Xur the vendor is selling Gjallarhorn, Destiny's most powerful weapon

Xur, Destiny's mysterious vendor who turns up once a week to break Guardian hearts, is selling Gjallarhorn, the game's most powerful weapon.

Every Friday since Destiny came out in September 2014 Xur has turned up, selling exotic-class weapons and armour for Strange Coins, once of the game's materials.

Gjallarhorn, an exotic rocket launcher considered by many to be the most powerful weapon in the game because of its outstanding burst damage, was sold the second week of Destiny's life, but hasn't been seen since.

It has a low drop rate from Destiny's various events, so a year out many were still without the gun. Like me.

Now, all those saved up Strange Coins can be put to good use by those without Gjallarhorn. Like me.

Destiny developer Bungie has remained coy on the inner workings of Xur, insisting his inventory is randomised. (For more on Xur, check out our feature on the eye-catching vendor.)

But it's curious that Gjallarhorn is on sale just a month before the release of major expansion The Taken King, and weeks before the launch of a high-profile update that will see the rocket launcher nerfed significantly.

Addressing the need to nerf Gjallarhorn, Bungie's sandbox designer Jon Weisnewski explained it had become seen as a requirement for play in the game's high-level group activities.

"If Destiny had a nuke it would be the 'Ballerhorn'," Weisnewski wrote.

"We definitely intended to have a high damage Heavy Weapon that was ideal for PvE destruction. What we did not intend, and what we unfortunately saw, was pick up Raid and Nightfall groups gating participation based on whether or not players had this weapon.

"Gjallarhorn was so strong that for many people it had become the only answer to getting through tough encounters, and therefore they were less willing to spend time with other players that didn't have it."

The gun's secondary Wolfpack Rounds detonation will now have its damaged reduced as a result. Until then, though, everyone can enjoy its devastating power.