• Guide

How to get Exotic Ciphers - Destiny 2

Learn where to get Exotic Ciphers so you can get some special Exotic gear in Destiny 2.

Sam Chandler

November 10, 2020 10:00 AM

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Exotic Ciphers are another new currency in Destiny 2. These are single-use items that are used to acquire Exotic weapons you may have missed. The trouble starts with working out where to get Exotic Ciphers, as it would appear there aren’t a lot of sources that drop them. To make matters worse, you can only hold a few at a time.

Last updated on August 28, 2023 at 6:00 p.m. PT.

Get Exotic Ciphers

At the moment, there are only a few ways to get Exotic Ciphers: from the Season Pass and from Xur's weekly quest. The Exotic Cipher is usually roughly half-way through the season pass at Rank 55. Expect it to take a lot of farming of casual playing to get one from the pass.

As for the Exotic Cipher available from Xur, it's actually a reward from a quest, Xenology. Players will need to find Xur each weekend and complete his quest to unlock another cipher. Keep in mind, you can only carry five at a time, so make sure you've got space before cashing in the quest.

Where to use Exotic Ciphers

As for what Exotic Ciphers are used for, as the description states, they can be traded to Xur or the Monument of Lost Light for “a reward”. Mysterious wording aside, the Monument of Lost Light is where you can exchange one Exotic Cipher for an Exotic item from previous seasons that was either tied to a now-unavailable Exotic quest, available as part of the Season Pass, or limited to raids.

In terms of what an Exotic Cipher is used for at Xur, it seems as if players are able to purchase a second Exotic engram. This is helpful for those looking to fill out their collection with any missed from the previous season.

Getting Exotic Ciphers in Destiny 2 is going to be a long process. There is one guaranteed in the Season Pass (it’s in the free line) and one available through Xur every weekend. Make sure you use it wisely, as they require a bit of work to acquire. Be sure to check out the Destiny 2 guide for other helpful tips.

Sam Chandler

Guides Editor

Hailing from the land down under, Sam Chandler brings a bit of the southern hemisphere flair to his work. After bouncing round a few universities, securing a bachelor degree, and entering the video game industry, he's found his new family here at Shacknews as a Guides Editor. There's nothing he loves more than crafting a guide that will help someone. If you need help with a guide, or notice something not quite right, you can message him on X: @SamuelChandler