Destiny 2 Exotic Quests

Chasing the best exotics is among the most fun and rewarding experiences in Destiny 2.

But unless you’re a Destiny veteran, it’s hard to keep track of the many exotic weapons available. Our Destiny 2 Exotic Tier list covers all the exotics in the game. It explains how to get them, how they work, and then it ranks them from best to worst. That’s a good place to start, but you’ll soon notice that some of the best are locked behind Exotic quests.

Exotic quests in Destiny 2 are hard to define. They can range from short and easy to long and extremely hard. Some are definitely worth it while others not really. And to make matters worst, many exotic quests will be removed from the game on November 10, 2020.

‼️ Removed: Quests highlighted as “Removed” were, well, removed, and put into the DCV. The quests may no longer be available but most weapons can be acquired via the new Exotics kiosk.

In the table below, we cover all exotic quests in the game and help you prioritize which weapons to chase (including weapons’ Tier, quests’ difficulty, and availability).

All Destiny 2 Exotic Quests as of Beyond Light

These are the different Tier levels used for the table below:

• S Tier – Best: Highest ranking weapons in our Tier List.
• A Tier – Strong: Very strong weapons, but not on the same level as S Tier Choices.
• B Tier – Average: Decent choices that can be lethal in the hands of a skilled player.
• C Tier – Weak: The middle of the pack, somewhat mediocre.
• D Tier – Worst: Lagging behind the competition, these don’t have much to offer.

The list starts with S Tier and moves down until it reaches the bottom Tier.  Also, you can filter and sort the list however you prefer!

