Old Sterling is a Strand Adaptive Frame Auto Rifle introduced in Destiny 2. As a world drop, it can be obtained from decoding Legendary engrams or earning rank-up packages from vendors like Banshee-44. While it may not be the most flashy weapon, its consistency and perk pool make it a solid choice for players seeking a Strand primary weapon without sacrificing their exotic slot.
This Auto Rifle excels in both PvE and PvP scenarios thanks to its balanced stats and synergistic perks. In PvE, it shines for add-clear and sustained damage with perks like Rewind Rounds and Frenzy, allowing for extended fire without frequent reloads. For Strand-focused builds, Hatchling creates Threadlings on precision kills, synergizing well with Strand subclasses like Broodweaver Warlocks or Berserker Titans. In PvP, perks like Discord and Harmony turn it into a deadly tool for swap-playstyles, rewarding aggressive coordination with special weapons.
While it may not surpass top-tier alternatives like Rufus’ Fury or Perpetualis, Old Sterling remains a versatile and accessible option for players who value consistency and build synergy. If you need a Strand Auto Rifle that performs reliably across activities, Old Sterling is worth keeping an eye on when decoding engrams or visiting Banshee-44
- How good is the Old Sterling AR
- How to get Old Sterling
- Stats and Perks of Old Sterling
- If Old Sterling craftable
Is Old Sterling AR Good?
Short answer: Good. Old Sterling is 
Old Sterling Tier list:
- PvE:
- PvP:
Verdict: Old Sterling is a solid choice for players seeking a Strand Primary that complements ability-focused builds, but it is not essential for endgame content where better alternatives exist.
How to Get Old Sterling in Destiny 2
Old Sterling is a Strand Adaptive Frame Auto Rifle added in the Season of the Deep. It is part of the world loot pool, meaning it can be found from various sources year-round, so there’s no time limit to farm for it.
Step 1: Play Core Playlists and Open World
Old Sterling drops from decoding Legendary Engrams earned anywhere in the game. Focus on activities that reward the most engrams, such as Vanguard Ops, Crucible matches, and Gambit games.
Step 2: Rank Up with Banshee-44
The Gunsmith is a key source. Earn Vanguard, Crucible, and Gambit rank-up engrams, then turn them in at Banshee-44. His reputation rewards can also directly grant the weapon.
Step 3: Focus Umbral Engrams
At the Sonar Station in the H.E.L.M., you can sometimes focus Umbral Engrams into world weapons. Check each season to see if Old Sterling is available for direct focusing.
Step 4: Farm Efficiently
The fastest way to target-farm is by playing activities that quickly reward Legendary Engrams and turning in vendor materials. There is no direct “purchase” option, so farming relies on volume.
Fastest Way to get Old Sterling:
- Grind core playlists for vendor rank-up engrams.
- Turn in all planetary materials and other resources at their respective vendors.
- Decode every Legendary and Umbral Engram you get.
- Keep farming until you land a strong roll (Rewind Rounds + Frenzy/Hatchling for PvE or Discord + Harmony for PvP).
Old Sterling Farming Tips:
- Public Events: Efficiently farm Heroic Public Events on Neomuna or other destinations for quick Legendary Engrams.
- Stack Core Playlists: Play Vanguard Ops with a Vanguard Prosperity ghost mod equipped to increase your chances of extra loot.
- Turn in Materials: Clean out your inventory of destination materials (Dusklight, Microphasic Datalattice, etc.) by turning them in at their respective vendors for engrams.
- Check Banshee-44 Daily: He sometimes sells a roll of Old Sterling directly for Legendary Shards and Glimmer.
Quick Summary
- Old Sterling is always available in the world loot pool.
- Best way: Farm core playlists and turn in materials to vendors.
- Focus perks: Rewind Rounds + Frenzy/Hatchling (PvE) or Discord + Harmony (PvP).
- You can take your time acquiring it, as it is not tied to a limited-time event.
