Discover the ultimate Acolyte’s Staff Artifact Guide for Destiny 2. Unleash your full potential with this comprehensive walkthrough, tips, and strategies.
Destiny 2 is an action-packed online multiplayer game that has captured the attention of gamers worldwide. Players take on the role of guardians, wielding powerful weapons and abilities to defend humanity against the forces of darkness. With regular updates and new content, there’s always something exciting to discover in Destiny 2.
One of the most important features of Destiny 2 is the seasonal artifact system. Each season introduces a new artifact with unique mods and abilities that can be unlocked through gameplay. These artifacts significantly boost a player’s power level, allowing them to tackle the game’s toughest challenges. It’s important for players to understand how to make the most of these artifacts if they want to stay competitive.
In our comprehensive guide to Destiny 2’s season 22 artifact, the Acolyte’s Staff, we’ll explain everything you need to know to unlock its full potential. We’ll cover Artifact’s unique mods, how to unlock them, and which ones are most useful for different types of gameplay. With our help, you’ll be able to maximize your power level and dominate your enemies like never before.
Read More: Destiny 2 Best Void Weapons: Top 10 Void Weapons Ranked.
Season of The Witch Artifact Explained
| Column One | Column Two | Column Three | Column Four | Column Five |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Barrier Auto Rifle | Arc/Strand Siphon Combo | Thanatotic Tangles | Overload Machine Guns | Monochromatic Maestro |
| Piercing Bowstring | Solar/Strand Siphon Combo | Origin Perk Specialization II | Elemental Fury | Rapid-Fire Ranger |
| Unstoppable Scout Rifle | Void/Strand Siphon Combo | Elemental Orbs: Void | Communal Pickups | Elemental Embrace |
| Overload Hand Cannon | Origin perk Specialization I | Elemental Orbs: Arc | Refreshing Pickups | Elemental Munitions |
| Unstoppable Fusion Rifle | Diviner’s Discount | Elemental Orbs: Solar | Semi-Auto Striker | Frenzied Stacks |
The Season of Witch introduced a new Artifact called the Ascendant Scepter. This Artifact allows players to select up to 12 passive bonuses that are always active, regardless of armor mods. The Artifact progression works in a specific order, with each column unlocking after acquiring a certain number of Artifact passives.
To better understand Season 22’s artifact mods, we will break them down into various categories, such as weapon-focused mods, armor-enhancing mods, and utility mods. These mods will be explained in detail, highlighting their impact on gameplay and how players can maximize their effectiveness.
Column One of The Acolyte’s Staff Artifact
| Mod Name | Mod Perk | Additional Effect When Modifier Active |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Barrier Auto Rifle | Auto Rifles can pierce Barrier Champion shields | Auto Rifles are always Overcharged |
| Piercing Bowstring | Bows can pierce Barrier Champion shields | Bows are always Overcharged |
| Unstoppable Scout Rifle | Aiming down sights for a couple of seconds loads an explosive round, stunning Unstoppable Champions. | Scout Rifles are always Overcharged |
| Overload Hand Cannon | Landing consecutive hits with a Hand Cannon will stun Overload Champions | Hand Cannons are always Overcharged |
| Unstoppable Fusion Rifle | Fusion Rifles stagger combatants and stun Unstoppable Champions | Fusion Rifles are always Overcharged |
- Anti-Barrier Auto Rifle: Auto Rifles of this type have the unique capability to penetrate Barrier Champion shields. Barrier Champions are tough enemies in certain activities, and their shields can be challenging to break through without the right weapon.
- Piercing Bowstring: Bows equipped with these perks can also pierce Barrier Champion shields. Bows are usually slower-firing, high-damage weapons, and being able to pierce these shields is a valuable trait for taking down Barrier Champions.
- Unstoppable Scout Rifle: Scout Rifles with this capability can stun Unstoppable Champions by aiming down sights for a few seconds. Unstoppable Champions are enemies with high resilience that require special tactics to neutralize.
- Overload Hand Cannon: Hand Cannons equipped with these perks can stun Overload Champions by landing consecutive hits. Overload Champions are enemies with health regeneration; stunning them is essential to prevent their healing.
