Duke Mk. 44 HC Guide: God Rolls, How to Get, Tier List

Duke Mk. 44 is a Kinetic aggressive-frame hand cannon introduced in Destiny 2’s Forsaken era. As a legacy weapon, it is no longer obtainable in the current game, making it a prized possession for veterans and a symbol of a powerful archetype.

This hand cannon fits well with a deliberate, paced playstyle that rewards precision. It shines in both PvE and PvP due to its exceptional raw damage per shot. In PvE, it can one-shot many minor enemies and benefits greatly from damage perks like Rampage and Kill Clip, which were elevated to legendary status on this weapon. For PvP, its high range and impact made it a dueling menace; with a damage buff active, it could famously “two-tap” opponents, eliminating them in just two headshots.

From this guide, you will know:

• How good is the Duke Mk. 44 HC
• How to get Duke Mk. 44
• Stats and Perks of Duke Mk. 44
• Duke Mk. 44 God Roll
  • Duke Mk. 44 PvE God Roll
  • Duke Mk. 44 PvP God Roll
• If Duke Mk. 44 craftable

If you enjoy powerful, high-impact hand cannons that turn every shot into a meaningful decision, the Duke Mk. 44 was a pinnacle of its kind. While it is sunset, its legacy informs the design of powerful 120 RPM hand cannons available today.

Is Duke Mk. 44 HC Good?

Short answer: Excellent in its prime. Duke Mk. 44 was a top-tier choice, often considered S-tier in PvP and A-tier in PvE with the right perks.

Duke Mk. 44 Tier list:

• PvE: A-tier. Massive raw damage and potent perk combinations made it a superb workhorse for clearing high-health minors and majors.
• PvP:  S-tier. Its ability to two-tap Guardians with a damage perk active made it one of the most feared primary weapons in the Crucible.

Why PvE A-tier: It could roll the legendary PvE combination of Outlaw and Rampage. This allowed it to one-shot most minor enemies and quickly stack damage to tear through tougher targets with immense bullet-for-bullet efficiency. Its high base damage also made it effective against shields or higher health pools, minimizing the number of shots needed for a kill.

Why PvP S-tier: Its Aggressive Frame (120 RPM) gave it best-in-class range and impact. A single kill to activate Kill Clip or Rampage x1 would allow it to eliminate a full-health Guardian in just two headshots, creating an incredibly fast and oppressive time-to-kill. Paired with a consistency perk like Moving Target or Rapid Hit, it was a dueling monster that could control lanes and dictate the pace of a match.

How to Get Duke Mk. 44 in Destiny 2

The Duke Mk. 44 is a powerful Aggressive Frame hand cannon introduced in the Forsaken era. It has since been “sunset” and removed from the active loot pool, meaning it can no longer be earned through gameplay and its Power Level is capped, making it ineffective in most endgame activities.

Since the Duke Mk. 44 is a legacy weapon, the methods to acquire it are no longer available. The following steps are for historical context.

• Step 1: Acquire from Legendary Engrams (Historical)
  During the Forsaken and Shadowkeep eras, the Duke Mk. 44 was a world drop. It could randomly decrypt from Legendary Engrams earned anywhere in the system.
• Step 2: Farm Specific Activities (Historical)
  Before being sunset, it was also a potential reward from turning in tokens to planetary vendors like Devrim Kay on Earth or Sloan on Titan, and from completing Vanguard, Crucible, or Gambit matches.
• Step 3: Check Your Vault or Collections
  The only way to “obtain” a Duke Mk. 44 now is if you had one stored in your Vault from years past. You can also pull a static, non-randomized roll from your Collections tab, but it will have a fixed, low-tier perk set.

Fastest Way to get Duke Mk. 44:

• Mass-turn in Legendary Shards and Gunsmith Materials to Master Rahool and Banshee-44.
• Hope for a random drop with a good perk combination.

Duke Mk. 44 Farming Tips:

• Focus on World Drops: There was no specific activity to target it, so playing any content that dropped Legendary Engrams was the best approach.
• Spare Materials: Hoarding and spending Gunsmith Materials and Legendary Shards was the most targeted form of farming.
• Playlist Activities: Running quick Strikes or Crucible matches provided frequent Legendary Engrams.

Quick Summary

The Duke Mk. 44 is no longer obtainable in the current version of Destiny 2. It is a legacy weapon with a capped Power Level. If you do not already have one in your Vault from years ago, you cannot get it to drop.

Perks of Duke Mk. 44 HC

Column 3 Perks

This column is focused on consistency, handling, and reload speed.

• Rapid Hit: The premier choice for consistency. Each precision hit grants a stack of bonus stability and a massive reload speed boost. This works perfectly with the Duke’s slow, deliberate firing rhythm, making it feel snappier and more accurate without needing a final blow.
• Outlaw: The classic PvE partner for a damage perk. Getting a precision kill dramatically increases reload speed, allowing you to maintain your damage buff and keep up the pressure.
• Moving Target: A top-tier PvP pick. It provides a valuable +10 Aim Assist and increased movement speed while aiming down sights, making it easier to win primary duels and peek-shoot effectively.

Column 4 Perks

This is where the Duke Mk. 44 transforms from a hard-hitting hand cannon into an absolute menace.

