Destiny 2: Best Strand PVP Build for Each Class

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Human Made

Penned by Brett Moss

I've been playing video games pretty much nonstop ever since I got my first 360. I love arena shooters, MMOs, and MOBAs, but I'll pretty much try any kind of game.

Reviewed by Jeffrey Hsu

If you’ve been playing Destiny 2 lately, you’ll undoubtedly have seen tons of unique Strand builds by this point. We’ve already covered the best Strand builds for PVE (check them out here: Warlock, Titan, Hunter), so this time we’ll be looking at the best Strand PVP build for each class in Destiny 2!

We’ll look at a build for each class, but before that let’s take a look at armor mods in PVP since they’re important for all three builds.

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Armor Mods in PVP

Before we jump into the builds, we just wanted to mention the state of armor mods in PVP. With the new mods system introduced with Lightfall, mods got a lot simpler at the cost of variety and customization. There are both pros and cons to the new system, but regardless, it’s what we need to get used to.

Unfortunately, there are far less options for PVP mods than PVE. Mods that refer to enemies as “combatants” generally don’t work in PVP, and some of the best PVE mods that do work have reduced effects. On the bright side, however, there are still some mods designed specifically for Crucible players.

Here are the best armor mods for PVP, regardless of class:

• Targeting Mods (Helmet)
• Loader Mods (Arms)
• Dexterity Mods (Arms)
• Unflinching Mods (Chest)
• Holster Mods (Legs)

If you want to experiment with the Armor Charge and Orbs of Powers mods that are great in PVE, feel free to do so. They do work if you manage to get an Armor Charge, and there are some reliable ways of doing that. It’s just far less consistent than any of the PVP-specific mods listed above, so those are generally the best picks.

Best Strand Warlock PVP Build

The Warlock’s Strand subclass, Broodweaver, is a bit of a mixed bag in PVP. Luckily, since Strand is so flexible, it’s still generally solid and can be a lot of fun. It’s not the strongest of the three Strand subclasses, but it’s still worth using.

This build is going to focus around making tons of Threadlings to hunt down your enemies for you, so you can sit back and pick up easy weapon kills while they run around. Here are some Exotic armor options that work well for this build.

Warlock Exotic – Swarmers

These boots are the Strand-specific Warlock Exotic, and at the moment it’s the only one we have. Swarmers cause Tangles to spawn a Threadling when destroyed, and they also make all of your Threadlings unravel targets. When a target is unraveled, they take extra damage and spawn a Tangle when they die.

This build takes full advantage of Tangles, but do remember that they have a pretty significant cooldown. That just means you can’t spawn them constantly, but it’s fairly easy to work around.

Tangles have a lot of power in PVP, even with the cooldown timer in place. While you can’t really base your entire plan around the Tangles, being able to passively make them via Arcane Needle (the Broodweaver melee) and unraveled targets is great.

Other Exotics

If you don’t have Swarmers (or just don’t like them), your best bet is Ophidian Aspects. It’s arguably the best all-round Warlock PVP Exotic, so it’s always strong.

Ophidian Aspects increase weapon ready and reload speed, melee damage, and airborne effectiveness. Since they have so many good effects and don’t require a specific subclass, you can realistically use them any time you want in PVP.

It’s also worth mentioning that while this build definitely wants to spawn Tangles, Swarmers aren’t required for that. They’re the best way in PVP (other than the melee), but you can get by without them if you want or have to.

Aspects

• Weaver’s Call
• Mindspun Invocation

Just like almost everything with Strand, we don’t have any options to pick from yet. These are the aspects you’ll have to use, one way or another. Luckily for Warlocks, both are good!

Weaver’s Call makes your Rift spawn three Threadlings (and launch other ones you have banked or perched), and Mindspun improves all three grenades.

With Mindspun, you can consume your Threadling Grenade to make your next Rift send forth extra Threadlings. This is usually better than just throwing the grenade, but either can be done.

Abilities

Class Ability

This one is up to you, but both Healing and Empowering Rift are great in PVP. Healing Rift allows you to stay alive and peak corners more effectively, while Empowering gives a 15% damage boost.

If you’re using a weapon that benefits significantly from Empowering Rift, it’s often the better choice. Many weapons go from 3/4 to 2/3 shots required when standing in one, which could be the difference in winning or losing a match. Empowering seems even stronger in 3v3, where you theoretically shouldn’t have to heal quite as often.

Melee

Each Strand subclass currently only has one melee ability to choose from. This will probably change in the future, but for now at least Warlocks got one that’s decent.

Arcane Needle allows you to throw a needle quite a far distance, which will unravel targets it hits. More unraveled targets means more Tangles, which is just what we want.

