Destiny is quite well known for its vast array of unique and powerful weapons and armor pieces called “Exotics.” These Exotics have become a staple of the series since its release in 2014 and a good few of them (looking at you, Telesto) have actually broken the game in ways that many of us didn’t know were possible. However, one weapon type that seems to remain under the radar is the Scout Rifle. Scout Rifles in Destiny 2 have not had the best of luck when it comes to being totally powerful, but there are still some pretty solid choices in the mix. So, without further ado, here are all 6 Exotic Scout Rifles in Destiny 2 ranked from worst to best. (P.S. Bungie we really need more Exotic Scout Rifles please and thanks.)
6. MIDA Multi-Tool
The MIDA Multi-Tool is a weapon that was almost entirely broken in Crucible in Destiny 1, but has been nerfed into oblivion in Destiny 2. Its Exotic perk “MIDA Multi-Tool” (how fitting) states that “This weapon boosts move speed” and…that’s it. The only other special thing about this weapon is that your radar stays active while you’re aiming down sights, but other than that it’s just another 200 RPM Scout Rifle. I do love anything that grants mobility in this game, but when Hunters have St0mp-EE5 and Warlocks have Transversive Steps, there’s not really any reason to take up an Exotic weapon slot to boost your movement speed.
5. Skyburner’s Oath
Skyburner’s Oath was a pretty big meme for a while until Season of the Chosen came around and actually gave players a reason to use the gun. The weapon’s Exotic perk “Slug Rifle” states “This weapon lobs large, explosive, seeking slugs when you’re firing from the hip. When you’re aiming down sights, the slugs travel fast and straight, with higher damage and a lower rate of fire.” This combined with the ability to penetrate Phalanx shields and deal extra damage to any Cabal made it the perfect weapon to use against the Cabal in Season of the Chosen. It’s still not a fantastic gun, but it definitely has its place in certain areas of the game.
4. The Jade Rabbit
The Jade Rabbit is another returning Exotic Scout Rifle from Destiny 1 and it was actually a PlayStation exclusive for a long while, so if you were an Xbox player then you were out of luck if you wanted to get your hands on this gun. Its Exotic perk “The Fate Of All Fools” reads “Chain body shots to gain bonus damage on your next precision shot and return ammo to the magazine.” While this isn’t a terrible perk, it kind of relies on your inability to hit headshots and forces you to aim for anything but the head in order to take advantage of its perk, which is just entirely counterproductive. I put this gun higher than Skyburner’s for the simple fact that it is easily one of the best weapons to use in Momentum Control.
3. Polaris Lance
Polaris Lance was introduced in the Warmind expansion and its Exotic perk is called “The Perfect Fifth.” The Perfect Fifth reads “Precision hits return ammo to the mag. Landing 4 precision hits loads a delayed Solar explosive round for your next shot.” For the most part, it’s going to be pretty difficult to activate The Perfect Fifth, unless you’re dealing damage to a boss, which is what this weapon seems like it would excel at; the only problem is: who in their right mind is doing boss DPS with a Scout Rifle, and who is taking up their Exotic slot for a Scout Rifle for a boss phase? I’m putting this at number 3, simply because of the ability to spawn Warmind Cells with the solar splash damage from Wrath of Rasputin, and because you could get infinite ammo if you hit all your shots, which is pretty good for your ammo economy.
2. Symmetry
I feel like I’m one of the few people that actually enjoys using Symmetry unironically, because all I see is meme after meme about how Symmetry is a terrible weapon, and while I will agree that it is absolutely not the play for endgame content like Raids, Grandmaster Nightfalls, or Dungeons, it is the absolute most fun weapon to use in Crucible by far. Sure, the Arc Seekers that track your targets would feel a bit cheap, but you do have to continuously hit precision shots (without getting killed first) to even get close to killing anyone with these Arc Seekers, so there is a pretty decent skill gap there.
1. Dead Man’s Tale
Dead Man’s Tale is my favorite Exotic Scout Rifle in Destiny 2 by a pretty wide margin. The Exotic perk “Cranial Spike” states that “Chaining precision hits grants bonus damage and quickens reload speed.” Not only is Cranial Spike a fantastic perk on its own, but it is also one of the few Exotic weapons that can roll with a random perk, which makes it all the more unique. Coupled with Anti-Barrier Scout Rifle, this thing is definitely a force to be reckoned with, and actually does quite a bit of damage against bosses, so you could potentially DPS with it, though I wouldn’t recommend it unless you’re out of ammo in everything else.
What are your favorite Exotic Scout Rifles in Destiny 2? I really do hope that Bungie adds some more of these in the future, because there’s so much potential with this weapon type.
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