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Destiny 2: The Edge of Fatebrought a new raid for Guardians to conquer. The Desert Perpetual is the first non-linear raid we’ve received since the Leviathan back during Destiny 2’s launch. It’s a raid filled with difficult bosses and communication-heavy mechanics, but if you’re able to clear each encounter, you’ll be rewarded with some excellent weapons and armor.
The six weapons available from this raid are quite strong and compete with some of the game’s meta picks, both for PvE and PvP. Today, we’ll be covering the best rolls you’re able to get for all the Desert Perpetual raid weapons, showcasing ideal perk combinations for endgame PvE content and Crucible playlists.
Antedate
Antedate’s perk pool has some strong combinations worth chasing, although this weapon doesn’t bring much new to the SMG landscape. Rolling Storm with Jolting Feedback is a fun perk combination if you spam abilities, but we find Rolling Feedback to be a fairly weak perk. For general PvE play, you’re better off usingRewind RoundswithJolting Feedbackfor constantJolt procs.
In the Crucible, it should come as no surprise we’re recommendingTarget Lockhere—it lowers the TTK of 900 RPM SMGs to 0.67s. And thanks toZen Moment, you won’t experience flinch for most of that gunfight. Spec this gun for as much range as possible to stay competitive out to roughly 22 meters.
Range
Finite Maybe
Aggressive fusion rifles haven’t seen much use due to their horizontal spread pattern, making them feel inconsistent at range. Finite Maybe still has the same issue, so if you aren’t a fan of the archetype, this gun probably isn’t for you. However, if you don’t mind the spread, this gun has some absurdly strong perks.
IncandescentwithDiscordis amazing for add clear in PvE content, allowing you to comfortably run a double special loadout. If you’re looking for damage,ReconstructionwithControlled Burstis a great choice—Bait and Switchtoo if you don’t like Controlled Burst’s inconsistent burst times when you miss.
Crucible players tend to use other fusion archetypes due to their more predictable spread pattern. If you get a roll withUnder PressureandDiscord, take it for a spin and see if you like it.
Intercalary
Auto rifles have seen some good additions as of late, notablyPyroelectric Propellant from Vesper’s Hostand the reissued Reckless Oracle from Garden of Salvation. Intercalary is similar to Pyroelectric Propellant, featuring a 600 RPM frame and some strong PvE-centered perks. The main standout here isRewind RoundsandOnslaught.Kills will ramp up your fire rate and reload speed, while Rewind Rounds will minimize reloading.
Crucible players have some interesting picks here.Built to Blastgives you a ton of aim assist and flinch resistance if you have a defensive keyword active—Woven Mail, Frost Armor, or void Overshield. Hunters and Titans can access these keywords with ease. you’re able to pair this withMaster of Armsto reduce the gun’s TTk to 0.7s after landing a kill withany weapon, including specials.
Lance Ephemeral
Yet another rapid-fire sniper rifle has entered the raid loot pool, this time dealing Strand damage. It doesn’t have much going for itcompared to Praedyth’s Revenge, at least for PvE play.Fourth Time’s the CharmandBait and Switchwork best here, as FTTC is required to assist the weapon’s otherwise poor ammo economy. It can get Killing Tally if you want to use your sniper like a primary—it does have a fairly high ammo generation stat of 54.
Crucible players might want to stick with Praedyth’s due to its high zoom value. Lance Ephemeral only has 40 zoom by default, significantly penalizing the aim assist strength of this gun. If that doesn’t bother you, then grab a roll withSnapshot SightsandClosing Timefor an absurdly fast ADS time.
Bait and Switch
Opaque Hourglass
Opaque Hourglass is thefirst crossbowto grace the Destiny 2 sandbox. This is a heavy-ammo bow that features recoverable bolts, which means it theoretically has infinite ammo. Its DPS is comparable to most linear fusion rifles, so it’s unlikely to shake up any loadout metas in raids. With that said, its high damage per shot makes it ideal for higher-difficulty Strikes and Pinnacle Ops.
Unlike most weapons in Destiny, crossbows have unique magazine options calledbolts. These determine how the crossbow behaves in combat. Based on limited testing, it appears thatExplosive BoltsandHeavy Boltsare ideal for scaling your damage. Explosive Bolts help with mobbing, while Heavy Bolts give you bonus damage at the cost of a travel arc while the bolts are in flight.
For perks, we recommend leaning into add clear and anti-Champion perks. Firefly andDragonflyis a great combination for clearing out fodder enemies in a tough activity. If the weapon’s lengthy reload is bugging you, replace Dragonfly withFrenzy.
Crucible players can runImpulse Amplifierfor hitscan bolts andVorpal Weaponto assist with shutting down Supers. Crossbows are a one-hit kill against the head in PvP, but you only get one shot. If you miss, you’ll need to recover your bolt and try again.
Dragonfly OR Frenzy
Velocity
The When And Where
The When and Where is an Adaptive Frame rocket launcher that deals Stasis damage, which means its damage is slightly below Hezen Vengeance. It doesn’t roll with Envious Arsenal, so you’ll need to focus on sustained DPS rolls when farming this weapon. You won’t outclass Hezen, but you won’t have to worry about hotswapping guns either.
You’ll want to getClown CartridgeandReaper’s Tithe. Clown Cartridge will ensure you always load two rockets in the cartridge, mimicking Hezen’s origin trait. Reaper’s Tithe is a new perk that grants a damage bonus when you land a multikill, starting the timer on your next shot. A double kill is a 30% buff, the same as Bait and Switch. Three kills in one shot is a whopping 40% damage, and your origin trait grants an additional 3-5% damage. It’s a menace if you can prime Reaper’s TIthe before a damage phase.
For PvP, it’s a generic rocket launcher. You’re likely using grenade launchers in that environment due to their better ammo economy or a tracking rocket. If you want to use this weapon in PvP for whatever reason,Impulse AmplifierwithExplosive Lightgets the job done just fine.
