Let's be real. Most Breech-Loaded Grenade Launchers in Destiny 2 feel like they're just trying to be Mountaintop. They fall short. But then there’s Ignition Code. Even years after its introduction in Season of the Splicer, this thing remains a freak of nature in the kinetic slot. It’s not just about the damage; it’s about the fact that it can roll with perks that shouldn't even exist on a launcher of this archetype.
You've probably seen people farming Xur or checking Dares of Eternity rotations religiously for this one specific gun. There is a reason for that. While the meta shifts toward Submachine Guns or whatever exotic is broken this week, a solid Ignition Code god roll provides a level of utility that makes Grandmaster Nightfalls and high-level raiding feel like a casual patrol mission. It’s a tool. It’s a delete button. Honestly, it’s a bit of a relic from a time when Bungie was feeling particularly generous with the perk pools.
What Makes This Launcher Different?
Most special ammo grenade launchers (GLs) follow a predictable pattern. You fire, you reload, you fire again. It’s a slow, rhythmic process. Ignition Code breaks that rhythm entirely because of one perk: Slideshot.
Usually, Slideshot is reserved for Shotguns or Hand Cannons. Putting it on a Grenade Launcher was a bold move by the dev team. It means as long as you have ammo and a floor to slide on, you never have to sit through a reload animation. You can essentially carpet-bomb a room by just spamming the crouch button while moving. It’s chaotic. It’s fast. It’s effective.
Beyond the mechanics, the Lightweight Frame gives you that innate movement speed bonus. In Destiny 2, speed is survival. Being able to rotate faster while holding a weapon that can one-shot a cluster of red-bar enemies is why this gun hasn't left many veteran players' inventories.
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The Ignition Code God Roll: PvE Perfection
If you are hunting for the absolute best version of this weapon for PvE, you aren't just looking for damage. You're looking for synergy.
The Barrel and Magazine
For the barrel, you want Blinding Grenades (now renamed to Disorienting Grenades). Damage is great, but in a GM, stopping a Wyvern or an Ogre from shooting back is better. If you prioritize raw DPS, Spike Grenades is the play for that 10% impact damage bump. However, most experts will tell you that a Disorienting GL is a mandatory utility tool for end-game content. For the barrel itself, Hard Launch or Quick Launch helps with velocity. You want the grenade to get to the target before they move. Simple as that.
The Sliding Factor
Slideshot is the non-negotiable perk in the third column. Nothing else even comes close. Ambitious Assassin is okay, sure. Lead from Gold is fine for ammo economy. But Slideshot changes how the game is played. You fire, you slide, the gun is magically reloaded. You can dump your entire reserves into a boss or a champion in seconds. It’s a manual version of the old Auto-Loading Holster meta but much, much faster.
The Closer
In the final slot, Frenzy or Vorpal Weapon are the heavy hitters. Frenzy is incredible because it stays active as long as you’re in combat, providing a massive boost to damage and handling. Since you're sliding around and blowing things up, you’re always in combat. If you strictly want to use this for boss chip damage or taking down Champions, Vorpal is the consistent choice. Some people swear by Demolitionist for grenade builds, which is a valid niche, but for general play, Frenzy is king.
The PvP Perspective: Is It Worth It?
Is Ignition Code a PvP menace? Not exactly. It’s good, but it’s not the easiest weapon to use in the Crucible. If you're going to take an Ignition Code god roll into Trials of Osiris, you’re looking for high velocity and Proximity Grenades.
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The goal in PvP is to secure the kill without needing a direct hit. Proximity Grenades help with that, though they nerf your impact damage. You’ll want Slideshot here too, mostly because it allows you to stay mobile. In the final column, Danger Zone or Vorpal (to shut down Supers) are your best bets. Honestly, though, if you're playing PvP, you're probably better off with a crafted Witherhoard or a well-rolled Pardon Our Dust with higher blast radius. Ignition Code is a PvE monster first and foremost.
How to Get It in 2026
Since Season of the Splicer is long gone, you can't just go to the H.E.L.M. and focus an engram. This is where the grind gets annoying. You have two main sources:
- Dares of Eternity: The loot pool rotates weekly. You have to wait for the specific week that features Splicer gear. It’s a dilute pool, so getting the 5/5 god roll is statistically difficult.
- Xur: The tentacle-faced vendor occasionally brings an Ignition Code. Usually, the rolls are mediocre. But every once in a while, he drops a near-perfect version. It’s worth checking every Friday.
Why People Get This Wrong
A common mistake is focusing too much on the Masterwork. People obsess over a Velocity Masterwork or a Reload Masterwork. Listen: if you have Slideshot and Disorienting Grenades, the Masterwork doesn't matter. You’re already winning. Don't dismantle a Slideshot/Frenzy roll just because it has a Handling Masterwork.
Another misconception is that the "nerf" to Disorienting Grenades killed the gun. It didn't. It just reduced the blast radius. The actual utility—making enemies stop shooting you—is still 100% intact. In a game where one stray shot from a Sniper Vandal can end a flawless run, that utility is priceless.
Technical Breakdown of Performance
When we talk about the Ignition Code god roll, we have to look at the frame. As a Lightweight Frame, it has a hidden perk: you move faster while it's equipped. This stacks with other movement buffs. If you are a Hunter using Stompees or a Warlock with Icarus Dash, the synergy with Slideshot is massive.
You aren't just a static turret. You are a mobile mortar strike. The math on Slideshot is simple: it bypasses the reload stat. Traditionally, special GLs are balanced by their long reload times. By removing that bottleneck, the effective DPS (Damage Per Second) of Ignition Code jumps significantly higher than other launchers in its class, even those with technically "better" damage perks.
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Comparison: Ignition Code vs. Pardon Our Dust
- Ignition Code: Access to Slideshot. Kinetic slot. Higher potential for burst fire.
- Pardon Our Dust: Craftable (meaning guaranteed god roll). Can roll with Auto-Loading Holster and Vorpal. Better for "swap and forget" gameplay.
If you like to keep your GL out and use it as a primary-adjacent weapon, Ignition Code wins every time. If you only pull your GL out to blind a target and then swap to an SMG, Pardon Our Dust is more convenient. But convenience is the enemy of fun.
Final Verdict on the Grind
Is it worth spending hours in Dares of Eternity for a weapon that came out years ago? Yes. There is currently no other Kinetic slot GL that can do what a Slideshot Ignition Code does. It is a unique piece of Destiny 2 history that remains top-tier because its perk combination is essentially "broken" in the best way possible.
Keep an eye on the Dares rotation. Save your Strange Coins for whenever Xur decides to be generous. This isn't just a weapon for your vault; it's a weapon that defines how you handle the hardest content in the game.
Actionable Steps for Players
- Check the Dares of Eternity Loot Table: Use community sites like DestinyItemManager or light.gg to see if Splicer weapons are in the current weekly rotation.
- Priority One: If you see a roll with Slideshot and Disorienting Grenades, lock it immediately. That is the core of the utility.
- Clean Your Vault: Don't hoard "almost" rolls. If it doesn't have Slideshot, it's probably outclassed by a crafted Pardon Our Dust or Lingering Dread.
- Test the Slide: If you’ve never used a Slideshot GL, take it to the Altar of Sorrow on the Moon. Practice the rhythm: Shoot, Slide, Shoot. Once you get the muscle memory down, you’ll realize why people refuse to let this gun go.