In Destiny 2’s shifting sandbox, Exotic weapons stand as the defining tools of a Guardian’s power. Each one changes the rhythm of combat, reshaping how encounters are cleared, bosses are melted, and duels are won.
This tier list ranks the strongest Exotic weapons for both PvE and PvP as of November 2025. Weapons are rated by endgame performance, versatility, and synergy with current seasonal mods. We will break down our rankings into S-Tier (meta-defining), A-Tier (highly reliable), and B-Tier (strong niche picks).
In this guide you’ll find:
- A full explanation of the Featured Gear system and how the Avant Garde modifier limits endgame loadouts.
- A detailed Utility Matrix showing each weapon’s role, element, and anti-Champion capability.
- A breakdown of the top Exotics by activity – from raid DPS weapons to Grandmaster, ad-clear, and solo options.
- A quick Catalyst priority list highlighting which upgrades provide the biggest performance jumps.
- Coverage of all new and returning Exotics for November 2025, including current acquisition methods.
- Expert insights into how the 2025 Exotic meta favors utility hybrids that combine damage, crowd control, and survivability.
Current Meta Snapshot – November 2025
- S-Tier (Top Meta Picks): Trinity Ghoul, Buried Bloodline, Microcosm, Whisper of the Worm, Conditional Finality
- A-Tier (Strong Performers): Le Monarque, Witherhoard, Gjallarhorn, Izanagi’s Burden, Divinity, Leviathan’s Breath
- B-Tier (Niche Utility): Lord of Wolves, Tractor Cannon, Sunshot
Destiny 2 Featured Gear System Explained (Edge of Fate Season)
In the “Edge of Fate” expansion, weapons and armor tagged with a teal “blue ribbon” icon are considered “Featured/New Gear.” While equipping them grants small per-slot bonuses to damage and resistance in most activities, this system’s true purpose is far more restrictive in the highest echelons of endgame content.
Activities like seasonal “Conquests” (the equivalent of Grandmaster Nightfalls) often feature the “Avant Garde” modifier, which mandates that Guardians use a loadout composed only of items tagged as “Featured.” This creates a critical distinction between the “Absolute Meta” (the most powerful weapons overall) and the “Activity-Mandated Meta” (the best weapons you are allowed to use). This means that while an older workhorse like Witherhoard might be a top-tier choice in a vacuum, it may be mechanically unusable in the season’s hardest challenges if it isn’t featured.
How to Identify Featured Gear:
- Season Icon: A teal/new-gear icon on the top-left of the item’s icon marks it as current-season.
- Collections Tab: In the Collections menu under “Featured Gear,” all current-season Exotic and Legendary items are listed.
- Artifact Buff: Hover over your Artifact slot to see the “New Gear” bonuses that apply when seasonal gear is equipped.
Destiny 2 Exotic Weapons Tier List & Utility Matrix (November 2025)
This table provides a quick reference for the top tier weapons, mapping their core function, anti-champion capabilities, and overall utility in this exotic tier list.
| Tier | Exotic Weapon | Slot | Element | Anti-Champion | Debuff / Core Utility |
| S | Trinity Ghoul | Energy | Arc | – | S-Tier Ad-Clear |
| S | Buried Bloodline | Energy | Void | – | Devour + 15% Weaken |
| S | Microcosm | Heavy | Kinetic | – | S-Tier Sustained Boss DPS |
| S | Whisper of the Worm | Heavy | Solar | – | Precision Sustained DPS |
| S | Conditional Finality | Kinetic | Stasis/Solar | Champion Control | Freeze & Ignite Interactions |
| A | Witherhoard | Kinetic | Kinetic | – | Area Denial, Damage-over-Time |
| A | Leviathan’s Breath | Heavy | Void | Unstoppable | High Total Damage, Heavy Stagger, Volatile |
| A | Le Monarque | Energy | Void | Overload | Damage-over-Time, Ad-Clear |
| A | Divinity | Energy | Arc | – | 15% Weaken, Crit Cage |
| A | Outbreak Perfected | Kinetic | Kinetic | – | High Sustained Primary DPS |
| A | Gjallarhorn | Heavy | Solar | – | Team Rocket Buff / Burst |
| B | Lord of Wolves | Energy | Solar | – | Burst DPS (Short Range) |
| B | Tractor Cannon | Heavy | Void | – | 30% Weaken, Suppression |
Catalyst Priority: The Fast Wins
An Exotic’s Catalyst can often transform it from good to great. If you have these weapons, prioritize completing their Catalysts for the biggest performance gains. Most Catalysts drop from playlist completions once the weapon is owned, unless otherwise noted.
