In Season 8, the so-called ritual weapons replaced the pinnacle weapons in Destiny 2. In Season 9, there are now 3 new specimens of these special firearms that you can earn. We’re showing you what they can do and how to get them.
What are ritual weapons all about? Ritual weapons are basically a kind of toned-down version of pinnacle weapons in Destiny 2.
Pinnacle weapons are legendary firearms that can only be obtained through elaborate quests. They come with unique perks, and some specimens rank among the best weapons in the game. Since Season 3, new pinnacle weapons have been added every season – up until Season 8.
There, the pinnacle weapons were replaced by the ritual weapons, as Bungie considered the pinnacle weapons too powerful and in some cases even downgraded them to exotic weapons. All previous pinnacle weapons can still be earned, except for the Redrix Claymore.
The ritual weapons, such as the popular scout rifle Randy’s Throwing Knife, unlike the pinnacle weapons, no longer have unique perks. They only come with curated rolls. Additionally, the corresponding quests are not as tedious as they used to be with the pinnacle weapons.
The new ritual weapons in the season of dawn
In Season 9, players again receive 3 new ritual weapons to chase:
- from the Vanguard, there is the pistol Buzzard
- the linear fusion rifle Komodo-4FR can be earned through the Crucible
- the shotgun Python can be acquired through Gambit
Pistol Buzzard (Buzzard) – The new ritual weapon of the Vanguard
What makes this weapon special? The Buzzard is a pistol for the kinetic slot and belongs to the archetype with adaptive frame.
The pistol relies heavily on the perks Extended Barrel for increased range and Lightweight Magazine for a faster reload speed once you have no ammunition left in the weapon. Additionally, you have the option of Outlaw and All good things come in threes in perk slot 3, as well as Osmosis and Gunfighter in perk slot 4.
- With Outlaw, kills significantly reduce the reload time.
- All good things come in threes returns 2 rounds to the magazine on rapid precision hits.
- Osmosis is a completely new perk. This causes using your grenade ability to change the damage type of this weapon according to the equipped subclass until you stow it.
- Gunfighter deals increased damage for melee kills and kills with the weapon itself.
The Buzzard comes as a Masterwork at Level 10 for stability.
How do you get this weapon? The weapon is obtained through the quest “Shoot fast, be nimble” from Commander Zavala in the Tower. Then you must achieve the following in strike playlists:
- Land 1,500 precision kills with the pistol
- Achieve 50 airborne precision kills (shots while in the air) with the pistol
- Gather 4,500 points (automatically earned by playing the strike playlists with the weapon)
In this video by Nexxoss Gaming, you can see how the weapon performs in-game:
Linear Fusion Rifle Komodo-4FR – The new ritual weapon of the PvP
What makes this weapon special? The Komodo-4FR is a linear fusion rifle with solar damage, fitted in the heavy weapon slot. The weapon belongs to the archetype with precision frame, so the recoil is vertical.
The Komodo-4FR features a fixed polygonal barrel for added stability and also has accelerated coils for faster reload. In perk slot 3, you must choose between No Distractions and Moving Target. In perk slot 4, you can choose either Eye of the Storm or Breach Control.
- No Distractions reduces weapon flinch on enemy hits.
- Moving Target increases movement speed and target acquisition while moving in aim-down-sights.
- Eye of the Storm makes this weapon more accurate and gives it better handling when your health is low.
- Breach Control gives you bonus range and precision damage when you aim down sights with the Komodo for a short time without firing. After you shoot or exit the zoom, the bonus will expire.
You can obtain the Komodo-4FR as a Masterwork at level 10 for reload speed.
How do you get this weapon? The weapon is obtained through the quest “Fire Breath” from Lord Shaxx. You need to complete the following tasks in the Crucible (PvP):
- Achieve 15 precision kills with the linear fusion rifle
- Land 125 kills with the linear fusion rifle
- Reach the Glory rank Heroic
A detailed review can be found in this video by Nexxoss Gaming:
Shotgun Python – The new ritual weapon from Gambit
What makes this weapon special? This is a shotgun with void damage for the energy slot. The weapon belongs to the archetype with aggressive frame – it deals hard damage but also has high recoil.
It comes with a fixed small-caliber barrel for increased range and stability, as well as an extended magazine. Additionally, you have the option of Surplus and Frenzy in perk slot 3, as well as Shield Disorient and Double Punch in perk slot 4.
- With Surplus, picking up special or heavy ammo temporarily increases the Buzzard’s capacity beyond normal.
- Frenzy increases reload speed temporarily with kills.
- Shield Disorient causes nearby enemies to be confused when the shield explodes with the corresponding energy.
- Double Punch increases melee damage after a hit with the weapon.
The weapon is also available as a Masterwork at level 10 for reload speed.
How do you get this weapon? The Python is obtained through the quest “As far as one can spit” from the Wanderer. Then you need to achieve the following in Gambit matches:
- Reach the Recklessness rank Heroic
- Achieve 500 shotgun kills
- Achieve 150 close-range kills with the shotgun
Both enemies and Guardians give points, but human opponents provide the most progress.
See how this shotgun performs in practice in this video by Nexxoss Gaming:
What do you think of these new ritual weapons? Can they compete with their predecessors from Season 8 or perhaps even with some pinnacle weapons? Or is the hunt for these firearms not worth it? What is your favorite?
