Character Skills
Character Skills Overview
Destiny 2 features three Guardian classes: Titan, Hunter, and Warlock. Each class has five subclasses: Arc, Solar, Void, Stasis, and Strand. All subclasses now use the Aspects and Fragments system (introduced with Stasis, later retrofitted to Light subclasses). This guide covers every ability, including Supers, Melees, Grenades, Class Abilities, Jumps, Aspects, and Fragments. Each entry includes effects, cooldowns, upgrades (via Exotic armor or mods), combos, synergies, recommended builds, and optimal usage.
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Class Overview
Common Class Abilities
Each class has a unique class ability and two jump types (except Warlock which has three). These are not subclass-specific.
- Titan
- Hunter
- Warlock
- Seismic Strike – Shoulder charge while sprinting; blinds nearby enemies.
- Ballistic Slam – Aerial slam; creates a damaging shockwave on landing.
- Knockout – After a melee kill, you gain increased melee range and damage; melee hits trigger health regeneration.
- Juggernaut – While sprinting, gain a frontal shield that breaks after absorbing damage.
- Touch of Thunder – Enhances grenades: Flashbang gets two charges, Pulse grenade creates a blinding explosion, Lightning grenade spawns an additional bolt, Arcbolt chains more targets.
- Spark of Resistance – When surrounded (3+ enemies), take reduced damage.
- Spark of Momentum – While sliding, gain melee energy.
- Spark of Magnitude – Increases explosion radius of Arc abilities.
- Spark of Ions – Defeating a jolted enemy creates an ionic trace that refunds ability energy.
- Throwing Hammer – Throw a hammer that can be picked up to restore melee energy.
- Hammer Strike – Shoulder charge that applies a burn.
- Roaring Flames – Solar ability kills increase ability damage (up to 3 stacks).
- Sol Invictus – Sunspots are created from ability kills; standing in a sunspot grants restoration and increased ability regen.
- Consecration – While sliding, activate to slam and create a wave of fire; follow up with another slam for a larger explosion.
- Ember of Ashes – Scales scorch stacks faster.
- Ember of Empyrean – Solar weapon or ability kills extend restoration and radiant.
- Ember of Singeing – Scorching enemies reduces class ability cooldown.
- Ember of Wonder – Ignition kills create Firesprites (grenade energy).
- Shield Bash – Shoulder charge that suppresses enemies.
- Shield Throw – Throw a shield that ricochets and weakens enemies.
- Bastion – Casting Barricade creates a Void overshield for you and nearby allies.
- Controlled Demolition – Void abilities and Volatile explosions heal you.
- Offensive Bulwark – While you have an overshield, grenade and melee recharge faster, and melee damage increases.
- Echo of Instability – Defeating volatile targets grants void weapons volatile rounds.
- Echo of Provision – Using a grenade gives melee energy.
- Echo of Domineering – Suppressing a target grants increased reload and handling.
- Echo of Reprisal – Taking damage near multiple enemies grants super energy.
- Howl of the Storm – Sliding while meleeing creates a wave of stasis crystals.
- Cryoclasm – Sprint to slide further and shatter frozen targets.
- Tectonic Harvest – Shattering stasis crystals creates stasis shards (melee energy).
- Whisper of Rime – Collecting stasis shards grants overshield.
- Whisper of Chains – Near frozen targets or crystals, take reduced damage.
- Whisper of Conduction – Shards track to you.
- Whisper of Shards – Shattering a crystal increases grenade recharge.
- Into the Fray – While you have Woven Mail (damage resistance from Strand), your melee charges faster.
- Drengr’s Lash – Activating Barricade creates a suspension wave.
- Banner of War – Defeating enemies near allies grants a buff that increases melee damage and healing.
- Thread of Generation – Dealing damage generates grenade energy.
- Thread of Warding – Picking up a Tangle grants Woven Mail.
- Thread of Fury – Damaging a Tangle with a melee refunds melee energy.
- Thread of Rebirth – Defeating suspended enemies spawns Threadlings.
- Combination Blow – Melee kill stacks increased damage and health regen (up to 3x).
- Disorienting Blow – Melee blind.
- Flow State – Dodging while amplified makes you harder to see and increases melee range.
- Lethal Current – After dodging, your next melee hits twice and jolts.
- Tempest Strike – While sliding, melee creates a wave of lightning.
- Knife Trick – Fan of three burning knives.
