What you need to know
- Destiny 2 developer Bungie has shown off several of the Exotics coming to the game when the upcoming Lightfall DLC goes live on February 28, 2023.
- Final Warning is a Strand Sidearm that shoots tracking projectiles, while Deterministic Chaos is a Void Machine Gun with the ability to both Weaken and Volatile enemies as it fires. There's also Winterbite, a Stasis Glaive that creates frost orbs that slow and freeze nearby foes.
- For armor, Hunters have the Cyrtarachne’s Façade, a helmet that provides armor and flinch resistance after players grapple with Strand. Titans have the Abeyant Leap legs, which create a waves of Strand that suspends foes in the air whenever their wearer uses a Barricade. Warlocks get Swarmers, legs that create "Threadlings" that devastate enemies whenever the owner destroys a Strand Tangle.
- The Quicksilver Storm Exotic Auto Rifle is also getting an Exotic catalyst that creates Strand Tangles whenever players get a kill with its grenade firing mode.
Many of Destiny 2's best pieces of gear are Exotics, or rare and unique items with special traits you won't find on other drops. Exotics weapons are often some of the most effective ones you can wield, and the unique properties of Exotic armor pieces can often be just what you need to elevate a build to new heights. Typically, each new Destiny 2 expansion introduces several new Exotics to the game for players to unlock — and now, developer Bungie has confirmed that Lightfall is no different.
In a new official trailer for the DLC, six different Exotics were revealed: three weapons and three armor pieces, one for each of Destiny 2's three classes. While the weapons suite will satisfy fans of Stasis, Void, and the expansion's new Strand subclass, all three new pieces of armor are Strand-focused. We've listed them below:
- Final Warning – Strand Sidearm that fires tracking rounds that seek nearby enemies.
- Deterministic Chaos – Void Machine Gun that debuffs enemies with Weaken and Volatile with every fourth and 16th shot, respectively.
- Winterbite – Stasis Exotic Glaive that freezes enemies on impact with frost orbs.
- Cyrtarachne’s Façade – Exotic Hunter helmet that gives extra protection and flinch resistance when players grapple.
- Abeyant Leap – Exotic Titan leg armor that spawns seeking Strand projectiles that suspend enemies and give armor to its wearer whenever they use their Barricade.
- Swarmers – Exotic Warlock leg armor allows players to create a Strand Threadling to infest and attack enemies after destroying a Tangle.
Both the Final Warning Sidearm and Winterbite Glaive look awesome, but I expect that the Deterministic Chaos Machine Gun will end up stealing the show. Both Weaken and Volatile have proven to be some of the most useful debuffs in the game since Void 3.0 came out with The Witch Queen DLC, and a weapon that periodically inflicts both just by shooting will no doubt be extremely powerful. Then again, fans have been clamoring for a Stasis Glaive for a long time, and Winterbite looks to be the perfect compliment Exotic for builds focused on keeping enemies frozen with things like Bleak Watcher turrets.
The Cyrtarachne’s Façade helmet seems like it'll be an exceptional choice for long-range fighting in Destiny 2 Crucible PvP, as Sniper, Scout, and Pulse Rifle users will be able to shrug off flinch after grappling as they line up their shots. Meanwhile, the Abeyant Leap legs are right up the alley of aggressive Titan players, allowing them to turn their defensive Barricades into an offensive Strand tool. Swarmers, the new Exotic Warlock legs, will spawn "Threadlings" that rip into groups of ads whenever their wearer destroys a Strand Tangle.
Notably, this trailer also gave fans a peek at how Strand itself will work in Destiny 2: Lightfall. While we don't have many details about the new Darkness element or its three subclasses yet, this trailer does reveal that part of its gameplay loop will involve spawning and using "Tangles" in combat. While players can shoot and destroy them — Warlocks with the Swarmers will want to do this — they can also be picked up and thrown directly at enemies, atomizing them explosively. Seeing the Abeyant Leap in action also highlights that Strand will give players the ability to suspend their foes in midair, crowd-controlling them and making them easier to take down.
The Quicksilver Storm, an Exotic Auto Rifle that players can access ahead of the DLC's arrival by preordering Lightfall, will also get an Exotic catalyst once it launches. This catalyst will make kills with the weapon's grenade firing mode create Strand Tangles, making the Exotic synergize well with the new subclasses.
Destiny 2: Lightfall is slated to arrive on February 28 on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One consoles, Windows PCs, and PlayStation systems. The DLC costs $40 and takes them to Neptune and the city of Neomuna, where they'll face off against Emperor Calus and his powerful Shadow Legion. Ahead of its launch, check out our Destiny 2 Lightfall prep guide for an overview of the best ways to get ready for the expansion.
