Destiny 2‘s Sarpedon-D hand cannon functions almost like a pocket shotgun, and its god roll means it’s perfect for bruiser builds. In close range, it can take down foes rather easily if you’re accurate, and that’s before it buffs your melee ability.
Sarpedon-D is another entry in the list of the distinctive spread shot hand cannons, this time in Arc flavor. Naturally, this comes with access to Arc-based keywords like Jolt and Bolt Charge, but it keeps the solid core that makes its archetype tick: its buckshot shot pattern and unique perk pool for a primary weapon.
Here are our god rolls for Sarpedon-D in Destiny 2, based on perk data from d2foundry.gg.
Sarpedon-D PvE god rolls in Destiny 2
- Barrel: Barrel Shroud, Smallbore, or Corkscrew Rifling
- Mag: Flared Magwell, Tactical Mag, or Alloy Mag
- First perk: Proximity Power, Eddy Current, or Trickle Charge
- Second perk: One-Two Punch, Trench Barrel, or Voltshot
Since this hand cannon is Arc-based, our Sarpedon-D god roll brings a little bit of the lightning element to the foreground, with some utility sprinkled
Proximity Power is our top pick if you need more juice in your close-range builds. While enemies are nearby, final blows with this weapon improve your melee stat. Since Sarpedon-D is meant for proximity encounters, you’ll rarely be outside of this perk’s radius, so this one’s a freebie.
Two other options surface if your melee stat is just fine the way it is, and both hail straight from Arc 3.0. Eddy Current and Trickle Charge can mitigate Sarpedon-D’s annoyingly long reload. If you’re not using Arc or only have access to Amplified, the first one is more useful. If you have access to Bolt Charge, Trickle Charge might be more seamless.
There’s also the utility perks with Impromptu Ammunition and Lead From Light, giving you some ammo generation on the side. You can use it to fuel special weapons like Mint Retrograde or Psi Aeterna IV, which saw changes to the ammo economy, or to lean into the close-range aspect and keep your Praxic Blade ammo full.
All perks in Sarpedon-D’s fourth column have their use case, but few are enough to appear in our god roll. One-Two Punch buffs your melee damage if you land a shot with all projectiles in the spread, so this is a must-have whether you’re using throwing knives, your fists, or arcane magic. The buff is smaller than it would be on a weapon with special ammo, but you don’t have to worry about running out of bullets.
Trench Barrel works in the opposite way: hitting a target with your melee boosts this weapon’s damage. One-Two Punch is the better option in most scenarios.
Regular builds have access to Arc sweetheart Voltshot, but Rolling Storm also shows up in the perk pool. The first one gets you some area damage, but the second helps you stack up Bolt Charge. In practice, the choice between these two hinges on your loadout and preference.
In the damage department, Desperate Measures also shows up here for a longer-lasting damage boost that doesn’t require melee hits, and it’s not a bad option.
Proximity Power fits right into Sarpedon-D’s theme, but it pales in comparison to the other options. If you’re running a melee build and ability energy is not a problem, One-Two Punch is the undisputed king. If you need sustain, though, this perk might do the trick—though that’s a problem better solved through buildcrafting so that you don’t miss out on this perk.
