Bungie
Bungie
Type: Sniper rifle
How to obtain: Unknown – Reward from Black Armory (part of “Destiny 2 Forsaken: Annual Pass”)
Exotic perk: “Honed Edge – Holding reload consumes the magazine and loads a round with additional range and damage.”
Bungie
Type: Combat bow
How to obtain: Unknown – Reward from Black Armory (part of “Destiny 2 Forsaken: Annual Pass”)
Exotic perk: “Pestilence Arrows – On a perfect draw, a hit target receives damage over time. On a perfect draw with a precision hit, all enemies in the Void cloud receive damage over time.”
Bungie
Type: Grenade launcher
How to obtain: Unknown – Reward from Black Armory (part of “Destiny 2 Forsaken: Annual Pass”)
Exotic perk: “Arc Traps – Grenades stick to surfaces and chain Arc bolts to other mines.”
Destiny 2
Type: Scout rifle
How to obtain: Random reward
Exotic perk: “The Fate of All Fools – Chain body shots to gain bonus damage on your next precision shot and return ammo to the magazine.”
Two cents: The Jade Rabbit is not a very good exotic option in “Destiny 2.” Scout rifles are generally weaker guns in the game right now, but Jade Rabbit also suffers from a slow rate of fire and an exotic perk that’s useful in only some situations.
Destiny 2
Type: Scout rifle
How to obtain: Random reward
Exotic perk: “Slug Rifle – This weapon fires Solar slugs that get stronger when aiming down sights.”
Two cents: Skyburner’s Oath got an update earlier this year to make its projectiles track targets when you fire from the hip, but even with that tweak, it’s still a pretty weak, slow-firing gun that’s outclassed by many other weapons in the game.
Destiny 2
Type: Hand cannon
How to obtain: Quest
Exotic perk: “Accomplice – Kills with this weapon fill the magazine of the equipped Energy weapon from reserves.”
Two cents: This hand cannon is designed to be used with a legendary gun called Drang, since killing with that gun reloads Sturm’s magazines. In theory, it means you may never need to reload when using these two guns. It’s a good idea but it’s not always viable.
Destiny 2
Type: Sniper rifle
How to obtain: Random reward
Exotic perk: “The Fundamentals – Holding the reload button changes this weapon’s damage type, cycling between Solar, Arc and Void.”
Two cents: Borealis is a great option if you need to take out lots of enemy shields, but there are better snipers on this list.
Destiny 2
Type: Sword
How to obtain: Quest
Exotic perk: “Tesseract – Press the trigger after sprinting for a short period to perform a Tesseract.”
Two cents: Swords have limited use in Destiny since so many bosses will knock you back — or out — if you get too close. This is fun for cleaning up mobs of smaller enemies, but not for any serious endgame activities.
Destiny 2
Type: Shotgun
How to obtain: Random reward
Exotic perk: “Shrapnel Launcher – Fires a powerful short-range burst of Solar damage.”
Two cents: Lord of Wolves is a fun gun to use, and deletes enemies with great ease. But its limited ammo reserves mean limited usage, unfortunately.
Destiny 2
Type: Grenade launcher
How to obtain: Random reward
Exotic perk: “Delayed Gratification – Grenade projectiles will bounce off surfaces. Hold trigger to fire, and release to detonate.”
Two cents: The Fighting Lion takes a great deal of finesse to use, since you need to learn the trajectory of your grenades. In the hands of a pro, it’s incredible. But it has a very steep learning curve.
Destiny 2
Type: Shotgun
How to obtain: Quest
Exotic perk: “Shock Blast – This weapon fires blasts of high-damage Arc energy that overpenetrates enemies.”
Two cents: The Legend of Acrius is a very good shotgun, but other shotguns can deliver similar damage, and at better range, without using your exotic slot. Limited ammo also hurts.
Destiny 2
Type: Auto rifle
How to obtain: Random reward
Exotic perk: “Four-Headed Dog – Shoot erratic bullets from all gun barrels at the same time.”
Two cents: Who doesn’t like a gun with a ton of barrels that shoot all at once? It’s almost cartoonish, and it’s super fun in some casual activities, but it could certainly stand to be more powerful.
