In Destiny 2 rocket launchers are set to be back in the top tier. But how good are the 5 exotic troublemakers really and how do they compare to legendary challengers?
Why rocket launchers? In Destiny 2, Season 13 has started, bringing numerous balance changes. The big winners this time are rocket launchers. They received a 30% buff.
- This applies uniformly to legendary specimens.
- Bungie announced that they will adjust the exotic rocket launchers individually, almost like handpicked adjustments.
Since then, many Guardians have been wondering which of the 5 Exotics is the strongest rocket launcher?
The Destiny expert Ehroar from the well-known Redeem clan has taken on the task and we present his results. Afterwards, we will compare that with a legendary rocket launcher.
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All 5 exotic rocket launchers compared
We are listing all 5 Exotics for you here in a table and specifying how much damage (Dmg) a shot can inflict on a boss at maximum in Season 13. For clarity, we will also show you the damage values from Season 12.
| Exotic Rocket Launcher | Dmg S13 | Dmg S12 | Buff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Truth | 65,000 | 45,000 | 31 % |
| Wardcliff Coil | 95,400 | 67,300 | 42 % |
| Two-Tailed Fox | 97,300 | 86,700 | 12 % |
| Deathbringer | 155,000 | 139,000 | 12 % |
| Eyes of Tomorrow | 122,100 | 124,100 | -1.5 % (-40 %*) |
So, now you have the raw numbers. But what do they mean? We will categorize all 5 Exotics one by one and outline their strengths and weaknesses.
Truth
The special thing about this weapon is that the rockets always explode before they hit. Thus, part of the usual damage is always missing. However, Truth has strong tracking, an enormous explosion radius, and has 3 shots in the magazine as the only rocket launcher.
- Total damage across the entire reserve: 556,400
- DPS values: 65,000 after 3 shots and 45,000 after 6 shots.
How good is the Exotic? For PvE, Truth is still not really recommended despite the 3 shots. In PvP, and especially in Gambit, the weapon is an excellent Guardian killer.
Wardcliff Coil
The experimental weapon fires a whole swarm of small rockets per shot that then automatically seek targets. However, the range is limited.
- Total damage across the entire reserve: 763,000
- DPS values: 49,900 after 2 shots and 37,500 after 5 shots.
How good is the Exotic? Due to high spread and not so high damage, the Wardcliff Coil is only partially suitable for PvE. The impressive 40% buff is not needed for add clearing and it doesn’t really help against bosses. However, if you have a handful of Majors in front of you, the weapon serves you well.
Especially in competitive PvP, the rocket launcher is a real super stopper and sometimes wipes out entire teams.
Two-Tailed Fox
You release two rockets per shot, which slightly track their target. The Void charge suppresses enemies and the Solar charge ignites them for some damage over time. Otherwise, the weapon behaves like a standard rocket launcher.
- Total damage across the entire reserve: 970,000
- DPS values: 63,000 after 2 shots and 41,400 after 5 shots.
How good is the Exotic? This Exotic has only received a small buff, but compared to the other rocket launchers here, it performs very well in PvE. In PvP, it lacks a bit in explosion radius and aggressive tracking for Gambit invaders.
Deathbringer
The device is classified as a rocket launcher, but is more of a mortar. You hold down the fire button and should aim over your opponents. After a while, you release the button and seeking mini-bombs swarm out and search for targets. The damage increases the farther the projectiles have to fly.
- Total damage across the entire reserve: 1,394,400
- DPS values: 90,100 after 2 shots and 68,300 after 5 shots.
How good is the Exotic? Deathbringer is a bit of a surprise winner in PvE. However, the strong values must be weighed against the unusual usage. You always need enough space to unleash full damage. Occasionally, the projectiles fly to adds and not just to the boss. Familiar lovers can also achieve results in PvP or Gambit; others prefer an alternative.
Eyes of Tomorrow
Eyes of Tomorrow fires 6 rockets per shot. These can individually hunt targets or you can aim only at one boss to give him the full load. If you take down at least 4 enemies with a salvo, the damage of the next shot increases by a solid 50%.
- Total damage across the entire reserve: 854,500
- DPS values: 52,100 after 2 shots and 32,800 after 5 shots.
How good is the Exotic? Eyes of Tomorrow has 2 problems. First: To deal proper damage, it is necessary to eliminate at least 4 enemies beforehand. And second: the Exotic is currently bugged: Destiny 2: Players discover secret nerf on sought-after Exotic – the bug is to blame.
At the moment, the Exotic is more suited for clearing adds and, with the damage bonus, also for clearing battlefields. However, the rockets take their time to land on the opponent, which significantly reduces the DPS value. As a Gambit invader, however, there is currently no stronger weapon that can wipe out the entire team with one shot. In PvP, Eyes of Tomorrow is solid.
What about the nerf/bug? In this case, it is not so easy. Many enemies in Destiny 2 that look like bosses are actually Majors. And against those, Eyes of Tomorrow inflicts about 40% less damage than in Season 12. Against “real” bosses, the nerf is very low at about 1%.
However, Bungie has already confirmed that the reduced damage is a bug and that the problem with Eyes of Tomorrow will be fixed in an update. When that will happen is currently unknown. MeinMMO will then update the article.
How good are legendary rocket launchers in Season 13?
For comparison, let’s look at the new legendary rocket launcher Code Duello from Season 13:
- Base damage from impact + explosion: 73,100
- With cluster bombs: 77,600 (6% more) – damage can be higher if the opponent is larger.
- With Rampage: 87,700 (20% more) – Rampage activates after you have been in combat for 12 seconds (dealing damage to a target from all sources). The rocket launcher does not have to be equipped for this and there are reload and handling bonuses on top of that.
- Lingering Impression: 87,000 (19% more) – here the advantage is that you do not blow yourself up with the explosion. However, a large part of the damage only comes 3 seconds after impact. Enough time to debuff the enemy with Divinity.
- If you also equip a Boss specification mod, the damage increases by another 7.5%
As the best perk combination against bosses, “Impact Casing”, “Auto-Loading Holster” or “Everything Prepared” and “Rampage” has proven best – according to the Destiny expert. If you use this, you will reach these values:
- Total damage across the entire reserve: 789,000 to 965,000 – depending on reserve perks and reserve mods.
- DPS values: 89,200 after 2 shots and 55,600 after 5 shots.
Conclusion: Legendary rocket launchers are on par with most Exotics in Season 13. Often, the long reload animations or special requirements hinder the exotic representatives, especially in longer fights. So you can calm your valuable slot for another weapon. But if you don’t have a god roll or the Exotic slot is free and you enjoy the cool feeling and look, you should grab it.
What do you think of the buffs for the exotic rocket launchers? Did you expect more or should none of them be game-breaking? What do you think will happen soon with the raid Exotic Eyes of Tomorrow?
If you’re looking for a good exotic weapon, try out the new bow. Many Guardians currently underestimate it: The new Exotic bow is really strong – you just have to play it right
