Quick Links
Destiny 2: The Final Shapehas added dozens of new weapons for players to chase. One of the first weapons you’ll earn during the campaign is The Call, a powerful Strand Sidearm that uses Special ammo to fire micro-missiles. You’ll also stumble across a new archetype of Machine Gun, a support Auto Rifle that heals people, and much more.
The weapons in the Pale Heart are some of the strongest, most unique guns you’re able to earn from a patrol space. Every single weapon in the Pale Heart is worth chasing for one reason or another, and best of all, they’re craftable.
Axial Lacuna
Axial Lacuna is a solid replacement for Cartesian Coordinate and last year’s Eramite. This Precision Frame Fusion Rifle can roll withReconstructionandControlled Burstfor an excellent backup DPS weapon against PvE bosses. It can also roll withIncandescentif you want to trigger Ignitions with this weapon, although we find that unnecessary.
For PvP, Precision Frames are typically inferior to Adaptives, but Axial Lacuna has thesecond best stat package for its archetype, right behind Deliverance. But unlike Deliverance, it can get the amazing combination ofFirmly PlantedandKickstart.Firmly Planted procs during slides, so you’ll be able to achieve some deep one-burst kills if you can land that first bolt.
Range
Bold Endings
Fans of two-round burst Hand Cannons might want to give Bold Endings a try. It lacks any ammo sustain perks that make Warden’s Law such a powerhouse when paired with Lucky Pants, but this weapon is a solid workhorse in PvE.Rapid Hitpaired withDesperate Measuresshould output some solid damage in Legend content and below. For Lucky Pants users, this is a safe skip; Warden’s Law is objectively better.
Crucible players shouldn’t sleep on burst HCs now that they receive less flinch.To the Painshould fix most of the downsides of this archetype. Receiving damage will increase your handling and aim assist, two weakpoints on this weapon.Eye of the Stormwill then boost your accuracy and handling as you receive damage. Landing headshots will become trivial towards the latter half of a given duel.
Eye of the Storm
The Call
Rocket Sidearms have taken the PvE sandbox by storm with their excellent damage output and ammo economy. This archetype is so good that everyone should farm for this weapon, even if you seldom play PvE. It’s thefirst craftable Rocket Pistoland the first one to reside in the Kinetic slot. The loadout flexibility this weapon offers cannot be understated.
As for perks, The Call is loaded with good options.Lead from Goldallows you to use this weapon like a Primary, and you can pair it withVorpal Weaponto obliterate Champions and tougher miniboss units. If you need even more damage, you can opt forOne for AllorDesperate Measuresinstead. Strand users can even turn The Call into a utility weapon throughSliceandHatchling.There’s not a single bad roll on this gun.
The only downside with this gun is its PvP performance, which isn’t even a problem with The Call itself.Rocket Sidearms are just not good PvP weapons.They deal lackluster damage, spawn with too little ammo, and can be tricky to use. Use Forerunner instead.
Any damage perk
Do Not Use
Embraced Identity
Embraced Identity is a powerhouse in the hands of a good player. In PvE, this is one of a select few Sniper Rifles that can roll withReconstructionandPrecision Instrument, a solid combination for backup DPS. It can also getHigh Ground, offering a 25% damage buff while fighting an enemy from an elevated position.
High Ground is always activeduring the Witness fight.
Crucible is where this gun really shines. Thanks to Prismatic, you can easily triggerElemental Capacitor’shandling boost by running an Arc Super. This alone can cap the gun’s handling stat if the perk is enhanced. You can then pair this withOpening Shotfor a buttery smooth sniping experience that’s only matched by the likes of Eye of Sol. Best of all, it’s fully craftable.
False Idols
False Idols is not a DPS Swordand should not be treated as such. If that’s what you’re looking for,farm for a Falling Guillotineor Bequest instead. If you want to slay adds, however, then False Idols has some value.IncandescentandChain Reactionis a silly combination that turns your enemies into a cacophony of deafening explosions. Land a few kills to trigger an Ignition, then move to the next pack.
Crucible players can skip this weapon.It can’t get Eager Edge, has a subpar heavy attack, and doesn’t have any useful neutral game perks.
No Hesitation
No Hesitation is the first Support Frame in Destiny 2, a subtype of Auto Rifle thatreleases healing projectiles when hipfired.It’s effectively a Legendary version of Lumina, and it’s just as strong as it sounds. With proper use of this gun, you can effectively make your team invincible. That alone makes this a must-own gun, but it gets even better.
This weapon’s perk pool is nothing short of incredible. It’s currently the only weapon that can rollPhysic, granting you x1 Restoration for healing allies. This can then triggerCircle of Life, a damage perk that can roll in the second column. Gaining free HP regeneration and bonus damage for healing your allies is absurdly strong, especially in hard content. If you love playing as a support, this gun is for you.
Enhanced Physic
Enhanced Physic grants x2 Restoration instead of the usual x1 Restoration. This is a bug that will be fixed in a future patch.
Unfortunately,No Hesitation is nigh-unusable in PvPdue to its slow projectile speed. The hit registration on this gun would make the Halo 3 Battle Rifle blush. Shots will simply refuse to register when damaging an opponent, and the healing is far less effective in PvP than PvE. No Hesitation is an easy S-tier pick for PvE, but for fans of the Crucible, we suggest holding off until Bungie addresses the hit registration issues with this gun.
Pro Memoria
Pro Memoria might not look flashy on the surface, but there is a fantastic Machine Gun here if you’re able to get the right roll. This isthe firstAggressive Frame LMGto grace the sandbox, firing at 600 RPM with slightly more recoil than usual. For slaying adds, you can’t go wrong withReconstructionandDesperate Measures.A Machine Gun that reloads itself and ramps up damage is perfect for GM Nightfalls and other tough PvE content.
For the Crucible, Pro Memoria is a solid pick as well.To the PainandTap the Triggeris an S-tier combination for consistency. If you can ramp up To the Pain, this gun should have little issue chaining headshots from vast distances. Hammerhead might have a better stat package, but there’s something to Pro Memoria that makes it a joy to shoot. Give it a try if you’re looking to shake things up.
Someday
Someday is a Precision Frame Shotgun that resides in the Kinetic slot. which makes it a proper replacement for Fractethyst. PvE players can runDual LoaderandRecombinationfor a hard-hitting Special weapon against Champions and majors, but it’s outshined by virtually all slug shotguns with Cascade Point.
Crucible players who don’t have a good Fractethyst should keep an eye out for this gun. It can getThreat DetectorandOpening Shotfor a highly consistent one-tap. It’s alsofully craftable.Once you get five red borders to drop, you can craft the perfect roll with no added RNG.
