ADDED
alethonym: pve A, pvp D, gambit S; overall A-
fair judgment: pve C, pvp C, gambit F; overall C-
SCORES CHANGED
le monarque: pve now S (was B), gambit now A (was B)
Extremely strong with artifact and with the new Storm's Keep Titan aspect
leviathan's breath: pve now B (was S)
Slightly less valuable choice as Volatile is easy to apply with any weapon and other heavy DPS alternatives such as Queenbreaker have risen
symmetry: pve now C (was B)
Off-artifact and somewhat power crept
jotunn: pve now B (was C)
Pretty good with the Particle Deconstruction artifact perk
the last word: pve now C (was B)
Plenty of Lucky Pants alternatives with more versatility and larger magazines available
bad juju: pvp now C (was D), gambit now C (was B)
Buffs to the lightweight pulse frame have made this weapon slightly less helpless at the first kill
anarchy: pve now A (was B)
Very strong with Storm's Keep and meta in currently relevant RAD encounters
trespasser: pve now B (was A)
The outstanding traits of this weapon are made less special by Void-focused artifact perks
delicate tomb: pve now B (was C), gambit now B (was C)
Received a substantial buff glowup and artifact support
centrifuse: pve now D (was C), pvp now D (was C), gambit now F (was C)
Near-fully deprecated by the newly released weapon Lodestar
red death reformed: pvp now Y (was X)
Inherits nerfs to the high-impact pulse frame
verglas curve: pve now C (was B)
Lost substantial artifact buttress
gifted conviction: pve now A (was B)
It is now viable to run Tempest Strike and Ascension aspects together, maximising the utility of this exotic
mask of fealty: pve now B (was A)
Lost artifact support
balance of power: pve now C (was D), pvp now C (was D), gambit now C (was D)
Newly-introduced synergy with Ascension allows for some fun off-meta playmaking
SCORES CHANGED (LEGACY)
Redrix's Broadsword: pvp now D (was C)
Inherits nerfs to the high-impact pulse frame
21% delirium: pve now B (was A)
Deprecated by new Watchful Eye seasonal machine gun
META
- the author regrets the tardiness of the update this season. updates in future will hopefully revert to past schedule of no later than end of 3rd week of season
- on the plus side, guide is already robust for act 2 of revenant.
- in general, for the top 10 recommendations list, armour pieces will be ranked as if they had one gradation lower than their listed overall grade (e.g. B+ rather than A-) due to their class restriction compared to weapons.
ADDED
red death reformed: pve C, pvp A, gambit D; overall B-
perfect pitch: pve B, pvp D, gambit C; overall C+
- the following armour pieces are available from rahool's novelty focusing tab:
mask of fealty: pve A, pvp C, gambit B; overall B+
blastwave striders: pve C, pvp F, gambit D; overall D+
rime-coat raiment: pve S, pvp C, gambit C; overall B+
SCORES CHANGED
the last word: pve now B (was D), gambit now C (was F)
Major anti-combatant buff makes this weapon potentially relevant with Lucky Pants
tarrabah: pvp now B (was A)
Submachine Guns struggle in current PVP meta due to range pinching from the low end with special weapons and from the high end with Pulse Rifles
polaris lance: pve now S (was A), pvp now B (was A)
Return of Anti-Barrier Scout on artifact makes this once again the safest infinite ammo content clearer
legend of acrius: pve now A (was B)
Currently breaks barriers and offers an extremely high-damage complement to ever-dominant melee abilities
le monarque: pve now B (was A)
Buffs to alternatives like Fighting Lion and artifact inattention have chipped away at this weapon's dominance
izanagi's burden: pve now B (was A)
Rise of Envious Arsenal perk has lifted other combinations of weapon-swap DPS loadouts
thorn: pve now B (was A))
No artifact support and strong alternatives; collecting souls slightly harder in a PVE environment with more melee-range punishments
bad juju: pve now A (was B), gambit now B (was C)
Buffs have elevated this weapon to the strongest solo option for easy to moderate difficulty content
witherhoard: pve now C (was B), gambit now C (was B)
Area denial grenade launchers and new exotic Alethonym have displaced this weapon in the meta
symmetry: pve now B (was C), pvp now B (was A)
Weapon plays extremely well with current mix of artifact perks and activites in PVE; in PVP, TTK deficit and close-range issues restrict it
eriana's vow: pve now D (was F)
Weapon has received several rounds of buffs and is now technically equippable without ruining one's gameplay experience
anarchy: pve now B (was C)
Artifact support and utility on particular currently relevant boss fights
ex diris: pve now B (was C)
Substantial buffs and artifact relevance make this weapon a legitimate option in some activities
centrifuse: pve now C (was B)
