The Forward Path

For complete perks, see d2gunsmith.com, light.gg or destinytracker.com.

The Forward Path is a 600 RPM (Adaptive Frame) Kinetic Auto Rifle, brought back to us in Season 11 Iron Banner. It was in the first batch of IB weapons that featured the new Iron Gaze and Iron Grip perks.

PvP Thoughts#

The Forward Path, perhaps unsurprisingly given where it drops, is an absolute bear in PvP. 600 RPM ARs dominated the S11 meta and even though they were slightly reined in, they’re still phenomenal. It has terrific base stats including the highest Aim Assist (71) of any Adaptive Frame Auto Rifle and is just an all-around terrific weapon.

A few interesting videos to consider:

• Incoming Top-Tier Weapons! Prepare for GOD ROLLS - Fallout Plays
• The Forward Path best perk combinations: It’s GOOD! - CoolGuy
• The Forward Path Review (97 Aim Assist & Iron Gaze/Grip Review) - Aztecross

Forward Path rolls with sights, not barrels, meaning that the appearance and effective range can be materially modified by your choice here.

• 25m: Hitmark, Cleanshot
• 28m: Red-Dot Micro, Red Dot 2 MOA
• 39m: Rifle Scope ST, Rifle Scope SSF. Huge, huge Range boost with a subjectively large sticking point: muzzle flash. The constrained view combined with muzzle flash can make target acquisition difficult. “When you get down to 20m, tracking targets becomes an issue." - (Aztecross)

PvE Thoughts#

If you’re looking at The Forward Path from the perspective of a PvE player, you’ll find a standard set of perks from seasons past. As Year 4 rolls on and more Kinetic weapons appear with sweet new perks like Surplus, Wellspring and One for All, TFP will find trouble shining. These are some workhorse rolls that will hold up until that point.

🏃‍♂️ Chasing Stability (pvp)#

Tap the Trigger starts you off stable and Dynamic Sway Reduction keeps you stable. Iron Grip is a crazy boost to Stability.

• Collector’s Edition Roll
  • Barrels: Red Dot Micro, Red Dot 2 MOA
  • Magazines: Steady Rounds
  • Perks 1: Dynamic Sway Reduction
  • Perks 2: Tap the Trigger, Iron Grip
  • Masterworks: Stability MW
• Extended Perks (referred to with a ‘+’ below)
  • Barrels: Red Dot Micro, Red Dot 2 MOA, Cleanshot IS, Hitmark IS
  • Magazines: Steady Rounds, Tactical Mag, Flared Magwell

🎳 Knock ‘em Down (pvp)#

Don’t underestimate the effect of MKC. Here’s how it plays out:

• Base: 9 shots (8C, 1B) - 0.8s TTK // 14B 1.3s
• MKCx1: 7 shots (7C, 0B) - 0.6s TTK // 12B 1.1s

That’s a pretty solid little boost; definitely spicy in sixes.

• Collector’s Edition Roll
  • Barrels: Red Dot Micro, Red Dot 2 MOA
  • Magazines: Steady Rounds
  • Perks 1: Dynamic Sway Reduction
  • Perks 2: Multikill Clip
  • Masterworks: Stability MW
• Extended Perks (referred to with a ‘+’ below)
  • Barrels: Red Dot Micro, Red Dot 2 MOA, Cleanshot IS, Hitmark IS
  • Magazines: Steady Rounds, Tactical Mag, Flared Magwell

😎 CoolGuy’s Hybrid AR/SMG (pvp)#

Since damage falloff happens at 20m, you want these super zoomed out scopes and all the Stability and Handling we can get. We’re only going to accept low-zoom scopes because you can only use this as close range and long-zoom scope won’t have any use (and works against you).

• Collector’s Edition Roll
  • Barrels: Cleanshot IS, Hitmark IS
  • Magazines: Steady Rounds
  • Perks 1: Dynamic Sway Reduction
  • Perks 2: Iron Gaze
  • Masterworks: Handling MW
• Extended Perks (referred to with a ‘+’ below)
  • Barrels: Cleanshot IS, Hitmark IS, Red Dot Micro, Red Dot 2 MOA
  • Magazines: Steady Rounds, Tactical Mag, Flared Magwell

🦹‍♂️ Robbin’ and Bucklin' (pve)#

Classic combo here. Grave Robber creates ammo to reload the mag and that melee kill will activate Swashbuckler x5.

• Collector’s Edition Roll
  • Barrels: Red Dot Micro, Red Dot 2 MOA
  • Magazines: Accurized Rounds
  • Perks 1: Grave Robber
  • Perks 2: Swashbuckler
  • Masterworks: Range MW
• Extended Perks (referred to with a ‘+’ below)
  • Barrels: Red Dot Micro, Red Dot 2 MOA, Cleanshot IS, Hitmark IS
  • Magazines: Accurized Rounds, Appended Mag, Tactical Mag, Extended Mag

😡 Ragin', Clippin' and Bucklin' (pve)#

While Feeding Frenzy was slightly nerfed, it’s still a terrific perk, activating (and stackin) on any kill. With two kills, you’re at Outlaw level and with three kills you’re beyond Outlaw.

• Collector’s Edition Roll
  • Barrels: Red Dot Micro, Red Dot 2 MOA
  • Magazines: Accurized Rounds
  • Perks 1: Feeding Frenzy
  • Perks 2: Multikill Clip, Swashbuckler
  • Masterworks: Range MW
• Extended Perks (referred to with a ‘+’ below)
  • Barrels: Red Dot Micro, Red Dot 2 MOA, Cleanshot IS, Hitmark IS
  • Magazines: Accurized Rounds, Appended Mag, Tactical Mag, Extended Mag