Trials of Osiris features a plethora of new loot in Destiny 2‘s Season of the Haunted, including new armor and two new weapons. Forgiveness, an Arc sidearm with some of the best base stats to work with and a promising perk pool, is one of those new weapons.
While a few perk column allocation choices hinder its ultimate potential, fans of other Aggressive Burst Frame sidearms like Breachlight and Empirical Evidence will find a lot to love with Forgiveness. It is also one of only three that are currently available in Destiny 2, and with Empirical Evidence being the only other easily accessible one, it’s given a lot of room to shine when there is little competition in the same space.
While perks like Demolitionist, Multikill Clip, and Harmony will be the central draw to prospective grinders, Forgiveness’ base stats also deserve a place in the conversation.
Compared to Empirical Evidence, it has higher base range, stability, handling and aim assist. This gives players a better starting foundation to work with when concocting their ideal roll, and means they will be less reliant on stat-boosting options to make the weapon perform well. Forgiveness’ place as a Trials of Osiris Weapon also means Adept versions are available to those who go Flawless, offering the ability to slot powerful Adept mods into the weapon.
Forgiveness is a sidearm built for the Crucible, but it has a number of great PvE options as well. Here are our god rolls for each.
Forgiveness god rolls and best perks in Destiny 2
Forgiveness PvP god roll
- Barrel: Smallbore
- Magazine: Ricochet Rounds
- First perk: Moving Target (Honorable mention: Killing Wind)
- Second perk: Harmony
Forgiveness PvE god roll
- Barrel: Fluted Barrel
- Magazine: High-Caliber Rounds or Flared Magwell
- First perk: Demolitionist
- Second perk: Adrenaline Junkie (Honorable mention: Vorpal Weapon)
Forgiveness has a lot of very potent builds for different playstyles, but some strong perks in its pool don’t appear in its god rolls due to poor column placement. The main victim of this is Rapid Hit, which is still a great option, but is relegated to the second perk column alongside Forgiveness’ traditional damage-enhancing choices. The lack of a reload perk like Rapid Hit or Outlaw in that first slot is certainly felt, but not the curtain call for this sidearm’s potential.
Thanks to its impressive base stats, the likes of Killing Wind and Smallbore can nearly max out many of its stats during extended gunfights. Every little boost to range can make the difference against the pulse rifles that currently dominate the Crucible, and Forgiveness’ high aim assist means you can more consistently land those long range shots despite the hefty recoil on Aggressive Burst sidearms.
The perks featured in these god rolls are not the only perks available though, and a lot of potential still lies within more niche options. Here’s a breakdown of Forgiveness’ best available perk options to help pick out what works best for you.
First perk column
Demolitionist
A classic with both PvE and PvP utility, Demolitionist is a safe choice for any foundational build. The presence of Adrenaline Junkie also heightens the value of Demolitionist, as the two perks synergize well to maximize any grenade-focused loadout. If the stat-focused perks in this column don’t interest you, Demolitionist will be the go-to choice.
Moving Target
It’s hard to root against Moving Target’s strengths in any PvP environment, especially on Forgiveness, where Moving Target’s passive 10 point bonus to aim assist puts the sidearm up to a maximum 100 aim asisst total. The weighty nature of the Aggressive Burst Frame can be difficult to control, and Moving Target can provide the wiggle room necessary to land your shots against opposing Guardians with greater consistency.
Subsistence
Subsistence struggles to make a name for itself against the likes of Moving Target and Killing Wind, but still serves a place in some PvE builds. With the lack of options for increasing the weapon’s reload speed, Subsistence can be a good alternative to keep you in the fight for longer. It can be an effective pairing with Multikill Clip or Adrenaline Junkie.
Killing Wind
Killing Wind grants 20 range, 50 mobility and 40 handling for five seconds after a kill. Considering Forgiveness’ best-in-class stats, it’s difficult to argue against what Killing Wind can do for this weapon. Managing to get that first kill effectively grants the player a set of stats temporarily that puts Forgiveness in a place to compete against weapons that are more traditionally optimal at a medium range.
Well-Rounded and Air Assault
Both of these perks are hampered by high activation costs where the other solid choices in this column are not. Well-Rounded has some potential place in niche builds, but Air Assault pairs high activation cost with a low reward and lacks a place in any loadout until it receives a possible buff later down the line. Well-Rounded can provide some beneficial boosts to Forgiveness’ stats, but it requires using a grenade or melee charge when you might rather hold onto those abilities.
Second perk column
Harmony
Harmony is often slept on thanks to its less common method of activation, but the 20-percent damage boost and its seven second duration are difficult to beat. Pair Forgiveness with a robust special weapon or a long range primary weapon to get the most out of this perk. Even in a Crucible environment, getting the first kill with your other weapon is an easy task, and you can then switch to Forgiveness as you close the gap to the enemy team and clean them up with the bonus damage.
Adrenaline Junkie and Multikill Clip
These two perks vie for control of Forgiveness’ traditional damage-boosting perk slot. The choice that is best for you entirely depends on your choice of perk in the first column. When paired with Demolitionist, Adrenaline Junkie’s potential synergy makes it a difficult choice to pass up. But other perk options such as Killing Wind or Moving Target will inherently pair better with Multikill Clip thanks to the lack of benefits provided to the grenade ability and cooldown.
Rapid Hit
Rapid Hit could have been one of the best perks on Forgiveness, had it been in the first column and able to be paired up with the likes of Multikill Clip. This is not the case, however, and the argument for taking Rapid Hit can be a difficult one to make. It’s still a valid option, owing to the lack of any other perks that enhance the weapon’s reload speed and Rapid Hit’s additional boosts to stability, but it’s up to player preference more than being a mandatory choice.
Vorpal Weapon
Vorpal Weapon’s worth is somewhat hampered by the fact that the Anti-Barrier Sidearm mod is currently disabled in the Season of the Haunted seasonal artifact. Vorpal Weapon shines best on sidearms when the weapon class is featured as one of the anti-Champion choices in any given season. Sidearms like Forgiveness are incredibly effective despite their size against these more powerful targets, but any roll with Vorpal attached to it might find its place in the Vault until Anti-Barrier Sidearm is fixed.
Fragile Focus
Fragile Focus boasts an impressive boost to Forgiveness’ range on paper, but the numbers don’t necessarily equate to a significant impact in-game. Paired with Killing Wind or Well-Rounded, its increase to the weapon’s range after five seconds of not taking damage can allow Forgiveness to function with little falloff even at long ranges. Whether you want to build an entire roll of the weapon around its range, however, comes down to preference and more than likely will remain a niche choice up against what other perks here can offer.
