Most of Destiny 2’s weapons can be enhanced by Masterworking them. When a weapon is Masterworked, it can generate Orbs of Power on multikills. Legendary weapons also receive a +10 increase to a random stat that’s rolled when the weapon is obtained.
Exotics work a bit differently. Rather than obtain a random stat bump, these weapons gain massive stat increases or new perks. Masterworking an Exotic requires the discovery of an Exotic Catalyst, an item that can drop from certain activities. Most Exotics, but not all, have a Catalyst that Guardians can earn. This guide will cover everything from what Catalysts are to what every single Exotic Catalyst does in Destiny 2.
What Are Exotic Catalysts
Exotic Catalysts are a unique item found in a variety of activities. When you receive a Catalyst for a particular Exotic weapon, you can apply that Catalyst to an Exotic weapon from its perk menu. If a weapon does not have a Catalyst slot in its perk menu, it doesn’t have one and, therefore, cannot be Masterworked.
These Catalysts will Masterwork a weapon once their Catalyst objective is complete. While the objective varies from Exotic to Exotic, they generally ask for 500 combatant kills while using that weapon.
Once a Catalyst objective is complete, inspect the weapon one more time and apply the Masterwork by hovering over the Catalyst icon. That Exotic weapon is now Masterworked, gaining additional stats or even a new perk.
Exotic Catalyst Drop Locations
Virtually every matchmade activity in Destiny 2 has an Exotic Catalyst in its drop table. While the Beyond Light expansion did sunset many of these activities, there are still quite a few ways to earn Catalysts.
Every Exotic weapon in Destiny 2 that has a Catalyst can be farmed from a certain activity. The MIDA Multi-Tool Catalyst, for example, only drops in Competitive Crucible after you reach a Glory rank of Legend. Some Exotic Catalysts can drop from a variety of activities, one example being the Trinity Ghoul Catalyst which drops from strikes, Crucible, or Gambit matches.
If you’re looking for a specific Exotic Catalyst, they are all listed in the next section. Once again, if an Exotic weapon does not have a Catalyst slot in its perk screen, it cannot be Masterworked.
Every Exotic Catalyst
Below this entry lists every Exotic Catalyst in Destiny 2. This list is up to date as of Season of the Hunt. Each entry shows what the Catalyst does, if it is currently obtainable, how it can/was obtained, and the Catalyst objective. Feel free to search this page to look up the Exotic weapon you’re interested in. If the Exotic weapon doesn’t appear, it doesn’t have an Exotic Catalyst.
Ace Of Spades
Catalyst Effect: New perk (Funeral Pyre): Firefly deals more damage while Memento Mori is active.
Obtainable: Yes
Drop Location: Strike and Nightfall completions
Catalyst Objective: 500 combatant kills
Bad Juju
Catalyst Effect: New perk (Unending Curse): Extends the duration of String of Curses by one second (3.5 seconds to 4.5 seconds).
Obtainable: No
Drop Location: Tribute Hall (place 45 Tributes)
Catalyst Objective: 700 combatant kills
Black Talon
Catalyst Effect: New perk (Reversal): Shots blocked immediately after guarding increase the damage of Crow’s Wings by 50% for two seconds.
Obtainable: Yes
Drop Location: Strikes, Crucible, and Gambit
Catalyst Objective: 350 combatant kills
Borealis
Catalyst Effect: +20 reload speed
Obtainable: Yes
Drop Location: PvE kills
Catalyst Objective: Get 150 Solar, Arc, and Void kills with Borealis.
Cerberus+1
Catalyst Effect: New perk (Focused Fire): Hold the reload button to swap to a tighter, close-ranged spread.
Obtainable: Yes
Drop Location: PvE kills
Catalyst Objective: 500 combatant kills
Coldheart
Catalyst Effect: +20 stability and reload speed
Obtainable: Yes
Drop Location: PvE kills; strike and Nightfall completions
Catalyst Objective: 300 combatant kills
The Colony
Catalyst Effect: +1 magazine size; New perk (Deeper Pockets): Increased ammo reserves.
Obtainable: Yes
Drop Location: The Crucible
Catalyst Objective: 500 combatant kills
Crimson
Catalyst Effect: +20 range
Obtainable: Yes
Drop Location: PvE kills
Catalyst Objective: 500 combatant kills
D.A.R.C.I.
Catalyst Effect: +20 stability
Obtainable: Yes
Drop Location: PvE kills
Catalyst Objective: 300 combatant kills
Duality
Catalyst Effect: +20 range and +2 magazine size
Obtainable: Yes
Drop Location: Seasonal quest from Banshee-44
Catalyst Objective: 400 combatant kills
Eriana’s Vow
Catalyst Effect: New perk (More to Give): Increases magazine size by three. Holstering this weapon automatically reloads it after a short period of time.
Obtainable: Yes
Drop Location: Seasonal quest from Banshee-44
Catalyst Objective: 700 combatant kills
Fighting Lion
Catalyst Effect: +30 reload speed; new perk (Chimera): After this weapon fires, equipped Kinetic and Power weapons gain a brief period of increased handling and accuracy.
