In Destiny 2, the fourth exotic weapon from the “Black Armory” DLC has been discovered – the fusion rifle Jötunn. We take a look at how the weapon performs in practice and tell you whether it really is as overpowered as some claim.
This is how the Jötunn caused a stir: When the Jötunn was discovered shortly after the opening of the fourth forge, Guardians were ecstatic. After the first rounds in the Crucible, many quickly felt that it was an overpowered weapon.
Numerous players, as well as well-known YouTubers and streamers such as nKuch, praised the fusion rifle to the highest heavens and declared the Jötunn their new favorite exotic.
However, the initial excitement about the weapon has waned, and the firearm has been rigorously tested by many experts. Is the Jötunn really overpowered or is it more of a fun weapon?
This is what makes the Jötunn special: The Jötunn is an exotic fusion rifle with solar damage that is held in the energy slot. It is therefore an energy weapon.
What makes the Jötunn so special is its exotic perk Charge Shot. If the trigger is held, the weapon charges a tracking shot. This fires a single projectile that explodes on impact and burns the ground for a few seconds in a certain radius. The projectiles also track their targets.
The weapon does not function like a traditional fusion rifle, but rather like a mix between a fusion rifle and a rocket launcher.
This is what the Jötunn can do in PvE: In PvE, fusion rifles do not have a good standing. They simply do not deal enough damage to justify their long charge time. Furthermore, they have a significant damage drop-off and spread beyond their optimal range.
However, Jötunn ignores all these factors and is not limited by range or spread. The weapon fires a single projectile, which either hits or misses. When it hits, most regular enemies are immediately killed or die from the following AoE damage from the burn.
Most majors, i.e., enemies with yellow health bars, usually require 2-3 shots before they go down. That’s not so bad considering that you can hit with the Jötunn from very long distances.
The damage against bosses is also quite considerable, even if it does not reach the levels of a Whisper, Sleeper, or Donnerlord. Nevertheless, against forge bosses, you can take a good chunk of health with every hit, and the burn damage over time adds to this.
In general, the Jötunn is a solid weapon in PvE and a good all-rounder that allows you to fight at virtually any distance. You can easily eliminate enemies and mob groups at close range, but you can also fight at ranges that are usually reserved for scout or sniper rifles.
With the right perks, ammunition should rarely run low.
So if you have a good legendary rocket launcher or an LMG for the power slot, the Jötunn is a good alternative for the exotic weapon slot, except in raids.
This is what the Jötunn can do in PvP: In PvP, the weapon is a lot of fun, especially in quickplay with many enemies.
The tracking shot of the Jötunn kills a fully healthy opponent with a direct hit. Distance does not matter. A tracking shot across the entire map is just as deadly as one at 10 meters. If multiple enemies are clustered together, you can take out the whole group with just one shot.
However, against good players who move and dodge a lot, it can be difficult to use the Jötunn. This quickly becomes clear in the competitive playlist. While in quickplay, thanks to the tracking, almost every shot hits unless the target notices you or the shot in time, in competitive modes, it is often difficult to hit enemies.
The shot can be dodged easily at long distances; at close range, due to the high charge time, you often lose against shotguns or hand cannons like Luna’s Howl. Moreover, with these types of weapons, due to the long charge time of the Jötunn in competitive modes, you are often more effective yourself. Thus, despite all its advantages, the weapon is less effective there.
This is what the Jötunn can do in Gambit: In Gambit, the Jötunn proves to be quite versatile. You can fight at long distances to stay safe from enemies if needed. But the weapon is also good in close combat.
Most regular adds go down with one shot; even blockers only need 1-2 shots from the weapon. The Jötunn also does decent damage against the boss but cannot compete with the IKELOS shotgun with its barrel perk. However, if you have the Hammerhead LMG, this factor becomes less significant.
Another factor can be ammunition scarcity, although it is not as noticeable as with other special weapons. The Jötunn deals considerable damage with a single shot, which makes ammunition management a bit easier. If you have the right perks on your armor, you will rarely run out of ammo.
In duels against human enemies, the Jötunn can also be valuable if you surprise the opponent. Then kills from a distance are almost guaranteed. However, if the opponent is aware of where you are attacking from, they can often easily dodge or escape to safety.
Is the Jötunn worth it in the valuable exotic slot? In general, it can be said that the Jötunn is a lot of fun, and most owners of the weapon agree on that. But fun does not necessarily mean effectiveness. While you can have fun with the Jötunn and deal decent damage, the fun factor definitely takes precedence with this weapon.
In terms of top damage-dealers like the Whisper sniper, the Donnerlord, or the Sleeper Simulant, the Jötunn does not match their damage. So when it comes to pure effectiveness, the Jötunn falls short against some legendary weapons in the special slot and numerous other candidates for the exotic slot – especially against the exotic competition in the power weapon slot.
However, if maximum damage numbers are not always important to you and you just want to have fun with a solid exotic, then you can’t go wrong with the Jötunn. Especially outside of endgame activities, such as in strikes, the forges, or on patrol, the weapon is a good alternative for the exotic slot.
What do you think of the Jötunn? Have you already gathered your own experiences with the weapon? Let us know in the comments.
