The Encrypted Data Disk arrives with Destiny 2: Renegades, bringing 25 perks at launch. You can equip up to 12 at any time, with more perks coming in the Shadow & Order DLC scheduled for March 2026.
From a lore perspective, the Encrypted Data Disk is a stolen Cabal data core. In practice, it leans heavily into Kinetic weapons, Arc damage, and Void debuffs. Sword users get particular attention through several perks featuring unique attack combinations.
This guide breaks down every perk on the Encrypted Data Disk, organized by function and playstyle.
Understanding the Artifact Structure
The Encrypted Data Disk contains five columns with five perks each. Earlier columns generally offer foundational perks, while later columns provide more specialized and powerful options. You can unlock perks across all columns, but your total equipped perks caps at 12.
Champion Mod Options (Column 1)
Column 1 gives you the Champion-stunning weapon options for Renegades content. These perks determine which weapons can handle Barrier, Overload, and Unstoppable Champions in higher-difficulty activities.
Anti-Barrier Options
Anti-Barrier Handcannon makes your Hand Cannons fire shield-piercing rounds. These rounds punch through Barrier Champion shields and stun them, letting you keep up damage pressure.
Anti-Barrier Sniper Rifle does the same for your Sniper Rifles. This gives you a long-range option for dealing with Barrier Champions from a safe distance.
Overload Options
Overload Pulse Rifle makes your Pulse Rifles fire disrupting rounds. These stun Overload Champions while also delaying their ability regeneration and reducing their damage output. The debuff works on regular combatants too.
Overload Submachine Gun applies the same disrupting round effect to your SMGs. This gives you a close-range, high fire rate option for Overload encounters.
Unstoppable Option
Unstoppable Bow lets Bows and Crossbows fire powerful explosive payloads that stun unshielded combatants. Standard Bows need to be fully drawn for a short time before the unstoppable shot is ready. Crossbows get this effect automatically. Strong against Unstoppable Champions.
| Perk Name | Champion Type | Weapon Type |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Barrier Handcannon | Barrier | Hand Cannons |
| Anti-Barrier Sniper Rifle | Barrier | Sniper Rifles |
| Overload Pulse Rifle | Overload | Pulse Rifles |
| Overload Submachine Gun | Overload | SMGs |
| Unstoppable Bow | Unstoppable | Bows & Crossbows |
Foundational Perks (Column 2)
Column 2 provides baseline buffs that support various weapon types and ability builds. These perks lay the groundwork for more specialized setups.
Armor Mod Access
Impact, Shock, Gravity unlocks special Helmet mods: Kinetic/Void Siphon and Kinetic/Arc Siphon. These combined siphon mods merge two elemental siphons into one slot at a reduced cost. You free up mod space on your helmet while still generating Orbs from multiple damage types.
Armor Charge Boost
Gravitic-Voltaic Charge increases your maximum Armor Charge stacks by one, but only while you have an Arc or Void Super equipped. Solar and Strand subclasses get nothing from this perk. For Arc and Void builds that rely on Armor Charge mods, that extra stack enables stronger charged-with-light effects.
Weapon Handling Perks
Expert Handling grants a stacking stability bonus on weapon final blows. This bonus builds as you keep getting kills but resets when you reload or stow your weapon. Sword users also get Guard Resistance, reducing damage taken while blocking.
Fastest Draw rewards precision shooting right after weapon transitions. If your first shot after reloading or readying your weapon lands as a precision hit, you gain flinch resistance. This helps you stay accurate during sustained fights where enemies are shooting back.
Elemental Pickup Generation
Elemental Siphon creates elemental pickups when you score rapid final blows with either a Kinetic weapon or a weapon matching your equipped Super element. The pickup matches your Super element. So if you have a Void Super equipped and get rapid Kinetic weapon kills, the pickups will be Void. This feeds into various elemental buff and ability regeneration systems.
Combat Perks (Column 3)
Column 3 offers perks that make you more effective in sustained combat through shield-breaking rewards, ammo economy, and specific weapon type bonuses.
Shield Break Rewards
Press The Advantage triggers when you break a combatant's shield. You gain increased weapon stability, handling, and reload speed. Sword users also get increased guard resistance. This perk rewards aggressive play against shielded enemies and keeps you effective right after the shield break.
