Destiny 2: Season of the Witch Weapon God Rolls 2026 Review

Best Destiny 2 Season of the Witch weapon god rolls for Brya's Love scout rifle and Deadpan Delivery shotgun, dominating PvE and PvP.

As a seasoned Guardian who has spent thousands of hours perfecting loadouts, I still find myself returning to the Ritual Table at the H.E.L.M. to craft weapons from Season of the Witch. Even in 2026, these armaments remain surprisingly relevant, and the sandbox shifts that accompanied their debut – particularly the zoom-to-range decoupling – have permanently altered how we evaluate god rolls. Today I want to walk you through the absolute best perk combinations for every seasonal and reprised Nadir weapon from that era, blending old wisdom with current meta insights.

Brya’s Love

Brya’s Love isn’t going to dethrone Doom of Chelchis, but for a non-raid Scout Rifle, its PvE potential is respectable. I’ve had excellent success with Loose Change combined with Destabilizing Rounds on a Void subclass – the reload boost kicks in constantly, and the chain of debuffs clears red bars with ease. If you prefer a more classic feel, Rapid Hit and Explosive Payload remains a workhorse combo that never fails to disappoint. The real magic, however, happens in the Crucible. Over the years I have learned to love the niche this weapon fills: medium‑range duels where No Distractions allows you to tunnel vision on crits. A 15% damage buff from Golden Tricorn turns this into a lethal 0.67‑second three‑tap at any Resilience level. Aggressive players may swap to Frenzy, and if you enjoy the novelty of a slower TTK that matches 140 Hand Cannons, Adagio is a fun experiment.

Purpose	Barrel	Magazine	Trait 1	Trait 2	Masterwork
PvE Roll	Arrowhead Brake	Accurized Rounds	Rapid Hit	Explosive Payload	Range
PvP Roll	Arrowhead Brake	Accurized Rounds	No Distractions or Keep Away	Golden Tricorn or Frenzy	Range

Deadpan Delivery

Deadpan Delivery came back from the Red War era and instantly carved a spot in my loadout rotation. In PvE, the chase roll is undeniable: Overflow with One‑Two Punch. Any Arcstrider Hunter will tell you how valuable it is to have a reliable Energy‑slot one‑two punch shotgun, and Deadpan Delivery fills that gap beautifully when you lack a well‑rolled Xenoclast. Don’t bother using it for boss damage – slug shotguns still reign supreme there. PvP is where this shotgun truly shines, especially with the new Barrel Constrictor perk that tightens pellet spread by a massive 20% after a kill. When you combine this with Discord, which grants free ammo after Primary weapon kills, the 6v6 chaos becomes a playground. For 3v3 modes I lean more on Elemental Capacitor and Killing Wind for a neutral‑game monster that feels responsive in every duel.

Purpose	Barrel	Magazine	Trait 1	Trait 2	Masterwork
PvE Roll	Corkscrew Rifling	High‑Caliber Rounds	Overflow	One‑Two Punch	Range
PvP Roll	Corkscrew Rifling	Accurized Rounds	6v6: Discord / 3v3: Elemental Capacitor	6v6: Barrel Constrictor / 3v3: Killing Wind	Handling

Eleatic Principle

I still see guardians fall into the Target Lock trap on this machine gun. Don’t do it. Retrofit Escapade only works because it can print ammo back into the magazine, letting Target Lock reach its maximum damage bonus. Eleatic Principle has no such tricks, so instead treat it as a pure add‑slaying tool. Perks like Eddy Current and Golden Tricorn practically beg you to run an Arc subclass, and the synergy is immediately noticeable in any seasonal activity. For PvP, I’ve found comfort in Zen Moment paired with Tap the Trigger – this combination smooths out the weapon’s recoil and makes it a consistent choice in Mayhem or when heavy spawns.

Purpose	Barrel	Magazine	Trait 1	Trait 2	Masterwork
PvE Roll	Arrowhead Brake	Ricochet Rounds	Rapid Hit	Kill Clip	Range
PvP Roll	Extended Barrel	Ricochet Rounds	Zen Moment	Tap the Trigger	Range

The Eremite

If there was one weapon from this season that every PvE main should have crafted, it is The Eremite. This High‑Impact Fusion Rifle was the first non‑endgame weapon to roll Controlled Burst, and when you pair that with Envious Assassin, you can fire over a dozen high‑damage bursts without reloading. It melts stunned Champions and serves as a solid backup DPS option for Solar loadouts rocking Apex Predator or Cataclysmic. Crucible enthusiasts should look elsewhere, though. The Eremite simply lacks the consistency perks that make other fusions competitive, and even Pulse Monitor with Elemental Capacitor feels like a panic button rather than a strategy.

Purpose	Barrel	Battery	Trait 1	Trait 2	Masterwork
PvE Roll	Smallbore	Ionized Battery	Envious Assassin	Controlled Burst	Range
PvP Roll	Smallbore	Projection Fuse	Pulse Monitor	Elemental Capacitor	Range

Kept Confidence

Let’s be honest: Kept Confidence is one of the weakest Hand Cannons Bungie has ever released for PvE, and that hasn’t changed in 2026. It lacks Hatchling, Explosive Payload, and virtually any low‑effort damage perk that would justify its usage over Sunshot or Malfeasance. If you absolutely must use it, Loose Change and Multikill Clip offer a semblance of synergy when running Unraveling Rounds on a Strand subclass, but even then it feels anemic. In PvP, however, a niche exists for Strand mains who fight in the air. Air Assault combined with Eye of the Storm makes it one of only two 140s that can roll that exact combo, and the superior airborne effectiveness of 19 helps you pull off shots other hand cannons would flub. Still, Exalted Truth and Palindrome do everything else better. Craft it only if you adore the gun’s feel.

