9 Best Weapons from Season of the Deep (Destiny 2)

9 Weapons to Chase in Season of the Deep

In this guide, we’ll be listing the 9 best weapons from Season of the Deep to target.

With every season comes new weapons to chase, Season of the Deep has the added bonus of updating older weapons with new perks.

We’re going to go over the top weapons to look for this season, the best rolls, and what portions of the game they are best in.

For each weapon, we’ll be providing a direct link to their detailed build page on Mobalytics.

1. New Pacific Epitaph

Weapon Highlights

This is the only Wave Frame Grenade Launcher that can go into the kinetic slot. That aspect alone makes it a great option as it opens up so many options in the energy slot. On top of a good perk pool, the Origin Trait is arguably the best in the game with granting an immediate auto-reload that is stored after reviving an ally or using a finisher, this allows the weapon to be fired twice in a row when active.

Best Perks/Rolls

This weapon is best suited for PvE. The 3rd column has a lot of good options, and you cannot go wrong with Demolitionist, Lead from Gold, or Unrelenting. Demo is good for grenade based builds, Lead for Gold is great for ammo economy especially when using double special due to the increase in heavy drops, and Unrelenting is a solid, safe option that helps immensely with survivability.

The 4th column has a lot of damage boosting perks, but of all of them Redirection is definitely worth trying out. In most content the weapon will one-shot enemies, so there isn’t much need for Adrenaline Junkie, Harmony, Kill Clip, or Collective Action unless in under light content. Redirection gives bonus damage to majors and bosses after damaging minors which will be killed with one shot.

This bonus can get up to a 100% damage boost to better handle the enemy types that breech-loaded grenade launchers have trouble with.

How to Get New Pacific Epitaph

This weapon is exclusive to the Ghosts of the Deep dungeon. It is in the loot pool for the first and third encounters of the dungeon.

2. Apex Predator

Weapon Highlights

Rocket Launchers are currently the DPS meta, and Apex is one of two Rocket Launchers that has access to Bait and Switch which gives a 35% damage bonus. This alone puts the weapon in the conversation of best DPS weapon in the game as it is the largest damage boost a Rocket Launcher can get, but the damage bonus impacts the damage from Wolfpack Rounds when this weapon is used alongside Gjallarhorn.

Best Perks/Rolls

The best roll is rather straightforward. Impact Casing in the second column as it slightly boosts damage. The second column is best with Reconstruction as the damage cycle with this weapon involves swapping around weapons, and after 3.5 seconds with the enhanced version of the perk, the weapon will auto-reload a shot.

This allows you to circumvent a reload when you are using other weapons to activate Bait and Switch, the essential perk of the 4th column for its 35% damage boost.

How to Get Apex Predator

This weapon is part of the reprised weapons in the Last Wish raid. Any encounter in the raid can drop this weapon. This makes it a little difficult to target farm, but it is now craftable.

3. Cold Comfort

Weapon Highlights

The other Rocket Launcher that has access to Bait and Switch. This perk alone makes it a top tier option because of the 35% damage bonus that also affects Wolfpack Rounds. Cold Comfort has some slight differences to Apex Predator in the 3rd column, making both worth having. In terms of the Origin Trait, Cold Comfort has a clear advantage over Apex Predator as it allows for an extra rocket to be auto-reloaded from a finisher or revive.

Best Perks/Rolls

Once again the 2nd column is best with Impact Casing as that slightly increases damage. Bait and Switch is the best to have in the 4th column due to its massive damage bonus. The 3rd column has a very good synergizing perk in Envious Assassin.

This perk allows you to store up rockets to unleash multiple at once when a damage phase comes around. Envious Assassin allows 3 rockets to be in the magazine, and the Restoration Ritual Origin Trait bumps this up one. With this roll you can start off a damage phase by using your other 2 weapons to meet the Bait and Switch conditions, then shoot 4 rockets in a row with no reload. The first rocket won’t get the damage benefit of Bait and Switch as that’ll be the shot that activates the perk, but from then on it’ll be active for 10 seconds.

How to Get Cold Comfort

This rocket exclusively comes from the Ghosts of the Deep dungeon. It can drop from completion of any of the 3 encounters in the dungeon.

4. Techeun Force

Weapon Highlights

The perk pool and archetype makes this weapon a good choice in both PvE and PvP. There are a wide array of PvP rolls that can be curated to various game modes and playstyles. As for PvE, the best roll makes this Fusion feel almost like the exotic Merciless.

