With the release of Season of the Hunt for Destiny 2, Bungie has included a new type of reward for going flawless in Trials of Osiris. Named Adept weapons, these weapon variants a +3 bonus to all stats when Masterworked on top of the +10 bonus Masterworking typically provides. Better yet, these weapons can equip exclusive Adept mods that are stronger than their non-Adept counterpart.
Most will argue that these changes are not enough to warrant going flawless in Trials. For many players, that is the case; a large majority of Trials of Osiris weapons don't benefit from the new Adept mods. However, there are a few exceptions that make great use of the additional stats. Here is how every Adept weapon fairs against one another.
Updated September 19th, 2021, by Charles Burgar: Trials of Osiris has seen a major rework in Season of the Lost. Its reward structure is more generous, games are far less sweaty for the average player, and the overall playlist has seen some much-needed rule changes. Trials also has a new Adept weapon for players to chase: Reed's Regret. We've updated this tier list to include Season 15's latest Adept offering, and we've updated a few entries to reflect recent balance patches.
11 The Scholar (Adept)
Scout Rifles have seen some consistency upgrades in Beyond Light. This weapon archetype does surprisingly well in long-range PvP engagements, yet The Scholar still struggles to find a niche against MIDA Multi-Tool or Transfiguration.
Consistency is this weapon's focus; perks such as Opening Shot and Elemental Capacitor can roll on this weapon to make every shot feel responsive. Sadly, the prevalence of Stasis means Elemental Capacitor has lost a lot of its luster. Worse, very few Adept mods give The Scholar a leg up over its competition. Adept Targeting might be the best pick for this weapon, but The Scholar's low aim assist value of 32 will never rival MIDA's 100 aim assist or the 70-80 aim assist value that most 120 RPM Hand Cannons have.
Recommended Traits
- Column One: Full Auto Trigger System, Opening Shot
- Column Two: Vorpal Weapon, Elemental Capacitor, No Distractions
10 Sola's Scar (Adept)
Don't misinterpret Sola's Scar's low ranking for its effectiveness. This Sword is incredibly strong in PvE as an add-clearing weapon—which is mostly due to the Chain Reaction perk—but its use in PvP is limited at best.
Most players use Swords to third-person "peek" around corners, allowing players to line up shots without presenting themselves. Is going Flawless for a good roll of this Sword worth a better stat package? For PvE, not really. For PvP, absolutely not. It does deal more damage in PvE due to the Adept Impact mod, but that isn't enough to justify going Flawless multiple times for a good roll, especially for players that aren't good in PvP.
Recommended Traits
- Column One: Tireless Blade
- Column Two: Vorpal Weapon, En Garde, Chain Reaction (PvE)
9 Eye Of Sol (Adept)
Adaptive Frame Sniper Rifles are considered the worst amongst all Sniper Rifle archetypes. While Eye of Sol might be part of that archetype, this weapon is a devastating choice inside PvE and PvP with the right perks.
Adept mods have given Eye of Sol new life inside of PvP. The Adept Targeting mod gives this weapon ten aim assist, which can take its base aim assist stat of 68 to 78. Pair this with one or two Sniper Targeting mods in your helmet to nearly cap out this gun's aim assist value, making it one of the most consistent Sniper Rifles in the game. Snapshot Sights and Tunnel Vision further amplify this weapon's ease of use. For PvE, Vorpal Weapon makes Eye of Sol a solid anti-Champion weapon in Master Lost Sectors and Nightfalls.
Recommended Traits
- Column One: Tunnel Vision, Moving Target
- Column Two: Snapshot Sights, Vorpal Weapon, Opening Shot
8 Exile's Curse (Adept)
It might be surprising to see Exile's Curse rank higher than Eye of Sol, but that was done for one reason: Kickstart. This perk gives Exile's Curse a damage and charge rate boost after you slide.
High-Impact Fusion Rifles already have a tight recoil pattern, but this can be further amplified with Slideshot. When Slideshot and Kickstart are active, this weapon becomes a devastating alternative to Shotguns. High-Impact Reserves and Killing Wind can also roll in this weapon if you prefer to use Fusion Rifles as an anti-Shotgun weapon. PvE players will likely prefer Telesto, but Crucible players should seriously keep their eyes out for this roll.
Recommended Traits
- Column One: Slideshot, Killing Wind
- Column Two: Kickstart (PvP), Vorpal Weapon, High-Impact Reserves
7 Astral Horizon (Adept)
Unbeknownst to most, Bungie changed certain the perk pools on most Trials of Osiris weapons in Season of the Chosen. This change impacted astral Horizon, and it is now much worse than before.
Astral Horizon can no longer obtain Quickdraw, which is a cataclysmic nerf for its usability. In its place is Surplus, a perk that encourages you not to use your abilities. It's a major shame considering how few Kinetic Shotguns can roll with Quickdraw in Destiny 2 currently.
Recommended Traits
- Column One: Surplus, Auto-Loading Holster, Pulse Monitor
- Column Two: Opening Shot, Killing Wind
6 Tomorrow's Answer (Adept)
Tomorrow's Answer is a surprisingly good Rocket Launcher after its perk pool was refreshed. This weapon has excellent damage and blast radius, capable of killing most Guardians in their Super or major opponents in PvP and PvE, respectively.
