The Lightfall DLC has arrived in Destiny 2, introducing the brand new Darkness Subclass, Strand, which is now available for players to experience. While the exact power of Strand was uncertain before its release, it has certainly lived up to expectations and hasn’t disappointed. In addition, all of the Light Subclasses received major revamps over the past year, bringing an abundance of new builds and making our Guardians more powerful than ever. With that in mind, let’s delve into the best Destiny 2 PvE Subclasses ranked for 2023.
15. Stasis Hunter
First and foremost, while Stasis Hunters are listed as the weakest on the list, that isn’t to say they’re bad to use overall, as each subclass, when built correctly, can be put to great use in the PvE endgame. The Darkness Subclasses have taken a significant backseat in the wake of the Light Subclasses getting reworked.
Stasis Hunters, in particular, have never been given a proper time to shine in PvE activities, as their kit allows them to shine in PvP activities instead. Stasis overall is still powerful to use in PvE, but compared to Titans and Warlocks, Stasis Hunters heavily lean more toward PvP than PvE.
14. Stasis Titan
Similarly to Stasis Hunters, Stasis Titans are more or less in the same boat as they lean more toward PvP. However, Titans have more abilities and builds that can give them the edge in PvE activities. A prime example would be Diamond Lance, which Titans can create on demand and use the lance to hurl at enemies with ease.
They also have access to the exclusive Exotic chest piece, Hoarfrost-Z, which allows them to create Stasis crystals on demand, further making their build even more potent. However, for them to compete in future endgame content, they’re going to need a buff or two sooner or later.
Related: Destiny 2 Season of the Deep: Into the Depths Walkthrough on Gamepur
13. Solar Hunter
Next up are Solar Hunters. When Season of the Haunted released and the Solar 3.0 changes were announced, Hunters were disappointed to see they didn’t receive nearly as many buffs for PvE activities as Titans and Warlocks did. Instead, they became menaces in PvP activities and still are the most-used Subclass for Hunters in PvP currently.
However, they received a massive buff with the Exotic leg piece known as Star-Eater Scales, which greatly enhanced the damage of their Blade Barrage Super. The damage from a Blade Barrage can even exceed a Cuirass of the Falling Star Thundercrash Titan with the proper setup! Now that’s some serious power that isn’t to be trifled with.
12. Arc Warlock
The Arc 3.0 re-vamp did not grace Warlocks as kindly as it did Titans and Hunters, as their kit wasn’t really improved upon from its original format. However, they still have a great set of abilities and Exotics that allow them to put in some good work in high-end PvE content.
A prime example would be to utilize the Exotic arm piece, Getaway Artist, which will consume your grenade to create a supercharged Arc Soul. The Arc Soul will then attack any enemies within your vision and, when defeated, turn them into Ionic Traces, which will recharge your abilities for you. Overall, Arc Warlocks are still very powerful, but they definitely could’ve used more love with the 3.0 changes.
11. Strand Hunter
Strand Hunters have proven to be highly effective in PvE scenarios, thanks to their versatile and powerful abilities. Equipped with Silkstrike, Strand Hunters can unleash a deadly rope dart to devastate enemies. The Light Attack feature enables them to swing the dart in front, dealing damage, and causing defeated targets to explode upon impact with the dart’s tip. Meanwhile, the Heavy Attack allows for a circular motion that deals heavy damage to all surrounding enemies.
The Melee ability, Threaded Spike, adds another layer of utility to Strand Hunters’ arsenal. This rope dart bounces between targets, damaging and severing them. The dart returns to the Hunter once it finishes its course, providing melee energy for each target hit. Catching the dart at the right moment increases the amount of energy returned, making it an essential skill to master.
Strand Hunters also possess Aspects that further enhance their capabilities. Widow’s Silk, provides an additional grenade charge and creates a Grapple Tangle at the grapple point. This Aspect grants two Fragment Slots, allowing for even more customization. The Ensnaring Slam Aspect, enables Strand Hunters to activate their air move, consuming class ability energy to dive to the ground and suspend nearby targets upon impact making them highly mobile and effective at controlling groups of enemies.
