Destiny 2’s newest season is in full swing and its pinnacle mode is Gambit Prime. A more condensed and intense variation of Gambit, this activity shakes things up in a number of ways. Not only are the enemies tougher, but invasions are far more frequent, the boss has a unique mechanic, and you’ll be collecting 100 motes instead of 75. Because of this, you’ll want to arm yourself with the strongest Exotics in Destiny 2.
Here are our choices for the best Exotics for Gambit Prime:
(This list is in no particular order)
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1) Malfeasance
- It’s no surprise that the Gambit-focused Exotic is good in this new mode. A hand cannon, this weapon deals additional damage to both Taken and Invaders. This allows players to quickly dispatch blockers or enemy combatants that have entered your arena. Since Gambit Prime has a lot more Taken adversaries, the Malfeasance soars above its competition here. Its secondary explosion is perfect for finishing off powerful enemies or quickly stacking damage onto foes.
2) Jotunn
Introduced with the Black Armory DLC, Jotunn is a fusion rifle that fires a single tracking shot that deals burn damage upon impact. Think of this as a miniature tracking rocket launcher that can instantly kill Guardians will a single hit. The Jotunn is superb for killing groups of foes, eliminating blockers, or taking out players during an Invasion. There’s a reason this fusion rifle’s popularity has skyrocketed with the Season of the Drifter.
3) Lord of Wolves
A personal favorite, the Lord of Wolves was once a fairly mediocre shotgun that did decent damage. However, with the recent nerf to fully automatic shotguns, this Exotic has quickly become a dominant force in Gambit Prime. Much of this is thanks to its high damage output and ability to rapidly eliminate powerful opponents and blockers. Just make sure you have some Special Ammo finder perks on, as this shotgun burns through rounds very quickly.
4) Graviton Lance
Once an extremely popular Crucible weapon, the Graviton Lance is has faded into the background as new Exotics were introduced. However, this pulse rifle shouldn’t be forgotten as it’s quite powerful in Gambit Prime. Being able to produce additional void projectiles upon kills allow users to rapidly eliminate groups of foes. Since enemies like to clump up in Gambit prime, the Graviton Lance is a perfect option for those who like to stay back. It’s also decent for dealing with invaders since it has relatively low recoil and can be easily controlled.
5) The Queenbreaker
Surprising absolutely no one, The Queenbreaker is the premiere Gambit Prime invader weapon. Linear fusion rifles have always proven to be dangerous in Gambit, but The Queenbreaker takes it to a whole new level. Not only can this rifle instantly kill players with a single shot to the head, but it blinds any foe that manages to survive. This makes securing kills from a distance extremely easy. Despite being mediocre in a PvE setting, its sheer stopping power cannot be underestimated.
6) Ace of Spades
Perhaps the most popular Exotic hand cannon in Destiny 2, the Ace of Spades is quite strong. This weapon not only causes foes to explode when hit but reloading the gun gives the users additional, stronger rounds. This makes the Ace of Spades quite versatile thanks to its ability to drop enemies quickly. It’s also quite good at taking down invaders, especially if you have those spare, powerful rounds. Couple this with a fast reload speed and you have one of the most dangerous weapons in the game.
7) Le Monarque
For those who prefer to hang back, Le Monarque is a solid bow that can quickly stack damage onto both groups and single targets. Since the poison cloud triggers on a critical hit and not a kill, accurate users can engulf entire waves of enemies in toxin. It’s also great for invading since you can maintain a safe distance and pick foes off fighting other targets.
8) Two-Tailed Fox
For those looking to perform the Sentry roll consider bringing a Two-Tailed Fox into Gambit Prime. The dual rockets can make quick work of any blockers along with the envoys that spawn alongside the boss. It’s also great for the mini-bosses that spawn during the round, allowing you to quickly remove them from the battlefield. It’s also decent at invasions since the rockets can track, just make sure your foe doesn’t have a way to break line of sight when you fire.
9) Riskrunner
The Riskrunner is one of those underrated Exotics that can be incredibly useful in the right scenario. Since this weapon depends on getting hit with arc damage you’ll want to only bring it out when you’re against certain races such as the Fallen. This weapon is fantastic for wiping out waves upon waves of enemies, especially if you are running the Reaper armor. However, the Riskrunner is just okay against Invaders, so if you equip this gun prepare to focus on the PvE side of Gambit Prime.
10) Thunderlord
Finally, if you want a solid, well rounded heavy Exotic make sure to bring in the Thunderlord. This heavy machine gun is capable of taking out everything from small mobs of foes too powerful Blockers standing in your way. Thunderlord also boasts some decent range, allowing you to quickly pick off Guardians if you’re invading.