Standing on the wall, watching the Witness's forces gather, a surge of determination fills me. The 'Into the Light' update isn't just another mission; it's a defiant celebration of everything we've fought for. As a Guardian defending the Last City in this new Onslaught tower defense mode, the stakes feel higher than ever. Bungie has truly listened, bringing back iconic weapons I thought were lost forever, sunset relics from Destiny's storied past. This is our chance, especially for newer Lights, to wield the legendary tools that shaped our history against this ultimate threat. Success isn't just victory; it's claiming Lord Shaxx's most prized arsenal – the Brave weapons – alongside craftable versions of exotic pinnacles. The excitement in the Tower is palpable, a shared fire rekindled.

✨ Craftable Exotics: Whisper & Outbreak Return

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The return of 'The Whisper' and 'Zero Hour' missions sent shivers down my spine. These aren't mere reprisals; they offer the ultimate prize: craftable versions of Whisper of the Worm and Outbreak Perfected. Accessing 'The Whisper' is straightforward: head to the 'Into the Light' node on the Director and speak with Eris Morn. The challenge inside remains as intense and rewarding as I remember. Outbreak Perfected's journey through 'Zero Hour' awaits Guardians early next month. Crafting these means truly making them our own.

Whisper of the Worm

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Firing this Solar Heavy Sniper Rifle feels like reuniting with an old friend. Its power is undeniable.

  • Exotic Perk: White Nail: Landing three rapid precision hits is deeply satisfying, instantly refilling the magazine – one bullet from thin air, two from reserves – while dealing high base precision damage.

  • Craftable Traits: I've experimented! Options include Mulligan, Field Prep, No Distractions, and Enlightened Action, letting me tailor it for different fights.

  • Drop Source: The Whisper mission.

Outbreak Perfected

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This Kinetic Pulse Rifle hums with dangerous potential, its SIVA nanites as terrifyingly effective as ever.

  • Exotic Perk: The Corruption Spreads: Rapid hits and precision kills spawn those deadly SIVA swarms. Watching nanites spread on final blows never gets old.

  • Static Trait: Parasitism: Damage ramps up beautifully based on attached nanites – perfect for melting majors or bosses.

  • Craftable Traits: Choices like Outlaw, Rapid Hit, Rewind Rounds, and Headseeker offer fantastic flexibility for both PvE and PvP.

  • Drop Source: Zero Hour mission (Available soon!).

🛡️ The Legendary Brave Arsenal: Shaxx's Prized Cache

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Lord Shaxx, in a moment of profound trust, has opened his personal armory. The Brave arsenal consists of 12 iconic, reprised weapons, reborn with refreshed perk pools, the new 'Indomitable' origin trait, and a striking golden aesthetic. Earning them is our reward for braving the Onslaught waves. The best part? No DLC is required to play Onslaught and claim these legends. Every Brave weapon pulses with 'Indomitable': Light subclass final blows restore grenade energy (5%), while Darkness subclasses restore melee energy. Even recent reprisals like Forbearance and Succession now feature Indomitable instead of their original traits.

Currently Available Weapons

Here's the full glorious lineup, earned through Onslaught:

Weapon Icon Type Damage Original Release
Blast Furnace destiny-2-into-the-light-my-complete-guide-to-the-brave-arsenal-exotics-image-4 Pulse Rifle (450 RPM) Kinetic Season of the Forge
Edge Transit destiny-2-into-the-light-my-complete-guide-to-the-brave-arsenal-exotics-image-5 Grenade Launcher (120 RPM, Heavy) Void Forsaken
Elsie's Rifle destiny-2-into-the-light-my-complete-guide-to-the-brave-arsenal-exotics-image-6 Pulse Rifle (340 RPM) Void Destiny 1 Launch
Falling Guillotine destiny-2-into-the-light-my-complete-guide-to-the-brave-arsenal-exotics-image-7 Sword (Vortex Frame) Void Season of Arrivals
Forbearance destiny-2-into-the-light-my-complete-guide-to-the-brave-arsenal-exotics-image-8 Grenade Launcher (Wave Frame, Special) Arc The Witch Queen
Hammerhead destiny-2-into-the-light-my-complete-guide-to-the-brave-arsenal-exotics-image-9 Machine Gun (600 RPM) Void Season of the Forge
Hung Jury SR4 destiny-2-into-the-light-my-complete-guide-to-the-brave-arsenal-exotics-image-10 Scout Rifle (180 RPM) Kinetic The Taken King
Luna's Howl destiny-2-into-the-light-my-complete-guide-to-the-brave-arsenal-exotics-image-11 Hand Cannon (140 RPM, 180 RPM recoil) Solar Forsaken
Midnight Coup destiny-2-into-the-light-my-complete-guide-to-the-brave-arsenal-exotics-image-12 Hand Cannon (140 RPM) Kinetic Destiny 2 Launch
The Mountaintop destiny-2-into-the-light-my-complete-guide-to-the-brave-arsenal-exotics-image-13 Grenade Launcher (Micro-Missile, Special) Kinetic Season of the Forge
The Recluse destiny-2-into-the-light-my-complete-guide-to-the-brave-arsenal-exotics-image-14 SMG (900 RPM) Void Season of the Drifter
Succession destiny-2-into-the-light-my-complete-guide-to-the-brave-arsenal-exotics-image-15 Sniper Rifle (72 RPM) Kinetic Beyond Light

