Destiny 2’s Witch Queen expansion is finally here and marks possibly the highest point for the series. Along with Season of the Risen, it’s given Guardians plenty of secrets to unravel, challenging enemies to take down, and of course, a whole lot of Exotic loot to collect. This includes eight new Exotic weapons and six new Exotic pieces of armor — two for each Class.
In the past, Exotics have been wrapped into specific questlines, difficult Lost Sectors, Raids, the season pass, and other random sources. So, as you continue your journey to take down Savathun and unravel her lies, here are the fourteen new Witch Queen Exotics to look out for.
All Destiny 2 Witch Queen Exotics: Weapons
With a surprisingly wide assortment of weapon types, some Class-exclusive Glaives, and a handful of weapons that use Hive for ammo, we’re in for a really interesting variety of Exotics. If the complexity and uniqueness of the Legendary weapons in this expansion are anything to go by these Exotics should play nicely and shake up your overall playstyle.
Let’s take a look at the eight new Exotic weapons.
Grand Overture — Machine Gun
This beefy Machine Gun is unlocked almost immediately as part of your Season Pass. It retains the same slow warm-up of other Machine Guns but doesn’t immediately turn that into rapid-fire shots. Instead, you charge up to lay out single, heavy shots that are far more accurate at long range and unleash an increased kick. Hold on to the trigger, and the firing speed will gradually ramp up until your clip is empty.
As you land hits, you gain an additional firing action that you can save up and unleash as a payload of missiles. It’s by far one of the strangest Machine Guns in the game, and acts more like a beefy Linear Fusion Rifle of sorts.
How to Unlock
Unlock as part of the Season of the Risen season pass.
Weapon Slot
- Power weapon with Arc burn.
Intrinsic Trait
- Wrath of the Colossus: Heavy slug launcher that charges and then fires full auto when the trigger is held.
Weapon Perks
- Hammer-Forged Rifling: Increases range.
- Accurized Rounds: Increases range.
- Omega Strike: Land hits with the slug launcher to load missiles and then fire as a volley with the alternate weapon action.
- Hand-Laid Stock: Optimized for recoil control.
Parasite — Grenade Launcher
Hive-themed expansions tend to mean weapons that use the bodies of Hive enemies. The Parasite takes things a step further by having you actively fire living Hive worms that explode on impact. Taking the Sword Logic into account, this weapon will increase its blast radius and damage based on how many enemies you’ve defeated before firing. Oh, and if you happen to hurt yourself, you get a damage buff — not exactly sure what that’s trying to say.
The style and feel of this weapon are reminiscent of the Colony, with an entirely new emphasis on building up damage with your other weapons. It’s somewhat lightweight, meant to be quickly used and switched, and honestly just a good time constantly destroying those wriggly Hive worms.
How to Unlock
Complete the “Of Queens and Worms” Exotic Quest.
Weapon Slot
- Power weapon with Solar burn.
Intrinsic Trait
- Worm’s Hunger: Fires Hive worms that explode on impact with the size and damage scaling based on the number of enemies defeated before firing.
Weapon Perks
- Volatile Launch: Optimized for an especially explosive payload with increased blast radius, decreased handling, and decreased projectile speed.
- High-Explosive Ordnance: Weapon projectiles are larger and faster.
- Worm Byproduct: Taking damage from your own worm projectile empowers your weapons for a short time.
- Composite Stock: Increased stability and handling speed
Osteo Striga — Submachine Gun
Part of the deluxe edition pre-order for The Witch Queen, this Exotic Submachine Gun still requires you to unlock it due to it being craftable. Seeking it out is worth it, however, since this SMG acts like a rapid-fire iteration of Thorn. As long as you’re landing precise shots and finishing enemies (which is assisted by the toxic tracking projectiles), you can immediately turn large groups into poisonous, ad-clearing traps.
The only limitations are the slower reload speeds and somewhat middling mag size. Offset that, and you have yourself an excellent crowd-clearing mid-range weapon.
How to Unlock
Complete the Vox Obscura Exotic Quest.
Weapon Slot
- Kinetic with Primary ammo
Intrinsic Trait
- Screaming Swarm: Fires a stream of sentient, toxic projectiles that track a targeted enemy.
Weapon Perks
- Polygonal Rifling: Optimized for recoil reduction.
- Extended Mag: Increased mag size with slower reload speed.
- Toxic Overload: Landing a final blow or multiple-precision hits triggers a poison burst that affects nearby enemies.
- Hand-Laid Stock: Optimized for recoil control.
Dead Messenger — Grenade Launcher
Also tied to the Seasonal Vox Obscura Exotic Quest, the Dead Messenger shifts away from the harnessed enemy power for something fully new. In this case, it’s a one-shot Grenade Launcher that produces additional projectile waves on impact. This takes an already interesting weapon type, which often requires careful timing, and turns it into something entirely new.
