Destiny 2 Forbearance Guide
The Forbearance grenade launcher is one of the most powerful and versatile special weapons in Destiny 2, widely regarded for its excellent add-clear potential, high versatility, and synergy with multiple subclass builds. This Wave Frame grenade launcher excels in AoE damage, making it a top-tier choice for clearing waves of enemies in PvE.
Thanks to its unique perk pool, Forbearance has become one of the most widely used special weapons in raids, dungeons, and endgame content. Its explosive chaining potential allows Guardians to eliminate multiple enemies in a single shot, making it an indispensable tool for fireteams tackling high-density encounters.
This guide covers how to obtain Forbearance Destiny 2, analyze its best perk combinations, provide data-backed recommendations from the Destiny 2 community, and suggest ideal loadouts to maximize its effectiveness in both PvE and PvP.

How to Obtain and Craft Forbearance in Destiny 2
Forbearance is an Arc Wave Frame grenade launcher, introduced in The Witch Queen expansion as part of the Vow of the Disciple raid. Unlike traditional grenade launchers, Wave Frame weapons fire projectiles that release a powerful energy wave upon impact, dealing area-of-effect (AoE) damage to multiple enemies.
Steps to Obtain Forbearance
- Earn Destiny 2 Forbearance from Vow of the Disciple Raid – This grenade launcher drops from the Caretaker and Rhulk encounters.
- Purchase Additional Rolls Using Spoils of Conquest – If you have unlocked Forbearance previously, you can focus additional rolls at the Raid Vendor in the Vow of the Disciple final chest.
- Crafting Forbearance – The weapon is craftable after collecting five Deepsight Resonance (red border) versions, allowing you to enhance its perks for maximum effectiveness.
Forbearance Destiny 2 Base Stats & Performance Overview
Forbearance is widely regarded as one of the most effective Wave Frame grenade launchers in Destiny 2, boasting fast handling, explosive AoE damage, and high reload speed. This makes it an ideal choice for PvE activities, particularly in raids and dungeons, where clearing large groups of enemies efficiently is crucial.
Base Stats
- Blast Radius: 50 – Ensures a controlled but effective explosive wave.
- Velocity: 74 – Higher projectile speed for quicker impact.
- Handling: 70 – Smooth and fast weapon swapping.
- Reload Speed: 79 – One of the fastest in its class.
- Aim Assist: 73 – Helps with targeting enemies more effectively.
- Recoil: 73 – Maintains stability when firing.
- Magazine: 1 – Fires a single Wave Frame round per reload.
Performance Overview
- PvE: Forbearance excels in add-clear scenarios due to its Chain Reaction perk, making it one of the most effective weapons for high-density encounters.
- PvP: While not as dominant in Crucible, Forbearance can still be a solid zoning weapon with Impulse Amplifier and Golden Tricorn.
- Subclass Synergy: Works exceptionally well with Arc builds, particularly those that generate Ionic Traces for ability regeneration or Solar builds that capitalize on area damage.
Forbearance Perk Analysis & God Rolls
Best PvE Perk Combinations
Destiny 2 Forbearance is an S-tier weapon for PvE, excelling in ad-clear scenarios. The ideal perk roll should prioritize reload speed and explosive chaining potential.
Best PvP Perk Combinations
While Forbearance is primarily a PvE weapon, it can still be viable in PvP with specific perks.
Community-Recommended Perks & Trait Combos for Forbearance Destiny 2
Recent data from the Destiny 2 community highlights Ambitious Assassin + Chain Reaction as the most dominant roll for Forbearance, with nearly 70% of players favoring this combination. This setup is particularly effective for PvE, as Chain Reaction causes explosions on final blows, making it one of the best ad-clearing grenade launchers available.
Other perks like Stats for All + Chain Reaction and Underdog + Chain Reaction exist but are rarely used.
Masterwork & Mod Preferences
Masterwork choices directly affect Forbearance’s handling and reload speed, which are key factors in maximizing its efficiency.
Most Popular Masterworks:
- Reload Speed: 51.8% of rolls – Maximizes reload efficiency for sustained damage output.
- Velocity: 17.9% of rolls – Improves projectile speed for quicker impact.
- Blast Radius: 16.1% of rolls – Enhances explosion size for wider AoE coverage.
Since Destiny 2 Forbearance relies on quick follow-up shots, the overwhelming preference for Reload Speed Masterwork makes sense. Velocity and Blast Radius enhancements are secondary choices for those looking for faster impact.
Most Used Mods:
- Quick Access Sling – 38.6% of players use this mod to swap to Forbearance quickly.
- Counterbalance Stock – 3.8% of players opt for better recoil control.
- Icarus Grip – 2.5% of players use this to improve airborne accuracy.
- Targeting Adjuster – 2.4% of players use this for better aim assist.
PvE & PvP Perk Recommendations
The best rolls are categorized into PvE and PvP preferences, with trusted community theorycrafters marking the best perks for each mode:
- Gold Icons (PvE): Perks like Chain Reaction and Ambitious Assassin offer unparalleled efficiency in clearing enemies.
- Red Icons (PvP): Impulse Amplifier and Golden Tricorn provide better projectile speed and ability synergy.
- Blue Icons (PvE & PvP): Versatile perks applicable to both game modes.
Best Loadouts for Forbearance
PvE Loadout Suggestions
- Primary: Kinetic Auto Rifle (e.g., Rufus’s Fury, Quicksilver Storm for elemental synergy).
- Secondary: Forbearance (Wave Frame GL).
- Heavy: Rocket Launcher (e.g., Gjallarhorn, Hothead, Cold Comfort for DPS phases).
- Subclass Synergies: Arc Warlock (Electrostatic Mind) or Solar Titan (Sol Invictus).
PvP Loadout Suggestions
- Primary: Hand Cannon (Ace of Spades, Rose) or SMG (The Immortal).
- Secondary: Forbearance (Wave Frame GL for zoning and area denial).
- Heavy: Machine Gun (Thunderlord) or Tracking Rocket Launcher.
- Subclass Synergies: Void Hunter (Stylish Executioner for invisibility plays).
Conclusion
Forbearance remains one of the best Wave Frame grenade launchers in Destiny 2, excelling in ad-clear, endgame PvE content, and synergy with multiple builds. Its unique combination of Wave Frame mechanics, high handling, and explosive chaining makes it a must-have for Guardians looking to optimize their loadouts for high-end activities. Enhance your Destiny 2 experience with our Boosting services.
If you haven’t acquired Destiny 2 Forbearance yet, prioritize running Vow of the Disciple raid encounters, focus Spoils of Conquest, and aim for a crafted version to unlock enhanced perks that further boost its performance. Mastering this weapon will significantly improve your PvE gameplay, making it an invaluable asset in your arsenal for seasons to come.
FAQ
Yes, you can craft Forbearance after obtaining five Deepsight Resonance (red border) versions of the weapon. Once crafted, you can unlock Enhanced Perks to maximize its potential.
While Forbearance is predominantly used in PvE, it can be effective in PvP with the right perks. Impulse Amplifier + Golden Tricorn enhances projectile speed and damage output, making it a solid choice for area denial.
Forbearance is a Wave Frame Arc grenade launcher, meaning it fires projectiles that create an explosive energy wave upon impact, dealing significant area-of-effect (AoE) damage. This allows it to clear multiple enemies with a single shot, making it one of the most efficient ad-clear weapons in the game.
Change Log
- 28.02.2025 - Destiny 2 Forbearance Guide published.