October 20, 2019
Hello and welcome to my breakdown of the Penumbra weapons, here you can find a links to my past articles for Forsaken, Black Armory, Joker’s Wild, and Penumbra. Below are the weapon’s base stats and my thoughts and opinions on their best rolls.
Adhortative - Data Input quest from Ikora, Pulse Rifle
Rate of Fire: 390
Impact: 27
Range: 47
Stability: 55
Handling: 48
Reload Speed: 45
Mag size: 37
Aim Assist: 61
Recoil Direction: 61
Curated Roll:
Adaptive Frame / Corkscrew Rifling / Flared Magwell / Full Auto Trigger System
Recommended PvE Perks:
Sights: Arrowhead Brake, Extended Barrel, Chambered Compensator
Magazine: High-Caliber Rounds, Appended Mag, Extended Mag
Perk 1: Feeding Frenzy, Underdog, Field Prep
Perk 2: Multikill Clip, Rampage, Dragonfly
Masterwork: Handling
Recommended PvP Perks:
Sights: Arrowhead Brake, Extended Barrel
Magazine: High-Caliber Rounds, Ricochet Rounds, Light Mag
Perk 1: Feeding Frenzy, Firmly Planted, Underdog
Perk 2: Rangefinder, Dragonfly
Masterwork: Range
Adhortative is the newest adaptive frame pulse rifle, and has some big shoes to fill. Being put up against Bygones, Swift Ride and Last Perdition for best 390 pulse is a big deal. Looking at stats alone the Adhortative is just a touch behind Bygones in almost every stat. Similar to Bygones the Adhortative gets barrels instead of scopes which puts it ahead of both SUROS pulses. Unfortunately the recoil direction is pretty poor, and won’t settle easy so a combination of Arrowhead and a CB mod, or anything that buffs recoil direction will help this pulse out. The good news is that being a later release Adhortative gets the best of new perks too. Feeding Frenzy and multikill clip are both exclusive to Adhortative, and both are exceptional PvE perks. Coupled with a large magazine or high-caliber rounds for flinching those pesky majors will make this almost a staple in your PvE loadouts.
In PvP the 390s are nothing special. Boasting a relaxed time to kill and decent stats the Adhortative isn’t going to be spectacular. And without being able to roll kill clip for the easy two-burst in PvP I cannot see this pulse being more than a PvE workhorse. It will be solid for its archetype, but not as lethal.
Ancient Gospel - Garden of Salvation, Hand Cannon
Rate of Fire: 140
Impact: 84
Range: 47
Stability: 62
Handling: 51
Reload Speed: 49
Mag size: 11
Aim Assist: 74
Recoil Direction: 100
Curated Roll:
Adaptive Frame
Recommended PvE Perks:
Sights: Fluted Barrel, Smallbore, Corkscrew Rifling
Magazine: Tactical Mag, Extended Mag
Perk 1: Rapid Hit, Outlaw, Slideshot
Perk 2: Dragonfly, Swashbuckler, Kill Clip
Masterwork: Handling, Reload
Recommended PvP Perks:
Sights: Smallbore, Hammer-Forged Rifling, Full Bore
Magazine: Accurized Rounds, Tactical Mag
Perk 1: Rapid Hit, Eye of the Storm, Outlaw
Perk 2: Rangefinder, Swashbuckler, Kill Clip
Masterwork: Range
In contrast to the last weapon. This is the one I want to get my hands on the most. 140s are just consistent and this one power creeps right up to and past the fatebringer 2.0 (3.0??) the Curated Nation of Beasts. Rapid Hit / Dragonfly will be a very popular and consistent roll for add clearing. Another equally good roll is Rapid Hit / Swashbuckler. I have this roll on a Spare Rations and it puts in so much work. Add more rounds via Tactical Mag or Extended and you’ll have a PvE workhorse.
As for PvP max range or bust isn’t really the way to go. Most hand cannons will reside within 25-29m with middling range. The only real way to bypass that is by the Rangefinder perk. So if you want maximum range, that is a must. If you’re looking for consistency Swashbuckler is amazing for dominating that mid-range. And Kill Clip is the obvious choice for a consistent follow up engagement. I just really want this because there aren’t many bad rolls to get. And with such a limited perk pool. I’ll be running this often.
