Destiny 2’s new raid comes with a pile of new loot to collect and use, and with so much on the table it can be hard to decipher what drops you get are worth using, and what drops you should turn into more legendary shards. Raid weapons have always been subject to the most scrutiny when it comes to their possible perks, and Root of Nightmares is no different. Luckily for you, I’ve done the work of investigating and getting all of the raid weapons, and am here to tell you the Root of Nightmares weapon god rolls you should be looking out for as you raid every week!
Rufus’s Fury- Strand Auto Rifle
Rufus’s Fury has quickly become a strong contender for the best auto rifle in the game currently. An absolutely great ad-clear workhorse PvE and mid-range laser beam in PvP has made this weapon possibly the most sought after weapon in the raid. Add onto that its impressive perk pool, and its no wonder its found its way into so many loadouts. For this weapon, the PvE and PvP rolls can vary a bit, but for PvE you generally want to look for Reconstruction in the first column and either Frenzy, Hatchling or Target Lock in the 2nd slot. For PvP, Target Lock is an absolute must-have, and you’re looking for something like Moving Target or Reconstruction, depending on your preference. Also, any magazine perk that increases your mag size is a huge boon, as this weapon is at its best when dumping rounds downrange as frequently as possible.
Acasia’s Dejection- Solar Fusion Rifle
Acasia’s Dejection has quickly become a solid workhorse weapon for Solar builds this season, and combining it with some armor mods to get more special ammo, such has Special Ammo Finisher, can provide you with a steady stream of ammo if you decide to run double special, as I do. For this weapon, I would look for any perk that increases your magazine size similar to Rufus’s Fury, such as Reconstruction or Rewind Rounds, although I personally prefer Rewind Rounds. For your second column, I would look for Target Lock, Incandescent, or Frenzy, with Incandescent being a personal favorite, especially for solar builds. I also recommend running it with a major spec and Solar surges, as those can really take its consistent damage to the next level with proper application.
Mykel’s Reverence- Strand Sidearm
Affectionately- and unprofessionally- known as the “Glock and Balls”, sidearm enthusiasts have something to be excited about with Mykel’s Dejection right now. Another solid workhorse and a great option for sidearm users, Mykel’s Dejection boasts a strong overall stat profile and perk pool, especially for PvE. For PvE, I would recommend Rewind Rounds and Hatchling for your primary perks, and an Arrowhead Break for your barrel perk is a nice plus, as the recoil can get high with prolonged fire.
For PvP, I would recommend Perpetual Movement and either Tap the Trigger or Paracausal Affinity. Effective movement and maximizing the effective range of this weapon is key here, so for secondary perks, try to go for anything that boosts range. Hammer-forged Rifling and Ricochet Rounds are great ways to boost the effective range for this weapon. As a bonus, Ricochet Rounds gives you a cheeky way to get some kills around corners if you’re lucky.
Nessa’s Obligation- Void Slug Shotgun
Slug shotguns may be outclassed in the DPS meta right now, but that doesn’t mean they still can’t put in some work on stronger enemies! Nessa’s Obligation is a solid damage weapon for Majors or Champions, and a great choice for solo play in something such as a Lost Sector or in a small team in something such as a Nightfall. I am loving the Repulsor Brace and Destabilizing Rounds combo this can roll with, combining impressive damage with great crowd control and overshields, even if you’re not running a Void subclass! For DPS, I’d recommend picking up one with Fourth Time’s The Charm and Vorpal Weapon. Just because Slug Shotguns are down right now doesn’t mean they’re out, and a new Slug DPS meta could come again, so it’d be nice to have one if/when it does.
Briar’s Contempt- Solar Linear Fusion Rifle
Briar’s Contempt is probably the most limited as far as perk options go in the raid. While this does make getting a god roll a bit easier, it also limits the viability of it, especially compared to Vow of The Disciple’s Cataclysmic. Not to say its bad; Briar’s Contempt has some great potential with Solar Surges, and its one of the few fusion rifles right now with the 3 burst fire mode.
As its a DPS weapon primarily, I would go for anything that increases your firing time in the first perk column; our old reliable Rewind Rounds and Reconstruction are both solid options. As for the 2nd column, Focused Fury is my pick, as it gets you a 20% damage buff if you can land consistent precision hits. For other perks, Enhanced Battery is a nice one to have to increase your magazine size, increasing the effectiveness of Reconstruction and Rewind Rounds.
Koraxis’s Distress- Strand Heavy Grenade Launcher
Heavy slot grenade launchers are in a bit of a weird place right now. They’re solid weapons, for sure, but not stacking up damage wise to their older brothers, the rocket launchers. However, Koraxis’s Distress is definitely at or near the top of the pile when it comes to grenade launchers. It has a solid perk pool and can be a decent all-rounder with the right combos, especially when running a strand build. For this, we’re going to want to use Ol’ Reliable, Reconstruction to get more grenades firing faster, and for our 2nd perk, either Paracausal Affinity or Hatchling. I personally prefer Paracausal Affinity, but Hatchling can be better for certain Strand builds, specifically Warlock Hatchling builds (Look here for a great Strand Warlock build using Threadlings!)
These are just my preferred rolls for the different weapons found within the Root of Nightmares raid, but your mileage may vary, so feel free to find your personal favorites and share them with us! Raids have always had a great weapons pool, and thankfully, Root of Nightmares is no exception. If you’re having trouble finding your personal best, you can see and play around with different perk combos on Light.gg
Destiny 2: Lightfall released is available on Steam, Xbox and PlayStation platforms. You can find my full review here, along with some other great PvE weapons if you haven’t done the raid yet here. Happy raiding!
