How Exotic Weapons work
Last updated: August 14, 2025
Exotic weapons are, basically, very fancy guns (and swords, and glaives). They’re unique gear that comes from a variety of sources and can change how you play the game.
Perks, Intrinsics, & Catalysts
Exotic weapons do not have randomized perks (with a couple of historical exceptions you can safely ignore).
Exotic weapons have Catalysts that can be earned. The Patterns & Catalysts section of the Collections tab will show you where you can get these Catalysts. Many are random drops, while certain ones can be gotten from Exotic quests and missions.
On non-craftable Exotic weapons, Catalysts usually have a bit of a grind to unlock the actual benefit of the Catalyst once you insert it on the weapon screen. For example, the new Rewards Pass Exotic, the Third Iteration, requires 700 kills to get the benefit of the Catalyst.
The Witch Queen introduced craftable Exotic weapons. With these, once you earn a Catalyst, you can reshape your weapon to insert it.
Additionally, some craftable weapons have intrinsics that you unlock. These are upgrades to the gun that you can reshape the gun once you’ve unlocked it. The following Exotics are craftable:
- Dead Man’s Tale (Kinetic Scout)
- Outbreak Perfected (Kinetic Pulse)
- Barrow-Dyad (Strand Pulse)
- Wish-Keeper (Strand Bow)
- Choir of One (Void Special Auto Rifle)
- Graviton Spike (Arc/Stasis Hand Cannon)
- Slayer’s Fang (Void Shotgun)
- Whisper of the Worm (Solar Heavy Sniper Rifle)
- Revision Zero (Kinetic Pulse)
- Dead Messenger (Void Special Grenade Launcher)
- Vexcalibur (Void Glaive)
- Osteo Striga (Kinetic SMG)
- Edge of Concurrence/Action/Intent (Arc/Void/Solar Glaive)
Acquiring Exotics
The following tables use abbreviations for the DLC:
| Abbreviation | DLC |
|---|---|
| 30th | 30th Anniversary Pack |
| FO | Forsaken Pack |
| SK | Shadowkeep Pack |
| BL | Beyond Light Pack |
| WQ | The Witch Queen |
| LF | Lightfall |
| TFS | The Final Shape |
| EOF | Edge of Fate |
Current Rewards Pass
The Third Iteration (Void Scout Rifle) is available in the Rewards Pass that runs through September 9. If you own the paid Rewards Pass, you can claim it at level 1; otherwise you have to grind to level 70.
After this, it will likely be added to the Monument To Lost Lights (see below) and require having purchased Edge of Fate to claim.
Pinnacle Ops
The Pinnacle Ops section of the Portal contains Exotic missions from past years of Destiny. Completing these missions on Expert or higher should reward the Exotic that the mission originally rewarded. They might also reward them at lower levels with some percentage chance.
| Name | Mission | |
|---|---|---|
| Choir of One Void Special Auto | Encore | |
| Slayer's Fang Void Shotgun | Kell's Fall | |
| Whisper of the Worm Solar Heavy Sniper | The Whisper | |
| Wish-Keeper Strand Combat Bow | Starcrossed | |
These missions drop craftable versions of each weapon the first time you complete them. Repeating these missions after earning the gun will earn additional intrinsics and catalyst(s) for each.
TODO: is there a specific difficulty required for catalysts?
Exotic rotator
The Exotic rotator is the mission available at the bottom-center of the “Legends” tab of the director. It’s a weekly rotation, resetting on Tuesday.
| Name | Mission | |
|---|---|---|
| Dead Man's Tale Kinetic Scout Rifle | Presage (LF) | |
| Dead Messenger Void Special GL | Vox Obscura (WQ) | |
| Revision Zero Kinetic Pulse Rifle | Operation Seraph’s Shield (WQ) | |
| Vexcalibur Void Glaive | //NODE.OVRD.AVALON// (LF) | |
| Wish-Keeper Strand Combat Bow | Starcrossed (LF) | |
These missions drop craftable versions of each weapon the first time you complete them. Repeating these missions after earning the gun will earn additional intrinsics. Doing these missions on Legend difficulty will earn the additional catalyst(s) for each.
