Destiny 2 is right on the horizon as its console release date stands just one week away. Guardians everywhere are currently doing their last runs of all the activities that the original game has to offer. Getting in Nightfalls to see their head glow, taking down the raids, endeavoring to once and for all get that Flawless Raider trophy/achievement, and seeing if maybe, just maybe, they can dominate a match in the Crucible.
It’s not that the game’s servers will be shut down once the sequel releases, or anything like that. It’s just that many of us will be taking our talents to the war against Ghaul and his vicious Red Legion. We’ll be saying goodbye to the Tower, to the current strike playlist, and to all of the raid bosses that we’ve grown accustomed to over the past three years. But there’s also one other thing that we’ll be saying goodbye to that is a bit more difficult than just the activities and Master Rahool (who’s given me enough useless gear for my engrams to fill a few hundred vaults). Our hard-earned gear will stay in the past as well, and while we have plenty of loot to look forward to in Destiny 2, there are some pieces of gear that will be very difficult to say goodbye to next week.
So here we are, excited for the future, but it’s time to give proper goodbyes to some weapons and armor that carried us through the toughest challenges that Destiny has thrown at us and that left us feeling truly legendary.
Gjallarhorn
Before getting into anything else, we must start with the weapon that many players considered to be an absolute must-have. So much so that Bungie had to take a second look at it in order to combat exclusionary practices by a large portion of the player base. It goes by many names within the community from Ballerhorn, to Jake Gyllenhorn, to Plan G. But we all know the Gjallarhorn to be one of the very best weapons in the entire game, especially during the first two years of Destiny’s life.
Thanks to its tight tracking capability and Wolfpack rounds, the Gjallarhorn was a favorite for end game activities. Many fireteams required players to have it in order to take down the boss (though it wasn’t 100% necessary), and it made light work of some of the most badass foes to grace your screen. It also happened to be one of the best-looking weapons in all of Destiny, letting it truly look and play the part of an exotic.
For some of us, this weapon joined the adventure from the very beginning (Xur sold it in week two, and some got it to drop in the raid and Nightfall). Others waited until it was given to everyone by way of a quest, but it still became a regular in our weapon rotation. As we flee the Tower and vow to get our revenge on Ghaul, we will forever think of you dear ol’ Gally, and hope that our future weapons can be as cool as you.
Raid Weapons
Among the most coveted exotics in Destiny were the raid exotics. Four weapons that required perseverance (unless you were super lucky in Vault of Glass and got a Vex Mythoclast on your first drop) and a lot of leg work. The Vex Mythoclast, Nechrocasm, Touch of Malice, and Outbreak Prime each stood head and shoulders above other weapons when it came to design and (at least for a period of time) utility.
The Vex Mythoclast, especially after getting a recent update, is an absolute beast of a fusion rifle. Necrochasm is still blowing up enemies, Touch of Malice offers one of the best risk/reward tradeoffs in the game, and Outbreak Prime just devours anyone in front of you. It sucks that we’ll have to let them go as we move towards newer, and hopefully better, raid weaponry. Still, if it were up to me and I had to leave the Tower only with what I could carry, I’d have my Vex Mythoclast and Outbreak Prime tucked under my arms.
Ice Breaker
Like the Gjallarhorn, this exotic sniper rifle was a favorite among guardians when it came to taking on end game content. What you have here is a Solar rifle that has unlimited ammo (you just have to wait a few seconds or your reserves to recharge), can set enemies on fire (damaging others nearby), has Mulligan (which lets you get back missed shots every now and then), and can boost your speed. It also sounded and looked the part, making it one of the coolest pieces of weaponry you could get in Destiny.
This weapon is so good that fans constantly let Bungie know that it needed an upgrade to stand toe-to-toe with others in year three. The studio had left a few of the more powerful weapons behind to give other exotics a time to shine, but the community wasn’t having it. So, when Rise of Iron dropped, it brought along the year three Ice Breaker as well. After having it back for only a year, it’s going to be difficult to say goodbye to this wonderful death dealer.
Helm of Saint-14
There’s a very strong chance that if you came across a Titan at any time during Destiny, they were wearing the Helm of Saint-14. This spartan-like helm was worn for one purpose, to blind anyone foolish enough to step into the Ward of Dawn.
Popping a bubble on a control point, or holding down a path during one of Destiny’s raids was made much easier thanks to enemies grasping aimlessly as you bludgeoned them to death in the safety of your purple dome. It created headaches for enemies who weren’t prepared and provided a much-needed breather to guardians in trouble. While the bubble is returning in Destiny 2, it looks like this trusty helm will be destroyed right alongside the Tower. Until we meet again, Saint-14, until we meet again…
Last Word/Fatebringer/Ace of Spades/Monte Carlo/Thorn
To be completely honest, we had a bit of trouble choosing just one hand cannon from Destiny’s arsenal. Each and every one from the Fatebringer (both legendary and exotic) to the Last Word had a special use, especially if you jumped into the Crucible. Each weapon had just the right rate of fire or intrinsic perk to fit a guardian like a glove, and each one has caused hell for the competition.