Now, you don’t have to always wait for a precise bounce or hit. Instead, you can opt to land close and let the extended projectiles take it from there. On top of that, you can use it for any occasion thanks to its ability to change burn types.
How to Unlock
Complete the Vox Obscura Exotic Quest.
Weapon Slot
- Energy with Special ammo and Void burn.
Intrinsic Trait
- Trinary Vision: One-shot handheld Grenade Launcher that releases a fan of three energy waves after hitting the ground.
Weapon Perks
- Quick Launch: Increased handling speed and projectile speed.
- High-Velocity Rounds: Increases projectile speed and reload speed.
- The Fundamentals: Change the weapons damage type between Solar, Arc, and Void.
- Short-Action Stock: Increases handling speed.
Edge of Action — Titan Glaive
The Void-infused Titan Glaive really leans into the defensive capabilities around this Subclass. With the Void 3.0 alterations to Ward of Dawn being fresh in mind, this adds an additional layer of protection thanks to the Remote Shield Perk. Now, rather than having to wait for your Super to pop, you can stock up on energy and deploy a small protective shield for you and your allies.
How to Unlock
Acquire by completing “The Evidence Board” Exotic Quest as a Titan.
Weapon Slot
- Energy weapon with Special ammo and Void burn.
Intrinsic Trait
- Edge of Action: Hybrid melee/ranged polearm with a frontal shield that generates energy on dealing ranged damage.
Weapon Perks
- Ballistic Tuning: Increases range and decreases shield duration.
- Swap Mag: Increases ready and stow speed.
- Remote Shield: When weapon energy is full, consume it before firing to deploy a protective shield.
- Fitted Stock: Increases stability, moderately controls recoil, and decreases handling speed.
Edge of Intent — Warlock Glaive
Similar to the Titan exclusive Glaive, the Edge of Intent really leans into how well-rounded Solar Warlock subclasses can be. They’re simultaneously offensive powerhouses that are balanced out by restorative healing options to assist the team. This is fully featured in the Glaive thanks to the Restorative Turret, which you can unleash after banking full energy and firing. Set it up close, and you suddenly have perpetual healing without having to think about it for the life of the turret.
How to Unlock
Acquire by completing “The Evidence Board” Exotic Quest as a Warlock.
Weapon Slot
- Energy weapon with Special ammo and Solar burn.
Intrinsic Trait
- Edge of Intent: Hybrid melee/ranged polearm with a frontal shield that generates energy on dealing ranged damage.
Weapon Perks
- Ballistic Tuning: Increases range and decreases shield duration.
- Swap Mag: Increases ready and stow speed.
- Restorative Turret: When weapon energy is full, consume it before firing to deploy a healing turret.
- Fitted Stock: Increases stability, moderately controls recoil, and decreases handling speed.
Edge of Concurrence — Hunter Glaive
The Hunter Glaive is an interesting addition that seems to hint more at the future of the Arc Subclasses. Rather than dealing out crazy AOE, or leaning into defensive capabilities, this Perk is focused on precise and continuous damage. Take a shot and it will follow your enemy until it lands and unleashes chained lightning hell on anyone else.
How to Unlock
Acquire by completing “The Evidence Board” Exotic Quest as a Hunter.
Weapon Slot
- Energy weapon with Special ammo and Arc burn.
Intrinsic Trait
- Edge of Concurrence: Hybrid melee/ranged polearm with a frontal shield that generates energy on dealing ranged damage.
Weapon Perks
- Ballistic Tuning: Increases range and decreases shield duration.
- Swap Mag: Increases ready and stow speed.
- Lightning Seeker: When weapon energy is full, consume it before firing to track targets across the ground and unleash chain lightning on impact.
- Fitted Stock: Increases stability, moderately controls recoil, and decreases handling speed.
Collective Obligation — Pulse Rifle
The latest addition fresh from the Raid is this fully Void 3.0 synergized Pulse Rifle. It follows the path of weapons like the Vex Mythoclast in being a must-have weapon with truly unique Perks to shake up the overall meta. In this case, you get the Void Leech ability, which pulls debuffs out of enemies your damaging so that you can then add them to other targets.
That’s right, it’s designed to help you string Void debuffs. Sync this up with some of the new Aspects and Fragments for Void and you’re sure to activate a bevy of purple-hued explosions on your enemies.
How to Unlock
Random drop from the Vow of the Disciple Raid.
Weapon Slot
- Energy weapon with primary ammo and Void burn.
Intrinsic Trait
- Void Leech: Leeches Void debuffs when damaging targets that are suppressed, weakened, or volatile. Once charged, swap firing modes to start applying the same Void debuffs that were leached.
