Best Exotic weapons in Destiny 2: Exotic weapons ranked
Explore the best Exotic weapons in Destiny 2 with this tier list!
Table of Contents
Key Takeaways:
- This article consists of two tier lists of the best exotic weapons for PvE and PvP gamemodes
- We described only Meta’s exotics, because there are a lot of weapons and the article could be really long and difficult to read.
- In total, we have 10 exotic weapons for PvE and 5 exotic weapons for PvP
With the release of The Final Shape, a considerable number of new Exotics have appeared that you must get. However, many still do not understand what the current Exotics meta is, which is why we made this article. Today, you’ll get the complete Destiny 2 Exotics tier list, including PvE and PvP lists. Also, don’t forget to check out D2 best weapons for PvE and best guns for PvP, where we discuss all the meta guns in the game. So, without further ado, let’s get started.
Destiny 2 Exotic weapons PvE tier list
Gjallarhorn, Rocket Launcher
How to get: And Out Fly the Wolves quest
If you’re heading into a raid or dungeon, at least one team member must have Gjallarhorn. This best Exotic weapon in Destiny 2 The Final Shape buffs other Legendary Rockets upon firing, significantly increasing their damage. Even if you’re a Solo Guardian, Gjallarhorn will still be beneficial for you. Thanks to its Exotic traits, it can easily clear enemy rooms or kill a miniboss with a single shot, which is extremely useful in any content.
Tractor Cannon, Shotgun
How to get: exotic engrams or Xur
Tractor Cannon is an essential part of many raid fireteams, which is why it is one of the D2 best Exotic weapons to get right now. Although this heavy Shotgun deals very little damage, it can apply a 30% Weaken debuff to enemies, significantly increasing your team’s DPS. While Hunter’s Tether can also be used, in raids, Golden Gun with Nighthawk is preferable.
Still Hunt, Sniper Rifle
How to get: Wild Card quest
Speaking of Celestial Nighthawk, it’s worth mentioning Still Hunt as well. This special Sniper Rifle has immense DPS potential due to its Exotic traits, allowing it to transform into Golden Gun after interacting with a Raid Banner, landing six crit hits, or collecting 12 Orbs of Power. As you may have guessed, Still Hunt synergizes with Celestial Nighthawk, giving this weapon a powerful shot in Super Mode as well. Though its nerf is obviously a bad thing, Still Hunt is still one of the best exotic guns in Destiny 2.
Euphony, Linear Fusion Rifle
How to get: Salvation’s Edge raid
While Still Hunt is excellent for Hunters, Euphony is the best weapon for Warlocks. Thanks to its Exotic Traits, the damage of this Special LFR increases with every Threadling hit, generated every two shots. To maximize the 50% damage buff, you need to create 25 Threadlings, assisted by Strand Super, Threadling Grenade, and Apotheosis Veil/Spirit of Apotheosis.
Khvostov 7G-0X, Auto Rifle
How to get: Legendary Khvostov 7G-02 and Mote of Primordial Light
Moving from DPS weapons to best add-clear Exotic weapons in Destiny 2, which help you efficiently deal with crowds of enemies in any content. We are talking about Khvostov 7G-0X, which is undoubtedly the best representative. Its Ricochet Rounds, which can be enhanced by picking up Orbs of Power, allow you to handle hordes of enemies easily. To ensure the previous perk works as often as possible, Khvostov 7G-0X has the Shoot to Loot perk, making it an excellent weapon for Endgame activities.
Sunshot, Hand Cannon
How to get: exotic engrams or Xur
Sunshot can also be called an add-clear Monster, sometimes even better than Khvostov 7G-0X. So, why do so many players call it one of the Destiny 2 best Exotic weapons for raids and dungeons? Its Exotic trait allows it to create explosions upon Final Blows that can trigger a chain reaction. These explosions also apply Scorch to enemies, making Sunshot an excellent choice for the Solar subclass.
Outbreak Perfected, Pulse Rifle
How to get: Zero Hour exotic mission
Must-have perks: Rewind Rounds
Compared to previous Exotics, Outbreak Perfected is extremely versatile in its application. It provides excellent DPS and add-clear capabilities by applying Nanites to enemies created after Precision Final Blow or Sustained Damage. Because of this, this Pulse Rifle generates a lot of Super and Transcendence Energy, perfectly complementing the new Prismatic subclass. All in all, Outbreak Perfected is the best Exotic weapon for GM Nightfalls.
Wish-Ender, Bow
How to get: Wish-Ender quest
While Wish-Ender lags behind in mob clearing, it is still an excellent Exotic for GM Nightfalls. Because its arrows damage an enemy thrice, this Bow inflicts a colossal amount of damage to a single target. In addition, Wish-Ender has a built-in Anti-Barrier trait, which is highly valued in Endgame Content.
