Published on: Oct 2, 2014 @ 12:19
Looking for an easy way to track down your favorite Exotics? DestinyDB.com compiled a quick overview of all 22 Exotic weapons currently in-game! Bungie created roughly 2 of each type – even throwing a few Special Weapons into Primary slots.
If you’d like see see HD in-game screenshots of these weapons, click here. For an in-depth breakdown for some of these weapons, click here.
Auto Rifles
| Name |
Type |
Strength |
Weakness |
Main Feature(s) |
| Hard Light |
Kinetic |
Equip/Reload |
Impact |
Shots penetrate and ricochet on hard surfaces. |
| Monte Carlo |
Kinetic |
Range |
Stability |
Dealing damage reduces melee cooldown. |
| SUROS Regime |
Kinetic |
Balanced |
Rate of Fire |
Bottom half of clips deals bonus damage and may heal you. |
- Hard Light has lots of potential to cut through crowds.
- Monte Carlo has good range for an Auto Rifle, and fantastic for maximizing melee output.
- The SUROS Regime is “that Auto Rifle” recently sold by Xûr. To put it lightly, it has “enhanced” recent PVP matches. With its high-impact health-stealing and overall lack of weakness, it has continued to push the PVP meta to Auto Rifles. Keep an eye on the upcoming AR tweaks!
Fusion Rifles
| Name |
Type |
Strength |
Weakness |
Main Feature(s) |
| Vex Mythoclast |
Solar |
Charge Time |
N/A |
Has no Charge Time. |
- The Vex Mythoclast is an extremely potent weapon. Generally considered Destiny’s most overpowered weapon in PVP, it’s a possible drop for beating the Vault of Glass on Hard. A truly fitting reward. This weapon could see some nerfs, or perhaps Bungie’s taking the “if everything’s overpowered, nothing is!” approach.
Hand Cannons
| Name |
Type |
Strength |
Weakness |
Main Feature(s) |
| Hawkmoon |
Kinetic |
Impact |
Rate of Fire |
2-3 random shots in clip deal “considerable” bonus damage. |
| The Last Word |
Kinetic |
Impact |
Range |
Can be shot incredibly fast. Great from-the-hip precision. |
| Thorn |
Kinetic |
Impact |
Stability |
Shots penetrate and deal damage-over-time (no stacking). |
- Hawkmoon is strong overall with potential two-shots. For some Guardians, the unreliable main feature will be a big negative.
- The Last Word is very capable due to its Rate of Fire, although its animations may be distracting.
- Thorn’s damage over time can be very strategic, forcing PVP targets to take cover. It’s not especially strong for direct engagements, so Bungie is preparing a buff. Compared to Exotics of other types, the Hand Cannons don’t stand out quite as much as they could.
Pulse Rifles
| Name |
Type |
Strength |
Weakness |
Main Feature(s) |
| Bad Juju |
Kinetic |
Rate of Fire |
Impact |
Kills briefly enable instant reloads and a small damage buff. |
| Red Death |
Kinetic |
Impact |
Rate of Fire |
Each kill heals you and speeds up reloads. |
- On paper, Bad Juju has lots of potential due to full-auto fire and post-kill instant reloads / extra damage. In-game, it falls a bit short, and is also the target of an upcoming buff.
- Red Death, simply put, is strong and balanced. The healing and quick reload after kills, plus better aim under fire, is icing on the blood-spattered cake.
Scout Rifles
| Name |
Type |
Strength |
Weakness |
Main Feature(s) |
| Fate of All Fools |
Solar |
Impact |
Rate of Fire |
Chain body shots for bonus damage on next precision shot. |
| MIDA Multi-Tool |
Kinetic |
Reload |
N/A |
Boosts movement. Fires on a hair trigger. Radar active in-aim. |
- Fate of All Fools is seemingly one of the more rare Exotics right now, attained through an uncommon bounty. With awesome Impact, Range, increased Stability on-damage, and a neat ability, it’s no wonder it’s on a few wishlists.
