TheSleeper Simulanthas seen better days inDestiny 2. It was a decent weapon when it was released, but has long been eclipsed by other weapons and suffered a few nerfs. Still, it’s a hybrid exotic linear fusion rifle that has some niche applications, and is worth picking up if players get a chance.
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If players want to use this weapon in any capacity, they’ll definitely want to track down theSleeper SimulantCatalystto help them out. It dramatically improves the capabilities of the weapon and makes it more tolerable to use. For anyone looking for the Catalyst, here’s some handy information on where to find it and what it does.
Updated on June 25, 2025 by Ben Baker:Thanks to the recent buff, theSleeper SimulantCatalyst is seeing a lot more use and has managed to corner its own little niche inDestiny 2. For many players, the Sleeper Catalyst is the king of Linear Fusion rifles in Gambit. It’s solid for brawling with other players, and packs enough punch to make short work of bosses. To illustrate how useful and versatile this weapon is in Gambit mode, this article has been updated to include the weapon’s stats post-Sleeper Catalyst. There is also a new section discussing when and where to use this weapon, and how to get the most out of it in combat.
What It Does
TheSleeper SimulantCatalyst provides two perks that both provide a number of benefits:
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These two perks work together tohelp the player shoot faster and longer.TheSleeper SimulantCatalyst really improves the overall DPS of the weapon and makes ammo less of a concern in longer battles. It’s a nice set of perks, and really makes tracking down the Catalyst worth it.
Weapon Stats With TheSleeper SimulantCatalyst
How To Get It
With the release of Season of the Chosen, theSleeper SimulantCatalyst can now be obtained in Nightfall: Ordeal Strikes as a random drop. There’s no concrete data on the drop rate, but it is rare and will require quite a bit of farming to obtain. It’s also worth mentioning that the drop is random. Some players obtain it after a few sessions, while other players spend weeks hunting.
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Some players have mentioned that running higher-level missions does seem to improve drop rates. Once again, there’s nothing definitive. That being said, higher tiers have better rewards, especiallyGrandmaster Nightfall Ordeal Strikes. Ultimately, players shouldpick a level that lets them complete Ordeal Strikes quickly and still get solid rewards afterward.
Upgrading
Once the player gets a hold of theirSleeper SimulantCatalyst they’ll want to upgrade it. Fortunately, upgrading is fairly easy. All the player needs to do iskill 300 enemies with theSleeper Simulant, and it will be fully upgraded.
It’s recommended to do this while pursuing other activities like events, or while grinding for other Catalysts. Fortunately, kills are retroactive, meaning that the player can stack up kills with theSleeper Simulantand upgrade it fairly quickly. A good tactic is touse theSleeper Simulantwhile trying to get the Catalyst to drop.
Tips For Finding & Using The Sleeper Catalyst
Unfortunately, there’s not a lot that can be done to improve the odds of getting the Catalyst to drop. Doing higher-level Nightfall: Ordeal Strikes seems to help, but it’s still a grind and still a rare drop. Players can join clans geared for running Ordeal and prepare themselves as well, to make things more efficient.
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The other thing to keep in mind is the fact that there are better weapons out there. TheSleeper Simulantwith the Catalyst can be used to fight invaders and bosses, but there are better options for those situations. Prior to the buff, players would really onlychase down this Catalyst if they didn’t have anything better, really enjoyed using theSleeper Simulant, or simply wanted to round out their collection. Now that the weapon has been buffed, however, it comes in handy in many more situations — leading into the section below.
Advice On Using TheSleeper SimulantCatalyst
As stated earlier, this weapon is primarily suited for Gambit mode. It’s great for repelling invaders, and can do serious damage to bosses. Granted, it isn’t the best any one thing, but many players prefer it for theflexibility in combat. Largely this is due to the weapon getting a 16.5% increase to damage. In theory, this makes it capable of dealing the most damage per shot.
In PVE, this is a great weapon for strong single targets, as this is what most heavies are meant to be used for. Even with theSleeper SimulantCatalyst, its reload time isn’t the greatest, so swarms can be a bit of an issue. Don’t misunderstand — it’ll punch holes in just about anything. However, it does take time to punch those holes into each target.
In light of all this, it’s recommended touse this weapon in Gambit mode or against strong targets in PVE.Some players claim it’s handy in standard PVP, but its slow reload time makes this questionable. It’s better suited for what it does best: dealing a lot of damage with each shot.
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