Suffers from a lack of damage output compared to alternatives
tessellation: pve now C (was B)
A fun but costly option in a world where exotic primaries in particular are en vogue
duality: pve now B (was C)
Busts barriers and outputs high damage
balance of power: pvp now D (was C)
Decoy nerfs make players less likely to index on Threaded Specter aspect, although this exotic counteracts some of the nerfs
wish-dragon's talons: pvp now D (was B)
After the Shiver Strike buff, Strand lunge is now a hard sell for Titan PVP
speaker's sight: pvp now B (was S), gambit now B (was A)
Nerf has settled in as a substantial decrease in the oppressiveness of this exotic and consequently its usage
SCORES CHANGED (LEGACY)
null composure: pvp now C (was B)
Return of Zealot's Reward as craftable supersedes this weapon
veles-x: pvp now C (was B)
Aggressive Burst frame pulse rifles struggling to find a place in the metagame with buffs to Heavy Burst
komodo-4fr: pvp now D (was B)
Precision Linear Fusion Rifles are much less usable than Aggressives due to overpunishing flinch
META
- moved general info and grading scale around in the document for space and organisation considerations
- rearranged the order of exotics in the list from alphabetical to the order they appear in the kiosk
- colour backdrop grouping has been added to identify which 'bin' of the kiosk an exotic falls in
- adjusted rare cost column for final shape changes
- added glimmer cost column by popular demand
- removed notes about sunsetting due to unsetting
- removed forsaken cipher notes as these exotics are no longer locked to purchasing forsaken
- moved additional notes to their own miscellany section
ADDED
wicked implement: pve C, pvp B, gambit C; overall B-
dragon's breath: pve A, pvp D, gambit C; overall B-
tessellation: pve B, pvp F, gambit B; overall C+
chivalric fire: pve D, pvp D, gambit B; overall C
- the following armour pieces only available from rahool's novelty focusing tab have been added since they also cost one exotic cipher and so are direct comparables to kiosk weapons:
balance of power: pve D, pvp C, gambit D; overall C-
gifted conviction: pve B, pvp D, gambit B; overall B-
hazardous propulsion: pve B, pvp C, gambit B; overall B
wish-dragon's talons: pve D, pvp B, gambit C; overall C+
mataiodoxia: pve C, pvp D, gambit C; overall C
speaker's sight: pve S, pvp S, gambit A; overall SS
- note: speaker's sight in the final shape is the highest overall rating an exotic has ever had on this list. proceed with caution, a nerf in an upcoming patch has already been confirmed.
REMOVED
hawkmoon: with the final shape xur rework, this exotic no longer costs an exotic cipher to purchase.
the following two exotic weapons were removed from the kiosk:
outbreak perfected
whisper of the worm
these weapons are craftable after the completion of their relaunched exotic missions.
the following pinnacle and ritual weapons were removed from the legacy gear section of the kiosk in the final shape:
wendigo gl3 (!!!)
nightshade
randy's throwing knife
loaded question
breakneck
hush
buzzard
point of the stag
random rolls of these weapons are obtainable from various ritual vendors. the author of this list would like to register a public objection to the removal of the wendigo gl3 curated roll, which offered the unique value proposition of disorienting grenades on a heavy grenade launcher.
SCORES CHANGED
4th horseman: pve now B (was C)
Extremely fast damage delivery has good niche utility against periodically spawned high-threat targets
acrius: pve now B (was A)
Muscled out of close-range damage meta by sword-focused seasonal artifact support
ager's: gambit now C (was B)
As supers get better, the super-eating function of this weapon gets worse
always on time: now A (was A+), added pvp grade of A*
Introduction of Skimmers makes owning this Sparrow ever-so-slightly less urgent; Sparrow Control playlist added to Crucible for-fun modes
anarchy: pvp now D (was F), gambit now D (was C)
Previous PVP rating in error; damage over time less useful in burst-damage Gambit meta
bad juju: pve now B (was D), pvp now D (was C)
Pulse Rifle buffs vault this weapon into a spot of potential consideration for content where combatant kills are plentiful
bastion: pve now B (was C)
Buffed to have some functionality in the perennially strong melee-based builds
centrifuse: gambit now C (was B)
Front-clear speed too slow for modern Gambit
devils ruin: pve now D (was C)
Artifact-provided Unstoppable Sidearm temporarily obviates a unique functionality of this weapon
erianas vow: pvp now C (was D), gambit now F (was D)
Niche application in PVP due to ammo system tweaks
ex diris: gambit now B (was C)
50% damage buff and area-of-effect Amplify application have some utility in this mode
