The Prismatic subclass may be the new hotness in The Final Shape, but only a fool would overlook Strand. If you’re all about relentless offense and survivability, here are the 9 best Strand builds in Destiny 2 for Warlock, Hunter, and Titan.
The best Strand Builds in Destiny 2 The Final Shape
As long as you havethe best Echoes God Roll weapons, you’ll find a build to suit every occasion in this guide, but here’sa quick summaryof what to expect anda table of contentsto make accessing the section you want easy:
Table of contents
3 Best Strand Warlock Builds in Destiny 2
The space wizards of Destiny 2 can wield Strand to outputridiculous damage numbers while staying safe and tanky. Here are a few builds that utilize the subclass the best. What better way to start than with one of the shiny new Final Shape exotics?
Mataiodoxia Suspend Build
The Mataiodoxiahas a shopping list of effects that make it seem far more complicated to use than it actually is. In reality,we use this Exotic chest piece to suspend everything that moves, and it synergizes with our Arcane Needle melee ability.
To make the build work, you only need tothrow your Arcane needles at targetsand shoot them to create suspending detonations. When you kill suspended targets, you gain melee energy so you’re able to repeat the process. You can also use yourMindspun Invocation Aspectto consume your grenades and generate even more suspending detonations.
It sounds complicated, but the build is far easier to use in practice.
Aspects and Fragments
Exotic armor and suggested weapons
Swarmers Build
The Mataiodoxia is arguably the Exotic of choice for Strand Warlocks, as suspending targets is such a powerful ability. That said,if you’d rather lean into Threadling spam, the Swarmers build is for you. While Threadlings seem less useful on paper, they can unravel opponents, so they take more damage.
The gameplay loop is extremely simple.Unravel everything with your Threadlings, and pick up Orbs of Power to boost survivability with Woven Mail. You can spawn Threadlings with your Threadling Grenades, Class Ability, and Tangles.
Necrotic Grip DoT Build
We’ve covered some iconic Strand playstyles for the Warlock, butthe subclass also works with poison builds. It can be hard to quantify how much damage poison does as it slowly eats away at your opponents, but it quickly adds up to impressive amounts.
The best thing about the Necrotic Grips we’re using is that their poison damage spreads to nearby enemies.You can wipe out swathes of targets with a couple of well-placed shots, and poison works exceptionally well in busy content.
To get the most out of the buildwe rely on Weaver’s Trancefor suspending detonations like we did with our Mataiodoxia loadout.Combine Weaver’s Trance with Arcane needleand start shooting with your Exotic Primary. When you defeat targets, they explode in a shower of debuffs that spread across the battlefield.
These Exotic weapons havea poison effect that synergizes nicelywith the build. While you can’t use both at the same time, it’s mandatory to use one of them.
3 Best Strand Hunter Builds in Destiny 2
Unsurprisingly, Strand Hunters are lethal in Destiny 2, and the ever-popular Woven Mail makes the class exceptionally hard to kill. Hunters have access to some ofthe highest damaging Strand Aspects in the game, and we use them to full effect in the builds below:
Whirling Maelstrom build
I love this build, as it’s easy to use and does great damage. Our Aspects, Fragments, and Abilities synergize so well that they function independently of your armor choice.You need a Strand weapon to start the party, but you have free reign with this fantastic setup.
We want toopen every engagement by suspending our opponents, and we have several ways to do it, including our Shackle Grenade. You’ll create tangles by defeating suspended targets and spawn a deadly homing Strand Maelstrom when you destroy that tangle.
Your game plan revolves around creating these Maelstroms from tangles as much as possible.
Quicksilver Storm Suspend build
The Quicksilver Storm Auto Rifle was put on the naughty step just before the Final Shape was released. The weapon restores grenades at a reduced rate, butit’s still a monster that feels incredible to use. We use the Quicksilver Storm as the primary damage dealer and buff it with our Foetracer Exotic helmet.