- Unstoppable Fusion Rifle: Fusion Rifles of this type have these perks to stagger regular combatants and stun Unstoppable Champions. Staggering combatants can disrupt their attacks and movement, providing crowd control.
Column Two of The Acolyte’s Staff Artifact
| Mod Name | Mod Perk |
|---|---|
| Arc/Strand Siphon Combo | Helmets can equip Arc/Strand hybrid siphon mods. Costs 3 energy. |
| Solar/Strand Siphon Combo | Helmets can equip Solar/Strand hybrid siphon mods. Costs 3 energy. |
| Void/Strand Siphon Combo | Helmets can equip Void/Strand hybrid siphon mods. Costs 3 energy. |
| Origin perk Specialization I | Head Rush, Nanotech Tracer Rockets, Unsated Hunger, and Cursed Thrall (Crota’s End) origin traits are improved. |
| Diviner’s Discount | All scavenger leg mods cost one onenergy. |
- Arc/Strand Siphon Combo: This mod pertains to a system in the game where helmets can be equipped with hybrid siphon mods that combine the Arc element with the Strand attribute. Equipping these hybrid siphon mods on your helmet requires spending three energy.
- Solar/Strand Siphon Combo: Similar to the previous mods, this one involves helmets being able to equip hybrid siphon mods, but in this case, they combine the Solar element with the Strand attribute.
- Void/Strand Siphon Combo: This mod is similar to the first two but deals with Void element hybrid siphon mods that can be equipped on helmets.
- Origin perk Specialization I: This mod introduces improvements to specific origin traits or abilities associated with characters in the game.
- Diviner’s Discount: When you have Diviner’s Discount, it reduces the energy cost of all scavenger leg mods to just one energy. This makes it more cost-effective for players to equip these mods, potentially enhancing their ability to scavenge resources or ammunition in the game.
Column Three of The Acolyte’s Staff Artifact
| Mod Name | Mod Perk |
|---|---|
| Thanatotic Tangles | Strand weapon final blows have a chance to generate a Tangle. |
| Origin Perk Specialization II | Weapons with specific origin traits are Overcharged in endgame PvE content, resulting in increased damage. Overcharged weapons deal 25% more damage in pinnacle content, such as Master raids and Legend Lost Sectors. Does not stack with Surges. |
| Elemental Orbs: Void | While on a Void subclass, Void weapon kills can spawn Void Elemental Orbs. These orbs can be detonated, causing damage to targets. |
| Elemental Orbs: Arc | While on an Arc subclass, Arc weapon kills can spawn Arc Elemental Orbs. These orbs can be detonated to jolt and damage targets. |
| Elemental Orbs: Solar | While on a Solar subclass, Solar weapon kills can spawn Solar Elemental Orbs. These orbs can be detonated to scorch and damage targets. |
- Thanatotic Tangles: This Artifact mod is related to Strand weapons, and it provides a chance for final blows with these weapons to generate a Tangle.
- Origin Perk Specialization II: This mod is a continuation of the Origin Perk Specialization series, where specific weapons with origin traits like Head Rush, Nanotech Tracer Rockets, Unsated Hunger, or Cursed Thrall from Crota’s End receive enhancements. These weapons become Overcharged when used in endgame PvE content. Overcharged weapons deal 25% more damage in pinnacle content, such as Master raids and Legend Lost Sectors. Notably, this damage increase does not stack with other similar effects like Surges.
- Elemental Orbs: Void: When using a Void subclass and making kills with Void weapons, you have the potential to spawn Void Elemental Orbs. These orbs can be shot or thrown to detonate them, causing damage to targets.
- Elemental Orbs: Arc: While using an Arc subclass, kills with Arc weapons can spawn Arc Elemental Orbs. These orbs can be detonated to jolt and damage targets, providing a unique offensive option for players using Arc abilities.
- Elemental Orbs: Solar: When using a Solar subclass, kills made with Solar weapons can spawn Solar Elemental Orbs. These orbs can be detonated to scorch and damage targets, offering another method for dealing damage and utilizing Solar abilities.
