In Destiny 2, the Wardcliff Coil, an exotic rocket launcher, is available from Xur. What can this weapon do, what are the perks, and is it worth buying? Is it the Gjallarhorn 2.0?
Xur has appeared for the second time in Destiny 2 and countless Guardians awaited this arrival with great curiosity. The reason: In Destiny 1, Xur brought the Gjallarhorn in his second week – the best weapon in year 1 of Destiny that everyone coveted and which became the cult weapon par excellence.
For the Gjallarhorn was an exotic rocket launcher that was the solution to all problems. Who needed tactics when you could take down any enemy within seconds with the big G-Horn in hand?
But in year 1, countless Guardians made the “mistake” of not buying the Gjallarhorn. In the early days, no one knew what to do with an exotic rocket launcher. No one wanted to sacrifice the Exotic slot for it. Many were still unsure about Xur.
The result: Throughout the rest of year 1, these Guardians were immensely frustrated because Xur was stingy with the rocket launcher. He only brought it back in August 2015 – that day was named Gjallarhorn Day.
As fate – or Xur – would have it, the Agent of the Nine has once again brought an exotic rocket launcher in the second week of Destiny 2: the Wardcliff Coil. Does this Exotic have what it takes to be the “next Gjallarhorn”?
How to Get the Wardcliff Coil – Finding this Exotic
Finally, one must say, the Wardcliff Coil is in the game. As early as 2015, the symbol of this rocket launcher was discovered in the databases. Players wondered when and how they would get their hands on this weapon and if it was hidden somewhere in Destiny. But no, the weapon could not be found.
With “Rise of Iron” in Fall 2016, suddenly the perks of this weapon appeared in the databases. Now it was certain that the rocket launcher would soon be available. However, nothing came of it again.
For “the microphone” or the “Dubious Volley,” as the Wardcliff Coil was referred to in the community, only came into the Destiny universe with Destiny 2. Now it is available.
The Wardcliff Coil, which Guardians have coveted for over 2 years, can be randomly obtained from all sources that can drop exotic engrams. Also, Xur can sometimes have it in stock, like this weekend. In other words, you either need luck or must act quickly when Xur has it.
How Good Is the Wardcliff Coil in PvE and PvP? – Characteristics and Perks
The Wardcliff Coil is an exotic rocket launcher that deals arc damage. The rate of fire is 60, and the magazine holds a single charge. The standout stats are the high velocity of the projectiles and the good handling of the weapon.
These are the special perks:
- Crazy Scientist: The weapon fires a volley of rockets. When you press the trigger once, several mini-rockets are fired at once.
- Mechanized Self-Loader: The weapon automatically reloads when picking up ammo. Just run over the power ammo and start shooting.
The weapon clearly has its strengths in PvE. Especially when you are dealing with many enemies, such as during public events or in raids. The mini-rockets seek their targets and have a relatively high damage output, allowing you to eliminate hordes of adds in no time.
But the Wardcliff Coil is also useful against heavy bosses in PvE. It deals significant damage.
In short: A powerful weapon for bosses and for crowd control. Public events can easily be mastered solo, as some higher-tier enemies continuously supply power ammo. It is also useful in raids.
However, the Wardcliff Coil also has disadvantages:
- Its range is quite limited. If you are not at close range to the enemy, the mini-rockets will fly wildly around.
- In PvP, you have only one shot per ammo drop. With that one shot, you might take out one or two enemies, but whether it is worth sacrificing the exotic slot for that is something everyone has to decide for themselves.
- That is probably the biggest problem: There are strong exotic alternatives.
Conclusion: The Wardcliff Coil is a weapon that feels truly exotic. It may not always be the best choice in every situation, but it offers an exciting gameplay experience that you should definitely try out. If you have 29 Legendary Shards left, they are well invested with Xur.
The Wardcliff Coil is arguably the weapon closest to a Gjallarhorn in Destiny 2: It is an exotic rocket launcher with cool properties and an extravagant look. It probably won’t reach the cult status of the Gjallarhorn. But who knows how we will think about it in a few months. It’s best to get the Wardcliff Coil now, or you might regret it one day…
By the way: According to the in-game description, the Wardcliff Coil is a randomly generated prototype of terrible power.