Auto-Loading Holster and Lasting Impression is an absurd combo for PvE, allowing Tomorrow's Answer to output some fantastic DPS against bosses. For PvP, it can roll with Tracking Module and Cluster Bombs. If you want to turn Tomorrow's Answer into an add-clearing machine, get one with Chain Reaction. When you combine these amazing perks with Adept mods, it's easy to see why most Rocket Launcher fans consider this one of the best in the archetype.
Recommended Traits
- Column One: Tracking Module, Impulse Amplifier, Auto-Loading Holster
- Column Two: Lasting Impression (PvE), Chain Reaction, Cluster Bomb
5 The Summoner (Adept)
The jack of all trades has become even stronger thanks to Adept mods. The Summoner is one of the best Auto Rifles in the game, even without Adept mods, which is mostly due to the weapon's excellent sights and solid perk selection.
As with the standard variant, Dynamic Sway Reduction and Rangefinder are excellent for console and PC users that frequent the Crucible. However, PC players deal with so little recoil on this gun that replacing Dynamic Sway Reduction for Moving Target is a sound choice, upping this weapon's aim assist value even higher. Adept Range, Adept Handling, and Adept Targeting can further enhance this weapon's already excellent stat package. Those with perfectly-rolled Summoners don't have much reason to get an Adept variant, but those chasing the perfect roll for this gun should consider obtaining the Adept variant to take advantage of some of these mods.
Recommended Traits
- Column One: Dynamic Sway Reduction, Moving Target, Overflow (PvE)
- Column Two: Rampage, Rangefinder, Elemental Capacitor (PvP)
4 The Messenger (Adept)
The Messenger can roll with Desperado!
That's right; this weapon can roll with Desperado as one of its perks. This is the first pinnacle perk in Destiny 2's history, originally tied to Redrix's Claymore and Broadsword. Now that it can roll on The Messenger, Pulse Rifle fans finally have a non-sunset replacement.
Rapid Hit and Desperado is arguably the best roll on this gun, although it can also roll with Killing Wind and Kill Clip for a more aggressive playstyle. No matter what perks you get on this weapon, The Messenger's stat package is so great that it triumphs over most Kinetic Pulses on its own. However, with a great set of perks, The Messenger surpasses what Redrix's Claymore achieved all those years ago. Adept mods take this even further, boosting any stat of your choice by ten in addition to the Masterwork. This is a must-own.
Recommended Traits
- Column One: Rapid Hit, Outlaw, Killing Wind, Moving Target (PvP)
- Column Two: Desperado, Kill Clip
3 Shayura's Wrath (Adept)
Shayura's Wrath is an excellent SMG that enters a league of its own when you get the Adept variant. This is the only SMG in Destiny 2 that can achieve a range stat of 100, giving it an effective range on par with most Auto Rifles.
This weapon's perk selection makes it an upgrade over Antiope-D, featuring perks like Tunnel Vision and Kill Clip. If the weapon's recoil gets to you, Dynamic Sway Reduction and Tap the Trigger can also roll on this weapon to turn it into a laser beam. No matter your preference, Shayura's Wrath has you covered. If you're skilled enough to go Flawless in Trials, this is an Adept variant you don't want to miss.
Recommended Traits
- Column One: Tunnel Vision, Killing Wind, Heating Up
- Column Two: Kill Clip
2 Reed's Regret (Adept)
Linear Fusion Rifles have finally become a meta DPS option in Season of the Lost. Particle Deconstruction, one of this season's Artifact mods, drastically improves the DPS of all Linear Fusion Rifles, Reed's Regret included.
So what makes Reed's Regret special? This is the only LFR in Destiny 2 that can obtain Triple Tap. The ammo is created from thin air like on Specials and Primaries, drastically improvising this weapon's overall damage. When paired with Vorpal Weapon, you have a fairly powerful weapon for shutting down majors, Champions, and bosses.
The Adept variant further amplifies its role in PvE. Its Adept mod slot allows Reed's Regret to equip Adept Big Ones Spec, increasing its damage against majors and bosses. Simply put, if you're a PvE player that wants a good Heavy weapon, Reed's Regret is more than enough reason to dive into the Trials of Osiris.
Recommended Traits
- Column One: Triple Tap, Clown Cartridge
- Column Two: Vorpal Weapon, Firing Line
1 Igneous Hammer (Adept)
Igneous Hammer might not be as strong since the 120 nerfs in Season of the Splicer, yet this weapon has retained its fantastic stat package. The Adept variant of Igenous Hammer is a serious upgrade, allowing this weapon to achieve a stat package that rivals most 140 RPM Hand Cannons.
Killing Wind and Moving Target allow this weapon to achieve some absurd headshots from far distances. And thanks to Adept Masterworks and mods, Igneous Hammer can achieve a fantastic stat package with good stats in all categories. It requires more setup to two-tap now, yet Igneous Hammer's consistency hasn't diminished one bit.
Recommended Traits
- Column One: Killing Wind, Rapid Hit, Quickdraw
- Column Two: Moving Target, Snapshot Sights, Rampage