- Weighted Knife – Precision throw that refunds energy on kill.
- Proximity Knife – Throwing knife that explodes on contact.
- On Your Mark – Precision hits and kills increase reload and handling.
- Gunpowder Gamble – Scorch kills charge a volatile explosive that can be thrown.
- Knock ‘Em Down – Golden Gun and Blade Barrage gain increased duration or additional knives.
- Snare Bomb – Throw a smoke bomb that slows and weakens.
- Trapper’s Ambush – Quickfall melee that creates a smoke cloud.
- Vanishing Step – Dodging makes you invisible.
- Trapper’s Ambush – Quickfall makes you and nearby allies invisible.
- Stylish Executioner – Defeating a weakened, volatile, or suppressed target makes you invisible and marks nearby enemies.
- Shatterdive – Air dash downward to shatter frozen targets.
- Touch of Winter – Enhances grenades: Duskfield becomes larger, Glacier becomes a wall of crystals, Coldsnap tracks faster.
- Grim Harvest – Defeating slowed or frozen enemies creates stasis shards.
- Widow’s Silk – Grapple creates a permanent tangle and you get an extra grenade charge.
- Ensaring Slam – Air dodge to slam down and suspend enemies.
- Threadrunner – Defeating suspended targets creates threadlings.
- Arc Soul – After using rift, gain an arc soul that shoots nearby enemies.
- Electrostatic Surge – Killing enemies while amplified creates Ionic Traces and extends amplified.
- Lightning Surge – While sliding, melee to teleport and deal damage.
- Heat Rises – While airborne, consume grenade to float and gain melee energy on kills.
- Icarus Dash – Air dodge (two charges).
- Touch of Flame – Enhances grenades: Healing grenade provides restoration, Fusion grenade explodes twice, etc.
- Devour – Consuming a grenade grants devour; melee kills also can trigger it.
- Chaos Accelerant – Hold grenade to overcharge: Vortex becomes larger, Scatter becomes seeking, etc.
- Feed the Void – Defeating enemies with void abilities grants devour.
- Child of the Old Gods – After casting rift, a void soul that weakens and drains enemies.
- Iceflare Bolts – Shattering a frozen target spawns seekers that freeze others.
- Glacial Harvest – Freezing enemies creates stasis shards.
- Bleak Watcher – Hold grenade to deploy a turret that slows/freezes.
- Mindspun Invocation – Consume grenade for buff: Shackle creates suspending tornado, Threadling spawns seekers, etc.
- Weaver’s Call – Rift periodically spawns threadlings.
- The Wanderer – Tangles you create seek enemies and suspend.
- Class Ability: Barricade (Towering Barricade – tall wall; Rally Barricade – short cover with reload boost; Marksman’s Dodge? No, Titan has only Barricade variations).
- Jumps: High Lift, Strafe Lift, Catapult Lift.
- Class Ability: Dodge (Gambler’s Dodge – dodges near enemies refunds melee energy; Marksman’s Dodge – dodge reloads equipped weapon).
- Jumps: Triple Jump, Strafe Jump, High Jump.
- Class Ability: Rift (Healing Rift – continuously heals allies; Empowering Rift – increases weapon damage).
- Jumps: Burst Glide, Strafe Glide, Balanced Glide.
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Titan Subclasses
Arc Titan (Striker)
Super: Fists of Havoc (roaming) – Ground slam chain; Thundercrash (one-off) – Fly forward and impact for massive damage. Cooldown: ~8:30 base (adjusted by Intellect mods).
Melee:
Grenades: Flashbang (blinds), Pulse (chain lightning), Lightning (stickies), Arcbolt (seekers).
Aspects:
Key Fragments:
Recommended Build: Thundercrash + Knockout + Touch of Thunder – Use exotics like Cuirass of the Falling Star to boost Thundercrash damage. Focus on Ionic Traces for ability uptime. Use with Arc weapons for synergy.
When to use: Thundercrash for boss DPS; Fists of Havoc for add clear. Knockout for sustain in PvP or PvE. Touch of Thunder for grenade spam.
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Solar Titan (Sunbreaker)
Super: Hammer of Sol (roaming) – Throw explosive hammers; Burning Maul (roaming) – Slam the ground creating a tornado of fire.
Melee:
Grenades: Incendiary (burn), Thermite (line of fire), Fusion (stick and explode), Solar Grenade (area burn).
