Echoes Act 2 released a new Catalyst for one of the most popular Exotics, and early impressions indicate that it will soon be a big problem in PvP.
Episode Echoes has a season pass just like every other Destiny season that preceded it, but there was one big change this time around. The Season Pass now goes all the way to Rank 200, but every rank beyond 100 was locked behind Acts 2 and 3.
Included in these locked-off rewards was the Exotic Catalyst for Red Death Reformed, which was made available on July 16. You’ll want to get it as soon as possible too, as it takes an already top-tier Exotic weapon and makes it even better.
Red Death Reformed’s Catalyst causes Final Blows to charge the weapon, with every following Final Blow producing a Healing Burst that heals and provides restoration for your team. Additionally, Redemption, the gun’s base Exotic Perk, also Cures you after each kill. This lethal combination results in one of the best PvP weapons in the sandbox right now.
With the Catalyst equipped, Guardians can now produce endless Cure and health regen with no additional effort, keeping everyone alive and making life a living hell for the other team. This is especially potent in objective modes where you’d need to capture or control points, as the Catalyst’s healing remnant can easily keep multiple players alive.
This potentially meta-defining addition wasn’t lost on the community, with a highly upvoted Reddit post insisting, “Red Death’s Catalyst is Insane,” and saying if you combine it with Solar Fragments like Ember of Empyrean and Ember of Benevolence, it makes you “completely broken.”
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Ember of Empyrean extends all Restoration effects while Ember of Benevolence provides 400% ability regeneration after healing allies. Solar builds can take advantage of this by using these Fragments to prolong healing and constantly have abilities off cooldown.
As for PvE, Red Death Reformed already provided one of the most consistent sources of healing. This new Catalyst amplifies that effect, making it a good option for higher-end content where sustainability is often valued over raw damage.
The ability to heal teammates isn’t as valuable in PvE, but it can be useful in encounters where you are taking constant damage. Those who enjoy using support weapons like Lumina, The Navigator, and No Hesitation should feel right at home using this Exotic Pulse Rifle.
To unlock Red Death Reformed’s Catalyst, all Guardians have to do is reach Rank 145 on the season pass. The fastest way to do this is to complete seasonal challenges and Pathfinder bounties, with both methods rewarding lots of experience.