Weapons	Tier	Quest availability	Requires	Exotic Perk / Video guide	Difficulty	Quest Available?	Type	Slot	Requirements?
The Lament | Sword	Best ❘ S			Slot: Heavy | Ammo: Heavy Exotic Perk: "Revving the blade increases damage, shield bypass, and adds shield piercing to all attacks. You also gain stacks when dealing damage with revved attacks. Additional stacks increase the damage and damage resistance of heavy attacks." ► Video guide from Datto	Easy	Yes	Sword	Heavy	Beyond Light
Xenophage | Machine Gun	Best ❘ S			Slot: Heavy | Ammo: Heavy Exotic Perk: "Fires high-powered explosive ammunition. Aiming this weapon increases its effective range and zoom magnification." ► Video guide from Datto	Average	Yes	Machine Gun	Heavy	Shadowkeep
Ace of Spades | Hand Cannon	Best ❘ S			Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary Exotic Perk: "Precision kills increase reload speed and cause the target to explode. Reloading after a kill increases damage. Grants radar while aiming down sights." ► Weapon now obtainable via the Exotics kiosk in the Tower.	NA	Replaced	Hand Cannon	Kinetic	Forsaken
Divinity | Trace Rifle	Best ❘ S			Slot: Energy | Ammo: Special Exotic Perk: "Sustained damage with this weapon envelops the target in a field that weakens and disrupts them." ► Video guide from Datto	Hard	Yes	Trace Rifle	Energy	Shadowkeep
Hawkmoon | Hand Cannon	Best ❘ S			Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary Exotic Perk: "Final blows and precision hits with Hawkmoon grant stacks of Paracausal Charge. The final round in the magazine deals bonus damage based on the number of stacks. Stowing Hawkmoon on the final round removes this bonus." ► Video guide from Datto	Average	Yes	Hand Cannon	Kinetic	Deluxe Edition
Sturm | Hand Cannon	Best ❘ S			Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary Exotic Perk: "Kills fill the magazine of the equipped Energy weapon from reserves. Kills with Drang reload this weapon and provides bonus damage." ► Weapon now obtainable via the Exotics kiosk in the Tower.	NA	Replaced	Hand Cannon	Kinetic	Free-to-Play
Dead Man's Tale | Scout Rifle	Strong ❘ A			Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary Exotic Perk: "." ► Chaining precision hits grants bonus damage and quickens reload speed. Future drops of this weapon will have random rolls. ► Video guide from Datto	Average	Yes	Scout Rifle	Kinetic	Season 13
Cloudstrike | Sniper Rifle	Strong ❘ A			Slot: Energy | Ammo: Special Exotic Perk: "Precision final blows generate a lightning bolt at the target's location. Rapid precision hits create a lightning storm at the point of impact." ► Video guide from Datto	Average	Yes	Sniper Rifle	Energy	Beyond Light
The Chaperone | Shotgun	Strong ❘ A			Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Special Exotic Perk: "Fires a single-slug precision round. Precision kills briefly grant bonus handling, range, and precision damage with this weapon." ► Video guide from CoolGuy	Average	Yes	Shotgun	Kinetic	Beyond Light
Riskrunner | Submachine Gun	Strong ❘ A			Slot: Energy | Ammo: Primary Exotic Perk: "When taking Arc Damage, this weapon becomes more powerful and resists incoming Arc Damage. Shots fired can become chain lightning and return ammo. Kills extend the duration of the effect." ► Video guide from nKuch	Easy	Yes	Submachine Gun	Energy	Free-to-Play
Traveler's Chosen | Sidearm	Strong ❘ A			Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary Exotic Perk: "Final blows grant stacks of Gathering Light. Consuming stacks, grant melee, grenade, and class ability energy based on the number of stacks. Each stack of Gathering Light improves this weapon's reload, handling, and target acquisition." ► Exotics from recent seasons are currently unobtainable.	NA	Replaced	Sidearm	Kinetic	Shadowkeep
Jötunn | Fusion Rifle	Strong ❘ A			Slot: Energy | Ammo: Special Exotic Perk: "Hold down the trigger to charge up a tracking shot that explodes and burns on impact. Energy matched shield explosion disorients enemies." ► Weapon now obtainable via the Exotics kiosk in the Tower.	NA	Replaced	Fusion Rifle	Energy	Forsaken
Polaris Lance | Scout Rifle	Strong ❘ A			Slot: Energy | Ammo: Primary Exotic Perk: "Precision hits return ammo to the mag. Landing 4 precision hits loads a delayed Solar explosive round for your next shot." ► Weapon now obtainable via the Exotics kiosk in the Tower.	NA	Replaced	Scout Rifle	Energy	Free-to-Play
Izanagi's Burden | Sniper Rifle	Strong ❘ A			Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Special Exotic Perk: "Holding reload consumes the magazine and loads a round with additional range and damage." ► Weapon now obtainable via the Exotics kiosk in the Tower.	NA	Replaced	Sniper Rifle	Kinetic	Forsaken
Outbreak Perfected | Pulse Rifle	Strong ❘ A			Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary Exotic Perk: "This weapon creates SIVA nanite swarms on rapid hits and precision kills and does more damage to enemies based on the number of SIVA nanites that attach to them." ► Weapon now obtainable via the Exotics kiosk in the Tower.	NA	Replaced	Pulse Rifle	Kinetic	Forsaken
Thorn | Hand Cannon	Strong ❘ A			Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary Exotic Perk: "Rounds pierce targets and deal damage over time. Kills leave behind Remnants which, when absorbed, increase damage." ► Weapon now obtainable via the Exotics kiosk in the Tower.	NA	Replaced	Hand Cannon	Kinetic	Forsaken