TODO: test out intrinsic/catalyst behavior with one of the guns I don’t have
Exotic Quests
| Name | Quest(s) | |
|---|---|---|
| Arbalest Kinetic Special LFR | Another Last City (LF) The Heart's Depths (TFS) Collect Another Last City or The Heart's Depths from either Shaw Han or the Quest Archive in the Tower. | |
| Deathbringer Void Rocket Launcher | Symphony of Death (SK) Complete the campaign, then pick up the Lunar Spelunker bounty from Eris. Complete the bounty and complete the Memory of Sai Mota quest that drops after it, which will unlock the Symphony of Death quest. | |
| Deterministic Chaos Void Machine Gun | Unfinished Business (LF) Complete the Lightfall campaign to unlock the Unfinished Business quest. | |
| Divinity Arc Trace Rifle | Divine Fragmentation (SK) Defeat a Vex Minotaur in a cave southeast of Sorrow's Harbor to unlock the Divine Fragmentation quest. | |
| Edge of Action Void Glaive | The Evidence Board (WQ) Complete the full Evidence Board questline, ending in REPORT: REVERSE-LURE, on a Titan. Once you have collected either the Edge of Intent, Edge of Action, or Edge of Concurrence, the other two exotics can be claimed from the Evidence Board on alternate classes. | |
| Edge of Concurrence Arc Glaive | The Evidence Board (WQ) Complete the full Evidence Board questline, ending in REPORT: REVERSE-LURE, on a Warlock. Once you have collected either the Edge of Intent, Edge of Action, or Edge of Concurrence, the other two exotics can be claimed from the Evidence Board on alternate classes. | |
| Edge of Intent Solar Glaive | The Evidence Board (WQ) Complete the full Evidence Board questline, ending in REPORT: REVERSE-LURE, on a Hunter. Once you have collected either the Edge of Intent, Edge of Action, or Edge of Concurrence, the other two exotics can be claimed from the Evidence Board on alternate classes. | |
| Ergo Sum Kinetic Special Sword | Destined Heroes (TFS) Complete The Final Shape campaign to unlock the Destined Heroes quest. | |
| Final Warning Strand Sidearm | The Final Strand (LF) Collect all Strand fragments, aspects, & grenades to unlock the quest The Final Strand from the Pouka Pond. | |
| Forerunner Kinetic Special Sidearm | Magnum Opus (F2P) | |
| Gjallarhorn Solar Rocket Launcher | And Out Fly the Wolves (30th) Acquire from Xur in Xur's Treasure Horde (may also be at Shaw Han in the Cosmodrome or the Quest Archive in the Tower, check around). | |
| Graviton Spike Arc Hand Cannon | Graviton Through The Ages (EOF) Complete the Edge of Fate campaign to unlock the Graviton Through The Ages quest at the Altar of Relativitiy. | |
| Malfeasance Kinetic Hand Cannon | Darkness in the Light (FO) Defeat a Primeval in Gambit and collect the Seething Heart drop. Give it to The Drifter in the Tower to collect the Darkness in the Light quest. | |
| Microcosm Kinetic Heavy Trace | Convalescence (TFS) Progress the Destined Heroes quest to unlock the Convalescence questline and complete the last quest, Convalescence: Budding. | |
| Monte Carlo Kinetic Auto Rifle | Timeline Reflections (F2P) Complete the New Light campaign and talk to Ikora to unlock the Timeline Reflections quest. | |
| Necrochasm Kinetic Auto Rifle | The Bottomless Pit (F2P) Complete Crota's End once and acquire the Bottomless Pit quest from the sword vendor at the end. | |
| Parasite Solar Heavy GL | Of Queens and Worms (WQ) Complete The Witch Queen campaign to unlock the Of Queens and Worms quest. | |
| Riskrunner Arc Submachine Gun | A Spark of Hope (F2P) Complete the New Light campaign and talk to Ikora to unlock A Spark of Hope quest. | |
| Salvation's Grip Stasis Heavy GL | The Stasis Prototype (BL) Complete Beyond Light's campaign to unlock The Stasis Prototype quest. | |
