5 best Hunter Exotics for Destiny 2 PvE (2023)

Destiny 2 is an ever-evolving game, and the recent Lightfall expansion revitalized it with a new subclass called Strand. Hunters have been a favorite choice for many Destiny 2 players owing to their elegant movement and abilities that trick other players and enemies.

Destiny 2 PvE requires tactics to defeat a swarm of enemies quickly, and it is always ideal to pair Hunters with some of the best exotics in the game to gain an edge in battle. While guns will certainly help players mow down enemies, the proper gear set can passively boost them further to overcome the myriad waves of foes that can sometimes overwhelm even the best players in Destiny 2.

This article will discuss the five best Hunter Exotics for the PvE mode of Destiny 2.

Disclaimer: This listicle is subjective and solely reflects the writer's opinions.

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What are the best Exotic Hunters for PvE in Destiny 2 (2023)

1) Star-Eater Scales

Star-Eater is an Exotic leg armor that can be acquired by completing Lost Sectors on either Legend or Master difficulty settings of Destiny 2. This implies that players must repeatedly participate in the activity above until they obtain Star-Eater Scales from the chest at the conclusion.

Star-Eater Scales has a perk enabling Hunters in Destiny 2 to acquire more energy upon collecting orbs. Furthermore, one will be granted a trim level of healing after casting the Super attack, which will have more significant damage than usual. Players can leverage this perk to wreak havoc against a group of enemies by damaging them with Supers and healing a bit while doing so.

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2) Aeon Swift

Aeon Swift is ideal for both Solo PvE players and those who prefer to play in groups (Image via Bungie)

Destiny 2 Hunter fans can get their hands on Aeon Swift via Exotic Engrams, which can be earned from completing lost sectors purchased from Xur, the weekly vendor, and other activities. Aeon Swift provides Hunters with an extra mod socket.

It allows players to leverage three Aeon Cult mods like Sect of Force, Sect of Insight, and Sect of Vigor. These mods enable players to generate more ammo in a fight while healing their allies (by a small amount). This makes Aeon Swift a robust Exotic for Hunters in solo and group PvE activities.

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3) Assassin's Cowl

Assassin's Cowl grants invisibility for a short duration (Image via Bungie)

Assassin's Cowl can also be obtained via Exotic Engrams. It has an excellent defensive perk that enables players to become invisible upon landing melee final blows while recovering a bit of player health and shield strength. Furthermore, landing final blows on elite foes significantly enhances the invisibility duration, health, and shield regain.

Assassin's Cowl is, therefore, ideal for solo players inclined to tackle PvE activities independently. Despite granting defensive perks, this gear incentivizes aggressive tactics since delivering more final blows will exponentially increase the chances of the player being invisible for longer.

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4) Renewal Grasps

Renewal Grasps an Exotic Hunter glove that players can obtain by completing Lost Sectors on Legend or Master difficulty. Equipping this Exotic glove will enable players to increase the radius of the effect of their Duskfield grenades. Their allies can also benefit from reduced damage from enemies within the radius.

Renewal Grasps is more defense-oriented, so many Destiny 2 fans might not want to wear this glove and restrict their aggressive maneuvers. However, the passive defensive boost of sustaining less damage from foes works wonders behind the scenes, enabling guardians to stay alive in a fight for longer.

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5) The Dragon's Shadow

The Dragon's Shadow enhances weapon handling upon dodging (Image via Bungie)

Hunters are known for their elegant dodging skills in Destiny 2. Players can leverage this skill by using The Dragon's Shadow Exotic armor. This gear comes bundled with a perk that boosts movement speed, auto-reloads all weapons, and increases weapon handling efficiency.

Players struggling in nail-biting combat scenarios and getting cornered by aggressive enemies will benefit significantly from the above perk. Hunter will be able to switch weapons at a more incredible speed, and the auto-reload will further reduce the hassle of spending time reloading animation. Players must remember to use their Hunter's dodge ability to trigger this perk.