Le Monarque | Combat Bow	Strong ❘ A			Slot: Energy | Ammo: Primary Exotic Perk: "Arrows fired quickly after a full draw become poison arrows. Precision hits with poison arrows spread poison to nearby enemies." ► Weapon now obtainable via the Exotics kiosk in the Tower.	NA	Replaced	Combat Bow	Energy	Forsaken
The Last Word | Hand Cannon	Strong ❘ A			Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary Exotic Perk: "This weapon fires full auto. Hip-fire shots deal bonus precision damage while increasing reload speed and accuracy." ► Weapon now obtainable via the Exotics kiosk in the Tower.	NA	Replaced	Hand Cannon	Kinetic	Forsaken
Whisper of the Worm | Sniper Rifle	Strong ❘ A			Slot: Heavy | Ammo: Heavy Exotic Perk: "Higher base precision damage. Rapidly landing three precision hits refills the magazine and missing a shot has a chance to return ammo." ► Weapon now obtainable via the Exotics kiosk in the Tower.	NA	Replaced	Sniper Rifle	Heavy	Free-to-Play
Rat King | Sidearm	Strong ❘ A			Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary Exotic Perk: "This fully automatic weapon becomes stronger when nearby allies also have it equipped. Reloading immediately after a kill grants a brief period of invisibility." ► Weapon now obtainable via the Exotics kiosk in the Tower.	NA	Replaced	Sidearm	Kinetic	Free-to-Play
MIDA Multi-Tool | Scout Rifle	Strong ❘ A			Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary Exotic Perk: "This weapon boosts move speed. Radar stays active while aiming down sights." ► Weapon now obtainable via the Exotics kiosk in the Tower.	NA	Replaced	Scout Rifle	Kinetic	Free-to-Play
Legend of Acrius | Shotgun	Strong ❘ A			Slot: Heavy | Ammo: Heavy Exotic Perk: "This weapon fires blasts of high-damage Arc energy that over penetrates enemies. Its radar detects enemies from farther away." ► Weapon now obtainable via the Exotics kiosk in the Tower.	NA	Replaced	Shotgun	Heavy	Free-to-Play
Ruinous Effigy | Exotic Trace Rifle	Average ❘ B			Slot: Energy | Ammo: Special Exotic Perk: "Final blows with this weapon collapse victims into Void Transmutation spheres. Transmutation spheres you create can be picked up and wielded as weapons by you or your allies." ► Weapon now obtainable via the Exotics kiosk in the Tower.	NA	Replaced	Trace Rifle	Energy	Shadowkeep
Wish-Ender | Combat Bow	Average ❘ B			Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary Exotic Perk: "While aiming down sights with a fully-drawn bow, enemies behind walls are highlighted. Piercing arrowheads damage the target on entry and exit. One-shot can over-penetrate multiple targets." ► Video guide from Datto	Hard	Yes	Combat Bow	Kinetic	Forsaken
Sleeper Simulant | Linear Fusion Rifle	Average ❘ B			Slot: Heavy | Ammo: Heavy Exotic Perk: "The weapon's laser over penetrates enemies and refracts off hard surfaces." ► Weapon now obtainable via the Exotics kiosk in the Tower.	NA	Replaced	Linear Fusion Rifle	Heavy	Free-to-Play
Malfeasance | Hand Cannon	Average ❘ B			Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary Exotic Perk: "Shoot tainted slugs that burrow into the enemy. Stacking enough slugs causes them all to explode. Bonus damage against Taken enemies and Gambit invaders." ► Video guide from Datto	Average	Yes	Hand Cannon	Kinetic	Forsaken
Bad Juju | Pulse Rifle	Average ❘ B			Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary Exotic Perk: "Kills refill the magazine, increase damage for a short duration, and grant Super energy based on the number of kills. Fires full-auto." ► Weapon now obtainable via the Exotics kiosk in the Tower.	NA	Replaced	Pulse Rifle	Kinetic	Forsaken
Lumina | Hand Cannon	Average ❘ B			Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary Exotic Perk: "Kills with this weapon leave behind Remnants which convert your next hip fired shot into an ally-seeking Noble Round that heals them and grants both of you a weapon damage bonus for a short duration." ► Weapon now obtainable via the Exotics kiosk in the Tower.	NA	Replaced	Hand Cannon	Kinetic	Forsaken
The Fourth Horseman | Shotgun	Average ❘ B			Slot: Energy | Ammo: Special Exotic Perk: "This weapon's rate of fire is increased significantly and fires full auto. Each successive shot has more damage and more spread." ► Weapon now obtainable via the Exotics kiosk in the Tower.	NA	Replaced	Shotgun	Energy	Shadowkeep
Truth | Rocket Launcher	Weak ❘ C			Slot: Heavy | Ammo: Heavy Exotic Perk: "This weapon's rockets have tracking and detonate when they are within close proximity of their targets." ► Weapon now obtainable via the Exotics kiosk in the Tower.	NA	Replaced	Rocket Launcher	Heavy	Forsaken
Deathbringer | Rocket Launcher	Weak ❘ C			Slot: Heavy | Ammo: Heavy Exotic Perk: "Fires remotely detonated projectiles that drop Void orbs on combatants. Hold to fire, release to detonate. The further a Void orb falls, the more powerful its detonation becomes." ► Video guide from xHOUNDISHx	Average	Yes	Rocket Launcher	Heavy	Shadowkeep
Salvation's Grip | Grenade Launcher	Weak ❘ C			Slot: Heavy | Ammo: Heavy Exotic Perk: "This weapon's projectiles create Stasis crystals and freeze nearby targets. Charging this weapon increases the freeze radius and amount of Stasis crystals created." ► Video guide from Datto	Average	Yes	Grenade Launcher	Heavy	Beyond Light
Worldline Zero | Sword	Worst ❘ D			Slot: Heavy | Ammo: Heavy Exotic Perk: "Press while sprinting to launch a heavy blink attack. Attacks partially bypass elemental shields." ► Weapon now obtainable via the Exotics kiosk in the Tower.	NA	Replaced	Sword	Heavy	Free-to-Play

