Ice Breaker returns in Destiny 2 as part of Oct. 2024’s Revenant Act I.
The exotic sniper rifle from the first Destiny has been one of the most glaring omissions when it comes to returning weapons, and while it doesn’t quite offer infinite ammo anymore, it has a new trait and perk in keeping with the original’s characteristics.
Below is how to get Ice Breaker in Destiny 2, increase your odds of Ice Breaker dropping, and how the weapon has changed since it’s original debut.
How to get Ice Breaker in Destiny 2
Image: Bungie via Polygon
The only way to get an Ice Breaker in Destiny 2 is to complete the Vesper’s Host dungeon, where it will then have a chance of dropping upon completing the final encounter, The Corrupted Puppeteer.
Much like other raids and dungeons with exclusive exotics, the only way to get Ice Breaker is through the luck of the draw. It isn’t guaranteed to drop when you beat the boss, so you might need to complete the dungeon a number of times before it’s yours — but know since the weapon can only drop once per character, per week, it’s something you cannot farm.
If you can’t wait until the following weekly reset, you can run the dungeon three times a week, once with each character, to maximise your chances.
How to increase Ice Breaker drop rate
Image: Bungie via Polygon
Thankfully, there are some things you can do to increase your odds of Ice Breaker dropping.
First of all, every time you beat Vesper’s Host and don’t get Ice Breaker, your chances of getting the weapon increase. Essentially, so long as you keep trying, you are almost guaranteed to get it eventually.
Further, you can complete Triumphs in the Vesper’s Host seal to improve your drop rate. These include:
- Alone in the Dark: Complete all encounters in Vesper’s Host solo without leaving the activity
- Stationmaster: Complete Vesper’s Host on Master difficulty
- Buried Secrets: Find all collectibles in Vesper’s Host
Even with the above in place, it will likely take you a couple of completed runs through the dungeon to get the weapon, so grab your fireteam and get grinding.
What does the new Ice Breaker do?
Image: Bungie via Polygon
Ice Breaker has changed quite a bit in the jump to Destiny 2. Unsurprisingly, it isn’t the simple infinite ammo sniper rifle it once was, but not far off it.
The new intrinsic trait, No Backpack, states that “‘final blows or assists with any other weapon or ability have a chance to create ammo for Ice Breaker. Defeating powerful combatants will create multiple rounds.”
This means you can still create ammo out of thin air for Ice Breaker, but now you have to work for it. Between this perk and picking up special ammo as normal, you should find your Ice Breaker regularly with a full clip of 10 shots. If that wasn’t enough, it has another unique perk.
The eponymous Ice Breaker perk causes enemies defeated with the weapon to explode. What’s more, should you hit a precision final blow or shatter a frozen enemy, it will trigger an ignition and scorch nearby enemies.
All in all, this new version of Ice Breaker reinvents the classic in a way that makes sense for the modern game. It is definitely powerful, and a lot of fun to use. If you have the time and the ability, be sure to jump into Vesper’s Host and grab this gun if you can.
If you’re looking for other exotics which arrived around Ice Breaker’s arrival, we have a exotic Revenant list and exotic The Final Shape list to help.
