Destiny 2 Tier 5 Weapons: What They Are and How to Get Them

TL;DR

• Tier 5 is the highest weapon and armor quality in Destiny 2 as of Monument of Triumph (Update 9.7.0).
• Tier 5 weapons have expanded perk pools, golden holofoil ornaments at max level, and the best stat potential.
• You need at least 450 Power for Tier 5 gear to drop consistently from most sources.
• Featured raids and dungeons drop Tier 5 weapons from encounters during featured weeks — no weekly lockout.
• Master difficulty always drops Tier 5 from encounters and challenges regardless of featured status.
• Heroic Public Events during active Destination Distortions drop Tier 5 solo — no fireteam needed.
• Master Lost Sectors drop Tier 5 armor and weapons and can be farmed in a few minutes each run.
• Crafted weapons reach Tier 5 through the Weapon Tier Upgrade path at the Relic.

Destiny 2 Tier 5 weapons are the new gear ceiling introduced in Monument of Triumph, Update 9.7.0, which launched on June 9, 2026. The Tier system replaced the old Adept and Pinnacle reward structure and applies to every weapon and piece of armor in the game — from the oldest raids to the newest activities. If you are returning to Destiny 2 or trying to understand what to chase in the current endgame, Tier 5 is the answer. Everything else is a stepping stone. This guide covers exactly what Tier 5 weapons offer, what separates them from lower tiers, and the fastest way to farm them across every activity type. Get Destiny 2 free on Steam, PlayStation, Xbox, or the Bungie website.

What Are the Weapon Tiers in Destiny 2?

Monument of Triumph reorganised all gear into five tiers. The tier determines the quality of perk rolls, stat packages, and the upgrade ceiling of the item. Here is the full breakdown:

• Tier 1: Basic gear. Found in early activities and low-difficulty content. Narrow perk pools and lower stat totals.
• Tier 2: Standard gear. Drops from Normal difficulty activities, playlist content, and world drops below 200 Power.
• Tier 3: The baseline for most non-featured endgame content. Standard raids, dungeons, and Fireteam Ops during non-featured weeks drop Tier 3.
• Tier 4: Mid-tier endgame gear. Drops from harder Portal activities at Grade A or above, Heroic Public Events outside Distortion windows, and some Pinnacle sources.
• Tier 5: The highest tier in the game. Best perk rolls, best stat packages, full upgrade path support, and the golden holofoil ornament at max weapon level. This is the permanent gear ceiling confirmed by Bungie for Monument of Triumph.

The difference between tiers is not cosmetic. Tier 5 weapons have access to an expanded perk pool that gives you additional perk options in both Column 3 and Column 4 on drop — meaning more possible god roll combinations. Tier 5 armor drops with significantly better stat packages and a higher total stat value than lower-tier equivalents from the same set. In endgame content where build quality determines survival, the difference between Tier 3 and Tier 5 armor is substantial.

What Makes Tier 5 Weapons Different From Lower Tiers?

There are four specific advantages Tier 5 weapons have over their Tier 3 or Tier 4 equivalents:

Expanded Perk Pools

Tier 5 weapons have access to more perks per column than lower-tier versions of the same weapon. A Tier 3 version of Zaouli’s Bane from King’s Fall has a smaller selection of possible perks in Column 3 and Column 4. The Tier 5 version of the same weapon has two additional perk options per column that cannot appear on sub-Tier 5 rolls. This means the god roll you are chasing may not even be possible on a Tier 3 drop — it might only roll on Tier 5. For the King’s Fall weapons this affects most, see the King’s Fall loot table and god rolls guide.

Better Stat Packages

Tier 5 weapons drop with higher base stats across the board — more Range, more Stability, better Reload Speed compared to the same weapon at Tier 3. The difference is not massive on a single stat but adds up across a full loadout. Tier 5 armor is where the stat difference is most impactful — Tier 5 armor pieces have noticeably higher total stat values than Tier 3 equivalents from the same set, which matters for Armor 3.0 build construction.

