The last of Destiny 2’s 3.0 subclass updates has arrived, and this time it’s arguably needed more than ever. Arc-based subclasses took a massive hit following The Witch Queen’s release. These latest changes not only make Arc subclasses a viable choice — they’re now great investments when crafting Destiny 2 builds.
It’s natural to feel overwhelmed by the Arc 3.0 changes, with a substantial overhaul introducing new mechanics and details to learn, just like Solar 3.0 and Void 3.0. This guide will help you adjust, break down how to unlock what you need, and a few recommended builds to see you through this season.
Destiny 2 Arc 3.0 mechanics explained
Changes to Arc-based mechanics are a must-know with Arc 3.0, shaking up the foundations of one of the top shooters out there. The ability to build momentum, stun opponents, and even blind them proves integral to the identity of the revitalized subclass. Bungie said it themselves; the purpose of Arc 3.0 is to “go fast and hit stuff.”
New keywords and mechanics come with Arc’s update to accomplish that goal of going fast and hard. Here’s what’s new:
- Amplified: Your movement speed and weapon handling are greatly increased. After sprinting for a short time, your movement speed is further increased. Rapidly defeating targets with Arc damage makes you amplified.
- Blind: Combatants are disorientated and cannot fire their weapons. Opposing players’ HUD is removed, and their vision is obscured.
- Jolt: The target is charged with destructive Arc Light. As they take additional damage while jolted, they chain lightning to nearby targets.
- Ionic Traces: A bolt of pure Arc energy that travels along the ground, seeking towards its creator. When picked up, Ionic Traces grant ability energy.
Figuring out how to bend Arc 3.0’s new mechanics around your chosen class is the next step in mastering this update. With the transition toward the Aspects and Fragments layout, similar to other subclasses, it’s crucial to understand which Aspects are specific to your class. There are also some new and much-needed Supers to consider.
Here’s the lowdown on the new Aspects and Supers specific to your chosen class following the Arc 3.0 update.
Arc 3.0: WARLOCKS
Warlock Aspects
- Arc Soul: The Warlock casts a rift to create an Arc Soul that will assist the player in battle. Allies who pass through the rift will also earn an Arc Soul. The rift charges faster when allies are near. While amplified, any Arc Soul you have or gain is supercharged, increasing its rate of fire.
- Lightning Surge: The Warlock activates their melee while sliding to transform into a ball of lightning and teleport forward, calling down a field of lightning bolts at the exit point that jolts targets.
- Electrostatic Mind: Arc ability kills and kills on Arc-debuffed enemies create Ionic Traces. When you collect any Ionic Trace, you become amplified.
Warlock Supers
- Chaos Reach: Unleash a long-range channeled beam of concentrated Arc energy. This can be deactivated early, saving Super energy.
- Stormtrance: Chain Arc Lightning from your hands to electrify targets with devastating streams of Arc Light that intensify over time. Casting Stormtrance creates a shockwave underneath you. During Stormtrance, you can teleport forward consuming Super energy.
Arc 3.0: TITANS
Titan Aspects
- Touch of Thunder: Improves Arc grenades in the following ways:
- Flashbang: Fires an additional blind impulse on its first bounce.
- Pulse: When the grenade damages an enemy, it creates an Ionic Trace for the Titan. Pulse Grenade damage increases over time as the grenade lingers after impact.
- Lightning: Grants an additional charge for Lightning grenade, and jolts targets on initial blast.
- Storm: Creates a roaming thundercloud that moves and tracks enemies (similar to the Stasis Hunter’s Silence and Squall Super), firing lightning bolts at the ground underneath it.
- Juggernaut: While sprinting and with full class ability energy, the Titan gains a frontal shield that blocks incoming damage. When amplified, the shield is stronger. Once the shield is depleted by taking damage, the player’s class energy is depleted.
- Knockout: Melee kills trigger health regeneration and make the Titan amplified. Critically wounding an enemy or breaking their shield increases melee range and damage for a brief period. Titan’s base melee becomes Arc-empowered while Knockout is active.
Titan Supers
- Thundercrash: Hurtle through the air like a missile and crash into targets to inflict meteoric damage.
- Fists of Havoc: Supercharge your fists and slam the ground with the force of a maelstrom. Allowing Titans to charge forward and attack or slam their fists to the ground and create an aftershock which is increased if the Titan jumps before performing the slam.
Arc 3.0: HUNTERS
Hunter Aspects
- Flow State: Defeating a jolted opponent causes you to become amplified. When amplified, the Hunter’s dodge will recharge faster and make you more resistant to damage, and you have quicker reload times.
