The Rite of the Nine event has breathed fresh life into Destiny 2's dungeon loot pool, echoing the glory days of Age of Triumph and Pantheon raids. Guardians in 2025 are treated to twelve reprised weapons dripping with cosmic Nine-themed aesthetics—complete with perk refreshes, slick Adept variants, and those jaw-dropping shiny rolls that make your vault weep with envy. While every piece is a visual masterpiece worth chasing for fashion alone, let's cut to the chase: not all are created equal in today's sandbox. With weapon attunement letting you focus your grind, it's crunch time to hunt those perfect god rolls before the event fades into the ether.
Terminus Horizon
Origin: Spire of the Watcher
Terminus Horizon struts out of the gate with swagger, flaunting its deadly new Dragonfly + Jolting Feedback combo that turns red bars into fireworks. For Guardians craving raw damage, Reconstruction + Killing Tally turns this Spire of the Watcher heavy into a bullet-spewing beast. But here's the rub—machine guns feel like that talented friend who never gets picked for dodgeball. Linear Fusions and Rocket Launchers hog the heavy slot spotlight, leaving poor Terminus Horizon whispering, "Hey, I can clear adds too!" It’s downright criminal how overlooked this workhorse is, especially when its shiny variant glimmers like starlight.
Long Arm
Origin: Spire of the Watcher
Long Arm tries to channel its inner Dead Man’s Tale with hip-fire shenanigans, but let’s keep it real—scout rifles are currently gathering dust in the meta basement. Sure, Rapid Hit + Explosive Payload gives it niche utility for stunning champions in high-level PvE, but it’s like bringing a water pistol to a flamethrower fight. Without subclass synergies or exotic flair, this cowboy-themed rifle feels nostalgic yet oddly hollow. The Nine’s silver-blue makeover is gorgeous, though. Shame it doesn’t pack more punch.
Liminal Vigil
Origin: Duality (reprised)
Oh, Liminal Vigil. Once the darling of Stasis builds, it’s now overshadowed by rocket-assisted sidearms stealing its thunder. The Nine’s icy white-and-blue reskin? Chef’s kiss. But outside of dedicated Stasis loadouts, it’s collecting cobwebs. That said, Tap the Trigger + Rangefinder turns it into a PvP pocket monster if you master its quirky range. Watching Guardians melt in Crucible with this feels like poetry—cold, calculated poetry.
A Sudden Death
Origin: Prophecy (reprised)
This shotgun is a void-slinging beast, perfectly timed for 2025’s artifact mods favoring darkness subclasses. Repulsor Brace + Destabilizing Rounds? Pure synergy for overshield addicts. But the real kicker is One-Two Punch + Trench Barrel—imagine a Strand Titan uppercutting bosses into next week. Aggressive frame + Slideshot in PvP? Yeah, it deletes guardians faster than you can say "Oof". Void hunters, this one’s your soulmate.
Prosecutor
Origin: Garden of Salvation (reprised)
Prosecutor buzzes with arc energy, riding high on seasonal artifact perks. Attrition Orbs + Rolling Storm = orb factory for your fireteam. Prefer chaos? Dragonfly + Voltshot makes enemies pop like confetti. Auto rifles aren’t PvP royalty, but Zen Moment + Tap the Trigger gives it laser-beam stability. Honestly? It’s the unsung hero of add-clear—reliable, zappy, and oddly satisfying.
Wilderflight
Origin: Spire of the Watcher
Wilderflight’s void energy oozes personality—Withering Gaze + Repulsor Brace lets it debuff champions without kills, a godsend in master content. Envious Arsenal + Bait and Switch? Chef’s kiss for DPS phases. It’s not as flashy as Lotus Eater, but this quirky GL feels like a trusty wrench in a toolbox: unassuming yet essential.
Relentless
Origin: Deep Stone Crypt (reprised)
Strand enthusiasts, rejoice! Tear/Slice + Hatchling makes Relentless a threadling-spawning menace. But the sleeper hit? Firefly + Elemental Honing—landing precision kills triggers Solar explosions, stacking Strand + Solar buffs simultaneously. This pulse rifle doesn’t just shoot; it evolves mid-fight. Watching those dual damage stacks ramp up? Pure dopamine.
Cold Comfort
Origin: Ghosts of the Deep
Cold Comfort’s Reconstruction + Bait and Switch roll remains the DPS king’s favorite comfort food—auto-reloading rockets with bonus damage. Chill Clip adds crowd control spice, freezing champions for easy shatters. It’s not the newest hotness, but this launcher still hits like a freight train wrapped in nostalgia.
New Pacific Epitaph
Origin: Deep Stone Crypt (reprised)
The game’s only Stasis wave-frame GL, New Pacific Epitaph, is a room-clearing maestro. Demolitionist + Chain Reaction = grenade spam with explosive payoffs. Redirection + Envious Arsenal stores massive damage for champions or grounded bosses. It’s niche but utterly irreplaceable—like that one exotic only you appreciate.
No Survivors
Origin: Root of Nightmares
The crown jewel of the bunch. Heal Clip + Incandescent turns this Solar SMG into a self-sustaining inferno—melting trash mobs while healing you. Adept variants? Icing on the cake. It dethroned Calus Mini-Tool as the fan favorite, and honestly? It’s worth the hype. Rangefinder + Target Lock makes it a PvP menace too. No Survivors isn’t just meta; it’s the meta.
So, Guardians—which of these Nine-touched weapons has you grinding dungeons until 3 AM? Will you chase the shiny Adept rolls or settle for fashion over function?