Destiny 2
Type: Auto rifle
How to obtain: Random reward
Exotic perk: “Volatile Light – Rounds fired from this weapon have no damage falloff, overpenetrate targets, and ricochet off hard surfaces.”
Two cents: Hard Light can change into any energy type, which is useful for taking down enemy shields. But the bullets themselves do very little damage, and the gun has poor stability as well.
Destiny 2
Type: Kinetic auto rifle
How to obtain: Random reward
Exotic perk: “Suros Legacy – The bottom half of each magazine deals bonus damage and has a chance to return health on kill.”
Two cents: Suros Regime was, for a time, the very best weapon in the first “Destiny” game. It’s not nearly as overpowered in “Destiny 2,” but it’s still a good option if you just want a really stable auto rifle.
Destiny 2
Type: Auto rifle
How to obtain: Random reward
Exotic perk: “Payday – Larger magazine. Increased accuracy when firing from the hip.”
Two cents: Sweet Business is an incredible weapon, but it takes several seconds to rev up since it’s basically a mini-gun. Once it starts chunking through the magazine, though, it can erase enemies at a lightning-fast clip.
Destiny 2
Type: Sniper rifle
How to obtain: Random reward
Exotic perk: “Personal Assistant – Aim at an enemy to view its health and other critical information on the scope.”
Bottom line: D.A.R.C.I. is an extremely stable sniper rifle, which is great for taking down stationary targets. But other exotic power weapons are capable of more damage.
Destiny 2
Type: Sidearm
How to obtain: Quest
Exotic perk: “Rat Pack – This weapon becomes stronger when nearby Fireteam members also have it equipped. Stacks up to 6 times.”
Bottom line: The Rat King is a very good gun by itself, but to get the most out of it, you need your allies to also have the gun on them and be nearby. Still, the fact that kills with this gun make you turn invisible is useful in just about any “Destiny 2” activity.
Destiny 2
Type: Shotgun
How to obtain: Quest
Exotic perk: “Precision Slug – Fires a single-slug precision round.”
Two cents: The Chaperone has limited use in world events, but it’s downright deadly in player-versus-player battles. It has the best range of any shotgun in the game.
Destiny 2
Type: Grenade launcher
How to obtain: Random reward
Exotic perk: “Excavation – Hold the trigger to fire grenades. Release to detonate all five grenades simultaneously.”
Two cents: The Prospector can be a great tool if you know how to use it, but it requires a good deal of finesse and knowhow about grenade launchers.
Destiny 2
Type: Trace rifle
How to obtain: Random reward
Exotic perk: “Prismatic Inferno – Fires a Solar trace beam and generates a damaging heat field that grows while the weapon continues to fire.”
Two cents: Prometheus Lens is a great weapon for almost any activity; it’s basically a red laser beam that melts enemies. It’s not great on large bosses, though.
Destiny 2
Type: Fusion rifle
How to obtain: Random reward
Exotic perk: “Conserve Momentum – Non-lethal hits with projectiles make this weapon charge faster until its wielder gets a kill.”
Two cents: Merciless was one of the most powerful, sought-after weapons when “Destiny 2” first launched, but other weapons have surpassed it since then in terms of power and time-to-kill. Still, this is a very good gun on bosses.
Destiny 2
Type: Pulse rifle
How to obtain: Random reward
Exotic perk: “Harsh Truths – This weapon fires a 5-round burst. When a nearby ally is killed, gain health regeneration and increased movement speed.”
Two cents: Vigilance Wing is fun in most world activities, but truly useful in player-versus-player engagements like Crucible. Its high stability and rate of fire makes for easy kills.
Destiny 2
Type: Trace rifle
How to obtain: Random reward
Exotic perk: “Cold Fusion – This weapon shoots a steady cold fusion-powered laser.”
Two cents: This gun is the definition of point and click. Coldheart shoots a blue laser that can wipe out smaller enemies, but it’s really best for big bosses.
