Destiny 2 All Glaives, Ranked

Summary

• Destiny 2 introduced glaives in The Witch Queen expansion, providing first-person melee weapons with ranged capabilities.
• Glaives are niche yet potent in PvP but unpopular in PvE, with Exotic glaives receiving praise and love from players.
• Several glaives have been added, with newly introduced artifacts empowering the weapon type and influencing their rankings.

Glaives were the newest weapon archetype to be introduced in The Witch Queen expansion for Destiny 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 up the best glaives in Destiny 2, here’s how all of them rank against each other.

Updated on April 19, 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.

17

Edge 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 Intent

easily 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 a Healing Grenade

to heal their allies. In fact, now that Heat Rises

has received a healing buff since last season, it’s clear that the healing done by Edge of Intent

is 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.

16

Edge Of Action

Void Exotic Glaive

• How To Get: Wellsprings activity in the Throne World

The Titan Exotic glaive doesn’t have much more promise than the Warlock one. Though the idea of having a smaller Ward of Dawn

is enticing, the reality is entirely different. This mini bubble provides only a fraction of the benefits that an actual Ward of Dawn would 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 their Ward of Dawn. The biggest drawback of this Edge of Action glaive is the lack of damage boost that a typical Ward of Dawn has. 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.

15

Edge Of Concurrence

Arc Exotic Glaive

• How To Get: Wellsprings activity in the Throne World

Although initially, Edge of Concurrence

was easily the weakest glaive of the Exotic bunch, Hunters are in for 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.

14

The Enigma

Void Adaptive Frame Glaive

• How To Get: The Witch Queen campaign
• Best Roll: Impulse Amplifier and Rampage

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.

13

Ecliptic Distaff

Void Adaptive Frame Glaive

• How To Get: Monument to Lost Lights in the Tower

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 in Destiny 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.

12

Nezarec’s Whisper

Arc Adaptive Frame Glaive

• How To Get: Banshee-44 in the Tower
• Best Roll: Demolitionist and Unstoppable Force

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.

11

Lubrae’s Ruin

Solar Adaptive Frame Glaive

• How To Get: Vow of the Disciple raid
• Best Roll: Grave Robber and Surrounded

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.

10

Forthcoming Deviance

Void Rapid-Fire Frame Glaive

• How To Get: Salvation’s Edge raid
• Best Roll: Impulse Amplifier or Reconstruction and Close to Melee or Chaos Reshaped

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.

9

Judgment Of Kelgorath

Solar Aggressive Frame Glaive

• How To Get: Banshee-44 in the Tower
• Best Roll: Demolitionist and Incandescent or Unstoppable Force

From season 19 comes Judgment of Kelgorath. This weapon is craftable for those who picked up the patterns before Lightfall was 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.

8

Greasy Luck

Solar Rapid-Fire Frame Glaive

• How To Get: Ghosts of the Deep dungeon
• Best Roll: Disruption Break or Replenishing Aegis and Close to Melee or Incandescent

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.

7

Albedo Wing

Arc Aggressive Frame Glaive

• How To Get: The Dawning seasonal event
• Best Roll: Replenishing Aegis or Eddy Current and Close to Melee or Voltshot

The first of three very similar weapons, Albedo Wing, loses out simply due to its acquisition being time-gated to the holiday season. Coming from the Dawning event hinders many players from accessing this weapon, which has two distinct rolls that make it well worth using. Replenishing Aegis and Close to Melee is the standard choice for glaives, and it is present here.

However, for an Arc-specific roll, Eddy Current and Voltshot pair brilliantly for a weapon that can spread Arc damage around the battlefield with ease and slot well into any Arc build. With the currently available artifact mods, every Guardian should sift through their vaults to check if they have one of these lying around.

6

Unexpected Resurgence

Arc Adaptive Frame Glaive

• How To Get: Trials of Osiris
• Best Roll: Replenishing Aegis and Voltshot or Close to Melee

The second of the trio, Unexpected Resurgence, finds itself here due to, once again, its method of acquisition. Instead of being time-gated, Unexpected Resurgence comes from every Destiny player’s worst nightmare: Trials of Osiris. Having to compete in intense PvP for the chance to obtain a glaive is not many gamers’ idea of a great weekend.

