TL;DR
- Monument of Triumph is Destiny 2’s final sandbox update — these rankings are permanent.
- Three new Exotics were added: Fafnir, The Turncoat, and Cull’s Shadow.
- Every Exotic now has a catalyst — 25 new ones added, 9 existing ones reworked with real perks.
- Exotic primaries deal 40% more damage versus minor enemies — previously ignored weapons are now viable.
- Rocket Pulse Rifles were nerfed hard — drop them from your endgame loadouts.
- Anti-Champion is now frame-intrinsic — no more seasonal artifact dependency.
What Changed for Exotic Weapons in Monument of Triumph?
Monument of Triumph, released on June 9, 2026 as Update 9.7.0, is Destiny 2’s final live-service content update. Destiny 2 Monument of Triumph exotic weapons alone see 28 changes: reworks, buffs, perk overhauls, and 25 new catalysts for weapons that never had one.
The most important sandbox changes affecting every Exotic are:
- Exotic primaries deal 40% more damage versus minor combatants. This single change brought dozens of forgotten weapons back into relevance.
- Bows received an additional buff — 20% more versus minors, 40% more versus majors on top of the primary buff.
- Anti-Champion is now frame-intrinsic. Every weapon archetype counters a specific Champion type automatically. No seasonal artifact mods needed.
- Rocket Pulse Rifles were nerfed. Reduced damage, blast radius, and Super generation removed this entire category from serious endgame consideration.
- Every Exotic has a catalyst. Even weapons that sat in vaults for years now have an upgrade path worth pursuing.
Since no further balance changes are coming, the weapons ranked here represent the permanent Destiny 2 meta.
Best Exotic Weapons for PvE
Best PvE Primaries
Trinity Ghoul (Arc Bow)
The best Arc add-clear primary in the game. Its Lightning Rod perk chains Arc lightning to nearby enemies on precision kills. With the bow buff in Monument of Triumph (20% more versus minors, 40% more versus majors), Trinity Ghoul’s chain lightning one-shots standard enemies and shreds elite health bars in Arc builds. If you run an Arc subclass in any content with dense enemy spawns, Trinity Ghoul is your primary weapon. No substitute comes close for Arc builds.
How to get: Exotic Kiosk (Monument to Lost Lights) in the Tower.
Graviton Lance (Void Pulse Rifle)
The Monument of Triumph primary buff turned Graviton Lance from a casual favourite into a legitimate endgame pick. Each precision kill creates a Void explosion that spawns a seeking projectile, and those projectiles now deal 40% more damage to minors. In Void builds with Weaken or Volatile uptime, Graviton Lance’s chain explosions clear entire waves in seconds.
How to get: Exotic Kiosk in the Tower.
Khvostov 7G-0X (Kinetic Auto Rifle)
Khvostov received a full perk overhaul in Monument of Triumph. It is the safest neutral primary for any build that does not rely on a specific element. Its passive ad clear is excellent and it requires no subclass synergy to perform well, making it the best all-purpose pick for players who want a reliable primary without thinking about element matching.
How to get: Exotic Quest.
Outbreak Perfected (Arc Pulse Rifle)
While this Exotic Pulse Rifle did get nerfed in the Monument of Triumph update, it is still one of the absolute best Exotic weapons in Destiny 2. Outbreak Perfected now enjoys a slightly smaller damage bonus when at max Nanite stacks, but it’s still a very strong gun overall. Its Nanite swarms deal exceptional damage against shields when paired with two pieces of the TechSec armor set, making it a top pick for content with Match Game active. See our Match Game modifier guide for more on how this interaction works.
How to get: Exotic Quest via the Zero Hour mission.
Best PvE Special Weapons
Witherhoard (Kinetic Grenade Launcher)
The most versatile Special weapon in Destiny 2 regardless of era. Blight pools deal persistent damage over time that continues while you swap weapons. This is the key strength — you fire Witherhoard at a boss, swap to your heavy, and the blight continues ticking. In sustained boss fights, Witherhoard effectively adds a third damage source without costing you your heavy slot. It also enables Bait and Switch on weapons like Cataclysmic for a full 35% bonus damage window. Essential in nearly every high-end PvE loadout.
How to get: Exotic Kiosk in the Tower.
Divinity (Arc Trace Rifle)
Divinity creates a sustained damage cage around targeted enemies that guarantees precision damage for every teammate. Its Jolting Feedback on top of the 15% cage debuff makes Divinity mandatory in any Arc-oriented raid fireteam. In six-player content it is irreplaceable as a support tool for any team running precision heavy weapons like linear fusions or snipers.
How to get: Garden of Salvation raid drop.
Buried Bloodline (Void Sidearm)
Buried Bloodline grants Devour on kills and applies a Weaken debuff to targets. The combination of healing and team debuffing in a single Special weapon slot makes it one of the best survivability tools in the game, especially for solo play. Buried Bloodline dominates survivability with Devour and Weaken. For more on how to get this weapon, see our Oblation Bloodline exotic mission guide.
How to get: Warlord’s Ruin dungeon drop.
Best PvE Heavy Weapons
Fafnir (Void Linear Fusion Rifle) — New in Monument of Triumph
A Heavy Ammo, Void Damage gun, it can be over-pressurized to inflict weakness on enemies, and also has the power to create huge detonations around you. Its Quantum Nova alternate action consumes reserves to dramatically Weaken targets, and the duration scales with the ammo spent. Weaken is one of the most universally valuable debuffs in the game, making Fafnir the single best new Exotic from Monument of Triumph for endgame PvE. You can pause the effect by holstering, which gives you complete control over when the detonation triggers.
S-Tier PvE: Fafnir is the best new Exotic weapon from Monument of Triumph for endgame.
