The Unending Tempest has quickly risen as one of the most sought-after submachine guns in Destiny 2, thanks to its Precision Frame design and Stasis damage type. Introduced during the Season of the Witch, this legendary weapon offers a predictable vertical recoil pattern that makes it forgiving in intense firefights. With base stats boasting 53 Range, 41 Stability, and 85 Recoil Direction, it provides a solid foundation for both PvE clearing and PvP duels. Players praise its deep perk pool, allowing for highly customizable builds that adapt to various playstyles.
Key Stats and Intrinsic Traits
Unending Tempest fires at 600 RPM, striking a balance between rapid fire and control. Its Precision Frame intrinsic enhances accuracy with a vertical recoil focus, ideal for landing consistent shots on clustered enemies or moving targets. Here’s a breakdown of its core stats:
| Stat | Value | Impact on Gameplay |
|---|---|---|
| Impact | 25 | Solid damage per bullet for quick kills |
| Range | 53 | Competitive reach for an SMG |
| Stability | 41 | Manageable recoil with perks |
| Handling | 23 | Room for improvement via barrels/masterworks |
| Reload Speed | 19 | Perks like Subsistence mitigate this |
| Aim Assistance | 58 | Excellent tracking for hip-fire and ADS |
| Recoil Direction | 85 | Nearly perfect vertical pattern |
These stats position Unending Tempest as an S-tier PvE option and A-tier in PvP, excelling in raids, strikes, Crucible, and Trials.
How to Acquire Unending Tempest
Farming this SMG revolves around Crucible activities, making it accessible to anyone grinding competitive playlists. Key sources include:
- End-of-match rewards from any Crucible playlist
- Iron Banner drops
- Trials of Osiris engrams
- Lord Shaxx’s weekly challenges
- Crucible Engrams exchanged directly with Shaxx
The most efficient method is stockpiling Crucible Engrams and purchasing Unending Tempest directly from Lord Shaxx, bypassing RNG drops. Focus on playlists with higher reward rates, like Quickplay or Competitive, and use focusing techniques introduced in recent seasons to target this weapon specifically.
Top PvE God Rolls for Unending Tempest
In PvE, Unending Tempest shines as a add-clear machine and boss DPS contributor. Its Stasis shards synergize with freezing builds, while perks sustain fire during prolonged engagements. The consensus god roll emphasizes sustainability and damage ramps.
Premier PvE Build: Subsistence + Frenzy
This combo mirrors powerhouse SMGs like Funnelweb, keeping your magazine refreshed while boosting output.
- Barrel: Corkscrew Rifling – Boosts stability, range, and handling evenly for versatile handling.
- Magazine: Accurized Rounds – Pushes range higher for better add-clear at distance.
- Perk 1: Subsistence – Kills reload from reserves, enabling near-infinite ammo during mob phases.
- Perk 2: Frenzy – After 10-15 seconds in combat, gain 15% damage, handling, and reload buffs.
- Masterwork: Range – Maximizes effective distance.
- Mod: Boss Spec for DPS windows.
Why it dominates: Subsistence handles trash mobs effortlessly, and Frenzy spikes DPS for majors and bosses. Expect sustained fire without manual reloads, perfect for raids like Vault of Glass or Grandmaster Nightfalls.
Alternative PvE Rolls
| Playstyle | Perk 1 | Perk 2 | Strengths |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grenade Builds | Demolitionist | Adrenaline Junkie or Headstone | Generates grenades; Headstone creates Stasis crystals for crowd control |
| High Mobility | Perpetual Motion | Target Lock | Movement speed boosts; ramps damage on sustained fire |
Demolitionist setups thrive in Warlock or Titan grenade spam, while Perpetual Motion suits roaming Hunters.
Dominating PvP with Unending Tempest God Rolls
Unending Tempest’s PvP viability stems from its range potential and TTK optimization. Optimal time-to-kill drops to 0.70s with the right perks, outpacing many 600 RPM SMGs. Its aim assistance aids in duels against aggressive shotgun users.
Flagship PvP God Roll: Perpetual Motion + Target Lock
- Barrel: Corkscrew Rifling – All-around stat boost.
- Magazine: Accurized Rounds – Essential for extending lethal range.
- Perk 1: Perpetual Motion – Gain handling, stability, and reload while moving (stacks with strafing).
- Perk 2: Target Lock – Sustained hits grant up to 40% bonus damage, shortening TTK and range.
- Masterwork: Range – Hits 24+ meter effective range.
This roll rewards precise players, turning peek fights into easy wins.
Other PvP Contenders
- Dynamic Sway Reduction + Tap the Trigger: Laser-like stability for close-quarters frenzy, sacrificing some range.
- Killing Wind + Fragile Focus: Maxes range to 100 with focus after breaks, ideal for map control.
- Moving Target + Target Lock: Enhances ADS movement speed for evasive play.
These variants cater to lane holders, rushers, or objective players in Trials and Iron Banner.
Perk Pool Deep Dive
Unending Tempest’s expansive pool is both a blessing and curse—god rolls are rare but diverse. First-column standouts include Subsistence (sustain), Demolitionist (ability uptime), Perpetual Motion (mobility), and Moving Target (dueling). Second-column gems like Frenzy (DPS ramp), Target Lock (TTK crusher), and Adrenaline Junkie (grenade synergy) elevate it above meta alternatives.
Barrel options like Smallbore or Hammer-Forged further tune range/stability, while magazines such as High-Caliber Rounds add flinch in PvP.
Comparisons to Other SMGs
Versus Funnelweb: Unending Tempest offers superior range and Stasis procs but requires farming. Against Meta SMGs like Osteo Striga, it trades status effects for perk flexibility. In PvP, it rivals Conditional Finality with better base stats for non-shotgun metas.
Farming Strategies and Tips
To optimize drops:
- Run 3×3 Crucible for quick engrams.
- Complete Shaxx bounties for progress.
- Use shape/focus at rank 10+ with Shaxx.
- Double up engrams with Fireteam Power Level boosts.
Patience pays off; targeted focusing post-Echoes act has made god rolls more attainable.
FAQs
Is Unending Tempest meta in current Destiny 2 seasons?
Yes, its versatility keeps it S/A-tier across activities, especially post-buffs to Precision Frames.
Best masterwork for PvE?
Range for add-clear reach; Stability for boss phases.
Can it compete in Grandmasters?
Absolutely, Subsistence/Frenzy clears champions effectively.
How rare is the god roll?
Challenging due to pool size, but Shaxx focusing helps.
PvP TTK with Target Lock?
0.70s optimal, extending range by meters.
References
- Unending Tempest Boost in Destiny 2 (Weapon God Roll Farming) — Gamingcy. 2024. https://gamingcy.com/en-us/product/unending-tempest
- Destiny 2: Unending Tempest God Rolls (& How to Farm for it) — GameRant. 2024. https://gamerant.com/destiny-2-unending-tempest-god-rolls-how-farm/
- I FINALLY GOT THE GODROLL UNENDING TEMPEST (BEST SMG IN DESTINY) — YouTube (Destiny 2 Season of the Witch). 2023-10-01.
- Unending Tempest God Roll for PvE & PvP, Stats & Possible Rolls — Mobalytics. 2024. https://mobalytics.gg/destiny-2/weapons/legendary/2510526114-unending-tempest

