Hand in Hand is an Arc aggressive-frame shotgun that has cemented itself as a classic in Destiny 2’s sandbox. As a world drop, it can be found from various sources like legendary engrams and vendor rank-up packages, making it an accessible and sought-after weapon for players looking for a powerful close-range option.
This shotgun fits perfectly with hyper-aggressive, close-quarters playstyles. It shines in PvP for its potential to secure consistent one-hit-kill eliminations thanks to perk options like Slideshot and Elemental Capacitor, which synergize perfectly with Arc subclasses to maximize effective range and make it incredibly snappy to handle. Titans using Knockout, Hunters with Arc Staff’s lethal dodge, and any player who loves to slide into battle can make devastating use of it. In PvE, the weapon is more niche but incredibly potent in the right build—One-Two Punch allows it to dramatically boost melee damage, making it a top pick for melee-focused builds like Synthoceps Titans or Liar’s Handshake Hunters.
From this guide, you will know:
- How good is the Hand in Hand Shotgun
- How to get Hand in Hand
- Stats and Perks of Hand in Hand
- Hand in Hand God Roll
- If Hand in Hand craftable
If you enjoy a dominant, in-your-face gameplay style and want a shotgun that excels in both PvP lethality and potent PvE melee combos, Hand in Hand is a legendary worth keeping an eye out for.
Is Hand in Hand Shotgun Good?
Short answer: Excellent. Hand in Hand is a top-tier 
S-tier in PvP and a powerful 
A-tier in PvE for specific melee builds.
Hand in Hand Tier list:
- PvE: S-tier. Its Aggressive Frame and top-tier perk combinations make it one of the most consistent and lethal shotguns in the Crucible.
- PvP: A-tier. It serves a specific but powerful role as a premier One-Two Punch delivery tool.
Why PvE S-tier: It can roll Slideshot + Elemental Capacitor, which is arguably the best-in-slot combination for an Aggressive Frame shotgun. Slideshot provides crucial range and reloads your gun during aggressive pushes, while Elemental Capacitor (on an Arc subclass) grants max handling, making it feel incredibly snappy. This combination ensures consistent one-hit-kill potential and best-in-class responsiveness.
Why PvP A-tier: Its standout perk is One-Two Punch. Landing all pellets significantly boosts your melee damage, making it a cornerstone weapon for devastating melee builds. Pair it with Slideshot for uptime or Threat Detector for handling, and it becomes a key component for builds like Synthoceps Titans or Liar’s Handshake Hunters to melt high-health targets and champions.
How to Get Hand in Hand in Destiny 2
Hand in Hand is a classic Arc Aggressive Frame shotgun that re-entered the loot pool as a world drop. Since it’s not tied to a specific season or activity, your farming methods are about maximizing your chances across the entire game.
Step 1: Turn in Gunsmith Materials
The most reliable source for Hand in Hand is Banshee-44, the Gunsmith in the Tower. Collect Gunsmith Materials by breaking down legendary weapons and armor, then turn them in to him to receive his engrams, which have a chance to contain the shotgun.
Step 2: Focus Vanguard, Crucible, and Gambit Engrams
While Hand in Hand is a world drop, you can also focus your engrams at Lord Shaxx (Crucible), Commander Zavala (Vanguard), or the Drifter (Gambit). Focusing these engrams costs Legendary Shards and Glimmer but gives you a targeted chance at a world drop weapon like Hand in Hand, bypassing the enormous world loot pool.
Step 3: Claim Rank-Up Rewards
As you rank up with the Vanguard, Crucible, or Gambit, you will occasionally receive a “World Drop” weapon as a rank-up reward. This is another potential source for a random Hand in Hand drop.
Step 4: Farm Legendary Engrams
Any legendary engram that drops from enemies or activity rewards can decrypt into a Hand in Hand. Play activities that reward a high number of legendary engrams, such as public events, strikes, Crucible matches, or Dares of Eternity.
Fastest Way to get Hand in Hand:
- Gather a large stockpile of Gunsmith Materials.