Perks of Old Sterling AR
Column 3 Perks
- Rewind Rounds: Refunds ammo based on hits landed, allowing extended firing without reloading. Ideal for sustained DPS in PvE.
- Discord: Grants increased ADS speed, accuracy, and airborne effectiveness after a kill with another weapon. Excellent for PvP swap-play styles.
- Surplus: Boosts handling, reload speed, and stability for each charged ability. A solid neutral perk for both modes.
- Perfect Float: Gradually improves airborne effectiveness and reduces flinch during combat. Niche for airborne builds but outclassed by other options.
- Hip-Fire Grip: Enhances hip-fire accuracy. Generally not recommended due to the weapon’s mid-range focus.
Best Picks:
- PvE: Rewind Rounds (sustained damage).
- PvP: Discord (synergizes with weapon swapping).
Column 4 Perks
- Frenzy: After prolonged combat, increases damage, handling, and reload speed. A top-tier PvE perk for general content.
- Hatchling: Spawns Threadlings on precision kills. Excellent for Strand builds (e.g., Broodweaver Warlocks).
- Harmony: Boosts damage after a kill with another weapon. Perfect for PvP when paired with Discord.
- Adagio: Increases damage and range after kills. Strong in PvP for dueling but requires kills to activate.
- Demolitionist: Grants grenade energy on kills and reloads on grenade use. Great for ability-focused builds.
- Focused Fury: Precision hits grant bonus damage after half the magazine is dealt. Requires consistent accuracy.
Best Picks:
- PvE: Frenzy (consistent damage) or Hatchling (Strand synergy).
- PvP: Harmony (with Discord) or Adagio (dueling potential).
Origin Trait: Field-Tested
Defeating targets or dealing damage gradually increases range, stability, handling, and reload speed. Swords also gain charge rate and guard resistance. A strong passive buff for both PvE and PvP, though it requires sustained use to maximize.
Quick Take
Old Sterling is a B-tier workhorse Auto Rifle , valued for its accessibility (world drops/Banshee-44 rank-ups) and synergy with Strand builds. While outclassed by craftable alternatives like Rufus’ Fury or Perpetualis , it remains a solid choice for players seeking a Strand primary without exotic commitments.
- PvE God Roll: Arrowhead Brake / Appended Mag / Rewind Rounds / Frenzy (or Hatchling for Strand builds).
- PvP God Roll: Arrowhead Brake / Accurized Rounds / Discord / Harmony (or Adagio).
Verdict: Farm for it if you lack top-tier Strand primaries, but prioritize other weapons for endgame content.
Old Sterling God Roll
Old Sterling stands out as a reliable and versatile Strand Adaptive Frame Auto Rifle, particularly valued for its strong perk combinations that cater to both PvE and PvP playstyles. While it may not be the absolute top-tier weapon in its class, it offers unique synergies and consistency that make it a worthy addition to any Guardian’s arsenal . Here’s a breakdown of what makes its rolls worth farming:
Old Sterling PvE God Roll
In PvE, Old Sterling excels in sustained damage, add-clear, and synergy with Strand builds. Its perk pool allows for flexibility depending on whether you prioritize ammunition economy, damage output, or ability interactions.
- Rewind Rounds: This perk refills the magazine from reserves based on the number of hits landed, allowing for extended firing without reloading. This is ideal for prolonged encounters with majors or bosses, ensuring you maintain constant pressure.
- Frenzy: After being in combat for an extended period, Frenzy boosts damage, handling, and reload speed. This passive damage increase requires no activation beyond engaging enemies, making it incredibly reliable for general PvE content.
- Hatchling: Precision final blows spawn Threadlings, which seek out and damage nearby enemies. This perk synergizes exceptionally well with Strand builds, especially for Broodweaver Warlocks or Berserker Titans, adding extra utility and add-clear potential.