A new Exotics Kiosk: The Monument to Lost Lights

Way too many Exotic quests were removed from the game and put into the DCV. Plus, some of those quests were truly brilliant. Excellent content that every guardian should experience.

But what’s done is done and at least Bungie was quick to provide an alternative method to acquire those exotics that suddenly found themselves without associated quests (or raids for that matter). Bungie’s solution is the new Monument to Lost Lights Exotic Archive, also known as the Exotics Kiosk. You can find it at the Tower, next to the Vault:

The new Exotics kiosk in the Tower

The kiosk offers every weapon impacted by the DCV (except for Whisper of the Worm and Outbreak Perfected) in exchange for several in-game currencies and materials. The prices are somewhat steep, but it would have felt wrong if Bungie simply gave all the Exotics away.

We cover and rank all of the Monument to Lost Lights Exotics, including their cost and difficulty, in this guide.

If you have very limited resources and can only chase 1 or 2 of the impacted weapons, I recommend:

• Izanagi’s Burden if you’re in need of an excellent PVE weapon (one of the best DPS special weapons in Destiny 2)
• Thorn if you’re interested in one of the best PVP weapons in the game

About the Destiny Content Vault (DCV)…

The DCV is a big deal. In Bungie’s words:

Each year, usually at the expansion boundaries, we will cycle some destination and activity content out of the game (and into the DCV) to make room for new experiences.

Close to 50% of the current game went into the DCV on November 10, 2020, with the release of Beyond Light.

A comprehensive list including everything that went away would be too long to cover here, but when it comes to Exotic quests, and catalysts, this is everything you need to know:

Exotic quests removed and put into the DCV

As explained by Bungie:

As content enters the DCV, there will be some Exotic quests that can obviously no longer be completed in their original forms. Those quests will be retired on November 10 and incomplete progress abandoned.

These are all the quests impacted:

1. Sturm
2. MIDA Multi-tool
3. Rat King
4. Legend of Acrius
5. Sleeper Simulant
6. Polaris Lance
7. Worldline Zero
8. Ace of Spades
9. The Last Word
10. Le Monarque
11. Jotunn
12. Izanagi’s Burden
13. Thorn
14. Lumina
15. Truth
16. Bad Juju

For the sake of clarity, only the quests went into DCV. The weapons themselves are staying. If you already had any of these in your inventory or collections, they should still be there.

The Last Word

Hopefully, this list will help you chase the Exotic weapons you’re still missing. Beyond Light definitely spiced things up with the new Exotics kiosk and new exotic weapons. This guide should help you stay focused and understand where to find what you’re looking for. Beyond Light has been definitely a huge shift for Destiny 2 as it marks the end and removal of a lot of content. To be fair, most of the content that went into the DCV won’t be missed (sorry, Curse of Osiris), but a few gems will.

The Whisper mission, for example, is an excellently designed quest that also rewards you with an insane weapon. These are the experiences that help Destiny 2 thrive. Hopefully, Bungie will be able to bring both The Whisper and the Outbreak Perfected missions back so that everyone can experience them at least once.

What is your all-time favorite exotic quest and/or weapon? Let us know in the comments!