Destiny 2 Guide: Top 10 Exotic Weapons, Their Perks, and How To Get Them

If you've been bumbling around in Destiny 2 looking for Exotic weapons for your Guardians, it's probably good to know what the Exotics are! Some Exotics are better than others in PvP or PvE and others are better in specific situations, like in the campaign or raid.

Below, you'll find the best Exotics in Destiny 2 (so far), their perks and how to get them – as long as they aren't random drops.

Shameless plug: Here's how to trigger Heroic Public Events and a general guide to Leviathan.

MIDA Multi-Tool

• Popular in both PvE and PvP
• Scout Rifle [Kinetic]
  • RPM:80/MIDA Multi-Tool/MIDA Radar
• Perks:

  • MIDA Multi-Tool: T his weapon boosts move speed

  • Corkscrew Rifling: Balanced barrel. Slightly increases range and stability. Slightly increases handling speed/

  • High-Caliber Rounds: Shots from this weapon knock the target back farther. Slightly increases range.

  • MIDA Radar: Radar stays active while aiming down sights.

  • Hand-Laid Stock: This weapon is optimized for recoil control. Increases stability.

• Mods:

  • Weapon Attack Mod: Equip this to a Kinetic or Exotic weapon to increase its Attack value.

  • Default Ornament: Restores your weapon to its default appearance

Coldheart

• Popular in PvP
• Trace Rifle [Energy] [Arc]
  • RPM:1000/Cold Fusion/Longest Winter
• Perks:
  • Cold Fusion: This weapon shoots a steady cold fusion-powered laser.
  • Extended Barrel: Weighty barrel extension. • Increases range • Decreases handling speed
  • Enhanced Battery: Strong battery life. • Increases magazine size
  • Longest Winter: Coldheart's laser does exponentially more damage the longer it remains on a target.
  • Hand-Laid Stock: This weapon is optimized for recoil control. • Increases stability
• Mods:

  • Weapon Attack Mod: Equip this to a Kinetic or Exotic weapon to increase its Attack value.

  • Default Ornament: Restores your weapon to its default appearance

Rat King (click to go to guide)

• Sidearm [Kinetic]
  • RPM:40/Rat Pack/Vermin
• Perks:
  • Rat Pack: This weapon becomes stronger when nearby allies also have it equipped. Stacks up to 6 times.
  • Smallbore: Dual strength barrel. Increases range Increases stability
  • Tactical Mag: This weapon has multiple tactical improvements. Slightly increases stability. Increases reload speed. Slightly increases magazine size
  • Vermin: Reloading immediately after a kill grants a brief period of invisibility.
  • Smooth Grip: This weapon is slightly easier to hold and aim. Slightly increases stability. Slightly increases handling speed
• Mods:

  • Weapon Attack Mod: Equip this to a Kinetic or Exotic weapon to increase its Attack value.

  • Default Ornament: Restores your weapon to its default appearance

Merciless

• Random Drop
• Fusion Rifle
  • RPM:900/Conserve Momentum/Impetus
• Perks:
  • Conserve Momentum: Non-lethal hits with projectiles make this weapon charge faster until its wielder gets a kill.
  • Chambered Compensator: Stable barrel attachment. Increases stability  Moderately controls recoil. Slightly decreases handling speed.
  • Extended Mag: This weapon has a greatly increased magazine size, but reloads much slower. Greatly increases magazine size. Greatly decreases reload speed.
  • Impetus: Reloading immediately after a kill increases weapon damage for a short time.
  • Fitted Stock: This stock makes the weapon stable but heavy  Increases stability. Moderately controls recoil. Slightly decreases handling speed
• Mods:

  • Weapon Attack Mod: Equip this to a Kinetic or Exotic weapon to increase its Attack value.

  • Default Ornament: Restores your weapon to its default appearance

Vigilance Wing

• Random Drop
• Pulse Rifle [Kinetic]
  • RPM:530/Harsh Truths/Last Stand
• Perks
  • Harsh Truths: This weapon fires a 5-round burst. When a nearby ally is killed, gain health regeneration and increased movement speed.
  • Corkscrew Rifling: Balanced barrel. Slightly increases range and stability. Slightly increases handling speed
  • Alloy Magazine: Faster reloads when the magazine is empty.
  • Last Stand: Improved weapon performance when its wielder is the last living member of a fireteam.
  • Composite Stock: This weapon has a versatile dual-purpose stock. Slightly increases stability. Slightly increases handling speed
• Mods:

  • Weapon Attack Mod: Equip this to a Kinetic or Exotic weapon to increase its Attack value.

