Bonechiller is a Void slug shotgun introduced in Destiny 2’s Beyond Light expansion on the frozen plains of Europa. As a destination weapon, it remains a permanent addition to the loot pool, offering a reliable and powerful option for players who enjoy precision-based close-quarters combat.
This shotgun rewards a deliberate, accurate playstyle. It excels in PvE for deleting high-value targets and majors thanks to its intrinsic slug frame, which deals high precision damage. Its true strength lies in perk combinations like Auto-Loading Holster and Demolitionist, creating a powerful loop for grenade-focused builds—unload your shots, throw a grenade to automatically reload, and repeat. For pure damage, Triple Tap or Fourth Time’s the Charm can extend your magazine against champions and bosses. In PvP, a slug shotgun is a skill-testing weapon that can map enemies with a single well-placed headshot; perks like Surplus and Opening Shot make it incredibly consistent and forgiving.
From this guide, you will know:
- How good is the Bonechiller
- How to get Bonechiller
- Stats and Perks of Bonechiller
- Bonechiller God Roll
- If Bonechiller craftable
If you enjoy the satisfying skill-shot of a slug shotgun and want a Void special weapon that synergizes powerfully with ability builds, Bonechiller is a fantastic and farmable target from Europa.
Is Bonechiller Good?
Short answer: Solid, but outclassed. Bonechiller is 
B-tier in PvE and B-tier in PvP due to strong perk options being held back by an older frame and stiff competition.
Bonechiller Tier list:
- PvE: B-tier. A good choice if you lack a better Void slug, but has been power-crept by newer options.
- PvP: B-tier. It can be consistent, but other slug shotguns offer better base stats and more potent perk combinations.
Why PvE B-tier: It can roll Auto-Loading Holster + Demolitionist, which is a fantastic utility combo for grenade builds, allowing for constant damage and ability uptime. For pure damage, Fourth Time’s the Charm / Triple Tap can be fun for sustained DPS on stationary targets. However, it lacks the raw damage perks (like Vorpal Weapon) and superior stats found on newer slug shotguns from raids and dungeons, placing it a step behind the current top tier.
Why PvP B-tier: The key perk here is Opening Shot, which is the gold standard for consistency on slug shotguns, increasing your one-hit-kill range. It can also roll Surplus to massively boost handling and stability. Despite this, its base range and handling are lower than modern favorites like Gunnora’s Axe or The Inquisitor, making it less reliable and snappy in high-stakes duels.
How to Get Bonechiller in Destiny 2
Bonechiller is a Void slug shotgun found on Europa, introduced in the Beyond Light expansion. Unlike limited-time event weapons, it is a permanent part of the loot pool, but farming it requires engaging with Europa’s core activities.
Step 1: Unlock Europa & Variks’ Loyalty
First, you must own the Beyond Light expansion and complete the main campaign on Europa. This will unlock the vendor Variks and his “Sabotage” quests, which are essential for improving your loot quality.
Step 2: Farm Europa Activities
Bonechiller is a possible reward from several Europa sources:
- Empire Hunts: The most targetable source. It can drop from both regular and Legend-difficulty hunts.
- World Drops: It can randomly drop from chests, High-Value Targets, and public events on Europa, but this is unreliable.
- Variks’ Bounties: Completing his daily and weekly bounties can sometimes reward Europa gear.
Step 3: Upgrade Variks’ Sabotage
Visit Variks and work through his “Europan Sabotage” quests. The critical upgrade to pursue is “Weapon Expedition I & II”. These upgrades significantly increase the chance for a weapon to drop from Europa activities, making your farm much more efficient.
Step 4: Focus on Empire Hunts
Once your sabotage upgrades are in place, the fastest method is to repeatedly run Empire Hunts. Legend-difficulty hunts have a higher chance to drop weapons upon completion.
Fastest Way to get Bonechiller:
- Complete Beyond Light and unlock Variks’ Sabotage.
- Purchase the “Weapon Expedition” upgrades from the Sabotage menu.