- Visit Banshee-44 in the Tower and turn in all your materials for engrams.
- Simultaneously, focus any Vanguard, Crucible, or Gambit engrams you earn.
- Keep farming until you land a strong roll (Slideshot + Elemental Capacitor for PvP or Slideshot + One-Two Punch for PvE).
Hand in Hand Farming Tips:
- Prioritize Banshee: Turning in Gunsmith Materials is your most direct path. Dismantle all unwanted legendary gear to build your material stockpile quickly.
- Double-Dip with Playlists: While playing Vanguard Ops, Crucible, or Gambit to earn engrams for focusing, you are also earning reputation for rank-up packages, giving you two chances at the shotgun per activity.
- Check Banshee’s Daily Inventory: Banshee-44 sells a rotating selection of two world drop weapons each day. Check his inventory regularly, as he may sell a pre-rolled Hand in Hand, which could be a great starting point or even a god roll.
- Utilize Ghost Mods: Equip a Ghost mod like “Prosperity” for the Vanguard, Crucible, or Gambit to increase your chances of earning an additional legendary engram upon activity completion.
Quick Summary
- Hand in Hand is a world drop, so it can come from almost anywhere.
- Best method: Turn in Gunsmith Materials to Banshee-44 and focus playlist engrams.
- Focus perks: Slideshot + Elemental Capacitor for PvP or Slideshot/Threat Detector + One-Two Punch for PvE.
- Be patient — the world loot pool is large, but consistent play will eventually yield this powerful shotgun.
Perks of Hand in Hand Shotgun
Column 3 Perks
This column determines your engagement style and uptime. The top picks are:
- Slideshot (God Tier): The definitive best-in-slot perk for PvP and a top contender for PvE. Sliding automatically loads a portion of the magazine from reserves and grants a significant, temporary range boost. This is essential for aggressive players who want to maximize one-hit-kill consistency.
- Threat Detector (Excellent): A fantastic consistency perk that boosts handling and reload speed when enemies are nearby. A great alternative if your playstyle doesn’t involve sliding often and is strong in both PvE and PvP.
- Ensemble (Good): Provides a solid handling and reload speed boost when near allies. A reliable, team-oriented option, but generally outclassed by the top two.
Column 4 Perks
This column defines your shotgun’s specialty and peak performance.
For PvP (S-Tier):
- Elemental Capacitor: The ultimate PvP perk. When running an Arc subclass, it grants +45 handling, making the shotgun feel incredibly snappy and responsive. This is the key to achieving best-in-class performance for quick swaps and aim-down-sights speed.
For PvE (S-Tier):
- One-Two Punch: The reason to use this shotgun in PvE. Landing every pellet of a blast with this perk active significantly empowers your next melee attack. This is a cornerstone for devastating melee builds on Titans (Synthoceps) and Hunters (Liar’s Handshake).
Strong Alternatives:
- Adrenaline Junkie: Grants bonus grenade damage and handling on kills. A potent choice for grenade-focused builds in both PvE and PvP.
- Cascade Point: A fun, high-tempo perk that dramatically increases rate of fire after a weapon final blow. Great for clearing majors quickly or for a surprising follow-up shot in PvP.
Origin Traits
- Field-Tested: Gradually improves range, stability, handling, and reload speed the more you damage combatants or Guardians. It’s a solid, general-use trait that makes the weapon feel better over the course of an engagement.
Quick Take
- PvP God Roll: Slideshot + Elemental Capacitor. This combination turns Hand in Hand into a top-tier dueling weapon. Slideshot provides the range for consistent kills, while Elemental Capacitor (on an Arc subclass) fixes its low base handling, making it quick and lethal.
- PvE God Roll: Slideshot/Threat Detector + One-Two Punch. This roll transforms the shotgun from a simple weapon into a powerful melee combo tool, allowing you to deal massive burst damage to powerful enemies and champions.