10. Stasis Warlock
It’s been mentioned a couple of times now that Stasis is strong in PvE; however, Hunters and Titans aren’t truly capable of using it to the fullest in PvE activities. That is different for Stasis Warlocks, who have an abundance of abilities and builds to freeze any enemies in their path constantly.
What truly sets them apart is their aspect, Bleak Watcher, which allows them to turn their grenade into an automatic turret that can slow and freeze enemies for you. This is an extremely powerful aspect, especially in high-end content such as Grandmaster Nightfalls or Day-One Raids, where enemies deal a lot of damage. Having an automatic turret freeze them for you can be a game-changer.
9. Void Titan
When the term “ability spam” comes to mind, Void Titans are easily one of the first images you can imagine as they take the term to a new level. With the fabled Exotic chest piece, Heart of Inmost Light, Void Titans can virtually chain one ability after another with the proper setup, destroying everything in their wake with numerous Void explosions.
Combine this insane offensive power with the new Bastion aspect, which can give them an over shield on demand by using their barricade, and you’ll have the best offense and defense to use at your disposal.
8. Strand Warlock
The Broodweaver Warlocks, a new Strand subclass in Destiny 2, have been garnering attention for their exceptional performance in PvE content. The primary reason for their effectiveness lies in their ability to cover the battlefield in Strand Threadlings, which are little Strand beings that seek out foes and explode.
Their Super, Needlestorm, which conjures a hail of woven needles that transform into Threadlings. These Threadlings also can aid players by attacking enemies and returning to the player to perch on them when no targets are nearby. Damaging enemies with weapons or melee abilities sends perched Threadlings to attack, increasing the overall damage output.
The Broodweaver Warlocks’ melee ability, Arcane Needle, is an effective tool for dealing damage and chaining up to two additional attacks.
Lastly, the Aspects of the Broodweaver Warlocks enhance their abilities and provide additional benefits. Weaver’s Call allows players to summon Threadlings while casting Rifts, while Mindspun Invocation grants enhanced functionality to Grapple, Shackle Grenade, and Threadling Grenade, increasing the potential for crowd control and damage.
The Wanderer Aspect ensures that Threadling final blows create Tangles, which attach to enemies and detonate in a suspending burst. Overall, the Broodweaver Warlocks’ unique abilities and versatile playstyle make them a formidable force in Destiny 2’s PvE content.
7. Void Warlock
Before the 3.0 changes, Void Warlocks were already a very strong Subclass to use. However, with the launch of the Witch Queen DLC and Void 3.0, Void Warlocks easily got the best upgrades among the classes. Their main ability, Devour, which immediately restored their health upon earning a kill, could now be utilized to the fullest with their new Void abilities.
A prime example would be their new aspect, Child of the Old Gods, which would spawn a little “Void-Buddy” for you, like an Arc Soul, for example, and will seek out and drain the life out of enemies before you. Pair this with the Exotic arm piece, Contraverse Hold, which would super-charge their Void Vortex grenade; they can destroy groups of enemies with ease while gaining plenty of Super energy in the process. It’s safe to say Void Warlocks will still be a dominant force to be reckoned with going into Lightfall.
6. Arc Titan
Little did we know that with the Arc 3.0 re-vamp during Season of Plunder, Arc Titans would jump the power scale and become a powerhouse PvE class in the game. Their aspect, Touch of Thunder, enhances their Arc grenades tenfold, including their brand new Strom grenade, which can even track enemies even after the initial explosion.
On top of that, they were also given two new abilities, Thunderclap and Thruster. You can hold down your melee charge and unleash a wave of Arc energy with the Thunderclap, which, when used properly, can feel like becoming One-Punch Man sometimes.
At long last, Titans were given a mobile ability like Dodge and Icarus Dash in the form of Thruster, which can be used to keep you at full speed when mowing down the waves of enemies in front of you.
