Destiny 2's Iron Banner has never been shy about reinventing itself. The mode no longer cares about a player's Power level, bounties have been replaced by daily challenges, and Rift and Eruption have joined the rotation. What has not changed is Lord Saladin's loot pool. Players still line up for engrams, matches, and vendor rewards, hoping for a roll that feels worth the grind. In 2026, with dozens of Iron Banner weapons available to focus, the real question is simple: which guns deserve the engrams, and which ones should be left in the vault?
To make that call, players need a clear picture of the current standouts. The following ranking looks at the best Iron Banner weapons from the pool, mixing PvP dueling potential with PvE ad-clearing power. It is not a strict mathematical order, but it is a practical guide for anyone who wants value from Saladin.
| Rank | Weapon | Type | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tinasha's Mastery | Stasis Rocket-Assisted Sidearm | Chill Clip, champion stuns, excellent ammo economy |
| 2 | Multimach CCX | Kinetic SMG | Legendary feel, great PvP and PvE rolls |
| 3 | Riiswalker | Kinetic Shotgun | Slideshot, Opening Shot, classic shotgun pressure |
| 4 | Bite of the Fox | Kinetic Sniper Rifle | Snapshot and Opening Shot for quick-scoping |
| 5 | Tusk of the Boar | Strand Waveframe GL | Chain Reaction, Hatchling, strong ad clear |
| 6 | Archon's Thunder | Stasis Machine Gun | Rimestealer, Headstone, frost armor synergy |
| 7 | Crimil's Dagger | Kinetic Hand Cannon | 120 RPM buffs, Explosive Payload, PvP duels |
| 8 | Claws of the Wolf | Void Pulse Rifle | Repulsor Brace, Kill Clip, budget Gridskipper |
| 9 | Hero's Burden | Void SMG | Destabilizing Rounds, decent PvP option |
| 10 | Peacebond | Stasis Sidearm | Tiny, Headstone, niche bounty helper |
1. Tinasha's Mastery: The Best Focus in the Pool 🏆
Tinasha's Mastery is one of two Rocket-Assisted sidearms available in the kinetic slot, and it is by far the best weapon to focus. Rocket-Assisted sidearms remain popular because of solid damage output and good ammo economy, but Tinasha's Mastery goes further with Chill Clip, turning it into a champion-stunning powerhouse. Since Bungie nerfed ammo reserves on the archetype, Air Trigger is a surefire way to avoid the panic of running dry, while Impulse Amplifier improves reload speed and projectile velocity. There is no reason not to keep at least one of these in the vault, especially for Stasis-focused builds.
2. Multimach CCX: The Legendary Kinetic SMG 🔥
Multimach CCX is a somewhat legendary SMG, and its latest iteration is no exception. Whether a player prefers PvE or PvP, this gun has a roll for everyone. Moving Target and Iron Reach provide a huge boost in range and snappy target acquisition as long as the player is actively moving. For PvE, Attrition Orbs can consistently spawn Orbs of Power through maintained damage, feeding super energy to the whole fireteam. Combine that with Kinetic Tremors for extra damage, area-of-effect explosions, and champion stuns. It is a workhorse in both directions.
3. Riiswalker: The Classic Kinetic Shotgun 💥
Riiswalker has been a go-to choice for shotgun players for a very long time. Even when shotguns are not at the top of the meta, many players still fall back on this classic powerhouse out of comfort. Good kinetic shotguns are rare, and using Riiswalker leaves the Exotic slot open for something like Conditional Finality elsewhere. Slideshot is a classic part of shotgun gameplay, while Opening Shot empowers a clean one-shot. Iron Reach adds the extra range players often need in shotgun duels. It may not be flashy, but it is reliable.
