Highlights
- Season of the Witch in Destiny 2 brings a new Strand grenade launcher, Cataphract GL3, to Trials of Osiris, expanding the endgame PvP activity's arsenal.
- Trials of Osiris offers exciting rewards, including desirable weapons and armor, and a chance to go flawless for a trip to The Lighthouse on Mercury.
- While heavy grenade launchers have not been popular for endgame activities, buffs and potential perk combinations could make Cataphract a viable DPS option in the future.
A new season of Destiny 2 brings with it plenty of new weapons for players to add to their arsenal, including a new Strand grenade launcher, the Cataphract GL3, inside of Trials of Osiris. The endgame PvP activity has been given regular care by Bungie when it comes to its gear for the last several seasons between new armor sets and at least one new weapon every season since the release of Lightfall. This trend continues in Season of the Witch with the activity's latest heavy weapon, making it only the second Strand heavy grenade launcher in the game since the subclass' introduction.
Trials of Osiris has been a marquee endgame PvP activity in Destiny and Destiny 2 since its introduction in the franchise's second-ever DLC, House of Wolves. The mode pits two teams of three guardians against each other in an elimination-style game where the first team to win five rounds wins the match. To further entice players, the activity has often received some of the most desirable weapons and armor in the game along with adept gear for going flawless on a Trials card, earning a trip to The Lighthouse on Mercury.
The latest addition to Trials of Osiris' arsenal of weapons is the Cataphract GL3, an adaptive frame Strand heavy grenade launcher that can drop randomly from completing matches, engrams, or from hitting rank 10 at Saint-14 to unlock it for Trials engram focusing. In terms of perks, Bungie made sure to load up the Cataphract with several popular perks such as Bait and Switch, Auto-Loading Holster, and Hatchling for players running Strand builds that rely on Threadlings.
Cataphract comes at a time when grenade launchers are still not the go-to choice among players for endgame activities such as raids and Grandmaster strikes. While heavy grenade launchers received a buff heading into Season of the Witch, rocket launchers and linear fusion rifles have remained the popular choices for dealing boss damage. That said, some players argue another buff to heavy grenade launchers could finally make them viable again as a DPS option and, if that happens, Cataphract would become an ideal choice due to the possible perk combinations.
The grenade launcher's debut also came alongside the return of Igneous Hammer, a Solar hand cannon originally introduced in Season of the Chosen. Its return in Season of the Witch means the weapon comes with a refreshed perk pool and the addition of Origin Traits for both Crucible and Trials.
Destiny 2 is currently available for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
Source: Bungie