Grenade/Grapple

Go with Threadling Grenade. It might not be as fun to spam as Grapple, but for this build it’s far better.

Threadlings might be easy to kill in PVP, but people often don’t notice or have time to stop the swarm you can make with this grenade. This is even more true when they have eight of them running their way.

Super

The Warlock Strand super, Needlestorm, is great in PVP. It’s a quick-use super that shoots several needles forward that track enemies and do massive damage. It also spawns a bunch of Threadlings, so it synergizes with the rest of the build. You can easily wipe a whole team in 3v3 with Needlestorm if you get great positioning.

Fragments

• Thread of Evolution: Threadlings travel farther and deal additional damage. (+10 Intellect)
• Thread of Isolation: Landing rapid precision hits emits a severing burst from the target.
• Thread of Warding: Picking up an Orb of Power grants Woven Mail. (-10 Resilience)
• Thread of Ascent: Activating your grenade ability reloads your equipped weapon and grants bonus airborne effectiveness and handling for a short duration. (+10 Mobility)

Thread of Evolution is an absolute must-have for this build. Warlocks can make tons of Threadlings in PVP, making this the easiest pick for fragments. All the others are more up to preference.

You can also just choose to use the fragments which give you stats you might need. If you feel like these aren’t working for you, you can always switch out any of them (besides Evolution) and the build will still work.

Best Strand Titan PVP Build

This Strand Titan build is all about suspending enemies, then doing it as many more times as possible. It’s tons of fun and not too difficult, and it has potential for competitive/trials use since Strand Titan is so good in general.

Titan Exotic – Abeyant Leap

Just like in PVE, Abeyant Leap is also the strongest Titan Strand Exotic for PVP. This Exotic improves the effects of Drengr’s Lash (the aspect), making it spawn two additional projectiles.

With Abeyant Leap, Drengr’s Lash also has improved tracking and travel distance. Since the Drengr’s Lash projectiles suspend enemies, that’s the main element of Strand this build will focus on. Abeyant Leap is simply the best method for Titans to suspend enemies (in both PVE and PVP).

In addition to the improved Drengr’s Lash effects, Abeyant Leap also grants Woven Mail whenever your suspend a target. Woven Mail gives a significant damage resistance boost, but only for incoming body shots. Precision shots still do full damage, so be careful.

Other Exotics

Don’t have Abeyant Leap? That’s completely fine, because Titans have a lot of good PVP Exotics. None of the other Exotics help as much with suspending enemies, though, so you might have to cut back on that part of the build.

Helm of Inmost Light is a good option since it buffs abilities, Citan’s Ramparts allow you to shoot through your Barricade (but reduces its strength), and Armamentarium gives an extra grenade charge.

These are some solid alternative choices, but just remember that you’ll lose the ability to suspend as easily without Abeyant Leap.

Aspects

• Drengr’s Lash
• Into the Fray

Drengr’s Lash is at the core of this build. It allows your class ability to suspend targets with ease. When you cast your class ability, Lash will send forth a suspending Strand projectile. With Abeyant Leap, this is improved to three projectiles plus the other Exotic effects.

Into the Fray might not be the star of the build, but it’s not at all bad. Whenever you destroy a Tangle or cast your super, you and nearby allies gain Woven Mail. It also increases melee regeneration while Woven Mail is active.

Abilities

Class Ability

Towering Barricade is usually better in PVP, but you could use either one. If you prefer Rally Barricade, then go for it. It’s really just a matter of personal choice here.

Melee

Titan’s only melee option is Frenzied Blade. When you activate it, you slash forward at nearby targets and sever them. (Severing an enemy reduces their damage output.)

The best thing about this melee is that it can be used as a movement ability, similar to Warlock’s Icarus Dash in how it feels. It’s a great tool for avoiding snipers and such, so make use of it!

Grenade/Grapple

Either Shackle Grenade or Grapple works with this build. It ultimately comes down to whether you feel like you need the extra suspend from Shackle Grenade.

Abeyant Leap + Drengr’s Lash should be enough, but Shackle is also solid in PVP. Grapple allows for better movement, so it’s great in any situation.

Super

Strand Titans get a roaming melee-based super that can also suspend enemies. Light attacks are better for one-shotting enemies, while the heavy-attack suspends enemies it hits in addition to doing damage.

This super can also be used for great movement, just like Fist of Havoc and Arc Staff. Of the three Strand supers, this is the strongest in PVP.

Fragments

• Thread of Mind: Defeating suspended targets grants class ability energy.
• Thread of Wisdom: Defeating suspended targets with precision final blows creates an Orb of Power.
• Thread of Continuity: Suspend, unravel, and sever effects applied to targets have increased duration. (+10 Strength)
• Thread of Isolation: Landing rapid precision hits emits a severing burst from the target.