| Catalyst | Weapon | Transformation |
| Forked Lightning | Trinity Ghoul | Converts it into a full-screen add clear weapon by triggering on any Arc kill. |
| Auto-Loading Holster | Witherhoard | Essential for its role in damage rotations, allowing you to fire and swap. |
| Devouring Weaken | Buried Bloodline | Adds a 15% Weaken effect while Devour is active, elevating it to a top-tier support weapon. |
| Fang and Claw | Lord of Wolves | Adds Scorch during its high-damage mode, enabling powerful Ignition-based builds. |
| Whispered Breathing | Whisper of the Worm | Grants a massive and necessary precision damage boost, unlocking its true DPS potential. |
S-Tier & A-Tier Exotics by Activity (The Meta Picks)
Your loadout should adapt to the challenge. Here are the top-tier Exotic recommendations for Destiny 2’s core endgame activities.
S-Tier Boss DPS & Raid Exotics
Microcosm: A foundational piece of the post-Final Shape DPS meta. This Heavy Kinetic Trace Rifle offers a massive sustained damage profile and is an essential counter to high-health targets, especially when utilizing its paracausal charge mechanic after a Super cast.
- How to Get: Complete the “Convalescence: Budding” quest after the Final Shape campaign.
Euphony: As the Exotic Linear Fusion Rifle from the Salvation’s Edge raid, Euphony defines the optimal damage strategy for many top-tier encounters. Raid Exotics are frequently tuned for unparalleled burst or total damage, and this weapon’s threadlings amplify its damage.
- How to Get: Random drop from the final encounter of the Salvation’s Edge raid.
Whisper of the Worm: The premier choice for long, stationary damage phases where precision is key. Its “White Nail” perk reloads the magazine after three consecutive precision hits, allowing for incredible sustained fire.
- How to Get: Complete “The Whisper” Exotic Mission.
Still Hunt: (Hunter-specific) A game-changing sniper for precision bosses. Precision hits fill a secondary Golden Gun super bar (3 shots), providing a massive burst of damage. Its main strength is enabling unique and powerful damage rotations.
- How to Get: After The Final Shape campaign, progress the “Destined Heroes” (Ergo Sum) quest to Step 4 to unlock the “Wild Card” quest from Cayde-6.
Izanagi’s Burden: A premier choice for burst damage, its Honed Edge precision shot can deliver a massive chunk of damage instantly. It remains a core component in many high-level DPS rotations for its ability to deal more damage in a single shot than most weapons.
- How to Get: Purchase from the Monument to Lost Lights in the Tower.
Gjallarhorn: The ultimate team rocket enabler. This iconic launcher boosts the damage of all Legendary rocket launchers in the fireteam, making it a staple in any coordinated DPS phase.
- How to Get: Complete the “And Out Fly The Wolves” quest from the 30th Anniversary content.
A-Tier / Utility Exotics for Grandmasters & Endgame PvE
Le Monarque: A Grandmaster workhorse. Intrinsic Overload stun and potent poison arrows that spread on a perfect draw make it perfect for controlling champions and clearing ads from safety.
- How to Get: Purchase from the Monument to Lost Lights (standard Monument costs apply).
Wish-Ender: Its intrinsic Anti-Barrier and pass-through shots let it safely pierce and break Barrier shields, making it an extremely consistent and safe option in GMs.
- How to Get: Complete the secret quest within the Shattered Throne dungeon.
Divinity: The choice between Divinity and Buried Bloodline comes down to utility. Divinity’s 15% weaken is paired with an invaluable critical cage, essential for maximizing precision-based DPS on bosses with erratic movement.
