Destiny 2's Season of Arrivals has officially begun, and it has brought a brand new currency, Exotic Ciphers, along with it. While this new currency was briefly mentioned in the Season of Arrivals patch notes, some players may be curious to learn a bit more about Destiny 2's Exotic Ciphers, and indeed the purpose of this guide is to provide details on where they come from and what they are used for.
At the time of writing, there is one confirmed way to obtain an Exotic Cipher in Destiny 2, and that is by reaching Rank 55 on the Season Pass. Notably, this Exotic Cipher is on the free side of the Season Pass, and thus any player that is up for some grinding can look forward to receiving one during Season of Arrivals.
With respect to alternative sources for Exotic Ciphers, some reports suggest that they can appear as random world drops or can be obtained by participating in Crucible matches, Gambit matches, Heroic Public Events, Nightfalls, and Raids. That said, that is not fully verified, and this article will thus need to be updated when there is final confirmation. Until then, players should consider the Season Pass as the definitive source for Exotic Ciphers in D2.
What can be currently said with certainty is what Exotic Ciphers are used for, and indeed there are two ways to spend this new currency. The first option is to exchange an Exotic Cipher (along with some Glimmer, planetary materials, and Enchantment Prisms) to Master Rahool at the Tower for an Exotic weapon from a past season. This means that there is now a way for players that missed weapons like Eriana's Vow or Symmetry to obtain them, and that is something that many Destiny 2 fans will be happy to hear.
Alternatively, players can trade an Exotic Cipher to Xur for a second Fated engram every week, and that will certainly be the preferred option for fans that have not missed out on any seasonal Exotics. To note, some players speculate that Xur will actually sell D2's Exotic Ciphers, and again this guide will be updated with further confirmed details when they are available.
Destiny 2 is available now for PC, PS4, Stadia, and Xbox One.