Here’s the complete look at all the new Desert Perpetual Epic raid loot in Destiny 2: full list of new weapons, Wayward Psyche armor set bonuses, Contest and normal emblems, and the Whirling Ovation Exotic catalyst.
The Epic version of The Desert Perpetual is almost here. Originally planned to release on September 20, last week Bungie announced that it has delayed the Epic raid launch by one week, now releasing on Saturday, September 27, 2025, at 10 AM PT, with Contest Mode running for 48 hours.
The Epic version of Desert Perpetual adds new mechanics, and most notably the updated Not Swap modifier during the Contest mode that resets Super/ability energy and Special/Heavy ammo when you change your gear.
On top of that, the Epic version will also add a set of brand-new loot you couldn’t get from the base version of the raid. Some of that gear had leaked earlier, but now that the Ash & Iron update is live, the full loot pool has been leaked.
There’s a new armor set with raid-exclusive bonuses, a new set of Legendary weapons, new emblems tied to Contest and normal completions, and even an Exotic catalyst for the raid’s rocket launcher.
In this article, we’re going over everything that’s new in the Desert Perpetual Epic raid loot pool.
All New Loot in Destiny 2’s Desert Perpetual Epic Raid, Per Leaks
The Desert Perpetual Epic raid adds three brand-new Legendary weapons to the game, a new Wayward Psyche armor with set bonuses (that looks the same as the base raid armor, but with a different color), and new emblems upon completion, and the Exotic Catalyst for the Whirling Ovation Exotic Rocket Launcher.
Let’s break it all down.
New Desert Perpetual Epic Raid Legendary Weapons
The Epic raid brings in three new Legendary weapons that weren’t available in the base version of Desert Perpetual. These are:
- Cusp Sempiternal Void Auto Rifle
- Starscape Solar Shotgun
- The Ever-Present Strand Grenade Launcher
Let’s go over each of these weapons and see what perk pools they have.
Cusp Sempiternal Void Auto Rifle
- Weapon type: Auto Rifle
- Support Frame: Capable of healing allies and hurting foes. Harming targets builds a restorative charge. Hip firing at allies while this weapon is charged heals them. Rapid healing increases weapon damage and grants Overshield to your allies.
- Element: Void
- RPM: 600
- Magazine: 47
| Column 3 | Column 4 |
|---|---|
| Demoralize | Elemental Honing |
| Reciprocity | Circle of Life |
| Impulse Amplifier | Withering Gaze |
| Repulsor Brace | Destablizing Rounds |
| Reconstruction | Master of Arms |
| Attrition Orbs | Adrenaline Junkie |
| Demolitionist | Destabilizing Rounds |
Starscape Solar Shotgun
- Weapon type: Shotgun
- Lightweight Frame: Superb handling. Move faster with this weapon equipped.
- Element: Solar
- RPM: 80
- Magazine: 6
| Column 3 | Column 4 |
|---|---|
| Reconstruction | Elemental Honing |
| Heal Clip | Bait and Switch |
| Incandecsent | Aggregate Charge |
| Pugilist | Trench Barrel |
| Lead From Gold | Swashbuckler |
| Rewind Rounds | One-Two Punch |
| Envious Arsenal | Desperate Measures |
The Ever-Present Strand Grenade Launcher
- Weapon type: Grenade Launcher
- Rapid-Fire Frame: Deeper ammo reserves. Slightly faster reload when the magazine is empty.
- Element: Strand
- RPM: 150
- Magazine: 5
| Column 3 | Column 4 |
|---|---|
| Hatchling | Explosive Light |
| Impulse Amplifier | Bait and Switch |
| Envious Arsenal | Elemental Honing |
| Ambitious Assassin | Cascade Point |
| Demolitionist | Chain Reaction |
| Auto-Loading Holster | Golden Tricorn |
| Field Prep | Aggregate Charge |
Each of these rolls with the raid’s Frame of Reference origin trait, which is: “Final blows with this weapon temporarily grant increased damage, reload speed, and range. This effect is frozen in time while the weapon is stowed.”
New Desert Perpetual Epic Raid Wayward Psyche Armor Set
The armor set for the Epic raid is a full visual upgrade from the original Collective Psyche set. While the normal version came in white with subtle glowing accents, the Epic version is gold and looks much more prestigious.
Bungie has also added unique set bonuses for wearing multiple pieces of this armor:
- 2-piece bonus – Special Relativity: Picking up ammo reloads stowed Special weapons from reserves.
- 4-piece bonus – Superluminal Motion: After dealing damage with your Super, health and shields regenerate over time while you are in motion. Additional Super damage refreshes this effect.
Check out the preview of the new raid armor below.
New Desert Perpetual Epic Raid Emblems
There are two new emblems tied to Desert Perpetual’s Epic mode, one for normal completion and the other for completing the raid during the 48-hour Contest Mode.
- Fractured Timeline: This is the Contest Mode emblem, only available for fireteams that clear the raid during the first 48 hours.
- After the Unknown: This is the normal Epic completion emblem, earned for clearing the raid anytime after Contest ends.
Whirling Ovation Exotic Catalyst
If you’ve already played the regular Desert Perpetual raid, you may have gotten your hands on Whirling Ovation, the Strand Exotic Rocket Launcher that drops from the final boss. But until now, it didn’t have a catalyst.
With the Desert Perpetual Epic raid, Whirling Ovation now has an Exotic Catalyst, and it’s looking strong.
The new catalyst perk is called Filled Determination. When your shot is fully charged, it over-penetrates weak enemies, then causes a delayed Solar detonation that leaves behind a scorching field. You’ll then need to defeat 500 enemies with the weapon to finish unlocking the catalyst.
- Filled Determination: Fully charged shots over-penetrate weaker combatants and cause a delayed Solar detonation with a brief scorching field.
For the guaranteed catalyst drop, you need to complete the Epic raid during Contest Mode. That will guarantee a drop of the Whirling Ovation weapon, the new catalyst, and the Fractured Timeline emblem.
After the Contest mode is over, you can also attune the catalyst, which will “allow it to drop the next time an encounter in The Desert Perpetual is completed.”
It’s worth mentioning that all of this information comes from datamined leaks, so take everything with a grain of salt until officially confirmed.
That’s pretty much everything we know about the Desert Perpetual Epic raid loot. Earlier today, Bungie gave us our first look at the Star Wars-themed Renegades expansion launching on December 2, 2025. Here’s everything announced during the livestream.
What are your thoughts on the Epic raid loot? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