Best Perks/Rolls

PvE

The best PvE roll involves the new perk Controlled Burst in the 4th column. From simply landing a shot, this perk gives a 20% damage boost and a quicker charge time. This lets it quickly burst down majors or shoot quicker from minor to minor. The 3rd column has both Reconstruction and Rewind Rounds.

Reconstruction is the slightly better option because of the overall larger magazine size it can give and the passive reload when stowed. The 2nd column should have a magazine size increasing perk of Ionized Battery of Enhanced Battery to get better value from the 2nd column perk.

PvP

There are a lot of options for PvP. There is the classic Fusion Rifle roll that takes advantage of spawning with low ammo in Under Pressure and High-Impact Reserves. Under Pressure is almost mandatory in column 3, but there are other options to consider in column 4.

Rangefinder is there for those who want to maximize fusion distance and want to push the range out as much as possible. Controlled Burst is an intriguing option for 6v6 game modes where kill chaining is more plausible due to the increased enemy density and potential to sit on a stockpile of ammo where this perk would get more value, and High-Impact Reserves would not get its bonus.

How to Get Techeun Force

This Fusion is one of the reprised Last Wish weapons. It can drop from any of the encounters in that raid. This weapon is also craftable and can be crafted with enhanced perks.

5. Loaded Question

Weapon Highlights

This Fusion has access to very good PvE perks. This makes it a potential option for clearing out enemies in any level of content or boss damage. The main downside is its painfully slow reload speed, but the perks it has access to circumvents that.

Best Perks/Rolls

The perks of the 3rd column dictate the playstyle of this weapon. If going strictly for high health target damage, Auto-Loading Holster is the best in this column. If using Auto-Loading Holster, pair that with Controlled Burst in the 4th column and Ionized Battery in the 2nd to maximize the magazine size.

Envious Assassin and Overflow are two other options in the 3rd column that change around this weapons playstyle. Overflow has the slight edge over Envious because it can get the magazine larger and will reload on ammo pickup, making it easier to use for general ad clear or when damaging a boss if you strategically leave an ammo brick near where you are dealing damage.

If using one of these options in the 3rd column, the 4th column opens up. The 4th column option is based on preference and how the weapon will most likely be used.

Controlled Burst is good for getting shots out quicker with a 20% damage buff while Reservoir Burst is great for ad clear due to its explosion and has a 25% damage bonus for high health targets at the cost of only being able to use the top half of the magazine. Lastly, Frenzy has the smallest damage buff in 15%, but it’s a great option if you’ll be reloading this weapon as the perk increases reload speed.

How to Get Loaded Question

This weapon has a standard and an Adept version which will drop from Nightfalls. It must be the weekly Nightfall weapon in order for it to drop.

6. The Messenger

Weapon Highlights

One of the best High-Impact Pulse Rifles is back with additional perks. Now is a good time to try this out with this archetype being good in PvP and getting recent buffs in PvE.

Best Perks/Rolls

PvE

For PvE this weapon has access to one of the great new combos in Rapid Hit and Kinetic Tremors. This combo is good in all content, but works especially well in content when at a light level deficit. In areas of the game at equal light level, Outlaw in the 3rd column and Desperado in the 4th column are good alternative perks.

PvP

In PvP there are two routes to go with this weapon. The 3rd column has three good options in Rapid Hit, Perpetual Motion, and Moving Target. All help with stability or accuracy to land a two-burst more reliably. The 4th column is where things are flexible.

If going for a weapon that operates well at all times, go for Headseeker or Keep Away. When going for a play style based on snowballing and chaining kills, look for Desperado or Kill Clip.

Desperado goes all in on that playstyle as it can land a two-burst very fast, meanwhile, Kill Clip lands the two-burst much more reliably due to the damage increase.

How to Get The Messenger

This weapon is a drop from Trials of Osiris. It can be a random drop from engrams or the Adept version can be target farmed from going Flawless when it is the weekly reward.

7. Rapacious Appetite

Weapon Highlights

A great alternative to The Immortal in PvP. The main advantage The Immortal has is access to Rangefinder, but that perk will be receiving a nerf soon. This makes it less of a mandatory option, and opens the door for other SMGs that have access to Target Lock, but not Rangefinder such as Rapacious Appetite. On the PvE side this weapon has access to Frenzy, a top tier perk for SMGs.

