Published , by Sam Chandler
Published , by Sam Chandler
Pre Astyanax IV is a brand new Combat Bow added to Destiny 2 with Season of the Witch. This bow drops from Nightfall, features Solar damage, and features a 684 Draw Time. Those who are into bows should prepare to farm a Pre Astyanax IV god roll, as there are some appealing perks for both PVE and PVP.
Pre Astyanax IV is a Nightfall reward. Playing on harder difficulties will increase the likelihood of the weapon dropping from completions with Grandmaster Nightfalls guaranteeing a drop and even offering the Adept version. Take a look at our GM schedule so you know when it’s available for farming.
A Pre Astyanax IV god roll for PVP is going to focus on boosting the Handling and cutting down on the Draw Time.
| Pre Astyanax IV - PVP | |
|---|---|
| Bowstring | Elastic String (Accuracy -10, Handling +5, Draw Time -72) |
| Arrow | Compact Arrow Shaft (Reload Speed +10, Handling +10) |
| Perk 1 | Archer's Tempo (Draw time decreases after every precision hit) |
| Perk 2 | Successful Warm-Up (Each final blow increases charge/draw speed) |
| Origin Trait | Wild Card (Final blows with this weapon have a chance to create experimental submunitions at the target's location) |
| Masterwork | Target Acquisition |
| Mod | Targeting Adjuster |
Begin with Elastic String and Compact Arrow Shaft. Elastic String hits the Accuracy, but this can be addressed with player skill or a Targe Acquisition Masterwork and Targeting Adjuster mod. With this setup you’ll see Handling and Reload Speed boosted with Draw Time improved.
For the first perk, Archer’s Tempo remains a great option when duelling as it’s unlikely you’ll be one-shotting foes. A precision hit will boost the draw speed of your next shot, allowing you to follow up quickly. This perk pairs nicely with Successful Warm-Up, which increases Draw Speed when you get a final blow. The end result is a Combat Bow that fires rather quickly once it gets rolling.
When it comes to PVE, a Pre Astyanax IV god roll is almost identical to the PVP version, except that this bow comes with Incandescent!
| Pre Astyanax IV - PVE | |
|---|---|
| Bowstring | Elastic String (Accuracy -10, Handling +5, Draw Time -72) |
| Arrow | Compact Arrow Shaft (Reload Speed +10, Handling +10) |
| Perk 1 | Archer's Tempo (Draw time decreases after every precision hit) |
| Perk 2 | Incandescent (Defeating a target spreads scorch to those nearby. More powerful combatants and opposing Guardians cause scorch in a larger radius) |
| Origin Trait | Wild Card (Final blows with this weapon have a chance to create experimental submunitions at the target's location) |
| Masterwork | Draw Time |
| Mod | Minor or Major Spec |
Elastic String and Compact Arrow Shaft are great options thanks to their boost to Handling, Draw Time, and Reload Speed. It just helps make the bow feel a bit better in combat. Follow these up with a Draw Time Masterwork to make it a bit faster in combat and then either Major or Minor Spec.
As with the PVP roll, Archer’s Tempo does a lot of good here to further boost the speed of the draw. With how easy it is to get critical hits, you’ll have this procced basically all the time. The second column should be Incandescent, as this continues to be a great option for Solar builds and even general add-clearing. Because bows are obviously single-target powerhouses and it’s not as easy to clear waves as, say, an SMG, Incandescent will help it smash through waves.
Pre Astyanax IV is an interesting new addition to the line-up of Combat Bows and one fans may find themselves using in PVP and PVE. Take a moment to check some more god roll recommendations in our Destiny 2 strategy guide.