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Season of the Plunder in Destiny 2 sees the return of Arc back to its glory, in the form of Arc 3.0. This rework has been much-needed and highly anticipated, and along with it, several weapons have also gone through a bit of change to give them better synergy with the new Arc subclass.
Thunderlord hasn't seen use in ages, but given its new intrinsic anti-Overload perk, it has been named as one of the go-to weapons for endgame PVE content. Moreover, the machine gun enjoys a slight damage buff against bosses and regular enemies, which means it can be a decent option even for damage and ad-clearing. Season 18 has also introduced a Catalyst for it, which it didn't previously have. Here's what Thunderlord's Catalyst does in Destiny 2 and how to get it.
How To Get The Thunderlord Exotic Arc Machine Gun
Most players will likely already have Thunderlord somewhere deep in the Vaults. The Exotic weapon was known to drop as a random Exotic engram, so it's possible that many veteran players are in possession of the Thunderlord.
However, Bungie has considered new players this time around by providing an easy way for everyone to get access to Thunderlord. When first logging on with a character in season 18, players can enter the H.E.L.M. to receive the Gift of the Thunder Gods. This chest is located right at the loading area where players spawn in and contains a bunch of nice gear new lights can pick up for free. Even seasoned players who may not have Thunderlord yet should go and grab this chest.
Thunderlord, for those who aren't familiar with the weapon, will generate lightning strikes at the location of final blows with the weapon. Its Lightning Rounds perk increases the accuracy and fire rate of Thunderlord when players hold down the trigger for a while. With Armor-Piercing Rounds and Frenzy as well, it's quite a beastly heavy weapon fit even for endgame content.
How To Get The Thunderlord Catalyst
Unlike the Catalysts for new weapons that are added into the game, such as seasonal pass rewards, Thunderlord doesn't get its own Catalyst quest. This can be both a curse and a relief for players. On one hand, players don't have to jump through hoops to get the Catalyst from Banshee-44, which is the classic way, but on the other, it means some degree of randomness is involved when it comes to the Catalyst dropping.
In order to get a chance of earning the Thunderlord Catalyst, players will need to hop into any playlist activity. These include Crucible, Vanguard Strikes, and Gambit matches. The Catalyst drop is entirely RNG based, but there is a slight preference for Catalysts that are brand-new and that the player still doesn't have.
The best strategy to adopt here is to just sit back and multitask. Players can complete these activities while knocking down their Pinnacle rewards, especially if they have yet to reach the seasonal light level cap. Once players do earn the Catalyst, they'll need to score 500 kills to upgrade it, according to Light.gg. For heavy weapon leveling, Shuro-Chi and Golgoroth checkpoints are the best places as they allow players to place down rally banners and replenish their heavy ammo regularly.
What The Thunderlord Catalyst Does
The Catalyst for Thunderlord further improves the weapon in a simple yet meaningful way. Creating a lightning strike now also reloads the magazine from reserves. This is absolutely fantastic since machine guns are notorious for having long reload times and could benefit from having the Auto-Loading Holster perk.
This Catalyst perk makes Thunderlord much easier and simpler to use, without the need for reloading mods. Given how often the lightning strikes will happen, it's clear that players won't be spending much time reloading this weapon, which is especially ideal in PVE.
Is The Thunderlord Catalyst Worth It?
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For season 18, Thunderlord is likely going to be one of the best weapons players can bring along for any endgame PVE content. Its utility is further buffed by the fact that some activities like Grandmaster Nightfalls will come with Arc burns, which will improve Arc damage on top of the already nice damage increase machine guns received earlier this year.
Not just that, but it comes with its own intrinsic anti-champion trait, against Overload champions. Overloads are notorious for being annoying to deal with, so having a decent Arc damage heavy like Thunderlord will make killing them easier. Plus, there's no need to feel bad about sacrificing an Exotic slot for Thunderlord, as it allows players to get a free champion mod slot on their arms.
The Catalyst is a must-have for Thunderlord due to its reloading perk. If players can afford it, it's highly recommended to try and level it up little by little throughout the season. Luckily, Thunderlord had excellent synergy with most Arc 3.0 builds.
Destiny 2 is available on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Stadia.