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: Random Perks: This item cannot be reacquired from Collections.

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

Bewildering Burst
Reloading this weapon after defeating a target causes the next hit to launch a Kinetic projectile that detonates into a disorienting blast.
Moving Target
Increased movement speed and target acquisition when moving while aiming down sights.
Rapid Hit
Rapid precision hits temporarily increase stability and reload speed.
Firefly
Precision kills with this weapon increase reload speed and cause the target to explode, dealing Solar damage to nearby enemies.
Rangefinder
Aiming this weapon increases its effective range and zoom magnification. Increased projectile velocity while aiming Rocket Launchers, Grenade Launchers, and Bows.
Stopping Power
This weapon's Kinetic ordinance can more easily stagger combatants, and grant increased target acquisition and damage against low-health targets.
Collective Demolition
Collecting an Elemental pickup or destroying a Tangle grants this weapon a stacking period of grenade energy generation on hit. Throwing a Tangle provides additional time.

Elemental pickups include [Solar]Firesprites, [Void]Void Breaches, [Arc]Ionic Traces, [Stasis]Stasis Shards, and [Strand]Strand Tangles.

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.
Kinetic Tremors
Sustained kinetic damage to a target emits a shockwave that damages any nearby targets.
Desperado
Reloading after a precision final blow or after rapidly defeating targets increases your rate of fire.
Ancillary Ordinance
Rapid elemental final blows and final blows on targets affected by elemental debuffs periodically prepare a homing micro-missile, which is launched from your target after this weapon's next final blow. Multiple missiles can be prepared.
Sword Logic
Final blows with this weapon grant bonus damage. The strength and duration of the bonus increases when more powerful targets are defeated.
Desperate Measures
Weapon final blows grant bonus damage. Melee and grenade final blows grant a larger damage bonus that can stack.
Lone Wolf
Slightly improves aim assist, aim down sights speed, and airborne effectiveness. Increases these effects when there are no nearby allies.

Fleet Footed
Dealing damage grants you a short window of increased movement speed and airborne effectiveness. Landing a final blow increases these effects.
Roar of Battle
Being in combat for a short duration increases handling and stability.
Wild Card
Final blows with this weapon have a chance to create experimental submunitions at the target's location.