Episode 37: Vault of Glass Weapons Breakdown

Speaking of playing catch up, this Vault of Glass post is getting cold! A week late and a dollar short, but here it is anyway, for your future reference: The Vault of Glass Weapons Breakdown you've always dreamed of. Best to it while there's still time...

Vault of Glass Weapon Breakdown

Originally shared on Reddit.

Several things to note:

  • Classes are broken down into Impact sub-classes.
  • All Times-to-Kill are assuming Guardian has 200hp (max armor not including the effects of Max Armor Titans or Warlocks with The Ram).
  • All Pros and Cons are determined by comparing weapons within the same class, not by all weapons in general, and not by only the weapons within the archetype. If you would like a different or more specific comparison than what I have listed, feel free to ask and I can provide one in the comments.

Pulse Rifle

Very Low-Impact

Praedyth's Timepiece - Arc Adept

Pros - Very high aim assist. High mag size.

Neutral - Average stability.

Cons - Very low range, reload speed, and recoil direction.

  • Time-to-Kill: 0.87s (3 bursts, 8 crit 1 body), 1.47s (4.33 bursts, 13 body shots)
  • Rate of Fire: 77
  • Impact: 4 (23 damage per crit shot, 16 damage per body shot)
  • Range: 25
  • Stability: 64
  • Reload Speed: 54
  • Mag Size: 30
  • Aim Assist: 84
  • Recoil Direction: 55

Recommended Perks:

  • Column 1 - Red Dot-OAS
  • Column 2 - Headseeker
  • Column 3 - Perfect Balance
  • Column 4 - Secret Round (don't upgrade this node!)

The second member of the very low impact class of pulse rifles brought back with Age of Triumph, Praedyth's Timepiece shares many of the same faults and benefits as the Oversoul Edict. Low recoil direction, reload speed, and range are offset by high mag size and very high aim assist, and in this case decent stability. Once again escaping the mag size nerf to the popular weapons in this archetype, it still was hit with the burst delay and flinch nerfs, which pushed it out of competition for the best PvP weapon class. Although for VoG the raid weapons did not lose a perk slot for a raid centric option, in PT case it might as well have. It's very nearly a god-roll, with Red Dot-OAS, Headseeker, and Perfect Balance in the first three columns, but then in the last column we have one of the worst PvP perks in existence: Secret Round. Basically what this perk does is, if you miss any bullet in the burst, it fires a fourth one at the end. What this means in normal gameplay is that you miss your burst or part of it, and then have to wait an extra two frames before you can fire again, since the gun is basically wasting an extra round for you. The only times this has ever helped me in PvP were when I somehow missed the first shot of a burst but then hit the next three, and realistically most of the time it just threw off my timing and accuracy. When I get this weapon I will not be upgrading the final node, and I recommend you do the same, because other than that it's a very good weapon.

Hand Cannon

Mid-Impact

Fatebringer - Arc Adept

Pros - High recoil direction and range. Very high mag size.

Neutral - None.

Cons - Low stability and reload speed. Below average aim assist. Very low equip speed.

  • Time-to-Kill: 0.87s (1 crit and 2 body shot), 1.30s (4 body shots)
  • Rate of Fire: 22
  • Impact: 81 (86 damage per crit shot, 57 damage per body shot)
  • Range: 40
  • Stability: 32
  • Reload Speed: 33
  • Mag Size: 12
  • Aim Assist: 61
  • Equip Speed: 36
  • Recoil Direction: 95

Recommended Perks:

  • Column 1 - SureShot IS
  • Column 2 - Firefly
  • Column 3 - Single Point Sling or Explosive Rounds
  • Column 4 - Outlaw

Perhaps one of the most famous weapons in Destiny's history, the Fatebringer has long been considered the premiere hand cannon for PvE players, even if it's subpar for PvP due to the lack of range perks. High mag size and one of the best perk combinations in the game help this weapon excel at minion clean-up, which is where Fatebringer has earned its reputation. With SureShot IS as the best sight option, and Firefly and Outlaw working in tandem to provide explosions and fast reloads, most players will find red-bar enemies melting away in no time. In the middle column we do have a choice, however. Single Point Sling is very nice for the boost to the low equip speed, but some people like Explosive Rounds to double up on the fiery capabilities and for the bonus damage. There is a problem with choosing Explosive Rounds, though. If an enemy is killed by the blast from ER, then neither Firefly nor Outlaw will activate, which makes it a little annoying to run both at once. As such, if you don't mind the interference and just want to bonus effects of ER go ahead and use it, but some players who want their headshot explosions, faster equip speed, and reload speed may want to choose SPS.

Scout Rifle

Mid-Impact

Vision of Confluence - Solar Adept

Pros - Very high stability. High mag size and aim assist. Above average reload speed.

Neutral - None.

Cons - Low range.