Obtainable: Yes
Drop Location: PvE kills
Catalyst Objective: 1,000 combatant kills; complete 167 bounties
The Fourth Horseman
Catalyst Effect: +40 reload speed; new perk (And Its Name Was Death): Adds an additional round to the magazine and increases reload speed.
Obtainable: No
Drop Location: Legendary Lost Sectors (Season of the Worthy Lost Sectors only)
Catalyst Objective: 400 combatant kills
Graviton Lance
Catalyst Effect: +20 range; new perk (Hiden Hand): Better target acquisition (grants +15 to the aim assist stat).
Obtainable: Yes
Drop Location: Strikes, Crucible, and Gambit
Catalyst Objective: 500 combatant kills, and 100 Cosmology kills
Legend Of Acrius
Catalyst Effect: +40 reload speed and +4 magazine size; new perk (Deeper Pockets): Increased ammo reserves
Obtainable: No
Drop Location: Encounters and chests in Prestige Leviathan
Catalyst Objective: 500 combatant kills
Hard Light
Catalyst Effect: +25 stability
Obtainable: Yes
Drop Location: Strikes and Nightfalls
Catalyst Objective: 1,000 combatant kills
Hawkmoon
Catalyst Effect: +1 magazine size; new perk (Hunter’s Trance): Grants increased handling, reload speed, and weapon range based on the number of stacks of Paracausal Charge.
Obtainable: Yes
Drop Location: Harbinger mission (part of the Bird of Prey quest)
Catalyst Objective: 700 combatant kills
Huckleberry
Catalyst Effect: New perk (Bull Rider): Kills with this weapon now reload the entire magazine.
Obtainable: No
Drop Location: Heroic Adventure completions
Catalyst Objective: 500 combatant kills
Izanagi’s Burden
Catalyst Effect: New perk (Peerless Edge): Increases the damage bonus of Honed Edge by 20% when four bullets are consumed.
Obtainable: No
Drop Location: Heroic Menagerie completions
Catalyst Objective: 500 combatant kills
Jade Rabbit
Catalyst Effect: +30 stability
Obtainable: Yes
Drop Location: The Crucible
Catalyst Objective: 500 combatant kills
Leviathan’s Breath
Catalyst Effect: New perk (Colossal Quiver): Increases quiver size (grants five additional arrows in your reserves).
Obtainable: Yes
Drop Location: Bosses slain by Leviathan’s Breath
Catalyst Objective: 1,500 combatant kills
Lord Of Wolves
Catalyst Effect: New perk (Fang and Claw): Increases reload speed while Release the Wolves is active, and increases stability when it is not.
Obtainable: Yes
Drop Location: Strikes, Crucible, and Gambit
Catalyst Objective: 500 combatant kills
Lumina
Catalyst Effect: New perk (Resonant Virtue): Gain two Remnants per final blow instead of one.
Obtainable: Yes
Drop Location: Strikes, Crucible, and Gambit
Catalyst Objective: 250 Noble Round heals
Merciless
Catalyst Effect: +40 range and stability
Obtainable: Yes
Drop Location: Strikes and Nightfalls
Catalyst Objective: 500 combatant kills
MIDA Multi-Tool
Catalyst Effect: New perk (Outlaw): Precision kills greatly decrease reload time.
Obtainable: Yes
Drop Location: Kills or wins in Competitive Crucible while at Legend Glory rank
Catalyst Objective: 250 precision final blows in the Crucible.
No Time To Explain
Catalyst Effect: New perk (Blast from the Side): Projectiles from the time portal shoot more frequently.
Obtainable: Yes
Drop Location: Stranger quests
Catalyst Objective: 700 combatant kills
Outbreak Perfected
Catalyst Effect: New perk (Disease Vector): Increases nanite damage. Enemies that die with nanites attached to them generate additional nanites.
Obtainable: No
Drop Location: Heroic Zero Hour mission
Catalyst Objective: Collect 500 SIVA Nanites from Heroic Zero Hour; 500 precision kills
Polaris Lance
Catalyst Effect: New perk (Dragonfly): Precision kills create an elemental damage explosion.
Obtainable: No
Drop Location: Nascent Dawn quest
Catalyst Objective: 500 combatant kills; 50 Perfect Fifth kills
Prometheus Lens
Catalyst Effect: +20 stability and handling
Obtainable: Yes
Drop Location: Strikes and Nightfalls
Catalyst Objective: 500 combatant kills
The Prospector
Catalyst Effect: +40 Blast Radius; new perk (Deeper Pockets): Increased ammo reserves.
Obtainable: Yes
Drop Location: Strikes and Nightfalls
Catalyst Objective: 500 combatant kills
Rat King
Catalyst Effect: +20 aim assist, recoil, and +80 bounce intensity; new perk (Infestation): Improved aim assist and recoil direction. Refreshes health on Vermin invisibility trigger.
