The best Pulse Rifle in PvP was hit with a big nerf in the latest Destiny 2 patch, so you are going to need a replacement to avoid being left behind.
High Ground was nerfed in Update 8.1.5.2, with the previously meta perk now requiring you to stand way above an enemy Guardian to activate it. This change has made it much more situational and left Bygones in a tough spot. Unfortunately, that Zen Moment + High Ground god roll you played hours of Gambit for is no longer worth using.
You could head back to Gambit to farm another roll better suited to the patch, but why do that when there’s a much easier alternative – craft Syncopation-53. This Stasis Pulse Rifle is another Adaptive Frame weapon that fills the Kinetic slot, rolls great perks, and is craftable, making it a top-tier option that doesn’t rely on RNG.
Syncopation-53 PvP god roll – Meta analysis
- Barrel: Arrowhead Brake
- Magazine: Ricochet Rounds
- Perk 1: Zen Moment
- Perk 2: Headseeker
- Masterwork: Stability
The roll you are going to want is Zen Moment + Headseeker, which has become a popular combination in PvP on several Pulse Rifles. What makes this perk combo so good is that they both complement this weapon type extremely well.
Starting out with Zen Moment, this reduces recoil and flinch as you deal damage, making it easier to land follow-up bursts. When combined with this roll’s incredible 85 Stability, Syncopation-53 becomes one of the most accurate weapons in the sandbox.
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As for Headseeker, it boosts precision damage whenever you deal non-precision damage. With this, missing headshots becomes less punishing, which is great considering how hard it can be to land all headshots in a burst. This also extends the gun’s effective range beyond what its stats would suggest, as it will deal more damage from further away.
While Syncopation-53’s consistency and low recoil are impressive, Bygones actually gets access to this exact same roll. However, there’s a good chance that you’ll prefer the grind for Syncopation, as its pattern is unlocked as a reward for completing Shaping: Extraction – the tutorial for weapon crafting.
Instead of grinding for hours on end, potentially wasting hundreds of Gambit Engrams if you get unlucky, Syncopation-53 can be created with whatever barrel, magazine, perks, and masterwork you want by just completing a tutorial quest. Outside of the most devout Gambit players, it’s obvious which option most Guardians will favor.
For more ideas on what to use in the Crucible, be sure to check out the Best PvP Weapons in the current meta. You’ll also want to know about Stay Frosty, a powerful Pulse Rifle reprised in The Dawning 2024 that is excellent in both PvP and PvE.
