I Ranked Every Destiny 2 Exotic Weapon

I ranked all 85 non-heavy exotic weapons into a tier list for Destiny 2 PVP. These weapons have been evaluated based on performance, the strength of their exotic perks, and their potential to excel in all Crucible modes. We begin with the F tier.

Destiny 2 PVP Tier List

These are weapons that are exceptionally bad due to having poor exotic perks and low stats, and they are generally not worth using under any circumstances unless you find them fun.

Delicate Tomb Analysis

Beginning with the unique Delicate Tomb, this Fusion rifle presents an unusual design, discharging a horizontal barrage when fired from the hip and transitioning to a vertical stream when aimed. Despite the addition of seven extra bolts in its horizontal attack, their widespread dispersion limits its effective range significantly. Although it boasts certain abilities to conjure lightning and trace effects, these perks fall short in PvP utility. Regrettably, its performance does not justify occupying an exotic slot, as it underperforms compared to standard legendary Fusion rifles.

Hierarchy of Needs Review

Kind of like Hierarchy of Needs, an extremely unique solar bow can summon these awesome rings onto the map. When you fire arrows through the rings, they will summon tracking projectiles to chase down enemy players. Sounds great in theory, but in practice, these tracking arrows deal almost no damage and they almost always miss. Even though the arrows have tracking, players easily outmaneuver some or all of these arrows without even trying. Also, since the rings don’t move around with you, you are required to stand still in order to use them.

This is no secret to your opponents, and once they see the ring, you become extremely predictable and easy to defeat. I really want to like this weapon because it looks amazing and the concept is super cool, but unfortunately, it just feels completely unusable and clunky. You need to be an extremely talented player to have any level of success with this weapon, and even then, you’ll quickly realize that it’s nothing special.

Verglas Curve Review

Now, let’s move on to the Verglas Curve, the next exotic in our tier list. You can load a bunch of stasis arrows on the Verglas Curve and then hip-fire to unleash a massive volley of stasis projectiles and spawn a group of crystals. The only problem is this will rarely happen because, in order to get these stasis arrows, you’ll need to land several final blows.

Divinity Analysis

Much like Divinity, this is an arc trace rifle with an exotic perk that surrounds the target in a massive crit bubble, making it basically impossible to miss them. This can be nice for hitting people slightly around the corner as they try to escape, but overall, this is a very niche application that very rarely comes into play.

The Fourth Horseman Insights

The Fourth Horseman has two main exotic perks that make it fire extremely fast, and each shot will also deal more damage. The whole idea is that it fires super fast so that you can quickly delete people with two or three shots. It does actually take two or three shots, though. The weapon has an extremely poor range stat, and it will never one-shot unless you happen to be literal inches from your opponent.

Special Ammo Efficiency and Weapon Reviews

A final blow, this weapon uses ammo extremely inefficiently, making it very easy to run out. Special ammo certainly isn’t as common as it used to be, so this weapon has taken a hit over the years.

Dead Messenger Review

Kind of like Dead Messenger, a wave frame grenade launcher that unleashes three waves upon contact with the ground. The angle of these waves is extremely wide, so it’s kind of hard to miss with this weapon. As a trade-off, though, it barely deals any damage. In fact, it deals 85 damage, leaving Guardians with a decent chunk of their shields remaining. In the past, it used to be incredible because it dealt much more damage, but nowadays, there are definitely better options out there.

X Durus Analysis

X Durus emerges as a peculiar choice for Crucible play, with a design seemingly at odds with the fast-paced nature of PvP combat. Its hallmark ability to enter a heightened state of aggression upon receiving or inflicting sustained damage is an anomaly in the quick encounters typical of player versus player engagements. Furthermore, the auto-reloading feature, while theoretically advantageous by obviating the need for manual reloads, falls short of expectations due to the weapon’s underwhelming damage output, diminishing its perceived advantage.

Vex Calibur Insights

Vex Calibur captivates with its visually striking design and unique firing mechanism, dispersing a volley of projectiles that, when combined with defensive maneuvers, can confer an overshield to the wielder and allies in proximity. This capability, while beneficial in providing temporary protection, often proves fleeting, with the overshield dissipating rapidly. Thus, while Vex Calibur can offer moments of entertainment and tactical play, its overall utility and impact as an exotic weapon are debatable, relegating it to a novelty rather than a staple in competitive loadouts.

Wish Keeper Evaluation

Wish Keeper presents an intriguing bow option with potential for strand-based synergies, particularly effective against aerially suspended adversaries. Utilizing it alongside a Hunter’s dive might offer a momentary advantage, allowing for possible one-shot eliminations. Nevertheless, the inherent draw time of bows generally detracts from the feasibility of such close-quarter tactics, where alternative weapons might prove more efficient. While Wish Keeper could complement grenade strategies, yielding sporadic one-shot outcomes, its reliability remains inconsistent.

Weapon Performance Analysis

Requiring three arrows for a single takedown, especially when the norm for bows is significantly lower, highlights a unique dilemma where an exotic perk might inadvertently diminish the weapon’s utility. This counterintuitive aspect of Wish Keeper places it, somewhat paradoxically, within the F tier, underscoring a rare instance where an exotic trait may not align with enhancing weapon performance.

Buried Bloodline Sidearm Review

Perhaps the coolest looking sidearm in the game also joins us here in the lowest tier. Even though it is very exotic, Buried Bloodline is a special ammo sidearm that reminds me a bit of the Forerunner because it can also hit targets from very, very far away. However, when used at very long ranges, the projectiles will almost always vanish into thin air, making it clear that this weapon was meant to be used in relatively close quarters.

Challenges with Buried Bloodline

In ideal scenarios, Buried Bloodline can ensnare and swiftly eliminate an oblivious opponent, yet achieving such outcomes consistently proves challenging. The weapon suffers from significant flinch, unreliable hit registration, and slow-moving projectiles, complicating the task of targeting mobile adversaries. Moreover, its propensity to deplete ammunition rapidly necessitates frequent replenishment from special ammo sources to maintain combat readiness.

