[Top 10] Destiny 2 Best Catalysts and How To Get Them

Updated:

30 Oct 2020

What's your favorite exotic weapon? Is it SUROS Regime? Last Word? Izanagi’s Burden? Or some other wild weapon that just works so well that it feels like you’re cheating? If you have a weapon like that then you definitely will want to slap an exotic catalyst on that thing.

If you don’t know what an exotic catalyst is, they are special upgrades for your exotic weapon that either boosts stats, grants bonus perks,or enhances the weapon’s intrinsic perks. You find them in specific activities and have to complete a certain objective to turn the weapon into a Masterwork, which gives you the perks and boosts.

The best catalyst is the one that goes with your favorite exotic, but given how many there are we’ve curated a list of the top 10 best exotic catalysts in Destiny 2 and how to get them.

Our Top 10

Izanagi’s Burden Catalyst
Whisper of the Worm Catalyst
Sweet Business Catalyst
Witherhoard Catalyst
Telesto Catalyst
Crimson Catalyst
Huckleberry Catalyst
Trinity Ghoul Catalyst
Outbreak Perfected Catalyst
SUROS Regime Catalyst

1. Izanagi’s Burden Catalyst

Izanagi can do serious damage on its own, but the catalyst takes it to another level by giving it the perk Peerless Edge which increases the damage bonus of the exotic trait Honed Edge.

Catalyst Effect:

Peerless Edge: Increases the damage bonus of Honed Edge when four bullets are consumed.

Acquired From:

Completing Heroic Menagerie with a Masterworked Chalice of Opulence

Masterwork Requirements:

500 kills with Izanagi’s Burden

Guide:

2. Whisper of the Worm Catalyst

If Izanagi’s not your thing then consider the Whisper of the Worm catalyst. This strong PvE sniper gains a faster reload as well as the perk Whispered Breathing which increases range and precision damage while zoomed in.

Catalyst Effect:

+30 Reload Speed
Whispered Breathing: Aiming this weapon without firing for a brief moment grants bonus range and precision damage while it remains zoomed.

Acquired From:

Completing The Whisper mission on Heroic difficulty

Masterwork Requirements:

Obtain 100 Blighted Essence (See guide)

Guide:

3. Sweet Business Catalyst

Love it or hate it, Sweet Business can turn you into a bullet raining beast. The problem is, it’s hard to mow down people when you’re constantly flinching from getting shot. The catalyst, Serious Business reduces the flinch greatly once you get the gun going at full speed. Get out there, don’t think, just hold down that trigger.

Catalyst Effect:

Serious Business: When this weapon is fully spun up, the flinch from incoming damage is greatly reduced.

Acquired From:

Kills in PvE, PvP, Nightfall Strikes

Masterwork Requirements:

250 multikills

Guide:

4. Witherhoard Catalyst

Chances are you may already have heard of this grenade launcher’s power that launches blights of Taken energy. The catalyst nearly maximizes its handling stat as well as reloading the weapon when it’s holstered.

Catalyst Effect:

+40 Handling
Silent Alarm: Increases handling. Holstering this weapon automatically reloads it after a short period of time.

Acquired From:

Bank Job quest from Banshee-44

Masterwork Requirements:

400 Witherhoard kills

Guide:

5. Telesto Catalyst

To quote the legions of fusion rifle fans: “Telesto is the best-o”. The catalyst expands the magazine and ammo reserves, so you stick out from the rest-o.

Catalyst Effect:

+3 Magazine size
Deeper Pockets: Increased ammo reserves.

Acquired From:

Completing Leviathan Raid on Prestige difficulty

Masterwork Requirements:

Complete Lost Prophecy verses on Mercury (see guide)

Guide:

6. Crimson Catalyst

This burst-fire hand cannon is pretty dangerous on its own but gains a small range boost with its catalyst. It’s not too big, but the grind for it is not that difficult, especially since you’re probably using Crimson a lot already if you’re looking for the catalyst.

Catalyst Effect:

+20 range

Acquired From:

Killing PvE enemies

Masterwork Requirements:

500 Crimson precision kills

Guide:

7. Huckleberry Catalyst

The Huckleberry’s exotic perk refill a portion of its magazine when you get kills. With the catalyst, however, getting kills will refill the entire magazine. Spray and pray baby.

Catalyst Effect:

Bull Rider: Kills with this weapon now reload the entire magazine.

Acquired From:

Completing Heroic adventures

Masterwork Requirements:

500 Huckleberry kills

Guide:

8. Trinity Ghoul Catalyst

The exotic trait on this exotic bow, Lightning Rod, makes a shot after a precision kill create chain lightning. With the catalyst, you can get a chain lightning shot after any Arc final blow. Making it great for Arc builds.

Catalyst Effect:

Forked Lightning: Lightning Rod now triggers from any Arc damage final blow.

Acquired From:

Heroic Nightfall Strikes, Kills in Crucible and Gambit, Strikes

Masterwork Requirements:

400 Trinity Ghoul kills

Guide:

9. Outbreak Perfected Catalyst

Famous (or infamous) pulse rifle Outbreak Perfected is known for decimating thanks to the nanites it creates that swarm targets and tears them apart. With the catalyst, you generate more nanites that do more damage. Prepare to get some hate messages from the people you destroy.

Catalyst Effect:

Disease Vector: Increases nanite damage. Enemies that die with nanites attached to them generate additional nanites.

Acquired From:

Completing “Zero Hour” mission on Heroic Difficulty

Masterwork Requirements:

500 Outbreak Perfected kills, Collect 500 SIVA nanites (see video guide)

Guide:

10. SUROS Regime Catalyst

SUROS Regime is one of the most beloved auto rifles in the game, you’ll love it even more with the catalyst. Unlocking the Masterwork grants a more vertical recoil direction, making recoil more vertical and predictable. It also grants the perk SUROS Ascendance, which improves the gun’s intrinsic trait that can heal you on kills.