- Tempest Strike: Allows the Hunter to perform a sliding melee that launches an Arc wave along the ground, dealing significant damage and jolting enemies in its path.
- Lethal Current: After dodging, the Hunter’s melee lunge range is increased and their next melee attack jolts the target and creates a damaging lightning aftershock. When used with the Arc Staff Super, after dodging, the Hunter’s next staff light attack hits twice. In addition, hitting a jolted enemy with a melee attack will blind them.
Hunter Supers
- Arc Staff: Form a staff of pure Arc energy and acrobatically take out your foes. You can deflect incoming projectiles with your Arc Staff.
- Gathering Storm: Hurl your Arc Staff forward, embedding it into surfaces or large and jolting nearby targets. After a short time, a devastating lightning bolt strikes the staff, overcharging it with Arc energy. While overcharged, your staff discharges lightning at nearby foes.
Arc 3.0 Grenades
- Pulse Grenade: A grenade that periodically damages targets within its explosion radius.
- Skip Grenade: A grenade that splits upon impact, creating multiple projectiles that seek targets.
- Storm Grenade: A grenade that calls down a focused lightning storm.
- Flashbang Grenade: An explosive grenade that blinds nearby targets.
- Lightning Grenade: A grenade that sticks to any surface and emits bolts of lightning.
- Arcbolt Grenade: A grenade that chains bolts of lightning to nearby targets.
- Flux Grenade: An explosive grenade that attaches to targets.
Like past 3.0 updates, Grenades are purchased from Ikora Rey in the Tower, priced at 3,000 Glimmer each.
Arc 3.0 Fragments
- Spark of Beacons: When the player is amplified, Arc special weapon kills create a blinding explosion.
- Spark of Resistance: When surrounded by enemies, the player has increased damage resistance. (Adds 10 to your Strength stat.)
- Spark of Momentum: Sliding over ammo will reload your weapon and grant a small amount of melee energy. Sliding over Heavy ammo increases the amount of energy granted.
- Spark of Shock: The player’s Arc grenades jolt enemies. (Removes 10 from your Discipline stat.)
- Spark of Beacons: While you are amplified, your arc special weapon final blows create a blinding explosion.
- Spark of Ions: Defeating a jolted target creates an Ionic Trace.
- Spark of Discharge: Arc weapon final blows have a chance to create an Ionic Trace. (Removes 10 from your Strength stat.)
- Spark of Frequency: Melee hits greatly increase your reload speed for a short duration.
- Spark of Focus: After sprinting for a short time, your class ability regeneration is increased. (Removes 10 from your Resilience stat.)
- Spark of Recharge: While critically wounded, your melee and grenade energy regenerates more quickly.
- Spark of Magnitude: Your lingering Arc grenades (Lightning Grenade, Pulse, and Storm Grenade) have extended duration.
- Spark of Amplitude: Rapidly defeating targets while you are amplified creates an Orb of Power.
- Spark of Feedback: Taking melee damage briefly increases your outgoing melee. (Adds 10 to your Resilience stat.)
- Spark of Volts: Finishers make you amplified. (Adds 10 to your Recovery stat.)
- Spark of Brilliance: Defeating a blinded target with precision damage creates a blinding explosion. (Adds 10 to your Intellect stat.)
Like past 3.0 updates, Fragments are purchased from Ikora Rey in the Tower, priced at 25,000 Glimmer each.
Arc 3.0 Abilities
Bungie has also given Titans and Hunters some new abilities. Hunters finally see Blink return to their class as a jump ability. Titans receive a new melee ability, Thunderclap, that allows players to charge up a superman punch and fire out a large wave of Arc energy. They also receive the Thruster ability, allowing Titans to dash with their class ability.
While Warlocks didn’t receive new tricks, they did have some pieces of the former Arc structure, such as their supers, combined in Arc 3.0, making them more powerful. Titans and Hunters also received this treatment.
BEST ARC 3.0 BUILDS: TITAN, WARLOCK, HUNTER
| Thundercrash DPS Titan |
|---|
| Class and Subclass: Striker Subclass (Arc). Aspects: Knockout and Touch of Thunder. Fragments: Spark of Amplitude, Spark of Magnitude, Spark of Discharge, and Spark of Ions. |
| Key Exotic: Cuirass of the Fallen Star |
| Weapons: Arc Weapons |
| Priority Stats: Intellect, Resilience, and Discipline |
| Suggested Mods: Elemental Ordnance, Bomber, Ashes to Assets, Grenade Kickstart, High-Energy Fire, Firepower, and Elemental Charge |
Titans using Thundercrash were the easiest ways to damage bosses before Arc 3.0, and that hasn’t changed. However, Arc 3.0 brings the opportunity to generate Orbs of Power and get your Super even faster.
