Destiny 2 – Best Hunter PvE Armor Tier List

Destiny 2 Hunter Armor PvE Tierlist

in our Destiny 2 Hunter Armor Tier List for PvE, we’ll dive into the best choices, how they work, and provide build recommendations.

With over 40 exotic armor pieces for the Hunter class it can be overwhelming on which to choose, especially when multiple reworks were recently performed for exotic armor across all classes.

There is a vast disparity between the best and worst options of exotics in this game, making the wrong choice have large consequences on gameplay.

Exotics also perform very differently depending on the content and build around them.

• This list aims to rate each Hunter exotic armor piece for PvE with Raids, Dungeons, Grandmaster Nightfalls, and solo Lost Sectors being the main content it is based upon.
• Higher priority will be on content with a reduced light level as this content is more difficult and using better gear is imperative. The list will also give reasoning for ratings and explain where the exotic is best suited.
• Only the S, A, and B tiers will be covered by this list as the rest are essentially irrelevant in almost every scenario. The S Tier builds will also have example builds to use that are strong in the current meta.
• This list is last updated as of the release of Season 23, Season of the Wish.

S Tier

Radiant Dance Machines

What it Does:

Activating your dodge ability while near targets allows you to dodge additional times for a short period. Defeating targets extends the duration of the additional dodge.

These let you dodge infinitely up to 6 seconds. If you land a kill the timer is extended 5 seconds with a max of 11 seconds. The extra dodges activate most on dodge effects in the game including markman/gambler’s dodge.

Thoughts:

These are fantastic for both wave clear and boss DPS. They do both of these both as well as any other exotic in the game. The damage meta is Rocket Launchers with a 1 shot magazine and a slow reload which this exotic completely circumvents. The only downside is they can fall off in Grandmaster’s due to getting fewer kills to reset the timer. In any other content when doing add clear you can keep up the timer indefinitely to avoid any reload or gain any other effect on dodge.

[Example Radiant Dance Machines Build]

Celestial Nighthawk

What it Does:

Precision final blows reduce the cooldown of your Super. Modifies Golden Gun to fire a single, high-damage shot. Targets defeated by that shot give you Super energy and explode.

Precision kills can give up to 4.5% super energy depending on enemy rank. Minors give 1.5%.

Thoughts:

The most notable comparison is Star-Eater Scales which used to completely box out this exotic. But the buff to this exotic and Golden Gun as has made Golden Gun – Marksman and this exotic the best DPS super. Not only is the damage great, but the neutral game addition of super energy on precision kills is very nice have to ensure super during a boss phase or to have maximum uptime during a Grandmaster.

[Example Celestial Nighthawk Build]

Star Eater Scales

What it Does:

You gain additional Super energy from Orbs of Power you pick up. While your Super energy is full, picking up an Orb of Power overcharges your Super, causing you to gain a burst of healing when cast and a bonus to your Super damage. At maximum overcharge, you also gain an overshield.

Can hold up to 4 stacks with the following damage bonuses to super damage: 27.3%|54.6%|62.3%|70%

They also heal depending on the number of stacks and give an Overshield if super is casted with max stacks.

Thoughts:

This exotic is obviously best suited for boss DPS. They give a massive upgrade to super damage for the hunter which has 2 very good options for boss damage in Blade Barrage and Gathering Storm. Extra super damage is a great thing to have in all content to kill a boss or high-health target.

[Example Star Eater Scales Build]

Assassin’s Cowl

What it Does:

Powered melee final blows grant invisibility and restore a portion of health and shields. Finishers and final blows against more powerful targets increase the duration of the invisibility and the amount of health and shields restored.

Both powered melees and finishers activate the effect with a minimum of 6.8 seconds of invisibility and 100 hp on a powered melee on a minor. This scales with higher tier enemies and from finishers.

Thoughts:

This is one of, if not the best neutral game exotics in more difficult content. The safety it provides from a heal and invisibility is unmatched. It also activates on finishers which are a very common means of killing high health targets in GMs.