4. Bite of the Fox: The PvP Sniper 🎯
Bite of the Fox is a PvP player's dream. It handles well and has the holy grail roll of Snapshot and Opening Shot. Snapshot makes aiming down sights lightning fast, and Opening Shot makes the initial shot super accurate. This sniper is one of the best choices for quick-scoping and can function well at almost all ranges. It has no real usable roll for PvE, but that is fine. For anyone who has ever wanted to learn to snipe in the Crucible, this is the weapon to use.
5. Tusk of the Boar: Strand Waveframe Grenade Launcher 🌊
Tusk of the Boar is another entry in the growing list of Waveframe Grenade Launchers, and it stands out as one of two that appear in the kinetic slot. The other comes from a dungeon, so Tusk is more accessible to most players. Despite the recent nerf to Chain Reaction on Waveframes, this gun still rips through groups of ads with ease. Envious Assassin and Chain Reaction allow for an overflowed magazine and explosive damage. For Strand builds, Slice and Hatchling use subclass keywords and directly play into Strand perks.
6. Archon's Thunder: Stasis Machine Gun ❄️
Archon's Thunder has returned with a new coat of paint, this time in Stasis. As a high-impact frame machine gun, it burns through smaller enemies and deals serviceable damage to champions and bosses. The Stasis damage type and subclass-specific perks make it perfect for frost armor, freezes, and shatters. Rimestealer and Headstone let the gun self-activate freeze-based subclass perks and generate frost armor, making the player tankier. Envious Assassin and Killing Tally offer high damage, large magazines, and unmatched ad-clearing power.
7. Crimil's Dagger: Kinetic 120 Hand Cannon 🤠
Thanks to the recent buff to 120 Hand Cannons, Crimil's Dagger has found itself in a perfect spot to be unstoppable in PvP. It does not have the best stats of all 120 Hand Cannons, but it has relatively good stats and particularly good Aim Assist. Slideways or Moving Target improves handling and target acquisition. Combining those with Explosive Payload or Opening Shot provides increased flinch or better range and aim assist at the start of a gunfight. It is not perfect, but it can rule a Crucible match with the right perks.
8. Claws of the Wolf: Void Pulse Rifle ⚡
Pulse rifles are an insanely powerful archetype that is not going anywhere soon. Claws of the Wolf ranks this high because there will always be a niche where a good pulse rifle works. It is a decent budget option for players who have not been able to get a good Gridskipper. Repulsor Brace and Destabilizing Rounds are fantastic for PvE, while Headseeker and Kill Clip create a powerful dueling weapon. The gun itself does not feel fantastic to use, which may put some players off, but the perks are there.
9. Hero's Burden: Void SMG 🛡️
SMGs are a powerful archetype and work wonderfully with most 3.0 elemental builds. The Hero's Burden is an alright choice for anyone looking for a Void SMG, but its second column suggests it is much better in PvP than in PvE. Feeding Frenzy and Destabilizing Rounds can be a powerful combination, but other Void SMGs will fare better in most PvE content. Given how elusive Funnelweb can be, The Hero's Burden is a nice placeholder until players find a Void SMG with a better godroll.
10. Peacebond: Stasis Sidearm 🧊
Peacebond is a weapon guaranteed to turn heads wherever players go. This sidearm is best recognized by its minuscule size, and it is likely the smallest weapon in the game. That said, it is not a terrible sidearm despite sidearms generally being weak in both PvP and PvE. Peacebond has a ton of cool perks, particularly in its second column, where it can roll with Headstone for Stasis players. Keep this one around for those times when a bounty requires a sidearm, because it does have a nice feel.
The Iron Banner loot pool is large enough that engrams can feel scarce. In 2026, the smartest approach is still to focus on weapons that fill a clear role. Tinasha's Mastery is the top priority, followed by Multimach CCX, Riiswalker, and Bite of the Fox. Tusk of the Boar and Archon's Thunder are excellent for build synergy, while Crimil's Dagger, Claws of the Wolf, Hero's Burden, and Peacebond are more situational. Spend engrams with purpose, and Lord Saladin's rewards will feel far less random.