jotunn: pvp now C (was B), gambit now C (was B)
Inability to swap in and out of this weapon easily makes it less effective as a surprise option
lumina: pve now B (was A), pvp now C (was B)
No Hesitations as legendary alternative reduces the size of this weapon's niche
monarque: pve now A (was S), gambit now B (was C)
Ineffective generation of Transcendence energy in Prismatic and rise of alternatives counteract Void damage artifact support
polaris lance: pve now A (was S)
Received a minor nerf and in an unsupporteed weapon archetype
quicksilver: pve now B (was S)
Substantially nerfed and Tangle generation currently very plentiful on alternatives
rat king: pvp now S (was A)
Top-notch choice for aggressive play in the Crucible
last word: controller pvp now B (was A)
Impact on Crucible has decreased organically over time
sleeper: pve now B (was C)
Underrated high-burst and bodyshot option
symmetry: pvp now A (was B)
Received direct buffs & strong in a healing-heavy Crucible meta
tarrabah: pvp now A (was B)
Strong in a healing-heavy Crucible meta
ticuu's: pve now C (was B), pvp now C (was D)
Deals its damage too slowly to be a factor in an increasingly high-direct-damage landscape
trespasser: pve now A (was B)
Arc weapons have strong incidental value in Prismatic loadouts to proc Amplified
truth: pve now C (was F), gambit now A (was C)
Received a large targeted buff returning this weapon to some semblance of relevance
verglas: pve now B (was C), gambit now B (was D)
Stasis updates substantially increase likelihood this weapon can be the correct choice
witherhoard: gambit now B (was A)
Damage over time less useful in burst-damage Gambit meta
worldline: pvp now C (was B)
Bubble-busting utility has become a little less relevant
SCORES CHANGED (LEGACY)
ascendancy: pve now D (was C), gambit now D (was C)
Proliferation of superior alternatives
reckless endangerment: pvp now F (was D)
This gun sucks
chain of command: pve now B (was C), gambit now D (was C)
Adaptive Munitions buffed in a Subjugator-heavy world
ecliptic distaff: pve now B (was A)
Superior alternative introduced from new raid
komodo-4fr: pve now F (was D)
This gun sucks
redrix: pve now F (was C)
Previous PVE rating in error
21% delirium: pve now A (was B), gambit now D (was F)
With the advent unsetting, this weapon returns as a PVE-relevant option for Arc machine guns
not forgotten (kiosk): pve now C (was F)
Magnificent Howl change
luna's howl (kiosk): pve now C (was F)
Magnificent Howl functionality change
SCORES CHANGED
ager's scepter: pvp now C (was B)
To use the altfire of this weapon, things have to line up just so: having enough/any special ammo and having a super available on a now-longer cooldown
devil's ruin: pvp now B (was A)
Direct nerf in this patch to prevent this weapon from running away with the meta has limited it
eriana's vow: pvp now D (was C)
Bow nerfs indirectly affected primary use case of this weapon, as did special ammo changes
ex diris: pve now C (was D); gambit now C (was D)
50% flat damage (75% dps) buff helps this weapon get kills on weak targets to activate its secondary effects
manticore: pve now B (was C)
Damage and usability of this weapon in PVE was substantially buffed, although tankiness was nerfed
mida multi-tool: pvp now C (was D)
With lightweight scout buff and power reduction to sniper rifles, space has opened up for this weapon
verglas curve: pvp now D (was C))
Hit very hard by suite of bow nerfs
thorn: pvp now A (was S)
Still excellent in PVP but star dimmed somewhat by meta evolutions and range limitations of adaptive hand cannons as a whole
trespasser: pve now B (was A); pvp now A (was B)
Non-Solar energy primary weapons suffer in current PVE climate but in PVP special ammo changes create a lot of room for high-damage-output Sidearms to shine
adored: pvp now C (was B)
With Sniper Rifles consigned to more specialist use a mediocre example is less of a compelling pickup
last rite: pvp now C (was D)
Aggressive Scouts have carved out an ancillary but extant space in PVP due to their range and forgiveness
hush: pvp now B (was A)
Bow nerfs make it harder to get going with this weapon
NEW FEATURES
- changed the average grade to an 'overall' grade that uses index matching on the sum of the 3 activity letter grades rather than taking their mean.
- - mainly, this allows for additional granularity in the overall rating.
- - fun detail: in the history of this kiosk list, only one kiosk exotic has ever earned higher thna an "A+" overall grade- tarrabah in season of the haunted before the solstice patch, which rated an overall S.
- in addition to standard top 10 tweaks with a new edition of the guide, added forsaken cipher note to applicable exotics.