This is a DPS-focused build, andwe use Whirling Maelstroms and unraveling Threadlings to delete waves of enemies. Damage any opponent with a Strand ability to activate Foetracer and mow down the field with your rifle.
I find the Wish-Keeper a little unwieldy, but it’s a great choice if you want another avenue tosuspend your foes.
ST0MP-EE5 PvP Build
At the time of writing,the ST0MP-EE5 Hunter boots are among the most used armor in Crucibleacross all classes. With this in mind, I couldn’t ignore them, and they are a perfect fit for the Strand subclass.
Any decent PvP player in any shooter will tell you thatmovement wins gunfights. As it turns out, the Strand subclass has a few fantastic mobility options, and we lean heavily into those for this build.
Your game plan is toget close to your opponents and overwhelm themwith superior movement options like dodges, grapples, and slams. Use any weapon you like, but I’ll recommend a few Handcannons to embody that Iconic Hunter playstyle.
3 Best Strand Titan Builds in Destiny 2
As a crayon eater main, I’ve dabbled with the Strand Titan for hundreds of hours. Even though the Subclass has been hit with multiple nerfs since its inception, Strand remains a solid choice and offers anattractive blend of damage and resilience. Let me run you through a few personal favorites of mine:
Wishful Ignorance Build
Besides the incredible Warlock Speaker’s Sight,the Wishful Ignorance is among the most desirable Final Shape Exotics. I’m still not surewhythis thing exists, as Bungie seems intent on nerfing Strand builds yet gives Titan an incredible way to utilize the Subclass.
If you enjoy cutting enemies into ribbons with Frenzied Blade, this build is arguably the best way to utilize it. This Exotic also benefits your team as you feed your squad melee energy. As for gameplay, you want torely heavily on your Powered Melee attacks.Wishful Ignorancegives you an additional Frenzied Blade charge, and you can get an extra Powered Melee by punching it at the end of a Grapple Grenade launch.
As we’re so reliant on punching our problems into oblivion,you can play fast and loose with your Weapon choices. Anything will work, so take what’s appropriate for the content you’re facing.
Banner of War Synthoceps Build
I’ve probably used this build more than any other in Destiny 2. The Banner of War Synthoceps build absolutely slaps and isviable for most content in the game. Our gameplay loop is simple. We want Banner of War active as it keeps us alive with healing pulses.Trigger Banner of War with a powered melee attackand kill everything that moves to extend the Aspect’s uptime.
As an additional layer of protection, we gain Woven Mail whenever we throw a tangle, so be sure to grab those when you see them. This build is incredible, as itdoesn’t require any special weapons. You have unrivaled freedom with your arsenal and a ridiculous amount of survivability, so go out there and have some fun!
Abeyant Leap Suspend Build
I wasn’t sold on suspend builds until I tried one myself, and oh boy, I was missing out. If you’re on the fence like I was, I urge you to try this loadout, as you’re able to immobilize tough enemies, andyour team will love youfor it.
Your game plan is simple, and your priority is to keep as many enemies suspended as possible. With this build, you can suspend multiple groups of enemies and take them out with any weapons you like.You’re also pretty tanky, thanks to Woven Mail. As with every other Titan build in this guide, you can use whatever weapons you want.
I’m not a fan of the Wish Keeper Bow, but it would be a decent choice for more suspending shenanigans.
The builds in this guide encompassa broad range of playstylesand show off the best that the Strand subclass has to offer. Strand has been popular since its inception in the Lightfall expansion, butdon’t sleep on classic Solar builds. With shiny new Solar weapons like theNo Hesitation, the subclass is better than ever.
Anthony Yates
Anthony is a freelance writer for PC Invasion and has worked in the industry for four years. He’s furiously competitive and is always looking for the next big multiplayer hit. Anthony thrives in high-stakes games like Escape From Tarkov and Sea of Thieves. He is also passionate about speedrunning and always looks forward to the next GDQ and ESA events. When he’s not grinding leaderboards, Anthony enjoys visiting Arcades, retro gaming, and horror movies.