Destiny 2
Type: Combat bow
How to obtain: Random reward
Exotic perk: “Split Electron – Fires an arrow that splits when released. Aiming down sights and fully drawing the bow both decrease the spread.”
Two cents: Bows are great for precision damage, but Trinity Ghoul is the rare bow that can also take out mobs of enemies, too. Splitting arrows are great for crowd control.
Destiny 2
Type: Hand cannon
How to obtain: Quest / Random reward
Exotic perk: “Sunburn – This weapon fires explosive rounds and highlights targets that take damage from Sunshot.”
Two cents: Sunshot shines in world activities as opposed to player-versus-player gun battles, but its limited magazine and ammo reserves hurt this gun’s long-term viability, meaning you’ll continually need to switch back and forth to other weapons.
Destiny 2
Type: Trace rifle
How to obtain: Random reward
Exotic perk: “Harmonic Laser – Laser damage has three power levels that oscillate while the trigger is held down.”
Two cents: Wavesplitter is really fun in activities where you need a void weapon, and it is surprisingly good in player-versus-player activities like Crucible.
Destiny 2
Type: Scout rifle
How to obtain: Quest
Exotic perk: “The Perfect Fifth – Precision hits return ammo to the mag. Landing 4 precision hits loads a delayed Solar explosive round for your next shot.”
Two cents: The quest to get this scout rifle is long, but it’s worth it. The gun is great for taking out smaller enemies, but since landing multiple precision shots gives the fifth shot a big explosive blast, it’s also shockingly useful at taking out bosses.
Destiny 2
Type: Grenade launcher
How to obtain: Random reward
Exotic perk: “Insectoid Robot Grenades – This weapon’s grenades are insectoid robots that chase targets and explode close to them.”
Two cents: This is a grenade launcher for people who hate grenade launchers. You shoot little insects that find and destroy enemies, which can be devilishly fun in player-versus-player activities like Crucible.
Destiny 2
Type: Combat bow
How to obtain: Quest
Exotic perk: “Queen’s Wrath – While aiming down sights with a fully-drawn bow, enemies behind walls are highlighted.”
Two cents: Wish-Ender is okay in world activities, but it really shines in competitive player-versus-player battles like Crucible. Being able to see enemy players running around the map at any given moment, or see one coming around a corner, can be a huge advantage.
Destiny 2
Type: Hand cannon
How to obtain: Quest
Exotic perk: “Explosive Shadow – Shoot tainted slugs that burrow into the enemy. Stacking enough slugs causes them all to explode.”
Two cents: Getting Malfeasance is well worth the effort. This gun is great on most enemies, but it’s really perfect for the Taken race of enemies (which can be annoying to kill sometimes), and killing enemy players in the Gambit game mode.
Destiny 2
Type: Sword
How to obtain: Random reward
Exotic perk: “Crow’s Wings – Press the trigger to fire off a projectile cross combo.”
Two cents: Black Talon is the only sword that’s useful at long range. Killing enemies up close in quick succession gives you ammo back, but shooting projectiles from the sword is a great way to take out enemies without getting close.
Destiny 2
Type: Rocket launcher
How to obtain: Random reward
Exotic perk: “Mad Scientist – This weapon fires a volley of rockets.”
Two cents: The Wardcliff Coil works well in most activities, unless you need precision damage — like if you’re working on a large, single target. Otherwise, you will have fun smoking almost any enemy with this gun, just be careful you don’t accidentally kill yourself with it, too.
Destiny 2
Type: Submachine gun
How to obtain: Random reward
Exotic perk: “Ride the Bull – Increased rate of fire and recoil while you’re holding down the trigger. Kills with this weapon reload a portion of the magazine.”
Two cents: The Huckleberry is one of the best submachine guns in the game. It’s perfect for taking out lots of smaller enemies in quick succession, and it has an awesome reload animation.
Destiny 2
Type: Rocket launcher
How to obtain: Random reward
Exotic perk: “Twintails – Shoots two rockets, one Void and one Solar, that can track onto the same target.”
Two cents: This is one of the most fun weapons in “Destiny 2.” Having two tracking rockets is great for most activities, and it’s surprisingly good in player-versus-player activities like Crucible.
Destiny 2
Type: Submachine gun
How to obtain: Quest / Random reward
Exotic perk: “Arc Conductor – When taking Arc damage, this weapon becomes more powerful and resists incoming Arc damage. Kills extend the time in this overcharged state.”
Two cents: It’s a good submachine gun by itself, but it turns into an otherworldy weapon when you get shot with arc damage. The gun becomes more stable, and vastly more powerful, which is extremely useful for taking out mobs.
Destiny 2
Type: Hand cannon
How to obtain: Random reward
Exotic perk: “Banned Weapon – This weapon fires a 3-round burst.”
Two cents: Crimson is great because kills automatically trigger your own health regeneration — so if you’re dying, just find something to shoot at. It also has surprisingly good range for a hand cannon, which makes it a good option in player-versus-player activites.
Destiny 2
Type: Fusion rifle
How to obtain: Random reward
Exotic perk: “Unplanned Reprieve – Fusion projectiles attach and detonate with a delayed Void blast.”
Two cents: Telesto was a great exotic in the first “Destiny,” and it’s just as good in the sequel. Shooting point blank is still deadly, but it’s incredibly fun to lay traps for opponents since your purple blasts of energy can attach to any surface.
Destiny 2
Type: Pulse rifle
How to obtain: Quest / Random reward
Exotic perk: “Black Hole – Second shot of a burst rips a hole through spacetime, doing high damage and recoil with no falloff.”
Two cents: Graviton Lance was a laughing-stock when “Destiny 2” launched, but after some software tweaks, it’s now one of the best guns in the game. It’s great for taking out mobs of enemies in world activities, but it’s also a solid choice in the Crucible given its great stability.
Destiny 2
Type: Shotgun
How to obtain: Random reward
Exotic perk: “Repulsor Force – This weapon fires a powerful impulse to push enemies away.”
Two cents: The Tractor Cannon is super fun. Smaller enemies go flying backwards when you shoot them with it, but it also puts a debuff on your target, making them easier to damage. This can be crucial in some endgame activities.
Destiny 2
Type: Machine gun
How to obtain: Quest
Exotic perk: “Reign Havoc – Kills with this weapon generate lightning strikes from above.”
Two cents: Thunderlord was the first machine gun introduced to “Destiny 2,” and it immediately became one of the best weapons in the game. It’s useful in almost every activity, and can do serious damage on large mobs or big bosses.
Destiny 2
Type: Linear fusion rifle
How to obtain: Quest
Exotic perk: “Dornröschen – The weapon’s laser over penetrates enemies and refracts off hard surfaces.”
Bottom line: The Sleeper Simulant is simply one of the best exotic weapons in the game. It does incredible precision damage, and works like a charm in most endgame activities.
Destiny 2
Type: Sniper rifle
How to obtain: Quest
Exotic perk: “White Nail – Higher base precision damage. Rapidly landing three precision hits will refill the magazine.”
Two cents: Whisper of the Worm (formerly “Black Hammer” and “Black Spindle” in the first “Destiny”) is one of the best weapons in the game, if you know how to use it. You can have unlimited ammo with this weapon, but only if you can continually land precision shots.
Destiny 2
Type: Fusion rifle
How to obtain: Random reward from the end of the Last Wish raid
Exotic perk: “Ahamkara’s Eye – Unleashes a beam of destruction.”
Two cents: One Thousand Voices will destroy pretty much anything in almost any activity. It lets out a beam of fire that explodes after impact. It’s a difficult weapon to get, but worthy of the exotic weapon slot.
Destiny 2
Type: Hand cannon
How to obtain: Quest
Exotic perk: “Memento Mori – Reloading after a kill loads magazine with a few extra-damage bullets. Grants radar while aiming down sights.”
Two cents: Possibly the best hand cannon in the game, and the most well-rounded exotic weapon for just about anything. Your radar stays on at all times when using this gun, and killing gives it bullets with extra damage. Shooting enemies in the head also makes them explode, which is excellent for crowd control. It’s got great range, stability, and rate of fire. Regardless of the activity, you can’t go wrong with Ace.
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