The Hawkmoon is a strong hand cannon in Destiny 2 that only gets better with its Catalyst. On its own, this weapon can go toe-to-toe with just about any other hand cannon in PVP or PVE. It's not the best, but it is far from being the worst.
Anyone considering using this weapon for any length of time should seriously consider going through the effort of unlocking the Catalyst. To help players decide whether or not it's worth it, here’s a guide describing what the Hawkmoon Catalyst does and where you can find it in Destiny 2.
Updated on February 19, 2022, by Anastasia Maillot: With the upcoming Witch Queen DLC, Hawkmoon and a few other weapons from previous Exotic missions will lose their respective quests. However, that doesn't mean that players won't be getting their hands on them, at all. The week prior to the Witch Queen is still the last chance for players to experience the Harbinger mission for the last time and grind for the Hawkmoon, before the way it can be gained and how its catalyst drops will be permanently changed. Here's what players can also expect in terms of gameplay utility from the Hawkmoon going forward to the Season of the Risen.
What The Hawkmoon Catalyst Does
The Hakwmoon Catalyst gives the weapon the Hunter’s Trance perk. Hunter’s Trance grants four different benefits:
- Increased Magazine Size
- Increased Handling
- Faster Reload Speed
- Increased Weapon Range
The last three are impacted in their effectiveness by how many times the player has stacked Paracausal Charge. For players wanting the greatest impact it's best to stack it a maximum seven times for best results. Note that if the weapon is holstered, the Paracausal Charge stack will disappear. This is key, especially for players planning to make the Hawkmoon their main weapon in crucible.
How To Get The Hawkmoon Catalyst
Prior to the Witch Queen, players had to complete the Harbinger mission once more to get the catalyst. The good news is, starting from February 22nd, this will no longer be the case since the Harbinger Exotic quest found on the EDZ will be permanently vaulted as the Destiny 2 story moves onwards.
Those who now want to get their hands on the Hawkmoon catalyst need to complete activities repeatedly in the following playlists: strikes, crucible, or gambit. So far, the catalyst drop is totally random, so it can take quite a bit of time or no time at all for players to get their hands on it.
After receiving it, players will simply need to get kills with the weapon to add it to the Hawkmoon. The best way to do this is to just hit the crucible and test out the hand cannon's offensive capabilities against other players. Or, players can just head to the Altar of Sorrows on the Moon, which is also fantastic for catalyst grinding.
Is The Hawkmoon Catalyst Worth It?
In Season 15, the Hawkmoon hand cannon was considered a very solid choice in PVP. Though it still struggles to match the ferocity of some legendary hand cannons like the Eyasluna and Palindrome, as well as the strength of some of the fiercer Exotic hand cannons like Thorn and Ace of Spades, it encourages a different kind of playstyle that some players might enjoy.
In Season 16, it's unclear how good hand cannons will be in PVP. Throughout the years, generally speaking, hand cannons have been a staple in Destiny 2, and this is very unlikely to change, even if the top-tier meta will still be something a bit more niche. That said, players will still most likely be able to use this hand cannon in crucible in particular and get a lot of work done.
Given also how much the catalyst improves the hand cannon, there's no reason not to get it, though it will be more difficult considering the drop is randomized. However, at least this means players will not need to grind the tedious Harbinger mission.
Destiny 2: The Witch Queen will release on February 22, 2022, and is available on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.