The Wardcliff Coil Exotic Rocket Launcher - Destiny 2

Learn about The Wardcliff Coil, a surprisingly potent Exotic Rocket Launcher in Destiny 2.

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The Wardcliff Coil is, as one would expect from an Exotic Rocket Launcher, an incredibly unique weapon in Destiny 2. This space-technology lookin’ thing spews out tiny seeker rockets that obliterate just about every target. While it’s been around since Destiny 2 launched, and was even rumored to be an Exotic for the OG Destiny (Dubious Volley), it still sees intermittent use. Here’s what you should know about The Wardclidd Coil, from how to unlock it and its perks to whether it’s any good.

How to get The Wardcliff Coil Exotic Rocket Launcher

First up, to get The Wardcliff Coil Exotic Rocket Launcher, you must get it from a random world drop or by purchasing it from Xur. Both methods require a bunch of luck. Thankfully, there are numerous ways of getting Exotic Engram in Destiny 2, so you should come across one sooner than later.

The Wardcliff Coil perks

destiny 2 the wardcliff coil

The Wardcliff Coil comes with two perks, one of which feels fairly underpowered when compared to the perks most Exotics receive these days.

  • Mechanized Autoloader – This weapon automatically reloads on ammo pickup.
  • Mad Scientist – This weapon fires a volley of rockets.

Mechanized Autoloader does as it says. Whenever you run over a Heavy ammo brick, Wardcliff Coil will be fully loaded. This is fantastic during boss damage phases or when clearing rooms full of enemies. Unfortunately, Destiny 2 has a horrible problem of limiting the amount of Heavy ammo that drops from enemies, which is only increased with the Rocket Launcher Ammo Finder armor mod. Make sure you have said mod equipped so you can actually take advantage of this perk.

Mad Scientist on the other hand simply states that Wardcliff Coil fires a volley of rockets. These appear as little Arc wisps that spew out of the gun. What the perk doesn’t tell you is that these mini rockets have some light tracking capabilities, though it’s not much. It’s worth unlocking the Wardcliff Coil Exotic Catalyst, as this improves the tracking on the projectiles, giving you a better chance at hitting targets from a further distance.

Is the Wardcliff Coil good?

Yes, The Wardcliff Coil is good. This Exotic Rocket Launcher can not only melt single targets but also dish out a wealth of damage in a large area. This is true regardless of whether you’re using it to take down Champions in PVE or nuking an enemy in their Super in Trials of Osiris. If you’re getting bored of using The Lament or Anarchy for every activity, try slapping this on instead.

Hunters, make sure you take some time to farm the Legend and Master Lost Sectors, as you absolutely want to use this thing with Mask of Bakris. This Exotic helmet boosts your Arc weapon damage after you dodge. Couple this with Wardcliff Coil and you'll be doing downright silly damage.

The Wardcliff Coil lore

destiny 2 the wardcliff coil lore

Ingenuity. Desperation. A haphazard prototype of terrible power. Such were the factors at play in the Wardcliff Incident.

HAMIT'S LOG. The lead is good, but so are the Fallen tracking me. I swear on my Ghost there's a hundred camped outside. I'm cornered in the lab and they're using Shanks to run me out of ammunition. War cultist, arm thyself; at least it's a weapons lab. This, er, rustic device was once an experimental axion emitter, which sprays weird particles to light up the basement of the universe. Right here I've coupled the emitter to some catacaustic quark-gluon coils, which will not, due to my scrupulous safety checking, create a strangelet that devours the Earth. I cook up some pain in there, the microverse decays, and the result comes out here. If it doesn't work, well, please name the crater after me.

While other weapons have taken its place over time, The Wardcliff Coil continues to go in and out of fashion. If you can find a place for it in your build, and even unlock its Exotic Catalyst, you’ll find it a rather entertaining Exotic to use. Take some time to look over the Shacknews Destiny 2 Guide for more Exotic weapon unlock guides and recommendations.

Guides Editor

Hailing from the land down under, Sam Chandler brings a bit of the southern hemisphere flair to his work. After bouncing round a few universities, securing a bachelor degree, and entering the video game industry, he's found his new family here at Shacknews as a Guides Editor. There's nothing he loves more than crafting a guide that will help someone. If you need help with a guide, or notice something not quite right, you can message him on X: @SamuelChandler 

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  • reply
    April 22, 2021 11:25 PM

    Sam Chandler posted a new article, The Wardcliff Coil Exotic Rocket Launcher - Destiny 2

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      April 23, 2021 4:20 AM

      I got this back before the revamp; didn't use it a lot because of just what you said, limited Heavy Ammo Drops. It did put out a rack of damage, but overall I just love an LMG for # of shots, if I'm not running a sword.

      • reply
        April 23, 2021 5:32 AM

        The heavy ammo (and even special) drop rate shits me to tears. I miss the OG Destiny days of having boots that guarantee more heavy ammo. And you're right, LMGs are great, especially with that damage output. But I just can't get past Anarchy, feels like free DPS while you use another weapon.

    • reply
      April 23, 2021 5:08 AM

      There are few things more entertaining than seeing a full raid use it to melt a boss in seconds. It was completely insane back before Lunafaction boots got their nerf.

      • reply
        April 23, 2021 5:30 AM

        Yeah, I distinctly remember utilizing it during the lamp damage phase of the bath section in Leviathan. It melts anything on the other end.

    • reply
      April 26, 2021 4:34 AM

      love this gun in pvp.

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