Full Tier Upgrade Path Support

Only Tier 5 weapons support the complete Weapon Tier Upgrade path at the Relic. You can take a Tier 5 crafted weapon from Level 1 all the way to Level 30 through the upgrade system, unlocking enhanced perks, enhanced origin traits, and eventually the golden holofoil ornament at max level. Lower-tier weapons have a capped upgrade ceiling and cannot reach the same perk enhancement level. For the full step-by-step upgrade guide, see how to upgrade crafted weapons to Tier 5.

Golden Holofoil Ornament

When you upgrade a Tier 5 craftable weapon to its maximum level through the Relic, it unlocks a golden holofoil ornament that applies to the weapon’s appearance. This is a purely cosmetic reward but is one of the most visually distinctive finishes in the game — a gleaming gold overlay on the weapon model that marks it as fully mastered. It applies universally to every craftable weapon you have reached max level on.

What Power Level Do You Need for Tier 5 Gear to Drop?

You need to be at 450 Power or above for Tier 5 gear to drop consistently from most sources. Below 450 Power, even high-difficulty activities tend to give Tier 3 or Tier 4 drops rather than Tier 5. Reaching 450 Power is the prerequisite for Tier 5 farming — treat it as your first goal before worrying about which specific Tier 5 sources to run. The Destiny 2 Power Level guide covers how to reach 450 and beyond as efficiently as possible.

There are two exceptions to the 450 Power requirement:

• Master difficulty has its own Power requirement of around 400. Above 400 Power, Master activities drop Tier 5 regardless of whether you have hit 450 yet.
• Expansion-specific boosts from the Renegades and Edge of Fate expansions can guarantee drops one tier higher than normal during activities within those expansions, meaning players between 400 and 450 may see Tier 5 drops earlier in expansion-specific content.

Every Way to Get Tier 5 Weapons in Destiny 2

Featured Raid Encounters (Best Repeatable Source)

During featured weeks, Standard difficulty raids drop Tier 5 weapons and armor from every encounter with no per-run lockout. This means you can repeat the same encounter indefinitely during a featured week and collect Tier 5 drops every single completion. Featured weeks rotate every Tuesday. Two raids are featured per week alongside two dungeons.

This is the best Tier 5 weapon source for most players because raid weapons have the strongest perk pools in the game. Farms like King’s Fall Warpriest for Zaouli’s Bane, King’s Fall Daughters for Defiance of Yasmin, or Vow of the Disciple for Submission and Forbearance give you consistent access to best-in-class weapons at Tier 5 quality each time they are featured. For the full loot breakdown per encounter across every active raid, see Destiny 2 all raid loot tables. For the specific order to tackle raids each week, Destiny 2 raids in order covers the featured rotation schedule.

Master Difficulty Raids and Dungeons (Always Tier 5)

Master difficulty drops Tier 5 gear from every encounter and challenge completion regardless of whether the raid or dungeon is currently featured. This makes Master the most consistent source of Tier 5 loot outside of featured weeks. Master also drops Harrowed (Adept) weapons from encounter challenges — a special version with higher base stats and access to Adept mods, available exclusively through Master completions.

The Power requirement for Master is around 400, and enemies are significantly more dangerous than on Standard. You need a capable build and a coordinated fireteam for most Master content. For a build that performs well in Master raids, the Phantom Surge Hunter build is one of the strongest options in the 2026 sandbox.

Heroic Public Events During Destination Distortions (Best Solo Source)

Destination Distortions are hourly events that empower a patrol zone for a window of time. During an active Distortion, the reward tier for all public events in that zone increases by one. Heroic Public Events normally drop Tier 4 gear — during a Distortion they drop Tier 5. You can trigger and complete Heroic Public Events completely solo on any patrol destination with no fireteam required.

This is the most accessible Tier 5 farming method in Monument of Triumph because it requires no raid knowledge, no specific Power threshold above 450, no fireteam, and no weekly lockout. The loot pool pulls from destination-specific weapons and armor rather than raid-exclusive gear, but it is the cleanest path to building a Tier 5 armor foundation for any build. Check the in-game Director for active Distortion zones and load into patrol when one is live. The full Distortions farming loop is covered in the Destiny 2 Strange Signal guide.

