Bygones god roll & best perks

Bygones — Destiny 2 Pulse Rifle
Legendary · Pulse Rifle
Where it drops: Source: Complete Gambit matches and earn rank-up packages from the Drifter.

“"Gone, but never forgotten." —The Drifter”

Full perk pool, stats & source for Bygones →

Built from 255 curated wishlist rolls for this Pulse Rifle. Perks marked essential appear in every roll of a recommendation; alternatives are the other perks curators call worth keeping.

Recommended rolls

pandapaxxy

pve mkb controller 81 wishlist rolls

pandapaxxy (PvE / M+KB / Controller): "Bygones is back and I'm sure a lot of Veteran players are happy. Bygones was one of those feel good weapons from Forsaken that never really got a proper replacement. Updated with more perks and an origin trait it can definitely find a solid place within your loadouts. Firefly is an interesting choice and allows for the best AoE. Pair that with Subsistence and you never have to reload. Kinetic Tremors is the best for single target damage with decent AoE and pairs best with Keep Away or Outlaw as you won't be killing as reliably if you proc Kinetic Tremors. Desperado will feel great if you can get it going and the obvious pairing is Outlaw for a faster proc." Recommended MW: Reload Speed.

Strong alternatives

Arrowhead Brake Appended Mag Subsistence Kinetic Tremors Firefly Desperado Keep Away Outlaw Armor-Piercing Rounds Flared Magwell Fluted Barrel Smallbore

Community wishlist roll

60 wishlist rolls

Inspired by @PodvsEnemies episode 124 from 19 November 2024 (https://open.spotify.com/episode/3n08KP410ui1TXoEdBmsvu?si=2badf5a8fcac408d) with @Saint_Kabr, @ImpetusAlways and @CourtProjects (PvE PvE-MinorSpec PvE-EndGame PvE-God M+KB Controller): First-choice PvE pick use for add clearing in general, and end-game underleveled content. Bygones has been a PvP fan favourite for a long time, there's a few possible rolls that make a decent choice for a kinetic slot pulse rifle. It does drop from Gambit activities with a 12×12 trait perk pool, so if you're after it, reset your Zavala rank as many times as you're able before focusing. At base the stats are good - 48 Range equates to 33.32m range when ADS and 19.60m hipfire, 46 Handling is 0.40s ready, 0.37s ADS and 0.39s stow speed, while the Reload Speed of 46 is a 1.94s reload. On controllers, you'll find that straightening the recoil or boosting stability will help with control - on M+KB handling is the more obvious play for the barrel perk. The combat effect magazine perks, or something that helps reload work well too. There's a useful synergy between both Shoot to Loot and Attrition Orbs, and Kinetic Tremors shockwaves. Shoot to Loot will pick up any ammo bricks (and reload all your weapons) as well as orbs in the shockwave's area, while Attrition Orbs can be triggered by the shockwave to generate orbs faster. The Gun and Run origin trait is a bit meh, TBH but it's there anyway. Recommended MW: any - dealer's choice with a Backup Mag mod or, when masterworked, Synergy to create power orbs or Stunloader when there's a matching artifact mod.|tags:PvE PvE-MinorSpec PvE-EndGame PvE-God M+KB Controller

Essential perks

Kinetic Tremors

Strong alternatives

Arrowhead Brake Armor-Piercing Rounds Shoot to Loot Chambered Compensator Polygonal Rifling Fluted Barrel Corkscrew Rifling Smallbore High-Caliber Rounds Ricochet Rounds Flared Magwell Alloy Magazine Attrition Orbs

Community wishlist roll

60 wishlist rolls

Inspired by @PodvsEnemies episode 124 from 19 November 2024 (https://open.spotify.com/episode/3n08KP410ui1TXoEdBmsvu?si=2badf5a8fcac408d) with @Saint_Kabr, @ImpetusAlways and @CourtProjects (PvE PvE-MinorSpec PvE-EndGame PvE-God M+KB Controller): First-choice PvE pick use for add clearing in general, and end-game underleveled content. Bygones has been a fan favourite for a long time, and is a very decent choice for a kinetic slot pulse rifle. It does drop from Gambit activities with a 12×12 trait perk pool, so if you're after it, reset your Zavala rank as many times as you're able before focusing. At base the stats are good - 48 Range equates to 33.32m range when ADS and 19.60m hipfire, 46 Handling is 0.40s ready, 0.37s ADS and 0.39s stow speed, while the Reload Speed of 46 is a 1.94s reload. On controllers, you'll find that straightening the recoil or boosting stability will help with control - on M+KB handling is the more obvious play for the barrel perk. The combat effect magazine perks, or something that helps reload work well too. If you're looking for an all-purpose roll, then Demolitionist is always useful as a first trait column perk. In the second column, you can match that with Frenzy for ×1.15 damage boost and maxed Handling and Reload Speed, or Desperate Measures for up to ×1.3 damage, using the grenade energy you're generating. The Gun and Run origin trait is a bit meh, TBH but it's there anyway. Recommended MW: any - dealer's choice with a Backup Mag mod or, when masterworked, Synergy to create power orbs or Stunloader when there's a matching artifact mod.|tags:PvE PvE-MinorSpec PvE-EndGame PvE-God M+KB Controller

