“Comical” D1 Exotics Serve as a Reminder for Destiny 2 Players to Appreciate Their Luck

As much as Destiny 2 players may enjoy voicing their grievances about neglected Exotics in need of improvements, it is not until one reflects on the franchise’s previous underwhelming armor that the true extent of progress can be appreciated.

There are many Exotics that are rarely utilized by the community. When was the last time you encountered a serious player using an Arbor Warden, Blight Ranger, or Skull of Dire Ahamkara build? Each class has its own neglected gear, but all of these options are far superior to those available in the original Destiny.

This Reddit thread served as the main topic of discussion, in which members were tasked with naming the worst Exotic armor for each of Destiny 1 and 2’s three classes: Titan, Hunter, and Warlock. The goal of the thread was to determine the most disappointing Exotics in the franchise thus far.

What is the worst Exotic piece of armor of all time (Destiny 1&2) for each of the 3 classes? Titan, Hunter and Warlock. byu/SirRyley29 inDestinyTheGame

Without a doubt, the champion was ATS/8 Arachnid, an Exotic from Destiny 1 that offered a single, disappointing perk: “When aiming, your Golden Gun gains increased accuracy by zooming in.”

One player highlighted the disappointment by stating, “That’s all there is to it. The entire exotic was lackluster. All it did was slightly zoom in when you cast Golden Gun or aim down sights, adding Rangefinder to Golden Gun.”

One Guardian chimed in, recalling the terrible ATS/8 Arachnid, saying, “I completely forgot about that one, it’s pretty funny.”Its limited effectiveness now seems laughably inadequate compared to its modern counterpart, the Celestial Nighthawk.

The ATS/8 Arachnid exotic armor in Destiny. — dexerto

Compared to the meta-defining Celestial Nighthawk, ATS/8 Arachnid leaves a lot to be desired.

Some of the other nominations were for the original Apotheosis Veil, which allowed health to be restored after using a Super, and the initial version of Mk. 44 Stand Asides, which extended the duration of the Shoulder Charge ability from 10 seconds of sprinting to 15 seconds.

A user emphasized the inadequacy of Mk. 44 Stand Asides, stating that the only scenario in which the Exotic proved useful was if the user sprinted for 15+ seconds without attacking anyone and then activated their shoulder charge. This, according to the user, summed up the entirety of the Exotic’s usefulness.

Surprisingly, the reissued Mk. 44 Stand Asides in Destiny 2 were also deemed the worst current exotic by many, indicating that Bungie should revamp the Titan armor to enhance its usefulness.

The Alchemist’s Raiment, a Warlock Exotic that offered a chance to receive Glimmer upon picking up Primary Ammo, also received multiple votes. Ironically, with the current Glimmer shortage, Guardians may welcome an Exotic like this now more than ever.

Despite the need for buffs on certain Exotic Armor pieces in the current sandbox, it is safe to assume that they would have been considered viable choices in the original Destiny. Bungie has made significant progress in understanding what players desire in their gear, and reintroducing Exotics such as ATS/8 Arachnid would not be beneficial.