Ammo Generation
Kinetic Synthesis addresses ammo economy for Kinetic weapon users. Sustained Kinetic weapon damage and rapid final blows have a chance to generate a unique ammo brick. Picking up this brick grants ammo to all your equipped Kinetic damage weapons. It also provides progress toward your Special and Heavy ammo reserves, helping maintain ammunition across all weapon slots while you focus on Kinetic damage.
Precision Weapon Support
Reload at Range benefits Bow and Sniper Rifle users. Precision hits with these weapons grant a stacking reload speed bonus. The more precision hits you land, the faster your reloads become. This keeps these slower-firing weapons in the fight during longer encounters.
Sword Combat (Defensive)
Riposte creates a defensive-to-offensive Sword combat loop. Shortly after guarding with a Sword, your light and heavy attacks can stun unshielded combatants. This perk is strong against Unstoppable Champions, giving Sword users a melee-range option for Champion stunning without needing a specific Champion mod.
Void Synergy
Power from Pain rewards rapid kills against weakened combatants by granting Devour. For players unfamiliar with this buff, Devour restores health on kills and extends its own duration with each kill. This perk ties into the artifact's broader weaken-focused Void synergies.
Specialized Combat Perks (Column 4)
Column 4 provides more specialized perks that reward specific combat patterns and elemental builds. These offer stronger effects but require more deliberate play to activate.
Arc Combat Loop
Dielectric rewards defeating Arc-debuffed targets. When you kill enemies affected by Arc debuffs (jolt or blind, for example), you gain Bolt Charge. Rapidly defeating multiple Arc-debuffed targets also spawns an Orb of Power and heals a small portion of your health. This creates a self-sustaining loop for Arc builds that apply debuffs before killing.
Shield Break Defense
Armorsmith gives you defensive benefits when breaking combatant shields. On shield break, you temporarily gain damage resistance and increased melee damage. This pairs well with Press The Advantage from Column 3, stacking offensive and defensive benefits from the same trigger.
Fireteam Champion Utility
Counter Energy triggers when you or any fireteam member stuns a Champion. On stun, you gain energy for your least-charged ability. This provides passive ability regeneration during Champion-heavy activities and benefits from the entire fireteam's Champion-stunning efforts, not just your own.
Sword Combat (Offensive Combo)
Combination Argent Blade introduces a specific attack pattern for Sword users. Execute a light attack, briefly pause, then follow up with either a light or heavy attack. Pull off this pattern and your Sword becomes empowered for a short time, gaining bonus damage and charge rate. This rewards deliberate, rhythmic Sword play rather than button mashing.
Void Sword and Melee Synergy
Singularity Blade activates while you have any Void elemental buff active (Devour, Invisibility, or Overshield). While buffed, your melee attacks and Sword hits apply the weaken debuff to targets. Melee and Sword final blows also create a weakening burst that spreads the debuff to nearby enemies. This synergizes heavily with Power from Pain, creating a loop where weakening enemies leads to Devour, which maintains the Void buff needed to keep weakening.
Advanced Perks (Column 5)
Column 5 contains the artifact's most powerful and specialized perks. These offer significant combat advantages but often require specific setups or weapon choices to get the most out of them.
Arc Elemental Orbs
Elemental Orbs: Arc gives Arc weapon final blows a chance to spawn an Arc Elemental Orb. These work differently from standard Orbs of Power. You can throw or shoot Arc Elemental Orbs to create an Arc explosion. Targets damaged by this explosion become jolted, spreading Arc damage to nearby enemies. This adds an interactive element to Arc builds where orb management becomes part of your combat rotation.
Kinetic Burst Damage
Kinetic Rupture provides burst damage potential for Kinetic weapon users. Kinetic weapon damage against powerful combatants (Majors, Ultras, Champions) has a chance to create a Kinetic Rupture on the target. Shooting this Rupture causes a damaging explosion that also staggers nearby combatants. Strong against Unstoppable Champions, providing another method for interrupting their attacks.
Sniper Rifle Stacking Buff
Sniper's Meditation grants stacking bonuses on Sniper Rifle hits. Each hit increases your Sniper Rifle damage, stability, and reload speed for a short time. The stacks build with continued hits, rewarding sustained accuracy. Heavy ammo Sniper Rifles get extra value here, with each hit counting as more than one stack toward the buff. This makes Heavy Snipers particularly effective during boss damage phases.
