Hawkmoon

Exotic #3: Hawkmoon

This exotic handcannon is an ideal primary that you can take into most combat situations with confidence. 

How to Obtain:

   Reward from Crucible

   Reward from Nightfall Strike

The Hawkmoon is one of the three exotic handcannons.While all three have their advantages, the Hawkmoon and The Last Word are easily the standout weapons. What's immediately obvious is the Hawkmoon's very high stats across the board, with above average Impact, Range, Stability, and Reload time. While it's rate of fire is average, its other abilities, combined with its thirteen-shot magazine, make this an excellent primary that is well worth fully upgrading. 

This handcannon's abilities are also particularly good. The first is Luck in the Chamber, which enables a single random bullet to deal extra damage in your clip. The second ability is Hammer Forged, an ideal ability for most guns, as both Range and Accuracy are increased to a point where it can reliably pick off targets from a significant distance. Its Exotic ability is 'Holding Aces,' where two more bullets deal extra damage. The surprise damage boost when firing is an excellent touch, as it allows you to take out similar-level heavies with one shot as opposed to almost finishing with one shot, but still needing a second. Also, the thirteen-shot clip means you can focus sustained fire on one target, or pick off several targets without the need to reload, which is also quick considering the magazine size. The combination of mag size and quick reload speed make it a highly versatile weapon. 

If there was to be a disadvantage, it would have to be that the three bullets packing an extra punch aren't particularly noteworthy. It's a nice surprise to see a higher number than you expect coming up, but the gun's overall performance is so good that it's barely worth noting. Still, take note that the gun's general statistics more than qualify it for an exotic. 

Practicality: 9/10

Abilities: 7/10

Stats: 10/10

Ossim Possim: 8/10

Thorn

Exotic #2: Thorn

This is a weapon that has been subject to a lot of abuse by many Guardians. However, it's not quite as bad as your initial disappointment may tell you it is, although still not worth the completion of that bounty. 

How to Obtain:

   Complete A Light in the Dark.

At first glance, Thorn is an impact-focused hand cannon offset with a slow rate of fire, slow reload and high recoil. However, when first using the weapon, you may feel that it lacks sufficient power to actually make up for these drawbacks. Thorn's aesthetic, its feel and sound, make you feel as if its a brute force weapon designed for nailing enemies to walls with single, powerful shots. However, its 6-shot magazine, combined with a not overly impressive damage output, and slow reload, means that you will struggle in firefights where, as to often in Destiny, you are outnumber. Now, in Patrol, and in most Strikes, you will be fine, as you'll either have no penalty to respawn and usually have plenty of space to manoeuvre in. However, in darkness zones, and on Raids, this handcannon is not a viable option. 

Rather than a selection or slight modifier or existing abilities, Thorn's Exotic ability is unique to weapons. Mark of the Devourer, aptly named, cause enemies to suffer a damage tick after taking damage from one or more shots. Simply, if you shoot an enemy with Thorn, it causes more damage over time. Now, this is actually a hugely useful ability. It means that when facing enemies with shields, which is far too often on higher difficulties, no matter if they're behind a obstacle, the tick means that their shields cannot recharge. Often high level missions require a concentrated team effort so that they are killed before their shields go back up and you have to begin again. However, this tick allows teams to back off and reload, before engaging the enemy again. It also means that enemies you so nearly kill with one shot will succumb to the Mark if you leave them for half a second.  

The main drawback is that the Mark of the Devourer doesn't do enough damage to make it a primary focus for the gun - you simply cannot shape your playstyle around this ability, as you can do with some Exotics. Without this ability, Thorn is a fairly average handcannon that is easily comparable with Lord High Fixer, or the Chance. It simply doesn't stand up to its rivals; Hawkmoon and The Last Word. 

Practicality: 6/10

Abilities: 7/10

Stats: 6/10

Ossim Possim: 8/10