There are quite a few Exotic scout rifles in Destiny 2. In this article, we’re going to look at the one that was added with Season of the Chosen, Dead Man’s Tale, and see if it’s the best of them all.
First, let’s check out the stats and perks on this thing.
Stats
- Impact – 67
- Range – 73
- Stability – 51
- Handling – 69
- Reload Speed – 55
- Rounds Per Minute – 120
- Magazine – 14
Hidden Stats
- Aim Assistance – 60
- Inventory Size – 55
- Recoil Direction – 89
- Zoom – 18
Perks
- Intrinsic Perk: Cranial Spike – Bonus damage granted for precision hits
So as you can see, this weapon is pretty powerful. While it can drop with some mad traits from a huge pool in addition to that Intrinsic Perk, Cranial Spike really does say it all. Every precision hit you land deals more damage. In PvE this is a boss-melting monster, and in PvP it can kill a Guardian in a single shot. Let’s look at the competition.
The Competition
Skyburner’s Oath
This weapon will throw out faster and stronger globs of fire while you’re aiming down sights. It’s hardly on the same level as Cranial Spike, but it’s still a great perk to have. On this one though, I’d say Dead Man’s Tale wins out.
Jade Rabbit
With this weapon, you have a lot of work ahead of you in order to benefit from the Intrinsic Perk. You need to chain body shots and then get a precision kill. That final shot deals bonus damage and returns ammo to the magazine. It’s quite a lot of input for very little output. With the right trait, Dead Man’s Tale could also see ammo return with precision kills, and because of the Intrinsic Perk it already deals bonus damage. Jade Rabbit doesn’t stand a chance.
Symmetry
This is a really interesting one. You can choose between modes by holding reload. In Arc Seeker mode, you’re firing off shots that are actively tracking foes. While powerful, it’s not as good as what Dead Man’s Tale brings to the table.
Polaris Lance
This is a good weapon. Precision hits return ammo to the magazine, and after four you’re given a shot that deals a delayed Solar explosive. Once again, it’s powerful, but there’s a lot of setup. The only advantage to precision hits is more ammo, and there’s additional work to get the additional damage. Once again, Dead Man’s Tale does the extra work right out of the box, so it wins.
MIDA Multi-Tool
I love this weapon. It’s been part of Destiny since the very beginning. While its Intrinsic Perk only boosts your movement speed, it has a hidden perk that allows you to track chests by looking down the sights. This isn’t very useful in combat, but overall it’s quite handy. However, against Dead Man’s Tale, it can’t stand up.
Verdict
As you’ve probably guesses, Dead Man’s Tale is the best Exotic scout rifle in Destiny 2. There’s nothing better than it out there, meaning that it’s well-worth picking up during Season of the Chosen if you have the time. Don’t let this one pass you by. The quest to grab it will be available until the end of this current year in Destiny 2, but after that you won’t be able to grab it. Get it while you can.