ADDED
ex diris: pve D, pvp F, gambit D; overall D
malediction: pve C, pvp B, gambit C; overall B-
SCORES CHANGED
anarchy: pve now C (was B)
Has fallen further out of meta due to power creep, most recently introduction of Dragon's Breath
centrifuse: pve now B (was A), pvp now B (was A)
Arc weapons out of fashion in a heavily solar-focused season
delicate tomb: gambit now C (was B)
Relatively weaker option due to strength of seasonal bonuses
devil's ruin: pvp now A (was C)
Activates Radiant very easily and a top option in the newly introduced Checkmate meta
jotunn: gambit now B (was A)
Other options can have comparable or better AOE front clear with seasonal artifact
lorentz driver: pvp now C (was B)
Especially on PC, proliferation of 100% headshot rate snipers makes a precision weapon with a nonzero charge time inferior
the manticore: pve now C (was B)
No artifact support available for this non-AOE providing exotic primary
mida multi-tool: pvp now D (was C)
Legendary craftable counterparts with improved TTK via Enhanced Precision Instrument buff further crowd out this weapon
polaris lance: pve now S (was A)
Provides fantastic, unlimited, long-range damage and AOE with extensive artifact support
rat king: pvp now A (was B)
Firmly established as a strong 'rogue' option when paired with Disruption Break GLs
ruinous effigy: pve now C (was B)
Artifact changes mildly depreciate the relative value of this weapon
thorn: pvp now S (was B)
Significant buff to range and overflowing on soul pickups address this weapon's 2 core weaknesses
tommy's matchbook: pve now A (was B), gambit now C (was D)
Artifact support elevates an already high-lethality primary that provides Scorch and damage in spades
verglas curve: pvp now C (was F)
Previous rating slightly in error and some additional Stasis support in artifact
whisper of the worm: pve now B (was C)
Buffs elevate this weapon to a viable choice in certain stand-and-deliver raid or dungeon encounter types
null composure: pvp now B (was C)
Remains one of the top 2-3 void fusion PVP options in the game and the most accessible one
komodo-4fr: pve now D (was C)
Linear fusions are not currently heavily sought after, especially not ones as mediocre as this weapon
breakneck: pvp now C (was A)
Unique value of this weapon was directly nerfed with the recoding of the Onslaught perk; additionally reissued as a Gambit playlist reward
21% delirium: pve now B (was A)
While this weapon remains the strongest rapid-fire Arc machine gun, that distinction is increasingly dubious
hush: pvp now A (was B)
Stands out in a crowded field of PVP-focused bows as an option for Competitive and Checkmate playlists
ecliptic distaff: pvp now D (was F)
Far from the best PVP glaive but with general glaive buffs no longer worthless
GENERAL UPDATE NOTE
Lateness of update had to do with author being out for most of the beginning of Season of the Witch on honeymoon. We regret the delay.
ADDED
centrifuse: pve A, pvp A, gambit B
last rite: pve F, pvp D, gambit F
REMOVED
dead man's tale: now a free to play craftable exotic
SCORES CHANGED
fourth horseman: PVE now C (was B)
Special weapon exotics displaced by rise of primaries
ace of spades: PVE now C (was D)
Rising hand cannon tide lifts all boats
jotunn: PVE now C (was B)
Special weapon exotics displaced by rise of primaries
leviathan's breath: PVE now S (was A)
Firmly fixed in the raid meta, stunlocks many targets, anti-champ, extremely high damage...
lumina: PVE now A (was B)
With an exotic primary and especially a hand cannon now a typical loadout, this weapon's unique strengths require less of a tradeoff to access
the last word: controller PVP now A (was S), mouse and keyboard PVP now D (was C)
Fell out of the meta despite retaining strengths, with many other weapons gaining so much range they can play around it, and the continued vice grip of submachine guns on the PVP short-to-midrange
le monarque: PVP now B (was S)
Received a hefty nerf to its base damage capability, now a much more specialized PVP tool
polaris lance: PVE now A (was S)
Sunshot presents an even stronger alternative in same slot and niche
quicksilver storm: PVE now S (was A), PVP now B (was D)
Weapon has floated to top of the heap of exotic primaries in an increasingly exotic primary focused meta + received major PVP range bump
sturm: PVE now D (was F)
Rising hand cannon tide lifts all boats, even the leaky ones
thorn: PVE now A (was C), Gambit now C (was D); removed special note
Rapidly became one of the strongest weapons in the sandbox by hand cannon damage buff lifting it over its critical perk self-sufficiency point
tarrabah: PVE now B (was A)
No longer in a class of its own for primary weapon damage output
traveler's chosen: PVP now B (was A)
Evolution of meta to favour mid-range guns
witherhoard: PVE now B (was A)
Burst area-of-effect damage is currently ascendant over sustained area-of-effect damage, especially redundant with Sunbracers
hawkmoon: PVE now C (was D)
Hand cannon buff was major enough to affect all extant hand cannon options positively
salvager's salvo: PVE now C (was A)
Previous rating outdated as weapon has not been relevant since Starfire Protocol nerf
point of the stag: PVE now C (was B)
Improved reissue available from Iron Banner
breakneck: PVP now A (was B)
Auto rifle range buffs position weapon to be extremely powerful in 6s and Competitive
redrix's broadsword: PVP now C (was B)
Nerfs to pulses and proliferation of alternatives
the mountaintop: PVE now D (was B)
Previous rating in error
the recluse: PVE now C (was B)
Outclassed by more recent alternatives
edgewise: PVE now D (was C)
Outclassed by more recent alternatives
ADDED
verglas curve: pve C, pvp F, gambit D
ecliptic distaff: pve A, pvp F, gambit B
SCORES CHANGED
rat king: pve now C (was D)
Previous rating adjustment left this weapon lower than its unique functionality merits
trespasser: pve now A (was C)
Extremely strong with arc-focused artifact perks and is now a major exotic primary player for most difficulties of content
worldline zero: pve now D (was F)
Buffed into decreased irrelevance
izanagi's burden: pvp now D (was F)
Previous rating in error
jotunn: pve now B (was A)
Artifact perks moved on
lorentz driver: pvp now B (was S)
Turns out everyone just wants to shoot Cloudstrike for an instant-kill version of the same thing
ticuu's divination: PVE now B (was A)
Came off artifact and some other buffed bow options have been eating its lunch
tommy's matchbook: PVE now B (was C)
Received some buffs and prevalence of healing now allows it to have a place as a high-damage-output primary
the manticore: PVE now B (was A)
Buffed but also moved off artifact. Weirdness of perk behaviour still a deal breaker for many players.
