Warlocks are the most essential class in Destiny 2. Every fireteam needs a support warlock for survival and Boss DPS. You can efficiently complete any PVE activity with the perfect Warlock build. They also have one of the best jumps in the game with a smooth gliding effect. Warlocks are an excellent choice for PvP activities, as some warlock exotics have game-changing perks that can completely change your gameplay.
Build crafting is the core of Destiny 2, and every build requires a perfectly synced exotic armor piece to complete. Each new DLC adds new exotics to the game, and the list keeps growing. Warlocks have some of the best exotic armor pieces available in the game, and some builds with these exotics are so overpowered that you will think you are cheating.
What are the best Exotic Armor for Warlocks in Destiny 2?
Some exotic armors were tuned with the release of Season of the Wish, which altered the meta. Here are the top ten exotic armors for warlocks in season 23.
10. Lunafaction Boots
Lunafaction Boots have long been famous for boss fights in raids and dungeons. Despite the abundance of amazing Exotics available to Warlocks, Lunafactions may appear modest because they provide limited direct benefits to the player. Lunafaction Boots, on the other hand, shine during boss DPS phases because they increase weapon reload speed for both the player and their allies within the player's rifts or Well of Radiance.
The popularity of Lunafaction Boots has recently decreased due to the introduction of new Exotics that boost damage. Nonetheless, they remain an excellent choice for speedrunners, as they eliminate concerns about weapon reload speed during boss DPS phases.
Exotic Perk:
"Your Rifts gain the additional ability to increase weapon reload speeds. Empowering Rift makes weapons effective over longer ranges."
9. Necrotic Grip
Necrotic Grip is an excellent choice for exotic armor, especially for melee-focused builds. Its performance alongside Strand has been noticeably strong with various build uses since the Lightfall release, allowing it to maintain its position in high-tier PVE content.
While Necrotic Grip effectively clears enemies in mid-level PVE content, its utility decreases in PVP or end-game PVE activities. Activating this Exotic's perk becomes significantly easier with projectile melees, establishing it as a fun, if not always necessary, addition to gameplay.
Exotic Perk:
"Damaging combatants envenom them with poison that deals increasing damage over time. Defeating a poisoned combatant spreads the condition to nearby targets."
8. Swarmers
Swarmers are the top pick for Warlocks, focusing on a Threadling-centric build. This choice allows players to generate Threadlings simply by destroying Tangles, providing a reliable way to summon these NPC allies. When equipped with Swarmers, every Tangle destroyed by the player results in the creation of a Threadling.
Additionally, these Threadlings gain the capability to Unravel enemies they touch, causing extra area of effect damage. Swarmers amplify the core aspect of Broodweaver builds—Threadlings—by boosting their effectiveness. Whether it's Unraveling enemies or producing more Threadlings from Tangles, Swarmers are essential for any Strand Warlock aiming to maximize their build's potential.
Exotic Perk:
"Destroying a Tangle spawns a Threadling. Your Threadlings unravel targets that they damage."
7. Ophidian Aspect
Ophidian Aspect was a top choice for Destiny 2's PvP battles until a recent update removed its extended melee range. Despite this change, it remains a powerhouse in The Crucible. This exotic significantly enhances weapon handling and reloading speed, crucial attributes for any firearm. This perk allows quicker weapon changes in urgent situations and reduces reloading times.
It also increases the weapons' airborne effectiveness, which perfectly syncs with the warlock playstyle. Although more exotic options may offer advantages in specific scenarios, the continuous benefit of snappier weapons provided by Ophidian Aspect is invaluable.
Exotic Perk:
"Weapons ready and reload very quickly. Provides a small benefit to the airborne effectiveness stat of all weapons."
6. Osmiomancy Gloves
The Osmiomancy Gloves are a game changer for Warlocks who use Coldsnap Grenades, particularly in Stasis builds. These gloves allow you to carry an extra Coldsnap Grenade charge and refund energy whenever your grenade hits an enemy. This feature makes them an invaluable asset in even the most challenging PvE content, despite the current underutilization of Stasis subclasses in Destiny 2.
While Coldsnap Grenades may not be the best option, deploying two stasis turrets simultaneously (via the Bleak Watcher aspect) elevates these gloves to exceptional status for end-game PvE activities. In PvP matches, their ability to consistently freeze opponents puts the Osmiomancy Gloves among the top-tier exotic choices.