Unique Perks of Buried Bloodline

On a brighter note, Buried Bloodline offers a minor health restoration effect upon dealing damage, with a notable enhancement following a triple kill—fully restoring health and activating the devour effect. Despite these intriguing features, the weapon’s overall performance in PvP encounters is hindered by its limitations, meriting its placement no higher than the F tier.

Introduction to E Tier Weapons

Transitioning to the E tier, this category encompasses weapons that, while not exemplary in performance, are not entirely devoid of utility. The arsenal within this tier often demands unconventional strategies and adaptability. When wielded with precision and ingenuity, these weapons can unveil their latent potential, albeit within specific and often niche combat scenarios.

The Navigator’s Unique Features

The Navigator distinguishes itself as a trace rifle laden with strategic benefits, most notably its unique capability to confer a defensive boon upon allies. Engaging an ally with this weapon bestows a protective buff, mitigating damage from body shots, thereby fostering a more aggressive team advance with enhanced survivability. This feature positions The Navigator as a compelling choice for coordinated team play.

Trinity Ghoul’s Mechanism

While Trinity Ghoul may align with the typical expectations of a trace rifle in terms of offensive capabilities, it introduces an innovative twist with its Catalyst, enabling the deployment of grapple points. This attribute not only enriches its utility in facilitating dynamic movements but also harmonizes remarkably with strand-based strategies, particularly for hunters. Despite its supportive prowess, the rifle’s specific damage mitigation might limit its effectiveness in high-level play, where precision shots prevail.

Weapon Analysis in Crucible

When augmented with its Catalyst, Trinity Ghoul electrifies the battlefield, granting each successful hit the power to unleash chain lightning upon adversaries. This electrifying effect, further amplified by additional damage modifiers, renders the bow a formidable force in group encounters typical of 6v6 matches, adding a layer of excitement to modes like Momentum Control. Nonetheless, the bow’s efficacy diminishes in the more tactical 3v3 settings, constraining its placement within the Crucible weapon tier to no higher than E-tier due to its specialized nature.

Symmetry Review

Symmetry stands out with its innovative dual-mode functionality, alternating between standard Scout rifle fire and the unique Arc Seeker mode that homes in on adversaries. The strategy involves accumulating precision hits to energize the weapon before engaging the Arc Seeker mode, enabling efficient eliminations with minimal aim. Despite its potential in this specialized mode, Symmetry’s foundational performance is hindered by a notably low range, limiting its ascendancy in the weapon hierarchy.

Final Warning Testing Results

Initial expectations placed Final Warning in a promising position among exotic weapons. However, extensive field tests revealed its limitations, particularly in range and charge time, drawing parallels to the slower mechanics of weapons like Bastion but without the immediacy. Achieving its full destructive capability demands precise execution and optimal conditions, making it a weapon of great potential yet restricted by its inherent complexities. Outside of these narrow parameters, it resembles an average sidearm, further confounded by an unconventional sighting system.

Wicked Implement and Cold Heart Insights

Wicked Implement, a 180 RPM Scout Rifle, brings a nuanced touch of stasis magic to the battlefield. It has the capability to decelerate adversaries upon impact, and offers a unique reloading mechanism through the destruction and collection of stasis crystals. Despite these intriguing aspects, the perks do not drastically alter its utility, rendering it akin to a standard 180 RPM Scout with moderate attributes. While serviceable, many might find greater value in a well-rolled legendary Scout Rifle.

Cold Heart, the pioneering Trace Rifle of Destiny 2, once stood out for its novelty and effectiveness. However, as the arsenal of Trace Rifles expanded, Cold Heart’s luster diminished, leaving it as a nostalgic piece rather than a competitive choice. Its signature exotic perk, which escalates damage output the longer it maintains focus on a target, finds limited application in the fast-paced dynamics of PvP, where engagements are fleeting. Without distinctive enhancements to its capabilities, Cold Heart struggles to hold its ground in the current meta.

Lord of Wolves Shotgun Analysis

The Lord of Wolves distinguishes itself with its unique Shrapnel Launcher perk, projecting intense bursts of solar energy over an impressive distance for a shotgun. Precision with this weapon can extend its lethality beyond typical shotgun ranges.

Analysis of Unique Exotic Weapons

The Lord of Wolves features a bifurcated firing mode that, while innovative, often leaves users perplexed due to the subtle differences between each setting. Historically a powerhouse within diverse gameplay metas, recent adjustments have recalibrated its potency to a more balanced state.

Cerberus+1 Review

Cerberus+1 stands out as an extraordinary creation within the realm of Exotic weaponry. It’s characterized by its ability to discharge unruly projectiles from all barrels simultaneously. The term ‘unruly’ aptly describes the unpredictable nature of its spread, contributing to a sense of inconsistency despite a fixed pattern. This has led to a general consensus of dissatisfaction, with many attributing its limitations to the constrained effective range.

Class-Specific Glaives

In a similar vein to Cerberus+1’s challenge in landing all projectiles, the specialized glaives for each class present their unique abilities, which come into play only after achieving a sequence of four ranged hits. This requirement often renders their special functions seldom utilized within the heat of battle.

Titan Glaive Ability

The Titan glaive can make a bubble which is actually pretty powerful for objectives, but don’t mistake this for a normal Titan bubble because it is far less powerful. The Warlock glaive produces a healing turret that will heal almost your entire health bar every few seconds.

Lastly, the Hunter glaive unleashes a crazy lightning explosion that will one-shot everyone nearby and also track targets. These abilities all look insanely cool and they can be quite powerful, but at the end of the day, these weapons are just glaives with the potential to very occasionally activate a cool ability.

Skyburner’s Oath Evaluation

Much like Skyburner’s Oath, a Scout rifle that shoots fast and straight when aiming but lobs explosive slugs when hip firing. It has been reworked several times, but the community has basically just decided that it’s a meme weapon. It’s pretty unique, and I guess you could try it with a solar build, but it’s not going to win you any trips to the lighthouse.

Ruinous Effigy Fun Factor

If you like basketball, you might enjoy Ruinous Effigy, a trace rifle that lets you literally dunk on your opponents. Its exotic perk transforms defeated Guardians into void balls that you can pick up and slam onto your opponents. The fun factor is definitely here on this weapon, and I’d argue it’s the most fun of any weapon in this tier.

Ruinous Effigy Effectiveness

Sadly, though, because the range of the dunk is extremely short, it’s not really all that effective. You can also use the basketballs to reduce incoming damage, but then you’re obviously occupied doing that, and you can’t really fight back. Ruinous is a very entertaining and fun weapon to use, but I can’t really rank it any higher since neither the weapon nor its perk is very effective.

D Tier Weapons Overview

The D tier is where things start to get much more interesting. The weapons in this tier offer compelling exotic perks that can actually be fairly effective if used correctly. Unlike some of the weapons in the lower tiers, you’ll be able to find reasonable success when using these weapons.

Ostria’s Unique Capabilities

For example, Ostria is a craftable SMG that can be effective, but it also has some significant weaknesses. It fires a stream of sentient toxic projectiles that track the targeted enemy. The tracking is rather aggressive, I might add, and it’ll probably reward you with some headshots that you did not earn. It also has Toxic Overload, a perk that makes poisonous bursts spread to nearby targets.

Ostria’s PVP Challenges

This weapon looks, sounds, and feels incredible, and from that standpoint, I think it’s one of the coolest weapons in the game. From a more analytical PVP perspective, though, its projectiles travel so slowly that you will often find yourself in very awkward situations. Once you fire off a volley, you kind of just have to sit there and wait for the projectiles to reach the enemy while they absolutely blast you.

Izanagi’s Burden Analysis

Izanagi’s Burden has the perk Honed Edge: consume the magazine and load a round with additional range and damage. This can be useful for consuming a large amount of bullets and one-shotting people to the body, but ultimately, this requires you to consume four bullets just to get a single final blow.

Touch of Malice Review

Touch of Malice is the classic King’s Fall Scout rifle. The final round in the magazine deals bonus damage, and the final round will never disappear, so you can fire forever. These special final rounds come at a hefty price, though, as they cause the weapon to deal massive self-damage.

Touch of Malice in Casual Play

I honestly really like Touch of Malice, and it feels good to use in a more casual environment, but it’s hard to get over the fact that the self-damage makes you an easy target. I’d probably rank it several tiers higher if it wasn’t so punishing, but for now, I think this is a fair place for it to be.

Sweet Business Unleashed

If you want to shoot off thousands of bullets and never stop firing, Sweet Business is calling your name. Featuring a massive magazine, solid hip-fire accuracy, and plenty of explosions, this weapon is absolutely devastating once it ramps up to maximum rate of fire.

Challenges with Sweet Business

Most people underestimate the sheer melting potential that Sweet Business has, and it can be a blast in 6v6 modes. Many people think they can challenge a Sweet Business user, but then they just get deleted in under 0.6 seconds. The drawback, though, is this weapon struggles during the time it is ramping up to its maximum rate of fire.

Bastion’s Close-Range Power

Next up is Bastion. This weapon fires in bursts and is capable of outputting a devastating amount of damage in close range. Bastionwill obliterate any super in the game, but it kind of struggles in the range department since it has a charge time and often takes two or three bursts to take out a full health Guardian.

Riskrunner’s Unique Perk

Riskrunner has the perk Arc Conductor. When taking Arc damage, this weapon becomes more powerful and resists incoming Arc damage. Granted, you definitely will not be taking Arc damage in every engagement, but when you do, this weapon feels amazing.

Prometheus Lens Introduction

It chains lightning all over the place and gives you nearly infinite ammo, making it amazing for big streaks. It used to also give you a 50% damage resist and let you have incredible hero moments, but sadly, this weapon was hit with a devastating nerf.

Prometheus Lens Overview

Prometheus Lens is a trace rifle that fires a solar trace beam and creates a damaging heat field around the target. Visually, this looks absolutely awesome, but unfortunately, it kind of makes it hard to see what you’re doing. It has another perk that refills the magazine, but this only comes into play when you’re going on streaks and have enough ammo to even have anything in reserves.

Wavesplitter Characteristics

Wavesplitter is in a similar situation to Prometheus Lens. It has a bit more going on, though, because it oscillates between three power levels that deal different amounts of damage. If you happen to pick up an orb, you’ll also get a brief period of maximum damage.

Ariana’s Vow Performance

Ariana’s Vow is normally a hand cannon that players either love or hate. It’s a special ammo hand cannon with enormous recoil and a scope for extremely long range. With high zoom and its use of special ammo, this thing feels more like a sniper rifle than a hand cannon.

C Tier Weapons Introduction

Moving on to the C tier, these weapons are the middle of the road exotics. They are not bad by any means and they will serve you well in a variety of situations. The exotic perks are good, but they just aren’t super exceptional quite yet.

MIDA Multi-Tool Insights

MIDA Multi-Tool might define this tier the best, since it’s an all-around very solid weapon. It provides faster movement speed, and its perk grants radar while aiming. It also has “No Distractions” via its Catalyst, reducing flinch and making it ideal for competitive long-range duels.

Polaris Lance Strategy

Polaris Lance is in a pretty similar situation to MIDA Multi-Tool but has a very different vibe to it. Being a slower-firing archetype, it’s much more methodical, and each shot matters quite a bit more. If you land four precision hits, it’ll load a big explosive round into the mag, making for some fun fireworks on your next shot.

