Destiny 2’s Monument of Triumph update is shaping up to be one of the most important sandbox updates the game has received in a long time. Bungie has now shared a detailed preview of the weapons, artifacts, focusing changes, and quality-of-life improvements coming with the June update, and there is a lot for Guardians to unpack.
Bungie is touching nearly every major part of the loot chase. Exotic weapons are getting new catalysts and perk updates, Legendary weapons are being retuned, crafted weapons are becoming more valuable, Artifact 2.0 is changing how seasonal mods work, and anti-Champion counters are finally moving away from the old seasonal restriction system.
Destiny 2 Monument of Triumph Release Date
Bungie confirmed that the Monument of Triumph update is coming to Destiny 2 on June 9. The studio described the update as a major release built around weapons, artifacts, focusing, vendor changes, and long-term quality-of-life improvements.
The update arrives at a very emotional time for Destiny 2 players, as Bungie has been looking back on the game’s long journey while also trying to make its final release feel meaningful.
Weapon Tier Upgrading Is Coming to Destiny 2
One of the biggest additions in Monument of Triumph is Weapon Tier Upgrading. This new system will let players upgrade eligible weapons to higher gear tiers for a cost, allowing them to access enhanced perk benefits and Tier 5 cosmetics.
If a player gets the exact roll they want, they will not necessarily need to throw it away just because it dropped at a lower tier. Instead, Bungie is giving players a way to invest in that weapon and bring it up through the system.
However, the system will not magically turn every weapon into a perfect god roll. Bungie clarified that upgrading a weapon’s tier will not add extra perks to the weapon’s columns. In other words, activity drops still matter, but players will now have more control over the weapons they already own.
Crafted Weapons Are Getting Stronger Too
Crafted weapons are also getting updated with Monument of Triumph. Bungie said existing crafted Legendary weapons will be eligible for a version of Gear Tier Upgrading, while newly crafted Legendary weapons can go through the same upgrade journey.
Crafted weapons will work slightly differently from regular drops. At Weapon Level 11, players can upgrade to Gear Tier 2 and unlock enhanced left and right column traits. At Weapon Level 25, Gear Tier 4 unlocks enhanced components like barrels and magazines. At Weapon Level 30, Gear Tier 5 unlocks enhanced origin traits.
Destiny 2 Exotic Weapons Are Getting New Catalysts and Buffs
Exotic weapons are getting a lot of love in Monument of Triumph. Bungie confirmed that 25 catalysts are being added to Exotic weapons that did not already have one, while nine older catalysts that only gave stat bonuses are getting new perks.
Some of the early examples include Chaperone receiving Triple Tap, Parasite receiving Envious Arsenal, and Tarrabah receiving Ambitious Assassin. Bungie also revealed that Crimson is getting To the Pain and Merciless is getting Heal Clip as part of updates to older catalysts.
Beyond catalysts, several Exotic weapons are receiving direct tuning changes. Vex Mythoclast is being updated to feel stronger in PvE, with improvements to its full-auto mode, Linear Fusion shots, and catalyst activation. Touch of Malice is getting stronger final-round damage and a catalyst change. Anarchy is being improved as a trap-style weapon, while Divinity is getting a small but notable boost to make it feel less punishing for the dedicated support player.
The Lament, Jade Rabbit, Heirloom, Tarrabah, Winterbite, Hierarchy of Needs, and several other Exotics are also part of the update. Overall, Bungie seems to be trying to make more Exotic weapons feel exciting again instead of leaving them behind in the vault.
Legendary Weapons Are Getting a Major PvE Tuning Pass
Monument of Triumph is also bringing balance changes to many Legendary weapon types. Bungie confirmed an overall buff to Primary weapon damage in PvE, along with targeted buffs for most Special weapons.
When Primary weapons feel weak, players naturally gravitate toward ability spam, Exotic outliers, or Special weapon-heavy setups. By buffing Primary weapon damage, Bungie appears to be trying to make standard gunplay feel more rewarding again.
Special weapons are also being adjusted, but not every change is a buff. Bungie is making double Special slightly less dominant for add clear by reducing the ammo meter progress that Special weapons gain from defeating minor enemies. Choir of One is also getting ammo reductions, while Rocket Pulse Rifles are receiving fixes tied to ammo behavior.