Essential perks

Demolitionist

Strong alternatives

Arrowhead Brake Armor-Piercing Rounds Frenzy Chambered Compensator Polygonal Rifling Fluted Barrel Corkscrew Rifling Smallbore High-Caliber Rounds Ricochet Rounds Flared Magwell Alloy Magazine Desperate Measures

pandapaxxy

pvp controller 54 wishlist rolls

pandapaxxy (PvP / Controller): "With the recent adjustment to High Ground (and in my humble opinion, it might get adjusted again) Bygones still two bursts with a clean 6 crit. I feel it's still a little overturned for such an easy payoff. If you're looking to get that roll you know what to look for. But outside of that roll you've got great neutral perks like Eye of the Storm, Headseeker, Zen Moment, and Keep Away. Kill Clip will always *just work* and doesn't need too much thought to keep going. Bygones still remains a top choice but it's a tad less forgiving now." Recommended MW: Stability.

Strong alternatives

Arrowhead Brake Kill Clip Ricochet Rounds Zen Moment Headseeker Eye of the Storm Keep Away Lone Wolf High-Caliber Rounds Chambered Compensator Smallbore

What these Bygones perks do

Armor-Piercing Rounds

Grants 5% increased damage against Elemental and Barrier Champion Shields. Allows bullets to overpenetrate enemies once.

Shoot to Loot

Weapon Hits against Orbs of Power collect them. If collecting ammo is possible: Weapon Hits against Ammo Bricks pick them up, trigger Ammo Pickup Effects, and refill all Weapons from reserves. Does not require direct hits.

Kinetic Tremors

Scoring multiple Direct Hits against a target within 3 seconds of each emits 3 damaging shockwaves from its location at the time of activation. Hit counter persists through stow. Shockwaves appear 0.25 seconds after scoring enough Hits and have a 1 second delay between each pulse. With Bows, the initial delay is decreased to 0.167 seconds. Each shockwave deals up to 90 [20] damage in a 6 meter radius. Shockwaves deal 33.33% more damage when activated on Miniboss or higher tier PvE Combatants. Shockwaves inherit Weapon Damage Buffs, the weapon's passive Kinetic Damage Bonus in PVE (10% on Primary, 15% on Special), and its Combatant Damage Scaling. They also count as non-direct Hits with the weapon for other interactions. The perk cannot be retriggered by anyone on a target until 2? seconds after the last shockwave. Hits required for Activation: • Submachine Guns: 14 • Auto Rifles: 12 • Pulse Rifles: 11 • Sidearms: 8 • Precision Hand Cannons and Precision Scout Rifles: 6 • Hand Cannons, Scout Rifles: 5 • Bows, Sniper Rifles: 3

High-Caliber Rounds

Hits inflict increased Flinch on Enemies. PVE: Tier 1-2 Minors can be repeatedly staggered. Higher Tier Combatants stagger quicker. PVP: Flinch against Players varies based on damage and Weapon Archetype. Flinch increase ranges between 5-10%.

Alloy Magazine

Linearly grants a Reload Duration Multiplier as your magazine drops from 50% capacity to empty. Reload Duration Multiplier scales from 0.9x at 50% capacity to 0.8x with an empty magazine.

Attrition Orbs

Scoring multiple Hits against enemies within 5 seconds of each spawns an Orb of Power that grants 0.8% Super Energy. Does not require Direct Hits. Hit counter persists through stow. Hit requirements for activation: • Rocket Launchers: 2 hits • Heavy Grenade Launchers: 3 Hits • Wave-Frame Grenade Launchers: 4 hits • Bows: 4 Hits • Swords: 5 Hits • Area-Denial Grenade Launchers: 26 Hits • Others: 55% of Magazine Size rounded down + 1 Support Frame Auto Rifle healing round Hits on damaged allies count as 2 Hits.

