Published , by Rise of Bacon
Published , by Rise of Bacon
Season of the Witch is a strong season in terms of new loot and Cataphract GL3 may be the most powerful of them all. Strand needed a boost to its weapon catalogue and Cataphract GL3 does this impressively.
Cataphract GL3 is a Strand, Adaptive Frame, Grenade Launcher and is going to be a must-have for guardians everywhere in PvE. Holding a great set of perks for PvE and PvP, Cataphract GL3 will be coming in hot when it arrives in this season's Trials of Osiris.
Cataphract GL3 can be obtained by reaching Rank 10 on Saint-14’s reward track during Season of the Witch or the Adept version can be obtained by going flawless when Cataphract GL3 is the weekly reward. Take a look at our Trials map & weapon guide each week as we update it for when Cataphract GL3 drops.
PvE is where you will see Cataphract GL3 shine. Holding some top tier perks to challenge the best weapons in the heavy slot, Cataphract GL3 should be high on the list of weapons to chase this season.
| Cataphract GL3 - PVE | |
|---|---|
| Barrel | Quick Launch (Velocity +10, Handling +15) |
| Magazine | Spike Grenades (Stability +10, increased impact damage by 50 percent) |
| Perk 1 | Demolitionist (Final blows grant 10 percent grenade energy) |
| Perk 2 | Bait and Switch (Upon dealing damage with all your weapons within three seconds of each: 35 percent increased damage for 10 seconds) |
| Origin Trait | Alacrity (when solo) or Omolon Fluid Dynamics (The upper 50 percent of the magazine has up to Stability +20 and Reload +30) |
| Masterwork | Velocity (+10 when fully masterworked) |
| Mod | Adept Big Ones (7.7 percent damage increase) |
Starting with the Barrel, Quick Launch is essential as it gives a boost to Velocity, getting your grenades to their target faster. Spike Grenades is another essential perk due to its increase in damage when you land a direct hit, a real game changer when taking on tankier enemies.
The main perks here work together to deal serious damage. Demolitionist can work in both damage phases and to clear mobs of enemies while providing much needed grenade energy to work with Bait and Switch. Dealing damage with your other two weapons causes a 35 percent damage increase for 10 seconds. After you run out of ammo, throw a grenade and Demolitionist refills the magazine from reserves. This means you can easily ship 12 shots with a 35 percent damage increase, dealing huge damage if they all land.
While the main event might be PvE for Cataphract GL3, it still makes a strong case for usage in PvP. Starting with Volatile Launch to increase its Blast Radius to counteract the reduction by rolling Proximity Grenades, this ensures the explosion has a greater blast radius and remains lethal to guardians around your shots.
| Cataphract GL3 - PVE | |
|---|---|
| Barrel | Volatile Launch (Blast Radius +15, Velocity -5, Handling -5) |
| Magazine | Proximity Grenades (Blast Radius -20) |
| Perk 1 | Impulse Amplifier (Velocity increased by 35 percent, Reload +10) |
| Perk 2 | Chain Reaction (Each final blow with this weapon creates an elemental damage explosion) |
| Origin Trait | Alacrity (While last guardian standing or solo: Range +20, Stability +20, Reload Speed +50, and Aim Assist +10.) |
| Masterwork | Velocity (+10 when fully masterworked) |
| Mod | Quick Access Sling (Increases weapon ready and stow speed) |
Impulse Amplifier adds a large boost to Velocity, which prevents your enemies taking effective evasive action as the shots fly towards them quickly. Chain Reaction then elevates Cataphract GL3 by allowing kills to explode and chain to nearby enemy guardians, excellent for game modes and maps where your opponents spend time in close proximity to one another.
Cataphract GL3 pushes itself into the DPS meta equation with great results, a must have for guardians looking to optimise their loadout. For more Season of the Witch information and weapon guide content, be sure to check out the Shacknews Destiny 2 complete strategy guide.