In the world of Destiny 2, weapon optimization is crucial for both PvE and PvP players. One of the standout weapons introduced in Season of the Haunted is Tarnished Mettle, a precision-frame scout rifle with high utility, excellent stats, and outstanding perk synergy. Its flexibility in perk combinations makes it a top contender for players looking to tailor a weapon to their specific playstyle. Whether you’re farming strikes, competing in Trials of Osiris, or just looking to dominate in Crucible, understanding the god roll for Tarnished Mettle can give you a major advantage.
What Is Tarnished Mettle?
Tarnished Mettle is a 200 RPM (Rounds Per Minute) scout rifle with a precision frame archetype. This means it fires steadily with good accuracy and is particularly effective at mid-to-long range. It was introduced during Destiny 2’s Season 17 as part of the seasonal loot tied to the Leviathan and Derelict Leviathan events. The weapon’s design and name are themed around the Eliksni (Fallen), with a sleek, scavenged aesthetic and solid base stats that make it attractive to all classes.
Key Base Stats
- Impact: 62
- Range: 48
- Stability: 51
- Handling: 40
- Reload Speed: 42
- Magazine: 16
- Aim Assistance: 64
These baseline stats make Tarnished Mettle a dependable option with a strong foundation for both damage and control. However, its true potential is unlocked when rolled with the right perks.
God Roll for PvE
For PvE activities such as Nightfalls, Gambit, and seasonal content, you’ll want a Tarnished Mettle god roll that maximizes add-clear potential and consistent uptime. Perks that synergize with grenade regeneration, ability cooldowns, and ad-clear mechanics make this weapon a true workhorse in PvE settings.
Recommended PvE Perks
- Barrel: Arrowhead Brake – Greatly improves recoil direction and handling.
- Magazine: Tactical Mag – Improves stability, reload speed, and slightly increases magazine size.
- Perk 1: Shoot to Loot – Automatically collects ammo and activates grenade/ability pickup effects when shooting bricks.
- Perk 2: Voltshot – Reloading after a kill causes your next shot to jolt targets, dealing AoE Arc damage.
This PvE god roll is excellent for Arc builds, especially with the introduction of Arc 3.0. Voltshot allows you to chain damage between enemies, making it ideal for ad-clear. Pairing it with Shoot to Loot offers excellent utility in high-end content where grabbing heavy or special ammo might be risky.
Alternative PvE Options
- Fourth Time’s the Charm– Returns two rounds to the magazine on rapid precision hits. Great for bosses.
- Explosive Payload– Increases damage output and flinch to enemies by separating impact and explosive damage.
These alternative perks can be useful in specific activities such as boss phases or Champion fights where sustainability and stagger matter more than ad-clear.
God Roll for PvP
In Crucible, a Tarnished Mettle god roll should focus on range, stability, and quick target engagement. Perks that enhance the rifle’s accuracy and reduce the time-to-kill (TTK) are essential. Given that scout rifles can dominate lanes in larger PvP maps, the right roll can turn Tarnished Mettle into a Crucible menace.
Recommended PvP Perks
- Barrel: Hammer-Forged Rifling – Increases range for better engagement distance.
- Magazine: Accurized Rounds – Further boosts range, a key PvP stat.
- Perk 1: Moving Target – Increases movement speed and target acquisition while aiming down sights.
- Perk 2: Eye of the Storm – Improves accuracy and handling as health gets lower, helping win gunfights.
This PvP god roll gives Tarnished Mettle both distance and stickiness. With Moving Target, players can strafe quickly while ADS, making them harder to hit and easier to land shots. Eye of the Storm comes in clutch during close calls, giving a noticeable aim assist and accuracy boost when under fire.
Alternative PvP Perks
- Perpetual Motion– Builds up stability, handling, and reload speed the longer you keep moving.
- Explosive Payload– Adds flinch to opponents and separates damage types, which can be helpful for duels.
Explosive Payload is especially effective in PvP because of its ability to apply consistent flinch and increase precision damage reliability across all ranges.
Best Masterwork and Mod Choices
Masterwork and mods play a critical role in refining the performance of your Tarnished Mettle god roll. Here are the optimal options based on your build.
For PvE:
- Masterwork: Reload Speed or Handling
- Mod: Minor Spec (for faster enemy takedowns)
For PvP:
- Masterwork: Range or Stability
- Mod: Targeting Adjuster (increased aim assist)
These choices enhance Tarnished Mettle’s key characteristics, making it more responsive and reliable in clutch moments. While personal preference matters, most high-level players gravitate toward these enhancements for consistency.
Synergy with Subclasses and Builds
One of the most important elements of maximizing a god roll weapon is pairing it with the right subclass and armor mods. Tarnished Mettle is a natural fit for Arc subclasses, especially when using perks like Voltshot that directly interact with jolt and Arc chaining.
Arc 3.0 Synergy
- Use alongside the Spark of Shock and Spark of Ions fragments for bonus Arc explosions.
- Pair with abilities like Chain Lightning or Storm Grenade to quickly generate ionic traces.
- Perfect for builds that utilize the Amplified status to increase reload and sprint speed.
Recommended Exotic Armor Pairings
- Warlock: Crown of Tempests – Greatly increases ability regen on Arc kills.
- Hunter: Assassin’s Cowl – Grants healing and invisibility on powered melee or finisher kills, useful for survivability.
- Titan: Heart of Inmost Light – Empowers abilities when cycling between grenade, melee, and class ability use.
These exotics complement the damage-dealing and utility aspects of Tarnished Mettle, especially when combined with Arc damage perks and mods.
How to Farm for Tarnished Mettle
Tarnished Mettle drops from the Derelict Leviathan during Season of the Haunted. It’s available through activities like Nightmare Containment and Sever missions. Players can focus Umbral Engrams at the Crown of Sorrow to target scout rifles and increase their chances of acquiring a god roll.
Best Methods for Farming
- Run Nightmare Containment events for high-volume drops
- Use seasonal currency to focus Umbral Engrams at the HELM
- Complete bounties and seasonal challenges to earn more rolls
The key to getting the ideal Tarnished Mettle roll is consistency. With dedicated grinding and engram focusing, it’s entirely possible to get multiple versions and find the one that best fits your needs.
Tarnished Mettle is a versatile and powerful scout rifle that stands out due to its excellent perk pool and strong base stats. Whether you want a PvE monster that chains Arc damage and picks up ammo with ease, or a PvP rifle that controls lanes and wins duels, this weapon can do both with the right god roll. By understanding the top perks, mod pairings, and build synergies, you can elevate Tarnished Mettle to one of the most effective weapons in your arsenal.