The Third Iteration is among the strongest Exotic Scout Rifles brought to Destiny 2: The Edge of Fate. With its streamlined Void appearance and superb synergy with this season’s Artifact bonuses, it has become an instant fan-favorite—particularly due to a present bug that significantly boosts its damage.
If you want to obtain this weapon, upgrade it with its Catalyst, and make the most of the glitch before Bungie inevitably addresses it, here’s what you need to know.
How to Get the Third Iteration
Players who own The Edge of Fate expansion and have the Season of Reclamation pass active can obtain the Third Iteration almost immediately. It’s available as the first reward on the paid track of the Season Pass, meaning you’ll have access to it the moment the pass is unlocked through the Director’s Rewards tab.
For the free users, the gun is still available—albeit a bit later. At level 70 on the free path of the Reclamation Season Pass, players will be able to unlock the Third Iteration without spending the expansion. Although it is more time-consuming, the power of the gun makes the grind more than worth it.
Unlocking the Third Iteration Catalyst
To enhance the weapon further, players can unlock its Catalyst at level 90 in the Season Pass. This is available to everyone, including free-to-play users. After claiming it, you’ll need to complete 700 eliminations with the Third Iteration in order to activate the Catalyst fully.
After charging, the Catalyst contributes a strong benefit known as Aberrant Combustion. It results in precision final blows with Amalgamation Rounds to have a weakening explosion around the target. It greatly increases the effectiveness of the weapon against groups and provides it with a top pick for endgame activities.
How to Make the Third Iteration Overpowered
Currently, a glitch with Artifact mods is making the Third Iteration even more lethal. By using both Anti-Barrier Scout Rifle and Anti-Barrier Pulse Rifle mods from the seasonal Artifact, players can take advantage of a bug that greatly increases damage.
Here’s the trick: when you shoot at a target long enough to activate Amalgamation Rounds, the Void projectiles on the weapon become clumped together and strike much harder—two or three times the normal damage. This interaction makes the weapon a high-DPS beast that can rip apart most anything, even in high-difficulty material.
This glitch will probably be a short-lived one, so now’s the time to test the build and try out the full range of what the Third Iteration has to offer.
Third Iteration is already a great Scout Rifle in its standard configuration, but with the proper perks and the currently bugged mods, it’s one of the most broken guns in Destiny 2. If you’re grinding through the Season Pass to unlock it or bringing it in directly into Grandmaster content, this Exotic is one to pursue before it gets inevitably rebalanced.