Weapon Analysis and Comparisons

This is relatively powerful and can lead to an occasional collateral, so overall, no complaints there. Unfortunately, though, this weapon has kind of bad stats and they are much worse than a Scout rifle coming later in this list. Featuring only 39 aim assist, it doesn’t feel particularly sticky or forgiving on any input device.

Arbalest’s Evolution

Arbalest was the first of its kind as a special ammo linear Fusion rifle. Following its introduction, it quickly rose to the top of the meta since it received very little flinch and had generous aim assist. It has since received a ton of nerfs, though, making it far less powerful in the present day.

Tikku’s Divination Utility

Tikku’s Divination is actually surprisingly good if you play to its strengths. It launches off multiple tracking projectiles when you fire from the hip. If you then follow that up with a regular shot, it causes a massive explosion that is super fun.

Hard Light’s Versatility

Hard Light has the ability to cycle between Arc, Solar, and Void, which doesn’t exactly matter in PvP. However, it does get special bonuses depending on which element you choose. For example, Arc mode is fantastic because you will have a wild 100 handling, 100 stability, and 100 aim assist.

Rat King’s Team Synergy

This is the opposite of Rat King because its higher goal is to help you blend in. You’ll go invisible if you reload after a final blow and also immediately start regenerating your health. Rat King’s exotic perk causes the weapon to be more powerful when nearby allies are also using Rat King.

Aggressive Sidearm Play with High Aim Assist

It has a pretty high 80 aim assist and 100 recoil direction with its Catalyst, making it a pretty good choice for anyone who enjoys aggressive sidearm gameplay.

Monte Carlo’s Melee Synergy

Monte Carlo’s perk is the Monte Carlo Method: dealing damage with this weapon reduces your melee cooldown and grants a chance to fully recharge your melee ability with each final blow. In addition, melee final blows will give you tons of bonus damage with this weapon.

The Mantor’s Airborne Gameplay

The Mantor, on the other hand, has a lot of crazy stuff going on. This is an SMG with several airborne-focused perks that make its gameplay extremely unique. Dealing damage while grounded charges it up, and then dealing damage in the air makes you float around and not fall towards the ground.

Tessellation’s Dynamic Damage Type

Tessellation is one of the newer additions to our arsenal, featuring a damage type that changes to match whatever subclass you have equipped. This makes it unique because you can conceivably have three stasis weapons simultaneously and create some interesting builds for bonus damage.

Centrifuse’s Unique Gameplay Loop

If you want a unique gameplay loop, look no further than Centrifuse. This auto rifle gets charged up and reloaded when sprinting, and then final blows while charged will unleash explosions and blindness upon your enemies.

Understanding Tommy’s Matchbook

The same can also be said for Tommy’s Matchbook, a weapon that many people seem to not really understand. Tommy’s is great for those who love running around a lot, as its perks feel pretty natural and complementary to an aggressive playstyle.

Tommy’s Matchbook Gameplay Dynamics

For fast-paced gameplay, Tommy’s Matchbook is ideal because it has high hipfire accuracy and a massive magazine. It also becomes overheated, dealing extra damage but burning the user. It’s pretty lethal at base, as it takes people out in just 0.77 seconds, but it becomes extremely deadly when overheated.

Ager’s Scepter Unique Mechanism

Ager’s Scepter starts off with a very basic perk that generates a slowing burst around the target on final blows. However, it gets a lot more interesting when you apply the Catalyst, which allows you to sacrifice your super to put this weapon into overcharge mode.

B Tier Weapons Introduction

As we now enter the B tier, these weapons are firmly above average, and I’d even describe them as noteworthy. In many instances, you will often encounter these in The Crucible, and in the right hands, they can be a dominant force in any match.

Necrochasm’s Impressive Performance

Necrochasm really impressed me during my extensive playtest with it. I’m not normally a huge fan of auto rifles in this archetype, but Necrochasm just feels completely different. It has very impressive stats, including a wild 94 stability, 76 reload speed, and 85 aim assist.

Witherhoard’s Tactical Advantage

Witherhoard creates blights all over the ground, and I’m sure you know how easy it is to accidentally get stuck in one of these annoying circles of suffering. This exotic weapon can really change the dynamics of a match by controlling space and punishing enemies who are not paying attention to their surroundings.

Witherhoard’s Strategic Use

Witherhoard is excellent for zoning off areas of the map, forcing people out of cover, and also off of zones. When you place it on a zone, it will force the opponent to retreat and take damage, and then you can easily clean them up with another weapon. It’s one of the best weapons for any mode that has an objective, whether that’s Iron Banner or a zone in Trials of Osiris.

Yotun’s Tracking Projectiles

Yotun, the toaster exotic, launches tracking projectiles that explode and burn on impact. This weapon is extremely easy to use at low levels of play as it has generous tracking. New players will find it works great right out of the box, and it’s a solid option even for experienced players.

Trespasser’s Burst Potential

Trespasser is an arc three-burst sidearm with some very high potential perks. Reloading after a final blow gives you a powerful super burst, and then final blows with the super burst give you even more super bursts. This is incredibly powerful because this can one-shot and absolutely delete anyone within range.

Graviton Lance’s Unique Mechanics

Graviton Lance is somewhat unique as it is one of the only two-burst pulse rifles in the game. It has developed a sort of fan club of dedicated Graviton enjoyers, which is a testament to this weapon’s power fantasy and overall feel.

Outbreak Perfected’s Nanite Swarms

Outbreak Perfected’s main perk creates SIVA nanite swarms. These are annoying for other players to deal with, and they’ll help you by damaging any other Guardians nearby. It’s also unlike any other pulse rifle since it has this unique nanite swarm feature, making it a distinctive choice in PvP engagements.

