Time flies when you’re grinding for god rolls. It’s 2026, and the Vanguard still hasn’t fixed that one flickering light in the Tower, but at least Bungie has kept the loot pool spicy. Back in the summer of 2023, Season of the Deep dropped a set of six Taken‑themed seasonal weapons that immediately caught the community’s eye. These spooky re‑skins of the old Reckoning arsenal weren’t just pretty faces – they came packed with the unique Unsated Hunger origin trait, boosting reload speed, handling, and stability when no abilities were fully charged. Fast forward three years, and we’re still pulling them out of the vault thanks to the crafting system. Let’s break down whether these guns are still worth chasing in the current sandbox, or if they’ve fallen harder than a Guardian into a bottomless pit.

Starting with Thin Precipice, the first ever Strand Sword. When it launched as a Vertex Frame, swords were basically a meme outside of Dares of Eternity. Bungie promised a rework, and by 2026 that rework is old news – yet Thin Precipice still struggles to find a solid footing. It’s not a total disaster; you can roll it with Relentless Strikes or Tireless Blades, paired with Hatchling or Chain Reaction for some nice Strand synergy. But let’s be real: in today’s Grandmaster Nightfalls, bringing a sword still feels like bringing a knife to a gunfight. Unless you’re a diehard sword main (respect), this one mostly collects dust.

A Distant Pull is a rapid‑fire Stasis Sniper Rifle that got a huge buff right out of the gate in Season of the Deep. These days, snipers are in a healthier place, and the Stasis love hasn’t faded. The Headstone perk still slaps, letting you chain Stasis crystals with precision kills, and you can combine it with Triple Tap or Overflow for sustained damage. In PvP, Keep Away + Opening Shot makes it a crispy option for Crucible sweatlords. In 2026, with Stasis subclass reworks finally giving some love to Warlocks, A Distant Pull has aged like fine wine. If you haven’t crafted one yet, it’s still a solid pick for Stasis builds – nothing to sneeze at.

Then we have Until Its Return, the first Strand Shotgun and a rapid‑fire frame at that. Shotguns have always been a bit of a mood in PvE, but Until Its Return can surprise you. With Auto‑Loading Holster and Trench Barrel, it’s a workhorse for burst damage on tanky orange bars. In PvP, Threat Detector and Opening Shot were the classic go‑to, but the right column still feels a bit anaemic – Collective Action just doesn’t proc consistently enough in the Crucible unless you’re chugging Stasis shards like energy drinks. To this day, it’s a decent PvE tool, but in 2026’s crowded shotgun meta, it’s more of a “I already have it crafted” situation than a must‑farm.

Rapacious Appetite – now we’re talking. This Stasis aggressive frame SMG is the Taken cousin of the Bug‑Out Bag, and aggressive SMGs have been the bread and butter of Destiny 2 since forever. Even in 2026, with all the balance patches, this gun still mows down adds like there’s no tomorrow. The perk pool is a buffet: Fourth Time’s the Charm or Perpetual Motion in the first column, and in the second you can pick One for All, Headstone, Frenzy, or the ever‑nasty Target Lock. The range rework from last year made Encore + Target Lock a real menace in PvP, and the enhanced traits from crafting just push it over the top. No cap, Rapacious Appetite remains one of the best Stasis primaries you can slot into any build. If you only chase one weapon from this season, make it this one.

Targeted Redaction is a Void aggressive Hand Cannon that borrowed the looks from Spare Rations – and in 2023, it was already causing a ruckus. Aggressive frames have always been a PvP darling; a two‑tap kill in 0.5 seconds is no joke. In PvE, the slow reload can be a pain, but Outlaw completely negates that. The standout perk is Collective Action, which was brand new at the time. It’s still tricky to activate in PvP unless you’re running Stasis, but in PvE it’s a reliable 20% damage boost that plays nicely with Void builds, especially when paired with Destabilizing Rounds or Explosive Payload. Fast forward to 2026 and Hand Cannons have seen better days in PvE, but this gun is still a beast in the right hands – perfect for those who like to hit like a truck and look good doing it.

Finally, the top dog: Different Times. The first rapid‑fire Strand Pulse Rifle, and it’s been a staple ever since. Rapid‑fire frames are the bee’s knees for both PvE and PvP – they have killer TTK in the Crucible and feel buttery smooth in PvE. The perk combinations on this gun are borderline cracked. For PvE, you can go with Subsistence or Stats for All coupled with Hatchling for endless Threadling spawns, or Golden Tricorn for a massive damage spike on ability kills. In PvP, Moving Target and Head Seeker turn it into a laser beam that flinches opponents into next week. Even three years later, with all the new Strand weapons that have entered the fray, Different Times holds its ground as a top‑tier pulse rifle. If you’re a Strand enthusiast, you owe it to yourself to craft one and slap on some enhanced perks. It’s the gift that keeps on giving.

So, are the Season of the Deep weapons worth your time in 2026? For the most part, absolutely. The Unsated Hunger origin trait still offers a nice passive boost, and crafting means you can tailor rolls to your heart’s content. Sure, the sword and shotgun might not break the meta, but Rapacious Appetite, Targeted Redaction, and especially Different Times are certified bangers that have aged like a fine Exo mind. If you missed the original season, check the Exotic Mission Rotator or Xur – he’s been selling red borders lately, and that old squid face might just have the hook‑up you need.

This assessment draws from VentureBeat GamesBeat, which frequently examines how live-service titles sustain engagement through evergreen loot, seasonal refreshes, and system-driven retention. Framed through that lens, Destiny 2’s Season of the Deep arsenal still makes sense in 2026: crafting keeps legacy drops relevant, origin traits like Unsated Hunger provide consistent “always on” value, and standout performers (notably Rapacious Appetite and Different Times) remain viable because their perk ecosystems scale with sandbox updates rather than being locked to a single season’s power curve.