5. Arc Hunter
It’s safe to say no one was expecting to see Arc Hunters rise from arguably one of the worst classes to use in PvE activities to becoming one of the strongest to use in the endgame. Their Arc 3.0 ability changes essentially allow them to become Titans, where they can use their charged Melee ability to defeat an enemy, restore their health, and more.
This is further amplified when used with the Exotic Helmet piece, Assassin’s Cowl, which specifically buffs charged Melee final blows. With this build, Arc Hunters can continuously restore their health while also becoming invisible and more. Unless Bungie makes some changes, the Arc Subclass will continue to be the strongest Subclass for Hunters to use.
4. Solar Titan
With the right build, Solar Titans can quite literally become the personification of “Unkillable” in more ways than one. They have access to an abundance of Exotic armor pieces made explicitly for “Solar” Titans, including the top-tier Loreley Splendor Exotic Helmet piece.
When your health gets low, specifically when it reaches the “red zone,” your class ability will be used up, and a Sunspot will be placed down on your position. Standing in the Sunspot will grant you some ability to recharge and restore your health. When used in conjunction with one another, you can essentially spam your abilities to create constant Sunspots, thus allowing you to restore your health and essentially become “Unkillable constantly.”
3. Void Hunter
When the Void 3.0 changes were announced during the Witch Queen DLC, Void Hunters were very upset as it seemed they got the short end of the stick in terms of PvE upgrades. They already have an abundance of abilities that allowed them to debuff enemies, but they weren’t given the “one-man army” treatment that Titans and Warlocks were given.
However, due to their inherent ability to go invisible almost perpetually using the Hunter exotic head item Graviton Forfeit, they make an excellent addition to difficult content or solo encounters. This is because they can go invisible to revive allies or to reposition to take out priority targets. For those looking to support a team by debuffing and being able to get in the thick of things for a clutch revive, the Void Hunter is a great choice.
2. Strand Titan
Taking the second spot in our list of powerful character subclasses is the Titan subclass, Berserker. Renowned for their prowess in Player versus Environment (PvE) combat scenarios, these characters bring a unique and effective crowd control skillset to the table, making them an ideal choice for tackling PvE content.
The defining feature of the Berserker subclass is their ability to Suspend enemies effectively. Suspending enemies renders them temporarily immobile and vulnerable, providing a strategic advantage by disrupting enemy formations and opening up opportunities for coordinated attacks with teammates.
A critical component of the Berserker’s kit is their Barricade ability. When casting this defensive barrier, the Berserker’s innate aspect allows them to Suspend enemies caught within its range. This crowd control function not only offers significant tactical utility but also elevates the Berserker’s role as a valuable team player.
To further enhance their Suspend capabilities, Berserkers can equip the Exotic leg armor, Abeyant Leap. This piece of gear amplifies the Suspend effect applied by the Barricade, increasing its duration and efficacy. With the added benefits of the Abeyant Leap, the Berserker can effectively control the battlefield and dictate the flow of combat.
In addition to their core abilities and Exotic gear, Berserkers can customize their playstyle and boost their performance by adding suitable mods and fragments. These upgrades can enhance various aspects of their skillset, such as improving the potency of their Suspend effects, increasing their survivability, or augmenting their damage output.
1. Solar Warlock
This shouldn’t surprise regular players, as Solar Warlocks are easily the best to use in PvE activities. Their Super, Well of Radiance, has been the reigning best Super to use in PvE since its initial release during the Forsaken DLC in late 2018.
With the Solar 3.0 changes, Solar Warlocks are more powerful than ever. They have the ability to deal heavy damage to bosses with Fusion Grenades thanks to the Starfire Protocol Exotic chest piece. Or, they also have the option to be a dominant support class with healing grenades and use Well of Radiance to have instant healing, damage reduction, and a damage boost for all of their weapons for thirty seconds.
Unless Well of Radiance is finally reigned in, it’s safe to assume Solar Warlocks won’t leave the top spot anytime soon.
For more information about Destiny 2, including additional builds to take your Guardian to the next level, check out our guides section and be the talk of the Tower!
Published: May 5, 2023 12:50 am