Heir Apparent

"The Red Legion will march again."

- Caiatl

The Heir Apparent is an Exotic Machine Gun introduced in Season of the Worthy. It can be acquired as an award during the annual Guardian Games event.

Gameplay
This weapon is commonly being cited as a "proper heavy machine gun" for various reasons, being able to keep up with the likes of Xenophage and 21% Delirium in raw damage output alone is one of them. The addition of a free Arc shield that functions as a regenerating overshield when revved up at full health gives the weapon the idea of a "Colossus fantasy". If the wielder is constantly kept at critical health, it won't perform that much better compared to any other machine gun due to the shield only activating if the user is at full health. Using a Solar subclass can alleviate this problem if the wielder is able to gain constant health regeneration with Restoration; as Heir Apparent is also a Solar weapon, it can synergize well with the Ember of Empyrean, especially if one can also become Radiant for extra damage. While it may appear that the weapon is unable to be aimed, spinning up the weapon behaves identically to aiming on any other weapon and it is surprisingly stable and easy to control, albeit with no zoom and with the radar staying visible. Coupled with a range stat higher than any other 900 RPM machine gun, it becomes a great choice for engagements out to medium range.

Weapon perks

 * Intrinsic trait - Heavy Slug Thrower: Use (aim command) to spin up. This weapon can be fired only when fully spun up.
 * Corkscrew Rifling: Balanced barrel.
 * Slightly increases range and stability
 * Slightly increases handling speed
 * Appended Mag: This weapon's magazine is built for higher capacity.
 * Increases magazine size
 * Armor of the Colossus: While at full health, spinning up this weapon protects you with an Arc Shield.
 * Combat Grip: This weapon's recoil direction is more vertical.
 * Greatly controls recoil

Catalyst
The catalyst for Heir Apparent is available only during Guardian Games via a quest that randomly drops from medallion deposits. The quest requires the player to deposit additional medallions, complete contender cards, and defeat enemies in the daily focus playlist before awarding the catalyst. Upon acquisition, the catalyst requires 700 kills to grant the following perk:

Legion's Bulwark: Increases the Arc Shield's durability and partially reloads the magazine if it is destroyed.

Weapon mods

 * Regal Deterrent: Equip this Weapon Ornament to change the appearance of Heir Apparent.


 * Triumphant: Equip this Weapon Ornament to change the appearance of Heir Apparent.

Lore
'''The Red Legion will march again. —Caiatl'''

Caiatl stands in her war room.

Her nation, which she has always loved, reeks of failure. The scent is strong. When she was young, she would watch the feedings in her father's zoological gardens. Live creatures from the lands beyond Torobatl, wounded, left in the middle of the landscaped enclosures. She'd seen how the smell of blood brought the larger, hungrier creatures out of the undergrowth. The same will happen to the Empire if she lets it.

But she will not.

She won't fail where her father failed. He was led astray by his vices, corrupted by frivolity and pleasure. He was never meant to be Emperor; he was too weak. But Ghaul was destroyed by weakness, too. His fixation on the machine god was stupid. It embarrasses her to think of him.

She has always had a vivid imagination. Ironically, it's her father she can thank for that—all of the stories and songs he made her study, the insufferable plays. But she repurposes that arsenal of thought toward a new goal: imagining a better future for her people. A future where they rule the galaxy once again; where foreign ships fall under their fire and rival nations fall to their knees. This future will be different.

This future will be hers.

Trivia

 * This weapon is a playable version of a Cabal Heavy Slug Thrower.
 * This is the first weapon in Destiny (barring swords) to completely lack a zoom-in or aim-down-sights function, the spin-up function taking the place of this command.
 * The Arc shield uses the same model as a Centurion shield, and even behaves the same way as an enemy shield would; it will detonate and inflict massive damage to the user and splash damage on their allies if someone destroys the user's shield with an Arc weapon.
 * While PVE enemies can also trigger a shield detonation with Arc weapons, this is only visual and will not cause any extra damage to the user or their surrounding allies.
 * In-game, a badge on the side of the weapon will display the heraldry of the latest class to win the Guardian Games.

List of appearances

 * Destiny 2: Season of the Worthy
 * Season of the Chosen
 * Season of the Risen