- How to Get: Complete the puzzle quest within the Garden of Salvation raid.
Buried Bloodline: Grants Devour to any subclass, providing continuous self-healing that is a lifesaver in high-stakes content. The choice here is sustained survival combined with a 15% weaken, a powerful support tool.
- How to Get: Random drop from the final encounter of the Warlord’s Ruin dungeon.
Tractor Cannon: A simple but profound tool. The 30% Weaken debuff in PvE (commonly tested at ~50% in PvP) and ability to suppress dangerous enemies can make difficult encounters trivial. It remains the highest single-instance Weaken.
- How to Get: Random drop from Exotic Engrams.
Top Ad-Clear Exotics (S to A Tier)
Trinity Ghoul: The undisputed monarch of add clear. With its Catalyst, any Arc kill triggers a screen-clearing storm of chain lightning.
- How to Get: Random drop from Exotic Engrams.
Witherhoard: Excels at locking down spawn points and handling tanky enemies with its passive damage. Its ability to create damaging pools offers fantastic Crowd Control.
- How to Get: Purchase from the Monument to Lost Lights in the Tower.
Sunshot: A classic hand cannon whose explosive Solar kills create a satisfying cascade of ignitions, perfect for clearing dense groups of enemies.
- How to Get: Random drop from Exotic Engrams.
Graviton Lance: This Void pulse rifle creates chain-reactions of explosions with its Cosmology perk. Its Catalyst adds Vorpal Weapon and Turnabout, giving it surprising value against bosses and shielded enemies across all modes.
- How to Get: Random drop from Exotic Engrams.
Quicksilver Storm: A top-tier auto rifle that seamlessly switches between bullets, micro-rockets, and a hard-hitting grenade launcher mode. The GL mode becomes available after “Grenades Prepped” appears, swapped by holding reload.
- How to Get: From the Monument to Lost Lights or Xûr when available.
Solo Play & Survivability
Buried Bloodline: Grants Devour to any subclass, providing continuous self-healing in prolonged encounters with its 5-second refresh on kills.
The Lament: A high-risk, high-reward option. This Solar chainsaw-sword can tear through Barrier Champions while its healing on-hit allows for aggressive, in-your-face combat against even the toughest bosses.
- How to Get: Complete the “Lost Lament” quest after the Beyond Light campaign.
Red Death Reformed: A reliable pulse rifle. Final blows heal you, and reloading after a final blow heals nearby allies. An updated version of the classic Red Death, it is a very forgiving weapon for solo operators.
- How to Get: Purchase from the Monument to Lost Lights in the Tower.
Top Exotic Weapons for Crucible (PvP)
For those who enjoy both PVE and PVP, a few Exotic weapons in Destiny consistently make their mark:
- Dead Man’s Tale: This scout rifle excels in a variety of engagements.
- Jade Rabbit: A scout rifle that rewards a patient hand with high damage and reduced flinch.
- Suros Regime: A flexible auto rifle with two firing modes for different engagement ranges.
New & Returning Exotics (November 2025 Highlights)
Ice Breaker (Vesper’s Host): The notorious sniper returns, now generating ammo from other weapon or ability final blows, not passively. Defeating targets causes them to explode, with precision or shatter kills triggering an Ignition.
- How to Get: Random drop from the final encounter of the Vesper’s Host dungeon. Drop odds can be improved by completing associated Triumphs and through weekly clears.
Choir of One (Encore): This versatile special weapon becomes a Void ad-clear machine with its Destabilizing Rounds catalyst, spreading Volatile with every kill.
- How to Get: Complete the “Encore” Exotic Mission.
Third Iteration: A recent season pass Exotic, this Void scout rifle can grant invisibility on precision final blows, offering high survivability.
- How to Get: Acquired via the “Edge of Fate” Season Pass track.
B-Tier & Situational Exotics – How to Get and What They Do
Here is a closer look at some of the most sought-after Exotics, including their core functions and how to acquire them. This is not a complete Tier List exotic weapons but a focused look at top performers.
Kinetic Slot Exotics
Outbreak Perfected: This pulse rifle unleashes swarms of SIVA nanites that deal escalating damage. A craftable version allows for perks like Rewind Rounds to improve its already great sustained fire.