- Demolitionist: Kills with Old Sterling grant grenade energy, and throwing a grenade reloads the weapon. This is perfect for ability-focused builds, allowing for frequent grenade usage and seamless weapon reloads.
Recommended Combinations:
- For Sustain & Damage: Rewind Rounds + Frenzy. This combo maximizes ammunition efficiency and damage output, making it ideal for high-level content where sustained fire is crucial.
- Strand Synergy: Rewind Rounds + Hatchling. This pair focuses on generating Threadlings for additional add-clear, perfect for Strand-centric builds.
- Grenade Builds: Demolitionist + Frenzy/Hatchling. This supports ability spam, especially useful in activities where grenades play a key role.
Old Sterling PvP God Roll
In Crucible, Old Sterling becomes a formidable dueling tool when paired with perks that enhance its swap potential and damage output. Its Adaptive Frame archetype benefits from a competitive time-to-kill (TTK) after recent buffs, especially when paired with damage-boosting perks .
- Discord: Final blows with another weapon grant increased aiming speed, accuracy, and airborne effectiveness. This perk encourages a hot-swap playstyle, making Old Sterling deadly when switched to after a sniper or shotgun kill.
- Harmony: Final blows with other weapons improve this weapon’s damage and performance for a short duration. When paired with Discord, it creates a powerful synergy that rewards weapon swapping by significantly boosting damage and stats.
- Adagio: After defeating a target, this weapon fires more slowly but deals increased damage. This can alter the TTK favorably, allowing Old Sterling to secure kills more efficiently in follow-up engagements.
- Surplus: Substantially increases handling, reload speed, and stability for each fully charged ability. This is a strong neutral perk for players who maintain their abilities, enhancing the weapon’s consistency in duels.
Recommended Combinations:
- Swap Synergy: Discord + Harmony. This is the standout PvP combo, as getting a kill with a special weapon activates both perks, making Old Sterling incredibly lethal for cleanup kills.
- Dueling Focus: Surplus + Adagio. This pair enhances consistency and damage, ideal for players who prefer straight gunfights over swap tactics.
For barrels and magazines, prioritize Arrowhead Brake (for recoil control) and Accurized Rounds (for range extension). A Range Masterwork further ensures the weapon remains effective at mid-range engagements.
Can you craft Old Sterling?
You cannot craft Old Sterling. It does not drop with Deepsight Resonance (red borders) and has no pattern to extract, so it cannot be crafted at the Enclave on Mars.
The only way to obtain this Auto Rifle is as a world drop from decoding Legendary engrams or by earning it as a rank-up reward from vendors like Banshee-44. This means there is no specific activity to farm for it; acquisition is based on luck and general gameplay. To get a specific god roll, you will need to rely on random drops from these sources and use your Vanguard, Crucible, and Gunsmith engrams to increase your chances. It is not tied to a limited-time event, so it will remain in the world loot pool for the foreseeable future, allowing you to passively hunt for it over time.
Conclusion
Old Sterling is a solid and highly accessible Strand Auto Rifle that serves as a reliable workhorse for players looking to build into the Strand subclass. It brings together strong perk synergy for both sustained damage in PvE with Rewind Rounds and Frenzy, and potent swap-play potential in PvP with the powerful Discord and Harmony combo. For Strand builds, Hatchling provides excellent add-clear utility by generating Threadlings on precision kills.
In PvE, it feels consistent and ammo-efficient, excelling at clearing waves of enemies without constant reloading. In PvP, while its Adaptive Frame isn’t the absolute meta, it becomes a deadly dueling tool when its unique perk combinations are activated.
Because it’s a world drop and not craftable, acquiring your perfect roll is dependent on luck from vendors and Engrams. Players who enjoy Strand builds, are seeking a dependable primary weapon, or want a strong option for both game modes should keep an eye out for it when turning in materials. If you already have a crafted Rufus’s Fury or Perpetualis, you can likely skip the farm—but for Guardians without those options, Old Sterling is a more-than-worthy contender that is absolutely worth keeping.
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