Sure some of them got a bit nerfed (we’re looking at you, Thorn), but it doesn’t change the fact of how many memories guardians have built with these firearms at their side. There will, of course, be new exotic hand cannons in Destiny 2, but we will never forget the rage-inducing guns that paved the way.
Bones of Eao
This is strictly for the Hunters out there waiting to move on to Destiny 2 and its new adventure. During tricky moments in strikes, raids, and the Crucible, many of us turned to Hunters for their superb agility and ability to make platforming challenges look like a walk in the park. Bungie recognized how mobility played a key role in a Hunter’s skill set and decided to give them a bit of an upgrade by way of the exotic leg armor Bones of Eao.
These spiky legs offered a third jump, letting Hunters prove that they are well above the laws of physics when it comes to getting around. They turned an already graceful warrior into menaces in the sky and we’ll never forget that. It’s going to be difficult saying goodbye, especially since the blink is gone (Warlocks must have found out that it was a stolen ability).
Claws of Ahamkara
It was difficult to choose only one Warlock exotic, as there are quite a few out there worthy of coveting. There are the Voidfang Vestments which boost Axion Bolts for Voidwalkers (deadly in PvP), the Heart of the Praxic Fire for helping make the most of Radiance, and Obsidian Mind which turns a Bad JuJu wielding Voidwalker into a veritable death machine. But the Claws of Ahamkara are quite useful no matter which subclass you decide to roll out with your space wizard.
It’s all because of The Whispers, an intrinsic perk that grants a second melee charge. Normally that wouldn’t sound like such a big deal, but the Warlock class has some very impressive melee abilities that can help in tight spots and turn the tides of battle. Whether it’s gaining an overshield, shocking an entire group, exploding foes, or healing, there’s something to be gained by punching someone while in the fray as a Warlock. Destiny 2 also has interesting melee perks, ones that we’d love to take advantage of as often as possible. So we’re sad to say goodbye to these wicked-looking gauntlets as we move towards the future.
Exotic Swords
In Destiny’s first year, it was a very solid shooter. You got some great guns (legendary and exotic), played with different types, learned what suited your playstyle best, and went on to build your legend. Melee attacks were often a last resort sort of deal, and unless you were a shotgun menace, you normally kept your distance when dealing with aliens out in the wild or your fellow guardians in the Crucible. But then The Taken King came along and introduced a new weapon type that would change how many of us would approach battle: swords.
Swords were best in the hands of the most courageous guardians, rewarding those who weren’t afraid to get in close with powerful kills. Both in PvE and the Crucible they proved to be a force not to be taken lightly, but then exotic versions took everything to a whole new level. A whirlwind of Void Light, a blast of Arc energy, and a flaming uppercut awaited those who took the time to obtain these coveted pieces of steel and might. As we move on to Destiny 2, it’s cool to see that the Warlock has a built-in, flaming sword that rains down pain on enemies, but that doesn’t make it any easier to say goodbye to what rank among the very best weapons Destiny has to offer.
No Land Beyond
Not many weapons rose to prominence in the way that No Land Beyond did in year two. This is one of the more curious sniper rifles found in Destiny. Many players considered it a waste of an exotic, but that’s because they didn’t take the time to figure out all of its nuances. In the right hands, this weapon spells automatic disaster for opponents in the Crucible.
For starters, you can equip this rifle in the primary slot. That means guaranteed ammo at all times, and the ability to go double sniper if you really want to. Mulligan and The Master are where this weapon really shines though. Mulligan allows a chance for a missed shot to be refunded to your magazine, and The Master grants increased damage after a kill. It wasn’t unheard of for a guardian to have wiped out an entire enemy team with just one magazine in the No Land Beyond.
There are indeed more exotic sniper rifles in Destiny 2, but we doubt we’ll see such a god-tier weapon like this one out in the wild. As we mourn the Tower, we’ll be sure to keep you in our prayers as well, No Land Beyond.
All of That Hard-Earned Trials of Osiris Loot
I’m going to be completely honest, I suck at Trials. It’s for that reason that it’s so difficult to say goodbye to any of the Trials of Osiris gear in Destiny as we prepare to jump into the new challenges that await in Destiny 2. If you see somebody completely decked out in the Egyptian-inspired armor with their slick weapons, you just know that you’re looking at one of the best to ever face off against another guardian. Of all the gear in the game, these sets stood as the truest symbol of a player’s legend.
Unfortunately, it’s all burning thanks to Ghaul hopping in and messing with our Feng shui. We can only hope to prove ourselves once again when the new Trials of Osiris hits some time after launch.
About the author
