Destiny 2
Jan 13, 2026
Best gear Destiny 2 Renegades explained. Top weapons, armor builds, and Renegades loadouts for PvE and PvP in the 2026 meta. Photo by: The Game Post
In Destiny 2's Renegades, smart builds win the game. Your weapon choices, gear stats, and loadouts are now super important, especially when facing tough PvE challenges or competing in PvP.
If you're between 14 and 25, Renegades is different: it's less about tricks and more about solid gameplay. Whether you're doing player-vs-environment endgame stuff or playing Crucible, the right gear setup makes the game feel better and be more fun.
This guide covers:
The best gear in Destiny 2 Renegades (2026)
The best weapons in the current Renegades setup
Good Renegades loadouts for player-vs-environment and player-vs-player modes

In Renegades, it's better to focus on doing a lot of damage quickly instead of constant, weaker attacks.
It's usually better to use weapons instead of just repeating abilities.
Staying alive is as important as being able to move around easily.
Good setups are ones that let you deal damage often, use abilities when you need them, and stay in control of where you are on the battlefield.

Picking the right weapon really shapes how you play Renegades. These basic builds tend to work well no matter what you're doing.
Weapon Type | Why It’s Meta |
|---|---|
Hand Cannons | High burst, precision reward |
SMGs | Close-range DPS, fast clears |
Linear Fusion Rifles | Boss damage consistency |
Shotguns | High-risk, high-reward play |
Pulse Rifles | PvP stability and range |
Damage boosts that increase as you move or get kills
Works well with armor mods
Reliable no matter the game changes
Don't use weapons that take too long to set up - combat is quick.
What you wear is as important as what you wield.
Playstyle | Stat Focus |
|---|---|
PvE DPS | Discipline, Resilience |
Solo Play | Recovery, Resilience |
PvP | Mobility, Recovery |
Being able to take a hit is super important if you want to survive, especially in tough missions like Renegade Ops and when you're trying to finish the game.

In Renegades' PvE mode, success depends on how fast you are, where you stand, and how well you deal damage.
“Renegades doesn’t reward grinding, it rewards smart loadouts.”
For your weapons, try a hard-hitting hand cannon as your main pick.
For your secondary, go with either a shotgun or fusion rifle, and for your heavy weapon, a linear fusion rifle works great.
For armor mods, focus on ability regeneration and damage resistance.
This setup lets you take out groups of enemies fast and still deal good damage to bosses.
Slot | Choice |
|---|---|
Primary | Precision Pulse Rifle |
Special | Fusion Rifle |
Heavy | Linear Fusion Rifle |
Focus | Survivability + burst DPS |
In the late game, it's better to play it safe and steady instead of trying for risky, quick wins.

In Renegades, Crucible success comes from good aim and clever moves.
For your main weapon, go with an SMG or pulse rifle.
Grab a sniper rifle for your special weapon.
When it comes to armor, focus on mobility and recovery.
Shotguns are still good, but they're less forgiving if you mess up.
“In Renegades PvP, positioning beats aggression.”
No matter the class, Renegades gives you:
Quicker ability cooldowns
Buffs that activate when you deal damage
Better mobility
Pick options that make your weapons stronger, instead of swapping them out.
If you're playing solo, focus on:
Faster healing
Damage reduction
Good mid-range guns
In a group, you can try:
High-damage, low-defense builds
Dedicated damage dealers
Riskier game modifiers
The key is to adapt to your situation. Don't just copy someone else's setup; figure out what works for you.
Players often struggle because of common mistakes:
Relying too much on abilities
Not paying attention to defense
Picking the wrong weapons for the situation
Using player-vs-player builds in player-vs-environment settings
Renegades expansion is tougher on these mistakes than previous ones.
The current game is pretty stable. We're making small changes to the numbers, but the main stuff is still the same.
Weapon types are consistent.
Stat priorities still matter.
You don't have to rethink your builds.
This means your Renegades builds will last, and you won't have to throw them away each season.
Armor that boosts resilience and recharges abilities quickly, paired with weapons that deal big damage fast, works great.
Hand cannons, SMGs, linear fusion rifles, and shotguns are super popular right now.
Yep. In PvE, you want to stay alive and deal damage. In PvP, moving quickly and being accurate are key.
Definitely. It's easy to see what stats are important, and the meta is solid, so it’s not hard to get good gear.
Yep. Renegades is made to last.
In Destiny 2: Renegades, success comes to those who can think on their feet and make smart choices. If you pick the right weapons, gear, and loadouts, you’ll be crushing it in both PvE and PvP, and you won't have to grind forever to get there.