  • Time-to-Kill: 1.00s (2 crit shots and 2 body shots), 1.33s (5 body shots)
  • Rate of Fire: 37
  • Impact: 48 (61 damage per crit shot, 41 per body shot)
  • Range: 59
  • Stability: 57
  • Reload Speed: 64
  • Mag Size: 19
  • Aim Assist: 69

Recommended Perks:

  • Column 1 - SureShot IS
  • Column 2 - Full Auto
  • Column 3 - Perfect Balance
  • Column 4 - Zen Moment

Although the archetype itself isn't powerful in high level PvP due to the slow time-to-kill, this is probably one of the best feeling guns in the game. For both PvE and casual PvP, I don't know if there are many weapons that are as enjoyable to play with as the VoC, and I feel like it's one of the best guns to showcase the smooth gameplay feel that Destiny is famous for. Although the range is low for a scout, everything else about the weapon is a positive. Fast reload speed, large mag size, and great stability and aim assistance make this gun arguably the best in its archetype. The roll is exceptional as well, with SureShot IS boosting the aim assist and providing an open sight picture for engagements at most ranges, Full Auto making sure you're going to be hitting shots as quickly as possible, and Perfect Balance and Zen Moment promising you laser like accuracy with almost no recoil. I really can't recommend this gun enough for casual 6v6 matches on large maps and almost all PvE activities.

Auto Rifle

Low-Impact

Atheon's Epilogue - Void Adept

Pros - High reload speed. Very high mag size and aim assist.

Neutral - None.

Cons - Very low range and stability. Low recoil direction.

  • Time-to-Kill: 0.87s (13 crit shots 1 body), 1.07s (17 body shots)
  • Rate of Fire: 100
  • Impact: 2 (15 damage per crit shot, 12 per body shot)
  • Range: 15
  • Stability: 34
  • Reload Speed: 70
  • Mag Size: 60
  • Aim Assist: 82
  • Recoil Direction: 56

Recommended Perks:

  • Column 1 - Your choice of sight
  • Column 2 - Persistence
  • Column 3 - Perfect Balance
  • Column 4 - Glass Half Full

One of the few Vault of Glass weapons that really doesn't live up to its potential, Atheon's Epilogue's claim to fame was simply making it possible for the common Destiny player to attempt the Thorn Bounty in Year 1. Unfortunately, it's a relic of a bygone era when 100/2 ARs almost never had two stability perks (Counterbalance and Braced Frame or Perfect Balance) and as such the recoil pattern is quite difficult to control. Persistence helps a small bit with accuracy, and the jump in damage from Glass Half Full is small but noticeable, but overall the gun just doesn't have what it needs to compete with the new crop of DoP, Arminius, and Soulstealers Claw. As far as sights go, normally I'd suggest TrueSight for the boost to aim assist, but AE already has high aim assist and you really need more zoom than it provides you, so just feel out which of the other two you like best.

Sniper Rifle

Low-Impact

Praedyth's Revenge

Pros - Fast body shot Time-to-Kill. Can Revive Snipe. Very high stability. High reload speed and inventory.

Neutral - Average mag size.

Cons - Can't kill most Supered Enemies with 1 crit shot. Low range. Very low aim assist. Below average equip speed.

  • Body Shot Time-to-Kill: 0.53s (2 hits)
  • Rate of Fire: 37
  • Impact: 16 (267 damage per crit shot, 107 per body shot)
  • Range: 66
  • Stability: 79
  • Reload Speed: 71
  • Mag Size: 4
  • Aim Assist: 20
  • Inventory: 52
  • Equip Speed: 49

Recommended Perks:

  • Column 1 - Ambush SLH25
  • Column 2 - Firefly
  • Column 3 - Field Scout or Quickdraw
  • Column 4 - Feeding Frenzy

Part of the Glass Promontory archetype, this weapon can be a fantastic tool in any playlist where revives are enabled. It offers the fastest two-tap body shot of all snipers that can still revive snipe, and comes with the excellent Ambush scope and Quickdraw perk. These things combine to make it a wonderful tool for the sniper looking for to get in and get out as opposed to hard-scoping. Firefly and Feeding Frenzy aren't the most useful of the perks, but they're good enough for PvP. In terms of stats, the gun struggles a lot with aim assist, but its stability and inventory are both fantastic.

Shotgun

High-Impact

Found Verdict

Pros - High range, max range, and reload speed. Very high mag size. Above average inventory.

Neutral - None.

Cons - Very low stability and equip speed. Low aim assist.

