The Taipan-4fr is an essentially free endgame-ready Linear Fusion Rifle available to anyone who owns the Witch Queen expansion in Destiny 2. While it doesn’t match a fully-kitted Cataclysmic with Bait and Switch and all the trimmings, it competes with the likes of Reed’s Regret and even Stormchaser in some situations.
For a gun that requires only a short quest (Foundry Resonance, which we covered in a recent guide), the Taipan-4fr has no right to be as good as it is. Here are the rolls you should chase as a drop or when crafting.
Taipan-4fr Linear Fusion Rifle PvE God Roll
The Taipan-4fr is a PvE monster even without the best perks, but you’ll be able to compete and even outperform some of the best weapons in the game if you have the options presented here equipped.
Barrel: Arrowhead Brake, Fluted Barrel
In PvE, controlling your weapon is almost as important as the damage you deal, and with Arrowhead Brake, you’ll get a hefty bonus to the Taipan-4fr’s Recoil stat, keeping its kick well in check. The moderate buff to your weapon Handling will make readying and swapping it will be more comfortable, as well.
Fluted Barrel adds a slightly higher Handling buff and a little Stability but does nothing to control Recoil.
Magazine: Enhanced Battery, Liquid Coils
Enhanced Batter is the clear winner here. While you lose three points of Impact (a Destiny weapon’s primary damage stat), you gain an additional shot before you reload. That sixth shot is worth worlds more than what five shots would give with a bit more Impact.
If you absolutely must have big damage numbers at the expense of overall DPS, Liquid Coils will do that, but you’ll be nerfing yourself.
PvE Trait 1: Enhanced Triple Tap, Clown Cartridge
Taipan-4fr is unique in that it’s a Veist Linear Fusion, and the Veist Stinger Origin Trait gives every successful hit has a small chance to instantly reload the weapon from reserves. Combine that intrinsic perk with Enhanced Triple Tap’s ability to reload a shot with every precision hit, and you could conceivably fire more than 20 shots without reloading once.
If you haven’t yet unlocked Enhanced Triple Tap, you could equip Clown Cartridge to randomly overflow your magazine every reload.
PvE Trait 2: Firing Line, Enhanced Focused Fury
You’ll likely use the Taipan-4fr in a group setting where you’ll always be surrounded by teammates during DPS. Firing Line increases the weapon’s precision damage by 25% whenever two or more other players are around you.
If you want to take the Taipan-4fr into solo content or want something a little easier to activate in a chaotic situation, Focused Fury provides a 20% damage buff after spending half the magazine on precision hits.
Taipan-4fr Linear Fusion Rifle PvP God Roll
The Taipan-4fr isn’t really a PvP weapon, but if you have the accuracy, it will one-shot almost any Guardian you encounter whether they’re in their Super or not.
Barrel
The PvE perks for the Taipan-4fr work fine in PvP.
Magazine: Accelerated Coils, Liquid Coils
Speed is paramount for any weapon in PvP, and adding accelerated coils might reduce the Taipan-4fr’s damage by a small amount, the time you’ll save charging it with Accelerated Coils can make or break an engagement. If you must be sure you’re going to kill your enemies, LIquid Coils adds that little more damage you might need.
PvP Trait 1: Field Prep, Enhanced Fragile Focus
There aren’t many first-column Traits worth using in PvP on the Taipan-4fr, but Field Prep will make the weapon easier to use if you slide into a crouch before firing. Fragile Focus gives you a solid Range bonus so long as you haven’t taken any damage, which shouldn’t matter on any of the PvP maps, but hey, maybe it will someday.
PvP Trait 2: Enhanced Opening Shot, Enhanced Snapshot Sights
The second column of Traits on the Taipan-4fr has some better PvP options, with Opening Shot being the clear winner. It adds Aim Assist and improved overall Accuracy for the first shot in a fight, which can be the difference between a hit and a miss. Snapshot Sights doesn’t give nearly as much value, but it does make aiming down the sights significantly faster.
Reshape your Taipan-4fr with any of the perk combinations above for one of the best and easiest weapons to earn in all of Destiny 2. The only Linear Fusion Rifles that outshine it are a perfectly rolled Stormchaser or a crafted Cataclysmic with Enhanced Bait and Switch, which can only get from the Vow of the Disciple Raid. Our Destiny 2 guides hub has info on those topics and much more.
