Unlock the true potential of your arsenal in Destiny 2 with the game’s revamped weapon enhancement system. From basic upgrades to powerful tiered enhancements that boost perks and stats, mastering this feature can transform your favorite guns into unstoppable forces on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox. Whether you’re crafting new weapons or enhancing legacy gear, this guide will walk you through every step to maximize your firepower and customize your loadout like never before.
In this Destiny 2 guide, I’ll walk you how to enhance weapons and provide details on what weapons you can enhance as of The Final Shape.
How to enhance weapons in Destiny 2
To enhance weapons in Destiny 2, start by inspecting a weapon that supports enhancement, indicated by a small box next to its Masterwork. Using Enhancement Cores, you can upgrade it to Tier 1, which replaces the Masterwork with an Enhanced Intrinsic, adds a weapon level, and unlocks a Memento slot. As you level the weapon by using it or purchasing levels, you can upgrade to Tier 2 at weapon level 11, enhancing the left column perks, and then to Tier 3 at level 17, enhancing the right column perks. Adept raid weapons also allow customization of barrel and magazine perks at the Relic on Mars. This system applies to new weapons from The Final Shape expansion and many legacy weapons with Origin Traits, making weapon enhancement a key part of customizing and boosting your arsenal in Destiny 2.
When you get a weapon that can be enhanced, you’ll see a little box next to where the Masterwork sits.
For some Enhancement Cores, you can upgrade the weapon with tier 1 Enhancement. This will replace the Masterwork with an “Enhanced Intrinsic” that will boost the stat of whatever your Masterwork used to be. It’ll also give the weapon a level – which you can increase by purchasing levels or using the gun – and a Memento slot. For Raid Adept weapons, you’ll also be able to customize the barrel and mag perks at the Relic once you’ve enhanced them.
Once you hit weapon level 11, you can enhance your weapon to tier 2. This will transform the weapon’s left column perks into enhanced versions. Enhanced perks typically do the same thing as their normal counterparts, but are slightly better.
After you hit weapon level 17, you can upgrade your weapon a final time to tier 3. This will enhance the right column perks.
Destiny 2 enhanceable weapons activities list
Destiny 2 features a variety of activities that drop weapons eligible for enhancement, allowing players to improve their gear beyond traditional masterworking. Enhanceable weapons can be found in key endgame content such as the Vow of the Disciple and King’s Fall raids (Adept versions), the Prophecy dungeon, and competitive modes including Trials of Osiris, Gambit, Iron Banner, and Crucible. Additionally, weapons from Guardian Games, Vanguard Ops, and Nightfalls can also be enhanced. These weapons gain enhanced intrinsic perks, weapon levels, and memento slots through the enhancement process, with Adept raid weapons offering customization of barrel and magazine perks at higher enhancement tiers. This system expands the depth of weapon progression introduced in The Final Shape expansion, blending legacy and new content for a comprehensive enhancement experience.
From The Final Shape onward, all new weapons will either be enhanceable or craftable, but there are a few old weapon types that you can also enhance. However, you won’t be able to enhance any weapon from the below activity if it doesn’t have an Origin Trait – in other words, basically anything added before The Witch Queen came out in 2022.
Here’s the list from Bungie for all legacy activities that drop enhanceable weapons:
- Vow of the Disciple raid Adepts
- Guardian Games
- King’s Fall raid Adepts
- Gambit
- Competitive Crucible
- Trials of Osiris
- Crucible
- Iron Banner
- Vanguard Ops
- Nightfalls
- Prophecy dungeon
Want to discover the secret to unlocking maximum weapon power in Destiny 2
To unlock maximum weapon power in Destiny 2, start by completing the Final Shape campaign on Legendary difficulty to quickly reach the soft cap of 1960 Power with a full set of high-level gear. Then, focus on activities that reward Powerful and Pinnacle gear, which push your Power level beyond the soft cap up to the current pinnacle cap of 2000. Efficiently cycling through Powerful rewards and Pinnacle rewards, including weekly milestones and raids, will steadily boost your Power level. Additionally, leveling your Seasonal Artifact by earning XP enhances your overall Power, making it easier to surpass the hard cap. Utilizing these strategies and prioritizing high-value rewards is the fastest way to reach max Power and dominate Destiny 2’s toughest challenges.
What is the fastest way to reach max power level in Destiny 2 The Final Shape
The fastest way to reach max power level in Destiny 2: The Final Shape is to complete the Final Shape campaign on Legendary difficulty first. This grants you a full set of gear at 1960 Power, which bypasses a large portion of the initial grind. After hitting this soft cap, focus on completing Pinnacle and Powerful gear challenges in the recommended order: claim a Pinnacle reward for a big Power boost, then complete several Powerful gear weeklies to even out your gear Power levels, repeating this cycle until you approach the pinnacle cap of 2000.
Additionally, seasonal challenges provide significant XP to level up your Artifact, further increasing your Power level without excessive grinding. Utilizing multiple characters can also accelerate progress since your highest Power level is tracked account-wide, allowing lower-level characters to receive higher-level gear drops that help them catch up quickly. For a shortcut, players can claim a full set of 2020 Power gear from the Rite of the Nine hub until mid-July, accessible to all players including free-to-play.
In summary, the fastest path is:
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Complete The Final Shape campaign on Legendary for 1960 Power gear
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Prioritize Pinnacle rewards for large Power jumps
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Complete Powerful weekly challenges to balance gear Power
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Level your Seasonal Artifact through XP gains
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Use multiple characters to leverage account-wide Power tracking
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Optionally claim the Rite of the Nine 2020 gear set if available
Following this method, players can reach the max Power level of 2000 efficiently, often within a couple of weeks into the expansion.