The goal seems to be balance rather than a blanket nerf. Bungie wants Special weapons to stay strong, but not so efficient that they invalidate other loadout choices.
Artifact 2.0 Makes Seasonal Mods Easier to Use
Artifact 2.0 is another major part of the Monument of Triumph update. Bungie is reworking artifacts to remove some of the friction that has existed in Destiny 2 for years.
The old system often forced players to refund mods just to change earlier selections. With Artifact 2.0, Bungie is trimming that bloat and organizing mods into three cleaner buckets. This should make it much easier to swap artifact choices without constantly fighting the menu.
The artifact will also work with loadouts, which is a huge quality-of-life improvement. For players who regularly switch between raid builds, Nightfall builds, PvP setups, and casual farming loadouts, this should make buildcrafting feel much smoother.
Bungie also confirmed that artifacts will be disabled in Competitive and Trials modes, which should help keep those PvP environments more controlled.
Anti-Champion Counters Are Being Added Directly to Weapons
One of the biggest changes in the entire update is Anti-Champion 2.0. With Monument of Triumph, Bungie is removing dedicated anti-Champion columns from the Artifact and putting Champion counter effects directly into weapon intrinsic perks.
This is a huge shift for Destiny 2. For years, players have been forced to use certain weapon types each season because the artifact dictated which weapons could counter Barrier, Overload, or Unstoppable Champions. If your favorite weapon type was not supported that season, it often felt like you had to leave it behind in endgame content.
By building anti-Champion counters into weapons directly, Bungie is giving players more freedom to use the guns they actually enjoy. It should also make buildcrafting less restrictive, especially in Nightfalls and other Champion-heavy activities.
Vendors Are Getting Focusing Updates
Bungie is also updating vendors across the Tower with new focusing options for tiered gear. Weapons will be focusable at Tier 3 or Tier 4, depending on the player’s Power level, while armor can be focused up to Tier 5 because armor is not upgradable in the same way weapons are.
Several vendors are part of this update, including Banshee-44, Zavala, Shaxx, Saint-14, Saladin, Drifter, Xûr, Ada-1, Hawthorne, and destination vendors.
Banshee-44 will now include Shared Pool weapons from previous releases, while Vanguard focusing will cover Solo Ops, Fireteam Ops, Arena Ops, and Pinnacle Ops gear. Trials, Iron Banner, Crucible, Gambit, and other activity vendors are also getting updated focusing pools.
Attune Anywhere Makes God Roll Farming More Flexible
Attunement is also getting a big quality-of-life upgrade. Instead of forcing players to visit a specific vendor, attunement will now live in the player’s inventory and can be accessed anywhere.
Bungie says players can be attuned to one weapon for each activity type at the same time, meaning players can chase different weapons across different playlists without constantly swapping back and forth at vendors.
Attunement will be available for activities like World Drops, Solo Ops, Fireteam Ops, Arena Ops, Pinnacle Ops, Crucible Ops, Trials of Osiris, Iron Banner, Gambit, Onslaught, Distortions, and Sparrow Racing League.
The best part is that attunement is free. There is no cost to attune or unattune, and players can change their attuned weapon whenever they want.
Monument of Triumph Could Make Old Weapons Worth Revisiting
The most exciting part of this update is how much of it is aimed at making older weapons feel relevant again. Crafted weapons are getting new upgrade paths. Raid Adept weapons are being updated. Exotic catalysts are being expanded. Vendors are getting broader focusing pools. Attunement is becoming easier to use. Weapon tiers are giving players a reason to invest in good rolls instead of instantly discarding them.
Destiny 2 has always been at its best when the loot chase feels exciting, and Monument of Triumph seems focused on making that chase feel more player-friendly.
Weapon Tier Upgrading gives players more control over their best rolls. Crafted weapon updates reward long-term investment. Exotic catalysts breathe life into old favorites. Artifact 2.0 makes buildcrafting less annoying. Anti-Champion 2.0 removes one of the most frustrating seasonal restrictions. Vendor focusing and Attune Anywhere make farming more direct and flexible.