Obtainable: Yes
Drop Location: Strikes and Nightfalls
Catalyst Objective: 1,00 combatant kills while everyone in your fireteam is using Rat King
Riskrunner
Catalyst Effect: +30 range
Obtainable: Yes
Drop Location: Pain and Gain quest
Catalyst Objective: 500 combatant kills, and 50 Arc Conductor kills
Ruinous Effigy
Catalyst Effect: New perk (Deconstruction): This weapon deals increased damage against targets damaged by Transmutation spheres (targets take 25% increased damage).
Obtainable: No
Drop Location: PvE kills
Catalyst Objective: Destroy all Savathun’s Eyes in Season or Arrivals, or get 5,000 kills
Skyburner’s Oath
Catalyst Effect: +30 range
Obtainable: No
Drop Location: Leviathan raid
Catalyst Objective: 1,000 Cabal kills
Sleeper Simulant
Catalyst Effect: -75 charge time; new perk (Deeper Pockets): Increased ammo reserves.
Obtainable: No
Drop Location: Prestige Spire of Stars
Catalyst Objective: 1,000 kills with each IKELOS weapon; loot the Oracle chest in Heroic The Whisper mission; 500 combatant kills with Sleeper Simulant
Sturm
Catalyst Effect: +20 range and +40 handling
Obtainable: Yes
Drop Location: Enemies on Nessus
Catalyst Objective: 500 combatant kills, and 500 Drang kills
Sunshot
Catalyst Effect: +30 range and +20 stability
Obtainable: Yes
Drop Location: Strikes, Crucible, and Gambit
Catalyst Objective: 500 combatant kills, and 1,000 Sun Blast kills
SUROS Regime
Catalyst Effect: +50 recoil and bounce intensity; new perk (SUROS Ascendance): Increases chance for kills to regen health.
Obtainable: Yes
Drop Location: The Crucible
Catalyst Objective: 300 Crucible kills
Sweet Business
Catalyst Effect: New perk (Serious Business): When this weapon is fully spun up, the flinch from incoming damage is greatly reduced.
Obtainable: Yes
Drop Location: Strikes, Crucible, and Gambit
Catalyst Objective: 250 multikills
Symmetry
Catalyst Effect: New perk (Electric Styx): Increases the maximum number of Dynamic Charge stacks (increased from 15 to 20).
Obtainable: Yes
Drop Location: Seasonal quest from Banshee-44
Catalyst Objective: 700 combatant kills
Telesto
Catalyst Effect: +3 magazine size; new perk (Deeper Pockets): Increased ammo reserves.
Obtainable: No
Drop Location: Prestige Eater of Worlds encounters
Catalyst Objective: Complete all Lost Prophecy Verses on Mercury
Tommy’s Matchbook
Catalyst Effect: New perk (Heat of the Moment): While Ignition Trigger is active, your health recovers much faster.
Obtainable: Yes
Drop Location: Seasonal quest from Banshee-44
Catalyst Objective: 700 combatant kills
Tractor Cannon
Catalyst Effect: +20 range and +2 to the magazine
Obtainable: Yes
Drop Location: PvE kills
Catalyst Objective: 300 combatant kills
Trinity Ghoul
Catalyst Effect: -30 draw time; new perk (Forked Lightning): Lightning Rod now triggers from any Arc damage final blow
Obtainable: Yes
Drop Location: Strikes, Crucible, and Gambit
Catalyst Objective: 400 combatant kills
Vigilance Wing
Catalyst Effect: New perk (Full Auto Trigger System): Holding down the trigger will fire this weapon at full auto.
Obtainable: Yes
Drop Location: The Crucible
Catalyst Objective: 250 Crucible kills
The Wardcliff Coil
Catalyst Effect: Pinpoint Guidance Module: Improved tracking on projectiles.
Obtainable: Yes
Drop Location: Strikes and Nightfalls
Catalyst Objective: 500 combatant kills
Whisper Of The Worm
Catalyst Effect: +30 reload speed; new perk (Whispered Breathing): Aiming this weapon without firing for a brief moment grants bonus range and precision damage while it remains zoomed.
Obtainable: No
Drop Location: Heroic The Whisper mission
Catalyst Objective: Obtain 100 Blighted Essence from Heroic The Whisper
Witherhoard
Catalyst Effect: +40 handling; new perk (Silent Alarm): Increases handling. Holstering this weapon automatically reloads it after a short period of time.
Obtainable: Yes
Drop Location: Seasonal quest from Banshee-44
Catalyst Objective: 400 combatant kills
Worldline Zero
Catalyst Effect: New quest (Another Dimension): Reduces the activation time of Tesseract.
Obtainable: No
Drop Location: PvE kills with Swords
Catalyst Objective: Damage all five Escalation Protocol bosses with Worldline Zero
Next: Destiny 2: Every Possible Way To Earn Exotic Ciphers
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Charles Burgar is an expert on all things tech and gaming. Graduating from Pikes Peak Community College in 2018 with an Associate of Science, Charles has spent his time dissecting popular video games, movies, and technology. With an understanding of games for as long as he can remember, Charles has a large interest in understanding what makes things fun. He is currently a Freelance writer for TheGamer and Game Rant.
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