When Lightfall dropped back in 2023, the Destiny 2 community had its hands full with Strand, Neomuna, and the looming threat of the Witness. The 20th season, Season of Defiance, brought a suite of Awoken-themed weapons that were craftable and packed with the Noble Deeds origin trait. Now, here in 2026, I still find myself occasionally pulling out a few of these classics from the vault—some for pure nostalgia, others because they genuinely still hold up in certain activities. Looking back, the power rankings were hotly debated, so it feels right to revisit them with three years of hindsight. Let’s break down each of the six Defiance weapons, ranking them from “vault filler” to “must-craft,” and see how they aged.
6. Caretaker: Solar Sword
The Caretaker occupied a rough spot then, and time hasn't been kind to it. As an adaptive frame solar sword, it competes directly with the Lament and the still-supreme Eager Edge blades. Even back in Lightfall, swords weren’t exactly meta—boss stomp mechanics and the rise of glaives pushed them out of endgame content. Caretaker’s main draw was Incandescent, but on a sword, that perk rarely triggered enough to matter. You could roll Relentless Strikes or Tireless Blade with One for All or Surrounded, but the damage output rarely justified taking it over a legendary rocket or linear fusion. I crafted mine out of completionism, used it for a few days, and then permanently shelved it. If you're a sword enthusiast, it might feel okay in patrol zones, but in 2026’s Grandmaster landscape, it’s a relic. 😴
5. Prodigal Return: Arc Special Grenade Launcher
I wanted to love Prodigal Return. It was the first special GL to get Voltshot, a perk that turned arc builds into add-clearing monsters. On paper, the combo of Disorienting Grenades, Lead from Gold, and Voltshot sounded perfect for endgame PvE. But in practice, Forbearance from the Vow of the Disciple raid loomed large, easily clearing entire rooms without needing a kill to activate a perk. Prodigal Return became a “what if” weapon—fun in lower-tier content, but outclassed where it mattered. Fast forward to 2026, and we’ve seen much stronger arc GLs like the Undercurrent from Nightfalls completely overshadow it. Still, if you missed the early GL meta, this gun can be a decent training tool. For me, it lives in the vault as a testament to experimental design, but rarely sees the light of day. 🌩️
4. Royal Executioner: Solar Fusion Rifle
Fusion rifles have gone through so many sandbox changes that evaluating an old adaptive frame like Royal Executioner feels like judging a classic car. In PvP, it was—and remains—a surprisingly consistent option. With Firmly Planted and Elemental Capacitor on a void subclass, it became a laser beam. I still see some Crucible lords using it in 2026, even though rapid-fire fusions have taken over the meta. Offhand Strike also gave it a goofy charm after a kill. For PvE, Envious Assassin paired with Reservoir Burst or Incandescent made it serviceable, but its charge time and damage profile always felt a step behind the best-in-slot options like Cartesian Coordinate’s spiritual successors. Today, Royal Executioner is more of a collector’s piece for fusion aficionados. It never defined a meta, but it rarely let you down. ✨
3. Regnant: Void Heavy Grenade Launcher
Regnant is the comeback kid of this list. In 2023, it was “Wendigo at home” for anyone who missed that GM weapon. But the perk pool hid an absolute gem: Repulsor Brace + Destabilizing Rounds. This combo transformed any void build, giving constant overshields and volatile explosions without needing a void subclass. Even now in 2026, with the void 3.0 system fully matured, I still break out my crafted Regnant when soloing dungeons or running Legend campaigns. For pure damage, Auto-Loading Holster or Envious Assassin with Explosive Light kept it competitive, and Cascade Point offered a fantastic burst option. Heavy GLs have ebbed and flowed in the damage meta, but Regnant’s utility immortalized it. It’s one of the few Defiance weapons I’d still recommend chasing if you somehow never got the pattern. 🔮
2. Perpetualis: Strand Auto Rifle
Perpetualis was a workhorse. As a strand adaptive auto, it was one of the first ways to consistently generate Threadlings via Hatchling, making it a staple for early Strand builds. The left column was its Achilles’ heel—Envious Assassin on a primary felt wasted, and the alternatives like Keep Away weren’t available until much later reprisals. Even so, in 2023, this gun shredded in seasonal activities. Looking back from 2026, where Strand autos like Quicksilver Storm and the crafted Rufus’s Fury have dominated, Perpetualis feels a bit primitive. Yet, its simplicity remains charming. For PvP, Target Lock gave it a niche, turning it into a budget sweet business that could surprise shotgun rushers. I keep a roll with Elemental Capacitor and Target Lock for rainy-day Control matches. If you’re new to strand builds, Perpetualis is still a solid entry point, though far from meta-defining. 🧵
1. Raconteur: Stasis Bow
Raconteur was, and arguably still is, the crown jewel of Defiance weapons. As the first stasis precision bow, it unlocked a whole new dimension of crowd control. The pairing of Archer’s Tempo and Headstone created a feedback loop of freezing and precision kills that synergized beautifully with stasis shard builds. Even in 2026, when bows like Verglas Curve and the stasis heavy bow have entered the chat, Raconteur’s legendary status and craftability keep it relevant. I have two crafted copies: one with Archer’s Tempo/Headstone for PvE, and another with Successful Warm-Up/Explosive Head for PvP. The latter is devastating in Trials, allowing for quick peek shots and area denial. It’s rare for a seasonal weapon to transcend multiple expansions, but Raconteur manages it. Whether you’re a bow main or just dipping your toes, this weapon is a masterpiece. 🏹
At the end of the day, Season of Defiance gave us a mixed bag that reflected the Lightfall era: a few brilliant ideas, some safe additions, and a couple of headscratchers. Crafting saved several of these weapons from obscurity, and the ones that shone—Regnant, Perpetualis, and especially Raconteur—still have a place in my active loadouts. If you’re sifting through old seasonal engrams in 2026, these three are worth your time. The rest? They’re nice decorations for the Vault of Nostalgia, reminding us of when Strand was new and the solar sword was just okay.