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Destiny 2 Exotic Tier List [January] 2024: Best Pve & Pvp

Elena Rostova • Sep 26, 2026 • 12 min read

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Destiny 2 has various Exotic weapons, and you can get overwhelmed by the sheer amount, especially if you are a new player or someone who just returned to the game. As a matter of fact, each new season of Destiny 2 adds a new Exotic weapon, which adds more to the massive arsenal of weapons in the game. 

However, not all Exotic weapons are powerful and game-shattering, so we made a Destiny 2 Exotic Tier list to show you which are worth getting and what to keep. This tier list will showcase the best and the worst Exotic weapons.

Destiny 2 Exotic Tier List [January] 2024

What are Exotic weapons? These weapons are the highest quality in the game, which means they are the rarest and the hardest to obtain. Each Exotic weapon has unique perks that make them extremely powerful, which is why these are coveted.

In addition, they have fantastic aesthetics, and only one can be equipped at a time. There are 101 Exotic weapons in Destiny 2, and we will rank them from the highest S tier down to the lowest D tier.

S Tier List

The S Destiny 2 Exotic Tier List in our list is the weapons with the highest ranking due to their perks. They can easily carry you throughout the game, and some are versatile and excel both in PvE and PvP. In addition, these are game-changing and fun to use. Our S tier has 28 Exotic weapons.

Sunshot – The Sunshot is an extremely fun-to-use Exotic weapon due to its explosive rounds. When enemies get damaged by this hand cannon, they get highlighted, and when they get killed, they explode in Solar Energy. It is an Energy weapon that deals Solar damage and uses Primary ammo.

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The Sunshot makes Destiny 2 more fun and excels in both PvP and PvE, making it one of the best Exotics you can get. Speaking of getting it, the Sunshot is free to contact via Exotic Engram or extremely rare world drops.

Witherhoard – The Witherhoard is a grenade launcher with an Exotic Perk that blights the target with its fire projectiles. The blighted enemies will then take damage over time and blight the area near death, which blights other enemies. This is why it is used to counter PvP meta, as it has an excellent AoE effect.

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On top of that, the Witherhoard can lock down an area, deal massive damage, and stagger an enemy. It is a Kinetic weapon that uses Special ammo and can be obtained by purchasing it from the vendor at the Exotic Kiosks. So if you want to do PvE easily or focus on PvP, get the Witherhoard first.

Thunderlord – The Thunderlord is the best machine gun in Destiny 2 due to its great archetype and a fantastic Exotic Perk. Its Exotic Perk is that when you get a kill with this weapon, lightning strikes will generate from above, increasing reload speed for a short period which is why it is in the S tier list.

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This machine gun is an Energy weapon that deals Arc damage and uses Heavy ammo. In addition, it excels in both PvP and PvE. However, this is not a free-to-play Exotic weapon, as it can only be obtained by purchasing the Forsaken Pack DLC.

A Tier List

The weapons in our A Destiny 2 Exotic Tier List are powerful but not on the same level as those on the S-tier. Even though they lack a little bit, they can still help you in any game mode of Destiny 2. Our A list has 42 Exotic weapons.

Traveler’s Chosen – The Traveler’s Chosen is an Exotic sidearm weapon that uses Primary ammo. This Kinetic weapon has an incredible Exotic Perk where final blows generate stacks of Gathering Light. Consuming Gathering Light can give melee, grenade, or class ability energy, depending on the number of stacks.

In addition, each stack will also enhance the reload, handling, and target acquisition of the Traveler’s Chosen. It is the best sidearm in Destiny 2 and is excellent for PvP, but it can also excel in PvE.

Coldheart – Coldheart is an energy weapon that uses Special ammo. It is a Trace Rifle with an Exotic Perk that shoots a cold-fusion-powered laser that deals more damage the longer the target is hit.

In addition, it has another unique trait: its ability to generate Ionic Traces. When picked up, Ionic Traces will give you an energy boost for all of your abilities. This weapon is best used in PvE but lacks in PvP.

Tractor Cannon – The Tractor Cannon is a free-to-play Energy shotgun with Heavy ammo. It can be obtained by decrypting Exotic Engrams and is one of the most fun weapons in the game.

This is due to its Exotic Perk, where the shotgun emits powerful impulses to push enemies away and suppress their abilities. With this, you can push enemies out of the map or towards a wall in PvP, making it a versatile weapon as it can be used in both PvE and PvP.

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B Tier List

The Exotic weapons in the B Destiny 2 Exotic Tier List are average but can be lethal when placed in the right hands. These weapons are decent choices, but there are better ones in the A and S tiers. However, these weapons become A or even S tier in the hands of skilled players. We have 9 Exotic weapons in our B Destiny 2 Exotic Tier List.

Monte Carlo – The Monte Carlo is an auto rifle with Primary ammo. It is a Kinetic weapon that can reduce melee cooldown with every damage dealt and fully charge your melee with each kill you get. In addition, every kill with this weapon and melee kill will increase your damage.

