Destiny 2: All Exotic Hand Cannons, Ranked

Destiny 2 is filled with many different weapon types to choose from. One of the most popular types of weapons is the hand cannon. Usually designed like a revolver, these futuristic cowboy guns pack a bunch. They offer a great way for players to do a lot of damage from a single shot.

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Destiny 2 offers dozens of exotic weapons to choose from as well and ten of these are hand cannons. Each exotic hand cannon features a unique design and special perks that are often much better than standard weapons.

Updated on May 6, 2024, by Anastasia Maillot: Hand cannons struggled for a while to find their original, strong place in PVE in Destiny 2, mainly due to how strong ability spam was (and is), and the abundance of other, spammier weapons like SMGs or pulse rifles. However, with the balance changes introduced in the last year since Lightfall, and going into The Final Shape expansion, hand cannons are more than viable in PVE. While the Exotic choices remain a bit more niche and are generally more oriented toward PVP, some have risen in significance. As such, the ranking has been tweaked a little to reflect these balance shifts. Each hand cannon’s price and source can also be now found to make hunting them down simpler for players still missing them.

10 Sturm

Works Best Only When Paired With Drang

• How To Get: Buy it from the Monument to Lost Lights in the Tower (Red War Exotic)
• Cost: 1 Exotic Cipher, 100k Glimmer, 1 Ascendant Shard

The Sturm is one of the least popular hand cannons in Destiny 2. It features a unique look that doesn’t resemble a revolver like most hand cannons. Its first perk is that it refills the player’s other energy weapons’ mags on each kill.

Its second perk is quite unique in that it requires players to be using another weapon called the Drang alongside it. Kills with the Drang reload the Sturm and fill it with a bonus round.

9 Eriana’s Vow

A Special Ammo Hand Cannon That Destroys Barrier Champions

• How To Get: Buy it from the Monument to Lost Light in the Tower (Shadowkeep Exotics)
• Cost: 1 Exotic Cipher, 100k Glimmer, 1 Ascendant Shard

The only exotic hand cannon to shoot secondary rounds instead of primary is Eriana’s Vow. This hand cannon has an intrinsic strength against barrier champions, thanks to its shots that have the ability to pierce shields.

While aiming down sights, players get a bonus damage boost on their first, opening shot. What’s even better, this damage bonus remains even after players hit a shield or get a precision hit. It’s a cool gun that isn’t quite as popular as other secondary guns. Sadly, there are also better options against barrier champions in the game, which has put this gun on the backburner.

8 Crimson

A Unique Three-Short Burst That Works Well In PVP

• How To Get: Randomly drops from Exotic engrams

The Crimson is unique in that its perk allows the gun to be fired in 3-shot bursts, something only pulse rifles usually do. The next perk states that the Crimson will slightly heal the gun’s wielder on each kill.

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Another nice thing about the Crimson is that precision kills refill the magazine. This gun was sometimes popular with controller users but never quite made its way into the game’s meta. In PVP, it’s a decent pick.

7 The Last Word

• How To Get: Buy it from the Monument to Lost Lights in the Tower (Forsaken Exotics)
• Cost: 1 Exotic Cipher, 125k Glimmer, 1 Ascendant Shard

The Last Word is a classic-looking revolver that features a cool fan-the-hammer animation to really get that cowboy vibe.

Its first perk is that it can be fired fully automatically, the only hand cannon that can do this. It also has a perk that gives bonus precision damage, reload speed, and accuracy while hip-firing. Another gun that’s popular with controller users, due to its powerful aim assist, even if it has dropped out of favor a little bit.

6 Hawkmoon

A Strong PVP Hand Cannon, But Not The Best

• How To Get: Buy it from Xur every Friday-Tuesday before the weekly reset (randomized perks)

The Hawkmoon is without a doubt one of the strongest weapons for PVP. It has a great perk that allows players to stack Paracausal Charge when hitting final blows and precision hits. The final round in the magazine deals bonus damage based on how many stacks were charged.

Unfortunately, if players stow the Hawkmoon when it reaches maximum charge, the bonus is removed, so it’s important to keep Hawkmoon out to take full advantage of it. This gun can two-tap and maybe even one-tap foes in PVP which gives it an insane edge.

5 Malfeasance

A Niche Gun With Potential

• How To Get: Complete the Exotic quest from Drifter

The Malfeasance is a fun and interesting gun, but it unfortunately is overshadowed by other guns that do similar things. Malfeasance’s appeal is its special, tainted slugs that can be shot and stacked up into enemies. Once enough of them are stacked, each slug will explode and deal damage. This is strong against staggered unstoppable champions. The next perk gives the gun bonus damage against Taken enemies and Gambit invaders.

It should be said that certain Hunter builds that take advantage of Radiant Dance Machine make good use of Malfeasance in a PVE environment, so the weapon isn’t exactly something players should pass up on.

4 Lumina

An Excellent Buff To Damage In PVE

• How To Get: Buy it from the Monument to Lost Lights in the Tower (Forsaken Exotics)
• Cost: 1 Exotic Cipher, 125k Glimmer, 1 Ascendant Shard

The Lumina was one of the weaker weapons in the game until it received some buffs in Season 16. It only has one perk that is quite special. The perk states that kills with this weapon leave behind remnants.

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These remnants convert the player’s next hip-fired shot into a noble round that heals allies and grants both the player and their allies a 35% weapon damage bonus for a short time. One of the few weapons that can be used as a support tool for teammates.

3 Sunshot

• How To Get: Randomized drop from Exotic engrams

The Sunshot is a very strong hand cannon for PVE activities, if not the best Exotic choice now that hand cannons are so powerful. It fires solar explosive rounds that pack a punch and highlight enemies for the player. When enemies are killed with these rounds they explode in a blast of solar energy.

This weapon is great for taking down large groups of enemies, even if there are a few other guns that do the same thing. For a primary, it’s undoubtedly the best option, though Zaouli’s Bane is a good replacement if players don’t want to sacrifice an Exotic slot for it.

2 Thorn

• How To Get: Buy it from the Monument to Lost Lights in the Tower (Forsaken Exotics)
• Cost: 1 Exotic Cipher, 125k Glimmer, 1 Ascendant Shard

The Thorn was extremely popular among PVP players for quite some time. It has a very strong perk that causes rounds to pierce targets and do damage over time. Its other perk allows the gun to leave remnants behind on kills.

These remnants increase damage and refill the magazine for a small amount when picked up. While no longer meta, it’s still a very strong weapon that is sure to irritate anyone standing in its way.

1 Ace Of Spades

• How To Get: Buy it from the Monument to Lost Light in the Tower (Forsaken Exotics)
• Cost: 1 Exotic Cipher, 125k Glimmer, 1 Ascendant Shard

The Ace of Spades is likely the most popular hand cannon in the game. Famous for being the gun that Cayde-6 uses in the game’s lore, it has a bit of everything. It actually carries three perks: Precision kills increase reload speed and make the target explode, players gain increased damage for reloading after a kill, and radar is granted at all times including while aiming down sights.

The Ace of Spades is a fantastic gun that sees most use in PVP and is among Crucible favorites, right by Thorn.