outbreak prime: PVE now C (was B)
Takes too long to build up any sort of respectable damage whne other guns do so much more
dead man's tale: PVP now A (was S)
Various nerfs as well as the continuing takeover of hyper-low-TTK legendary alternatives with acceptable usability accentuate this weapon's weaknesses and mitigate its strengths
tarrabah: PVP now B (was A)
Impacted by nerfs to SMGs as a class and to this weapon directly
thorn: PVP now B (was A)
Alternatives effectively outrange this gun even with its extremely generous damage over time range slope
witherhoard: PVE now A (was S)
With Starfire Protocol no longer the top of the heap for Warlock PVE exotics, this weapon loses its most potent combo
quicksilver storm: PVE now A (was B)
Weapon is ascendant with the strength of Strand in general and with the exotic slot more and more available
null composure: pve now C (was B)
Proliferation of alternatives with origin traits
ascendancy: pve now C (was B), gambit now C (was B)
Alternatives available free to play from Iron Banner, Last Wish, etc. largely deprecate this gun
revoker: pvp now B (was A)
Falling out of competition after its prior nerf; also isn't Cloudstrike
randy's throwing knife: pvp now C (was B)
Now available as an improved reissue from Crucible
edgewise: pve now C (was B)
Continued proliferation of better alternatives in-game
loaded question: pve now D (was C)
Now available as an improved reissue from Nightfalls
chain of command: pve now B (was A), gambit now C (was B)
Osmosis on a heavy is still unique but relative to alternatives the gun's total package is not compelling
ADDED
the manticore: pve A, pvp C, gambit B
quicksilver storm: pve B, pvp D, gambit C
veles-x: pve C, pvp B, gambit D
SCORES CHANGED
fourth horseman: pve now B (was C)
Buffed and functionality cleaned up
bad juju: pve now D (was B)
Doesn't compete in a world with non-trivial HP minor enemies
delicate tomb: pve now C (was B)
Very dependent on PVE power of arc subclasses relative to field
devil's ruin: pve now C (was B), pvp now C (was B), gambit now F (was D)
Gun nudged out of the meta, especially in PVP where snipers of choice are in the energy slot; other sidearms have improved as competitors
eriana's vow: pve now F (was C)
Possibly worst gun in the game with so many other guns and abilities inheriting antibarrier
grand overture: pve now A (was B)
Constantly receives buffs and now also has innate champion stun
izanagi's burden: pve now A (was S)
Meta evolving somewhat away from this weapon's strengths
lorentz driver: pve now C (was B), pvp now S (was B)
Mods for this weapon now extremely easy to access, allowing users to counteract prior nerfs
polaris lance: pve now S (was B)
One of the strongest primary options in the game, now with solar synergy and anti-champion properties
rat king: pve now D (was C)
Still does what it does, but players trade off more and more for it
sturm: pve now F (was D)
Currently completely unusable with the dramatic buffs to alternatives
symmetry: pve now C (was B)
Some other weapons do as much damage baseline as it does built up
traveler's chosen: pve now C (was B)
Alternatives have improved substantially
dead man's tale: gambit now B (was A)
Previous rating in error
hawkmoon: pve now D (was C)
Requires too much time investment to build stacks on this weapon when other sources of damage get out of the gate so high
SCORES CHANGED
worldline zero: pvp now B (was F)
Excellent option against Ward of Dawn, especially in Iron Banner and other Control-based modes
the mountaintop: pvp now D (was F)
Previous rating in error
duality: pvp now A (was B)
Great Precision Frame shotgun option in a world where precision frames are king, with upside
mida multi-tool: pvp now C (was B)
Falling by the wayside with higher lethality options in the forefront
ascendancy: pvp now C (was B)
Proliferation of better options including Iron Banner rocket launcher
reckless endangerment: pvp now D (was C)
In the worst current pvp shotgun subtype