🔓 Unlocking Weapon Focusing

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The Hall of Champions is our hub, but simply playing Onslaught isn't enough for reliable drops. To focus a specific Brave weapon, you MUST complete its quest from Arcite 99-40. These quests are straightforward but require dedication:

  • Blast Furnace (Blast From The Past): Pulse Rifle multikills & Guardian defeats.

  • Edge Transit (Edgelord): Heavy GL multikills & kills.

  • Elsie's Rifle (Stranger Danger): Pulse Rifle precision kills & Vanguard Ops kills.

  • Falling Guillotine (Spin To Win): Sword multikills & kills.

  • Forbearance (Patience And Forbearance): Special GL multikills & Raid/Dungeon GL kills.

  • Hammerhead (Bring Down The Hammer): Machine Gun multikills & Vanguard Ops kills.

  • Hung Jury SR4 (Jury Duty): Scout Rifle precision kills & Vanguard Ops kills.

  • Luna's Howl (Howl At The Moon): Hand Cannon precision kills & Guardian defeats.

  • Midnight Coup (Midnight Ride): Hand Cannon multikills & Raid/Dungeon kills.

  • The Mountaintop (Climbing The Mountaintop): Special GL multikills & Guardian defeats.

  • The Recluse (Recluse Endangerment): SMG multikills & Guardian defeats.

  • Succession (Right Of Succession): Sniper Rifle precision kills & Raid/Dungeon kills.

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Once a quest is done, interact with the corresponding Shaxx hologram in the Hall. This sets that weapon as your focus, boosting its drop chance to 50% from Onslaught chests and the Hall chest (though not affecting Holofoil chances). It makes the grind so much more manageable!

⚙️ Notable Weapon Changes

Bungie didn't just copy-paste these classics; they've been thoughtfully updated:

  • Blast Furnace: Uses barrel perks now (Rasmussen ISA scope pre-installed). Feels crisp.

  • Elsie's Rifle: A PvP-focused beast, reminiscent of No Time to Explain. Very potent.

  • Luna's Howl: Still 140 RPM, but has 180 recoil and +25 AE. Magnificent Howl reworked! Critical kills load enhanced bullets on next reload (like Hawkmoon's Paracausal Shot) for massive precision damage. It feels unique and powerful again.

  • Midnight Coup: Converted to 140 RPM but received a huge stat buff. It's smooth.

  • The Mountaintop: Micro-Missile and Danger Zone are intrinsic now (DZ always active!). Can't one-tap in PvP anymore, but most Beyond Light nerfs (like in-air accuracy penalties) are gone. It's fun and balanced.

  • The Recluse: Master of Arms is a flat 15% damage buff (no more turning body shots into crits). Still activates on any weapon kill. It's strong but fair.

🔄 Dares Of Eternity Perk Refresh

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Even Xur's chaotic arena got love! All 30th Anniversary weapons from Dares of Eternity have had their perk pools refreshed, combining original and new options. This is huge! My old BxR-55 Battler pattern? I reforged it instantly to get Demolitionist and Adrenaline Junkie back together – a combo I sorely missed. This refresh applies retroactively to crafted weapons too. While the core stats and behavior remain unchanged, the perk possibilities are vastly expanded. Checking sites like d2foundry reveals the full scope of these excellent changes. Dares feels revitalized, offering powerful new (old) rolls on already fantastic weapons.

Defending the Last City in Onslaught, wielding Luna's Howl again, crafting my perfect Whisper – 'Into the Light' truly feels like a love letter to us Guardians. It bridges the past and present, arming us with legendary tools for the battles ahead. Whether you're chasing the perfect Recluse roll, mastering the new Mountaintop, or crafting your exotic dream gun, there's never been a better time to step into the Light. See you on the wall, Guardian. Eyes up.