Thread of Mind is the best fragment for this build, since you can use it to create a loop with Drengr’s Lash. Just use your class ability energy to suspend enemies, then kill them to regain some of it.

Thread of Wisdom is also really strong, especially if you plan to use Armor Charge mods which require Orbs. The third fragment, Thread of Continuity, is another that you’ll always want on for this build. It improves the effects of suspend, unravel, and sever, so you’ll definitely want it here.

Thread of Isolation is the last on this list, which is mostly because it isn’t as essential. It’s really strong, but you could sub another fragment in for it if you wanted.

Best Strand Hunter PVP Build

This Strand Hunter PVP build is focused on being fast and suspending enemies. Instead of a typical Strand Exotic, though, the neutral ST0MP-EE5 are the best choice. They allow for faster-than-usual movement at the cost of airborne effectiveness, but that’s a price we can afford to pay.

Hunter Exotic – ST0MP-EE5

Hunter is the only class where we are not going to base the build around the new Strand Exotic. It’s not that it’s bad, it just doesn’t do a lot in PVP.

Instead, we’re going to go with the long-term PVP king, ST0MP-EE5. They increase your sprint speed and slide distance and also allow you to jump higher. This is a strong effect in pretty much any situation, with the only drawback being that it reduces the airborne effectiveness of all your weapons.

The biggest downside to choosing ST0MP-EE5 is having to spell it out, honestly.

Other Exotics

Since this build doesn’t rely too much on Exotics, you could use several others if you want.

The Sixth Coyote gives a second dodge charge, which helps massively with spamming Ensnaring Slam. There’s also Knucklehead Radar, which is strong for long-range weapon users who want to aim in but keep their radar.

Either of these, and many others, could technically work with this build. However, without ST0MP-EE5, you’ll definitely notice the reduced movement capabilities.

Aspects

• Widow’s Silk
• Ensnaring Slam

Widow’s Silk gives an additional grenade charge, so it’s already one of the best aspects in the game. It also allows Grapple to make a Grapple Point that you and others can use to Grapple for free. This build is pretty reliant on Grapple, so this aspect is exactly what it needs.

Ensnaring Slam is the more exciting of the two aspects. It gives Hunters a unique air move that allows them to slam to the ground and suspend nearby targets. This works great with Grapple, as you can quickly ground yourself when necessary and maybe even get a few free kills out of it.

Abilities

Class Ability

Either one works here, but Gambler’s Dodge is more useful. It allows you to recharge your melee ability by dodging near enemies, so it has a lot of potential.

If you’re using a weapon that really needs some help with reloading, though, Marksman’s Dodge can be helpful.

Melee

Threaded Spike. This is the only option, but it’s not a bad one. Threaded Spike throws a rope dart that bounces from enemy to enemy. It damages, and also severs, all the targets it hits.

You also get melee energy back based on how many enemies you hit, and you can catch the rope dart as it returns to you for extra energy.

Grenade/Grapple

You’ll want to go with Grapple, as it allows you to fly around the room however you want, especially with the two grenade charges from Widow’s Silk. It’s also good for getting up high, then using Ensnaring Slam from a better angle.

Super

Silkstrike is another roaming super with good movement abilities. We recommend spamming the light attack, which functions as a more precise rope strike.

The heavy attack spins the rope around, but doesn’t one-shot enemies. It can be helpful in Control or similar modes where you can hit multiple people at once, but it’s not very consistent.

The light attack allows for some really impressive combos, though, so it definitely carries here.

Fragments

• Thread of Mind: Defeating suspended targets grants class ability energy.
• Thread of Ascent: Activating your grenade ability reloads your equipped weapon and grants bonus airborne effectiveness and handling for a short duration. (+10 Mobility)
• Thread of Continuity: Suspend, unravel, and sever effects applied to targets have increased duration. (+10 Strength)
• Thread of Binding: Super final blows emit a suspending burst from the target. (+10 Resilience)

For the same reason as with Titans, Thread of Mind is the best fragment here. This build does a whole lot of suspending via class ability, so this fragment is essential.

Thread of Ascent is great since Hunters get two grenade charges, and it also helps counter the AE penalty from ST0MP-EE5. And what Hunter doesn’t want a free Mobility bonus?

Thread of Binding is the last here, but could be easily replaced if you want to. It allows super final blows to suspend nearby targets and gives a solid +10 Resilience, but it’s not essential.

Join the High Ground!

Thanks for checking out this article on the best Strand PVP builds in Destiny 2! Let us know how these builds work for you in the comments below, and whether you have any changes you would suggest!

Be sure to try out however many builds you want, and make sure to subscribe to our weekly newsletter for more gaming content.

Good luck out there guardians!