cry mutiny: pve now D (was C), gambit now F (was D)
The gun is bad
truth: pvp now C (was F)
Previous rating in error & some nerfs to alternatives like Gjallarhorn
devil's ruin: pvp now B (was A)
Meta evolution has dragged down most sidearms a bit
trespasser: pvp now B (was A)
Meta evolution has dragged down most sidearms a bit
bastion: pvp now C (was D)
Has received a couple buffs and is moving into an extant niche
revoker: pvp now A (was S)
Big nerf to this weapon's 'exotic' perk just dropped
ADDED
delicate tomb: pve B, pvp F, gambit B
cry mutiny: pve C, pvp D, gambit D
SCORES CHANGED
fourth horseman: pve now C (was B)
Currently bugged to do less damage than it's supposed to despite receiving a recoil buff
ager's scepter: pvp now B (was C), added to top 10 recommendations
Trace recoil improved in a recent patch and a good weapon pairing with several currently usable PVP specs with weak supers
bad juju: pvp now C (was B)
Ongoing meta shift pushes out low range low DPS pulse rifles
bastion: pve now C (was D)
Slightly buffed and a good option for Unstoppable Champions relative to the field this season
grand overture: pve now B (was C)
Damage buffed substantially
izanagi's burden: pve now A (was S)
Has become somewhat outmoded next to an increasing proliferation of alternatives
lorentz driver: pvp now B (was S), gambit now B (was A), removed from top 10
Most recent set of nerfs dented its dominance
polaris lance: pve now B (was A), pvp now A (was B)
Well positioned for PVP meta and was buffed; scout rifle artifact support shifted in a way that makes it less useful in PVE
outbreak prime: pvp now C (was B)
Ongoing meta shift pushes out low range low DPS pulse rifles
symmetry: pvp now B (was A)
Harder to build its stacks in current meta versus alternatives
dead man's tale: pve now B (was A), pvp now S (was B)
Received a hefty buff to its ease of use against Guardians; a much better anti-Barrier weapon than anti-Overload
felwinter's lie: pvp now C (was D)
Shotgun spread changes make this weapon less of a self-sabotage to use
point of the stag: pve now B (was C)
Improved artifact support
revoker: pvp now S (was A)
Meta choice with a bullet in new ranked PVP playlist. Has a nerf impending
ADDED
trespasser: pve C, pvp A, gambit C
chain of command: pve A, pvp D, gambit B
SCORES CHANGED
ace of spades: pve now D (was C)
Outdated powerset for PVE and no current artifact support
legend of acrius: pve now A (was B)
Damage buffed substantially, again
duality: gambit now C (was D)
Previous rating in error
le monarque: pve now S (was A)
Gained intrinsic Overload
tarrabah: pve now A (was S)
Decreased artifact and seasonal support
ticuu's divination: pve now A (was B)
Buffed and received artifact support
tommy's matchbook: pve now C (was B)
Substantially decreased artifact support
truth: pve now F (was D)
Nearly all alternatives, already better, received buffs
dead mans' tale: pve now A (was B), pvp now B (was A))
Remake flips its functionality level between PVE and PVP
hawkmoon: removed opening shot recommendation
Other options have become equally or more popular for PVP
SCORES CHANGED
fourth horseman: pve now B (was C), gambit now C (was F)
Damage buffed substantially
acrius: pve now B (was C), gambit now B (was D)
Damage buffed substantially
bad juju: pvp now B (was A)
Lack of range limits competitive capability in a plinking-oriented meta
bastion: pvp now D (was F)
Fringe glaive counter option
duality: pve now C (was F), gambit now D (was F)
Damage buffed substantially, slug mode receives pellet damage
lumina: pvp now B (was A)
Harder to secure kills to get rolling in current meta
polaris lance: pvp now B (was C)
On-colour for seasonal buffs, excels in a plinking meta
rat king: pvp now B (was C)
Synergy with best armour exotic in current sandbox, Omnioculus
the last word: no changes
Received nerfs but also received an accidental buff; insufficient info to evaluate weapon
NEW FEATURES
- added a "Current Top Recommendations" section. some people were finding the big list intimidating.
