Unless you live and breathe Destiny 2 as a whole, the odds are good that you’re not keeping a particularly close eye on the intricacies of its meta. What works best in PvE and PvP combat can sometimes change on a monthly basis, but that’s why I’m here to help.
Choosing the right gun for the job is practically half the challenge in the majority of Destiny 2‘s content, but when the going really gets tough in Raids, Dungeons, and even PvP encounters, that’s when you know it’s time to pull out all the stops. Down below, I’ve assembled a handy list of all the best Exotics for PvP and PvE combat with a small explanation as to why each made its way onto the list.
The current state of Destiny 2‘s meta (as of late October 2024) is such that we can play pick-and-choose and still have awesome Exotics left unused on the table. Bungie has nailed down balancing reasonably well as of Revenant, and so it may well happen that I leave out some Exotics that are genuinely compelling. There are just too many to count at this point! Instead of attempting to rank every single Exotic weapon outright, I’m featuring 10 must-have items for both PvE and PvP, and will keep this list updated as Bungie balances things out.
Destiny 2 PvE Exotic Weapon Tier List
#1: Buried Bloodline
Low DPS potential but with plenty of utility to make up for it. Viable in most content, including endgame-tier encounters, thanks to its ability to cast Devour on the user.
#2: Choir of One
Excellent DPS potential across the board that does not come at the cost of general utility.
#3: Parasite
One of the best Exotics to build around for Nightfall content. Dishes out damage like it’s nobody’s business and will stay on top of Champions with a bit of work.
#4: Sunshot
Easily the most potent ad-clearing Exotic hand cannon, Sunshot can do away with entire groups of lower-tier enemies in a single shot.
#5: Ergo Sum
A Special ammo sword? Yes, please! It will roll different Exotic traits, making it an excellent utility option for close quarters.
#6: Gjallarhorn
Destiny‘s most emblematic rocket launcher remains an excellent Exotic Heavy thanks to its Wolfpack Rounds Perk.
#7: Tractor Cannon
Suppresses enemies, weakens them with a 30% debuff, and outright deletes low-tier enemies in close quarters.
#8: Graviton Lance
An excellent primary that comes with Turnabout and Vorpal by default and spawns seeking Void Orbs that explode on hit. What more could you wish for?
#9: Izanagi’s Burden
Absolutely phenomenal single-shot burst damage potential, but only if you don’t miss your shots.
#10: Trinity Ghoul
The go-to bow for Arc ad-elimination has astonishingly good area-of-effect coverage.
Honorable mentions
Of course, there are a bunch of other excellent PvE exotics that can’t necessarily compete with the weapons featured on the top-10 list itself. For those who already have all of the above, here’s a shortlist in no particular order:
- Khvostov 7G-0X
- Leviathan’s Breath
- Outbreak Perfected
- Whisper of the Worm
- Alethonym
- Cloudstrike
- The Navigator
- Xenophage
- Divinity
- Eriana’s Vow
Destiny 2 PvP Exotic Weapon Tier List
#1: Khvostov 7G-0X
Extremely user-friendly, with a solid rate of fire, accuracy, and a lovely Exotic perk that makes every seventh shot ricochet towards nearby targets.
#2: Ace of Spades
An old, trustworthy companion that delivers results. Usually through headshot-induced explosions.
#3: No Time to Explain
Easy to use, with sticky targeting, excellent range and (naturally) an Exotic perk that doubles your DPS for a short period of time.
#4: Forerunner
As long as you have ammo for it, the Forerunner will allow you to gun down anyone and anything you might come across in PvP. Special Ammo, though, will be an issue you’ll need to play around.
#5: Hawkmoon
Another must-have hand cannon, the Hawkmoon opens up with a particularly punishing round that, if stacked correctly, will allow you to deliver Paracausal Shots every once in a while as well.
#6: Le Monarque
An infinitely annoying weapon to fight against, Le Monarque is a Poison/Void powerhouse that eliminates healing opportunities for the enemy.
#7: Witherhoard
The Witherhoard mops the floor with inattentive PvP players. Its grenades spawn annoyingly sticky AoE damage zones that will deny safe havens left and right.
#8: The Chaperone
A sliding Hunter’s go-to option, the Chaperone remains one of the most potent close-range slug shotguns, even today.
#9: The Wardcliff Coil
This rocket launcher is basically purpose-built for PvP, as it fires a huge number of one-shot rockets that can turn entire teams of players into mince meat.
#10: Dead Man’s Tale
Though it’s been nerfed time and again, this lever-action Scout rifle is still a highly accurate and versatile Exotic primary.
Honorable mentions
Once again, there’s a huge number of potent weapons left out of this tier list. If you already own all of the above and keep them topped up for PvP matches, you’re also going to want to hunt down the following Exotics:
- Cloudstrike
- Duality
- Arbalest
- Bastion
- Centrifuse
- Conditional Finality
- Jotunn
- Revision Zero
- SUROS Regime
- Thorn
Is your favorite Exotic off the tier list? Stay tuned!
As I mentioned earlier, Destiny 2‘s meta is prone to changes, and Bungie is often forced to make large, sweeping reworks of entire weapon categories on a seasonal basis. To that end, these tier lists are bound to change, and they will be updated accordingly.
Naturally, some personal preference plays into this layout as well, though I will say that I personally much prefer auto rifles over almost anything else. The fact that they don’t feature all that much on the list should speak volumes about my attempt to go away from personal biases as much as possible.
Another caveat to keep in mind is that this article features purely Exotic weapons, which is just a tiny aspect of the Guardians’ grander arsenal. Legendary weapons often play an even more important role in combat: taking the Izanagi as your burst DPS option will, for example, mean that you only really pull it out every so often. The remainder of the time, you’ll be relying on solid, powerful Legendaries to stay on top of things.
All of that is to say that this tier list is just a tiny sliver of Destiny 2‘s meta at large and should be considered as such.
Published: Oct 26, 2024 08:26 am