- While some complain that the MIDA Multi-Tool isn’t as flashy as other Exotics, it’s a very well-balanced weapon. Rumors circulate that the side-radar has a hidden purpose. Hmmm…
Shotguns
| Name |
Type |
Strength |
Weakness |
Main Feature(s) |
| Universal Remote |
Kinetic |
Stability |
Range |
Aiming greatly increases range and precision damage. |
- What is this weapon? A short-range Special weapon becomes a long-range Primary? In any case, the Universal Remote is a versatile weapon that warrants plenty of use. It may also survive the upcoming nerfs to Shotguns reasonably unscathed.
[divider]
Fusion Rifles
| Name |
Type |
Strength |
Weakness |
Main Feature(s) |
| Plan C |
Arc |
Impact |
Charge Rate |
Charge/equip time is very fast after weapon swap. |
| Pocket Infinity |
Solar |
Impact |
Charge Rate |
Fires in full-auto. Missed rounds may return to clip. |
- Pocket Infinity is terrifying. After charging, it unleashes a never-ending firestorm. Incredibly useful for a huge crowd or targets you want really dead.
- Plan C is a bit different. Using your Primary weapon? Things not going your way? That’s where the well-balanced Plan C shines. Swap, charge, and blast ’em away before they know what happened. Plan C’s main benefit seems directed toward PVP or players who panic easily.
Shotguns
| Name |
Type |
Strength |
Weakness |
Main Feature(s) |
| Invective |
Solar |
Rate of Fire |
Reload |
Can be fired in full-auto. Regenerates ammo. |
- Invective lacks Impact, but completely makes up for it with a fast-firing bulletstorm. Ammo regeneration is nice, but somehow feels a little slow at 4 shells per 30 seconds. You’ll have plenty of time for its slow reload once the whole room is dead.
Sniper Rifles
| Name |
Type |
Strength |
Weakness |
Main Feature(s) |
| Ice Breaker |
Solar |
Range |
Stability |
Kills explode. Regenerates ammo into 6-shot clip (can’t reload). |
| Patience and Time |
Arc |
Stability |
Magazine |
Active radar and temporary invisibility while aiming. |
- Don’t want to be anywhere near your targets? Ice Breaker is just for you. Notable for its maximum range and exploding kills, you’ll be happily popping crowds from a distance. The regenerating ammo is a boon and a curse, with a new shot added to the clip every 6 seconds.
- Patience and Time features a lot of great traits for a Sniper Rifle like high Stability and an active radar while aiming. The brief invisibility is neat, but not as helpful as you’d hope: the very-visible red sniper glare doesn’t disappear.
[divider]
Machine Guns
| Name |
Type |
Strength |
Weakness |
Main Feature(s) |
| Super Good Advice |
Solar |
Rate of Fire |
Impact |
Almost all missed shots are returned to the magazine. |
| Thunderlord |
Arc |
Impact |
Rate of Fire |
Increased Rate of Fire and accuracy the longer it’s fired. |
- Super Good Advice is a room-shredder. Spray the general direction of your target and don’t worry about wasting precious ammo.
- Thunderlord is incredibly balanced, shooting faster and more accurately the longer you fire. SGA seems better for PVP (ammo conservation), while Thunderlord could help with precision damage on tanky targets in PVE (longer firing).
Rocket Launchers
| Name |
Type |
Strength |
Weakness |
Main Feature(s) |
| Gjallarhorn |
Solar |
Velocity |
Rate of Fire |
Rockets split into a cluster of target-tracking missiles on impact. |
| Truth |
Void |
Blast Radius |
Rate of Fire |
Aggressive target-tracking. |
- Gjallarhorn has to be one of Destiny’s most satisfying weapons. The main rocket has tracking, and bursts into a cloud of tracking missiles. What’s not to love? The low Rate of Fire is easily forgivable.
- Truth, the only Exotic with Void damage, has even more aggressive tracking than Gjallarhorn – and includes proximity detonation. After seeing it in-action, we’ve come to a conclusion: everything in Destiny is a finely-crafted tool of pain.
[divider]There are several half-finished Exotics not included here, but we have them covered for you! We assume we’ll see some these Exotics in the Dark Below expansion coming in December.