Ergo Sum, Sword
How to get: Destined Heroes quest, Daily Overthrow and Pale Heart Pathfinder
Ergo Sum is an extremely versatile Exotic Sword due to its random rolls with different Frames and Exotic Traits. This best Exotic special weapon in Destiny 2 is capable of doing a lot of cool things. It would be impossible to list all combinations and their advantages, so let’s describe the best ones:
- The Perfect Fifth and Caster Frame deals colossal damage to a single target. This roll can also be used like Witherhoard, but it performs best in Sustained Damage.
- Pack Hunter and Wave Frame to provide Sword damage buff for yourself and your teammates.
- Arc Conductor and Wave Frame are used for add-clear and arc damage resistance.
If you know nothing about this sword, our Ergo Sum guide is ready to help you obtain it and describe all available Traits.
Dragon’s Breath, Rocket Launcher
How to get: Monument to Lost Light
The last meta exotic weapon in our PvE tier list is Dragon’s Breath, which can easily be called the best Exotic heavy weapon in Destiny 2. This Rocket Launcher is more akin to Anarchy, providing excellent Passive damage. You just need to make one shot and wait for x5 Fuel Stacks to accumulate on the weapon due to Ignitions or naturally, which will reload this weapon automatically. While Dragon’s Breath is effective on all subclasses, it shines best on Solar with Ember of Ashes.
Destiny 2 Exotic weapons ranked for PvP
Conditional Finality, Shotgun
How to get: Root of Nightmares raid
Since its release, Conditional Finality has taken top spots in the lists of used weapons, despite being obtainable only in raid. The beauty of this Shotgun lies not only in its Exotic Trait, which allows Freezing or Igniting the target but also in its very high Handling and good Pellet Spread Patterns.
Red Death Reformed, Pulse Rifle
How to get: Episode Echoes battle pass
Looking for one of the best Exotic primary weapons in Destiny 2? Even after its nerf, Red Death Reformed remains an excellent choice for Crucible, whether in 6v6 or 3v3 playlists. If good recoil and range are not enough for you, you can enhance handling, flinch resistance, and movement speed simply by damaging your enemies. If damage is inflicted upon you, Red Death will increase your damage, and Final Blows will even restore 60 HP. Also, remember the Catalyst, which will become available with Echoes Act 2 and will make this Exotic even better.
Ace of Spades, Hand Cannon
How to get: Monument to Lost Light
Ace of Spades has always been and will continue to be an excellent Hand Cannon for PvP and one of the Destiny 2 best Exotic weapons in Season 24. The combination of high range and strong flinch against your opponents already makes it an excellent weapon for duels, but Bungie decided to give it the Memento Mori trait. Essentially, it resembles Kill Clip, with a limit of six bullets instead of a timer, and still allows for two crit one body kills. If you still haven’t played with Ace of Spades, it’s time to honor Cayde’s memory.
Thorn, Hand Cannon
How to get: Monument to Lost Light
The second Hand Cannon in our exotic weapons PvP tier list is Thorn. Its main feature is the Poison Effect applied to enemies with each hit. This debuff can be made even stronger by picking up Remnants, which can be created by killing any enemy. If you have the Catalyst completed, picking it up or making a final blow will also give you additional Range, Handling, and Mobility. All of the above makes Thorn a very strong and unique Hand Cannon, which rightfully occupies its place in the best Exotic weapons for PvP on Destiny 2 on par with Ace of Spades and the top spots of the most popular Crucible weapons lists.
Hawkmoon, Hand Cannon
How to get: Xur
Must-have perks: Opening Shot, Eye of the Storm
We’ll finish our PvP tier list with the third HC, which terrorized Destiny 1 Lobbies. Of course, we’re talking about Hawkmoon, which underwent a complete overhaul in the sequel. Previously, your random bullets in the magazine could one-shot Guardians, but now you’ll need to earn that possibility. This best Exotic weapon in Episode Echoes allows you to receive a Paracausal Shot buff for every Precision Hit or final blow, which boosts the damage of the last bullet in your magazine and also improves Range, Handling, and Reload Speed with each stack. Upon reaching a 6x buff, you’ll be able to one-shot any Guardian, quickly catching any player off guard.
Final words on Exotic weapons tier list in The Final Shape
So, here you go, a complete list of the best Exotic weapons in Destiny 2 right now. If you have your own opinion on the meta or the list, you can always comment on this article! In the meantime, we recommend checking out other articles, like best craftable weapons in Destiny 2. Moreover, if you want to get weapons like Wish-Ender or Khvostov, we recommend using D2 boosting services to get them fast and right now!
Thanks for Reading! Owl is Flying Away.
Comments