How to get: Tenet of Bravery vendor in the Tower Courtyard (Legendary Marks). For the full guide on obtaining and using it, see our Fafnir Exotic guide.
Gjallarhorn (Solar Rocket Launcher)
Remains irreplaceable in fireteam DPS phases. Wolfpack Rounds from a single Gjallarhorn user buff every other Guardian’s legendary rocket with extra tracking projectiles. One Gjallarhorn in a six-player raid can raise the entire team’s rocket DPS by 20–30%. In solo play it loses most of its value, but in any fireteam context it is the most impactful single weapon you can bring to a damage phase.
How to get: Exotic Kiosk in the Tower.
Whisper of the Worm (Solar Sniper Rifle)
White Nail refills the magazine from reserves on three rapid precision hits. Against stationary bosses with large crit spots, Whisper of the Worm effectively never runs out of ammo. Still one of the highest single-phase damage ceiling weapons in the game for precision players. Best used in raid and dungeon encounters where the boss holds still and you can maintain a consistent precision rhythm.
How to get: The Whisper Exotic mission, available through Pinnacle Ops rotation.
Microcosm (Solar Linear Fusion Rifle)
Builds Paracausal Charge on rapid precision hits. When fully charged, shots deal significantly more damage and bypass damage resistance on Champions. For sustained boss DPS in Grandmaster Nightfalls and Master raids where Champions interrupt your phase, Microcosm is the safest linear fusion available. It is also the top choice for content with Match Game active due to its high damage output against shielded enemies.
How to get: Exotic Quest via the Convalescence: Budding questline after completing The Final Shape campaign.
Cull’s Shadow (Poison Fusion Rifle) — New in Monument of Triumph
Cull’s Shadow is a new Exotic Fusion Rifle dealing Poison damage. Its bolts apply Poison stacks on hit, and targets near a Poisoned enemy take splash Poison damage. In dense enemy scenarios, multiple targets sharing Poison amplify damage significantly. It is a strong niche pick for content with tightly packed adds and has intrinsic Champion coverage through the new frame-intrinsic system. For the full breakdown, see our Cull’s Shadow guide.
How to get: Oblation Bloodline exotic mission chain.
Best Exotic Weapons for PvP
Ace of Spades (Kinetic Hand Cannon)
Memento Mori loads high-damage bullets into the magazine on kills. Its clean 140 RPM precision archetype with high aim assist makes it consistently one of the fastest time-to-kill options for a skilled player. Permanent radar from the Exotic perk is a huge quality-of-life advantage in Crucible. The most reliable PvP primary in the game for players who prefer hand cannons.
How to get: Exotic Kiosk in the Tower.
The Chaperone (Kinetic Shotgun)
A slug shotgun that rewards a steady hand with near-rifle-range precision shots. Cross-map headshots are genuinely achievable and frequently decisive in Trials and competitive play. The Roadborn perk activates on precision kills and grants bonus handling, range, and damage — rewarding players who maintain aim discipline even under pressure.
How to get: Exotic Kiosk in the Tower.
Conditional Finality (Solar/Stasis Shotgun)
Close-range burst damage that Freezes and Ignites simultaneously. The Freeze alone wins most close-range engagements where the opponent cannot dodge out before the Solar follow-up lands. Its new Heal Clip catalyst from Monument of Triumph also makes it self-sustaining in endgame PvE, giving it dual-role viability.
How to get: Root of Nightmares raid drop.
Le Monarque (Void Bow)
The only primary Exotic that applies Poison passively in PvP. Landing a precision shot applies Poison that chips health while the opponent hides behind cover, often forcing them into the open for the killing shot. With the bow buff in Monument of Triumph, Le Monarque hits harder across the board and remains one of the most frustrating weapons to fight against in any mode.
How to get: Exotic Kiosk in the Tower.
The Turncoat (Void Hand Cannon) — New in Monument of Triumph
The Turncoat is a Void damage gun that uses Primary ammo. Its Unleashed Power perk ramps up damage the longer you stay empowered — but it can also harm you when that power becomes Overwhelming Power. Power Surge charges your next shot into an explosive round that deals additional damage and accelerates power buildup on hit. Smart Turncoat play is high risk and high reward, making it a standout option for aggressive PvP players who want something different from the hand cannon meta. For the full breakdown, see our Turncoat Exotic guide.
How to get: Triumphant Rewards Pass (free track includes one copy).
Exotic Weapons to Avoid After Monument of Triumph
Several previously strong Exotics lost significant ground in the Monument of Triumph update:
- All Rocket Pulse Rifles — Damage, blast radius, and Super generation nerfs removed this entire category from serious endgame consideration. Replace them with a traditional linear fusion or rocket launcher.
- Telesto (Void Fusion Rifle) — Bolt clustering was reduced and ability energy generation was capped per activation. Still functional but no longer the ability-generation engine it once was.
- Vex Mythoclast (Solar Trace Rifle) — Overcharge kills no longer trigger the previous Radiant interaction. Dropped from PvE prominence but still viable in PvP.
Every Exotic Now Has a Catalyst
One of Monument of Triumph’s biggest quality-of-life additions is that every single Exotic weapon now has a catalyst. Every exotic receives a catalyst — 25 brand-new, 9 existing ones upgraded with real perks instead of stats. If you masterworked any of the nine reworked catalysts before June 2026, the new perk activates automatically on login with no re-farming required.
For a full list of every new catalyst, what it does, and where to farm it, see our complete Monument of Triumph Exotic catalysts guide. For the full PvE weapons breakdown covering Legendaries alongside Exotics, check the Destiny 2 best PvE weapons tier list and the best PvP weapons and Crucible meta guide.
If you are chasing Exotic collectibles for triumph progress, the Raider’s Effigies in Raids guide pairs well with any raid farming session where you are hunting drops.
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