The aim is to use your Lightning Grenade, which gets a second charge and Jolts enemies thanks to the touch of Thunder Aspect, to generate Super energy from grenade kills. Combining this with Elemental Ordnance, Spark of Ions, and Spark of Discharge also means that your ability regeneration should be through the roof when using an Arc weapon.
You can use the Elemental Wells generated from Elemental Ordnance to become Charged With Light and increase your outgoing weapon damage. You can even sneak in some Harmonic Siphons and Innervations if you are focused on dealing Arc damage, further increasing your Super ability generation.
It’s a simple but incredibly effective build that’s generous with Orbs of Power, ultimately leading to dealing a chunk of boss damage, especially if you manage your Charged with Light stacks well.
| Skip Grenade Hunter |
|---|
| Class and Subclass: Arcstrider (Arc). Aspects: Flow State and Lethal Current. Fragments: Spark of Ions, Spark of Discharge, Spark of Shock, and Spark of Feedback. |
| Key Exotic: Shinobu’s Vow |
| Weapons: Arc Weapons with Demolitionist, where possible |
| Priority Stats: Mobility, Resilience, and Discipline |
| Suggested Mods: Bomber, Bolstering Detonation, Firepower, Elemental Ordnance, and Font of Might |
You might remember Shinobu’s Vow from Destiny’s earlier days when it was a terror in the Crucible. While Shinobu’s Vow has changed with time, it’s now an effective PvE exotic.
The purpose of this build is to use the Hunter’s Skip Grenades, which receive an additional charge thanks to Shinobu’s Vow, to Jolt enemies. This makes the most of the Amplified mechanic to dodge more frequently thanks to Flow State, combining it with Lethal Current to increase melee damage to Jolted targets.
As you want to save your Charged with Light stacks for Firepower, we have opted not to use High-Energy Fire in this build but instead went with Font of Might to get extra damage from our Arc weapons.
Much like the Titan build, this is a straightforward build. The core approach is to throw grenades to Jolt enemies, dodge to reload your weapons and increase your grenade recovery, and harvest all the Ionic Traces and Elemental wells to perpetuate the game plan endlessly.
| Ionic Trace Warlock |
|---|
| Class and Subclass: Stormcaller Subclass (Arc). Aspects: Electrostatic Mind and Arc Soul. Fragments: Spark of Beacons, Spark of Shock, Spark of Ions, and Spark of Discharge. |
| Key Exotic: Fallen Sunstar |
| Weapons: Kinetic weapon of choice, Delicate Tomb, and an Arc Heavy Weapon |
| Priority Stats: Recovery, Resilience, and Discipline |
| Suggested Mods: Harmonic Siphon, Elemental Armaments, Elemental Ordnance, Melee Wellmaker, Font of Might, Bomber, Focusing Strike, Impact Induction, and Absolution |
Following various 3.0 updates, abilities have become all the rage. Grenades, melees, and even your class abilities are all pivotal in creating an ecosystem where your builds flourish. For Arc 3.0 and Ionic Traces, nobody does it better than a Warlock.
It’s also a build that uses the new Season of the Plunder exotic Fusion Rifle and the new Warlock Exotic, Fallen Star. Combining these two with Electrostatic Mind and all of the Fragments means that this build infinitely spawns Ionic Traces from nearly every interaction in your kit. For those looking to adjust the build, you can switch out Arc Soul for Lightning Surge to create a faster-paced setup, or you can switch Spark of Beacons for Spark of Brilliance to emphasize Arc weapon kills and Blinding Explosions.
This flexibility extends to the mods. If you spec into grenades, you can opt to have more Bomber mods and supplement them with Ashes to Assets to generate more super energy. For a melee-focused build, you could look at Focusing Strike mods and Hands-On to perform in the same way but optimize the build for melee and close-ranged combat. When deciding on Supers, the choice will fall to the activity you play. Stormtrance is a great Super for clearing loads of small enemies, and Chaos Reach is predominantly used to melt bosses.
As the build is focused on Arc damage and Arc weapons, I also opted to use orb generating mods, like Harmonic Siphon, and Orb ability regeneration mods, like Absolution, to double down on damage with Font of Might too.