- Repeatedly farm Empire Hunts on the easiest or most efficient difficulty.
- Dismantle bad rolls to keep your inventory clean and continue farming.
Bonechiller Farming Tips:
- Prioritize Sabotage Upgrades: This is the most important step. Do not farm extensively without the “Weapon Expedition” upgrades active.
- Double-Dip with Bounties: Always pick up Variks’ bounties before starting your farm. They provide a small bonus of XP and resources while you work toward your goal.
- Farm Legend Hunts: If your power level is high enough, Legend-difficulty Empire Hunts offer a better drop rate for your time investment.
- Be Patient: Without a focused Umbral Engram system, the farm is based on activity completions. It may take many runs to get your desired roll.
Quick Summary
- Bonechiller is a permanent weapon from the Beyond Light expansion on Europa.
- Best way: Unlock Variks’ “Weapon Expedition” sabotage upgrades → Farm Empire Hunts.
- Focus perks: Auto-Loading Holster + Demolitionist (PvE) or Surplus + Opening Shot (PvP).
- Since it’s not a seasonal weapon, you can farm for it at your own pace.
Perks of Bonechiller
Column 3 Perks
| Perk | Description | Use Case |
| Auto-Loading Holster | Automatically reloads the weapon after a short time stowed. | God Tier (PvE). The top pick for PvE. Lets you swap to other weapons without losing DPS to manual reloads. |
| Surplus | Greatly increases handling, reload, and stability for each charged ability. | Top Tier (PvP). Excellent for making the shotgun feel snappy and responsive in the Crucible. |
| Fourth Time’s the Charm | Rapidly landing precision hits returns two rounds to the magazine. | Niche (PvE). Fun for sustained DPS on tanky, stationary targets but often less practical than Auto-Loading. |
| Field Prep | Increased ammo reserves, faster reload, and crouched reload speed. | Solid (PvE). A good option for pure ammo economy if you don’t have Auto-Loading. |
Column 4 Perks
| Perk | Description | Use Case |
| Demolitionist | Kills grant grenade energy. Throwing a grenade reloads the weapon. | God Tier (PvE). Creates a powerful loop with Auto-Loading Holster for ability-spam builds. |
| Opening Shot | Improved range and accuracy on the opening shot of an attack. | God Tier (PvP). The #1 perk for slug shotguns in PvP, maximizing your one-hit-kill range and consistency. |
| Dragonfly | Precision kills create an elemental damage explosion. | Fun (PvE). Provides add-clear potential on a weapon type that normally lacks it. |
| One for All | Damaging three separate targets grants a 35% damage boost. | Strong (PvE). A powerful damage perk, but it can be awkward to activate with a single-shot weapon. |
Origin Traits
- Bray Inheritance: Dealing damage with this weapon grants a small amount of ability energy to your least-charged ability.
Verdict: A solid, always-active trait that synergizes well with any build, especially those using Demolitionist.
Quick Take
- PvE God Roll: Arrowhead Brake / Assault Mag / Auto-Loading Holster / Demolitionist
This is the premier utility roll, perfect for swapping to for a powerful shot before returning to your primary. The grenade synergy is exceptional. - PvP God Roll: Smallbore / Accurized Rounds / Surplus / Opening Shot
This combination maximizes your range and consistency, making the shotgun as reliable as possible for landing that crucial headshot.
Bonechiller God Roll
The Bonechiller stands out due to its unique perk combinations that cater to powerful ability-spam builds and consistent dueling potential, a niche few other slug shotguns fill. Let’s look at what makes its PvE and PvP rolls worth seeking out.
Bonechiller PvE God Roll
In PvE, a slug shotgun’s role is to deliver high, precise damage to major enemies and mini-bosses. Bonechiller‘s best rolls enhance this with unparalleled utility and synergy for ability-focused builds.
- Auto-Loading Holster – This is the top-tier utility perk. It automatically reloads the weapon after a short time stowed, making it perfect for a “swap” weapon. You can fire two shots, switch to your primary, and it will be ready again without a manual reload.