| Still Hunt Solar Sniper Rifle | Wild Card (TFS) Progress the Destined Heroes quest to unlock the Wild Card quest. | |
| Sweet Business Kinetic Auto Rifle | The Queen Beckons (F2P) Collect The Queen Beckons quest from either Shaw Han or the Tower's Quest Archive. | |
| The Chaperone Kinetic Shotgun | Tex Mechanica Tournament (FO) Blast from the Past (BL) Pick up either Tex Mechania Tournament (Forsaken Pack) or Blast from the Past (Beyond Light Pack) from the Tower's Quest Archive. | |
| The Lament Solar Sword | Lost Lament (BL) | |
| Winterbite Stasis Heavy Glaive | Strider (LF) Complete the Lightfall campaign to unlock the Hall of Heroes questline, beginning with Welcome to the Hall of Heroes and ending in Strider. | |
| Wish-Ender Kinetic Combat Bow | Hunter's Remembrance (FO) Get the Hunter's Remembrance quest from Petra Venj in the Dreaming City. | |
| Xenophage Solar Machine Gun | The Journey (SK) Light four statue torches in the Enduring Abyss (near Sorrow's Harbor) to unlock The Journey quest. | |
Raid & Dungeon random drops
These Exotics do not have a guaranteed drop, and actually have a pretty low rate of 5%-10%. Some Raids and Dungeons allow increasing this drop rate by completing certain Triumphs, and there is some degree of bad luck protection that increases the drop rate as you repeat them.
TODO: what is the state of farmability/lockouts? I’ve heard super mixed things about this - right now we might be on a one per week lockout for each Raid and Dungeon. Hard to say since there’s little farming happening right now given the guns aren’t on the tier system (yet?).
Raid random drops
| Name | Raid | |
|---|---|---|
| Collective Obligation Void Pulse Rifle | Vow of the Disciple (WQ) | |
| Conditional Finality Stasis Shotgun | Root of Nightmares (LF) | |
| Euphony Strand Special LFR | Salvation's Edge (TFS) | |
| Eyes of Tomorrow Solar Rocket Launcher | Deep Stone Crypt (BL) | |
| One Thousand Voices Solar Heavy Fusion | Last Wish (FO) | |
| Touch of Malice Kinetic Scout Rifle | King's Fall (F2P) | |
| Vex Mythoclast Solar Primary Fusion | Vault of Glass (F2P) | |
| Whirling Ovation Strand Rocket Launcher | The Desert Perpetual (EOF) | |
Dungeon random drops
| Name | Dungeon | |
|---|---|---|
| Buried Bloodline Void Special Sidearm | Warlord's Ruin (LFDK) | |
| Finality's Auger Solar Linear Fusion Rifle | Sundered Doctrine (TFSDK) | |
| Heartshadow Void Sword | Duality (WQDK) | |
| Hierarchy of Needs Solar Combat Bow | Spire of the Watcher (WQDK) | |
| Ice Breaker Solar Sniper Rifle | Vesper's Host (TFSDK) | |
| The Navigator Strand Trace Rifle | Ghosts of the Deep (LFDK) | |
Miscellaneous Exotic Rewards
| Name | Glimmer | Spoils | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ace of Spades Kinetic Hand Cannon | 125k | ||
| Ager's Scepter Stasis Trace Rifle | 125k | ||
| Alethonym Stasis Primary GL | 100k | ||
| Anarchy Arc Heavy GL | 150k | 240 | |
| Bad Juju Kinetic Pulse Rifle | 125k | ||
| Bastion Kinetic Fusion Rifle | 100k | ||
| Centrifuse Arc Auto Rifle | 100k | ||
| Cryosthesia 77K Stasis Sidearm | 100k | ||
| Delicate Tomb Arc Fusion Rifle | 100k | ||
| Devil's Ruin Solar Sidearm | 100k | ||
| Dragon's Breath Solar Rocket Launcher | 100k | ||
| Duality Solar Shotgun | 100k | ||
| Eriana's Vow Solar Special HC | 100k | ||
| Ex Diris Arc Special GL | 100k | ||
| Grand Overture Arc Machine Gun | 100k | ||
| Izanagi's Burden Kinetic Sniper Rifle | 150k | ||
| Jötunn Solar Fusion Rifle | 125k | ||
| Le Monarque Void Combat Bow | 125k | ||
| Legend of Acrius Arc Heavy Shotgun | 150k | 240 | |
| Leviathan's Breath Void Heavy Bow | 100k | ||
| Lodestar Arc Primary Trace | 100k | ||
| Lorentz Driver Void Special LFR | 100k | ||