Aspects:
Key Fragments:
Recommended Build: Hammer of Sol + Roaring Flames + Sol Invictus – Use exotic Synthoceps or Loreley Splendor Helm. Focus on sunspots and hammer throwing for infinite melees. Perfect for add clear and sustain.
When to use: Hammer of Sol for mobs; Burning Maul for crowd control. Consecration for burst damage. Roaring Flames for high damage stacks.
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Void Titan (Sentinel)
Super: Ward of Dawn (bubble) – Provides overshield and weapons of light to allies; Sentinel Shield (roaming) – Shield that can block damage and be thrown.
Melee:
Grenades: Vortex (pull + damage), Suppressor (silences abilities), Magnetic (stick + bounce), Axion Bolt (seeker).
Aspects:
Key Fragments:
Recommended Build: Ward of Dawn + Bastion + Controlled Demolition – Exotic: Helm of Saint-14 for bubble. Pair with grenade launchers or Void weapons for Volatile spam. Great for endgame survivability.
When to use: Ward of Dawn for boss encounters or capture points; Sentinel Shield for add clear and protection. Bastion for team overshields.
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Stasis Titan (Behemoth)
Super: Glacial Quake – Roaming super that creates stasis crystals and shatters them for massive damage.
Melee: Shiver Strike – Lunge forward, dealing damage and slowing/freezing on impact.
Grenades: Glacier (create wall), Coldsnap (seek + freeze), Duskfield (pull and slow).
Aspects:
Key Fragments:
Recommended Build: Glacial Quake + Cryoclasm + Tectonic Harvest – Exotic: Howl of the Storm? Actually exotics like Heart of Inmost Light work. Focus on crystal shattering for ability regen. Excellent for crowd control and damage.
When to use: Glacial Quake for area denial and burst damage. Cryoclasm to aggressively shatter. Tectonic Harvest for melee uptime.
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Strand Titan (Berserker)
Super: Bladefury – Roaming super with two claws that lunge and create suspend waves.
Melee: Frenzied Blade – Three rapid dash attacks that suspend enemies.
Grenades: Threadling (seekers that spawn), Grapple (pull + melee), Shackle (suspend).
Aspects:
Key Fragments:
Recommended Build: Banner of War + Into the Fray – Exotic: Synthoceps for melee damage. Focus on melee spam and suspend. Great for high-damage builds and team support.
When to use: Bladefury for mobbing and suspending. Banner of War for sustained melee damage in groups. Drengr’s Lash for instant suspend.
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Hunter Subclasses
Arc Hunter (Arcstrider)
Super: Arc Staff – Roaming polearm with spin attacks and block; Gathering Storm – Throws a staff that storms the area and can be recalled.
Melee:
Grenades: Same as Titan (Arc).
Aspects:
Key Fragments: Same as Titan Arc fragments.
Recommended Build: Gathering Storm + Flow State + Lethal Current – Exotic: Liar’s Handshake for melee refund. Use Combination Blow for add clear and health. Perfect for arc melee builds.
When to use: Gathering Storm for boss damage; Arc Staff for mob control. Lethal Current for jolt synergy.
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Solar Hunter (Gunslinger)
Super: Golden Gun – Six-shooter rifle; Blade Barrage – Throw multiple exploding knives.
Melee:
Grenades: Solar grenades (same as Titan).
Aspects:
Key Fragments: Same as Solar fragments.
Recommended Build: Blade Barrage + Knock ‘Em Down + On Your Mark – Exotic: Celestial Nighthawk for single shot Golden Gun or Shards of Galanor for Blade Barrage refund. Great for burst DPS.
When to use: Golden Gun for precision boss damage; Blade Barrage for add clear or burst. Knock ‘Em Down for super improvement.
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Void Hunter (Nightstalker)
Super: Shadowshot – Tethers enemies making them take more damage and suppressing; Moebius Quiver – Fires multiple tethers that weaken.
Melee:
Grenades: Void grenades.
Aspects:
Key Fragments: Void fragments.
Recommended Build: Shadowshot + Vanishing Step + Stylish Executioner – Exotic: Orpheus Rig for super energy refund on tethered enemies. Excellent for invisibility and debuff synergy.
When to use: Shadowshot for crowd control and debuff; Moebius Quiver for single target. Stylish Executioner for perma-invisibility.
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Stasis Hunter (Revenant)
Super: Silence and Squall – Throw a kama that freezes and creates a tornado that slows and damages.
