Destiny 2 has a suite of weapons and Exotics that let players rain lightning on their enemies. Thunderlord is arguably the most iconic of the bunch, but Cloudstrike could just be famous enough (or infamous enough, depending on which side of the scope you’re on) to run close to Thunderlord.
Cloudstrike has come a long way since Beyond Light. Though it’s always been a solid option, and the occasional bane of Trials players who peek the middle lane in Endless Vale, Cloudstrike has gained a few buffs and a catalyst that make it an even better weapon to get. And if you’re lucky, that may not take long.
Cloudstrike got a catalyst in Season of the Seraph, over two full years since its release. Players lucky enough to grab it can add Triple Tap to this rapid-fire sniper’s repertoire. The Season of Defiance midseason patch also buffed rapid-fire snipers, including more reserves and less recoil. It was deadly enough at Beyond Light‘s release, as anyone not running double slugs on Taniks early that year will attest, but the extra firepower makes it a valuable weapon to add to your arsenal.
Here’s how to get Cloudstrike in Destiny 2.
Where can I get Cloudstrike in Destiny 2?
Cloudstrike is a random drop from Empire Hunts in Europa, the Beyond Light destination. This means you need to own the Stasis-centric DLC if you want a shot at this lightning-quick sniper. Just having the DLC is not enough, though. Cloudstrike is a random drop, so if the RNG isn’t on your side, you need to get used to running Empire Hunts.
The difficulty might not affect your chances of getting Cloudstrike. While the chance of getting other drops increases in higher difficulties, Cloudstrike seemingly remains a Rare reward regardless. This likely has no actual effect on its drop rate, so if you really want the sniper rifle, speedrunning Hunts may be your best bet. Killing all Champions improves your odds, so bring something that can take them down.
Since you’re doing Empire Hunts anyway, you might as well grab the corresponding bounty from Variks. You can get some experience out of it, but his weekly bounties are also prime goals if you’re stacking bounties ahead of new content.
What does Cloudstrike do in Destiny 2?
Cloudstrike is all about bringing the power of thunder against your opponents. Its two unique elements are Mortal Polarity and Stormbringer, which come together to make this weapon what it is.
Mortal Polarity, its unique perk, creates a bolt of lightning on your target whenever you get a precision kill. This works well in the Crucible, for instance, since you can quickly wipe more than one guardian with a single shot—provided they’re close enough.
In PvE, you can also use it on a single target to take out enemies in its vicinity, like a souped-up Dragonfly explosion.
Paired with Mortal Polarity, Stormbringer is what makes Cloudstrike shine on sturdier enemies. While bosses or Champions won’t proc Mortal Polarity often, Stormbringer ensures you’ll create a lightning storm at the point of contact when landing precision hits. This means you can keep landing critical shots and dealing damage from bullets and the lightning storm, even against bosses. It’s even better if you have a Divinity.
Cloudstrike may not be the ultimate weapon for damage, but it packs enough of a punch using Special ammo that you can comfortably use it in many scenarios, getting good damage at the expense of an Exotic slot and your green bricks
While the weapon works well on its own, the Catalyst will let you deal more damage. If you have it, odds are grinding the kills you need to equip it will be worth it.
How to get the Cloudstrike Catalyst in Destiny 2
The Cloudstrike Catalyst is a random drop from core playlists, which include Vanguard, Crucible, and Gambit. Once you have it, you need to defeat 400 targets with the weapon to unlock its effect. This gives Cloudstrike Triple Tap, which refunds a bullet every three precision hits in quick succession. With its seven-round magazine, you can proc Triple Tap up to three times if you land all hits—one on the third shot, one on the sixth shot, and another one on the ninth shot if you land the refund from your two previous bullets.
We recommend getting the necessary kills for this catalyst either in the Shuro Chi checkpoint or the Grasp of Avarice dungeon. Put your Special Ammo Finder mods on and shoot the Thralls or Taken until you get it.