Weapon Perks
- Arrowhead Brake: Controls recoil and increases handling speed.
- Flared Magwell: Increases stability and reload speed.
- Umbral Sustenance: Magazine is automatically reloaded when you gain Devour, a Void overshield, or become invisible.
- Hand-Laid Stock: Optimized for recoil control.
All Destiny 2 Witch Queen Exotics: Armor
The right Exotic Armor can be the crux of the perfect build. Much of this depends on the Perk, overall stats you roll, and how well it synergizes with your weapons and Mods. This latest release of Exotic Armor seems incredibly promising and could make for some especially interesting new Stasis builds.
Loreley Splendor — Titan Helmet
Elegant and ghastly in its design, this Exotic wears its ability on its face. That’s right — if the skull wasn’t an obvious clue, it is designed around healing you right at the brink of death. And with a Perk that heals you when standing in Sunspots, and helps you auto-create them, it’s pretty darn helpful. Especially for the Solar subclass which notoriously can leave a Titan right out in the open.
How to Unlock
Random drop from solo Legend and Master Lost Sectors.
Armor Perks
- Cauterizing Flame: Your Sunspots heal you. When critically injured with full class ability energy or after casting Barricade, you create a Sunspot at your location.
Hoarfrost-Z — Titan Chest
Another Exotic that creates a unique variation of the class ability. In this case, you now bring out a wall of Stasis crystals that slows enemies and grants a few buffs when standing near it. Since the barrier shield is often a second thought, this change could prove to be interesting. It could benefit Perks or effects that are activated from slowing enemies, provide additional cover, or even an immediate pile of ice for shattering.
How to Unlock
Random drop from solo Legend and Master Lost Sectors.
Armor Perks
- Glacial Fortification: When using the Stasis subclass, your Barricade becomes a wall of Stasis crystals that slows nearby targets. Standing behind it will grant you and your allies increased weapon reload speed, stability, and range.
Osmiomancy — Warlock Arms
Coldsnap Grenades have gone through waves of being broken and overpowered, to fairly useless. Most recently, they’re somewhere in between. In the right hands, can be incredibly deadly, especially with a good Bleakwatcher placement. This Exotic aims to elevate that with an additional charge that rewards you for accurate throws. Oh, and you can have two turrets at once, so there’s that.
How to Unlock
Random drop from solo Legend and Master Lost Sectors.
Armor Perks
- Fervid Coldsnap: Your Coldsnap grenades have an additional charge that recharges quicker on direct impact. Your seeker spawned from Coldsnap also travels further.
Secant Filaments — Warlock Legs
This Exotic further leans into the healing due to going on the offense that Void typically provides. In this case, that’s represented by your ability to pop the Devour buff when casting an empowering rift, granting you health as you land kills. On top of that, if you and your allies stick around you can disrupt enemies leaving them wide open to drain their health for your own.
How to Unlock
Random drop from solo Legend and Master Lost Sectors.
Armor Perks
- Devouring Rift: Casting an empowering rift will grant you Devour. Damage dealt by you and your allies from within your empowering rift will disrupt enemies.
Blight Ranger — Hunter Helmet
Not only is this another Hunter Helmet with a slick and aetherial violet-hued faceplate, but it also takes a somewhat subpar element of Arc Staff and buffs it. Turning your deflected attacks into hypercharged damage, it makes the offensive and direct nature all the easier to invest in. Again, this seems like another instance where Bungie is teasing how Arc will operate after it gets the 3.0 treatment.
How to Unlock
Random drop from solo Legend and Master Lost Sectors.
Armor Perks
- Voltaic Mirror: Attacks that you redirect with your Arc Staff deal massively increased damage and generate Orbs of Power.
Renewal Grasps — Hunter Arms
These Exotic Arms amp up the suppression you can provide with Duskfield Grenades. Now, your overall field of cover has increased and any damage dealt by enemies affected by it is reduced. This makes it perfect for enveloping large groups or when you or a Fireteam member are in a tight spot and need that diminished damage output to survive. Nothing really fancy or innovative with this one, but it can still be fairly helpful in the right situation.
How to Unlock
Random drop from solo Legend and Master Lost Sectors.
Armor Perks
- Depths of Duskfield: Your Duskfield grenades have a much larger effect radius. Allies inside the Duskfield take reduced damage and enemies inside of it deal reduced damage.
Join the High Ground
The Witch Queen is full of new things to uncover, with some sweet new Legendary and Exotic rewards lying in wait. Hopefully, this article can become your checklist for collecting them all as you arm your Guardian with the latest and greatest Witch Queen Exotics.
Be sure to let your Fireteam know about all of the new Exotics they can be collecting by sharing this article on your favorite social channels—and sign up for our newsletter for the latest on Destiny 2.
Happy gaming!
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