Exotic weapons are always exciting to chase in Destiny 2, and the newest addition, Turncoat, has quickly caught the attention of players. This Void Exotic Hand Cannon offers a unique playstyle that rewards aggressive combat while also introducing some risks. Its catalyst further improves the weapon and makes it even stronger in difficult activities.
What Is Turncoat In Destiny 2?
Turncoat is an Exotic Void Hand Cannon introduced with the Monument of Triumph update in Destiny 2. Unlike traditional hand cannons, this weapon features a special empowerment mechanic that allows players to unleash stronger attacks after building enough energy.
The weapon combines excellent damage with utility effects, making it particularly useful in PvE activities. While it can also be used in PvP, its strengths are more noticeable during longer fights against powerful enemies.
Some of its major features include:
- Void damage
- Anti-Barrier capabilities
- Increased fire rate when empowered
- Explosive rounds
- Weakening enemies with shots
- Improved hip-fire accuracy
These traits make Turncoat one of the most interesting Exotic Hand Cannons released in recent years.
How To Get Turncoat
Obtaining Turncoat is fairly simple because the weapon is tied to the Triumphant Rewards Pass.
There are two ways to unlock it:
Premium Rewards Pass
Players who purchase the Premium Triumphant Rewards Pass receive Turncoat immediately at Rank 1. This allows instant access to the Exotic without any additional grinding.
Free Rewards Track
Players using the free track can still obtain Turncoat, although they must reach Rank 70 before claiming the weapon.
This means that everyone can eventually earn the hand cannon, regardless of whether they buy the premium version or not.
Turncoat Exotic Traits
Turncoat’s biggest strength comes from its unique perk combination.
Latent Power
Dealing damage builds a special energy meter. Precision hits and final blows increase the meter faster.
Once the meter is full, players can activate Unleashed Power.
During this state:
- Rate of fire increases.
- Hip-fire accuracy improves.
- Shots weaken enemies.
- Combat becomes much more aggressive.
However, remaining empowered for too long triggers Overwhelming Power.
This effect gradually damages the user over time. Fortunately, the effect can be canceled by:
- Reloading the weapon.
- Stowing the weapon.
Because of this risk-and-reward system, timing becomes very important when using Turncoat.
Power Surge
Rapid hits charge explosive rounds.
After activation:
- Charged shots deal additional damage.
- Hits accelerate energy buildup.
- Every shot becomes explosive while empowered.
This allows Turncoat to deal impressive damage against groups of enemies and tougher targets.
How To Get The Turncoat Catalyst
The Turncoat Catalyst is available through the same Triumphant Rewards Pass.
To unlock it, players must:
- Progress through the rewards pass.
- Reach Rank 90.
- Claim the catalyst reward.
Unlike the weapon itself, the catalyst is available to all players and does not require ownership of the premium track.
Therefore, reaching Rank 90 is the only requirement.
How To Complete The Catalyst
After obtaining the catalyst, players must complete its upgrade objective before receiving the full benefits.
The catalyst requires:
- 700 enemy defeats with Turncoat.
Once the required number of kills has been achieved, the weapon becomes Masterworked and gains its additional perk.
Activities with large groups of enemies are usually the fastest way to complete this requirement.
Good options include:
- Vanguard Operations
- Seasonal activities
- Lost Sectors
- Onslaught
- Public events
What Does The Turncoat Catalyst Do?
The catalyst grants a perk called Void Mastery.
This perk provides a Void Overshield when Turncoat’s empowerment ends.
Interestingly, the strength of the overshield depends on how long the player remained empowered.
As a result, the catalyst helps offset some of the self-inflicted damage caused by Overwhelming Power.
Benefits of Void Mastery include:
- Increased survivability.
- Better performance in endgame content.
- More aggressive playstyles.
- Additional protection after empowerment ends.
The overshield makes Turncoat considerably safer to use and adds another layer of strategy to the weapon.