Testo’s Unique Firing Mechanism

It fires like a laser and has essentially zero recoil. This has always been a super solid weapon with basically no downsides, so there’s really nothing else to say here. Testo’s main exotic perk is that projectiles attach to surfaces and detonate with a delayed void blast.

Long-Range Capabilities of Testo

Through all the memes about Testo breaking the game, the weapon has ended up in a pretty decent spot. It can reach really long distances if you’re able to control the recoil and place the bolts tightly together. This type of distance is unheard of for other Fusion rifles.

Detonation Delay Challenge

The one major downfall of Testo, though, is the delay it has before the projectiles detonate. Even if you perfectly outplay your opponent and land all your shots, you’ll still have to wait for the detonation, giving your opponent plenty of time to take you out.

Lumina’s Supportive Functionality

You can also make some interesting plays with Lumina. Final blows with it create these little floating remnants, and then absorbing a Remnant lets you buff yourself and an ally of your choosing. Lumina’s ability to provide bonus damage can set up some powerful combos.

Malfit’s Explosive Impact

Malfit’s main perk causes enemies to explode after five shots, and notably, those shots can be at any range. Considering this is a primary weapon, those explosions are pretty powerful and do a pretty good job of taking down Guardians in a super.

Wish-Ender’s Wall Hacks

Wish-Ender’s exotic perk provides the ability to see through walls while drawing the bow. This is valuable for all players, but those on the higher end of the skill spectrum will find it to be increasingly overpowered, giving you the ability to hit your opponents the instant they leave cover.

Wish-Ender’s Tactical Advantage

In the game, seriously, I mean only cheaters will be able to get the first shot on you when you’re using this weapon. Since it deals a solid chunk of damage, it’s great for getting the first shot and then quickly cleaning up with your other weapon. But even if you don’t like using the bow itself, the sheer amount of information provided by the wall hacks can give you a competitive advantage in something like Trials of Osiris.

Dead Man’s Tail Customization

Dead Man’s Tail is a very unique lever-action Scout rifle and it’s one of the only exotic weapons in the game that can roll or be crafted with random perks. There is infinite customization here; you could go for a Vorpal Weapon to melt opposing supers or even Moving Target for the bonus aim assist and strafe speed.

Bad Juju’s Exotic Perk Benefits

Bad Juju is a full-auto kinetic pulse rifle that seems pretty bad at first glance, but it has a very solid exotic perk. Its main trait refills the magazine, increases this weapon’s damage output, and grants bonus super energy based on the number of final blows.

A Tier Weapons Overview

We are now in the A tier category. These weapons are great at base, their exotic perks are compelling, and most players will agree they are extremely effective. The weapons from here on out will dominate over all of the other weapons in the lower tiers.

Vigilance Wing’s Unique Perks

Vigilance Wing is a great example of such dominance, with a compelling perk package and a five-round burst. It’s sure to deliver on any expectations you might have for an exotic pulse rifle. If you ever find yourself with really bad teammates, pull out Vigilance Wing, because every time one of them goes down, it buffs your movement speed and regenerates your health.

Vigilance Wing’s Performance in Crucible

Just when you need it most, this weapon can eliminate Guardians in just 0.7 seconds, making it really dominant if you can track your target for the entire five-round burst. Even if you hit body shots, this is perhaps the most forgiving weapon in the entire game. One of the main downsides to this pulse is that its five bullets come out quite slowly, so you can’t really peak shoot like you can with other pulses.

Sturm’s Unique Synergy with Drang

Sturm is a 120 hand cannon with all-around fantastic stats, making it a decent option even when 120 hand cannons aren’t super popular. It has a unique interaction with a sidearm called Drang. Final blows with Drang overcharge Sturm, and these weapons also reload each other.

Merciless’s Exotic Perk in PvP

Merciless has an exotic perk that makes it charge faster after non-lethal hits, but honestly, this perk is mostly just meant for PvE. The main PvP-centric perk is called Impetus, and it gives the weapon absurd levels of damage if you reload after a final blow.

Borealis’s Element-Switching Mechanism

The same can be said about Borealis. This sniper can cycle between all of the different elements to get different bonuses. These bonuses make it completely stand out from other snipers. Most notably, in void mode, Borealis will get plus 10 aim assist and plus 20 stability, and in arc mode, it will get plus 25 handling and plus five range.

Borealis’ Exceptional Handling and Performance

Borealis stands out with its ability to reach an unprecedented 100 handling in Arc mode, setting a new standard for high-impact snipers. Beyond its handling, Borealis excels in all statistical categories, making it a superior choice over its counterparts. Although its unique elemental switching perk may not always be pertinent in every situation, the sniper’s overall exceptional stats justify its use in a variety of scenarios. Adapting to its unique feel may require some time, but the statistical advantages offered by Borealis make it a formidable weapon in the hands of those who master it.

The Huckleberry’s Continuous Rampage

The Huckleberry thrives on continuous action, with its exotic perk enhancing the weapon’s rate of fire and recoil as long as the trigger is held down. Achieving final blows partially refills the magazine, a feature that is significantly amplified by its Catalyst, which ensures a full magazine refill on each final blow. Coupled with Rampage, which increases damage output, The Huckleberry becomes an ideal weapon for extended engagements, allowing for prolonged rampages with minimal downtime for reloading, provided you can maintain precision.

Fighting Lion’s Tactical Nuisance

Designed to disrupt and annoy, Fighting Lion excels in indirect combat, allowing players to inflict damage from around corners and force opponents out of cover. With the Catalyst, it becomes even more effective, enhancing the accuracy and handling of your next weapon, facilitating quick clean-up kills. Its infinite primary ammo supply, courtesy of the game’s mechanics, enables relentless grenade spamming, making it a persistent threat in any engagement. While some might argue for its placement in the highest tier due to its disruptive potential, its situational effectiveness places it firmly in the A tier.

