How to Get Arbalest in Destiny 2 in 2026: Quest, Steps, and Catalyst

Arbalest has cemented itself as one of the most reliable exotic weapons in Destiny 2 for any PvE activity. Its intrinsic perk, Compounding Force, allows the weapon to bypass elemental shields completely and grants it permanent Anti-Barrier capabilities regardless of seasonal artifact mods. Since it sits in the Kinetic slot, it opens up immense loadout flexibility—players can run double special weapons or pair it with a potent heavy exotic without worrying about Champion mods. With the Lightfall expansion, Bungie introduced a guaranteed path to acquire this powerhouse: a dedicated exotic quest called Another Last City. In 2026 that quest remains the best way to secure Arbalest for your collection.

Where to Start the Quest

Unlike in earlier years when Arbalest was a random world drop from exotic engrams or playlist activities, the weapon now comes from a straightforward quest chain. First, you need to own the Destiny 2: Lightfall expansion—the quest won't appear without it. Once that's sorted, Guardians should fire up the Cosmodrome destination and land at the southern waypoint, The Steppes. There they will find Shaw Han, the stalwart tower vendor who normally hands out bounties for New Light players. In his inventory, look for a yellow-banner mission titled Another Last City. If it's not immediately visible, flip to the second page of his vendor screen, as it sometimes hides there.

Accepting the quest will clearly show Arbalest as the final reward, and now the real journey begins.

Quest Steps Breakdown

The Another Last City quest line consists of seven steps in total, but in practice many players will only have to grind through four core objectives. Two of the steps simply ask you to visit Banshee-44 in the Tower for a quick conversation—those are free checkpoints. Another step demands completion of the A Guardian Rises campaign questline. This is the introductory 21-step quest that virtually everyone finishes when starting a new character, so seasoned Guardians will automatically skip this step. If you're on a fresh account, however, be prepared to run through that entire New Light experience before proceeding.

The meat of the quest revolves around Neomuna activities. Here’s how the remaining objectives play out:

• Step 1 – Neomuna kills: Defeat combatants anywhere on Neomuna. Any enemy type will do, so roaming the open world or diving into a Terminal Overload event works perfectly.

• Step 2 – Public events: Complete a set number of public events on Neomuna. Heroic completions count for extra progress, so always trigger the heroic version if you can.

• Step 3 – Fusion Rifle / Linear Fusion Rifle eliminations: The final and most time-consuming task requires 150 kills using any Fusion Rifle or Linear Fusion Rifle. For maximum efficiency, equip one weapon in each slot—for example, a Deliverance or Riptide in the kinetic/stasis slot and a heavy linear like Cataclysmic or a legendary fusion in the energy slot. Then, load up on Special and Heavy Ammo Finder mods to keep your reserves stocked. Running the opening segment of a mission that starts with full ammo (such as a story replay) can also speed this up, though many prefer to chain public events in Neomuna to combine objectives.

Once the final enemy falls, the quest completes and Arbalest is automatically added to your inventory. The linear fusion rifle will appear at the soft cap power level, but it's an easy fix with an upgrade module.

Arbalest Catalyst and How to Farm It

Owning the base weapon is only half the story; the real potential unlocks with its catalyst. Arbalest’s catalyst provides the Disruption Break perk, which makes enemies whose shields you break take 50% more kinetic damage for a short duration. This synergizes beautifully with its innate shield-piercing ability, turning Arbalest into a debuff machine for your fireteam.

Catalyst acquisition hasn’t changed over the years: it drops randomly upon completing Ritual playlist activities—Crucible matches, Vanguard Ops, Nightfalls, Gambit, and even seasonal battlegrounds. There is no quest or special requirement, only RNG. Many Guardians have reported obtaining it after a handful of strikes, while others had to endure dozens of hours. The best approach in 2026 is simply to play normally, focusing on activities that reward you in other ways. Stacking activity completions during double-rank weeks or using Prosperity mods on your Ghost won’t hurt, but ultimately patience is your greatest ally.

Final Thoughts

Arbalest remains a top-tier kinetic weapon that can anchor any PvE loadout, especially in activities with Barrier Champions or Match Game-style modifiers (which still appear in certain legacy content). The quest Another Last City turns what was once a random exotic drop into a reliable, deterministic chase. For anyone diving into endgame content—whether it’s Grandmaster Nightfalls, raids, or solo dungeons—taking a short detour to the Cosmodrome to chat with Shaw Han is a decision you won’t regret. Grab the quest, crush some Neomuna events with fusion rifles, and claim one of the most versatile tools a Guardian can carry.

This discussion is informed by coverage from VentureBeat GamesBeat, and it frames Arbalest’s 2026 relevance through the lens of Bungie’s broader push toward deterministic acquisition: when a staple PvE exotic is tied to a clear quest like Another Last City, players can plan loadouts around permanent Anti-Barrier utility without waiting on RNG drops, then pivot their grind toward the catalyst via ritual playlists for long-term optimization.