History of Thorn

Thorn is an Exotic Hand Cannon (Kinetic) from Destiny, one of the franchise's most famous weapons.

Overview

Its intrinsic, Mark of the Devourer, makes rounds pierce and deal damage over time; kills leave Remnants. The Soul Devourer trait strengthens the mark and partially refills the magazine when a Remnant is absorbed.

Acquisition

• Current: Buy Thorn from the Monument to Lost Lights at the Tower. As of the Monument of Triumph update, the listed cost is one Exotic Cipher and 125,000 Glimmer.
• Historical: Thorn originally came from the Independent Study Exotic quest tied to Destiny 2: Forsaken. That quest was removed. Its route began in the Salt Mines of the EDZ and ended with The Chasm of Screams, a variant of the Savathûn's Song strike. Older guides list the quest steps, but they no longer describe a way to acquire the weapon.

Catalyst

The Thorn Catalyst is a random drop. Earlier guides list Strikes, Gambit, and Crucible matches as sources. The June 2026 update reorganized those playlists as Vanguard Ops and Crucible Ops, and current reporting also lists Exotic Order payouts as a catalyst source for Exotic Archive weapons; the precise Thorn drop conditions are not documented by Bungie. The catalyst adds 20 Range and 10 Stability. Final blows or collecting a Remnant grant a temporary bonus to Range, Stability, and Mobility.

Trivia

Thorn's flavor text is from the 7th Book of Sorrow.

Sources

• Monument of Triumph and Update 9.7.0 Support Guide — Bungie Help; playlist changes and the final update.
• How to unlock the Oblation: Bloodline Exotic Mission — Shacknews; current Monument cost and location.
• How to get Thorn Exotic Hand Cannon in Destiny 2 — Shacknews; historical quest route.
• Thorn Exotic Catalyst Guide — GameSpot; catalyst source, stat bonuses, and effect.
• All 26 new catalysts in Destiny 2's final update — PC Gamer; June 2026 catalyst sources.
• Destiny 2: How to Get The THORN Exotic Hand Cannon! | Easy Guide! — KackisHD; creator walkthrough of the now-removed original quest.