Destiny 2: Shadowkeep has launched, bringing players back to the Moon for the first time since the very beginning of the franchise. As players go searching for all sorts of new quests, gear, and light to power up their Guardians, everyone is no doubt on the lookout for the new Shadowkeep exotics. Exotics are the top tier of loot in Destiny, and each one is capable of changing a player’s game altogether. With that in mind, we took a look at some of the new exotic weapons that Destiny 2: Shadowkeep has to offer.
Deathbringer Rocket Launcher
The Deathbringer is a weapon that will make any day a rainy day in the most explosive way possible.
When one thinks of Destiny 2 exotics, one wouldn’t be mistaken to believe that they are all apex bringers of death, so a Destiny 2 exotic calling itself “the Deathbringer” might be considered flippant. That said, the moniker is well-earned here. The Deathbringer does very well at bringing death. Unlike other rocket launchers, this one is more strategic. You don’t fire it directly your target. Rather, you want to aim it high above their heads. The first Dark Deliverance perk of the Deathbringer is that its initially fired rocket projectile can be remotely detonated in the air. The death comes after when void orbs spawn off of its initial explosion and rain down.
Your enemies had best have some sturdy umbrellas too, because the second perk of the rocket launcher is Dark Descent, which increases the damage of each void orb based on the distance it falls. Because of the tracking of the projectiles and the ability to detonate the Deathbringer’s initial rocket at will, this is a versatile weapon that was made to hit otherwise difficult enemies or check corners without exposing yourself to danger. If you have the room to launch your rocket high into the air, you’ll be raining absolute destruction down upon an area and all of the enemies caught within.
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Shop NowDivinity Trace Rifle
The Divinity will be hard to obtain, but its utility to a fire team is nearly unmatched.
One of the ultimate prizes of Shadowkeep’s Garden of Salvation raid is the Divinity Trace Rifle. This potent weapon has quite a lengthy series of steps attached to it, but its utility in battle is absolute. The Judgement perk would be enough to make it a standout weapon. Keeping its fire focused on an enemy creates a field that causes them to take more damage from everyone on your team. Firing at any part of an enemy’s body under Divinity’s Judgement will do normal critical damage, but hitting their critical point will do even more damage as well. It’s like hitting a critical on top of a critical in a single shot. The best part is that the Judgement perk is a unique buff that can be used in sync with other buffs and debuffs for even more damage.
As if that wasn’t enough, Divinity’s second perk, Penance, makes it a deadly weapon all on its own. After a few seconds of sustained fire, Penance will activate, delivering a large burst of damage to a Judgement-affected enemy. The Divinity is an amazing utility tool for teams trying to take down difficult single targets. Any exotic can change the game, but it feels like at least one player on any fire team should have the Divinity for the sheer opportunity it delivers.
Eriana’s Vow Hand Cannon
Eriana’s Vow will punch holes in your foes whether they bring a shield to the fight or not.
We haven’t forgotten about PVPers and neither has Bungie. The Eriana’s Vow Hand Cannon is an exotic reward in the new battle pass system in Destiny 2: Shadowkeep, and its power extends to your questing and Crucible adventures equally well. Eriana’s Vow is all about destroying shields and the foes that have them. The Looks Can Kill perk is an intrinsic trait of the gun that gives it shield-piercing abilities. That means it punches through shields to do damage to the opponent it hits.
Moreover, you may have noticed the nice little scope on the gun. Eriana’s second perk is Death at First Glance, which deals bonus damage on the first shot you fire when looking down the sight. It has a cooldown, but the perk refreshes instantly if you hit either an elemental shield or a precision shot with it, which makes Eriana’s Vow a powerful go-to when it comes to Guardians in the Crucible or monsters on the Moon. Precision makes this Hand Cannon a beast of a weapon, but every enemy with a shield is going suffer under the might of every shot it fires.
These are just a handful of our favorite new Destiny 2: Shadowkeep exotics. There are a few more out there as well, each with their own strengths and niches that make them fantastic additions to your armaments. Some are harder to get than others, like the Divinity Trace Rifle’s Raid questline, but every player will likely find a good reason to keep any of these new weapons in their collected armaments once acquired. Have you come across a Shadowkeep exotic that has become your new favorite? Let us know which exotic has changed up your game!
Read More: A Beginner’s Guide to Destiny 2: New Light
New Light is a new offering in the Destiny universe, inviting new players to experience Destiny 2 for free. But there’s a lot going on, so here’s a playbook to help you get started.