Despite this, Unexpected Resurgence can utilize Replenishing Aegis for ammo regeneration with Voltshot or Close to Melee for either damage buffs or subclass synergy. It occupies a similar role to Albedo Wing, however is simply available more often, and therefore edges out the competition by a single place.

5

Backfang

Arc Rapid-Fire Frame Glaive

• How To Get: Gambit
• Best Roll: Impulse Amplifier or Replenishing Aegis and Unstoppable Force or Close to Melee

The final weapon in the Arc glaive trilogy, Backfang is once again a great tool for either general glaive gameplay or Arc-specific builds. Available from Gambit, Backfang is the easiest to obtain for most players of its Arc siblings, and therefore takes the top spot of the three. While it can roll with Voltshot and Jolting Feedback if a player wishes for an Arc build, Unstoppable Force and Close to Melee are two great choices for damage bonuses available on this weapon.

With Impulse Amplifier granting increased projectile speed and Replenishing Aegis providing damage regeneration, Backfang is a multitool that can realistically be made to fit just about any playstyle a Guardian may want. Although its huge perk pool can cause issues with obtaining a specific roll, it is easy enough to farm for.

4

Vexcalibur

Void Exotic Glaive

• How To Get: The Avalon Exotic quest in the Exotic quest rotator

Vexcalibur is the Exotic glaive rewarded at the end of the Avalon Exotic quest in season 20. Players can then craft the weapon and choose their own perks, similar to Revision Zero

from season 19. Additional completions of the Avalon quest will reward players with additional perk options.

The Vexcalibur also allows players to interact with secret nodes in the Avalon mission and also lets them pass through Vex barriers, so bringing it along is a must-have for completionists. Vexcalibur’s

M1R Distribution Matrix trait grants players a Void overshield whenever players block damage with the shield, making it absolutely perfect for any Void builds.

3

Rake Angle

Stasis Aggressive Frame Glaive

• How To Get: Nightfall strikes
• Best Roll: Replenishing Aegis or Rimestealer and Chill Clip or Close to Melee

Rake Angle was the first Stasis glaive available in the primary slot, making it a unique beast by default. Other than this merit, Rake Angle also houses several fantastic perk combinations, such as Replenishing Aegis and Close to Melee for a standard build, or Rimestealer and Chill Clip for a Stasis and champion stunning build.

Should a player be brave enough to fight through Grandmaster Nightfalls, Rake Angle can also be obtained as an Adept weapon, giving it access to multiple perks and several Adept mods that boost its power to even greater heights. Should another season come around with a Stasis focus, Rake Angle will easily be a must-have.

2

Winterbite

Stasis Exotic Heavy Glaive

• How To Get: Complete the Strider quest after finishing the Lightfall campaign at the Hall of Heroes

Winterbite is the only heavy glaive in the game. While the glitch with its insane damage to raid bosses has been patched, Winterbite

is still a fantastic option for anyone looking for a weapon to pack a huge punch. While it may not be as strong as some other heavy weapon options, it is by far one of the most entertaining to use.

Winterbite essentially fires slow-moving tracking Stasis projectiles that freeze targets on contact. On top of that, its melee damage does solid damage to enemies and applies slow on enemies on hit. The downside is that it does take a whole heavy weapon slot, but given how incredibly good it can be, it’s well worth the investment.

1

Refusal Of The Call

Strand Adaptive Frame Glaive

• How To Get: Episode Heresy activities
• Best Roll: Replenishing Aegis or Impulse Amplifier and Close to Melee

The final weapon on this list is the newest addition to the family, Refusal of the Call. As the first and only Strand glaive, and one of only two available in the primary slot, Refusal of the Call is a must-have for all players simply for its unique position within the game. Outside of this, it is able to utilize the standard Replenishing Aegis and Close to Melee combination that makes glaives as powerful as they are.

Within Episode Heresy, this weapon has shot to the top of many players’ lists thanks to the several artifact perks that prioritize the use of Strand damage and glaives as a weapon type, Refusal of the Call fitting perfectly into both categories. Should a player wish to further fit this into a Strand build, Refusal of the Call can roll Slice to spread Strand debuffs with ease.