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.

Going away: Quests/weapons highlighted as “Going away” are going into the DCV and won’t be available anymore until Bungie implements new ways to acquire them (and that could take months).

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

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!

	Weapon	Tier	Difficulty	Available?	Exotic Perk / Video guide	Type	Slot	Difficulty
	Xenophage | Machine Gun	Best ❘ S	Average	Yes	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	Machine Gun	Heavy	Average
	Divinity | Trace Rifle	Best ❘ S	Hard	Yes	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	Trace Rifle	Energy	Very Hard
	Thorn | Hand Cannon	Best ❘ S	Hard	Going away	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary Exotic Perk: "Rounds pierce targets and deal damage over time. Kills leave behind Remnants which, when absorbed, increase damage." ► Video guide from Datto	Hand Cannon	Kinetic	Hard
	Izanagi's Burden | Sniper Rifle	Best ❘ S	Hard	Going away	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Special Exotic Perk: "Holding reload consumes the magazine and loads a round with additional range and damage." ► Video guide from xHOUNDISHx	Sniper Rifle	Kinetic	Hard
	Whisper of the Worm | Sniper Rifle	Best ❘ S	Hard	Going away	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." ► Video guide from Datto	Sniper Rifle	Heavy	Hard
	Riskrunner | Submachine Gun	Strong ❘ A	Easy	Yes	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	Submachine Gun	Energy	Easy
	Jötunn | Fusion Rifle	Strong ❘ A	Average	Going away	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." ► Video guide from Pause Play Reset	Fusion Rifle	Energy	Average
	Traveler's Chosen | Sidearm	Strong ❘ A	Easy	Yes	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." ► Video guide from Jarv	Sidearm	Kinetic	Easy
	The Chaperone | Shotgun	Strong ❘ A	Average	Yes	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	Shotgun	Kinetic	Average
	Outbreak Perfected | Pulse Rifle	Strong ❘ A	Hard	Going away	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." ► Video guide from Datto	Pulse Rifle	Kinetic	Hard
	The Last Word | Hand Cannon	Strong ❘ A	Average	Going away	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary Exotic Perk: "This weapon fires full auto. Hip-fire shots deal bonus precision damage while increasing reload speed and accuracy." ► Video guide from xHOUNDISHx	Hand Cannon	Kinetic	Average
	Ace of Spades | Hand Cannon	Strong ❘ A	Average	Going away	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." ► Video guide from Datto	Hand Cannon	Kinetic	Average
	Legend of Acrius | Shotgun	Strong ❘ A	Hard	Going away	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." ► Video guide from Datto
	Rat King | Sidearm	Strong ❘ A	Average	Going away	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." ► Video guide from Datto	Sidearm	Kinetic	Average
	Le Monarque | Combat Bow	Strong ❘ A	Average	Going away	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." ► Video guide from Speer Gaming	Combat Bow	Energy	Average
	Ruinous Effigy | Exotic Trace Rifle	Average ❘ B	Easy	Yes	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." ► Video guide from Datto	Trace Rifle	Energy	Easy
	Lumina | Hand Cannon	Average ❘ B	Average	Going away	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." ► Video guide from Datto	Hand Cannon	Kinetic	Average
	Bad Juju | Pulse Rifle	Average ❘ B	Average	Going away	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." ► Video guide from Datto	Pulse Rifle	Kinetic	Average
	Wish-Ender | Combat Bow	Average ❘ B	Hard	Yes	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	Combat Bow	Kinetic	Hard
	Truth | Rocket Launcher	Average ❘ B	Average	Going away	Slot: Heavy | Ammo: Heavy Exotic Perk: "This weapon's rockets have tracking and detonate when they are within close proximity of their targets." ► Video guide from xHOUNDISHx	Rocket Launcher	Heavy	Average
	Polaris Lance | Scout Rifle	Average ❘ B	Average	Going away	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." ► Video guide from Drewski	Scout Rifle	Energy	Average
	The Fourth Horseman | Shotgun	Average ❘ B	Easy	Yes	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." ► Video guide from Jarv	Shotgun	Energy	Easy
	Sleeper Simulant | Linear Fusion Rifle	Average ❘ B	Hard	Going away	Slot: Heavy | Ammo: Heavy Exotic Perk: "The weapon's laser over penetrates enemies and refracts off hard surfaces." ► Video guide from Datto	Linear Fusion Rifle	Heavy	Very Hard
	Malfeasance | Hand Cannon	Weak ❘ C	Average	Yes	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	Hand Cannon	Kinetic	Average
	MIDA Multi-Tool | Scout Rifle	Weak ❘ C	Easy	Going away	Slot: Kinetic | Ammo: Primary Exotic Perk: "This weapon boosts move speed. Radar stays active while aiming down sights." ► Video guide from Datto	Scout Rifle	Kinetic	Easy
	Sturm | Hand Cannon	Weak ❘ C	Average	Going away	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." ► Video guide from Datto	Hand Cannon	Kinetic	Average
	Deathbringer | Rocket Launcher	Weak ❘ C	Average	Yes	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	Rocket Launcher	Heavy	Average
	Worldline Zero | Sword	Worst ❘ D	Average	Going away	Slot: Heavy | Ammo: Heavy Exotic Perk: "Press while sprinting to launch a heavy blink attack. Attacks partially bypass elemental shields." ► Video guide from Datto	Sword	Heavy	Average

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 will go into the DCV this November 10, 2020, with the release of Beyond Light.

A comprehensive list including everything that is going 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 going 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 are going into DCV. The weapons themselves are staying. If you already have any of these in your inventory or collections, you’ll still have it come November 10.

As you can see, a lot of exotics quests are going away. If you crave any of these, you better get started before it’s too late. In fact, if you have limited playtime and can only chase 1 or 2 of these, 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

Your Turn

Hopefully, this list will help you plan and prepare for Beyond Light. Beyond Light will certainly come with exciting new things to play and chase. But in parallel, it will mark the end and removal of a lot of content. To be fair, most of the content going 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. If you are bored waiting for Beyond Light to drop, choose an exotic you don’t already have and go for it. Trust me, that is one of the most fun activities in the game.