Destiny 2’s Lightfall expansion has finally been released and there’s a ton of new content for players to sink their teeth into. Along with a new story, exotics, loot, endgame content, and a build crafting system, Lightfall also introduces our second Darkness subclass, Strand. Of course, what really matters are the new weapons and armor pieces you can unlock. Similar to previous seasons, Guardians can once again earn Adept variants of Nightfall exclusive weapons. One of these is the Buzzard (Adept), which is a Kinetic, Adaptive Frame sidearm. Returning to Destiny 2 with new perk options, the Buzzard is definitely a weapon to keep an eye on if you’re a fan of sidearms. Here’s how to get it and if the Buzzard is worth farming.
How to Get the Buzzard
Buzzard is solely tied to the Nightfall activity. Yet, it’s not as simple as playing the Nightfall activity until one drops. Weapons specifically tied to this activity rotate in availability every week. This means there will be some weeks when you cannot get this sidearm, and some when you can. I strongly recommend using the website TodayInDestiny, as it will show you what Nightfall weapons are available by clicking on the Nightfall image box.
Keep in mind that if you want the Adept variant of the Buzzard, you need to play the Grandmaster version when this gun is available. If this sounds like you’ll be jumping through a lot of hoops, you kind of are. It’s not a terribly eloquent system, but it’s the only way to earn this gun. At the time of writing this article, you cannot craft the Buzzard since no gun patterns exist for it.
Should You Farm the Buzzard?
Yes, but only if you like using sidearms.
Unlike weapons like the Wendigo GL3 or the Hung Jury, the Buzzard isn’t exactly a “must-have” weapon in Destiny 2. Sidearms have always been in a weird place in PVE (Player vs Environment) due to their lack of range. This often makes them not as effective in tougher activities like Grandmaster Nightfalls since getting up close usually ends with you dying. That being said, the Buzzard is an exceptionally strong workhorse gun if you get the right roll for it. Overflow/Kinetic Tremors is a terrifyingly potent pairing that can tear through groups of enemies with ease. It also deals a nice amount of damage, since Kinetic Tremors triggers on sustained damage, not kills.
As for PVP, the Buzzard is a solid option for those who like to use sidearms in the Crucible. Perpetual Motion/Rangefinder is unsurprisingly strong, as it allows you to easily engage targets from a distance while consistently receiving buffs thanks to Perpetual Motion. The gun also boasts a solid range, stability, and aim assistance stats which makes this firearm remarkably consistent in close battles. Given submachine guns and pulse rifles are still meta right now, sidearms are a little rough in the Crucible at the moment. However, you should give it a try if you prefer to use this weapon type, as it’s one of the best for PVP right now.