Melee: Withering Blade – Throw a shuriken that slows and can bounce.
Grenades: Stasis grenades.
Aspects:
Key Fragments: Stasis fragments.
Recommended Build: Silence and Squall + Touch of Winter + Grim Harvest – Exotic: Bakris for dodge boost with Stasis. Focus on shatter combos. Great for crowd control and ability regen.
When to use: Silence and Squall for area denial. Shatterdive for instant crystal destruction. Touch of Winter for enhanced grenades.
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Strand Hunter (Threadrunner)
Super: Silkstrike – Roaming super with rope darts that suspend and damage.
Melee: Threaded Spike – Throw a rope dart that returns and suspends.
Grenades: Strand grenades.
Aspects:
Key Fragments: Strand fragments.
Recommended Build: Silkstrike + Widow’s Silk + Ensaring Slam – Exotic: The Sixth Coyote for extra dodge. Use for high mobility and suspend loops.
When to use: Silkstrike for ad clear. Widow’s Silk for tangle generation. Ensaring Slam for quick suspend.
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Warlock Subclasses
Arc Warlock (Stormcaller)
Super: Stormtrance – Roaming lightning hands; Chaos Reach – Beam of arc energy that can be canceled.
Melee: Chain Lightning – Melee that chains; Ball Lightning – Launch a ball that explodes vertically.
Grenades: Arc grenades.
Aspects:
Key Fragments: Arc fragments.
Recommended Build: Chaos Reach + Arc Soul + Electrostatic Surge – Exotic: Geomag Stabilizers for super duration (Chaos Reach). Good for ability spam and ranged damage.
When to use: Chaos Reach for boss DPS; Stormtrance for add clear. Arc Soul for turret support.
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Solar Warlock (Dawnblade)
Super: Daybreak – Roaming sword that shoots projectiles; Well of Radiance – Plant a sword that heals and empowers allies.
Melee: Celestial Fire – Three-projectile melee; Incinerator Snap – A snap that scorches.
Grenades: Solar grenades.
Aspects:
Key Fragments: Solar fragments.
Recommended Build: Well of Radiance + Touch of Flame + Heat Rises – Exotic: Starfire Protocol for fusion grenade spam. Essential for raid DPS phases.
When to use: Well of Radiance for team support; Daybreak for add clear. Touch of Flame for enhanced grenades.
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Void Warlock (Voidwalker)
Super: Nova Bomb – Single projectile; Nova Warp – Roaming void teleport explosions.
Melee: Pocket Singularity – Throw a void ball that pulls enemies and weakens; Devour (via aspect) – Melee kills activate devour (health regen on kills).
Grenades: Void grenades.
Aspects:
Key Fragments: Same as Void fragments.
Recommended Build: Nova Bomb + Devour + Feed the Void – Exotic: Contraverse Hold for grenade regen on damage. Great for survivability and grenade spam.
When to use: Nova Bomb for burst; Nova Warp for mobile PvP. Devour for infinite health in PvE.
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Stasis Warlock (Shadebinder)
Super: Winter’s Wrath – Roaming staff that shoots freezing projectiles and shatters.
Melee: Penumbral Blast – Freeze on hit.
Grenades: Stasis grenades.
Aspects:
Key Fragments: Stasis fragments.
Recommended Build: Winter’s Wrath + Bleak Watcher + Iceflare Bolts – Exotic: Osmiomancy Gloves for turret charges. Excellent for crowd control and freezing entire rooms.
When to use: Winter’s Wrath for area freeze. Bleak Watcher for persistent CC. Iceflare Bolts for chain freezes.
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Strand Warlock (Broodweaver)
Super: Needlestorm – Summon a volley of threadling seekers.
Melee: Arcane Needle – Three charges of a tracking projectile that severs.
Grenades: Strand grenades.
Aspects:
Key Fragments: Strand fragments.
Recommended Build: Needlestorm + Mindspun Invocation + Weaver’s Call – Exotic: Swarmers for threadling damage. Great for add clear and area control.
When to use: Needlestorm for burst. Mindspun Invocation for enhanced grenade. Weaver’s Call for threadling generation.
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Conclusion
Mastering each subclass’s skills, aspects, and fragments is key to optimal play in Destiny 2. Experiment with different exotics and mods to find the build that fits your playstyle. For endgame content, always consider team composition and subclass synergy.