Master Lost Sectors (Fast Solo Tier 5)

Master Lost Sectors are a community favourite for fast Tier 5 farming. Each day a different Lost Sector is featured in the Director. Running it on Master difficulty with the right build takes experienced players between three and seven minutes per run and consistently drops Tier 5 gear. The daily rotation means a different armor slot is rewarded each day, so Lost Sector farming is an efficient way to target specific Tier 5 armor pieces rather than collecting random drops from other sources.

Master Lost Sectors can be soloed by well-built Guardians or run in a fireteam of up to three players. For the best builds to clear them quickly, Destiny 2 best armor mods for every slot helps you optimise your setup for the Champion types and modifiers each sector features.

Pinnacle Ops Activities

Pinnacle Ops activities — Exotic Missions like Encore and other endgame Ops — drop Tier 5 weapons from high-grade completions. These require a fireteam and deliver some of the best non-raid weapons available in the game. Running Pinnacle Ops with an S-rank modifier stack guarantees Tier 5 drops from the completion chest and is the fastest source of Tier 5 non-raid weapons for active players who do not want to wait for the featured raid rotation.

Crafting and the Relic Tier Upgrade System

Any crafted weapon can be upgraded to Tier 5 through the Weapon Tier Upgrade system at the Relic, regardless of which activity it came from or what tier it dropped at. Crafting a weapon locks in your chosen perk combination and then lets you level it through five upgrade stages to reach Tier 5:

• Tier 1 (base): Standard crafted weapon.
• Tier 2 (Level 11): Enhanced Column 3 and Column 4 perks unlock.
• Tier 4 (Level 25): Enhanced Components unlock.
• Tier 5 (Level 30): Enhanced Origin Trait unlocks plus golden holofoil ornament.

This system means the specific tier a weapon dropped at is largely irrelevant once you have crafted it — the Relic upgrade path brings every crafted weapon to the same Tier 5 ceiling through play. You earn weapon levels by using the crafted weapon in any activity. Enhanced perks at Tier 5 outperform their standard versions — Enhanced Firing Line procs from further away, Enhanced Incandescent spreads Scorch further, Enhanced Killing Tally builds faster. The upgrade is always worth completing on weapons you use regularly.

Xur Weekly Stock

Xur visits the Tower Bazaar every Friday and stocks Tier 5 Exotic weapons and armor. His stock changes each Friday at reset and stays available until Tuesday. You purchase from Xur using Legendary Marks in the Monument of Triumph economy. Xur is not the fastest or most efficient Tier 5 source, but he is the most reliable weekly fallback for players who do not have time for raids or Distortions in a given week. Check where Xur is in Destiny 2 this week for his current location and stock.

Tenet of Bravery Weapon Engrams

The Tenet of Bravery vendor in the Tower Courtyard sells endlessly purchasable engrams for 2 Legendary Marks each. Every weapon from these engrams drops at Tier 5 with full upgrade path support and no weekly cap on purchases. The engram pools include event weapons from retired seasonal events — Dawning, Festival of the Lost, Guardian Games, Solstice — as well as a King’s Fall weapon engram and various playlist weapon pools. These engrams are not the fastest source of specific god rolls, but they are a permanent and accessible way to build up Tier 5 versions of weapons you missed from past seasons. For the full Monument of Triumph vendor breakdown, see the Monument of Triumph complete guide.

Fireteam Ops at High Grade

Fireteam Ops activities — Strikes, Battlegrounds, and replayable missions — drop Tier 5 weapons when completed at Grade A or above. Stack positive modifiers before launching to push the grade up and guarantee Tier 5 drops. This is the most accessible Tier 5 weapon source for players without raid experience, since Fireteam Ops has matchmaking and runs in 10 to 15 minutes per completion. The weapon pool here is the Fireteam Ops exclusive pool — not raid weapons — but it includes solid options for all three classes and subclass types.