• Rampage: The go-to perk for PvE. After a single kill, the Duke can one-shot most minor enemies, and stacking it further increases damage against tougher targets. The synergy with Outlaw is legendary.
• Kill Clip: The king of PvP. Reloading after a kill grants a significant damage buff. This is what enabled the famous “two-tap” combo, where two headshots could eliminate a full-health Guardian, creating one of the fastest primary weapon times-to-kill in the game.
• Rangefinder: A strong consistency perk for PvP before its nerf. It increased the weapon’s effective zoom, pushing out its damage falloff range and making it even more dominant at range.

Quick Take

The Duke Mk. 44’s power comes from its simple, devastating perk combinations. For PvE, the goal was Outlaw + Rampage for pure, high-efficiency add-clear. For PvP, the legendary Rapid Hit + Kill Clip roll was the ultimate prize, offering both consistency and an unmatched lethal potential. While it lacks the versatility of modern perks and Origin Traits, its raw stopping power and iconic feel remain unmatched for veterans of its era.

Duke Mk. 44 God Roll

The Duke Mk. 44 earns its legendary status through raw, uncompromising power and perk combinations that are simple yet devastating. It trades modern utility for sheer, bullet-for-bullet dominance that can define a playstyle.

Duke Mk. 44 PvE God Roll

In PvE, the goal is to leverage the Duke’s high base damage to clear enemies with maximum efficiency, chaining kills without being slowed down by its naturally slow reload speed.

• Outlaw – The classic reload solution. Precision kills grant a blistering fast reload, which is essential for keeping your damage perk active and maintaining momentum.
• Rapid Hit – A more consistent and modern alternative to Outlaw. Each precision hit (not just a kill) boosts stability and reload speed, making it effective against majors and bosses where getting a final blow is harder.
• Rampage – The premier PvE damage perk. A single stack allows the Duke to one-shot many minor enemies, while higher stacks let it chew through tougher targets with incredible ammo economy.
• Kill Clip – A powerful alternative. It provides a larger damage buff than a single stack of Rampage after a reload, perfect for high-health targets, though it has less uptime for general add-clear.

The classic god roll is Outlaw + Rampage. This combination turns the Duke into a PvE workhorse, allowing you to chain one-shot kills with lightning-fast reloads. For a more flexible and consistent experience, Rapid Hit + Rampage is an excellent choice, ensuring you get your reload bonus even when you don’t secure the kill.

Duke Mk. 44 PvP God Roll

In the Crucible, the Duke Mk. 44 was a dueling monster that could alter the entire tempo of a fight with a single kill. The goal is to win your first duel to become unstoppable in your next.

• Rapid Hit – The top-tier consistency perk. Winning a 120 RPM duel requires landing multiple precision hits. Rapid Hit rewards accuracy by making the gun more stable and dramatically speeding up reloads to activate your damage perk.
• Moving Target – A strong alternative that helps you win that first duel. It provides +10 Aim Assist and increased movement speed while ADS, making your strafe faster and your shots stickier.
• Kill Clip – The undisputed king for PvP. This perk is what made the Duke infamous. After reloading following a kill, your damage increases so much that you can eliminate a full-health Guardian with just two headshots, creating one of the fastest primary weapon times-to-kill in the game.
• Rampage – A potent alternative. With one stack active, it also enables the coveted “two-tap” kill. It’s slightly more forgiving than Kill Clip as you don’t need to reload, but the buff duration is shorter.

The ultimate PvP god roll is Rapid Hit + Kill Clip. This provides the consistency to win the first duel and the explosive power to dominate the entire lobby afterward. For barrels and magazines, you would prioritize Range above all else (e.g., Full Bore, Ricochet Rounds, and a Range Masterwork) to maximize its dueling distance, making its two-tap threat effective at shocking ranges.

Can you craft Duke Mk. 44?

You cannot craft the Duke Mk. 44. It was introduced years before the crafting system existed and has no pattern to unlock, so it cannot be manufactured at the Enclave.

The Duke Mk. 44 is a legacy weapon that has been “sunset” and is no longer obtainable in the current game. It was removed from the world loot pool years ago and does not drop from any activities.

When it was available, the only way to get this hand cannon was as a random Legendary drop from activities, engrams, or vendor packages during the Forsaken and Shadowkeep eras. This meant if you wanted a specific god roll, you had to rely on constant farming and luck before it was eventually retired from the loot pool.

Conclusion

The Duke Mk. 44 was a legendary powerhouse that defined the Aggressive Frame hand cannon archetype for an era. It delivered sheer, uncompromising power through its high-impact shots and perk combinations that were simple yet devastating. In PvE, it was a workhorse that could clear enemies with unmatched bullet efficiency using the classic Outlaw + Rampage combo. In PvP, it was a dueling menace whose ability to “two-tap” Guardians with Kill Clip created some of the most memorable and oppressive moments in the Crucible.

However, it is crucial to remember that the Duke Mk. 44 is a legacy weapon. It has been sunset, meaning its Power Level is capped and it cannot be obtained in the current game. For veterans who have one sitting in their Vault, it remains a treasured relic of a bygone meta. For new players, it serves as a benchmark for what a 120 RPM hand cannon can be.

If you are a collector or a veteran looking to relive the past, pulling the static roll from Collections is an option. But for any serious gameplay in modern Destiny 2, your efforts are better spent farming for a current powerhouse like Round Robin or Igneous Hammer. The Duke Mk. 44’s legacy is secure, but its time in the sun has passed.