'Destiny 2' Weapon Review: Is The Forerunner The Best Sidearm In The Game?

It’s been a week since the 30th Anniversary update went live, and “Destiny 2” players have more or less had a taste of just how strong the new Forerunner exotic sidearm can be in both PvE and PvP. This throwback weapon is about as strong as it was back in the first “Halo” game, making it an excellent love letter to the fans from back in Bungie’s early heyday.

The Forerunner is a formidable weapon in the right hands, capable of knocking down most combatants in just a couple of shots, and its unique catalyst gives it an interesting playstyle that may appeal to a lot of players. All in all, this is a great weapon that’s effective in any range. Best of all, it’s free. Here’s what makes the gun so good.

Forerunner Damage Profile

For a sidearm, the Forerunner hits much like a hand cannon. Even the gun’s lore page says so. This heavy pistol comes with the intrinsic perk Full Stop, which lets the gunfire in full auto while increasing its precision damage against unshielded targets.

In PvE, the Forerunner can easily hit over 10,000 damage per precision hit over absurd distances that no other sidearm can reach. This makes the weapon great as a pocket sniper rifle of sorts, as it can counter those pesky Hobgoblins, Psions or Vandals from a safe distance.

The Forerunner is a different beast in the Crucible. It can three-tap Guardians to the head from scout rifle ranges and its relatively quick draw time makes it an excellent candidate for a Harmony bow setup. Tag someone with a bow, then finish them off with this sidearm and let the killing spree begin.

Exotic Catalyst Overview

The catalyst grants players access to The Rock, which is basically a “Halo” fragmentation grenade. After scoring a kill, players will be able to throw frag grenades at the cost of some extra ammo. This won’t consume any grenade energy, making it a good way to preserve stacks for Surplus.

The grenade itself can outright kill Guardians in the Crucible provided it explodes directly under them. In PvE, these grenades can synergize with mods like Elemental Ordnance and Warmind Cells, opening up some possible build venues.

The Downsides

The ammo economy is the biggest downside to the Forerunner. Since it takes Special Ammo, players won’t be able to use this as their primary weapon unless they spec heavily into sidearm ammo mods. This will mostly be a problem in the Crucible as the gun only starts with eight bullets in the magazine.

The catalyst’s grenade can also be a bit difficult to use since it’s a thrown explosive. Players will need to aim their throws well if they want to take advantage of this perk.

Otherwise, the Forerunner is a solid and reliable sidearm that’s effective in any scenario. It does take the exotic slot, however, so players won’t be able to use other meta options like Gjallarhorn or Sleeper Simulant if they want to use this pistol.