Destiny 2 reveals Lightfall Strand subclass trailer and details, including Aspects and Fragments
Bungie finally showcases everything there is to know about the new element.
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What you need to know
One of the most exciting parts of the upcomingDestiny 2: Lightfallexpansion is the arrival of the brand new subclass element Strand. Like Beyond Light’s Stasis, Strand is a Darkness power that’s quite different than the Void, Solar, and Arc Light abilities that players are used to wielding. Developer Bungie has been relatively silent about how Strand works, but now, we have a complete understanding of its nuances and capabilities thanks to a new developer blog post and an official Strand trailer.
No matter which class you use Strand with, you’ll be weaving (creating objects with Strand) and creating Tangles — a “swirling bundle of Strand fibers” that’s made whenever you defeat an enemy affected by Strand. These can be shot to deal explosive damage, or alternatively, players can pick Tangles up and throw them. Players can also utilize grappling hooks with Strand, which are capable of creating their own anchor points out of thin air and can be comboed with a melee attack to knock back enemies, unravel them (more on that below), and deal extra damage.
All Strand subclasses will also have the ability to apply three distinct debuffs, which we’ve listed below.
Bungie’sblog postalso notes that Strand is introducing Woven Mail, a new buff that protects Guardians with a layer of extra armor. Woven Mail reduces incoming damage considerably, though in PvP, it won’t affect the power of headshots or melee attacks.
In terms of the class-specific Strand abilities coming withDestiny 2: Lightfall, Warlock Broodweavers can create Threadlings, explosive minions that seek out enemies and “perch” on their owner if none are nearby, waiting until there are nearby foes they can annihilate. Their melee is Arcane Needle, an attack that does high damage, unravels foes, and has three charges. Needlestorm, the Broodweaver’s Super, fires a volley of explosive missiles that give way to an army of Threadlings.
Hunter Threadrunners, meanwhile, are themed around mobility and ranged melee attacks. The Threaded Spike melee is a throwable rope dart that rapidly bounces between enemies before coming back to its user, damaging and severing them. It can be “caught” by pressing the melee input at the right time, returning melee energy. The Threadrunner Super, Silkstrike, allows Hunters to quickly move around with their grappling hook and devastate foes with their rope dart. The Super features both light and heavy attacks in mid-air and on the ground, with the former meant for single opponents and the latter being ideal for dealing with groups. Hitting enemies with the tip of the rope dart deals extra damage, and killing them with it makes them explode.
Lastly, Titan Berserkers are all about “untamed power.” Their Frenzied Blade melee ability allows them to dash forward and slash at foes with vicious Strand arm blades, severing them and reducing their damage output. This attack has three charges, allowing players to use it frequently. The Bladefury Super gives the Titan two arm blades, and its light attacks increase the speed at which additional attacks land. Light attacks also build up charge for a heavy attack that launches seeking projectiles that damage and suspend foes.
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All Strand subclasses will share grenades, which include the grapple hook (controlled by the grenade button), the Threadling Grenade that spawns projectiles that turn into Threadlings, and the Shackle Grenade that behaves like a bola, suspending enemies in explosive blasts.
Bungie also revealed each Strand subclass' starting two Aspects, which are coreDestiny 2unlocks that serve as the foundation for subclass builds. The developer also highlighted some of the Fragments players will be able to use across all the Strand subclasses to tweak them further. We’ve noted these Aspects and Fragments in the list below.
Destiny 2: Lightfall is slated to arrive on February 28 on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One consoles, Windows PCs, and PlayStation systems. The DLC costs $40 and takes them to Neptune and the city of Neomuna, where they’ll face off against Emperor Calus and his powerful Shadow Legion. Ahead of its launch, check out ourDestiny 2 Lightfall prep guidefor an overview of the best ways to get ready for the expansion.
Destiny 2: Lightfall
The upcoming Lightfall expansion takes players to the neon-soaked city of Neomuna on Neptune and pits them against the fearsome Shadow Legion — all while the threat of Darkness pyramids, The Witness, and his new disciple Emperor Calus looms overhead.
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Brendan Lowry is a Windows Central writer and Oakland University graduate with a burning passion for video games, of which he’s been an avid fan since childhood. He’s been writing for Team WC since the summer of 2017, and you’ll find him doing news, editorials, reviews, and general coverage on everything gaming, Xbox, and Windows PC. His favorite game of all time is probably NieR: Automata, though Elden Ring, Fallout: New Vegas, and Team Fortress 2 are in the running, too. When he’s not writing or gaming, there’s a good chance he’s either watching an interesting new movie or TV show or actually going outside for once.Follow him on X(Twitter).
