What’s up guys! This is Librarian Husky with you. In it, we take a look at the best Exotic weapons you should be using in The Final Shape. The PVE sandbox is an ever-changing thing, and if you want to stay on top of your game when you move into The Final Shape, then you need to make sure you’re using the best of the best when it comes to Exotic weapons.

Overview of Exotic Weapons

There are 19 Exotic weapons in Destiny 2. While each and every one of these provides its own unique benefits, we’ll be focusing on the top 20 Exotics that provide the highest level of performance.

Osto Striga

We start off our list with the Osto Striga. This exotic has seen a number of nerfs over the past few seasons, but it remains one of the best SMGs to clear through ads with. It’s not as potent as it once was, but the ability to automatically reload this weapon’s magazine while inflicting poison onto your enemies is a tremendous benefit. SMGs get barrier champion duties thanks to this season’s artifact, which means those poisoning effects can be used against barrier Champions, really amplifying this weapon’s versatility.

Final Warning

Coming in at number 19 is the Final Warning. This stranded sidearm just got a new Catalyst, granting it bonus damage against marked targets as well as the ability to reload a portion of its magazine. This exotic already dished out a ton of damage against targets from close range thanks to its unraveling abilities.

Final Warning and Its Capabilities

So, with an increase in damage and the ability to instantly restore ammo, this sidearm has been kicked into overdrive. With sidearms getting the nod towards Unstoppable Champions this season, the Final Warning will be a great option for Lost Sectors, Grandmasters, and other in-game content.

Sunshot

Up next at number 18 is the Sunshot. It’s not as dominating as it was last season when solar weapons got some insane bonuses, but this Hand Cannon still packs a punch and will quickly decimate large groups of enemies. Hand Cannons also have the ability to stun Overload Champions right now, which brings the value of this exotic way up.

Trinity Ghoul

Coming in at number 17 is the Trinity Ghoul, another exotic that has tremendous ad clear potential. This bow drops down lightning that will strike through large groups of enemies. It’s not as strong against tankier enemies, but against rank-and-file targets, this bow melts. Trinity Ghoul performs best when you’re Amplified, which at one point limited its use, but now that we have Prismatic builds available, you can easily become Amplified through so many different routes, substantially increasing this weapon’s value.

Thorn

And now we move on to number 16, The Thorn. If you like the Osteo Striga, you’ll love the Thorn, especially after unlocking its Catalyst. This Hand Cannon poisons enemies and creates remnants on final blows, which can overflow the magazine. The biggest hang-up about this exotic is that those remnants don’t come to you; you’ll have to run out and pick them up to refill the magazine. But even with that being the case, this weapon is an amazing ad clear option, and with Hand Cannons handling Overload Champions this season.

Thorn’s Position

The Thorn has never been in a better position. Up next at number 15, we have the Gjallarhorn. This rocket launcher is known for its Wolfpack Rounds. This exotic doesn’t work the same as it did in Destiny 1, but that’s not really a bad thing since it now amplifies the damage of other players’ rocket launchers. It’ll still crush most any single target, and it’s great against large groups, but with its ability to boost the whole team’s damage, it’s really turned into a much more well-rounded exotic when it comes to damage phases.

Witherhoard

Up next we have the Witherhoard at number 14. The Witherhoard is a unique exotic grenade launcher that releases blight orbs on impact, causing damage over time. Its ability to control choke points and deal sustained damage makes it an invaluable option in so many different activities. One of the most interesting benefits of the Witherhoard is that it triggers the bonus damage benefits by the Malfeasance and Wish-Ender.

Izanagi’s Burden

Next on our list is the Izanagi’s Burden, coming in at number 13. The Izanagi’s Burden is a pinnacle exotic sniper rifle famous for its Honed Edge perk. This allows shots to be charged up for high burst damage, and it can be combined easily with a number of top-tier legendary heavy weapons like the Apex Predator or the Edge Transit. Because of its ability to deal out so much burst damage, it’s become a staple for DPS phases in raids and dungeons no matter what the meta is.

The Lament

Up next is another weapon that is always going to perform well, The Lament, coming in at number 12. The Lament is a devastating exotic sword capable of tearing through enemy shields. Even though this exotic saw recent changes, it grants an enormous damage bonus to its wielder while also healing. It’s one of the best weapons for up-close damage, and it’s a perfect option against several dungeon and raid bosses even though we’ve seen a number of strong legendary swords enter the fray.

