Unlocking Witherhoard’s Full Potential: A Catalyst Completion Guide
So, you’ve snagged the Witherhoard, the delightfully devastating Exotic Grenade Launcher from the Monument To Lost Lights, and you’re ready to inflict some serious Taken blight on your enemies. Excellent choice! But to truly unlock its potential, you need the catalyst. Let’s get right to it:
You need to defeat 400 enemies with Witherhoard to complete the catalyst objective. However, this isn’t the only step; you also need to complete the Bank Job quest from Banshee-44.
The Bank Job Quest: Your Key to the Catalyst
Before you can even think about those 400 kills, you need to acquire the Bank Job quest from Banshee-44 in the Tower. This quest has several steps, but they are straightforward. Completing the quest is the key to unlocking the ability to even begin progressing the kill objective.
Quest Steps Breakdown
Here’s a general breakdown of the Bank Job quest, though specific details can vary slightly:
- Complete activities and earn Filthy Lucre: This typically involves completing activities like strikes, Crucible matches, Gambit matches, or Nightfalls. The more challenging the activity, the more Filthy Lucre you’ll earn. This can take some time depending on how actively you pursue it.
- Get Grenade Launcher Kills: You’ll need a set amount of kills using grenade launchers. Use any grenade launcher you like for this.
- Get Grenade Launcher Multikills: Multikills with Grenade Launchers are required for a portion of this quest.
- Get Guardian Kills in the Crucible: If you are not a fan of PvP, this step can be quite daunting. Work on other objectives and do this when you can.
Once you’ve finished all the steps for The Bank Job, return to Banshee-44. He’ll congratulate you on your (questionable) financial success and hand over the Witherhoard Catalyst.
The 400 Kills: Embracing the Grind
Now for the real work: those 400 kills. This can feel like a grind, especially since Witherhoard uses special ammo. But don’t despair! With the right approach, you can blast through this objective in no time.
Optimal Farming Strategies
- Thrallway in the Shattered Throne Dungeon: This is a classic for a reason. The endless waves of Thrall provide a constant stream of targets. This dungeon is very good for farming kills, especially for weapons that have limited ammo.
- Grasp of Avarice Dungeon (Entrance): Similar to the Thrallway, the beginning of this dungeon offers a consistent flow of enemies. Make sure to activate the Burdened by Riches perk!
- Leviathan Castellum: This is an older area, but still viable. You can load into the Leviathan raid and hang out in the Castellum to fight waves of Cabal enemies.
- Shuro Chi Encounter in The Last Wish Raid: This encounter allows you to place a banner and fight a good amount of taken enemies.
- PsiOps Battlegrounds: These activities often feature dense waves of enemies, making them great for racking up kills quickly.
Tips for Efficient Farming
- Ammo Acquisition: Utilize ammo finders, scavengers, and reserves mods on your armor to maximize your special ammo drops. Consider using a Special Ammo Finder mod.
- Catalyst Progress Boosters: During certain seasons, Destiny 2 sometimes offers catalyst progress boosters. Keep an eye out for these as they can significantly speed up your progress.
- Playlist Activities: Strikes and Gambit are viable options, especially if you are also working on other objectives simultaneously. Try to complete your bounties while getting your Witherhoard kills.
- Aim for the Ground: Remember, Witherhoard creates a lingering blight on impact. Aiming at the ground near enemies is often more effective than direct hits, especially for crowd control.
Witherhoard’s Catalyst: Silent Alarm
So, what does all this grinding get you? The Witherhoard Catalyst grants the Silent Alarm perk. This perk provides the following benefits:
- Increased Handling: Allows you to swap to Witherhoard and fire much faster.
- Auto-Loading Holster: Automatically reloads Witherhoard after it has been stowed for a short time. This is a HUGE quality-of-life improvement, allowing you to fire, swap to another weapon for damage, and then swap back to a fully loaded Witherhoard.
Is it Worth it? Absolutely!
The Witherhoard Catalyst is absolutely worth the grind. The Silent Alarm perk dramatically improves the weapon’s usability, making it even more powerful and versatile in both PvE and PvP. The auto-loading holster allows for some incredibly powerful weapon swap combos, increasing your damage potential significantly.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some frequently asked questions about the Witherhoard Catalyst to help you on your journey:
1. How many kills exactly do I need to unlock the Witherhoard Catalyst?
You need 400 combatant kills with Witherhoard after completing the Bank Job quest from Banshee-44.
2. Do Guardian kills count more towards the Witherhoard Catalyst?
Guardian kills do not count more towards the 400 kills required. It’s all about the total number of enemies defeated with Witherhoard.
3. Does it matter where I get the Witherhoard kills?
No, it doesn’t matter where you get the kills. Any combatant kill in any activity will contribute to the catalyst progress. So, pick your favorite farming spot and get to work!
4. I got Witherhoard after the season it was released. How do I get the catalyst quest?
You can acquire the Bank Job quest from Banshee-44 in the Tower after obtaining Witherhoard from the Monument To Lost Lights.
5. What’s the fastest way to complete the Bank Job quest?
Focus on activities that reward the most progress for the Filthy Lucre step. Nightfalls and higher-tier activities typically offer more progress. For grenade launcher kills, use a grenade launcher you are comfortable with and farm enemies in a patrol zone.
6. Can I use any grenade launcher for the grenade launcher kill steps in the Bank Job quest?
Yes, you can use any grenade launcher for the grenade launcher kill objectives in the Bank Job quest. It doesn’t have to be Witherhoard.
7. Is there a way to track my Witherhoard Catalyst progress in-game?
Yes, you can track your progress by inspecting the Witherhoard weapon. Hover over the catalyst slot, and it will display your current kill count.
8. Do assists with Witherhoard count towards the catalyst progress?
No, only kills directly caused by Witherhoard count towards the catalyst progress. Lingering damage from the blight pool will count.
9. What does the Witherhoard Catalyst actually do?
The Witherhoard Catalyst grants the Silent Alarm perk, which increases Handling and automatically reloads Witherhoard after it has been stowed for a short time.
10. Is the Witherhoard Catalyst worth the grind?
Yes, absolutely! The increased handling and auto-loading holster significantly improve the weapon’s usability and make it even more powerful in a variety of activities.
11. Are there any other catalysts that are good for grenade launchers?
While there aren’t catalysts that directly buff other grenade launchers in the same way, consider catalysts for weapons that synergize well with grenade launchers, like those that buff weapon handling or reload speed in general.
12. Can I speed up the Witherhoard Catalyst grind with a fireteam?
Yes, having a fireteam can make the grind more efficient, especially in activities like strikes or dungeons where you can coordinate your efforts.
13. Does using a Witherhoard build change how I get the catalyst?
No, using a specific build does not change how you acquire the catalyst. You will still need to complete the bank job quest and get 400 kills with the Witherhoard.
14. What if I already completed the Season of Arrivals when Witherhoard was first released?
If you obtained Witherhoard during Season of Arrivals, you still need to acquire and complete the Bank Job quest from Banshee-44 to unlock the catalyst objective.
15. Are there any community resources for finding good Witherhoard farming spots?
Yes! Destiny 2 communities on Reddit (r/DestinyTheGame), Discord, and YouTube are excellent resources for finding up-to-date farming strategies and tips. It’s a great way to share discoveries and experiences with other players. Learning and collaboration in gaming communities demonstrate the power of Games Learning Society principles. Check out GamesLearningSociety.org to learn more.
By following these tips and strategies, you’ll be well on your way to unlocking the full potential of Witherhoard. Now go forth and blight the battlefield, Guardian!