Demolitionist

Weapon Kills grant 10% Grenade Ability Energy. Kills with Sniper Rifles, Shotguns, Glaives, and Fusion Rifles grant 20%. Using your Grenade Ability refills the Magazine with a 3 second cooldown. Ability energy gained may be significantly decreased based on your selected ability's Chunk Energy Scalar. Learn more about this mechanic in our explainer blog post on the Clarity website.

Frenzy

After being in Combat for 12 seconds: Grants 15% increased damage, 100 Handling, and 100 Reload Speed for 7.2 seconds. Works and can activate while stowed. Dealing and receiving damage refreshes the buff duration. For Frenzy, being in Combat is defined as having either dealt or received damage within the last 5 seconds. Self-damage and environmental damage do not count.

Desperate Measures

Weapon Kills grant 'Desperate Measures x1' (DMx1), increasing damage by 10% for 7 seconds. Grenade or Melee Kills grant 20% increased damage for 7 seconds (DMx2). Scoring another Grenade or Melee Kill with DMx2 active increases this to 30% (DMx3). Can be activated while stowed. Weapon, Grenade, and Melee Kills refresh the buff duration.

Subsistence

Weapon Kills refill 10% of the magazine (rounded up) from reserves. Submachine Gun and Auto Rifle Kills refill 17% of the magazine.

Firefly

On Precision Kills: • Target explodes, dealing 104 [80] Solar damage in a 4 meter radius • Grants 50 Reload Speed for 6 seconds

Desperado

Finishing a reload 5.2 seconds after a Precision Kill or 3 kills within ? seconds of each reduces Firing Delay by 30% for 6 seconds. Buff is removed on stow.

Keep Away

While no enemies are within 15 meters: Grants 10 Range, 30 Reload Speed, and decreases Accuracy Cone Growth by 5?%.

Outlaw

Precision Kills grant 70 Reload Speed with a 0.9x decreased Reload Animation Duration for 6 seconds. Buff is removed on stow.

Kill Clip

Finishing a reload within 3.6 seconds of a kill grants 25% increased damage for 5 seconds. Stowing the weapon removes the buff. Does not buff the Splash/Explosive damage elements of other perks.

Zen Moment

Weapon Hits grant 1 Stack of the perk for 1 second up to the maximum of 5? Stacks. Benefits granted per Stack: • Grants ?% Flinch Resistance • Reduces Visual Weapon Shake by 15% • Reduces Reticle Bounce by 15% Stacks gained per Weapon Hit by weapon type: • Hand Cannons, Scout Rifles: 2? • Pulse Rifles, Sidearms: 1.5 • Other Weapons: 1

Headseeker

Dealing non-Precision Direct damage grants the following benefits for 0.55 seconds: • 20% increased Precision Bonus (complicated, see specific damage increases below) • 3% increased Aim Assist Cone size Precision damage increases by weapon type/frame: • Pulse Rifles: Adaptive: 7.1%, Aggressive Burst: 10%, Heavy Burst: 9.5%, High-Impact: 8.74%, Lightweight: 6.3%, Rapid-Fire: 10.3% • Sidearms: Adaptive Burst: 8.46%, Heavy Burst: 7.36% • Scout Rifles: Precision: 8.66% [Bug] Heavy Burst Hand Cannons: 7% increased Weakspot damage. The distinction between Weakspots and Critspots is complicated and we might write an explainer blog post about it eventually. For the purposes of PvP, the two are equivalent.

Eye of the Storm

Grants a scaling buff to Handling and Accuracy as your Shield Health drops below 40 and reaches maximum strength at 0 Shield HP. Buff at maximum strength grants: • 30 Handling • 40% decreased Accuracy Cone Size • 17% decreased Accuracy Cone Growth The buff linearly scales from 0% at 80 Shield HP to 100% at 0 Shield HP (Critical Health). It initially triggers as you drop to 40 Shield HP — giving you 50% of the maximum buff. However, as you regenerate your Shield Health, the buff will still remain until you reach 80 Shield HP where the benefits scale down to zero.

Lone Wolf

Passively grants 5 Aim Assist, 15 Airborne Effectiveness, and a 10% decreased ADS Animation Duration. While no allies are within 15 meters: Bonuses are increased to 10 Aim Assist, 30 Airborne Effectiveness, and a 20% decreased ADS Animation Duration.

Recommendations aggregated from curated community wishlists; credit to the curators linked above.

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