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Episode: Heresy introduces a new Artifact to the Destiny 2 universe, packed with a variety of powerful perks that are poised to influence gameplay for the foreseeable future. This season brings back several popular perks, such as Horde Shuttle, a revamped version of Volatile Light, and even Particle Deconstruction from the Season of the Splicer.
If you’re eager to maximize your builds or dive into buildcrafting, this season’s Artifact is essential. To get started, complete the initial Heresy story mission, acquire the Tablet of Ruin, and begin earning XP to unlock these potent perks.
Overview of the Artifact’s Functionality in Episode: Heresy
While we have yet to conduct comprehensive testing on all 25 Artifact perks, this section will provide a brief overview based on in-game descriptions. Once we complete our testing, we will update this guide with specific perk values and notable combinations.
How the Artifact Works
The Tablet of Ruin consists of 25 unlockable perks. You gain perk points for the Artifact through XP, which can be earned from any activity, not just content related to Heresy. The Artifact is acquired during the Heresy onboarding quest, ensuring you won’t miss it.
Perks are organized into columns that need to be unlocked by spending points. For instance, you must select three perks from Column One before accessing any perks in Column Two. The unlocking order is as follows:
- Column One: Unlocked by default.
- Column Two: Requires three perks allocated.
- Column Three: Requires five perks allocated.
- Column Four: Requires seven perks allocated.
- Column Five: Requires ten perks allocated.
Keep in mind, you can have only 12 perks active at any time.
If you wish to modify your Artifact selections, simply choose any perks in the right column to remove them. This can be done as often as you like, free of charge. You can also press the "Respec" button at the bottom-right of the Artifact UI to reset all perks.
Note that Artifact selections are specific to each character, but they are not saved in loadout configurations. Therefore, if you wish to use different perks, you’ll have to manually adjust the Tablet of Ruin.
Column One Perks
- Unstoppable Fusion: Aiming down sights with a Fusion Rifle will load an explosive shot, stunning Unstoppable Champions. When that modifier is active, Fusion Rifles are also permanently Overcharged.
- Overload Machine Guns: Landing consecutive hits with an LMG will stun Overload Champions. LMGs are always Overcharged when that modifier is active.
- Piercing Sidearms: Sidearms fire rounds that pierce shields and are effective against Barrier Champions. They are also always Overcharged.
- Anti-Barrier Sniper Rifle: Sniper Rifles fire rounds that can pierce shields, making them effective against Barrier Champions. Always Overcharged when that modifier is active.
- Unstoppable Glaive: Glaives fire an explosive payload that stuns Unstoppable Champions. They are also always Overcharged when that modifier is active.
Column Two Perks
- Overclock and Load: If you are Amplified or have Bolt Charge, Arc weapons gain enhanced handling and reload speed.
- Deep Alchemy: Weapons with the Subjugation origin trait gain stability and reload speed for a limited time after hitting any target. These weapons are always Overcharged.
- Volatile Marksman: Precision hits with rapid Void weapons grant Volatile Rounds, and rapid final blows will upgrade this effect.
- Legend Incarnate: Weapons with the Timelost Magazine origin trait receive bonus damage, and these weapons are always Overcharged.
- Unraveling Orbs: Picking up an Orb of Power or a Tangle grants Unraveling Rounds for Strand weapons.
Column Three Perks
- Hold the Line: When surrounded, Machine Guns and Glaives receive boosts to reload speed and stability, and their final blows will heal you.
- Dielectric: Defeating Arc-debuffed enemies grants Bolt Charge. If you defeat multiple Arc-debuffed combatants quickly, an Orb of Power will spawn and provide healing.
- King’s Vestige: Taking down a powerful Taken loads your weapon with Three Taken seekers that inflict Disruption and Exhaust, making targets deal reduced damage.
- Disruptor Spike: Increases the power of Exhaust and Sever effects.
- Photonic Flare: Defeating an Exhausted or Severed enemy with Arc damage triggers a blinding explosion.
Column Four Perks
- Dreadful Finisher: Finishing powerful enemies drops Special ammo, while eliminations of Champions, Tormentors, and Subjugators yield additional ammo.
- Maligned Harvest: Applying Volatile quickly makes your next Void damage create a Weakening pulse.
- Flashover: Achieving max Bolt Charge amplifies your damage and also makes you Amplified.
- Horde Shuttle: Hitting targets affected by Unraveled with a weapon can occasionally create a Threadling.
- No Bell: Performing rapid Glaive melee final blows can generate Special ammo, and blocking damage with Glaives increases their melee effectiveness.
Column Five Perks
- Particle Reconstruction: Consistent damage from Fusion and Linear Fusion Rifles debuffs the target, boosting damage taken, while reloading your weapon from reserves.
- Elemental Supercharger: Cheating defeat to Exhausted or Severed foes with the appropriate elemental weapon grants Super energy.
- Heavy Ordnance Regeneration: Sustained damage from a Machine Gun or Rocket Launcher provides damage resistance and speeds up grenade and melee regeneration temporarily.
- Defibrillating Blast: Stunning a Champion grants maximum Bolt Charge stacks and creates an Arc bolt that heals you while jolting affected enemies.
- Void Flux: Vanquishing weakened opponents with a Void weapon spreads Volatile to nearby enemies, especially effective against powerful foes who increase the explosion radius.
This Artifact brings a range of strategic options for players to explore, enhancing the fun and depth of Destiny 2 gameplay.