One of Destiny's most iconic Exotics is Hawkmoon, a 140 RPM Hand Cannon that had three lucky bullets in every magazine. These bullets could stack together to deal some absurdly high damage in PvE and PvP, going as far as to one-shot Guardians if the player was lucky enough.
Bungie has redesigned Hawkmoon in Destiny 2 to have a juiced-up variant of the Final Round perk, but it still has a layer of RNG to it. In Destiny 2, Hawkmoon comes with random perks, the first Exotic in the franchise with this feature. Some perk combinations make Hawkmoon an S-tier gun in PvE and PvP. Those chasing this fan-favorite Exotic should keep their eyes out for the following perks.
Updated July 13th, 2021, by Charles Burgar: The Destiny 2 meta constantly changes each season with new perks, weapons, and balance patches that impact the sandbox. Season of the Splicer made a massive shakeup by nerfing 120 RPM Hand Cannons, giving 140s some breathing room. Not only is Hawkmoon part of this archetype, but it also has a few perks like Hip-Fire Grip that were also buffed recently. We've updated this guide with new recommended perks and details for what each perk does.
How To Earn Random Rolls
Hawkmoon is the only Exotic weapon in Destiny 2 that can roll with random perks. There are currently two ways of earning random rolls for Hawkmoon:
- Find a duplicate Hawkmoon from an Exotic engram.
- Complete the Harbinger mission in the EDZ.
The second option is by far the best. For those looking to complete this mission, you can check out our guide here.
When a duplicate Hawkmoon drops, it will roll with a different barrel, trait, and grip perk. The full roster of available perks can be viewed on API websites such as light.gg. Let's go over the best perks that Hawkmoon can roll with.
The Best Random Perks
Barrels
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Fluted Barrel
- +5 Stability, +15 Handling
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Extended Barrel
- +10 Range, +10 Recoil, -10 Handling
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Hammer Forged Rifling OR Smallbore
- +10 Range
- +7 Range, +7 Stability
Handling is the most important stat on Hawkmoon. Its range might be low for a 140 RPM Hand Cannon, yet this can be remedied with a good trait and Hawkmoon's Masterwork perk. As a result, barrels that boost handling are the best.
Fluted Barrel is the only barrel that gives a major handling boost without any penalties. A +15 boost to Hawkmoon's handling is immense, making this weapon handle nearly as well as a Quickdraw Primary. The +5 stability bonus also helps Hawkmoon stay on target during long gunfights.
Extended Barrel does reduce your handling by a significant amount. However, it grants a boost to your range and recoil stats, significantly increasing Hawkmoon's consistency with mid to long-range duels. A +10 recoil increase is enough to make Hawkmoon's recoil perfectly vertical—a blessing for controller users. If you want to improve Hawkmoon's dueling capabilities rather than its handling, Extended Barrel is a great option.
The other two barrel recommendations, Hammer Forged Rifling and Smallbore, boost Hawkmoon's range stat. Most barrels that boost handling have a penalty tied to them, making these barrels a good alternative.
Trait
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Opening Shot
- Improves accuracy and range on the opening shot of attack.
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Rangefinder
- Gain increased range and zoom when aiming down sights.
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Eye of the Storm
- The weapon becomes more accurate and boosts handling as your health gets lower.
Opening Shot is one of the best traits for Hawkmoon, granting your first bullet a massive boost to range and aim assist. If you wait for a short time before firing, Opening Shot will activate again. Not only does this make opening gunfights much easier, but it also gives your Paracasual Round a substantial boost to aim assist—making it much easier to land a Paracasual Shot in PvP and PvE. With the Masterwork for Hawkmoon, Opening Shot is close to providing a free headshot from medium range.
If your aim is true, then Rangefinder is arguably a better pick than Opening Shot. You'll gain around three meters of range while aiming down sights, allowing you to match the range of most 120 RPM Hand Cannons. Rangefinder does reduce your FOV while ADSd, which could make or break this trait for some Crucible mains. However, if you're looking for a great perk that is always active, Rangefinder is a great pick.
Eye of the Storm is tailored towards PvP and holds little value in PvE, although its effects in PvP are so great that it deserves a mention. For every 25% HP you lose, Hawkmoon will become significantly more accurate and gain a handling boost. This buff becomes extremely powerful when your shields break, making Hawkmoon one of the most consistent and easy-to-use Hand Cannons in the game for 1v1 duels.
While not listed above, we wanted to give a special mention to Hip-Fire Grip, mostly for PC users. This perk gives Hawkmoon a drastic boost to its hip-fire accuracy, stability, and aim-assist values. The bonuses are so great that firing mid-air mimics the effects of Icarus Grip, albeit not as well. If you want to use Hawkmoon in the air without requiring a certain armor Exotic, then keep your eyes peeled for a Hip-Fire Grip roll.
Grip
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Polymer Grip
- +10 Handling
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Textured Grip
- -5 Stability, +15 Handling
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Smooth Grip
- +5 Stability, +5 Handling
Hawkmoon is the first weapon that lets Guardians farm for specific grip perks. Most grips tied to Hawkmoon grant handling or stability. Since handling is a top-tier stat in PvP, most grips are good.
Polymer Grip grants a +10 handling boost with no drawbacks, a perfect perk to pair with Fluted Barrel. Textured Grip is a sidegrade to Polymer Grip, granting a greater handling boost of 15 at the cost of -5 stability. Losing five stability will only be noticeable for console players. Finally, Smooth Grip grants +5 stability and handling. Smooth Grip is best used for controller players that want as much stability as possible without lowering Hawkmoon's incredible handling stat.