Advanced Sword Combo
Sword Storm Combo requires a specific attack sequence: three light attacks followed by one heavy attack. Complete this combo and you summon penumbral blades that surround your Guardian. These blades damage and disorient nearby combatants passively. Landing Sword final blows extends the duration of the penumbral blades, letting you maintain the effect through sustained Sword combat.
Void Weaken Chain
Void Infestation extends the weaken debuff across multiple targets. When you defeat a weakened enemy, that kill spawns a tracking projectile. This projectile seeks out another target and applies weaken to them. Combined with Singularity Blade and Power from Pain, this creates a spreading weaken effect that can chain across entire groups of enemies.
| Column 5 Perk | Primary Benefit | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Elemental Orbs: Arc | Throwable Arc orbs that jolt | Arc subclass builds |
| Kinetic Rupture | Burst damage + stagger | Kinetic weapon users |
| Sniper's Meditation | Stacking damage bonus | Sniper DPS builds |
| Sword Storm Combo | AoE damage aura | Sword-focused builds |
| Void Infestation | Spreading weaken debuff | Void weaken builds |
Build Synergy Breakdown
The Encrypted Data Disk supports several distinct build archetypes through its perk combinations.
Sword-Focused Builds
Multiple perks directly boost Sword gameplay. Expert Handling provides Guard Resistance. Riposte enables Champion stunning through defensive play. Combination Argent Blade rewards precise combo timing. Sword Storm Combo delivers area damage through advanced attack sequences. Both Press The Advantage and Armorsmith grant additional Guard Resistance on shield breaks. Players focusing on Sword combat should consider taking several of these perks together.
Void Weaken Builds
The artifact heavily supports weaken-based Void builds. Singularity Blade applies weaken through melee and Sword attacks while you have a Void buff. Power from Pain grants Devour from rapid weakened enemy kills, which maintains the Void buff needed for Singularity Blade. Void Infestation spreads weaken to new targets automatically. Together, these perks create a self-sustaining cycle of weakening, killing, healing, and spreading.
Arc Debuff Builds
Dielectric rewards defeating Arc-debuffed enemies with Bolt Charge, Orbs of Power, and healing. Elemental Orbs: Arc provides throwable orbs that jolt targets. Arc builds can apply debuffs, defeat enemies, generate orbs, throw those orbs for more jolts, and repeat.
Kinetic Weapon Builds
Kinetic Synthesis addresses ammo economy for players using Kinetic damage weapons. Kinetic Rupture provides burst damage and Unstoppable Champion utility. Impact, Shock, Gravity enables Kinetic siphon mods. Elemental Siphon creates elemental pickups from Kinetic kills. Players who prefer Kinetic primaries have strong artifact support this season.
Sniper Rifle Builds
Anti-Barrier Sniper provides Champion utility. Reload at Range improves sustained DPS. Sniper's Meditation offers stacking damage bonuses that scale especially well with Heavy Snipers. Sniper-focused players should consider all three perks.
- Void Weaken (Singularity + Devour loop)
- Sword Combo Master
- Arc Jolt Chain
- Kinetic Weapon Specialist
- Heavy Sniper DPS
- Solar subclass builds
- Strand subclass builds
- Stasis subclass builds
- Auto Rifle users
- Fusion Rifle users
Perk Selection Recommendations
With only 12 perk slots and 25 options, selection matters.
General PvE Content
For standard PvE activities without Champions, focus on combat perks from Columns 2 through 5 that match your preferred weapons and subclass. Elemental Siphon provides consistent value across all content. Press The Advantage rewards aggressive play against shielded enemies.
Champion-Heavy Activities
Nightfalls and other Champion activities require careful Column 1 selection. Check the activity modifiers to see which Champion types you'll face, then pick the appropriate stunning perks. Counter Energy provides good value in these activities by rewarding Champion stuns with ability energy.
Raid and Dungeon Content
Boss damage phases may benefit from Sniper's Meditation if your team uses Sniper Rifles for DPS. Kinetic Rupture adds extra burst against powerful targets. Sword-focused encounter strategies benefit from the multiple Sword perks available.
Release Information
The Encrypted Data Disk launches with Destiny 2: Renegades on December 2, 2025. The expansion includes the Lawless Frontier activity alongside new weapons and the Praxic Blade Sword. More artifact perks are scheduled to arrive with Shadow & Order in March 2026.