Forerunner’s Distinctive Long-Range Precision

Forerunner breaks the mold as a special ammo sidearm designed for long-range engagements, offering sniper-like precision without the typical limitations of a sidearm. Its unique firing mechanism rewards a deliberate, measured approach, granting increased accuracy and reduced recoil for controlled shots. This makes Forerunner not only a novel but also a highly effective choice in scenarios where long-range accuracy is paramount, particularly in 3v3 engagements where its precision can turn the tide of battle.

Lorentz Driver’s Enhanced Tactical Utility

Echoing the foundational aspects of Arbalest but with added flair and functionality, Lorentz Driver introduces a new layer of strategic play with its Telemetry patterns. Collecting these patterns not only enhances your ability energy but also encourages a more dynamic and mobile playstyle. This added utility, combined with its inherent long-range lethality, positions Lorentz Driver as a standout choice for players seeking a fusion of traditional sniping and innovative gameplay mechanics.

Lorentz Driver’s Impactful Performance in Crucible

Gathering three Telemetry patterns with Lorentz Driver not only enhances its damage output significantly but also introduces a unique mechanic where targets implode, creating a void blast that pulls in nearby enemies for a spectacular detonation. This feature, combined with what many consider the best sound design in the game, makes Lorentz Driver an exhilarating weapon to wield across various Crucible modes. The aim assist feels intuitive, ensuring the 50% bonus damage, which lasts an impressive 30 seconds, is both impactful and rewarding. Despite the challenges posed by increased susceptibility to incoming flinch, those adept enough to activate its exotic perk find themselves dominating engagements, with the capability to down opponents with body shots alone, highlighting the weapon’s lethal potential in skilled hands.

Quicksilver Storm’s Unique Hybrid Functionality

Quicksilver Storm stands out as a remarkable hybrid, combining the rapid-fire capability of a 720 RPM Auto rifle with the strategic impact of a grenade launcher. Its distinctive feature of launching homing rocket tracers during auto-rifle fire introduces a dynamic element to engagements, although the tracers’ travel time and reliability might require some adjustment. Upon successfully landing multiple rockets, the weapon transitions into a potent grenade launcher mode, capable of delivering significant damage, including the notable ability to one-shot Titan barricades and even Wells of Radiance, showcasing its clutch potential in critical moments.

Suros Regime’s Adaptive Combat Styles

Suros Regime offers a versatile approach to combat with its dual firing modes: Spinning Up, where sustained fire increases the rate of fire, and Dual Speed Receiver, which trades rate of fire for enhanced damage. This adaptability allows users to tailor the weapon’s performance to various combat scenarios, further augmented by a Catalyst that transforms its recoil direction for improved handling. The intrinsic capability to restore health on final blows, coupled with increased damage in the latter half of the magazine, solidifies Suros Regime as a reliable choice for sustained engagements, embodying a balance of traditional auto rifle reliability with strategic depth.

Devil’s Ruin’s Infinite Laser Potential

Devil’s Ruin redefines weapon versatility by merging the quick-fire nature of a sidearm with the sustained damage output of a chargeable laser, offering an unlimited ammunition feature that sets it apart. While its sidearm mode provides a standard yet reliable option for quick engagements, the real game-changer lies in its ability to unleash a potent laser beam, capable of decisive lethality when wielded with precise timing. This duality ensures Devil’s Ruin remains a formidable weapon within the Guardian arsenal, offering both conventional rapid-fire solutions and the strategic advantage of a powerful, charged attack.

Devil’s Ruin: A Fusion Rifle in Your Pocket

Devil’s Ruin stands out as a unique exotic, functioning essentially as a pocket Fusion rifle that utilizes primary ammo, offering a surprising twist in Crucible encounters. Its capability to annihilate supers from a surprisingly long range adds to its allure, though it does demand some foresight and pre-charging to wield effectively. Over the years, as Fusion rifles and shotguns have faced nerfs, Devil’s Ruin has only grown in its appeal, especially in 6v6 formats, where its unconventional utility shines, making it an exhilarating choice for those looking to break the mold.

Revision Zero: The Pulse-Sniper Hybrid

Revision Zero blurs the lines between a pulse rifle and a sniper rifle, offering a hybrid weapon that charges its sniper capability through precision hits with the pulse mode. The sniper mode stands out for its minimal flinch and impeccable hipfire accuracy, allowing for versatile engagement at various ranges. With options to toggle between four-burst and two-burst pulse modes, Revision Zero caters to diverse playstyles, further enhanced by four distinct catalysts and customizable features, solidifying its status as a truly exotic weapon with an engaging sniper-pulse gameplay loop.

The Jade Rabbit’s Refined Exotic Perk

The Jade Rabbit has seen its exotic perk evolve to reward bonus body shot damage following precision hits, a much-appreciated change that enhances its forgiveness. This adjustment aligns perfectly with skilled marksmanship, rewarding precision with greater leeway in subsequent shots. With a stellar recoil direction and improved stability from its Exotic Catalyst, The Jade Rabbit distinguishes itself as a highly controllable and consistent Scout rifle, capable of reliable three-tap eliminations at range, setting a high standard for exotic Scouts.

Collective Obligation’s Void Synergy

Collective Obligation impresses with each use, not just for its formidable base performance, but for its intriguing perk loop that involves leeching and spreading void debuffs among targets. This requires a deliberate playstyle, encouraging strategic positioning and target selection to maximize its void-based mechanics. The weapon’s distinct sound and feel contribute to its powerful presence in combat, making it a compelling choice for players seeking a weapon that combines raw power with intricate tactical utility.

Collective Obligation’s Strategic Depth with Void Builds

With your Void build, Collective Obligation unlocks a plethora of tactical advantages, like spreading suppression after defeating a suppressed enemy, enhancing its potential for pivotal moments in battle. This weapon self-reloads upon receiving any Void buff, such as invisibility, adding a layer of utility. The only minor drawback is its somewhat bulky sight, which might slightly hinder visibility, but this doesn’t detract significantly from its overall efficacy. Initially underestimated, its exceptional base performance and synergistic exotic functionalities have rightfully secured its place at the high end of the A tier.

