For those players who obtained the Witherhoard in Destiny 2 it's important to unlock the related Catalyst, sooner rather than later. This powerful Grenade Launcher, granted as a Season Pass reward in Season 11, has gained tremendous popularity amongst the fanbase. With its incredible damage potential and damage over time from Blight, it’s a fun weapon to wield.

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While the weapon is simple to obtain in Destiny 2, the Catalyst can be a little tricky. There are a number of steps to follow in order to unlock the Catalyst and it’ll take some time. For players wanting to know what the Witherhoard Catalyst is capable of and how to find it, here’s everything you need to know.

Updated on February 11, 2022, by Anastasia Maillot: In Season 15, Witherhoard continued to be a strong Exotic weapon choice for PvE and to a degree in PvP. With the end of the season near, however, players might be wondering whether they should spend their time farming for the catalyst for the Witherhoard or rather doing something else, such as stocking up on resources and bounties for Witch Queen and the Season of the Risen. To help decide priorities for players on the last week of Season 15 and going forward into Season 16, this guide has been updated with a tentative analysis on the utility of Witherhoard and its catalyst in the future.

What It Does

Destiny 2 Witherhoard Black

The Witherhoard Catalyst comes with three main benefits:

  • Drops orbs on multikills.
  • Tracks kills.
  • Silent Alarm perk.

The Silent Alarm perk has two components to it. The first is that the Handling of the weapon is increased, allowing the player to draw it faster and start shooting sooner. The other benefit is that holstering the weapon for a bit will cause it to automatically reload.

Players can fire the weapon, holster it, fight with a different weapon, and then quickly draw Witherhoard out again freshly reloaded. This makes it a bit better to use in more niche situations such as PvP, where players might not necessarily expect to see a Witherhoard, and where switching between weapons quickly is key.

How To Get It

Destiny 2 Player using the Witherhoard Exotic grenade launcher

The catalyst quest starts once players obtain the weapon in question. The Witherhoard can be bought from the Monument to Lost Lights at the Tower. Navigate to the Shadowkeep Exotics tab to find it. The Witherhoard can be purchased in exchange for the following materials:

  • 1 Exotic Cipher
  • 125,000 Glimmer
  • 200 Helium Filaments
  • 1 Ascendant Shard

Once the player has the Witherhoard the next step is to initiate The Bank Job quest. It’s a four-part quest consisting of One Last Job, High-Stakes Heist, and Crime Spree. It’s recommended the player use the Witherhoard to complete the quests but any Kinetic or Special Grenade Launcher will count.

One Last Job

Destiny 2 Banshee-44 The Bank Job

This part of the quest is by far the easiest. Players simply need to speak with Banshee-44. He’s located in The Tower on the west side of the Courtyard near the Vault. If the player has obtained the Witherhoard weapon he’ll offer The Bank Job quest. Otherwise, the quest won’t be available.

After a short dialogue explaining the weapon and mentioning that it has some unfinished business he’ll start off the second part; High-Stakes Heist.

High-Stakes Heist

Destiny 2 Escalation Protocol

For the second part of the quest to get the Witherhoard Catalyst players will need to acquire 50 Vault Keys. Vault Keys have a chance to drop from enemies that are killed with either a Kinetic or Special Grenade Launcher.

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Players should note that Vault Keys aren’t rare by any means, but they aren’t guaranteed drops either. It seems that killing opponents quickly increases the odds of a drop. The player will have to kill at least 50 if they’re lucky, but more should be expected.

The best and quickest place to farm these kills quickly is to complete Altars of Sorrow on the Moon, but if the player can get away with using grenade launchers in other game modes, that works too.

Crime Spree

Destiny 2 Guardian Filthy Lucre Farm

This is the next step of the catalyst quest. To complete Crime Spree players will need to do three things:

  • 100 Guardian kills during Eliminations with a Grenade Launcher
  • 200 Multikills with a Grenade Launcher
  • Obtain 300 Filthy Lucre

Eliminations can be either in Crucible or Gambit. It doesn’t matter which so long as the player gets the 100 Guardian kills with the Grenade Launcher. The Multikills must be against PVE enemies and can be done anywhere.

The Filthy Lucre can be acquired from Strikes in the playlist, Nightfalls, Gambit matches, and Crucible rounds. It’s advised players focus on Crucible, Gambit, or Nightfall: The Ordeal to get it done quickly. But honestly, the player should choose to do whatever they’re best at.

Clean Getaway

Destiny 2 Witherhoard

Once the player has completed the objectives for Crime Spree they simply need to return to Banshee-44. After a brief bit of dialogue, he’ll hand over the Witherhoard Catalyst and will finish The Bank Job questline.

Tips For Farming The Catalyst

Destiny 2 Anarchy Grenade Launcher

Players are going to need a lot of Grenade Launcher kills so practicing with these weapons will help a lot. It’s also advised to have weapons with high DPS potential like the Mountaintop. This ensures that kills happen quickly which increases Vault Key drops and finishes the other requirements sooner.

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The Filthy Lucre requirement will take some time. Estimates from some fans suggest something in the neighborhood of 100 matches will be required to earn that much Filthy Lucre. This gives ample time for players to get their kills while grinding for this resource.

destiny 2 crucible hand cannon

It’s advised to go into fights with only Grenade Launchers and maybe a Hand Cannon for emergencies. It is very common for players to forget what they’re doing in the middle of a battle and finish off an enemy with something other than a Grenade Launcher. The enemy must die as a result of a Grenade Launcher round for it to count.

Like Any Catalyst quest, it’s a bit of a grind and players will need to be patient. But the reward is certainly worth it as the Witherhoard Catalyst makes the Witherhoard weapon a fun and effective tool in combat.

Is Witherhoard (And The Catalyst) Worth It?

Destiny 2 Witherhoard With A Weapon Ornament

In PvE, the Witherhoard is one of the best tools when it comes to clearing hordes of enemies. That's why it's a common choice for many players in endgame activities like Grandmaster Nightfalls. For that reason alone, farming for the catalyst is a good idea, simply to have an easier time in Nightfalls and to get access to Adept weapons.

With Witch Queen coming up, it's also safe to assume the new raid will feature tons of enemies that will be difficult to beat. Therefore, strong ad-clear weapons will be a big advantage for a day 1 raid team.

In PvP, the Witherhoard has a more niche role, but it's definitely viable to run in certain scenarios by players who feel confident using a grenade launcher. It's a great tool to deny space from enemies and hold choke points in maps that are a bit smaller and cramped up. The catalyst will significantly improve the feel of the weapon in PvP as well.

Destiny 2 is available on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Stadia.

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