Catalysts are weird things. Basically, they were leveling up crafting weapons before crafting weapons was a thing. Exclusive to exotic weapons, exotic catalysts offer great enhancements to exotic weapons.
While some exotic weapons don’t have catalysts at all, the simple allure of a gold border around the weapon may be enough to make you chase it down. Some catalysts are hard to get, some you get by accident. Regardless, you probably want to know which catalysts are worth getting and which aren’t. Gotcha.
NOTE: These exotics are not ranked by power in PvP or PvE, merely by the potency of their catalysts.
10. Dead Man’s Tale
How to get it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIb4Sx6GIKA
Let me get this straight: Dead Man’s Tale sucks. Pretty darn terribly, if I might add. The catalyst was recently reworked to give this sweet-looking weapon an absolutely garbage ability. However, the only reason why it’s ranked is that it's slated for a re-rework sometime around Season 19, so be on the lookout for a buff. It’s strong in PvP and, with the right changes, it would be good in PvE as well.
- Used to terrorize the Crucible by firing at 150 RPM when hipfired
- Still stacks Cranial Spike damage in PvE, I guess
- Good for fans of The Last Word
Dead Man’s Tale full details: https://www.light.gg/db/items/3654674561/dead-mans-tale/
9. Outbreak Perfected
How to get it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uT31dcZrSwo
Essentially, this weapon makes SIVA nanites on kills, and the catalyst enhances the nanites themselves. Simple enough, right? It’s also a great weapon for Day 1 raids with its stellar ammo economy, as well as excelling in PvP because of the recent buff to Adaptive Frame Pulse Rifles. It’s also a cool-looking weapon with a rich past, so if you don’t have it, go get it.
- Synergizes with other nanites
- Robust DPS option for primary weapons
- Nanites also decent for add clear
Outbreak perfected full details: https://www.light.gg/db/items/400096939/outbreak-perfected/
8. Ace of Spades
How to get it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSF8NqYW5G0
Ace is already an amazing PvP hand cannon: MIDA Multi-Tool, Kill Clip, Firefly, an Outlaw in a solid-feeling easy-to-obtain hand cannon. Unfortunately, the catalyst (which grants increased damage on firefly explosions while Momento Mori is active) doesn’t add much to an already amazing weapon, so it stays at number 8.
- Longer-range 140 archetype
- Catalyst adds extra utility in PvE
- All-round solid weapon
Ace of Spades full details: https://www.light.gg/db/items/347366834/ace-of-spades/
7. Lord of Wolves
How to get it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c219stu8fj8
I won’t say anything as to the state of Lord of Wolves currently, but it used to be one of the best PvP weapons in the game. I used it on my first VoTD clear (much to the surprise of my homies) and I thought it was lowkey broken in PvE, and it’s way better after the buff. The catalyst helps in PvE especially for dumping out large amounts of DPS in a short amount of time.
- Catalyst greatly increases PvE damage
- Limited range easily extended by Lunafaction rift or well
- Easier to hit crits after latest buff
Lord of Wolves full details: https://www.light.gg/db/items/3413860063/lord-of-wolves/
6. Thunderlord
How to get it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8S8mhP86meM
The original GOAT for add clear in Destiny 2, Thunderlord is basically the old man of Destiny exotics right next to Gjallarhorn and Last Word. Recently getting an exotic catalyst in Season 18, Thunderlord is better than ever for single target damage, and especially against champions. A welcome addition to any brave guardian’s arsenal.
- Can theoretically shoot forever with catalyst
- Machine guns are slated for a buff, and Thunderlord with reign once again
- Shoots faster the longer you hold down the trigger
Thunderlord full details: https://www.light.gg/db/items/3325463374/thunderlord/
5. Eriana’s Vow
How to get it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmLg9lIiTn0
Eriana’s another one of those really weird exotics: it’s a Special Ammo Hand Cannon that deals massive sniper-level damage. Well, not quite: It can’t one shot guardians, but it’s still solid. However, the catalyst adds three more shots to the magazine and adds Auto-Loading Holster, so you can see why Lucky Pants users wanted to get their hands on this catalyst. Unfortunately, It requires the completion of 400 ritual activities and then 700 kills with the weapon after that. Well thanks, Bungie. How kind.
- Catalyst's a pain in the rear to obtain and charge
- Decent weapon, catalyst adds 50% to mag size and auto-loading holster
- Synergizes well with Lucky Pants
Eriana’s Vow full details: https://www.light.gg/db/items/3524313097/erianas-vow/
4. Jotunn
How to get it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUh2lD2GwEc
The original cheesy toast machine. It’s a good all-round weapon, but it’s still enough to induce bile in the throats of your enemies with a bit of mindless fun. The catalyst adds Incandescent and Cornered to this weapon, making it good for both PvP and PvE. It’s an easy buy from the Monument to Lost Lights, so pick it up when you can if you haven’t already.
- Catalyst synergizes well with Solar 3.0
- Generous tracking, high damage
- Good for add clear, decent for boss DPS, goofy in the Crucible
Jotunn full details: https://www.light.gg/db/items/417164956/j%C3%B6tunn/
3. Gjallarhorn
How to get it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkqSPsYeId8
Possibly the most consistent heavy weapon in the game, Gjallarhorn’s exotic catalyst lets you slot two rockets into every mag without having to rely on Clown Cartridge or Ambitious Assassin. While not the best DPS weapon in the game, it’s a good weapon to throw on when you don’t know what to expect.
- Catalyst doubles the mag size
- High handling, good for hotswapping
- Best in a fireteam
Gjallarhorn full details: https://www.light.gg/db/items/1363886209/gjallarhorn/
2. Vex Mythoclast
How to get it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0jmhQjLov0
The legendary holy father of all raid exotics, Vex Mythoclast will go down in history as one of the game’s most sought-after exotic weapons. Its catalyst can be achieved by a bunch of really complicated oracle shenanigans that I’ll leave a link to below, but it’s worth it, trust me. It gives the weapon Killing Wind (essentially) as well as Tunnel Vision and a few other useful things. It makes an already good gun even better.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ip7oROyDxVY
- Catalyst quest just difficult enough to be fun
- Catalyst adds an array of perks to a decent but rare gun
- Alternate firing mode is sticky as peanut butter
Vex Mythoclast full details: https://www.light.gg/db/items/4289226715/vex-mythoclast/
1. Witherhoard
How to get it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOHyhX2U_Sg
Guardian, I have but two words for you: Auto-Loading Holster. That’s right, the game’s nastiest one-shot Grenade Launcher gets AUTO-LOADING HOLSTER?! Listen, you may have your doubts as to the quality of this weapon, but it’s a special weapon DPS monster and a menace in the Crucible, but not having to reload is even better. The catalyst quest is a bit of a grind, but honestly it’s a small price to pay for a great upgrade.
- Can be paired with a legendary heavy, some of the best in the game
- Catalyst also adds extra handling, good for hotswapping
- Good for add clear, boss DPS, and locking off zones in the Crucible
Witherhoard full details: https://www.light.gg/db/items/2357297366/witherhoard/
If you enjoyed this article, do me a favor by dropping a comment below. Be sure to check out my other articles for more Destiny 2 content. And if you’ve ever wanted to get into writing, I can give you some friendly advice at thewritersrack.com, where I blog daily Monday-Friday. Looking for your next fantasy fiction read? You might want to check out Praetors of Lost Magic, Book 1: The Mage’s Gambit on Amazon, soon to be a finished trilogy!
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