Destiny 2’s Into The Light update is a celebration of the franchise’s past running right up until the launch of The Final Shape. Elsie’s Rifle is a natural fit to return for such a celebration, and it makes that return a decade later with an incredible perk pool to boot.
There are a few changes from the gun veteran players might be familiar with. Elsie’s Rifle is a Void pulse rifle now, and belongs to the same High-Impact Frame archetype as its Exotic counterpart No Time To Explain from Beyond Light. It’s also packed with some of the best perks currently available in Destiny 2 for both PvE and PvP, including everything from Keep Away and Desperado to Destabilizing Rounds and Repulsor Brace. No matter what god roll you most desire on your pulse rifle of choice, Elsie’s Rifle can probably get it.
Here’s our recommendations on Elsie’s Rifle’s best perks and god rolls for when you’re out on the field in Onslaught. If you want an easier time getting the drops, make sure you remember to attune to Elsie’s Rifle in the Hall of Champions before jumping into the new activity as well.
What is the Elsie’s Rifle god roll in Destiny 2?
Elsie’s Rifle PvE god roll
- First perk: Repulsor Brace or Rewind Rounds
- Second perk: Destabilizing Rounds or Desperate Measures
- Masterwork: Reload Speed
Elsie’s Rifle PvP god roll
- First perk: Keep Away or Zen Moment
- Second perk: Desperado or Headseeker
- Masterwork: Range
For Elsie’s Rifle in Destiny 2, the PvE god roll we recommend is either a Void-centric build with Repulsor Brace and Destabilizing Rounds, or the more universally viable pairing of Rewind Rounds with Desperate Measures.
The Void subclass is incredibly strong at the moment, and there’s no reason not to lean into its Fragments and Aspects with your primary weapon when given the opportunity. Elsie’s Rifle also comes with the Indomitability Origin Trait, which will grant you free grenade energy on final blows if you’re using the Void subclass, further heightening the gun’s synergy with your abilities.
If you’re not running Void, though, it can be hard to feel like you’re getting a ton of value out of these two perks. In that instance, pairing a traditional damage perk like Desperate Measures or Adrenaline Junkie with Rewind Rounds or Freeding Frenzy in the third column can be just as effective. Adrenaline Junkie is an especially interesting one to keep an eye on, thanks to the aforementioned Origin Trait if you’re running Elsie’s Rifle with a Light subclass.
As for Destiny 2 PvP, the best god roll you can hope for with Elsie’s Rifle is Keep Away and Headseeker. With these two perks combined with a barrel and magazine bumping the gun’s range and stability, Elsie’s Rifle can be a monster duelist at a distance on par with competitors such as The Messenger.
Bungie hasn’t restricted it to only having one good PvP roll, though. If you’re a Titan that likes to keep things a bit more up close and personal in the Crucible, taking a perk like Zen Moment in the third column to improve accuracy and stability in the medium to close range can go a long way to winning fights against auto rifles. Headseeker still makes for a great combo in the fourth column even in this instance, but you can also look to the likes of Desperado and Kill Clip if you want the gun to carry some momentum through multiple gunfights.
How to get Elsie’s Rifle in Destiny 2
Elsie’s Rifle is available via the BRAVE arsenal introduced with Destiny 2’s Into The Light update. To get your first drop of it, you’ll need to complete it’s respective quest from Arcite 99-40 in the Hall of Champions. After completing the quest, you’ll then be able to earn it as a reward from chests in the Onslaught activity, as well as attune to it in order to increase its overall drop rate.
Elsie’s Rifle is part of the first wave of BRAVE weapons that can be earned immediately from April 9 onward. It will continue to be available through the Hall of Champions and Onslaught beyond the release of The Final Shape in June, but the limited-edition variant of the weapon which comes with a custom ornament will only be available prior to the expansion’s launch. After The Final Shape’s release, drops of Elsie’s Rifle you own are also going to be retroactively enhanceable, meaning you can get enhanced versions of the perks on the gun akin to crafted weapons.