[Example Assassin’s Cowl Build]

Gyrfalcon’s Hauberk

What it does:

Your Void weapons gain Volatile Rounds after you emerge from being invisible. When you are invisible and defeat a combatant while using a finisher, all of your weapons gain bonus damage; you and your nearby allies gain a reserve overshield and improved class ability regeneration. These reserve overshields can be deployed by using a class ability.

Gain volatile rounds for 10 seconds after being invisible. If you use a finisher when invisible, gain a 35% damage bonus for 6 seconds.

Thoughts:

With how easy it is to go invisible with the Void Hunter this exotic gets so much value. They also can infinitely loop when paired with Stylish Execution as killing enemies who are Volatile grant invisibility. They give a great combination of survivability and add clear potency.

[Example Gyrfalcon’s Hauberk Build]

Liar’s Handshake

What it Does:

Using your Arc melee ability or being hit by a melee attack will allow you to follow up with an extremely powerful melee counterpunch that will heal you.

Gain Cross Counter when using an Arc melee or ability or being hit by a melee attack. Cross Counter increases melee damage by 200% and restores some health.

Thoughts:

These gauntlets are to Hunter what Synthoceps and Throwing Hammer are to Titans. The synergy this exotic has with the Arc subclass makes these gauntlets an S Tier exotic. The damage resistance and healing that class has allows you to go all-out offensive with melee and these gauntlets. The reason Assassin’s Cowl is higher on the list is because of the survivability they provide in more difficult content to the Arc subclass.

[Example Liar’s Handshake Build]

Aeon Swift

What it Does:

When using Sect of Insight, finishers on Minibosses (this includes Champions) or Boss you generate heavy ammo for your fireteam. When using a finisher on an Elite it generates special ammo instead.

Thoughts:

This is extremely useful in Grandmaster Nightfalls and Master Raids/Dungeons where you are stressed for heavy ammo during damage phases. Not only are these activities more demanding for heavy ammo, but they also have an abundance of Champions that can be used to generate heavy ammo.

[Example of Aeon Swift Build]

A Tier

Omnioculus

What it Does:

You gain a second Smoke Bomb charge and have damage resistance while invisible. When you make an ally invisible, they gain damage resistance while invisible and you gain melee energy.

These give 50% damage resistance and give back 50% melee energy per ally made invisible.

Thoughts:

This exotic is very useful and can seem to be a clear S tier in team settings. The issue is that Gyrfalcon’s boxes it out a bit for the best void hunter exotic. Both are great for continuously going invisible. Omni has the benefit of recharging smokes and the damage resistance given. Meanwhile Gyrfalcon’s has the offensive bonus of volatile rounds and the damage bonus on an invisible finisher. The smoke cooldown reduction is very nice with Omni, but there are so many ways to get dodge back very fast. The damage resistance is nice for GMs, but isn’t mandatory as invisibility offers protection in its own right.

Orpheus Rig

What it Does:

Provides ability energy for each target tethered by Deadfall anchors. Moebius Quiver has an additional shot.

Can give up to 50% super energy back and gives 10% for each ability per enemy tethered.

Thoughts:

This exotic is great for encounters with huge clumps of enemies. Not only does it recharge half your super if used properly, but it also prints Orbs of Power for teammates. The support effect that it has and super regen overcome that it doesn’t boost damage nor specifically buffs any abilities.

Foetracer

What it Does:

Damaging a powerful combatant or Guardian with an ability grants you a temporary bonus to weapon damage matching your subclass type. Defeating that target with a weapon matching the damage type of your subclass creates an elemental pickup.

This buff is a stage 4 weapon surge bonus of 25% of the matching element that lasts for 10 seconds.

Thoughts:

This is good, but not great. It is a very easy way to get a 25% damage boost on a boss encounter. The fact that surge mods can accomplish a 22% damage boost with Orbs of Power is what prevents this exotic from being great. To get an extra 3% damage boost you have to sacrifice your exotic which is something that can boost damage elsewhere and net more damage overall.

