Along with the release of The Edge of Fate, Destiny 2 introduces not just significant overhauls to armor, weapons, and the Power Cap, but also a brand-new seasonal artifact: the Implement of Curiosity. This artifact is core to setting the seasonal meta, providing Guardians with strong new abilities through its unlockable mods. Like past artifacts, one can only have 12 mods equipped at a time, so careful choice is key.
Following is a summary of every mod in the Implement of Curiosity artifact divided by column for convenient understanding.
Column 1: Champion Counters
The first column emphasizes Champion countering through various weapon types. These are core mods that enable players to manage endgame activities effectively.
- Anti-Barrier Scout and Pulse gives your Scout and Pulse Rifles the function of piercing shields and stunning Barrier Champions.
- Unstoppable Sidearm and Hand Cannon enables Sidearms and Hand Cannons to charge heavy payloads which can stun Unstoppable Champions when firing down sights.
- Unstoppable Sniper Rifle does the same payload mechanic for Sniper Rifles so that they too can resist Unstoppable Champions.
- Overload Shotgun enables your Shotguns to disorient enemies, stopping them from regenerating abilities and lessening their damage output—ideal against Overload Champions.
- Overload Quick Strike allows Auto Rifles and Submachine Guns to get Overload-stunning bullets from repeated firing, making them great choices for dealing with quick-trading combat.
Column 2: Synergy between Weapon and Armor
Mods in this column enhance subclass buff synergy and weapon behavior, or otherwise provide utility increases.
- Flame Fiber Freeze is a Solar/Strand plus Solar/Stasis Siphon combination, simplifying multi-element builds.
- Authorized Mods: Scavengers lowers Scavenger mod costs throughout your loadout.
- One with Frost improves Stasis guns with increased reload speed and stability while Frost Armor is enabled, also increasing Stasis Swords’ guard break resistance.
- Tightly Woven increases class ability and grenade level while Woven Mail is enabled, promoting more defensive Strand play.
- Rapid Precision Rifling provides increased reload speed and flinch resistance for Scout Rifles after rapid precision kills or hits.
Column 3: Elemental Buff Interactions
This column adds mods that revolve around subclass buffs and debuffs, engaging more aggressive combat strategies.
- Fever and Chill gives Radiant on quick Solar precision damage and Frost Armor on quick Stasis precision damage—perfect for hybrid elemental setups.
- Elemental Benevolence rewards group play by rewarding you with class ability energy when providing elemental buffs to teammates.
- Frost Renewal gives area freeze applied and additional Frost Armor when being hit critically, supporting Stasis builds.
- Reciprocal Draw rewards Sidearm play by rewarding them with a damage bonus when landing quick kills with other weapons.
- Refresh Threads enables Strand builds to recharge their lowest ability when taking in an elemental pickup or Tangle of the same subclass.
Column 4: Combat Utility and Debuffs
This column improves your battlefield control and enemy debuffing using elemental synergies.
- Threaded Blast amplifies explosion radius and damage when detonating a Tangle with Strand damage—perfect for crowd control.
- Cauterized Darkness turns debuffed enemies weak to Solar damage, even if the original debuff came from Stasis or Strand.
- Elemental Daze makes Champions stunned by elemental weapons explode with a debuff equal to the weapon’s element.
- Shoulder to Shoulder provides resistance to damage when trading constant precision damage alongside two or more allies.
- Elemental Coalescence gives a chance for enemies to drop elemental pickups matching your Super when defeated.
Column 5: High-Level Power Mods
These mods are built for high-end builds, offering devastating effects and combat enhancements.
- Radiant Shrapnel causes enemies defeated while scorched or while you’re Radiant to explode with Solar projectiles, spreading additional scorch.
- Shieldcrush increases grenade recharge and melee damage rates with melee recharge rate and damage when certain elemental defensive buffs (such as Woven Mail or Frost Armor) are present.
- Elemental Overdrive provides weapon damage bonuses when you pick up a matching elemental pickup or Tangle, and tight elemental buildcrafting is incentivized.
- Tangled Web freeze-ganks nearby enemies when a Strand-debuffed enemy makes a Tangle upon death—powerful area control.
- Frigid Glare makes precision Stasis kills cast a chilling burst if you have Frost Armor on, immobilizing enemies close to you.
Choosing the Right Mods
Since only 12 mods can be active simultaneously, your selection will significantly impact your build and performance in endgame content. In selecting your choice from the Implement of Curiosity, take into account the kind of Champions you’re expecting to encounter, your subclass synergy, and your team composition. Whether you’re favoring Radiant and Scorch with Solar, crowd control with Strand, or burst damage with Stasis, The Edge of Fate’s artifact system makes players more in control than ever before regarding how they wish to tackle Destiny 2’s most challenging content.