Exotic Perk:
"Your Coldsnap grenades have an additional charge that recharges quicker on direct impact. The seeker spawned from Coldsnap grenades travels further."
5. Karnstein Armlets
The Karnstein Armlets are excellent for players engaging in Destiny 2's solo PvE content, and they are also a great exotic for PvP. These armlets provide significant health recovery after a melee kill while initiating the 'Vampire's Caress' buff. This buff is distinguished by continuous and uninterrupted health regeneration, which provides a significant advantage in survival during end-game PvE content.
While these armlets are compatible and effective with any subclass or melee strategy, they are beneficial when paired with projectile melees. This strategy improves the ease and safety of activating the exotic perk, increasing the player's survivability and combat efficiency.
Exotic Perk:
"Melee kills instantly restore a large amount of health and continue to restore health afterward for a short duration."
4. Mantle of Battle Harmony
Mantle of Battle Harmony is one of the easiest exotic in Destiny 2. It provides players with super energy or a damage bonus by defeating enemies, making it an excellent addition to ad-clearing builds. After defeating an enemy, it gives a 20% damage increase for weapons synced with your subclass element, effective for ten seconds and renewable with kills.
If you use weapons and subclasses that complement each other effectively, this exotic can transform you into an unstoppable force in combat. While it requires some initial setup to maximize effectiveness, this chest armor is extremely powerful once mastered.
Exotic Perk:
"Takedowns with weapons that have a damage type matching your subclass element grant you Super energy. While your Super energy is full, you instead gain a temporary bonus to weapon damage of the type matching your subclass element."
3. Boots of the Assembler
Boots of the Assembler are a standout exotic for Warlocks, particularly for those who focus on a support role within their fire team. The key feature of these boots is the Blessing of Order intrinsic trait, which transforms your rift class ability into a more dynamic tool.
Adding the Child of the Old Gods Aspect into the mix with these boots further amplifies their utility. This aspect not only enhances the healing or damage buff provided by your rift but also grants you a substantial boost in ability energy and health regeneration. It even includes a feature that weakens nearby enemies, making it an invaluable asset in both PvE and PvP scenarios.
Exotic Perk:
"Standing in a healing rift creates Noble Seekers that seek out allies that are not in a rift and heal them. Noble Seekers from Empowering Rift grant both you and your ally a damage bonus. Each time a Noble Seeker finds one of your allies, the duration of your rift is briefly extended."
2. Transversive Steps
Transversive Steps are a must-have exotic for Warlocks who love playing PvP of Destiny 2. They stand out as the only Warlock exotic that boosts mobility and improves jump control, which is a big deal in PvP. But that's not all – these boots also have an auto-reload feature that kicks in when you sprint. This perk is handy in PvP, where reloading can cost you precious seconds.
The speed boosts you get from Transversive Steps is seriously impressive, making you quicker on your feet in those intense PvP moments. And while the auto-reload is situational, it can be a game-changer when you need a quick refill in the heat of battle. If you're looking for an all-around superb exotic that's versatile for any activity, Transversive Steps are one of the best picks out there.
Exotic Perk:
"Sprint speed increased. After a short time sprinting, your currently equipped weapon is automatically reloaded."
1. Sunbracers
Solar subclass is a top-tier option for Warlocks in Destiny 2, especially with the introduction of Solar 3.0. Sunbracers are a natural choice for any solar build due to their unique exotic perks. Following a Solar melee kill, these exotic gauntlets provide the player unlimited grenade energy for a short time. This ability is fantastic in ad clearing during any level of PvE activity.
Sunbracers are also compatible with the Dawnblade's Aspects and Fragments, which increases their utility in various PvE scenarios, particularly low to mid-level activities. You can also switch the grenades to healing grenades and make an infinite healing build that makes you and your team invincible.
Exotic Perk:
"Increases the duration of Solar Grenades. Solar melee kills grant unlimited Solar Grenade energy for a brief time."
How to get Exotic Armor
One of the simplest and most frequent methods to acquire new exotic armor pieces in Destiny 2 is through Solo Lost Sectors. Each day, a different Lost Sector is randomly selected from various game locations. Players have a 24-hour window to earn Exotic armor and Enchantment Cores by completing the Lost Sector solo. Additionally, exotic armor can be obtained by decoding exotic engrams and is available for purchase from Xur.
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