  • Default Ornament: Restores your weapon to its default appearance

Sunshot

• Campaign Choice
• Handcannon [Energy] [Solar]
  • RPM:150/Sunburn/Sun Blast
• Perks
  • Sunburn: This weapon fires explosive rounds and highlights targets that take damage from Sunshot.
  • Chambered Compensator: Stable barrel attachment. Increases stability. Moderately controls recoil. Slightly decreases handling speed
  • Textured Grip: The friction on this weapon's grip is particularly strong. Greatly increases handling speed Slightly decreases stability
  • Sun Blast: Targets killed with Sunshot explode in Solar energy.
  • Accurized Rounds: This weapon can fire longer distances. Increases range.
• Mods:

  • Weapon Attack Mod: Equip this to a Kinetic or Exotic weapon to increase its Attack value.

  • Default Ornament: Restores your weapon to its default appearance

Wardcliff Coil

• Random Drop
• Rocket Launcher
  • RPM:60/Mad Scientist/Mechanized Autoloader
• Perks
  • Mad Scientist: This weapon fires a volley of rockets.
  • Volatile Launch: This weapon is optimized for an especially explosive payload. Greatly increases blast radius. Slightly decreases handling speed. Slightly decreases projectile speed.
  • Extended Mag: This weapon has a greatly increased magazine size, but reloads much slower. Greatly increases magazine size. Greatly decreases reload speed.
  • Mechanized Autoloader: This weapon automatically reloads on ammo pickup.
  • Composite Stock: This weapon has a versatile dual-purpose stock. Slightly increases stability. Slightly increases handling speed
• Mods:

  • Weapon Attack Mod: Equip this to a Kinetic or Exotic weapon to increase its Attack value.

  • Default Ornament: Restores your weapon to its default appearance

Borealis (Situational, Choose damage)

• PlayStation Only (For 1 Year)
• Sniper Rifle
  • RPM:72/The Fundamentals/Ionic Return
• Perks
  • The Fundamentals: Holding changes this weapon's damage type, cycling between Solar, Arc, and Void.
  • Corkscrew Rifling: Balanced barrel. Slightly increases range and stability. Slightly increases handling speed.
  • Extended Mag: This weapon has a greatly increased magazine size, but reloads much slower. Greatly increases magazine size. Greatly decreases reload speed.
  • Ionic Return: Breaking an enemy shield transfers one bullet from reserves to the magazine.
  • Hand-Laid Stock: This weapon is optimized for recoil control. Increases stability.
• Mods:

  • Weapon Attack Mod: Equip this to a Kinetic or Exotic weapon to increase its Attack value.

Sweet Business (Nice Against Bosses)

• Random Drop
• Auto Rifle [Kinetic]
  • RPM:360/Business Time
• Perks
  • Payday: Larger magazine. Increased accuracy when firing from the hip
  • Polygonal Rifling: Barrel optimized for recoil reduction. Increases stability.
  • High-Caliber Rounds: Shots from this weapon knock the target back further. Slightly increases range.
  • Business Time: Holding down the trigger boosts this weapon's range and rate of fire, and automatically loads ammo pickups into the magazine.
  • Composite Stock: This weapon has a versatile dual-purpose stock. Slightly increases stability. Slightly increases handling speed.
• Mods:

  • Weapon Attack Mod: Equip this to a Kinetic or Exotic weapon to increase its Attack value.

  • Default Ornament: Restores your weapon to its default appearance

Skyburners Oath (Good for Leviathan Raid)

• Scout Rifle [Energy] [Solar]
  • RPM:200/Slug Rifle/For the Empire
• Perks
  • Slug Rifle: This weapon fires Solar slugs that get stronger when aiming down sights.
  • Extended Barrel: Weighty barrel extension. Increases range. Decreases handling speed
  • Extended Mag: This weapon has a greatly increased magazine size, but reloads much slower. Greatly increases magazine size. Greatly decreases reload speed.
  • For the Empire: This weapon is Full Auto, does extra damage to Cabal, and penetrates Phalanx shields.
  • Short-Action Stock: This weapon is especially easy to grip. Greatly increases handling speed
• Mods:

  • Weapon Attack Mod: Equip this to a Kinetic or Exotic weapon to increase its Attack value.

  • Default Ornament: Restores your weapon to its default appearance