Summary

Destiny 2’s customisation options are never-ending. From shaders to ornaments, there are no limitations to making your Guardian and weapons look good. With the addition of transmog and the ability to create multiple loadouts, you can look your best no matter what activity you’re in.

Mementos are unique weapon shaders that can be unlocked through various activities. It’s good to apply the Mementos to weapons you’ll be using a lot, whether it’s yourfavourite powerful swordor a particularly strong SMG. There are currently six Mementos available in Destiny 2, each obtained in a specific way. This list looks at each memento and their respective shader to see which one tops the rest.

How To Gain And Apply Mementos

Mementos are unique and can only be gained as random drops from their respective activities. Originally, the only three Mementos available were the Scaly, Triumphant, and Gleaming Keepsakes that dropped from Gambit, Nightfalls, and Trials of Osiris. Since then, more Mementos have been added with different activities, like the Dawning and the Festival of the Lost. Since these events aren’t available all year round, you can buy these from Mara Sov in the HELM.

It’s important to note thatMementos can only be applied to crafted weapons. You’ll have to apply the Memento at the end of the crafting segment. Each Memento gives your weapon a unique title relevant to its represented activity. You can alsoonly carry one of each Memento at one time. It’s unclear why this is the case, but you’ll need to be careful what weapon you apply the Memento to. If you replace or delete the Memento, it’sdeleted permanently, and you’ll have to complete the activities again.

Champion Keepsake

How To Obtain

The Games Memento is bought from Eva Levante during the Guardian Games.

You’d hope that the Memento from the Guardian Games would allow you to show off your class colours proudly. Flashing the colours of united Guardians while heading into battle is a great way to stand together against enemies. Unfortunately, the Champion Keepsake colours your weapon in red and blue, not really ‘uniting classes’ material.

Its effect on weapons is different, but it doesn’t scream Guardian Games like you’d expect. Compared to this Memento, the others are much more on-brand with their respective activities and appeal more to those who want to show them off.

As the 2024 Guardian Games has now finished, it’s unclear if there’s another way to obtain the Games Memento.

Triumphant Keepsake

A Vanguard Memento is a random drop after completing a Grandmaster Nightfall.

The Triumphant Keepsake is an odd Memento, to say the least. It can make your gun look great if it has some distinct physical characteristics, but it mainly makes your colour orange with a few highlights here and there.

Now, the orange shader can look quite nice on the right weapon, but it’s not guaranteed. This Memento is interesting and good to test out, but it’s not as bold as some of the others, so it’s not held very highly in the ranking. You’ll need to complete a Grandmaster Nightfall to obtain the Memento, which can be a challenge itself. Make sure you’ve got the right team and loadouts before heading into the activity.

Gleaming Keepsake

The Trials Memento is a random drop after going flawless inTrials of Osiris.

Nothing screams Trials of Osiris like a weapon that’s shimmering gold. There’s no mistaking the Trials Memento for anything else. It’s one of the boldest and most eccentric shaders available for your weapon. The Trials Memento applies a wavy pattern that looks like metal that’s melting. There’s nothing better than scaring enemies in Crucible when you’re flashingyour deadliest handcannonwith a Flawless shader throughout the map.

The only downside is that the shader covers the entire weapon in the gold effect. While the appearance of it is cool, it could be enhanced with some specific detailing or an additional colour to complement the gold.

Scaly Keepsake

The Gambit Memento is a random drop from completing Gambit matches.

Keeping on the theme with Gambit, the Scaly Keepsake Memento is a bright, shiny green that covers your weapon in a snakeskin pattern. The pattern moves, which makes it distinctive compared to many others. The effect on the gun isn’t at all subtle like some of the others, so you can go jump into fights in style.

The one downside of the Scaly Keepsake is if you’re not a fan of green. It’s hard to keep up with the Gambit aesthetic when you don’t want to make your whole Guardian look bright green.

Purchase a Dawning Memento from Mara Sov in the HELM.

For those who want to stay frosty, the Rime Keepsake is a very charming and on-brand Memento for the Dawning. The shader turns your weapon into an icy blue with a chilly effect. It looks like your gun has been frozen for a couple of years and, while it might be cold to touch, it’s a very appealing shader that highlights the physical aspects of your weapon.

The pastel blue isn’t as harsh on the eyes as the other Mementos and its effect looks mesmerising on almost every gun. The versatility of the shader and its sheer beauty make it a great choice when you want something simple but powerful.

Purchase a Lost Memento from Mara Sov in the HELM.

The Twilight Keepsake is from the Festival of the Lost and is fairly easy to obtain since it’s not left to chance like the original three. This Memento changes your weapon to be entirely black with a leathery effect. There’s no better shader to match your weapons with your outfit. Black goes with everything, which is what makes this Memento the best.

Destiny 2’s shaders have a habit of containing random areas of a colour you weren’t expecting. Nothing is surprising about Twilight Keepsake. It’s a simple shader that can make the patterns on some weapons look incredible. What’s not to like?