Last week, the Bungie development team shared an extensive update about the significant changes awaiting Guardians in Season 21 of The Final Shape, many of which have already been introduced in Lightfall. Among the details about updated ranks, Lost Sectors, Legendary and Master activities, and options for buildcrafting, one topic stood out—Exotic Engram Focused Decoding.
D2 Exotic Armor Focus
Here’s what we’ve learned so far: Exotic Armor Focusing will be available in Season 21 from Rahool. While decrypting an engram without focusing will still remain free at Rahool, focusing will change how Exotic Engrams are handled. All Exotic Engrams, except those obtained from specific activities rewarding Exotics, will no longer automatically decrypt. Instead, they’ll move to your engram inventory, where you can choose between two focusing tiers: Advanced Decryption and Precision Decryption.
Destiny 2 Exotic Armor Advanced Decryption

Image from Bungie.net
The first option, Advanced Decryption, allows you to focus the Exotic Engram on a specific expansion or release, such as Shadowkeep, Beyond Light, or The Witch Queen. The cost for this process includes:
- 1 Exotic Engram
- 1 Ascendant Shard
- 30,000 Glimmer
It’s important to note that all Exotic items tied to seasonal releases are always included in the previous year’s set.
Destiny 2 Exotic Armor Precision Decryption

Image from Bungie.net
The second option, Precision Decryption, lets you focus on a specific piece of Exotic Armor. This is undoubtedly more convenient, but it comes with a higher cost:
- 1 Exotic Engram
- 3 Ascendant Shards
- 60,000 Glimmer
- 1 Exotic Cipher
To address concerns about the Exotic Cipher requirement, Bungie plans to increase the stack limit from one to five. However, it’s worth noting that this focusing method doesn’t allow players to acquire brand-new Exotic Armor. Those must still be obtained through activities like the Vex Strike Force event or farming Lost Sectors—both of which present challenging content even by Bungie’s standards.
Destiny 2 Exotic Armor Focusing FAQ
How do you farm Exotic Armor?
There are several methods to acquire Exotic Armor in Destiny 2, but the most effective are farming Legendary and Master Lost Sectors or participating in Vex Strike Force events. Each method offers distinct advantages and challenges.
Pros | Cons | |
---|---|---|
Lost Sectors | - Players could solo test their builds on endgame content. - No restrictions on cap level. - The requirements for visiting Lost Sectors will not change in the future Season 21. - Frequency of exotic items drop has been increased (this doesn’t mean that you won’t have to struggle for them and they will drop like out of a horn of plenty). | - At the beginning of Season 20 they are quite difficult to pass. - The chance of dropping a certain item you want to get is quite low. Exotic drop is not guaranteed. - Frequency of exotic items drop is a temporary increase, as soon as the majority of players reach the maximum cap level, this feature will be decreased. |
Vex’s Strike Force Event | - A new piece of exotic armor will be dropped if you have any left to collect, per knockout list, with no slot limitations like in the Lost Sectors. If you have no exotic armor left to collect, a random exotic roll will drop. - If players can defeat all six Minotaurs Supernumeros within the limit, they are all rewarded with a guaranteed Exotic drop. | - Occurs only in the Vex Incursion Zone, which changes every week on Neomuna. - It is a rare public event, and there is no specific way of triggering, just wait and check (there are some Discord bots to help you). - The respawn cooldown time is about 3-4 hours, unlike regular public events. - Really hard to complete solo. |
What Stats Should I Focus on Exotic Armor?
Your choice of stats largely depends on your build and whether you play PvP or PvE. Here are the top stats to focus on:
- Discipline: Reduces grenade cooldowns and is valuable across all activities.
- Recovery: Improves HP and shield regeneration, ideal for re-engaging enemies in PvP.
- Resilience: Provides significant damage resistance in PvE, allowing you to withstand more hits.
- Mobility: Useful for Hunters to lower Dodge cooldowns and increase strafe speed for PvP.
Stats like Intellect and Strength are less prioritized since their benefits can often be covered by class abilities or other Exotic Armor perks.
High Stat Armor Focusing
For better results, utilize Ghost Shell mods to boost your chances of obtaining the desired stat split. These mods can increase the likelihood of receiving armor with higher stats (10+), making them an essential tool for anyone engaging in Exotic Engram Focused Decoding.
For returning players or newcomers, obtaining Ghost mods may present some challenges. Bungie is expected to address this soon, ensuring all players have access to these useful mods.
Best PvP and PvE Exotic Armor
With the exciting updates coming to armor focusing, here’s a look at some of the best S-tier Exotic Armor for each class:
Best Exotic Armor for Titan
- Heart of Inmost Light (PvE+PvP)
- Dunemarchers (PvP)
- Wormgod Caress (PvE)
- Synthoceps (PvE+PvP)
- Peacekeepers (PvP)
- One-Eyed Mask (PvP)
- Loreley Splendor Helm (PvE+PvP)
Best Exotic Armor for Warlock
- Ophidian Aspect (PvP)
- Sunbracers (PvE)
- Necrotic Grip (PvE)
- Lunafaction Boots (PvE)
- Starfire Protocol (PvE)
- Osmiomancy Gloves (PvE+PvP)
- Transversive Steps (PvE+PvP)
Best Exotic Armor for Hunter
- Star-Eater Scales (PvE)
- Omnioculus (PvE+PvP)
- Assassin’s Cowl (PvE)
- St0mp-EE5 (PvP)
- Renewal Grasps (PvE)
- Caliban’s Hand (PvE)
- Gyrfalcon’s Hauberk (PvE+PvP)
- Young Ahamkara’s Spine (PvP)
These updates promise to make Exotic Armor more accessible and customizable, enhancing every Guardian’s gameplay experience. Whether you’re gearing up for PvP or PvE, Exotic Engram Focused Decoding adds a new layer of strategy to your armor collection process.
Conclusion
With all the exciting updates in Destiny 2, including Exotic Engram Focused Decoding, now is the perfect time to gear up and enhance your gameplay. Whether you're a returning player or just starting, having a well-prepared account can make all the difference. If you're looking to jump straight into the action, consider checking out Destiny 2 accounts for sale to save time and access high-level gear, exclusive items, and powerful characters. Start your journey with an edge and take your Guardian to new heights today!
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