Arc Logic - Dreambane Engram, Auto Rifle
Rate of Fire: 600
Impact: 21
Range: 44
Stability: 41
Handling: 68
Reload Speed: 60
Mag size: 41
Aim Assist: 65
Recoil Direction: 47
Curated Roll:
Adaptive Frame / Tactical Mag / Moving Target
Recommended PvE Perks:
Sights: Fluted Barrel, Smallbore, Corkscrew Rifling
Magazine: Tactical Mag, Extended Mag, Appended Mag
Perk 1: Overflow, Outlaw, Field Prep
Perk 2: Rampage, Demolitionist, Triple Tap
Masterwork: Reload or Handling
Recommended PvP Perks:
Sights: Arrowhead Brake, Smallbore, Extended Barrel
Magazine: Accurized Rounds
Perk 1: Outlaw, Moving Target
Perk 2: Tap the Trigger, Rangefinder
Masterwork: Range or Handling
I wish Arc Logic was a rapid fire frame or precision frame. Nevertheless we have a Gnawing Hunger competitor. Similar to Tranquility you won’t have to go into Gambit Prime for a decent variant of a Gambit Prime weapon. Unfortunately Gnawing Hunger beats Arc Logic in nearly every stat except handling where Arc Logic has better handling by 1. Pretty much everything else is the same across barrels and mag perks. So where the real differences lie are in the trait perks. Gnawing Hunger can get perks like zen moment and swashbuckler. Whereas Arc Logic can get overflow naturally as well as rangefinder, which is becoming a really good perk in Shadowkeep.
In PvP Adaptive auto rifles are not considered great. Usable but nothing stellar. In order to make Arc Logic the best it can be you’ll have to bump up that recoil direction and range to make it viable. Arrowhead brake and accurized rounds will make this feel like a dream. Add in something like tap the trigger for better initial accuracy or rangefinder for better range and you’ll be able to compete with this auto.
Dream Breaker - Dreambane Engram, Fusion Rifle
Charge Time: 660
Impact: 70
Range: 37
Stability: 42
Handling: 34
Reload Speed: 37
Mag size: 6
Aim Assist: 43
Recoil Direction: 57
Curated Roll:
Adaptive Frame / Liquid Coils - Particle Repeater / Snapshot Sights
Recommended PvE Perks:
Sights: Fluted Barrel, Corkscrew Rifling
Magazine: Liquid Coils, Enhanced Battery, Accelerated Coils
Perk 1: Auto-Loading Holster, Underdog, Threat Detector
Perk 2: Backup Plan, Rampage, Disruption Break
Masterwork: Handling
Recommended PvP Perks:
Sights: Arrowhead Brake, Fluted Barrel, Hammer-Forged Rifling
Magazine: Projection Fuse, Particle Repeater, Liquid Coils
Perk 1: Rangefinder, Moving Target, Firmly Planted
Perk 2: Backup Plan, Tap the Trigger, Rampage
Masterwork: Range or Stability
Adaptive Frame fusion rifles aren’t at all meta in any activity. But fusions in PvE have slowly been getting buffed again and again. To really make Dream Breaker strong is to improve its burst damage or to buff other weapons. Backup plan is the quickest way to get off two bursts in quick succession for some great burst DPS. On the other hand something like disruption break against shields can help in some of the tougher PvE encounters as a team if someone has Izanagi’s Burden or a shotgun.
For PvP there really isn’t a second option. The High-Impact Frames are just so dominant. You’d need the perfect roll to make sure 6 out of 7 bolts hit for that optimal burst. Good luck if you try to use this.
Every Waking Moment - Dreambane Engram, Submachine Gun
Rate of Fire: 600
Impact: 25
Range: 54
Stability: 44
Handling: 30
Reload Speed: 26
Mag size: 26
Aim Assist: 56
Recoil Direction: 96
Curated Roll:
Precision Frame / Extended Mag - Ricochet Rounds / Tap the Trigger
Recommended PvE Perks:
Sights: Fluted Barrel, Arrowhead Brake, Chambered Compensator
Magazine: Extended mag, High-Caliber Rounds
Perk 1: Outlaw, Slideways, Zen Moment
Perk 2: Swashbuckler, Kill Clip, Demolitionist
Masterwork: Reload
Recommended PvP Perks:
Sights: Hammer-Forged Rifling, Smallbore, Polygonal Rifling
Magazine: Ricochet Rounds, High-Caliber Rounds, Light Mag
Perk 1: Outlaw, Slideways, Zen Moment
Perk 2: Swashbuckler, Demolitionist, Eye of the Storm, Kill Clip
Masterwork: Range or Handling
This is a very interesting SMG, the first 600 RPM SMG with barrel options compared to the tried and true Antiope-D and Bad Reputation. For PvE SMGs aren’t really the best option. Recluse had master of arms and feeding frenzy which made it top tier. Every Waking Moment does have outlaw and swashbuckler, which will combo pretty well together.