Renewal Grasps

What it Does:

Your Duskfield grenades have a much larger effect radius. Allies inside the Duskfield take reduced damage and targets inside the area deal reduced damage.

Duskfield Grenade’s radius is increased by 25%. In the Duskfield enemies deal 50% less damage and you and your allies receive a 25% damage resistance buff.

Thoughts:

It’s a good utility exotic for survivability during difficult content. It has no offensive utility which limits its usage only in content where staying alive is difficult. Granted it does do its purpose well, and that’s what puts it in A Tier.

Lucky Pants

What it Does:

When you ready a fully loaded Hand Cannon that deals Kinetic damage or a damage type that matches your subclass energy type, each hit from that Hand Cannon increases the damage of the next shot for a short time against a combatant. Hand Cannons ready faster and are more accurate immediately after swapping to them. Provides a small benefit to the airborne effectiveness stat of Hand Cannons while the buff is active.

The main allure is the damage bonus these provide. When active they give a 60% damage bonus per hand cannon hit up to 10 stacks. This lasts 5.5 seconds and can give up to a 600% damage bonus. They also give handling, accuracy, and airborne effectiveness to hand cannons.

Thoughts:

Hand Cannons got a large buff and are much better in PvE now. These boots make some hand cannons a good means of dealing damage such as Malfeasance. The buffs these boots give to hand cannons also make this exotic real nice for add clear, champions, and mini bosses as well. These are just short of the S tier because of there still being better damage options with heavy weapons.

Shards of Galanor

What it Does:

Throwing Knife final blows decrease the cooldown of your Super. Hits and final blows with Blade Barrage will return Super energy after the Super ends.

Blade Barrage can refund up to 50% super based on number of hits. Gain 2.5%-5% super energy for each Throwing Knife kill depending on enemy rank.

Thoughts:

The energy gains for Throwing Knife kills is very nice though as Solar Hunter can essentially throw knives infinitely with the refunding from Knock ‘Em Down. Blade Barrage is a great DPS super, so using an Exotic that buffs the damage is ideal. Shards of Galanor is best for Grandmaster Nightfalls and encounters without boss DPS, but rather high-priority targets. This is because the super can be used on Champions and mini-bosses who have lower health pools, regain energy quickly, and repeat.

B Tier

Graviton Forfeit

What it Does:

Increases the duration of any invisibility effects. While you are invisible, your melee recharges faster, your weapons reload faster, and your Recovery is greatly increased.

Invisibility lasts 2 seconds longer. While invisible: gain 100 Reload Speed, 100 Recovery, and 400% additional melee regeneration rate. Melee regeneration bonus is increased by 200% per nearby enemy up to two bonus enemies.

Thoughts:

The invisibility duration boost of 2 seconds is rather short, but nice to secure a revive, get to safety, etc. The general duration in which you are invisible without this exotic is long enough to regenerate shields and reload, so those stat bonuses aren’t too beneficial. The melee regeneration is very nice though. With Void Hunter, melee is a primary means of going invisible, so getting it back almost instantly is very nice. Unfortunately Omnioculus has the melee refund which is very similar, but also a better secondary effect which boxes Graviton Forfeit out a bit.

Caliban’s Hand

What it Does:

Your Proximity Knife scorches targets it damages with its explosions, or ignites targets on final blow.

After throwing a Proximity Knife, you gain increased melee regeneration until the knife explodes.

When Proximity Knife is planted and waiting, gain 500% additional melee regeneration rate. The explosion of the Knife applies 60 Scorch stacks.

Thoughts:

The effect of this is very fun and very good as well. The main issue that holds it back from being upper-tier is how many things in the game cause similar explosions for wave clear. The regeneration rate is also not too important because when Radiant, Throwing Knife refunds itself on kill with Knock ‘Em Down. On top of this, Hunter has Gambler’s Dodge to refund melee if needed in case it is lost. You can more or less build around what this exotic does and open up using another exotic for an additional effect.

