks that players can unlock once they fully level up this weapon. The Enigma is a nice basic glaive, and while it may not be the most powerful, it’s still better than the Exotic ones, as its craftable nature gives it flexibility, and the Enhanced perks can be quite powerful.
13Ecliptic Distaff
Season of Defiance spices up the ritual weapon pool by introducing the very first glaive in this weapon category. Styled according to the Awoken theme, the Ecliptic Distaff is a Void glaive weapon with extremely powerful perks.
Players can choose between Close to Melee or Destabilizing Rounds, both of which are incredibly powerful perks, with Close to Melee being among the best new glaive perks introduced inDestiny 2, as its projectile final blows basically buff glaive melee damage. The second column has Replenishing Aegis, which allows blocking to reload the weapon from reserves, or Immovable Object, another great new glaive perk where ranged damage dealt while blocking or standing still grants increased weapon energy.
12Nezarec’s Whisper
Arc Adaptive Frame Glaive
Nezarec’s Whisper, introduced in Season of the Haunted, could technically rank much higher on this list thanks to Season of the Plunder and Arc 3.0, but alas, it remains to be seen whether Arc weapons will maintain their power after Season 18 has passed. For now, however, players can consider this glaive to be at the top of the list simply thanks to the favorable position that Arc weapons have this season.
Melee gameplay has also seen a rise in popularity with Arc 3.0, which means glaives, in general, are in a better position, and this Legendary Arc glaive is the perfect choice for a spicy melee-oriented build. Nezarec’s Whisper can also be crafted, and with Enhanced perks like Demolitionist, Vorpal, or Frenzy, it can become extremely powerful.
Another interesting detail about Nezarec’s Whisper is its Origin Trait, which is fitting for this season’s melee and Arc gameplay. The Extrovert trait restores a bit of health for the player when they score kills near other enemies and Nightmares.
11Lubrae’s Ruin
Solar Adaptive Frame Glaive
No doubt the hardest glaive to earn on this list, and consequently the strongest, Lubrae’s Ruin is a Solar Legendary glaive that comes packed with incredible perks. Now, for Season of the Plunder, it may not be the ideal pick, but seasonal content and artifact mods aside, it stands on its own as one of the strongest glaives.
Found in the Vow of the Disciple raid, Lubrae’s Ruin can be crafted with Enhanced perks, which makes it even more desirable. It pairs well with Solar builds, and some of its potential perks like Grave Robber, Surrounded, Vorpal Weapon, Swashbuckler, and Wellsprings make it a huge boon for any PVE player. There are so many great options to pick from when crafting this, which means there’s something for every playstyle here.
Moreover, Lubrae’s Ruin benefits from the Souldrinker Origin Trait, which increases sustain for players. Reloading this weapon will heal the player based on the number of kills scored before reloading.
10Forthcoming Deviance
Void Rapid-Fire Frame Glaive
Coming from Destiny’s most recent (and hardest) raid, Forthcoming Deviance is a unique-looking weapon, with somewhat less unique perks. Impulse Amplifier is available for any Guardians who struggle with the projectile-based gameplay of glaives, with reconstruction being an alternative for any player looking for an easier ammo management loop.
In terms of damage perks, Close to Melee is the go-to perk for most glaives that can roll it, buffing the melee damage of the weapon upon projectile kills. Comparatively, Chaos Reshaped is the raid-exclusive perk that acts similarly to Frenzy, providing a damage bonus after an extended period in battle. This is further buffed after another period, coupled with providing healing, which is a nice power bump to the close-range playstyle of glaives.
9Judgment Of Kelgorath
Solar Aggressive Frame Glaive
From season 19 comesJudgmentof Kelgorath. This weapon is craftable for those who picked up the patterns beforeLightfallwas released, but otherwise, players can simply visit Banshee-44 regularly, as he has a chance of selling solid rolls of this Solar glaive.
The first column has excellent choices like Immovable Object, Demolitionist, or even Pugilist. The second column interestingly has the option of Incandescent, which is fantastic for Solar builds, and Unstoppable Force, which increases the range of projectiles after players have successfully blocked damage with the glaive’s shield. Close to Melee is also a great perk to consider in the same column, and for melee lovers in particular, Surrounded is always a safe bet.
8Greasy Luck
Solar Rapid-Fire Frame Glaive
As well as having a fantastic name, Greasy Luck is by far the best Solar damage glaive in the game, able to roll with Replenishing Aegis and Incandescent for a solid weapon choice for a Solar build. Outside of the subclass synergy, Close to Melee is available for anyone looking for a more traditional damage loadout.
Disruption Break is a unique option in the first perk column, making this weapon into more of a priming tool, which can be bolstered by Incandescent. While Episode Heresy doesn’t favor Solar weapons, Greasy Luck is one to keep an eye on for future content, if a player is willing to slog through one of the hardest dungeons in the game.
