Exotics are some of the most coveted weapons and armor in the Destiny franchise. Unlike most gear, Exotics have unique perks that are impossible to find elsewhere. They're so strong that the game only allows for one Exotic weapon and armor piece to be equipped at a time.
With the hundreds of Exotics that exist in Destiny and Destiny 2, it should come as no surprise that some are better than others. A few Exotics are worse than common Legendaries, yet there are a few that give this rarity of loot the prestige it deserves. From infinite Supers to one-shotting Guardians with a lucky bullet, here are the 10 best Exotics in the Destiny franchise.
10 One-Eyed Mask
Crucible would never be the same after Forsaken released for Destiny 2, introducing new weapons and Exotic armor pieces to shake up the meta. One such Exotic was One-Eyed Mask, a Titan helmet that granted wallhacks, overshields on kill, health regeneration, and a weapon damage boost.
This Exotic would dominate Crucible for over a year before finally getting nerfed, although One-Eyed Mask was overhauled multiple times with each rework slowly removing features. It now grants overshields on a kill and makes enemies glow red through scopes, but this Exotic was so powerful in Year 2 that it deserves a spot on the list.
9 Bones Of Eao/STOMP-EE5
Hunters are hard enough to kill with their dodges and great vertical movement, but the Bones of Eao and STOMP-EE5 Exotics take this to a new level.
Bones of Eao granted players an extra jump in the original Destiny, while Destiny 2's STOMP-EE5 grant extra jump height, sprint speed, and slide distance. Both effectively do the same thing, which is making Hunters much more mobile. The aggression these Exotics granted made all content dramatically easier. It's no surprise that some Hunters swear by these Exotics and never take them off.
8 Orpheus Rig
Despite the slower sandbox that Destiny 2 Year 1 had, it did introduce several powerful Exotics that are still used today. The best Exotic from this period is Orpheus Rig, an Exotic pair of Hunter boots that refund Shadowshot energy or grant Mobius Quiver two additional arrows.
For most of Destiny 2's lifespan, Orpheus Rig could refund an entire Super by tethering a small pack of enemies, although this has since been nerfed to restore only half of a Super. Even after the nerfs, Orpheus Rig remains the best Nightstalker Exotic released in the franchise barring the original Destiny's Graviton Forfeit.
7 Twilight Garrison
For Destiny 2 fans, dodging mid-air is something shoulder-charging Titans and top tree Dawnblades can do. This wasn't always the case.
Titans used to have an Exotic in the original Destiny named Twilight Garrison, allowing Titans to dodge mid-air in the same vein as Icarus Dash. The outplay potential that Twilight Garrison added to Destiny is unprecedented today, allowing aggressive Titan players to become a powerhouse in PvP and even intense PvE encounters. If Titans should get one Exotic back from Destiny to Destiny 2, it's this one.
6 Vex Mythoclast
In its current form in the original Destiny, Vex Mythoclast is a gimmick weapon that turns a Special weapon into a Primary. A full-auto Fusion Rifle is incredibly fun to play with in its own right, but this weapon makes it on the list for how overpowered it was at launch.
Right after Vault of Glass Hard Mode released and players started getting their hands on Vex Mythoclast, many players took their prized possession to Crucible only to discover that it could four-shot every Guardian in the game. It dominated the Crucible for weeks before it was nerfed one month after the raid launched. After the numerous nerfs and sandbox changes, Vex Mythoclast now stands as a mediocre weapon that carved a place in Destiny's history during its short lived overpowered state. If it wasn't so underwhelming in its current state, Vex Mythoclast would be rated higher on this list.
5 Anarchy
Scourge of the Past introduced plenty of powerful Black Armory weapons, but they would all pale in comparison to Anarchy. This Exotic Heavy Grenade Launcher fires tesla coils that deal damage over time and can chain together to create Arc webs.
Anarchy seems underwhelming on paper, but this weapon is one of Destiny 2's best weapons in practice. Sticking two Arc grenades on a target then switching to a Special weapon will yield an incredible amount of DPS. Its ammo efficiency and ability to counter Champions while the player is wielding an anti-Champion weapon makes this the best raid Exotic in Destiny 2, arguably in franchise history.
4 Thorn
Thorn has a checkered history in the Destiny franchise. This weapon was incredible in Year 1 of Destiny as it could two-shot players in PvP while dealing solid damage in PvE. It was then nerfed into the ground in Year 2, only to be buffed into a slightly worse state than it launched in.
Destiny 2 finally found a balance for this weapon by making it equal to its Rise of Iron version until the player kills a target and absorbs their Soul Remnant. Once Soul Devourer is active, Thorn will two-tap targets as it did during its Year 1 version. This weapon is iconic, shaped an entire PvP meta, and still dominates the Crucible today in Destiny 2. Few Hand Cannons can top Thorn.
3 Hawkmoon
One Hand Cannon that tops Thorn is Hawkmoon, arguably the best feeling Hand Cannon in Destiny's history. Hawkmoon is based entirely on luck, infusing three random bullets in the magazine with bonus damage.
The insane part of Hawkmoon was that these buffed bullets could influence the same shot in a magazine, meaning it has the potential of one-shotting Guardians if the wielder was lucky enough. On top of its beautiful model and great base stats that made it well-suited for all content, Hawkmoon would live on as a mythical weapon in the Destiny franchise that will finally make its return into Destiny 2 with Beyond Light.
2 Ice Breaker
Ice Breaker is one of Destiny's best Exotics for most of its lifespan. This Exotic Sniper Rifle trivialized bullet-sponge bosses during Year 1, somewhat fell off in Year 2, then came back in Year 3 when Crucible made Special ammo much more scarce.
Players could sit at the back of most engagements and snipe away at targets as Ice Breaker would passively regenerate ammo. Such a simple perk was the crux of many strategies in PvE and allowed for players to use something besides Sidearms in PvP during Rise of Iron. It is unlikely weapons that bypass the ammo economy such as this will ever return in Destiny 2.
1 Gjallarhorn
What else could it be? Gjallarhorn is the quintessential Exotic weapon in the Destiny franchise. Infamously sold during Xur's second visit in Year 1, this Exotic Rocket Launcher single-handedly shaped the PvE landscape and even the community at large.
Gjallarhorn was a powerhouse that could take down the bullet-sponge bosses of Year 1 with a couple of rockets thanks to its target-seeking Wolfpack Rounds. Entire raid teams would refuse to let players join Vault of Glass runs if they didn't have this gun since it made encounters much easier. It wasn't until Rise of Iron released that Gjallarhorn would be obtainable for most through a quest instead of a random drop. The sheer joy this weapon brought to players is hard to overstate. Even after the nerfs it received, Gjallarhorn remains in Destiny history as the most game-changing Exotic ever released.