In PvP I can see this being a pretty decent clean up weapon for CQC. You won’t have zoom increasing sights, but barrel options are typically the better options anyway. I still think ricochet rounds will be really good for SMGs to control the burst, but high-caliber rounds will be an extremely close second. I want to say swashbuckler is the best in slot option for column four, just for the ease in activation and the huge damage boost off of one melee kill. Kill clip, and demolitionist are also great options too.
Omniscient Eye - Garden of Salvation, Sniper Rifle
Rate of Fire: 140
Impact: 55
Range: 43
Stability: 42
Handling: 73
Reload Speed: 61
Mag size: 5
Aim Assist: 72
Recoil Direction: 55
Zoom: 45
Curated Roll:
Rapid-Fire Frame / Steady Rounds
Recommended PvE Perks:
Sights: Fluted Barrel, Arrowhead Break, Smallbore
Magazine: Tactical Mag, Appended Mag, Flared Magwell
Perk 1: Outlaw, Mulligan
Perk 2: Dragonfly, Multikill Clip, Rampage
Masterwork: Reload
Recommended PvP Perks:
Sights: Fluted Barrel, Hammer-Forged Rifling, Smallbore
Magazine: Accurized Rounds, Steady Rounds
Perk 1: Mulligan, No Distractions, Outlaw
Perk 2: Snapshot Sights
Masterwork: Range, Handling
Is this a contender to Twilight Oath? In my opinion, no. It can roll with snapshot, and is a 140 solar sniper. But it has more zoom, and no opening shot (godly on non-curated twilight oaths). It does boast better stats in base range and handling. But most people already have their god rolled Twilight Oath. So it would have to be incredible to overshadow it. No Distractions and Mulligan are both incredibly strong perks and ones to look out for, but not exactly something that will shake up the pvp scene.
In terms of PvE, I don’t see this having much of a place at all. Multikill Clip is nice and funny for this archetype, but it won’t be a good use of your ammo, and won’t beat out a Firing Line Sole Survivor or Tranquility.
Optative - Data Input quest from Ikora, Hand Cannon
Rate of Fire: 180
Impact: 78
Range: 41
Stability: 60
Handling: 33
Reload Speed: 58
Mag size: 9
Aim Assist: 67
Recoil Direction: 97
Curated Roll:
Precision Frame / Corkscrew Rifling / Tactical Mag
Recommended PvE Perks:
Sights: Fluted Barrel, Corkscrew Rifling, Hammer-Forged Rifling
Magazine: Tactical Mag, Extended Mag, Appended Mag
Perk 1: Rapid Hit, Outlaw, Fourth Time’s the Charm
Perk 2: Demolitionist, Kill Clip
Masterwork: Reload
Recommended PvP Perks:
Sights: Full Bore, Extended Barrel, Hammer-Forged Rifling
Magazine: Accurized Rounds
Perk 1: Rapid Hit, Outlaw
Perk 2: Kill Clip, Opening Shot
Masterwork: Range
For PvE I cannot justify using a Precision Frame over something like a Duke, Austringer, or Spare Rations. And that’s just staying inside legendary hand cannons. Ace of Spades, Sunshot, and even Thorn are all solid options too. 180s just do so little damage, especially if you’re underleveled that it makes it hard to recommend.
For PvP there is finally a 180 hand cannon to compete with Service Revolver. If you didn’t know. Service Revolver was the only way to relive the three tap days of Luna’s Howl and Not Forgotten. With kill clip active you can ensure a two crit, one body kill at a blistering 0.67 seconds. The benefit to using Service Revolver over LH or NF at the time was not having to hit two crits *then* one body. Once kill clip is active you can one body then two crit, or crit-body-crit for that same time to kill. Optative is just the energy variant which can help diversify your loadout. If you fancy yourself a 180 hand cannon. This is the one.
