Between when the original Destiny launched in 2014 to the current state of Destiny 2 in 2025, the franchise has changed in incredible ways over the years. With every new DLC and Seasonal release for Destiny 2, the franchise’s signature power fantasy continues to evolve via new varieties of buildcrafting tools. Among some of these powerful buildcrafting tools players can wield in Destiny 2, there are a few nostalgic gems that are returning Exotic weapons from the original Destiny, albeit with a few not-so-subtle changes to make them better fit into the modern sandbox of Destiny 2.
As of The Final Shape DLC era of Destiny 2, there are a great many Exotic weapons from the original Destiny that have made a return appearance, though there’s still a sizable number of weapons that haven’t made the jump yet. Even if these weapons might need to undergo some massive changes in order to stand out in the current meta for Destiny 2 and live up to their namesakes’ as Exotics, like other returning Exotics have experienced, it might still be worth bringing these missing weapons back, or otherwise creating spiritual successors for them to carry on their legacy.
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Every Destiny 1 Exotic Weapon Missing from Destiny 2 in 2025
- Abbadon
- Bolt-Caster
- Boolean Gemini
- Dark-Drinker
- Dreg’s Promise
- Fabian Strategy
- Fate of All Fools
- Hereafter
- Invective
- Nemesis Star
- No Land Beyond
- Nova Mortis
- Patience and Time
- Plan C
- Pocket Infinity
- Raze-Lighter
- Super Good Advice
- The First Curse
- The Young Wolf’s Howl
- Tlaloc
- Universal Remote
- Zen Meteor
- Zhalo Supercell
Destiny 1’s Exotic Weapons May Not Be a Good Fit for Destiny 2’s Current Meta
Unfortunately, for some of these beloved Exotic weapons from the original Destiny, there are already buildcrafting tools in Destiny 2 that can replicate what made certain past Exotics so powerful, which doesn’t bode well for the odds of these weapons returning. For instance, the Plan C Exotic fusion rifle from the original Destiny was special at the time for having an extremely short charge time immediately after switching to the weapon, whereas this feature has since become a perk for legendary fusion rifles in Destiny 2. Ultimately, Plan C is just one of many Exotic weapons from the original Destiny that have had their signature Exotic perks adapted into legendary perks or some other kind of common buildcrafting tools.
There are also Exotic armor pieces from the original Destiny that have yet to return to Destiny 2. However, most of these Exotics are arguably in the same boat as the missing Exotic weapons, in that they already have an existing counterpart in Destiny 2.
Between all the new legendary weapon perks, primary weapons that are capable of having Elemental damage types, and being able to equip primary and energy weapons in either weapon slot, Destiny 2’s sandbox has changed significantly since the original Destiny was released over ten years ago. Hence, several of the missing Exotics from the original Destiny would presumably need to undergo a major rework and/or receive a significant buff to be able to stand out among the current meta in Destiny 2 if they were to ever return.
Destiny 1’s Missing Returning Exotics Still Deserve Spiritual Successors in Destiny 2
Regardless of presumably needing a rework or buff, though, some of these fan-favorite Exotic weapons shouldn’t be left in the past, as reintroducing them in future updates for Destiny 2 could be a sweet treat for longtime fans of the franchise. Otherwise, there are still a few of these Exotic weapons that don’t have a counterpart in Destiny 2 yet. So, if not a full return, these missing Exotic weapons from the original Destiny arguably deserve spiritual successors either as legendary weapons, perks, or some other form of buildcrafting tools to live on in the franchise once again.
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