- How to Get: Complete the “Zero Hour” Exotic Mission.
New Land Beyond: This returning iron-sight sniper from the New Land questline increases its own damage with every precision hit.
- How to Get: Claim via Edge of Fate Ultimate/pre-order track (Special Deliveries/Archive). Availability typically moves to the Monument to Lost Lights later in the year.
Conditional Finality: A double-barrel shotgun firing a Stasis shell to Freeze and a Solar shell to Ignite targets. Its ability to handle both Unstoppable and Overload champions makes it arguably the best shotgun for utility.
- How to Get: Random drop from the final encounter of the Root of Nightmares raid.
Energy Slot Exotics
Lord of Wolves: A powerful solar shotgun. Hip-firing triggers “Release the Wolves,” a high-damage, high-fire-rate mode. The Catalyst adds Scorch, making it an Ignition machine.
- How to Get: Random drop from Exotic Engrams.
Heavy Slot Exotics
Thunderlord: This machine gun calls down lightning strikes on final blows and ramps its rate of fire with sustained use. Catalyst: Return Stroke—lightning strikes partially reload the magazine from reserves, extending sustained DPS.
- How to Get: Random drop from Exotic Engrams.
Parasite: Heavy GL reserve increases have improved its uptime; Parasite’s own damage tuning is handled separately, but it remains one of the highest burst options with its “Worm’s Hunger” perk stacked.
- How to Get: Complete the “Of Queens and Worms” quest after the Witch Queen campaign.
Anarchy: Essential for damage phases requiring tactical retreat or movement. This Arc Heavy Grenade Launcher creates damage-over-time traps, providing crucial residual damage that cannot be replicated by burst weapons.
- How to Get: Purchase from the Monument to Lost Lights in the Tower.
Xenophage: A Solar Heavy Machine Gun that remains essential for bosses that lack easily targetable critical spots, allowing for maximized, consistent body shot damage regardless of location.
- How to Get: Purchase from the Monument to Lost Lights in the Tower.
Ergo Sum: A revolutionary sword in the energy slot that uses special ammo. It can be configured with multiple Catalysts that grant it traits from other famous Exotics, making it an exceptionally versatile one exotic weapon.
- How to Get: Complete the “Destined Heroes” quest after the Final Shape campaign.
In November 2025, Destiny 2’s Exotic landscape leans toward weapons that can multitask — controlling Champions, applying elemental debuffs, and maintaining steady damage uptime. Buried Bloodline, Microcosm, and Conditional Finality define this approach, while classics like Gjallarhorn and Witherhoard hold niche value through team synergy or area control. Future sandbox passes are likely to preserve this hierarchy, favoring Exotics that bring layered utility rather than one-dimensional burst damage.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best Exotic weapons in Destiny 2 for November 2025?
As of November 2025, the strongest Exotic weapons in Destiny 2 are Trinity Ghoul, Buried Bloodline, Microcosm, Conditional Finality, and Le Monarque. These weapons consistently dominate both PvE and PvP due to their ability to combine crowd control, elemental damage, and high uptime on debuffs or healing. They fit neatly into the “utility hybrid” meta that defines the Edge of Fate expansion, making them viable across raids, dungeons, and high-end content.
What is the Destiny 2 Exotic weapon meta right now?
The current Exotic weapon meta emphasizes sustained utility rather than raw burst damage. The best Exotics apply subclass verbs such as Weaken, Volatile, Scorch, or Devour, allowing them to contribute to both survivability and team efficiency. Hybrid weapons like Buried Bloodline and Microcosm outperform traditional damage-only tools because they simultaneously fill multiple combat roles — debuffing, healing, and damage application — within the same loadout slot.
Which Exotic weapons are S-Tier in Destiny 2 2025?
S-Tier Exotics currently include Trinity Ghoul, Buried Bloodline, Microcosm, Conditional Finality, and Gjallarhorn. Trinity Ghoul leads for Arc ad-clear; Buried Bloodline dominates survivability with Devour and Weaken; Microcosm anchors boss DPS; Conditional Finality covers Champion control; and Gjallarhorn remains a fireteam staple for rocket builds. These five define the November meta across nearly every major activity type.