The Lament

The Lament remains one of the best, especially since it can pierce barrier shields. The Lumina, or Lumina, is our next weapon, dropping in at number 11. This is an exotic hand cannon focused on support, and it’s damn good at it. This weapon is literally the reverse of the Thorn. It allows players to heal and empower allies with its Noble Rounds. Its benevolent abilities make it an essential weapon to use in team-oriented gameplay, providing one of the highest damage bonuses in the game. And with hand cannons getting the ability to stun overload champions this season, the Lumina has never been in a better position.

Wish-Ender

Wish-Ender is up next, breaking into the top 10. Wish-Ender is an exotic bow that grants true sight, allowing you to see through walls. This allows you to spot out your enemies without having to expose yourself. Its piercing arrows can damage multiple targets at once and will pierce through barrier shields. As mentioned earlier, it deals bonus damage to Taken enemies, making it ideal for Grandmaster Nightfalls and other in-game content.

Steel Hunt

Coming in at number nine is the new Hunter-inspired sniper rifle called the Steel Hunt. This is one of the most powerful weapons in Destiny 2 right now. It’ll absolutely shred through most raid and dungeon bosses. After consecutive hits or collecting orbs, you get massively buffed shots that are just like a Hunter’s Golden Gun. Even though the Steel Hunt fits better into the hands of a Hunter, it can be used on any class, giving everyone a great option for some top-tier damage.

Thunderlord

Up next at number eight is another exotic that is great at dealing out a ton of damage, and that is the Thunderlord. It’s an exotic heavy machine gun that refuses to back down. It has the ability to summon lightning strikes and continuously refills its magazine, making it a formidable choice for any Guardian.

Thunderlord’s Capabilities

Its own magazine, and even when that magazine is empty, it has Feeding Frenzy, allowing you to reload much faster. Its high rate of fire makes it a devastating option to use against groups of enemies, champions, and bosses. With its ability to disrupt enemies and stun overload champions, the Thunderlord has become one of the most reliable day-one weapons to use in most any raid or dungeon.

The Navigator

Coming up next at number seven is the Navigator. This is an exotic Trace Rifle that will grant you and teammates Woven Mail while severing your enemies, giving you a 40% damage resistance bonus while severed enemies deal 40% less damage, which really comes in handy during endgame-level content. With the added benefit of creating grapple points, this is one of the most dominating Strand weapons in Destiny. The only downside about this weapon is that it is locked behind the Ghosts of the Deep dungeon.

Buried Bloodline

Up next we have the Buried Bloodline, coming in at number six. The Buried Bloodline is an exotic rocket sidearm, so it deals a ton of damage just like the Colony and the Dead Man’s Tale. It also grants Devour and weakens targets, so it can really give you an advantage in a lot of different activities. This exotic has gotten even stronger with the new seasonal artifact mods, which grant bonus damage and an overshield. The most unappealing aspect of the Buried Bloodline is that, just like the Navigator, it too is locked behind a dungeon, but this one is the Warlord’s Ruin. Dungeon exotics just aren’t known for having very high drop rates, so you might have to devote a good amount of time to getting this one.

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Tractor Cannon

We now dive into the top five, and we have the Tractor Cannon to start us off. It’s an exotic shotgun that debuffs enemies by 30% and disrupts those enemies, reducing their overall damage output while also stunning Overload Champions. With its ability to increase the entire team’s damage, the Tractor Cannon is an invaluable exotic against any close-range enemies and bosses, and it’s one of my favorite weapons to use as a solo player.

Outbreak Perfected

Up next, we have the Outbreak Perfected at number four. It’s an exotic pulse rifle that creates SIVA swarms on precision hits and final blows. Its ability to generate additional damage over time makes it effective against both single targets and groups of enemies. It’s also a great exotic to swap over to for added boss damage once you’ve run out of special and heavy ammo. With a recent buff in damage, along with the added benefit of piercing barrier shields, the Outbreak Perfected is performing better than it ever has.

Dragon’s Breath

Moving into our top three exotics, we have the Dragon’s Breath, an exotic rocket launcher that unleashes a fiery blast upon impact. This weapon is devastating against groups of enemies and can deal massive damage to bosses, making it a must-have for any Guardian looking to maximize their firepower.