| Lumina Kinetic Hand Cannon | 125k | ||
| MIDA Multi-Tool Kinetic Scout Rifle | 100k | ||
| Polaris Lance Solar Scout Rifle | 125k | ||
| Quicksilver Storm Kinetic Auto Rifle | 100k | ||
| Rat King Kinetic Sidearm | 100k | ||
| Red Death Reformed Solar Pulse Rifle | 100k | ||
| Ruinous Effigy Void Trace Rifle | 125k | ||
| Sleeper Simulant Solar Linear Fusion Rifle | 125k | ||
| Sturm Kinetic Hand Cannon | 100k | ||
| Symmetry Arc Scout Rifle | 100k | ||
| Tarrabah Solar Submachine Gun | 150k | 240 | |
| Tessellation Kinetic Fusion Rifle | 100k | ||
| The Fourth Horseman Arc Shotgun | 125k | ||
| The Last Word Kinetic Hand Cannon | 125k | ||
| The Manticore Void Submachine Gun | 100k | ||
| Thorn Kinetic Hand Cannon | 125k | ||
| Ticuu's Divination Solar Combat Bow | 100k | ||
| Tommy's Matchbook Solar Auto Rifle | 100k | ||
| Traveler's Chosen Kinetic Sidearm | 125k | ||
| Trespasser Arc Sidearm | 100k | ||
| Truth Void Rocket Launcher | 125k | ||
| Verglas Curve Stasis Combat Bow | 100k | ||
| Wicked Implement Stasis Scout Rifle | 100k | ||
| Witherhoard Kinetic Special GL | 100k | ||
| Worldline Zero Arc Sword | 125k | ||
Monument to Lost Lights
Weapons that are no longer available through any mission accessible in-game are moved to the Monument to Lost Lights, where they can be purchased using an Exotic Cipher. Exotic Ciphers can be earned from the Reward Pass and Weekly Rewards tracks.
Several of these weapons, which were originally rewards for various Raids, also require additional “Spoils of Conquest,” a currency that drops from boss encounters and secret chests in Raids.
Additionally, the Forsaken Pack comes with three Forsaken Ciphers that can be used to purchase any Forsaken gear (though Spoils are still required for Anarchy, Tarabah, and Always on Time).
| Name | Source | |
|---|---|---|
| Barrow-Dyad Strand Submachine Gun | Likely to return as a Pinnacle Op mission in the near future. (TFS) | |
| Cloudstrike Arc Sniper Rifle | Random drop from Empire Hunts (BL) | |
| Graviton Lance Void Pulse Rifle | New Light Kit (Void) (F2P) | |
| Hawkmoon Kinetic Hand Cannon | Can be purchased from Xur (random perks) (BL) | |
| Heir Apparent Solar Machine Gun | Drops during Guardian Games event (F2P) | |
| Khvostov 7G-0X Kinetic Auto Rifle | Complete post-TFS-campaign secrets (TFS) Collect all 15 Lost Encryption Bits (nine from world chests, six hidden in Cysts unlocked by Micah-10's Alone in the Dark questline) to acquire the Lost Encryption Code, allowing you to pick up the Legendary Khvostov from The Impasse. Find all 17 Motes of Light (eight from Visions of the Traveler, nine from defeating Overthrow bosses). Place Visions on the pedestals in The Lost City to spawn the chest to claim the Exotic Kvostov. | |
| New Land Beyond Kinetic Sniper Rifle | Preorder bonus for Edge of Fate - likely available at the Monument for Lost Lights within a year (EOF) | |
| No Time to Explain Kinetic Pulse Rifle | Completing the Beyond Light campaign (BL) | |
| Osteo Striga Kinetic Submachine Gun | Craftable after Witch Queen campaign completion (WQ) | |
| Outbreak Perfected Kinetic Pulse Rifle | Complete Zero Hour Exotic mission (Legends tab) (F2P) | |
| Riskrunner Arc Submachine Gun | New Light Kit (Arc) (F2P) Complete the New Light campaign and talk to Ikora to unlock A Spark of Hope quest. | |
| Sunshot Solar Hand Cannon | New Light Kit (Solar) (F2P) | |
| Third Iteration Void Scout Rifle | Current Rewards Pass (through September 9). (F2P) | |
The world pool & Xur
A number of exotic weapons are in the “world pool,” which is Destiny-speak for “stuff that can drop wherever.” Decoding Exotic engrams at the Cryptarch may drop these weapons, and Xur may offer them for sale on weekends.
The world pool works on a “knockout” system - you won’t get duplicate drops of these items from decoding engrams.
Some of these guns may require owning certain DLC. This is really hard to verify; Bungie doesn’t have a clear drop table for any of this. Do not buy this DLC just for these guns - none of them are worth it. If you’re a F2P player or just don’t own the associated pack listed here and manage to get a random drop of one of these (or buy it from Xur), please send me an email so I can correct it.
| Name | DLC | |
|---|---|---|
| Arbalest Kinetic Special LFR | F2P | |
| Black Talon Void Sword | FO | |
| Borealis Void Sniper Rifle | F2P | |
| Cerberus+1 Kinetic Auto Rifle | FO | |
| Coldheart Arc Trace Rifle | F2P | |
| Crimson Kinetic Hand Cannon | F2P | |
| D.A.R.C.I. Arc Heavy Sniper | F2P | |
| Fighting Lion Void Primary GL | F2P | |
| Graviton Lance Void Pulse Rifle | F2P | |
| Hard Light Void Auto Rifle | F2P | |
| Lord of Wolves Solar Shotgun | FO | |
| Merciless Solar Fusion Rifle | F2P | |
| Monte Carlo Kinetic Auto Rifle | SK | |
| Prometheus Lens Solar Trace Rifle | F2P | |
| Riskrunner Arc Submachine Gun | F2P | |
| Skyburner's Oath Solar Scout Rifle | F2P | |
| Sunshot Solar Hand Cannon | F2P | |
| SUROS Regime Kinetic Auto Rifle | F2P | |
| Sweet Business Kinetic Auto Rifle | F2P | |
| Telesto Void Fusion Rifle | F2P | |
| The Colony Void Heavy GL | F2P | |
| The Huckleberry Kinetic Submachine Gun | F2P | |
| The Jade Rabbit Kinetic Scout Rifle | F2P | |
| The Prospector Arc Heavy GL | F2P | |
| The Queenbreaker Arc Linear Fusion Rifle | FO | |
| The Wardcliff Coil Arc Rocket Launcher | F2P | |
| Thunderlord Arc Machine Gun | F2P | |
| Tractor Cannon Void Heavy Shotgun | F2P | |
| Trinity Ghoul Arc Combat Bow | FO | |
| Two-Tailed Fox Void Rocket Launcher | FO | |
| Vigilance Wing Kinetic Pulse Rifle | F2P | |
| Wavesplitter Void Trace Rifle | FO | |
Acquiring Catalysts & Intrinsics
Some weapons have additional Quests or secrets that can grant Catalysts. Look at the “Patterns & Catalysts” section of the Collections tab for more info on this.
As a rule of thumb:
- Most world pool/Monument to Lost Lights weapons have a Catalyst that drops randomly from completing any activity.
- The current Season/Rewards Pass Exotic’s Catalyst can be earned through reaching level 90 on the Rewards Pass. Additionally, reaching this level will grant Catalysts for previous season/Rewards Pass Exotics.
- Craftable weapons with a corresponding Pinnacle Op can have their intrinsics & Catalysts earned through repeated completions of the Pinnacle Op on Expert difficulty or higher.
- Craftable weapons with a corresponding Exotic rotator mission can have their intrinsics earned through repeated completions of the normal difficulty, and Catalysts earned through repeated completions of the Legend difficulty.