The Messenger - Legendary Pulse Rifle

The Messenger is a Pulse Rifle Kinetic Primary in Destiny 2. Review its base stats, perk pool, and masterwork options.

Weapon overview

Pulse Rifle - Kinetic - Primary - High-Impact Frame

Source: Trials of Osiris Challenges

The bearer of bad news.

Slow firing and high damage. This weapon is more accurate when stationary, moving slowly, and aiming down sights.

Arrowhead Brake
Lightly vented barrel.
• Greatly controls recoil
• Increases handling speed
Chambered Compensator
Stable barrel attachment.
• Increases stability
• Moderately controls recoil
• Slightly decreases handling speed
Corkscrew Rifling
Balanced barrel.
• Slightly increases range and stability
• Slightly increases handling speed
Extended Barrel
Weighty barrel extension.
• Increases range
• Decreases handling speed
• Moderately controls recoil
Fluted Barrel
Ultra-light barrel.
• Greatly increases handling speed
• Slightly increases stability
Full Bore
Barrel optimized for distance.
• Greatly increases range
• Decreases stability
• Slightly decreases handling speed
Hammer-Forged Rifling
Durable ranged barrel.
• Increases range
Polygonal Rifling
Barrel optimized for recoil reduction.
• Increases stability
Smallbore
Dual strength barrel.
• Increases range
• Increases stability

Extended Mag
This weapon has a greatly increased magazine size, but reloads much slower.
• Greatly increases magazine size
• Greatly decreases reload speed
• Increases airborne effectiveness
Alloy Magazine
Faster reload when the magazine is nearly empty.
Appended Mag
This weapon's magazine is built for higher capacity.
• Increases magazine size
Armor-Piercing Rounds
Rounds cause extra damage to combatants' shields and overpenetrate targets.
• Slightly increases range
High-Caliber Rounds
Shots from this weapon knock the target back farther.
• Slightly increases range
Ricochet Rounds
Rounds ricochet off hard surfaces.
• Increases stability
• Slightly increases range
Flared Magwell
Optimized for fast reloading.
• Slightly increases stability
• Greatly increases reload speed
Light Mag
Improved reload and range.
• Increases reload speed
• Slightly increases range

Perpetual Motion
This weapon gains bonus stability, handling, and reload speed while the wielder is in motion.
Outlaw
Precision kills greatly decrease reload time.
Rapid Hit
Rapid precision hits temporarily increase stability and reload speed.
Moving Target
Increased movement speed and target acquisition when moving while aiming down sights.
Offhand Strike
Final blows grant additional weapon range, stability, and accuracy when firing from the hip for a short duration.
Under-Over
Deals bonus damage to targets with overshields. Deals a small amount of bonus damage to combatant shields.
Discord
Final blows with another weapon grant this weapon increased speed for aiming down sights, accuracy, and airborne effectiveness for a short time. When Discord is active, final blows refund ammo.

Headseeker
Body shots landed with this weapon increase precision damage and aim assist for a short time. Body shots landed while the perk is active refresh the time.
Kill Clip
Reloading after a kill grants increased damage.
Desperado
Reloading after a precision final blow or after rapidly defeating targets increases your rate of fire.
Harmony
Final blows with other weapons improve this weapon's damage and performance for a short duration.
Encore
Final blows grant a stacking stability, range, and accuracy bonus to this weapon. Precision final blows grant more stacks.
Kinetic Tremors
Sustained kinetic damage to a target emits a shockwave that damages any nearby targets.
Keep Away
Increases reload, range, and accuracy when no targets are in close proximity.

Alacrity
Gain increased reload, stability, aim assist, and range when an ally is defeated. Bonus increases when multiple allies are dead at the same time or when you are running solo.
One Quiet Moment
Grants increased reload speed and handling when out of combat. Swords gain faster movement speed.
Wild Card
Final blows with this weapon have a chance to create experimental submunitions at the target's location.