ADDED
grand overture: pve C, pvp F, gambit B
reckless endangerment: pve F, pvp C, gambit D
SCORES CHANGED
fourth horseman: pvp now F (was D)
Several major nerfs to PVP functionality
ager's scepter: pve now A (was B), gambit now B (was C)
Recent buffs as well as substantial artifact support this season
anarchy: pve now B (was C)
Combos with Starfire Protocol for a meta-relevant PVE DPS build
bad juju: pvp now A (was C)
Pulse rifle range buff, weapon subclass buff, and interaction with new Radiant buff
bastion: pvp now F (was C)
Ammo economy, Fusion Rifle nerfs, and increased proliferation of alternatives narrow this weapon's niche
devil's ruin: pvp now A (was B)
Ammo economy changes favour primary weapons that act like special weapons without using special ammo
duality: pvp now B (was A), gambit now F (was D)
Shotgun and ammo economy nerfs
eriana's vow: pvp now C (was B)
Nerfs to empowering effects have taken away several ways to make this weapon one-shot
izanagi's burden: pvp now F (was C)
Ammo economy nerfs obviate this weapon's PVP role
jotunn: pve now A (was D), gambit now A (was C)
Newly introduced catalyst completely revamps this weapon into an excellent choice in combatant modes
leviathan's breath: pve now A (was D), gambit now S (was B)
Most recent set of buffs have flipped this weapon from a poor damage option into a highly competitive one
lorentz driver: pve now B (was C)
Previous rating in error
mida multi-tool: gambit now B (was C)
"Off-hand" weapon buff
le monarque: no changes
Weapon received a buff but lost artifact support
outbreak perfected: pvp now B (was D)
Weapon subclass buff and evolution of meta expand this weapon's niche
polaris lance: pvp now C (was D)
Evolution of meta and addition of new maps and modes expand this weapon's niche
sleeper simulant: pve now C (was A)
Inferior to legendary options as well as exotic competitors like Leviathan's Breath
sturm: pvp now B (was C)
Fewer available alternatives in its weapon subclass and nerfs to using special ammo
tarrabah: pvp now S (was A)
Recipient of yet more buffs
the last word: pvp now C (was D)
Most recent buff improves this weapon's performance on mouse & keyboard; still an S on controller
ticuu's divination: pve now B (was A)
Lost artifact support
tommy's matchbook: pve now B (was C), gambit now D (was F)
Proliferation of healing options allows for ways to counteract this weapon's downsides
traveler's chosen: pvp now A (was B)
Nerfs to shotguns and other competitors for this weapon's slot as well as a buff to its airborne performance
truth: gambit now C (was B), pvp now F (was D)
Nerfed in a Gambit hotfix patch, remains one of the worst options relative to its competitors
witherhoard: pve now S (was A)
Continues to be one of the strongest meta options, and indirectly buffed
felwinter's lie: pvp now D (was B)
Last nerf as well as passel of shotgun nerfs make this weapon an actively poor option
salvager's salvo: pve now A (was C)
Combos with Starfire Protocol for a meta-relevant PVE DPS build
revoker: pvp now A (was B)
Sniper buffs as well as ammo economy nerfs expand this weapon's niche
mountaintop: pvp now F (was C)
Weapon is currently bugged
redrix's broadsword: pve now C (was D), pvp now B (was A)
Desperado perk buffed in PVE and nerfed in PVP; artifact support added
python: pve now C (was F), gambit now C (was F)
One-Two Punch perk continues to be definitive for shotguns in combatant modes
loaded question: pvp now F (was D)
Special ammo econ changes mark the end of Reservoir Burst perk in PVP
NEW FEATURES
- added xur's cipher weapons incl. my recommended random perk on each
- kept 'forsaken cipher' note for one more season
ADDED
ager's scepter: PVE B PVP C Gambit C
lorenz driver: PVE C PVP S Gambit A
dead man's tale: PVE B PVP A Gambit A
hawkmoon: PVE C PVP A Gambit C
adored: PVE C PVP B Gambit B
salvager's salvo: PVE B PVP B Gambit B
null composure: PVE C PVP C Gambit C
ascendancy: PVE B PVP B Gambit B
SCORES CHANGED
fourth horseman: pve now C (was B), gambit now F (was D)
Ammo economy and evolving meta push this weapon further away from likely viability. Catalyst now available again as of WQ
ace of spades: pvp now A (was S)
Continued proliferation of alternative options reduce unique value add of this weapon
anarchy: pvp now F (was D)
Previous rating in error
bad juju: pve now B (was C), pvp now C (was D), gambit now C (was D)
Exotic primary buff substantially increases this weapon's viability in PVE; super generation has new value in competitive modes due to 30th Anniv systems changes
bastion: pve now D (was B), pvp now C (was B), gambit now F (was D)
Lost uniqueness with introduction of legendary kinetic slot fusion; no longer buttressed by artifact mods
cryosthesia 77k: pve now C (was B)
No longer has artifact support; some stasis specs less meta in PVE
devil's ruin: pvp now B (was A)
Previous rating in error
duality: pve now F (was C)
Previous rating in error
izanagi's burden: pve now S (was A), pvp now C (was B)