What Exotic weapons are best for Raids and Boss DPS?
For Raid and high-end boss damage, Microcosm, Whisper of the Worm, Euphony, and Gjallarhorn stand out. Microcosm provides top-tier sustained DPS through its Paracausal Charge mechanic. Whisper of the Worm excels in stationary boss phases with infinite precision ammo regeneration. Gjallarhorn empowers team-based rocket builds, while Euphony, from the Salvation’s Edge raid, offers exceptional burst potential through Threadling synergy. These choices remain staples for coordinated fireteams seeking maximum phase efficiency.
What are the best Exotic weapons for Grandmaster Nightfalls?
Grandmaster Nightfalls demand consistency, crowd control, and safety. Le Monarque is unrivaled for Overload stuns and poison spread, Wish-Ender pierces Barrier shields while keeping distance, and Buried Bloodline grants Devour for constant self-healing. Divinity continues to offer reliable team weaken and critical hit support, and Tractor Cannon provides instant suppression and a 30% Weaken debuff for burst windows. These five weapons form the backbone of any top-tier GM loadout.
What are the best Exotics for solo players in Destiny 2?
Solo Guardians benefit most from weapons that sustain health or handle multiple combat roles. Buried Bloodline is the standout for all classes due to its Devour mechanic, providing constant healing and damage buffs. The Lament offers healing on hit while cutting through Barrier Champions, making it ideal for aggressive melee builds. Red Death Reformed revives the original Red Death’s functionality — every kill heals you, and reloading after a final blow heals nearby allies — making it an easy recommendation for solo dungeon clears and Lost Sectors.
What are the best Exotics for PvP in November 2025?
In the Crucible, Dead Man’s Tale, The Jade Rabbit, and Suros Regime dominate the mid-to-long-range meta, while Lord of Wolves remains a powerful close-quarters threat. Dead Man’s Tale excels in precision duels, Jade Rabbit rewards accuracy and range control, and Suros Regime’s dual firing modes adapt to any map layout. For shotgun users, Lord of Wolves’ burst potential continues to punish aggressive pushes, making it one of the most punishing PvP weapons in the sandbox.
What is the “Featured Gear” system in Destiny 2?
The Featured Gear system, introduced with Edge of Fate, highlights current-season weapons and armor using a teal ribbon icon. Featured items receive minor bonuses to damage and resistance when equipped, but their real importance appears in high-end activities like Conquests or Avant Garde missions, where only Featured loadouts are permitted. This mechanic ensures seasonal gear relevance and rotation, limiting older weapons like Witherhoard in top-end content if they’re not re-featured.
How do I tell if a weapon is Featured in Destiny 2?
A Featured weapon shows a teal ribbon on the top-left corner of its icon. You can also check the Collections tab under “Featured Gear” or hover over your Artifact slot, which displays active “New Gear” bonuses. Vendors and seasonal challenges frequently label Featured items, and weapons tied to new story content or events are almost always included in that rotation.
What Exotic Catalysts are worth completing first?
Some Exotic Catalysts provide enormous performance boosts and should be prioritized:
- Trinity Ghoul – Forked Lightning: Converts it into the best ad-clear weapon in Destiny 2 by allowing Lightning Rod to trigger on any Arc kill.
- Witherhoard – Auto-Loading Holster: Enables instant weapon swapping for continuous damage uptime.
- Buried Bloodline – Devouring Weaken: Adds a 15% Weaken effect during Devour, combining healing and team debuffing.
- Whisper of the Worm – Whispered Breathing: Greatly increases precision damage, essential for boss DPS.
- Lord of Wolves – Fang and Claw: Adds Scorch during its burst mode, enabling Ignition builds in Solar loadouts.
How do you get Microcosm in Destiny 2?
Microcosm is obtained through the “Convalescence: Budding” questline, unlocked after completing The Final Shape campaign. It’s a Kinetic Trace Rifle that deals Heavy weapon-tier damage and gains a massive power boost after you cast your Super. Microcosm excels in sustained DPS encounters, making it one of the highest-value exotics to earn in the current endgame.