Ophidia Spathe

What it Does:

Gain a second knife per charge. Getting a final blow with a throwing knife grants consecutive knives a temporary stacking damage bonus. Gambler’s Dodge refreshes the bonus timer.

Can build up to 3 stacks; at 1 stack gain 30% bonus melee damage, 60% at 2 stacks, and 100% at 3 stacks. The stacks last for 5 seconds and are refreshed on knife kill or Gambler’s Dodge.

Thoughts:

At its base damage Knife Trick can kill minor enemies in most content. This exotic brings some nice bonuses of the extra knife and allows the Throwing Knife to scale into content where the enemy level is higher. The nicest benefit of the exotic is that it increases Ignition damage which is much easier to get with 2 charges of Throwing Knife. Other than that there isn’t too much this offers because of how easy it is to upkeep Throwing Knife normally because it resets on kill when Radiant with Knock ‘Em Down.

Fr0st-EE5

What it Does:

Increased grenade, melee, and dodge regeneration while sprinting. Dodging increases your sprint speed.

Sprinting increases grenade and melee recharge rate by 100% and gives dodge regen by 3.5% per second.

Thoughts:

The effect of increasing ability regen is really nice, and the amount you get is very good, but there are a few drawbacks that limit it. In general, there are many Fragments, Aspects, Armor, and more that are good for getting back abilities. The other thing is those other methods are typically through a natural gameplay loop which lets you fight. Meanwhile, with these boots, you are only gaining that ability energy when sprinting. And when sprinting you are unable to shoot, use abilities, etc.

The Sixth Coyote

What it Does:

Gain a second dodge charge.

Yes… it is that simple.

Thoughts:

The effect this exotic gives is very basic, but dodge is such an integral part of the Hunter’s kit that this exotic has use. With the ability cooldown nerfs, getting a second dodge has even more merits to it now. Getting an extra auto-reload during a damage phase, being able to cycle melee more frequently with Gambler’s Dodge, activating Aspects like Vanishing Step for invisibility are all nice things about having the second charge. This exotic isn’t higher up because the overall ceiling it provides is lower. It doesn’t bring any new game-breaking effects, but it helps boost the good effects that dodge can bring by letting you do them more often.

Speedloader Slacks

What it Does:

Dodging boosts reload speed, handling, and airborne effectiveness for you and nearby allies. While the buff is active, final blows and additional dodges increase the buff strength and refresh the timer. Maxes out at 5 stacks.

A stack is initially given on dodge and lasts 15 seconds. Stacks are increased and the timer is refreshed when dodging again or on kill. Stacks give the following bonuses:

• 1 Stack = 40 Handling/Reload Speed, 30 AE
• 2 Stacks = 40 Handling/Reload Speed, 35 AE, 0.925x Reload Duration Multiplier
• 3 Stacks = 45 Handling/Reload Speed, 40 AE, 0.915x Reload Duration Multiplier
• 4 Stacks = 50 Handling/Reload Speed, 45 AE, 0.910x Reload Duration Multiplier
• 5 Stacks = 55 Handling/Reload Speed, 50 AE, 0.890x Reload Duration Multiplier

Thoughts:

There are a lot of numbers to look at with this exotic. For the most part, Airborne Effectiveness can be ignored in PvE. Unless you’re trying to mid-air 360 during boss damage you have little use for AE. Where this exotic has use is in its Handling, Reload Speed, and Reload Duration Multiplier stat effects. All these stats help with DPS, and they apply to the whole team. Handling is great for weapon swapping which is a must for optimal damage. Reload Speed is the other very important stat. The Reload Speed buffs are large and many weapons will be maxed out at 100, which gives the Reload Duration Multiplier even more value. To put this into context with real-life usage, at max stacks a Rocket Launcher like the Hothead will have its reload time lessened by almost an entire second. When applying this across all teammates, the effect on team DPS is a nice boost.