Premonition - Dreambane Engram, Pulse Rifle
Rate of Fire: 340
Impact: 33
Range: 64
Stability: 48
Handling: 33
Reload Speed: 40
Mag size: 28
Aim Assist: 32
Recoil Direction: 77
Curated Roll:
High-Impact Frame / Appended Mag - Accurized Rounds / Kill Clip - Firmly Planted
Recommended PvE Perks:
Sights: Arrowhead Brake, Fluted Barrel
Magazine: High-Caliber Rounds, Appended Mag
Perk 1: Outlaw, Firmly Planted
Perk 2: Demolitionist, Kill Clip
Masterwork: Handling or Reload
Recommended PvP Perks:
Sights: Arrowhead Brake, Smallbore, Corkscrew Rifling
Magazine: High-Caliber Rounds, Ricochet Rounds
Perk 1: Outlaw, Firmly Planted
Perk 2: Kill Clip, Demolitionist
Masterwork: Range (PC), Stability (Console) or Handling
Potentially a competitor to Redrix’s Broadsword the Premonition is a High-Impact Frame pulse rifle with barrels. This means we can easily max out the recoil direction and save our mod slot for something else. There are some excellent utility perks to maximize damage, recoil control, outbound flinch, or just ability usage. Take your pick
I am low-key excited for this pulse rifle. Arrowhead to improve that recoil direction to maximum, high-caliber rounds for better outbound flinch, and either firmly planted with kill clip or outlaw for those faster reloads. Firmly planted seems like it will be a great option for sliding into longer lanes and playing more aggressively with a high-impact pulse. Something I just want to try out. For a higher skill ceiling, Redrix will be better.
Prophet of Doom - Garden of Salvation, Shotgun
Rate of Fire: 65
Impact: 70
Range: 70
Stability: 52
Handling: 41
Reload Speed: 52
Mag size: 5
Aim Assist: 73
Recoil Direction: 77
Curated Roll:
Precision Frame / Smoothbore / High-Caliber Rounds / Field Prep
Recommended PvE Perks:
Sights: Smallbore, Corkscrew Rifling, Barrel Shroud
Magazine: Assault Mag, Tactical Mag, Appended Mag
Perk 1: Feeding Frenzy, Full Auto Trigger System
Perk 2: One-Two Punch, Rampage
Masterwork: Reload, Handling
Recommended PvP Perks:
Sights: Rifled Barrel, Full Choke
Magazine: Accurized Rounds, Assault Mag
Perk 1: Slideshot, Feeding Frenzy
Perk 2: Opening Shot, One-Two Punch, Rampage
Masterwork: Range
Are you tired of Dust Rock Blues? Can’t seem to kill enough ascendant bosses for a Retold Tale? The Prophet of Doom is here to save your cheeks. With exactly +1 more range than either of the aforementioned shotguns it’s obviously the god roll. Get yours to drop and start decimating the crucible and all enemies of the darkness now. While supplies last.
Joking aside, the Prophet of Doom is a reliable shotgun. I want to say it’s more tailored for PvE than PvP. Simply because you cannot roll Quickdraw or even Snapshot. Either of which some find completely necessary for PvP. It *is* the only shotgun of this pellet archetype to roll opening shot, which should give it a nice niche.
Reckless Oracle - Garden of Salvation, Auto Rifle
Rate of Fire: 720
Impact: 18
Range: 33
Stability: 60
Handling: 48
Reload Speed: 60
Mag size: 51
Aim Assist: 75
Recoil Direction: 59
Curated Roll:
Rapid-Fire Frame / Steady Rounds / Tap the Trigger
Recommended PvE Perks:
Sights: Arrowhead Brake, Fluted Barrel, Polygonal Rifling
Magazine: High-Caliber Rounds, Extended Mag, Ricochet Rounds
Perk 1: Outlaw, Auto-Loading Holster
Perk 2: Swashbuckler, Demolitionist, Kill Clip
Masterwork: Reload
Recommended PvP Perks:
Sights: Extended Barrel, Arrowhead Brake, Corkscrew Rifling
Magazine: High-Caliber Rounds, Ricochet Rounds
Perk 1: Outlaw, Mulligan
Perk 2: Swashbuckler, Kill Clip, Demolitionist
Masterwork: Range, Stability
Back in year 1, there was a dead orbit auto rifle called the Hollow Earth. It wasn’t a very special or amazing 720 auto rifle. But man did I love that gun. From the sights to the reload. It felt fun. I’m hoping for PvE this gun can fill that void. With the addition of random rolls you can get so many different combinations. More ammo via Extended Mag to keep firing for longer. HCR to flinch for longer. Outlaw to quick reload to get back to firing *for longer*. Or stow it away with ALH to take it out fully reloaded and fire for **even longer.** Punch a dreg in its dumb face to get 5x Swashbuckler and fire more damage bullets **EVEN LONGER.** Jokes aside, this looks to be a very fun gun. Not meta shattering, but hey, its a video game; have fun.
