Destiny 2’s Exotics are staples in the ever-changing meta of Bungie’s looter shooter. Exotic armor is an important choice for any Guardian when planning their build for any piece of content. With different types of Exotic armor in Destiny 2, choosing the best Exotic armor can be difficult for some new Guardians.
The Exotic armor in Destiny 2 can vary in usefulness depending on the activity Guardians are taking part in. While some Exotics in Destiny 2 are great for PvE, they may not be great in PvP and vice versa. Guardians will want to choose the best Exotic armor for the Destiny 2 activity that they are taking part in.
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Hunters may have some of the most divisive Exotics in Destiny 2, with many being useful for either PvP or PvE but not both. The Dragon’s Shadow is a top-tier Exotic for both PvP and PvE and is useable on any Hunter subclass making not only a powerful Exotic, but a versatile one as well.
The Omnioculus is amazing in endgame PvE activities and shines when used on the bottom-tree Nightstalker Hunter. Having two smoke bombs that also increase damage resistance while invisible is a powerful thing to have in many PvE activities.
Celestial Nighthawk is top-tier, but only when used on the bottom-tree Gunslinger. The new Destiny 2 Star-Eater Scales, however, can deal more damage than Celestial Nighthawk while also being usable on any Hunter subclass, but it has a much higher risk/reward factor making it more difficult to use in comparison.
For PvP, Hunters cannot go wrong with the tried and true St0mp-EE5 Exotic leg armor. Useable on any Hunter subclass, St0mp-EE5 is a top-tier PvP Exotic. Hunters looking for something different can look to Mask of Bakris to augment their dodge with a longer-ranged teleport, making it hard for enemy Guardians to track players.
Warlocks have a lot of Exotics that augment their Destiny 2 abilities, with strong choices for both PvE and PvP, such as the Geomag Stabilizers and the Chromatic Fire. The Geomag Stabilizers are great in both PvE and PvP but require Guardians to run one Subclass, the middle-tree Chaos Reach on their Arc subclass. Chromatic Fire can be used on any light-based Warlock subclass, creating Dragonfly-like explosions from Kinetic weapon precision kills.
For PvE purposes, the Pheonix Protocol and its ability to generate Super energy for getting kills in the Warlock’s Well of Radiance, a heavily used Super in Destiny 2’s endgame content. Warlocks also have the Lunafaction Boots, while not as great as they used to be, they still offer a lot of utility in many boss DPS situations. The Necrotic Grip Exotic gauntlets are a notable mention when paired with the Thorn Exotic Handcannon.
When it comes to Destiny 2 PvP, Warlocks have a few options with Ophidian Aspect gauntlets being a great neutral game type Exotic. The increased Sprint speed from the Transversive Steps makes these Exotic boots a strong option in PVP. Warlocks who like to Blink, however, have the Astrocyte Verse Exotic helmet that increases the capabilities of Blink.
Titan Exotics have varying uses, with some being much more valuable than others. Exotics like the Helm of Saint-14 provide value in both PvP and PvE activities. With its ability to blind enemies who enter the Titan’s Ward of Dawn, it is an effective option in both PvE and PvP.
Titans looking to deal massive damage in PvE have Exotics like the Cuirass of the Falling Star to greatly increase the Thundercrash’s impact damage, making it one of the best Titan Exotics for raw damage output. In a more support role, the Ursa Furiosa Exotic gauntlets are some of the best for keeping allies alive while generating a lot of orbs for the Fireteam. Ursa Furiosa is essential in Destiny 2’s endgame activities like Grandmaster difficulty Nightfalls.
In PvP content, Titans cannot go wrong with Citan’s Ramparts Exotic gauntlets, allowing the Titan’s Barricade to be shoot through. The Dunemarchers Exotic leg armor chains lightning damage when the Titan melees an enemy, making it an effective option in PvP. The One-Eyed Mask is still a strong PvP Exotic for Titans, giving an overshield on kills.
Guardians have a plethora of Exotics that they can choose from, each offering its own unique features with some being much more valuable than others. Guardians should ultimately pick Exotics that suit their playstyle, however, ignoring the meta entirely will usually lead to failure. Guardians and Fireteams that use the Exotic meta to their benefit will see success in many of Destiny 2's endgame content.
Destiny 2: Beyond Light is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.