Best Perks/Rolls

PvE

The rolls are quite straightforward on the weapon. For PvE look for Frenzy in the 4th column. This is a must-have, and opens up the rest of the weapon for different options as the weapon will have a 100 reload speed stat with Frenzy active.

Fourth Time’s the Charm is an option to extend the magazine size along with Appended Mag. Otherwise, Perpetual Motion is a fine option for the stat boosts; the reload speed addition won’t affect the reload if Frenzy is active, but is a good backup in case it is not.

PvP

In the PvP department, Target Lock is a top-tier perk in the 4th column. Boosting the weapons stats in the 3rd column is important, and Well-Rounded is the optimal choice because it can boost the range stat. Perpetual Motion is a fine alternative in the 3rd column as it will be active more often than Well-Rounded, but the perk does not boost Range.

How to Get Rapacious Appetite

This SMG is one of the new Season of the Deep seasonal weapons. It can be purchased at the vendor in the HELM, it drops from Deep Dive and Salvage, and it can be crafted for enhanced perks.

8. No Survivors

Weapon Highlights

This weapon is energy slot Immortal, opening it up for unique pairings that cannot be done with The Immortal. The weapon also has 4 more range than the Immortal and has access to good PvE perks, making it desirable on both sides of the game.

Best Perks/Rolls

PvE

On the PvE side a good standard roll is Demolitionist and Incandescent. In the 4th column, Collective Action is a potential alternative in builds that create a lot of Firesprites, Void Breaches, etc.

PvP

As for PvP, this weapon has access to the god tier Rangefinder and Target Lock roll that melts.

How to Get No Survivors

This SMG drops from the Ghosts of the Deep Dungeon. It can drop from any of the 3 encounters in the dungeon.

9. Targeted Redaction

Weapon Highlights

This Hand Cannon is more similar to the old Spare Rations than the new version of Spare Rations is. It has access to solid perks; in PvE is able to get around its very slow reload speed with utilizing the proper rolls and in PvP it gets access to Explosive Payload, a top tier perk for Hand Cannons.

Using this weapon, there is also a way to set up a 2 tap with the weapon by using a Stasis subclass, giving it an alternative way to use it in PvP.

Best Perks/Rolls

PvE

The PvE roll is very particular. The weapon’s weaknesses are a slow reload and a small magazine size. Using Extended Magazine in the 2nd column is the best choice as it increases the magazine size by 3 shots. This perk reduces the reload speed stat, but Frenzy is used in the 4th column, and automatically boosts the reload stat to 100, negating the stat loss from Extended Mag.

Destabilizing Rounds and Collective Action are fine alternatives for builds relying on Volatile and/or Void Breaches. In the 3rd column Outlaw or Triple Tap are good picks. Outlaw still gets some of its reload bonus as it also has a reload time scalar that will work if Frenzy boosts the reload stat to100, and Triple Tap will add shots to the magazine, making reloading less common.

PvP

For PvP this weapon has a solid neutral game option with the presence of Explosive Payload in the 4th column. Well-Rounded or Perfect Float are good options to have in the 3rd column. The former is more highly recommended due to the range addition it can give. Range is what should be sought after for the 1st and 2nd columns.

In order to set up a 2-tap in PvP, use the perk Collective Action which gives a damage boost when collecting elemental pickups. In this case, Stasis Shards are used as they can be created with a Glacier Grenade or Hoarfrost-Z and a barricade.

This perk alone isn’t enough to 2-tap at all Resilience levels, so the new mod Elemental Charge is used which has an escalating chance of giving an Armor Charge stack when collecting an elemental pickup. Pair this with 2 Void Weapon Surge mods, and once a Stasis Shard is picked up and it gives an Armor Charge stack with Elemental Charge to activate Void Weapon Surge, the Hand Cannon will deal over 100 damage per shot. To

How to Get Targeted Redaction

This Hand Cannon is one of the new Season of the Deep seasonal weapons. It can be purchased at the vendor in the HELM, it drops from Deep Dive and Salvage, and it can be crafted for enhanced perks.

Outro

This season has some unique weapons that are worth a try as well as some meta-defining weapons. This list is a good place to start for deciding which weapons to go after. Be sure to look for builds that involve these new weapons.