Which Tier 5 Weapons Should You Farm First?

The best Tier 5 weapons to prioritise depend on your build, but here is the community consensus for the strongest options per activity type in 2026:

Raids

• Zaouli’s Bane (King’s Fall, Solar Hand Cannon) — best Legendary primary for Solar builds. See the Zaouli’s Bane god roll guide.
• Defiance of Yasmin (King’s Fall, Kinetic Sniper) — best fireteam DPS sniper with Firing Line. See the Defiance of Yasmin god roll guide.
• Doom of Chelchis (King’s Fall, Void Scout Rifle) — best Void primary for Nightstalker builds. See the Doom of Chelchis god roll guide.
• Submission (Vow of the Disciple, SMG) — top-tier SMG for endgame. See the Destiny 2 Submission god roll guide.
• Forbearance (Vow of the Disciple, Grenade Launcher) — one of the best add-clear Special weapons in the game. See the Destiny 2 Forbearance god roll guide.
• Cataclysmic (Vow of the Disciple, Linear Fusion Rifle) — top raid DPS weapon. See the Destiny 2 Cataclysmic god roll guide.

Black Armory (Forges)

The Black Armory weapons received full Tier 5 upgrade support in Monument of Triumph. For the best god rolls from that pool, see all Black Armory god rolls.

Crossbows

The new crossbow weapon type introduced with Renegades is entirely Tier 5 from the start. For the complete crossbow list and how to get each one, see the all crossbows in Destiny 2 guide, and for the Heirloom Exotic Crossbow specifically, see the Heirloom Exotic Crossbow guide.

Does Tier 5 Replace Adept Weapons?

Effectively yes, but with nuance. Harrowed (Adept) weapons still exist — they drop from Master difficulty encounter challenges in raids and have higher base stats plus Adept mod access. In the Monument of Triumph tier framework, Harrowed weapons are a category within Tier 5 rather than a separate tier above it. A Harrowed Zaouli’s Bane is a Tier 5 weapon with Adept bonuses on top. A standard crafted Zaouli’s Bane upgraded to Tier 5 through the Relic is the same tier — just without the Adept mod slot and slightly lower base stats.

For most content, a fully upgraded crafted Tier 5 weapon with enhanced perks competes closely with its Harrowed equivalent in actual performance. The Harrowed version has a small edge in raw stats and the Adept mod advantage, but the crafted Tier 5 lets you lock in exact perks — which is often more valuable than the stat difference. Chasing Harrowed versions is worthwhile for Master raid farmers who want the absolute ceiling. For everyone else, crafted Tier 5 is the practical goal.

Hidden Raid Chests and Tier 5 Armor

Hidden chests inside featured raids drop Tier 5 armor with a weekly lockout per character during featured weeks. These chests are the most time-efficient Tier 5 armor source in the game because many can be reached solo without completing any encounters. Running both hidden chests in three raids across three characters gives you up to 18 free Tier 5 armor drops per featured week with no combat required beyond reaching the chest location. For the solo chest routes in The Last Wish, see all Tier 5 solo loot chests in The Last Wish. For the complete guide on all free solo Tier 5 methods including checkpoint bots and Distortions, see Destiny 2 free Tier 5 solo raid loot.

Is Tier 5 the Final Gear Ceiling?

Yes. Bungie confirmed that Tier 5 is the permanent gear ceiling for Destiny 2 as part of the Monument of Triumph announcement. Since this is the game’s final live-service update with no further content planned, there will be no Tier 6 or further Power increases. Every piece of gear you upgrade to Tier 5 now is the best version of that item that will ever exist in the game. This makes the Monument of Triumph era uniquely meaningful for farming — every Tier 5 god roll you lock in is a permanent achievement in the final state of the sandbox. For the full context of what Monument of Triumph added alongside Tier 5 gear, the Destiny 2 Monument of Triumph complete guide covers all major systems. For Fireteam Power and how it helps lower-level players access Tier 5 content with friends, see Destiny 2 Fireteam Power explained.