Column Four of The Acolyte’s Staff Artifact
| Mod Name | Mod Perk |
|---|---|
| Overload Machine Guns | Uninterrupted fire with Machine Guns can stun Overload Champions. Machine Guns are always Overcharged when the modifier is active. |
| Elemental Fury | Stunned Champions take bonus damage from abilities and Elemental Orbs. |
| Communal Pickups | When an ally destroys or picks up a Tangle or Elemental Orb, you gain bonus weapon damage for 10 seconds. Your Tangle cooldown is reduced by 5 seconds if your ally interacts with a Tangle. |
| Refreshing Pickups | Picking up Tangles or Elemental Orbs grants energy to your least-charged ability. |
| Semi-Auto Striker | Rapid precision hits with Bows, Snipers, and Scout Rifles under 2 Armor Charge stacks grant Armor Charge. |
- Overload Machine Guns: This Artifact mod enables Machine Guns to stun Overload Champions when fired continuously without interruption. When you fire a Machine Gun uninterruptedly, it can stun Overload Champions, preventing them from using their special abilities. Additionally, Machine Guns are always Overcharged when the modifier requiring dealing with Overload Champions is active. Being Overcharged enhances the Machine Gun’s performance.
- Elemental Fury: Stunned Champions take bonus damage from abilities and Elemental Orbs. This provides a significant advantage for players when they face Champions who have been stunned by certain mechanics or abilities.
- Communal Pickups: When an ally destroys or picks up a Tangle or Elemental Orb, you gain bonus weapon damage for 10 seconds. If your ally interacts with a Tangle, your Tangle cooldown is reduced by 5 seconds. This promotes teamwork and rewards players for assisting their allies in acquiring these resources.
- Refreshing Pickups: When you pick up Tangles or Elemental Orbs, you receive energy for your least-charged ability. This mechanic incentivizes players to collect these resources to recharge their abilities more quickly and actively.
- Semi-Auto Striker: When you have fewer than 2 Armor Charge stacks, landing rapid precision hits with Bows, Snipers, and Scout Rifles grants Armor Charge. This mod rewards precise shooting with these weapon types and encourages players to build and maintain Armor Charge for additional benefits.
Column Five of The Acolyte’s Staff Artifact
| Mod Name | Mod Perk |
|---|---|
| Monochromatic Maestro | Dealing ability damage grants a 10% buff to matching elemental weapon damage and vice versa. The buff lasts for 5 seconds. Stacks with other damage buffs. |
| Rapid-Fire Ranger | Rapid precision hits against a distant enemy will weaken them. |
| Elemental Embrace | Subclass elemental buffs grant you bonus recovery and damage resistance against combatant attacks of the matching element type. |
| Elemental Munitions | Tangle or Elemental Orb kills have a chance of spawning Special or Heavy ammo. |
| Frenzied Stacks | Armor Charge now buffs the damage of your Tangles and Elemental Orbs. Armor Charge now decays every 10 seconds. |
- Monochromatic Maestro: This Artifact mod provides a damage buff based on the type of damage you deal with, whether it’s ability damage or weapon damage. When you deal ability damage, you receive a 10% damage buff to match elemental weapon damage (and vice versa). This buff lasts for 5 seconds and stacks with other damage buffs.
- Rapid-Fire Ranger: Landing rapid precision hits against distant enemies will weaken them. This debuff likely makes the affected enemies more vulnerable to damage from your attacks and potentially from your allies as well.
- Elemental Embrace: When you have an elemental buff from your subclasses like Arc, Solar, or Void, you gain bonus recovery and damage resistance against attacks from combatants of the same elemental type. This mod incentivizes players to leverage their subclass’s elemental capabilities for survivability.
- Elemental Munitions: When you defeat enemies with Tangles or Elemental Orbs, there’s a chance that Special or Heavy ammo will spawn. This mechanic provides an additional incentive for players to collect and use Tangles and Elemental Orbs actively.
- Frenzied Stacks: Armor Charge now buffs the damage of your Tangles and Elemental Orbs, potentially making them more powerful when used in combat. However, the Armor Charge now decays every 10 seconds, adding timing and strategy to its use.
Read More: Destiny 2: Every New Weapon in Season of The Witch
In conclusion, Destiny 2 offers a dynamic and ever-evolving gaming experience, with a diverse range of weapons, abilities, and mechanics to explore and master. The game’s seasonal artifacts and mods, as well as the synergy between damage types and unique gameplay elements, add depth and complexity to encounters.
