Destiny 2: Top 11 Exotic Weapons

There are a multitude of powerful Exotic weapons in Destiny 2 that are each packed with unique characteristics and attributes. With so many Exotic weapons to discover, it can be tough to figure out which ones are worth keeping. To help you narrow down your choices, we've highlighted 10 Exotic weapons that we believe to be the best in the game (for now).

We're still digging deep into Destiny 2, but there are some basic things you should know (and habits from Destiny 1 you might need to break). Those include not waiting to decrypt Engrams and saving some of your Upgrade Points. You can check out more in our Destiny 2 beginner's guide.

For more game guides, including breakdowns of the three classes, along with our skill and ability galleries for the various subclasses, be sure to visit our Destiny 2 guides and walkthroughs page to keep up with happening in the online world of the Guardians.

Weapons that do bonus damage against a single enemy race can seem underwhelming, but Skyburner's Oath is an exception to that rule. This exotic scout rifle does extra damage to all Cabal, the main enemy type you'll face throughout the campaign and Destiny 2's raid, Leviathan. Wonderfully, it even shoots through Phalanx's shields. Having great stability and being full-auto only adds to its appeal, and when you realize it's also a beast in the Crucible, Skyburner's will become one of your favorite new guns in Destiny 2.

Merciless is an essential rifle to have as it can quickly mow down enemies and bosses, especially if they don't have any immunity triggers. This is because non-lethal hits made with this weapon increase its charge rate until an enemy is killed. Merciless is a must own for all PvE modes; though, it certainly packs a punch if you use it well during PvP as well.

The MIDA returns from Destiny 1, and it's nearly as powerful as you remember it. While it sports a reduced magazine this time around, it remains a well-rounded rifle with great reload speed and fantastic handling. And with the Mini-Tool submachine gun, you have a strong pairing that'll do wonders in any battle.

Sweet Business is a gatling gun that knocks back aliens in firehose fashion. It’s a perfect Titan weapon through and through given how it can be set up on a low barricade that instantly reloads its 45 round drum over and over again until all of a guardian's reserve ammo is spent or everything in front of the guardian is dead, whichever comes first. Not only does it make a great stationary weapon but the High-Caliber Rounds perk also lets you fire with steady accuracy from the hip. With the heavy weapon class of light machine guns gone in Destiny 2, this buisness is the only LMG (light machine gun) business in town. The only weaknesses to this exotic is its lack of elemental damage, being a kinetic weapon, and some spin up time before reaching the full 360 rounds per minute, which can make quick reaction shots difficult.

The Destiny 2 version of Hard Light is a genuine improvement over its predecessor. While it retains the similar rapid-fire shredding characteristics of the original, the new Hard Light can change between elemental types, making it an optimal choice for plowing down shields in any situation.

Sub-machine guns can often be a bit hit-or-miss in terms of usability. However, the Riskrunner is a great example of how these tenacious little automated weapons can be more effective than you think. Not only is its chain lightning effect devastating against multiple foes, it's also a fantastic sight to behold during a firefight.

The Wardcliffe Coil is a powerful and versatile weapon that can make short work of enemies unfortunate enough to be within its firing range. While this rocket launcher's reload speed is understandably weak, nearly everything else about it makes it worth pulling out whether you're in a tight spot or just want to get the jump on a group of unsuspecting foes.

The Vigilance Wing's smooth handling, controllable recoil, and five-round burst make it a perfect choice for cooperative-focused battles, like Strikes and the Crucible. Smart use of its capabilities can easily save your fireteam in dire straits. Though, if you play solo, the Vigilance Wing may not be worth the Exotic slot to equip it, especially if you're able to secure the other Exotics that appear in this list. But the ease of control this rifle provides in making headshots make it well worth owning.

The Rat King may seem like an odd choice, but it can be a worthwhile asset during Raids or any cooperative activities given how it becomes more powerful when more members of your Fireteam have it. It's a stylish weapon (+1 for the Katana wrapping on its grip) well-suited for coordinated groups.

The Sunshot is a useful hand cannon in both PvP and PvE due to its ability to fire powerful rounds that inflict both splash damage and make enemies explode upon death. Against weaker foes, the Sunshot can set off chains of exploding thralls or fallen. These traits-- combined with solar damage--make the gun particularly effective against Cabal. It also has a relatively quick reload time, which helps minimize one of the hand cannon class' greatest weaknesses.

Despite being a freezy death ray, the Coldheart does not freeze enemies in place--which is one of it’s biggest weakness. In order to use it effectively, a guardian needs a clear line of sight and lack of other enemies charging at or firing on them. It increases damage over time, which means if you isolate a high level enemy, you can quickly deplete their health. Overall, the Coldheart seems less effective than other exotics. But there's no denying the use of its minion clearing capabilities and how that can be used to effectively build up super energy to finish off stronger enemies.