Purpose	Barrel	Magazine	Trait 1	Trait 2	Masterwork
PvE Roll	Smallbore	Accurized Rounds	Loose Change	Multikill Clip	Range
PvP Roll	Extended Barrel	Accurized Rounds	Air Assault	Eye of the Storm	Range

Locus Locutus

Locus Locutus is the direct successor to Thoughtless, and in PvE it plays nearly identically. Overflow plus Firing Line will serve you well in raid boss phases, and the Stasis damage type can occasionally find synergy with certain artifact mods. Yet the true prize here is the PvP experience: this sniper shares the beloved model of Beloved with a larger scope reticle, and the 40 zoom value feels instinctively familiar. When crafted with Surplus and Opening Shot, it becomes a Stasis clone of Beloved that is arguably even easier to land headshots with. I’ve seen many a sniper main fall in love with this weapon after just a few Crucible matches.

Purpose	Barrel	Magazine	Trait 1	Trait 2	Masterwork
PvE Roll	Smallbore	High‑Caliber Rounds	Overflow	Firing Line	Range
PvP Roll	Fluted Barrel	Accurized Rounds	Surplus	Opening Shot	Handling

Nightshade

Nightshade’s return as a Strand 450 Pulse was a welcome surprise, and it still holds a place in my kinetic slot today. The original Outlaw and Kill Clip combo cleans up red bars like clockwork, and if you want to spice up your add‑clear, Hatchling introduces some satisfying strandling explosions. In PvP, the intrinsic Nadir Focus origin trait is the star – a passive accuracy and range buff just for firing the weapon. Stack this with Keep Away or Under Pressure, and you have a pulse rifle that feels more consistent than many of its peers. Pair your choice with Kill Clip for a blistering 0.53‑second TTK against up to T9 Resilience, or opt for Encore if raw stability matters more after each kill. There is no single god roll; it comes down to your preferred dueling style.

Purpose	Barrel	Magazine	Trait 1	Trait 2	Masterwork
PvE Roll	Arrowhead Brake	Ricochet Rounds	Outlaw	Kill Clip	Range
PvP Roll	Arrowhead Brake	High‑Caliber Rounds	Keep Away	Kill Clip or Encore	Range

Persuader

Persuader’s third incarnation brought a fresh element‑focused perk pool that has aged surprisingly well. For PvE, I recommend Rapid Hit and High Ground when you can find elevated angles on a boss, otherwise Triple Tap or Precision Instrument do a decent job for sustained damage. But the real fun is Repulsor Brace and Destabilizing Rounds – turning your sniper into a Void Overshield generator for your fireteam. It’s a niche, but one I enjoy in lower‑tier content. Crucible players will appreciate its unusually low 35 zoom value, and a roll with Keep Away and Opening Shot boosts range and aim assist to snappy levels. With already high base handling, a crafted roll with Fluted Barrel and a Handling masterwork makes Persuader feel lightning quick.

Purpose	Barrel	Magazine	Trait 1	Trait 2	Masterwork
PvE Roll	Smallbore	Tactical Mag	Rapid Hit	High Ground or Precision Instrument	Range
PvP Roll	Fluted Barrel	Accurized Rounds	Keep Away	Opening Shot	Handling

Semiotician

Semiotician immediately stole the crown from Crowning Duologue, and even now it remains the best Strand Rocket Launcher for long‑form boss encounters. The rework to Bipod in Season of the Witch lowered its damage penalty to just 25%, and when you pair that with Field Prep, you can hold 13 rockets without reserve mods. The Head Rush origin trait further accelerates reloads after standing up, so I often crouch, dump rockets, and stand right before reloading. The result is a Strand‑version of Hothead that excels in situations where ammo conservation trumps burst DPS. Crucible players can safely ignore this weapon; Adaptive Grenade Launchers dominate the heavy slot.

Purpose	Barrel	Cartridge	Trait 1	Trait 2	Masterwork
PvE Roll	Quick Launch	Alloy Casing	Field Prep	Bipod	Any

The Showrunner

Lightweight SMGs have always dominated PvE add‑clear, and The Showrunner is no exception. The combination I keep coming back to is Overflow and Kinetic Tremors – you can trigger tremors up to six times per Overflow magazine, showering adds with bonus AoE damage. For Legend content, Target Lock provides a chunky damage ramp, making this a surprisingly viable anti‑Champion option in a pinch. In the current PvP sandbox, where zoom no longer affects range, Rangefinder is far from mandatory. Instead, Dynamic Sway Reduction tames recoil beautifully, and when paired with Target Lock, the TTK becomes extremely forgiving. Fragile Focus is another sleeper pick that gives you an extra two meters of range just for having full shields, and I’ve stolen many a kill with that tiny advantage. While The Showrunner won’t unseat Immortal, it is a fantastic option for any guardian who missed that Trials grind.

Purpose	Barrel	Magazine	Trait 1	Trait 2	Masterwork
PvE Roll	Extended Barrel	High‑Caliber Rounds	Overflow	Kinetic Tremors	Range
PvP Roll	Extended Barrel	Ricochet Rounds	Dynamic Sway Reduction	Target Lock	Range

Through all the meta shifts and new expansions, the weapons from Season of the Witch continue to prove themselves in both casual and endgame activities. The Ritual Table’s focusing system means I can still chase red borders today, and I often find myself revisiting these rolls whenever the artifact or a new build idea sparks fresh interest. Whether you are a returning veteran or a New Light looking for reliable crafted weaponry, this arsenal has something to offer.