Best Exotic Class Item Perk Combinations in Destiny 2: The Final Shape

Shortly after The Final Shape expansion launches for Destiny 2, we’ll have access to a new activity that awards an Exotic Class Item. This Exotic Class item can roll with two modified perks taken from other Exotic armor pieces, regardless of class restriction, and getting the best perk combination will make specific builds far more powerful.

The Best Exotic Perk Combos on an Exotic Class Item in Destiny 2

In the This Week in Destiny blog post from May 9, 2024, Bungie revealed all the possible perk combinations you can put on each class’s Exotic Class Item. Each Class Item comes with two Trait slots that can take specific, modified Exotic Perks from other Exotic armor pieces. Modified in this sense means you don’t get the full perk, only a piece of it. For instance, the Spirit of the Synthoceps trait grants increased melee damage but does nothing to your Super like the actual Synthoceps Exotic.

And while you can’t get every Exotic perk, the best combination for each class can turn already great builds into something altogether more powerful. Here are my picks for the best possible Exotic Class Items you can get in Destiny 2: The Final Shape.

The Best Hunter Exotic Class Item Perk Combinations in Destiny 2

Hunters already have some of the best Exotics for DPS, support, and overall utility, and getting the right perk combination on their Exotic Cloak can shatter any semblance of balance that remains.

Spirit of Inmost Light and Spirit of the Liar

I’m 99.9% sure Spirit of Inmost Light will be one of the most sought-after perks on any of the new Exotic Class Items, as its effect makes using one ability increase your other two abilities’ power and decreases their cooldown. Now consider pairing that with the Liar’s Handshake effect, called Cross-Counter, which makes every second melee attack deal increased damage.

At maximum potential, I’ve heard the overall damage bonus for Cross-Counter is more than 300%. Now add in other damage buffs and whatever crazy effects we’ll get in Prismatic, and Hunter DPS is back on the menu.

Spirit of Galanor and Spirit of the Star Eater

Shards of Galanor’s effect refunds up to 50% of a Hunter’s Blade Barrage Super based on the damage dealt. Star Eater Scales overcharge a Super’s damage so long as you’ve picked up some Orbs of Power. Now imagine how this combination works without considering which Super you have equipped.

If the ability regeneration seemingly available in The Final Shape remains untouched, you could potentially have a cooldown of 30 seconds or less per Super, essentially turning every fight into even more of an ability-fest than they already can be.

The Best Titan Exotic Class Item Perk Combinations in Destiny 2

Titan has always boiled down to “Punch, the class,” and with the right perk combinations on their Exotic Mark, I can only imagine the potential for more punch.

Spirit of Severance and Spirit of the Synthoceps

Severance Enclosure’s ability to turn powered melee and Finisher kills into massive explosions has always had a niche use case, but pair that ability with Synthoceps increased melee damage while surrounded by enemies? I cannot wait.

You’ll need to build specifically into melee regeneration to keep the combo running, of course. I think this particular combination will work best with the Strand Frenzied Blade melee, as it comes with three charges by default. That said, Solar Hammerstrike or Arc Thunderclap might be hilarious to see, as both are already powerful enough when properly built.

Spirit of the Abeyant and Spirit of the Horn

If the new Exotic Class Item lets you combine Abeyant Leap’s triple Suspending waves with the explosive power of Khepri’s Horn’s Solar wave from your Barricade, I can see entire builds crafted around putting up Barriers ad infinitum. That would be extra true if the effect works with a Void barricade granting an overshield. Suddenly, putting up a wall not only provides instant protection but also puts out two of the most powerful offensive abilities, one of which enables more explosions.

Other Titan subclasses can benefit too, with Solar getting even easier Ignitions or Prismatic getting a boost to both its Darkness and Light gauges for a single class ability use.

The Best Warlock Exotic Class Item Perk Combinations in Destiny 2

At first glance, Warlocks got a shorter end of the stick with their Exotic Class Item perk choices, but I’ve been wrong many times before.

Spirit of the Necrotic and Spirt of the Claw

Necrotic Grip has long been a go-to choice for Strand Warlocks, given its ability to spread poison DoT damage with impunity. Adding Spirit of the Claw’s single extra melee charge doesn’t do a ton for the Arcane Needle Strand melee, but give it to Incinerator Snap or Penumbral Blast, and you’ve got yourself a double whammy.

What I don’t yet know is whether scorch and poison damage overlap or one takes precedence. The same goes for Stasis freeze. Will the enemy shatter via the DoT damage, and can you follow up a single poison shatter with another one right after? The possibilities are endless.

Spirit of the Filaments and Spirit of Starfire

The power of this perk combo is somewhat determined by how effective the Starfire Protocol part is, but even if it’s just a little more powerful than the standard version, you can effectively keep yourself topped-off health-wise with Devour and potentially also spawn Firesprites or Void Breaches and the like, adding more Devour or some Restoration as an additional bonus. I think the theory-crafting masters in the Destiny 2 community will have a field day with combinations like this one, as it sounds niche at first glance, but might be busted as all hell.

Those are my picks for two of the best Exotic Class Item perk combinations for each class coming in Destiny 2: The Final Shape. I’m sure there will be tons of other possible and powerful setups as players get more time with the new perks especially Prismatic. For more content, check out our Destiny 2 guides hub for pieces on how to farm Artifice Armor, defeat Tormentors, and more.