Fusion Rifles have seen a major buff in Season of the Chosen and the Telesto in Destiny 2 is no exception. It remains one of the most powerful if not the most powerful fusion rifle in the game, even after the wave of nerfs over the years.
The Telesto Catalyst provides a nice boost to the weapon, but it can be one of the more annoying Catalysts to track down. If you’re looking to main Telesto, it’s arguably worth the hassle, but it's important to know what you’re getting into. Here’s everything you need to know about what the Telesto Catalyst does and how to find it.
Updated on April 5, 2022, by Anastasia Maillot: Telesto, a fusion rifle that strikes both fear and amusement into the hearts of Destiny 2 players. Courtesy of season 15, it has gained a bit of notoriety as one of the most bugged weapons in the game, requiring Bungie to dispatch several fixes before all issues were mended. But now, in season 16 and in the era of The Witch Queen, Telesto stands in an interesting spot. This guide on the Telesto catalyst has been updated with new information regarding Lost Sectors, which have gone through a few tweaks over the last year, as well as an analysis on how good or useful Telesto and its catalyst are in season 16.
How To Get Telesto In Season 16
Though the era of fusion rifles may have been put to rest, for now, Telesto is still a must-have in any Destiny 2 players collection. Unfortunately, unlike some of the Exotic weapons that have been put in the Exotic kiosk at the Tower, Telesto is a random drop. Players will either need to get it from random Exotic engrams that may very rarely drop from various world activities, or they'll have to head over to Xur and check his stock on a weekly basis.
In fact, Xur has been known to sell it on several occasions, so waiting until every Friday to check his inventory might be the easiest route for players who still haven't got their hands on the Exotic fusion rifle.
What The Telesto Catalyst Does
The Telesto Catalyst provides a single perk with only one benefit:
- Deeper Pockets – Increased ammo capacity.
This may seem rather lackluster, but for anyone familiar with the Telesto it’s a wonderfully nasty bonus. Telesto is already a powerful weapon at short range that fires homing projectiles that deal a secondary Void explosion.
It comes with perks that enable the player to automatically reload their weapon. With an extended clip from the Telesto Catalyst players can keep up a steady stream of energy blasts and void explosions for longer.
How To Find The Telesto Catalyst
This is where things can get a little tricky. There are only two ways to obtain a Telesto Catalyst:
- Legendary Lost Sectors
- Master Lost Sectors
Lost Sectors are found in multiple destinations in the game, but not every Lost Sector will have the option to be run on Legendary or Master difficulty. This changes based on the current season in Destiny 2, as well, so players who want consistent information on which Lost Sector is available each day should head over to Today In Destiny. Note that the Lost Sectors with Legendary and Master difficulties change every reset as well.
Head to the entrance of the Lost Sector, but before going in, there should be a flag by the doorway. To start the Lost Sector on Legendary or Master, players need to interact with the flag. If there's no flag, it means players haven't discovered the Lost Sector yet and will need to run it normally once to unlock it for higher difficulties.
Always check which champions are inside the Lost Sector and apply the required anti-champion mods, because once inside, players won't be able to change their gear. Getting the Telesto catalyst to drop is a bit of a luck-based game, so don't get frustrated if several runs are required.
Upgrading The Catalyst
To upgrade the Telesto Catalyst players need to achieve 300 kills with the Telesto. This is easiest in PVE, but the kills can be obtained from anywhere. The kills are also retroactive so if the player takes the Telesto into Lost Sectors to grind for the Telesto Catalyst it’s all put in the bank for the upgrade.
Make sure to pop on a few fusion rifle ammo finder mods, as grinding out catalysts for Special ammo weapons becomes tedious and slow if players are constantly out of ammo. Game modes like Dares of Eternity or the first checkpoint of Grasp of Avarice dungeon are great places to grind out for the catalyst.
Tips On Getting The Catalyst To Drop
Fortunately, there are still plenty of Lost Sectors before the end of the season and likely going to be more afterward. Players can grind the same Lost Sector as many times as they want while it’s available. It's advised to look up a guide to determine the most efficient way to complete the Lost Sector.
Legendary Lost Sectors are much easier to complete than Master Lost Sectors. That being said, the drop rate for the Telesto Catalyst is likely higher in Master Lost Sectors. Completing them as part of a team will raise efficiency. But running one solo will net better rewards. Generally speaking, players should run Legendary Lost Sectors solo to get nice rewards while grinding for the Telesto Catalyst and run Master Lost Sectors in groups for max efficiency and likely better drop rates.
Given the random nature of the Lost Sector, some will be harder than others. Players should test run each one as they appear and then grind the easier ones for best results.
Is The Telesto Catalyst Worth It?
Fusion rifles may not be the best this season, but they are still strong and viable in many situations. Telesto can be a bit of a niche pick since there are many other Exotics that are better at endgame PVE and in PVP in general, but it does have one redeeming quality: its Void element.
Given that Void weapons are powerful this season thanks to the artifact and Elemental Well mods that empower them further, players can still effectively make use of Telesto even in an era of no Particle Deconstruction. Is it, however, the best and most important Exotic catalyst to grind for? Most likely not, but those with an affinity for fusions who want a solid Void fusion and don't mind using an Exotic weapon slot for it should give Telesto a chance in season 16.
Destiny 2: The Witch Queen is available on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.