I also can’t see this dominating the crucible, but I have been wrong before. 720s have always been a bit niche, but can absolutely hold their own with the right perks. Maximizing range has always been key to try and punch outside of your range bracket. But something like Swashbuckler to immediately bump up your damage for the next kill. Add in HCR for huge flinch and you’re golden. It will be really fun to get that roll to just have fun in the crucible.
Subjunctive - Data Input quest from Ikora, Submachine Gun
Rate of Fire: 900
Impact: 15
Range: 33
Stability: 43
Handling: 69
Reload Speed: 35
Mag size: 36
Aim Assist: 52
Recoil Direction: 92
Curated Roll:
Lightweight Frame / Full Bore
Recommended PvE Perks:
Sights: Fluted Barrel, Corkscrew Rifling, Smallbore
Magazine: Ricochet Rounds, Appended Mag
Perk 1: Outlaw, Quickdraw
Perk 2: Surrounded, Swashbuckler, Rampage, Multikill Clip
Masterwork: Reload
Recommended PvP Perks:
Sights: Full Bore (PC), Polygonal Rifling (Console), Smallbore
Magazine: High-Caliber Rounds, Ricochet Rounds
Perk 1: Quickdraw, Outlaw, Pulse Monitor
Perk 2: Swashbuckler, Rampage
Masterwork: Range (PC), Stability (Console)
Will this be better than Recluse? Probably not. But a new SMG with random rolls isn’t a bad thing. Especially since there’s some really nice perks you can roll on this for a different build Recluse won’t be able to satisfy. A punchy-boi build is perfect for Subjunctive. Maybe one that encourages very aggressive PvE play, like in Gambit. Subjunctive is less of the “Recluse killer” and more of a loadout diversifier.
In PvP I don’t see a need for this SMG. Lightweight frames aren’t extremely meta and the reason Recluse was so dominant was due to master of arms, not the frame. You can still make Subjunctive work, it will just have to be a specific roll. Max stability for easier crits, or maximum range if you can control the kick. The 92 recoil direction won’t make the recoil straight up and down, so best of luck. Despite the nerf, I still think Ricochet Rounds will still be a top pick, if nothing more than the best stat package you can get from a magazine perk. Finally something like swashbuckler will work wonders for pumping out the best time to kill with very little set up. Coming close to, if not beating, Recluse.
Zealot's Reward - Garden of Salvation, Fusion Rifle
Rate of Fire: 540
Impact: 55
Range: 30
Stability: 35
Handling: 60
Reload Speed: 53
Mag size: 7
Aim Assist: 37
Recoil Direction: 49
Curated Roll:
Rapid-Fire Frame / Particle Repeater
Recommended PvE Perks:
Sights: Fluted Barrel, Corkscrew Rifling, Smallbore
Magazine: Liquid Coils, Projection Fuse
Perk 1: Feeding Frenzy, Auto-Loading Holster
Perk 2: Backup Plan, Rampage, Disruption Break
Masterwork: Reload
Recommended PvP Perks:
Sights: Arrowhead Brake, Extended Barrel
Magazine: Liquid Coils, Projection Fuse
Perk 1: Feeding Frenzy, Auto-Loading Holster
Perk 2: Backup Plan
Masterwork: Range, Stability
Big Yikes. Okay now that we established that. The new raid fusion is a rapid-fire frame. One of the least used frames in the current sandbox. I know some people are avid lovers of this archetype but I cannot for the life of me use it PvP or PvE. I don’t like them at all.
For both you’re gonna want to maximize consistency and damage. Either by bursting something down quickly through Backup plan, or making follow up shots easier by bumping up the middling stats. If you can make it work, please tell me how. I just don’t know how.
If you're looking for other breakdowns you can read my Kinetic Weapons and Power Weapons breakdowns. Happy Hunting Guardians!