Once again a top meta PVE pick due to evolving choices of heavy and new raid; WQ ammo economy changes hurt this weapon's niche in PVP
jotunn: pve now D (was C)
Reduced artifact support
leviathan's breath: pve now D (was C)
Buffs to exotic primaries make using a terrible exotic heavy even less attractive
lumina: pve now B (was C), pvp now A (was C)
Substantial direct and indirect buffs to this weapon
mida multi-tool: pve now F (was D)
Previous rating in error
le monarque: pve now A (was C), gambit now C (was D)
Introduction of strong catalyst option for PVE and very strong artifact support places this weapon into the top echelon
outbreak prime: pvp now D (was C), gambit now C (was D)
Improved artifact support and has found new use against bosses as a swappable for low ammo situations
polaris lance: pvp now D (was C)
Previous rating in error
ruinous effigy: pvp now D (was C), gambit now B (was D)
Artifact support and evolution of Gambit meta help this weapon to be a strong choice for new Freelance playlist
sleeper simulant: pve now A (was S), gambit now A (was S)
Reduced artifact support and consequent evolution of meta make this weapon just a strong choice rather than a no-brainer
sturm: pve now D (was F), pvp now C (was F)
Lack of alternatives for obtainable 120 hand cannons and exotic primary buff have made an execrable choice less execrable
symmetry: pvp now A (was B), gambit now B (was C)
An underrated choice in many modes gains expanded artifact support
tarrabah: pve now S (was A), gambit now B (was D)
Received both direct and indirect buffs while already a top weapon
thorn: pve now C (was D), gambit now D (was F)
Exotic primary buff substantially helps this weapon's competitiveness against combatants
the last word: pvp now D*, S on controller (was B*, S on controller)
Previous rating was in error, weapon remains unusable on mouse and keyboard
ticuu's divination: gambit now B (was C)
Slightly increased artifact support and further increased importance of add clear with new envoy system
tommy's matchbook: pvp now C (was B), gambit now F (was D)
Previous ratings were overestimates of this weapon's overall viability in current landscape
traveler's chosen: pve now C (was B)
Decreased artifact support and proliferation of strong alternatives plus Void 3.0's reduced need for ability regen narrows weapon's niche despite both direct buff and buff to functionality of catalyst's Osmosis perk
truth: pvp now D (was C)
Better alternatives exist and continue to be added, including legendary Ascendancy on kiosk
witherhoard: pve now A (was S), pvp now B (was C)
PVP rating was in error as weapon is a staple of Control/cap point modes. PVE meta has evolved to mildly disfavour this weapon as an automatic choice
worldline: pve now F (was D), pvp now F (was C)
No currently known reason for this weapon to exist when legendaries that eclipse its functionality and usability are freely available
felwinter's lie: pvp now B (was S)
Substantial direct nerf
point of the stag: pve now C (was B)
Strong alternatives introduced in Season of the Lost and WQ
hush: pve now B (was A)
Non-sunset alternative introduced with WQ
exit strategy: pve now D (was C)
Continued proliferation of alternatives
loaded question: pve now C (was B)
Continued proliferation of alternatives
NEW FEATURES
- bolded the top overall recommendations for ease of use
- further highlighted "S" scores for ease of use
- for this season only I have added a "FORSAKEN" note for weapons obtainable via the 3 Forsaken ciphers awarded to all owners of Forsaken
SCORES CHANGED
anarchy: pve now C (was A), gambit now C (was B)
Changes in meta around this weapon and increase in use of exotic heavies as primary DPS
cryosthesia 77k: pve now B (was C), pvp now B (was C)
Direct buffs to this weapon and usability improvement to sidearms in general
devil's ruin: pvp now B (was A)
Sidearm improvement on PC/nextgen substantially affects this weapon
eriana's vow: pve now C (was A)
Arbalest buff largely deprecates this weapon's role
leviathan's breath: pve now C (was D), gambit now B (was C)
Catalyst buff improves an already solid gambit choice
sleeper simulant: pve now S (was B), gambit now S (was A)
Already strong weapon received more buffs, directly entering meta
travelers' chosen: pvp now B (was C)
Sidearm improvement on PC/nextgen and weapon's role more important despite direct nerf
truth: pve now D (was C), gambit now B (was A)
Largely deprecated by introduction of Gjallarhorn
whisper of the worm: pve now C (was B)
Despite substantial direct buff, buffs to other weapons have actually moved it further away from meta
worldline zero: pve now D (was B), gambit now F (was C)
Legendary alternatives introduced in 30th & sword mechanics changes render this weapon obsolete for its niche
felwinter's lie: pvp now S (was A)
Previous rating in error
point of the stag: pve now B (was C)
Previous rating in error
hush: pve now A (was C)
Previous rating in error NOTE: weapon is still sunset