The Witch Queen expansion for Destiny 2 has introduced 40+ new weapons, and players are finally getting a feel for which ones are standing out. In terms of add clearing, Submachine Guns are dominating in PvE. Between the new exotic SMG Osteo Striga in Destiny 2, the new Recluse like SMG Funnelweb, and the new Throne World SMG Forensic Nightmare, SMGs are once again the add clearing kings. The best non-exotic SMG for the kinetic weapon slot in The Witch Queen (pre-raid) is easily the Forensic Nightmare, a Stasis, 600 RPM precision frame weapon that’s easy to control and can even be crafted at the Relic using Destiny 2’s new crafting system.
The Forensic Nightmare is a Throne World weapons drop, which means it can drop from any Throne World source in the game. This includes Deepsight chests that are scattered around the Throne World, ranking up with Fynch’s reputation in Destiny 2, weekly replayable campaign missions, Throne World strikes, and Throne World public event chests. The most straightforward way to get one random roll of this weapon is to complete “The Gift of Appreciation” quest from Fynch. Rather than hope for a god roll purely from RNG, players will only need to hope for two Forensic Nightmares that drop with ‘Deepsight Reconassance,’ which can unlock the pattern of the weapon at the Relic on Mars.
Once players have gotten two Forensic Nightmares with Deepsight Reconnaissance to drop, they’ll have to extract both of their patterns by using the weapons and completing activities with the weapons equipped. After that, they’ll be able to craft a version of the weapon at the Relic on Mars. Unfortunately, players won’t be able to put the best perks on the weapon straight out of the gate with Destiny 2‘s weapon crafting. Instead, they will have to level up the crafted Forensic Nightmare the same way they did to extract the weapons patterns for the Relic. Once the weapon is level 14, they will have access to all its traits like Perpetual Motion, Headstone, and Kill Clip.
The Forensic Nightmare Godroll in Destiny 2
Attachments
- Barrel: Full Bore or Chambered Compensator.
- Magazine: Light Mag, Extended Mag, or Richochet Rounds.
Traits
- Perpetual Motion (Trait 1): This weapon gains bonus stability, handling, and reload speed while the wielder is in motion.
- Kill Clip (Trait 2): Reloading after a kill grants increased damage.
- Headstone (Alternate Trait 2): Precision final blows spawn a Stasis crystal at the victim’s location.
The Forensic Nightmare is easily the best kinetic submachine gun in the game right now (pre-raid) and a perfect secondary to Destiny 2’s Enigma Glaive. Of course, being only 1 of 2 automatic weapons that can roll with Headstone is a big plus, but it also comes with a new ‘Intrinsic Trait’ on all rolls of the weapon called ‘Pyschohack,’ which lowers an enemies damage output after sustaining damage with the weapon. This means this weapon technically has three traits rather than the usual 2, making it even more useful than it already is for add clearing.
Destiny 2: The Witch Queen is available on PlayStation 4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