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If your playstyle is centered toward melee, you should get the Monte Carlo. Moreover, it has decent overall stats and exceptional aesthetics, making it a fantastic auto rifle for PvP and PvE. You must purchase the Shadowkeep DLC to get this weapon and then decrypt an Exotic Engram.

The Fourth Horseman – The Fourth Horseman is an Energy weapon that deals Solar damage and uses Special ammo. This shotgun has an Exotic Perk that increases its rate of fire, which can even make it fire full auto. In addition, the more successive shots you do, the more damage and spread it does.

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If you are looking for a burst weapon, The Fourth Horseman is an excellent Exotic weapon. However, as the game becomes more challenging in the later stages, the weapon falls off and becomes risky to use. Moreover, you can only get The Fourth Horseman by getting the Shadowkeep DLC.

Deathbringer – The Deathbringer is an Energy weapon that uses Heavy ammo. Its Exotic Perk will make it fire remotely detonated projectiles that will drop Void Orbs on enemies. To detonate it, hold the fire button, and the farther the orb falls, the more powerful the explosions. This rocket launcher is a fun weapon, but it needs to be more consistent.

As you need the Void Orbs to fall to the highest height to get maximum damage, it can be quite challenging if the place is low. Still, in large areas with high ceilings, the Deathbringer can become lethal. However, this can be obtained by completing an Exotic Quest only by purchasing the Shadowkeep DLC.

C Tier List

The Exotic weapons in the C Destiny 2 Exotic Tier List are mediocre and are somewhat in the middle of all the Exotic in the game. They can be useable, but using the ones at the higher tiers is better. We have 9 Exotic weapons in our C D2 Exotic Tier List.

Sweet Business – Sweet Business is a fun auto rifle to use. This is also a Kinetic weapon that uses Primary ammo. It is a free-to-play Exotic weapon, as you only need to do an Exotic Quest to get it. The weapon’s Exotic perk enlarges its magazine and increases its accuracy when using hip fire.

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In addition, picking up Primary ammo will instantly reload it. However, even though it is a fun gun to spray with enemies, it can be easily avoided by simply taking cover or peek shooting.

Borealis – The Borealis is an energy sniper rifle that uses Special ammo. It has a unique perk that changes its damage type by holding. In addition, breaking a shield with the same energy increases the damage to the rest of the magazine.

Even though it has this perk, it is still a subpar weapon compared to other sniper rifles like the Arbalest when dealing with enemies’ shields. This weapon is free-to-play and can be obtained via decrypting Exotic Engram.

D.A.R.C.I. – The D.A.R.C.I. is a sniper rifle that uses Heavy ammo, one of the worst weapons in the game. Bungie then buffed it, which includes a 20% increase in damage which is why it reached a higher tier.

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However, even with all of this, it is still a bad weapon, and there are better sniper rifles in the game, like the Cloudstrike. If you still want to get the weapon, it is free-to-play, so you can obtain it by decrypting Exotic Engram without buying any DLCs.

D Tier List

The Exotic weapons in our D2 Exotic Tier List are the worst in the game. They offer little in the current meta and lag behind compared to the other Exotic weapons in the higher tiers. As much as possible, it is better to avoid using these weapons. We have 4 Exotic weapons in our Destiny 2 Exotic Tier List.

Edge of Concurrence – The Edge of Concurrence is a glaive that uses Special ammo. It is an Energy weapon that deals Arc damage. When the weapon’s energy is full, you can consume it before firing, so the next shot can track targets and unleash chain lighting. You can get this weapon by doing an Exotic quest that can only be obtained by getting the DLC, The Witch Queen. However, this is still a worse weapon, so avoid getting it.

Worldline Zero – Worldline Zero was one of the best speed-running weapons, but it fell from grace. It is a sword that uses Heavy ammo and can deal Arc damage. This sword’s Exotic perk is that it will bypass elemental shields by using the perk while sprinting to deal a heavy Blink attack. It was one of the best weapons in the game, but Bungie removed its quirks which is why it is now one of the worst.

Salvation’s Grip – Salvation’s Grip is a grenade launcher that can be obtained by doing an Exotic quest that can be obtained by getting the Beyond Light DLC. The Salvation’s Grip is a Stasis weapon with Heavy ammo that can freeze nearby enemies. This is due to its Exotic perk, whose projectiles create Stasis crystals that freeze enemies.

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In addition, charging the weapon increases its freezer radius and the number of Stasis crystals. This can be an excellent weapon to freeze enemies, but the ability to hold enemies can be replicated with perks. On top of that, it is not worth it to use your Exotic or Heavy slot for the Salvation’s Grip.

That is all for our Destiny 2 Exotic tier list. Exotic weapons might be the highest-quality item in the game, but this does not mean that every one of them is powerful. Some can be mediocre, some are powerful, and some need a buff to become a contender in the current meta. We made this list because these weapons are extremely rare and hard to get. For more information, visit omggamer.com, where we post news and the latest updates on gaming, upcoming games, gaming builds, and more.