How to get Leviathan's Breath Exotic Bow in Destiny 2

Published , by Sam Chandler

The Leviathan’s Breath is the latest Exotic weapon available in Destiny 2. This Exotic Bow is unlocked through a lengthy quest which all begins with Banshee-44. Though Bows might not be everyone’s cup of tea, the Leviathan’s Breath has some attractive perks which make it a top pick for PVE content.


How to get the Leviathan’s Breath

The Leviathan's Breath is a new Exotic Bow that goes in the Power weapon slot.

The quest for unlocking Leviathan’s Breath begins in the Tower in Destiny 2 and is called Make Bows, Not War. Banshee-44, the Gunsmith, will be your point of call throughout this quest. You will be tasked with killing enemies, completing a strike, and general Destiny 2 busywork. To begin, head to the Gunsmith.

Credit to Raid Secrets for the following information, which was datamined ahead of the bow’s release.


Make Bows, Not War

After speaking with Banshee-44, you will receive the quest, Make Bows, Not War, the first step of which is The Back Way.

The Back Way

The first step in getting Leviathan’s Breath is called The Back Way. You will need to find the secret entrance into Banshee-44’s shop and locate the weapon. You will need to start your search in the Hangar.

Where Are the Keys, Sir

Unfortunately, the bow is locked and you don’t have the key. Return to Banshee-44 and let him know what’s going on.

Intro to Safecracking 101

Nightfalls and Gambit Prime will reward the most progress during this quest step.

Without a keycode, you will need to create your own. To do this, complet Gambit matches or Vanguard strikes. Gambit Prime and Nightfalls generate the most data.

Advanced Safecracking 201

Kill 75 Vex with precision blow while using a bow to complete Advanced Safecracking 201.

This next step requires you to use a bow to get precision kills against Vex or Cabal. You must earn 75 kills with a bow.

Economics of War

Complete The Arms Dealer strike on the EDZ. This is a special 900 Power strike that has a few differences.

Players will need to complete a challenging version of the Arms Dealer strike in the European Dead Zone. This will be a tough strike, so bring a Fireteam with you and prepare for a fight.

Applied Cryptosecurity

Return to Banshee-44 to get the code needed to unlock the case containg Leviathan's Breath.

Return to Banshee-44 with the key generator. You will need his biometric signature in order to open the lock.

Martial Archery 401

Make your way back into Banshee-44's secret workshop and claim the Leviathan's Breath.

Make your way back into Banshee-44’s workshop and use your keycode to unlock the Leviathan’s Breath.


Leviathan’s Breath perks

The Leviathan's Breath is great against the new Unstoppable Champion enemy type.

The Leviathan’s Breath is a powerful Exotic Bow that should fit nicely in many players’ loadouts. Unlike any other bow in the game, Leviathan’s Breath is a Power weapon, meaning you won’t need to forgo using your Recluse or Mountaintop. The two main perks that make this bow appealing are:

Big-Game Hunter makes the most sense when applied to the PVE side of Destiny 2, especially when you consider the new Champion enemy types. Not only does it stagger unshielded enemies, it is also useful against Unstoppable Champions.

Outside of the Leviathan’s Breath, there are only two other ways to deal with Unstoppable Champions, hand cannons and melees. Both of these require you to have a mod unlocked through the Gate Lord’s Eye artifact. The bow alleviates that need, allowing you to spend your points elsewhere.

The second perk, Leviathan’s Sigh, knocks back enemies when the bolt has been fully drawn. How this works in Crucible is yet to be seen, but if it pushes enemies, it’s bound to be useful. There’s nothing quite as jarring as having your location forcibly changed by your opponent.


Unlocking the Leviathan’s Breath in Destiny 2 is an easy task. Players need only find a secret room, get a few bow kills, and complete a challenging strike. Once all this is done, the Exotic Bow will be yours. Head over to the Shacknews Destiny 2 guide for more Exotic weapon quest guides and walkthroughs.