With Destiny 2's new expansion, The Witch Queen, just on the horizon, players can anticipate a variety of unique exotic weapons to come with it. With an already massive list of exotic weapons shaking up the meta, there has been some serious talk about which ones belong in the loadout.
That being said, those who are jumping into the game for the first time or after a long hiatus may be wondering which exotic weapons to target with so much new and challenging content. Whether it be for grandmaster nightfalls, Trials of Osiris, or a little bit of everything, a few key exotics stand out above the rest.
Trinity Ghoul
When this exotic first launched with Forsaken, there’s absolutely no way this would’ve made any list, unless that list included impractical video game weapons. Now, with the catalyst obtainable from playlist activities, the Lightning Rod perk triggers from any arc kill.
This makes it perhaps the most effective ad-clear weapon in the entire game, including its ease of use. Even shooting in the general area around an enemy creates massive damage, making the ease of use among the best in the game. Plus, it feels pretty good to use. This weapon is a random world drop, or available through Xur.
The Lament
When Beyond Light dropped as last year’s annual expansion, it didn’t come with too many impressive weapons, leaving most players in search of a more unique standout. The Lament is certainly the exception.
It’s still the hardest-hitting sword in the game and it regenerates health with every hit. Not to mention, it’s intrinsically an anti-barrier weapon, which makes perhaps the best sword for endgame content. You have to own Beyond Light to get this, but the quest tied to it is pretty easy (and fun) to complete.
Ager's Scepter
While trace rifles are somewhat of a gimmick weapon among the sandbox, the first stasis version to drop with "Season of the Lost" opens up all kinds of possibilities. It’s already great for freezing and killing major groups of ads, so when paired with a stasis subclass, it’s borderline broken.
On top of all that, the catalyst lets you use your super to create a supercharged beam that competes with a lot of heavy weapons out there. That means despite it using special ammo, it can produce the DPS numbers of many heavy weapons out there. Any player that owns "Season of the Lost" should grab this quest ASAP.
Ace Of Spades
The Ace of Spades, more simply known as "Ace," debuted back in Destiny and was reprised in the Forsaken expansion. To this day, the Ace represents what many players would call the "ideal" hand cannon for PvP.
It's almost goofy how many incredible perks Ace has built into it. The "Memento Mori" perk provides a permanent damage boost from any kill, precision shots create a Firefly effect, and the catalyst further increases its damage. On top of that, it has great aim assist and base stats to make slaying guardians even easier. This hand cannon will no doubt remain dominant in PvP for years to come.
Dead Mans Tale
For the longest time, scout rifles remained among the lowest usage rates in the Crucible. When "Dead Man's Tale" stepped onto the scene, however, it quickly became apparent why it is a clear step above the rest.
The main draw for this weapon is the consistency of damage and accuracy from any range, with precision hits further increasing the output. The catalyst even rewards the player for hip-firing the weapon by increasing the RPM and time-to-kill. With the right perk combination, this thing is an absolute must-have for any player wanting to dominate a lobby.
Sleeper Simulant
This linear fusion from Destiny dropped with the Warmind expansion in Year 1, but never really stood out like it used to. Now, with the major buffs to linear fusion rifles, alongside the seasonal mod “Particle Deconstruction,” this is the best weapon against bosses and monsters in Destiny 2.
It also has a great catalyst that speeds up the charge time, making it easier to hit those critical shots and increasing DPS. Although “Particle Deconstruction” goes away at the end of the season, it's safe to say this will remain dominant. With this weapon added to the tower kiosk, there's no reason not to pick it up for endgame content.
Gjallarhorn
The single most iconic weapon in Destiny’s history made its return with the 30th Anniversary event, proving that is indeed worthy of its popular reputation. And it is truly back and better than ever.
It now grants other rocket users its signature Wolfpack Rounds, produces some of the best damage in the game, and its catalyst gives two in the mag. This rocket launcher is not only one of the most effective heavy weapons, but it is simply a blast to run any activity with. Not to mention players can relive their Destiny nostalgia.
Vex Mythoclast
As another iconic weapon from the days of Destiny, Vex Mythoclast returned alongside the Vault of Glass reprisal in Destiny 2. While it was lackluster at first, the weapon has since been updated to make it compete in both PvE and PvP alike.
This fusion is structured like a 450 RPM auto-rifle, but with some vast improvements. It deals higher damage, features an alternative firing mode designed for linear fusion shots, and a catalyst that adds a similar effect to the "rampage" perk. Although the aim assist has been reduced in the recent patch, it is still a nuisance to deal with in PvP and incredibly versatile in any PvE content.
Arbalest
A couple of patches ago, Arbalest got a couple of PvP nerfs and faded into obscurity. Now, the latest patch has given this intrinsic anti-barrier capability and the “genesis” perk with the catalyst, which refills the magazine when breaking shields.
To summarize, this kinetic linear fusion now breaks any elemental shield, destroys champions, does incredible damage on precision hits, and refills the magazine constantly. In other words, it's hard to think of a better "swiss army knife" weapon for PvE content. Especially for endgame raids and grandmaster nightfalls, this will be top-tier for a long time.
Witherhoard
Debuting in Year 3, Witherhoard is as bizarre a video game weapon as it is effective. It launches Taken blights that clear groups of enemies, does considerable tick damage to bosses, and allows the player to swap to other weapons while it damages to maximize DPS.
The catalyst also maxes out handling while adding “auto-loading holster,” so reloading isn't an issue as long as it's stowed for a few seconds. Truly, there's not a PvE activity where this weapon would be outclassed. Even in PvP, it can prove to be a deadly option in the hands of the right player. No matter what part of Destiny 2 it's brought into, it never fails to impress.