Sniper Rifles have struggled to find their place in PvE, but there’s one that’s defied all expectations: Cloudstrike. This Eliksni weapon has a unique intrinsic perk, which makes it not only viable but fantastic in PvE situations. But finding it? Isn’t a straightforward task. Here’s how to get Cloudstrike in Destiny 2.
Related: How to extract Rohan’s Data from Cloud Accretions in Destiny 2 (via PC Invasion)
How to get Cloudstrike in Destiny 2 (2023)
Destiny 2 is a game with no shortage of DLCs and Expansions. And unfortunately, Cloudstrike is behind one of these expansions. You’ll need to purchase Beyond Light, which drops you on Europa. It’s in this expansion that we first gain access to the Stasis subclass and encounter Eramis, now a servant of the Witness and Darkness.
Once you have Beyond Light, you’ll need to complete the campaign and put Eramis on ice (however briefly), then head to Charon Crossing to speak to Variks the Loyal. This Eliksni is Europa vendors, and it’s through him you can access the three Empire Hunts: The Warrior, The Dark Priestess, and the Technocrat. Each of these Hunts features unique bosses you must bring down.
But these Hunts should be familiar – they’re each just a campaign mission of Beyond Light, with the option to jack up the difficulty level. The higher the difficulty level, the higher the chance that Cloudstrike will drop.
If you find you can’t alter the Empire Hunt difficulty level, make sure you’ve done enough Sabotage missions for Variks. More precisely, you’ll need to finish Europan Explorer 1 and Europan Explorer 2. Once that’s done, you’ll just need to farm out harder Empire Hunts until Cloudstrike drops.
This can be a tedious affair, but it’s worth it for Cloudstrike’s intrinsic perk, Mortal Polarity. This perk rewards precision final blows (headshots) by generating a lightning bolt at the target’s location. Kill enough smaller enemies near a boss and these bolts of lightning can not only clear the arena but do massive damage to the yellow-bar. A fun gimmick if you enjoy sitting back and clicking heads.
Related: How to Complete the Quest Final Dawn in Destiny 2