S Tier Weapons: The Game Changers

Now, we transition to the S tier, reserved for the elite weapons that set the standard in Destiny’s arsenal. These weapons are distinguished by their exceptional exotic perks, superior stats, and minimal weaknesses, dominating their competition effortlessly.

Hawkmoon’s Exotic Excellence

Hawkmoon epitomizes the essence of an exotic weapon, featuring a robust stat package, a unique exotic perk for charging powerful final rounds, and a versatile selection of random perks. The ability to one-shot supers with a hand cannon, especially with a magazine size enhanced by the Catalyst, showcases Hawkmoon’s dominance in PvP engagements. Its base stats are impressive, but each precision hit further improves its handling, reload speed, and range, elevating Hawkmoon to unparalleled status with a remarkable aim assist of 93.

The Last Word’s Input-Dependent Performance

The Last Word presents a variable experience across different input devices. Initially favored by mouse and keyboard users, it now finds its stronghold among controller players, offering a unique full-auto firing mode that enhances precision damage and improves reload speed and accuracy in hip-fire. Despite its full-auto nature, pacing shots can maximize accuracy, allowing for incredibly rapid eliminations. However, its effectiveness is somewhat contingent on the prevailing weapon meta, excelling against hand cannons and pulse rifles but facing stiff competition from dominant SMGs. While it secures its place in the S tier for controller users, it doesn’t quite reach the same heights for mouse and keyboard players.

The Last Word’s Performance on Different Inputs

For mouse and keyboard users, The Last Word descends to the C tier due to its challenging handling and performance inconsistencies. This stark contrast in effectiveness between control schemes places it in a unique position within the weapon hierarchy.

Cesia 77K: The Underappreciated Stasis Sidearm

Cesia 77K, a stasis kinetic sidearm with an exotic perk that shoots out a freezing bolt, is quietly making waves, especially potent in Rumble where freezing an opponent can easily lead to a swift elimination. With a high aim assist of 93, this sidearm excels in its base capabilities, but its exotic functionality truly shines by offering a strategic advantage over more skilled opponents.

Sunshot’s High Skill Ceiling

Sunshot stands out with its unique 150 RPM rate, promising rapid three-tap potential. However, its lower aim assist of 60 and challenging target visibility due to recoil and visual effects present significant hurdles. Despite these challenges, its explosive damage and Sun Blast perk, which causes enemies to explode, offer strategic advantages, especially when mastering its rapid fire rate.

Vex Mythoclast’s Dual Functionality

Vex Mythoclast blurs the line between auto rifle and fusion rifle, offering a transformative experience into a linear fusion rifle after multiple eliminations. Despite a nerf to its auto rifle mode, it remains effective with enhanced damage, accuracy, and stability post-elimination. The linear fusion mode stands out for its exceptional aim assist and lack of flinch, making it a formidable choice in 6v6 modes, though less practical in Trials due to the difficulty in activating its most potent state.

Crimson’s Niche Appeal

Crimson bears similarities to The Last Word, particularly in its unique niche within Destiny’s weapon roster. While it may not share the exact firing mechanics or exotic perks, its distinct characteristics and potential for strategic gameplay solidify its place in the competitive landscape, offering a different yet equally compelling approach to engagements.

Crimson’s Dual Nature in PvP

Crimson, a weapon shrouded in mixed opinions, shines or dims based on the user’s input device. Its exotic perk, providing health restoration and automatic reloading, creates an ideal setup for extended streaks, offering a blend of sustainability and lethality. However, its slow projectile speed demands a playstyle akin to an auto rifle, limiting peak shooting effectiveness and diminishing its utility in competitive 3v3 scenarios. Controller users may find the reticle friction advantageous for landing burst shots, a task that proves more challenging for mouse and keyboard players, especially at higher FOVs where recoil obfuscation hampers visibility.

Traveler’s Chosen: An Ability-Enhancing Sidearm

Traveler’s Chosen stands out with its ability to accumulate buffs through final blows, enhancing reload speed, handling, and aim assist, thereby elevating weapon performance to peak snappiness. The option to consume these stacks to replenish melee, grenade, and class ability energy complements builds reliant on frequent ability usage. The addition of the Surplus perk via the Catalyst further amplifies its effectiveness when abilities are fully charged, positioning Traveler’s Chosen as a top-tier sidearm for ability-centric playstyles.

No Time to Explain: The Exotic Pulse with a Personal Portal

No Time to Explain boasts exceptional stats and an innovative exotic perk that summons a portal to assist in engagements after accumulating headshot stacks. This portal, acting as both an offensive tool and an early warning system, ensures a preemptive advantage in confrontations. Despite a recent nerf slightly increasing its usage difficulty, the weapon maintains its high-standing, offering a unique and potent option for pulse rifle enthusiasts.

Duality: The Shotgun with Dual Firing Modes

Duality introduces a novel concept to the shotgun category, operating as a slug shotgun when aiming down sights and a pellet shotgun in hip-fire mode. This dual functionality allows for versatile engagement strategies, catering to both precision shots and close-quarters spread damage, making Duality a distinctive and adaptable choice for varied combat scenarios.

Duality: Master of Versatility

Duality stands out as a uniquely versatile shotgun, allowing for rapid reaction with hip-fire at close range or precise slug shots at longer distances. This adaptability makes it an ideal complement to a broad array of primary weapons. With the introduction of fixed pellet spreads, Duality shines even brighter, boasting one of the most consistent and far-reaching spreads, complemented by exceptional stats of 95 range and 80 handling. Its additional perks, enhancing precision damage and reload speed, further cement its position as a top-tier choice for shotgun aficionados, making it the third-best exotic shotgun in Destiny’s arsenal.