  • Time Between Shots: 1.03s (Full Auto decreases this)
  • Rate of Fire: 14
  • Impact: 61 (20 per pellet, 240 total)
  • Range: 18
  • Max Range: 32
  • Stability: 13
  • Reload Speed: 40
  • Mag Size: 6
  • Aim Assist: 36
  • Equip Speed: 31
  • Inventory: 40

Recommended Perks:

  • Column 1 - Aggressive Ballistics
  • Column 2 - Full Auto
  • Column 3 - Send It
  • Column 4 - Final Round

What used to be one of the most powerful shotguns in the game has been mostly relegated to a slightly more niche status, thanks in part to a surplus of easy to acquire max range and impact weapons. However, there's still something to be said for the combination of Aggressive Ballistics, Send It, and Full Auto, which lends itself to a very enjoyable playstyle in both PvE and PvP. The weapon won't deal quite as much damage as a perfectly rolled Matador or Party Crasher, nor will it have as tight of a spread, but thanks to Full Auto it will shoot much faster, with only a minimal penalty to accuracy. A high mag size helps out too, and fast reload speed makes using Final Round a bit less of a gamble, but the gun's poor equip speed and aim assist hurt it a bit.

Fusion Rifle

High-Impact (90-100)

Praetorian Foil

Pros - Very high Impact. High Range.

Neutral - Average mag size.

Cons - Low Aim Assist, Reload Speed, and Stability. Very low Charge Rate.

  • Charge Rate: 12
  • Impact: 97 (50 damage per bolt, 4 bolts to kill)
  • Range: 47
  • Stability: 33
  • Reload Speed: 55
  • Mag Size: 5
  • Aim Assist: 36

Recommended Perks:

  • Column 1 - TrueSight IS or Red Dot-ORES
  • Column 2 - Glass Half Full
  • Column 3 - Perfect Balance or Send It
  • Column 4 - Reactive Reload

That face when I realize this gun is basically a carbon copy clone of the Darkblade's Spite in terms of stats. Fortunately that means it's a heavy hitting 4 bolt killer, unfortunately that means the aim assist, charge rate, and stability are atrocious. In terms of perks it actually has a very nice set, with two sights that I like in TrueSight and ORES, as well as the choice between Perfect Balance or Send It. Send It is generally recommended for those users who are comfortable manually controlling the bolt spread of fusions, while Perfect Balance is better for less experienced players. In the second column we get Glass Half Full, which is an interesting, but mostly useless perk on a fusion, and then Reactive Reload in the last slot which is pretty helpful. Long considered one of the rarest guns in the game, I'm definitely looking forward to giving it a spin.

Rocket Launcher

Mid-RoF

Hezen Vengeance

Pros - Very high blast radius. High inventory. Above average velocity.

Neutral - Average reload speed.

Cons - Very slow RoF.

  • Rate of Fire: 11
  • Blast Radius: 68
  • Velocity: 72
  • Reload Speed: 71
  • Mag Size: 2
  • Inventory: 20

Recommended Perks:

  • Column 1 - Hard Launch
  • Column 2 - Tripod
  • Column 3 - Javelin
  • Column 4 - MIRV Mini

One of the rocket launcher's I'll be trying very hard to get the Hezen Vengeance has a near perfect roll on a near perfect PvP platform. Very high blast radius and the ability to massively boost velocity almost to match, combined with guaranteed Tripod makes this launcher exactly one slot away from being perfect. Unfortunately it doesn't come with Grenades and Horseshoes, but it has probably the next best option with MIRV Mini, a one off variant of Cluster Bombs. Moral of the story is, if you've been looking for a launcher to replace Truth, and you don't mind treating them like Halo's launcher and aiming at walls, the ground, or direct hits, then this may be the weapon for you.

Machine Gun

Low-Impact - Barrel Perks which increase Impact have no effect on TtK, but Soft Ballistics can increase the body TtK to 0.70s (8 body shots).

Corrective Measure

Pros - Above average reload speed. High mag size.

Neutral - Average aim assist and recoil direction.

Cons - Below average range and inventory size. Low stability.

  • Time-to-Kill: 0.50s (4 crit 2 body shots), 0.60s (7 body shots)
  • Rate of Fire: 88
  • Impact: 29 (37 damage per crit shot, 29 damage per body shot)
  • Range: 18
  • Stability: 38
  • Reload Speed: 39
  • Mag Size: 58
  • Aim Assist: 59
  • Inventory: 20
  • Recoil Direction: 71

Recommended Perks:

  • Column 1 - Accurized Ballistics
  • Column 2 - Persistence
  • Column 3 - Field Scout or Perfect Balance
  • Column 4 - Surplus

While stat-wise this gun isn't the king of the court, it does offer the perk perfect combination for the ammo-savvy consumer: Field Scout and Surplus. I'm not sure I would recommend this gun in PvP, simply because there are so many other options with better stats and more useful perks, but in PvE I'm not sure it can be beat. The mag size is large enough to put a steady stream of lead downrange, and the reload speed is fast enough to mean you won't be out of the fight for long when you do need to reload. Average aim assist and recoil direction don't stand out, but they won't hinder you at least. Truthfully, the only part of this gun that will be fighting you is the stability, and if you choose to run heavy or MG ammo armor perks you can bypass Field Scout and use Perfect Balance instead.

...another week, another breakdown, each leading into the next, drawing upon all past breakdowns, an endless cycle of...

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