Hand in Hand God Roll
The Hand in Hand shotgun stands out in the Aggressive Frame archetype due to its best-in-class perk combinations that cater to lethality in both PvP and specialized PvE roles. Let’s look at what makes its rolls worth chasing.
Hand in Hand PvE God Roll
In PvE, Hand in Hand serves a specific but powerful purpose: enabling devastating melee combos and excelling in aggressive, close-quarters combat.
- One-Two Punch – The definitive reason to use this shotgun in PvE. Hitting every pellet of a blast empowers your next melee attack, allowing builds to obliterate majors, champions, and even bosses.
- Slideshot – The best utility perk for an aggressive playstyle. Sliding reloads a portion of the magazine and grants a temporary range boost, allowing you to maintain pressure without stopping to reload.
- Threat Detector – A fantastic alternative that boosts handling and reload speed when enemies are close, making the weapon feel incredibly responsive in the thick of combat.
- Ensemble – A strong team-oriented option that provides a solid handling and reload boost when near allies, ensuring your weapon is always ready.
Together, these perks let you build the weapon around your aggression. The most powerful roll is Slideshot + One-Two Punch, allowing you to engage quickly and unleash a powered melee. For pure consistency in the middle of a crowd, Threat Detector + One-Two Punch is an excellent choice. This makes Hand in Hand a top-tier tool for melee-focused builds like Synthoceps Titans or Liar’s Handshake Hunters.
Hand in Hand PvP God Roll
In the Crucible, Hand in Hand is a top-tier contender whose perks directly enhance the two most important stats for a shotgun: range and handling.
- Slideshot (S-Tier) – The best-in-slot perk for PvP. It provides a crucial range boost when sliding, directly increasing your one-hit-kill distance, while automatically reloading your gun to keep you in the fight.
- Elemental Capacitor (S-Tier) – The ultimate handling perk. When on an Arc subclass, it grants +45 handling, making the shotgun feel incredibly snappy for quick aiming, swapping, and stowing.
- Threat Detector – A strong consistency perk that provides a handling and reload boost when enemies are near, perfect for winning follow-up engagements in tight spaces.
- Cascade Point – A fun and surprising option that dramatically increases rate of fire after any weapon kill, allowing for a lightning-fast second shot if your first doesn’t secure the kill.
For barrels and magazines, focus on range and handling: Full Choke or Barrel Shroud, Accurized Rounds, and a Handling Masterwork are the best setup. The god roll combination of Slideshot + Elemental Capacitor creates a shotgun with best-in-class consistency and responsiveness, making it a lethal force in the hands of an aggressive player.
Can you craft Hand in Hand?
You cannot craft Hand in Hand. It does not drop with Deepsight Resonance (red borders) and has no pattern to unlock, so there is no way to craft a personalized version at the Enclave.
The only way to get this shotgun is as a random world drop. You can earn copies from legendary engrams, vendor rank-up packages (like Banshee-44, Lord Shaxx, or Commander Zavala), or by focusing Vanguard, Crucible, and Gambit engrams. This means if you want a specific god roll, you will need to consistently engage with core playlists and turn in materials to these vendors, relying on random chance for your perfect perk combination to appear.
Conclusion
The Hand in Hand is one of the most potent Aggressive Frame shotguns available in the world loot pool. It brings together best-in-class consistency with Slideshot, incredible handling through Elemental Capacitor, and unique PvE utility with One-Two Punch.
In PvP, it feels snappy, lethal, and reliable for securing crucial one-hit kills.
In PvE, it serves as a dedicated powerhouse for melee builds, turning your Guardian into a close-range wrecking ball.
Because it’s a world drop and not craftable, acquiring your perfect roll is a matter of patience and persistence.
Players who thrive on an aggressive, close-quarters playstyle in the Crucible, or Titans and Hunters running specialized melee builds in PvE, should absolutely keep this weapon on their wishlist.
If you prefer a more passive playstyle or already have a crafted Imperial Decree, you might not need it — but for Guardians seeking a top-tier, classic-feeling shotgun, Hand in Hand is absolutely a roll worth keeping.
