Destiny 2: How to Get the Gjallarhorn Catalyst in the Grasp of Avarice

The Gjallarhorn is back with Destiny 2’s 30th Anniversary Pack. While it’s a beast on its own, with the Exotic Catalyst, it reaches its full potential. By default, the iconic exotic rocket launcher comes with one rocket in the magazine, the Wolfpack Rounds, and the ability to bestow Wolfpack rounds on Legendary grade rocket launchers.

The Gjallarhorn Catalyst increases the mag size to its original two and creates a second, stronger missile on the impact of the first. So kitted, the legend offers top-tier DPS without the need for precision. Whisper of the Worm and Sleeper Simulant have a higher damage potential, as they’ll have more ammo left over after a DPS phase, but Gjallarhorn is consistent, easy, and satisfying.

In this Destiny 2 guide, we’ll show you the three chest locations in the Grasp of Avarice holding the keys to the Gjallarhorn Catalyst. Then we’ll briefly go over a couple of ways to get the 400 kills you need to activate it.

Related: How to Rocket Grapple in D2

How to Unlock the Gjallarhorn Catalyst in the Grasp of Avarice Dungeon

There are three hidden Gjallarhorn catalyst chests in the new Dungeon, and you’ll need to essentially complete the activity to find them all. If you’re looking for your first clear, our Grasp of Avarice guide is made for you.

Gjallarhorn Catalyst Chest 1

To reach the first Gjallarhorn catalyst chest, complete the first encounter and drop into the cave. You’ll come to an intersection with the two Hive Knights shooting at you. There’s a small metal structure there, and across the chasm is a new enemy, a boss-level Reaver Vandal (hereafter referred to as Randal).

You can’t kill Randal, as he despawns before you deal enough damage, but he does drop the engrams you need to open the catalyst chest.

Shoot Randal with a Gjallarhorn to get him to drop an engram. Run over and pick it up to gain the Burden of Riches debuff, then jump up to the second level of the metal structure and open the chest. You should see a message in the bottom left corner of your screen that says, “You recovered looted fragments,” which will indicate you’re on the right path.

Gjallarhorn Catalyst Chest 2

Progress through the Dungeon until you reach the red staircase and the Death Barrel therein. Avoid the cylinder of doom and head toward the orange-lit vent. You’ll see ol’ Randal waiting for you there guarding a catalyst chest.

Kindly borrow an engram from him and head into the vent. In the water room, make an immediate right. The Gjallarhorn catalyst chest is on a platform with a large, circular sign written in Russian.

Gjallarhorn Catalyst Chest 3

The third and final Gjallarhorn catalyst chest is the hardest to reach, both in terms of distance and the actual difficulty of getting to it.

First, you need to complete the Fallen Shield encounter but do not progress. The island man cannons don’t function once you finish the encounter, so aim it to the back right of the room toward the highest island.

You’ll know you’re in the right place if there’s a stream running underneath the building. Gentleman Randal will be waiting with a small retinue.

Ask politely for an engram, then take the nearby cannon back to the central island.

The Gjallarhorn catalyst chest is on the top of the building in the center. You’ll need to climb up and over a purple carpet-covered outcropping to get there, and you’ll need all thirty seconds on the Burden of Riches debuff. One mistake on the platforming will send you to the respawn screen.

Opening the third chest will immediately grant you the Gjallarhorn catalyst, which you should immediately equip even if it isn’t active. You might as well finish the Dungeon at this point, anyway.

How to Activate the Gjallarhorn Catalyst

You need to kill 400 combatants to fully charge and activate the Gjallarhorn Catalyst. There are three places you can do that efficiently:

1. Shuro Chi Encounter in Last Wish. Forsaken might be getting the Vault treatment soon, but Last Wish Raid isn’t going anywhere. The Shuro Chi encounter is legendary as a catalyst farm, so either have a friend give you a checkpoint or use the Wish Wall to send yourself there. Plant your Rally Flag, kill all the Thrall with the Gjallarhorn, then die and repeat.
2. Altars of Sorrow on the Moon. You don’t need Shadowkeep to access the Moon nor participate in the Altars of Sorrow activity. Load up with ammo finder and reserve armor mods if you have them, and head to Sorrow’s Harbor. Kill all the enemies you can with the rockets you have. Pick up Heavy Ammo bricks as they fall and continue the slaughter.
3. The first encounter of Grasp of Avarice. In a totally not unintentional twist, one of the best places to farm the Gjallarhorn catalyst is exactly where you unlocked it. The first encounter of the new Dungeon has infinitely respawning enemies, so follow the same tactic as Altars of Sorrow. Kill with Gjally until you can’t, then pick up any Heavy bricks you find. Repeat ad nauseam.

Now you’re all set to relive the glory days of Destiny 1 when every LFG post required Gjallarhorn. Except now, almost everyone will have it, but it’s still as powerful as ever.

And that’s how to get the Gjallarhorn catalyst in Destiny 2. For more tips and tricks, including how to actually get the Exotic rocket launcher if you’d landed here before nabbing it, head over to our D2 guides hub.