SS Tier: The Pinnacle of Exotic Weapons

We’ve ascended to the SS tier, reserved for the elite, super special exotics that redefine effectiveness in combat. These weapons are so potent that they often tip the balance of power, earning reputations as potentially overpowered tools in the right hands. Mastering these weapons not only sets you apart but also makes you a formidable force in any PvP scenario, provided, of course, you’re not facing an opponent of equal caliber wielding the same armaments.

Cloudstrike: The Ultimate Sniper

Cloudstrike, even post-nerf, continues to reign supreme as the quintessential sniper rifle, capable of decimating entire teams with its electrifying area-of-effect capabilities. Ideal for controlling objectives or interrupting revives in Trials, its propensity for accidental collaterals lends a sense of unpredictability and sheer power to every shot. While its base stats may not top the charts, the catalyst significantly enhances its handling, imbuing Cloudstrike with the responsiveness crucial for sniper rifles and solidifying its dominance in the sniper category.

Conditional Finality: Unrivaled Shotgun Dominance

Conditional Finality emerges as the undisputed champion of shotguns, offering unparalleled performance that eclipses all contenders. Beyond its inherent efficiency as a shotgun, its real value is unveiled when confronting supers, where its “Special Sauce” becomes evident. This exceptional capability to neutralize even the most formidable adversaries cements Conditional Finality’s status as the preeminent shotgun, setting a new benchmark for power and versatility in close-quarters combat.

Conditional Finality’s Super Shutdown Capability

Conditional Finality revolutionizes shotgun performance with its stasis and solar functionalities, capable of freezing or igniting targets based on the mode engaged. This unprecedented efficacy in neutralizing supers, even against fully shielded Titans, sets a new standard in tactical versatility. Beyond super shutdowns, these effects complement sublass synergies, paving the way for extensive sprees when confronting groups. With an impressive 95 handling, transitions between primary and shotgun for varied combat scenarios become seamless, underscoring its unmatched utility in shotgun combat.

Ace of Spades: The Quintessential Hand Cannon

Ace of Spades remains a pinnacle of hand cannon design, meeting all critical performance criteria with added exotic benefits. Despite several adjustments over time, its exotic perk, Memento Mori, grants lasting extra damage bullets post-reload after a final blow, offering a sustained advantage in subsequent encounters. Coupled with perks like Firefly for explosive final blows and a constant radar, Ace of Spades ensures heightened combat awareness and survivability. Its recent improvements in airborne accuracy further obliterate its few perceived weaknesses, maintaining its dominance in the PvP arena.

Le Monarque’s Resilient Popularity

Le Monarque’s enduring appeal, despite multiple nerfs, is a testament to its balanced design and effectiveness. The draw time remains a crucial factor, ensuring its continued relevance in the competitive landscape. While damage output has been moderated, Le Monarque’s strategic value in delivering timely and impactful shots keeps it a preferred choice among skilled archers, demonstrating its resilience and enduring popularity in the evolving meta of Destiny’s PvP engagements.

Le Monarque’s Enhanced Poison Capabilities

Le Monarque has evolved into an even more formidable weapon in high-end PvP, now capable of spamming poison arrows with increased speed. The continuous application of poison not only debilitates opponents, prolonging their time out of combat but also strategically delays their shield regeneration. This tactical advantage allows for aggressive plays against isolated or weakened team members, often resulting in effortless eliminations. The poison’s ability to spread, combined with the bow’s superior stats and snapshot sights, cements Le Monarque’s status as a top-tier weapon, despite any past adjustments to its damage output.

The Chaperone’s Long-Range Precision

The Chaperone distinguishes itself as a unique exotic slug shotgun, renowned for its capacity to secure one-shot kills at impressive distances. Its main perk enhances handling, range, and precision damage following a precision kill, maintaining its lethality even after nerfs. With an unparalleled range stat, exceptional aim assist, and swift handling, The Chaperone stands out as a premier choice within Destiny’s arsenal, rivaling even the most formidable weapons in its class.

Tarrabah: The Unmatched Exotic SMG

Tarrabah redefines the exotic SMG category with its unparalleled power surge capability, triggered by both dealing and receiving damage. Upon reaching full power, activating the “Unleash the Beast” mode allows for devastatingly quick eliminations, unmatched by any other weapon in terms of time-to-kill, particularly with body shots. This unique mechanic, coupled with Tarrabah’s distinctive exotic perk, places it at the pinnacle of SMG performance, offering a unique and terrifying presence in any PvP engagement.

Tarrabah’s Unique Damage Mechanism

Tarrabah redefines engagement strategies in Destiny’s arsenal with its unique damage mechanism that doesn’t prioritize headshots over body shots, allowing for a more versatile approach in combat. Its exotic perk, centered around damage dealt and received rather than final blows, enables players to activate its devastating “Unleash the Beast” mode even without securing a kill. This feature is particularly effective in Rumble, maintaining its formidable presence despite any previous nerfs.

Thorn’s Enhanced Performance with Catalyst

Thorn, with its recent Catalyst addition, has seen significant improvements in range, stability, and airborne effectiveness, propelling it to the forefront of the PvP meta. The weapon’s intrinsic burn damage, which hinders opponents’ re-engagement by delaying health regeneration, is just the tip of the iceberg. Upon collecting a Remnant from a defeated enemy, Thorn’s lethality is further amplified, enabling two-tap eliminations and granting additional range, mobility, and handling boosts.

Secret Exotic Perks Unveiled

Many exotic weapons harbor hidden perks not disclosed within the game’s interface, offering clandestine advantages that the majority of players remain unaware of. These covert features can significantly alter a weapon’s performance and strategic use in combat. For those curious about these secretive enhancements, a dedicated exploration of these hidden exotic perks reveals the deeper intricacies and potential of Destiny’s exotic arsenal.

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