Destiny 2: Xur Exotic Armor, Weapon, and Recommendations for July 12

Emperor Calus returned again this week with his Tribute Hall, a space where players can add tributes after completing various activities in Destiny 2. While Bungie clearly intends this section of the game to be a sort of grind for most players, the main draw is the fact that the Bad Juju exotic pulse rifle has finally returned from the first Destiny. The Bad Juju quest itself is much easier to start and finish than other exotic weapons like Thorn or Outbreak Perfected, though earning enough tributes for its Catalyst may take most players some time.

The other big addition to the game this week is the annual Moments of Triumph, an event that runs for seven weeks and celebrates everything from the past year. A new set of triumphs, rewards, and a seal are available for players to earn, even though parts of this event won't be available until the Solstice of Heroes event starts later this month.

With the quest for Bad Juju and Calus' tributes rages on, the Agent of the Nine has also made his weekly return to Destiny 2 and has brought a new selection of exotics that players can purchase. Here's where players can find Xur and check out what exotic gear is in his inventory for the weekend of July 12, 2019.

Where is Xur?

This weekend, Xur is stationed on Saturn's moon, Titan. Head to The Rig waypoint to get started.

Once loaded in, start heading to the other side of the zone towards the ramp that leads to the Solarium. Before reaching that ramp, Xur can be found inside one of the nearby houses, typically on the left side if the player is facing the Solarium ramp.

Class Armor

Following a quick Forsaken break last week, the exotic merchant has once again decided to only bring year one exotics with him this weekend. Of course, players unhappy with his selection can continue to turn to the Fated Engram for a chance to unlock an exotic from the Forsaken expansion.

Here are Xur's three gear pieces for this weekend:

Wings of Sacred Dawn - Warlock chest armor

The unique looking Wings of Sacred Dawn are available for Warlocks this weekend. Tome of Dawn is its exotic perk, suspending Dawnblade players in midair when aiming weapons and extending the duration when hitting enemies with gunshots.

This gear can certainly spark a debate on how useful it is for Dawnblade Warlocks. One of its biggest problems is that this is armor that most, if not all, Warlock players already own since it is a campaign reward from Sloane on Titan. In addition, it also leaves players exposed in the air, though in the hands of a skilled player, its possible to use a combination of hover, shoot, and dodge to great effect. All in all, there are much better options out there, so it's not a required buy this week.

Random Gear Rolls:

Restorative OR Mobility
Unflinching Grenade Launcher Aim, Unflinching Sidearm Aim, Unflinching Submachine Gun Aim
Auto Rifle Reserves OR Sidearm Reserves

Gemini Jester - Hunter leg armor

Since it was last featured by Xur a couple of months ago, the Gemini Jester boots received a nice little buff in terms of how long its effects last in the Season of Opulence update. The intrinsic perk Misdirection causes nearby enemies to become disoriented and temporarily removes their radar after the Hunter dodges near them.

It remains a subclass neutral exotic and is really suited to players who enjoy the PvP aspects of the game. The range of its effect is bigger than expected and better yet, it can even impact enemies on the other side of a wall. However, this perk can also be a liability as it will trigger the Titan’s One-Eyed Mask perk Vengeance. The perk effect is also less noticeable in PvE modes, so buying this is largely dependent the user's play style.

One last thing to note is that the Gemini Jester is the only Xur armor this week with an Enhanced perk, which may influence certain players into a purchase.

Random Gear Rolls:

Mobility OR Resilience
Scout Rifle Dexterity, Enhanced Sniper Rifle Dexterity, Machine Gun Dexterity
Hand Cannon Scavenger OR Scout Rifle Scavenger

Helm of Saint-14 - Titan helm

It's been a while, but the Helm of Saint-14 is back in stock for Titan players. Specifically useful for Defender Titans, this helm is more of a support tool thanks to its intrinsic perk. Starless Night blinds enemies that enter Ward of Dawn while also giving allies an overshield when they pass through it. For those who don't want to use the Ward of Dawn, guarding with Sentinel Shield blinds nearby enemies as well.

While most Defenders opt to throw their shield around in modes like the Crucible, this exotic item is still a solid choice for those attempting more challenging aspects of Destiny 2 such as Tier 3 Reckoning, Nightfall Strikes, or even Raids. While it has its uses, this isn't a must own item, though arguably the biggest thing going for it is the roll this week, which by all accounts is pretty good.

Random Gear Rolls:

Restorative OR Resilience
Light Reactor, Ashes to Assets, Heavy Lifting
Sniper Rifle Reserves OR Machine Gun Reserves

Exotic Weapon

The rarely seen auto rifle Hard Light is Xur's features weapon this week. It's a fast-firing weapon that comes with the Volatile Light perk. Essentially, this makes fired rounds ricochet off walls, over-penetrate targets, and have zero damage fall off before they hit their target. Not only that, projectile damage increases after each bounce off a wall or object.

Auto Rifles are in a tough spot currently within the Destiny 2 meta, though the Hard Light is a solid choice for any game mode regardless of PvP or PvE. Part of its appeal is the versatility from its secondary perk called The Fundamentals, letting the player change the element burn that it fires from Solar, Arc, or Void. Its weapon catalyst is also very easy to obtain and upgrade, making the weapon even stronger.

Additional perks for this weapon are: