When it comes to the Strand subclasses in Destiny 2, Warlocks arguably have the best builds compared to Titans and Hunters. For the most part, Warlocks have been able to outperform the other classes with the Strand’s ranged abilities, and the latest update for the subclass continues to take Warlocks to the next level. As of Season of the Deep, Destiny 2’s Warlocks have some seriously powerful options for buildcrafting with the Strand subclass.
Most of the community assumed that after the first season of Lightfall passed that the 3 different Strand subclasses would collectively take a backseat for other subclasses to rotate into the meta. A big factor in what makes a subclass meta for any given season is the Elemental Surges, Elemental weapons, and the Seasonal Artifact mods. When all 3 of these synergize with a subclass, it becomes the new best toolset for the job in most of Destiny 2’s activities. Adding onto these factors, Season 21 also introduced new Aspects for the Strand subclasses that are incredibly strong. Despite having a Strand meta in Season 20, Destiny 2 has another Strand meta in Season 21, and once again, Warlocks got the sweetest end of the deal.
Warlocks and Strand Builds are Still Meta in Destiny 2 Season of the Deep
In Destiny 2’s previous season, Season of Defiance, Warlock’s Strand subclasses had the upper hand over the other classes thanks to the variety of ways Warlocks can create Threadlings. Other Strand subclasses can also create Threadlings, although Warlocks have the most reliable methods. Not to mention, the Warlock’s Strand super, Needlestorm, is all about creating a volley of powerful Strand missiles and Threadlings. With so many ways to create Threadlings and meanwhile utilize the other universal buffs of the Strand subclasses, Warlocks were the reigning kings/queens last season. This still rings true regarding the Strand subclasses in Season of the Deep, especially thanks to the newly introduced Aspects.
Even though the fan-favorite Starfire Protocol builds got nerfed in Season of the Deep’s Exotic armor changes, Warlocks are far from being out of the competition. Warlock builds still dominate the current meta in Destiny 2, particularly the latest Strand subclass builds. The new Strand Aspect for the Warlock subclass, The Wanderer, gives Strand Tangles and Threadlings a lot more utility. With the new Aspect, Threadlings can now generate Tangles, and Tangles now suspend targets. Tangles and Threadlings already pack a punch when it comes to their base-damage outputs, but the added synergies from the new Aspect have some insane potential. Now it’s easier than ever or Warlocks to be able to apply Strand debuffs and elemental reactions.
Strand Has Generous Buildcrafting Potential in Destiny 2 Season of the Deep
All the training wheels that Lightfall’s campaign originally provided for the Strand subclass may not be around in the newer content, but this isn’t a problem for the current Strand subclasses. The new artifact mods for Season 21 are once again focused on the Strand subclass. Namely, the Authorized Strand Mods, Improved Unraveling, Strand Soldier, and Conductive Cosmic Needle are the best mods for the Strand subclasses.
The catalog of Strand weaponry continues to grow by the season, and these weapons are a vital part of Strand builds. The new Navigator Exotic trace rifle from the Ghosts of the Deep Dungeon is quite a powerful weapon, and in the hands of a Broodweaver, Strand Warlock, it can be top-tier. Now that Destiny 2 has a variety of worthwhile Strand weapons to choose from, Strand is in a great spot, though Warlock builds still take the crown. No other Strand subclasses in Destiny 2 can compare to how Broodweaver Warlocks can consistently keep the debuffs and elemental reactions flowing, thanks to the new tools available in Season of the Deep.
Destiny 2 is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.