How do you get Buried Bloodline in Destiny 2 2025?
Buried Bloodline drops from the final encounter of the Warlord’s Ruin dungeon. Its unique perk grants Devour on multi-kills, providing healing and reload benefits across all subclasses. Completing the Catalyst adds a 15% Weaken effect while Devour is active, turning it into a hybrid support and damage weapon. Its combination of survivability and team value makes it one of the most complete exotics in Destiny 2.
How do you get Conditional Finality?
Conditional Finality drops randomly from the Root of Nightmares raid final boss encounter. It fires two shells: one Stasis to Freeze and one Solar to Ignite targets. This combination lets it stun multiple Champion types and trigger both subclass reactions, making it one of the most flexible PvE shotguns in Destiny 2 history. It remains a high-priority chase item for any Guardian focusing on raid versatility.
Is Divinity still worth using in 2025?
Yes, despite its Weaken debuff being reduced to 15%, Divinity remains invaluable for coordinated fireteams. It creates a stable critical hit bubble around enemies, ensuring all precision weapons land crits consistently. In team damage phases or raid encounters, this effect still outweighs its slight nerf, particularly when paired with high-accuracy weapons like Izanagi’s Burden or Whisper of the Worm.
What are the best Exotic weapons for ad-clear in Destiny 2?
For clearing large groups of enemies efficiently, the top Exotics are Trinity Ghoul, Sunshot, Graviton Lance, and Witherhoard. Trinity Ghoul’s chain lightning from the Catalyst turns every Arc kill into an area wipe. Sunshot’s explosive rounds cause Solar Ignitions, while Graviton Lance triggers Void chain detonations. Witherhoard’s blight pools provide area denial, making it excellent for controlling choke points in dungeons and strikes.
Which Exotics are new or returning in November 2025?
Three major Exotics highlight the current rotation:
- Icebreaker (Vesper’s Host): A reimagined sniper that generates ammo through active combat interactions and triggers Solar Ignitions.
- Choir of One (Encore): A Void special weapon that spreads Volatile effects with its Catalyst, ideal for mass ad-clear.
- Third Iteration: A Void scout rifle from the Season Pass that grants invisibility on precision kills, blending offensive power with survivability.
Is Witherhoard still good in Destiny 2 2025?
Absolutely. Witherhoard remains one of the most efficient control and boss chip damage weapons in the game. Its blight pools deal passive AoE damage, freeing players to swap to their primary or heavy weapon for additional DPS. The Auto-Loading Holster Catalyst keeps its uptime nearly continuous, making it indispensable for solo players and fireteams that prioritize efficient boss rotations.
What are the best Exotic Heavy weapons right now?
The best Heavy Exotics are Microcosm, Gjallarhorn, Leviathan’s Breath, Thunderlord, and Anarchy. Microcosm dominates single-target fights; Gjallarhorn boosts fireteam rocket damage; Leviathan’s Breath offers high-impact precision and Unstoppable capability; Thunderlord provides strong ad-clear and boss chip damage; and Anarchy’s Arc traps allow sustained damage without exposing yourself to danger. Each covers a distinct damage profile suited for different endgame scenarios.
What are the easiest Exotic weapons to get in November 2025?
Some of the easiest Exotics to acquire — ideal for new or returning players — include Trinity Ghoul, Sunshot, Witherhoard, and Suros Regime. Trinity and Sunshot drop randomly from Exotic Engrams, while Witherhoard and Suros can be purchased directly from the Monument to Lost Lights using standard materials. These weapons perform exceptionally well in both casual and endgame content, offering high return for minimal grind.
What defines the S-Tier Exotic weapons this season?
S-Tier Exotics share three traits: high uptime, encounter-solving utility, and team synergy. They contribute more than raw damage by offering healing, debuffs, or elemental reactions. Buried Bloodline’s Devour + Weaken combo, Trinity Ghoul’s chain-clearing power, and Microcosm’s unmatched DPS output embody these qualities. As Destiny 2’s sandbox continues to evolve, these flexible, multi-role exotics will remain the foundation of every top-tier Guardian loadout.
