The Osteo Striga is an Exotic SMG first introduced with the Witch Queen expansion. It’s one of the more unique Exotics in Destiny 2 with a kit that revolves around its ability to poison targets and spread poison to any enemies unfortunate enough to be close to the primary target.
In this guide, we’ll tell you how to get the Osteo Striga, how best to build/use it, and how you can get the weapon’s Exotic Catalyst.
Back in the day, the only way to get the weapon was by buying the Deluxe Edition of the Witch Queen expansion. That is no longer the case. While you still need the Witch Queen expansion to access it, the way to obtain Osteo Striga has changed over time.
Can you still get Osteo Striga?
As of the writing of this article, the only way to get Osteo Striga is by completing the Witch Queen campaign. This involves defeating Savathun on her Throne World at the end of the campaign. Once you have completed the campaign, the crafting pattern will be made available to you. You will then be required to head to the Enclave on Mars to make the weapon from the crafting table.
The initial cost of crafting the weapon adds up to:
- 7 Resonant Alloy
- 42,500 Glimmer
- 1 Ascendant Alloy
- 2 Enhancement Prisms
Is the Osteo Striga worth it?
Setting aside the weapon’s ability to spread poison for a moment, Osteo Striga is one of the most user-friendly weapons in Destiny 2. It has one of the strongest target tracking in the game provided you continue to look in your opponents’ general direction. To balance it out, the projectile speed of its bullets is slow.
If we’re talking about PvP, if you are in a situation where you are against another Guardian in the open, the Osteo Striga has the advantage in mid-range despite the slow rounds. Osteo Striga’s weakness only becomes apparent if you decide to duel weapons like scout rifles and pulse rifles at the distances they were made for.
The Osteo Striga is very powerful in most PvE content. One poison explosion can decimate entire groups of red bars, while sustained fire can eat away whole chunks of a Major’s life bar in an instant.
Osteo Striga Best Perks
There are several ways to build Osteo Striga to suit your playstyle. One option is to go all out on range. This can be useful in PvP if all you’re planning to do is run around with Osteo Striga in hand the entire match. You may not want to get into duels with this build though. An alternative option is to play into the weapon’s strengths – Stability and Reload Speed. This is especially useful when it comes time to unlock the weapon Exotic Catalyst.
Range build:
- Hammer-Forged Rifling
- Accurized Rounds
- Fitted Stock
Alternate build:
- Polygonal Rifling
- Flared Magwell
- Short-Action Stock
How to get Exotic Catalyst for Osteo Striga
To unlock the Exotic Catalyst for Osteo Striga, you’ll need to level up the weapon until it is at least on Level 10. Once you have a sufficient level, go back to the crafting table at the Enclave and Reshape Osteo Striga.
The crafting cost for the weapon is quite steep. Requiring you to surrender 3 Ascendant Alloy and 10,000 Glimmer. The Glimmer can easily be earned back. The Ascendant Alloy on the other hand is a lot harder to gather up.
But once equipped, the Exotic Catalyst will increase Stability by 20 and Reload Speed by 30. Additionally, it comes with the effect, “Poison final blows return ammo to the magazine.“
And that’s everything we’ve got for this Osteo Striga Exotic weapon guide. The weapon is one of the most user-friendly ever added in Destiny 2. And as a result, it has gotten a less-than-stellar reputation among members of the PvP community. But that’s just how it is. It all just depends on how you manage to encounter what’s in front of you. Something that applies to pretty much every build in Destiny 2. In PvE, it’s a phenomenal weapon that can serve as a centerpiece of any build. Good luck and have fun out there, Guardians.
Destiny 2 Season of the Deep is out now on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox consoles. The season will run from May 23, 2023, to August 22, 2023.