- Demolitionist – The perfect partner for ability builds. Kills grant grenade energy, and throwing your grenade instantly reloads the weapon from stowed. This creates a powerful loop of damage and ability regeneration.
- Fourth Time’s the Charm / Triple Tap – These are niche but fun damage perks. Landing rapid precision hits returns ammo to the magazine, allowing for sustained fire on large, stationary targets like Champions or bosses.
- Dragonfly – Provides unexpected add-clear potential on a precision weapon. A well-placed shot can wipe out a group of clustered red-bar enemies.
The premier PvE roll is Auto-Loading Holster + Demolitionist. This combination turns the Bonechiller into the ultimate utility tool for a Voidwalker Warlock or any grenade-focused build. You can fire your shots, throw a grenade to instantly reload, and continue the cycle, all while generating more grenade energy. For a pure damage option, Auto-Loading Holster with Fourth Time’s the Charm is a strong, though less synergistic, alternative.
Bonechiller PvP God Roll
In the Crucible, consistency is everything for a slug shotgun. Your goal is to guarantee that your single, precise shot lands as a one-hit-kill from the maximum possible range.
- Opening Shot – The undisputed king of PvP slug shotguns. It greatly improves range and aim assist on your first shot, dramatically increasing one-hit-kill distance and making the weapon more forgiving.
- Surplus – A top-tier choice for the first column. With one or more charged abilities, it provides a massive boost to handling, stability, and reload speed. This makes the weapon incredibly snappy, allowing you to draw and ADS almost instantly.
- Auto-Loading Holster – A strong utility pick for PvP. It ensures you rarely have to manually reload during a round, keeping you in the fight.
- Slideshot – An alternative to Surplus that can be activated on demand. Sliding partially reloads the weapon and grants a small range and stability boost for a short duration, perfect for an aggressive playstyle.
The top-tier PvP roll is Surplus + Opening Shot. This pairing maximizes the weapon’s consistency, giving you the snappy handling to react quickly and the extended range to win your duels. For barrels and magazines, focus on Range (Full Bore, Accurized Rounds) and a Range Masterwork to push your one-hit-kill distance as far as possible.
Can you craft Bonechiller?
You cannot craft Bonechiller. It does not drop with Deepsight (red borders) and has no pattern to unlock, so it’s impossible to craft a personalized version at the Enclave.
The only way to get this shotgun is by engaging with activities on Europa. You can earn copies as random drops from completing Empire Hunts, from Variks’ rank-up engrams, or rarely from opening chests and defeating High-Value Targets on the Europa destination.
This means if you want a specific god roll, you will need to repeatedly farm Europa activities, preferably after unlocking the “Weapon Expedition” upgrades from Variks’ Sabotage quests to improve your drop chances. Since it is a permanent destination weapon and not tied to a limited-time event, you can farm for it at your own pace.
Conclusion
The Bonechiller is a standout slug shotgun from the Beyond Light era, offering a powerful and unique utility role that few other weapons in its class can match. It excels by combining the high burst damage of its slug frame with the unparalleled ability-regeneration loop of Auto-Loading Holster and Demolitionist. In PvE, this perk combination makes it a perfect tool for grenade-focused builds, providing both sustained damage and incredible ability uptime. In PvP, while outclassed by newer slugs, a roll with Surplus and Opening Shot can still feel incredibly consistent and lethal in the right hands.
Because it is a destination weapon and not craftable, acquiring a god roll requires a dedicated and potentially lengthy farm on Europa. Players who enjoy Void subclasses, precision-based special weapons, or are looking for a shotgun that fuels an ability-spam playstyle should consider hunting for a strong roll. However, if you already possess a more modern, craftable slug shotgun or do not enjoy the deliberate playstyle the archetype demands, you can safely skip this grind. For Guardians seeking a specific and potent utility tool, the Bonechiller remains a worthy, if niche, prize.
