Destiny 2: Arc 3.0 Guide

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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 Ashley Johnson

Bungie has been in the process of the subclass 3.0 updates ever since the release of The Witch Queen expansion earlier this year. We got Void 3.0 that same season, and it wasn’t long before Solar 3.0 came with Season of the Haunted over the summer. The subclass updates were also foreshadowed with the release of the Stasis subclasses in the Beyond Light expansion in 2020, so it’s been a long time coming.

In this article, we’ll take a look at the new Arc 3.0 subclass, including mechanics and even a new super!

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Destiny 2 Arc 3.0 Overview

In this section, we’re going to look at the key elements of Arc 3.0. We’ll start with some core mechanics (or keywords) that you need to be familiar with, then we’ll look at some potential questions regarding them.

Core Mechanics of Arc 3.0 (Keywords)

There are several core mechanics of Arc 3.0. We’ll start you out with the in-game description of each, then we’ll take a look at how they really work.

• Amplified: Your movement speed and weapon handling are greatly increased. After sprinting for a short time, your movement speed is further increased.
• Jolt: The target is charged with destructive Arc Light. As they take additional damage while jolted, they chain lightning to nearby targets.
• Blind: Combatants are disoriented and cannot fire their weapons. Opposing players’ HUD is removed and their vision is obscured.

How to Get Amplified in Arc 3.0?

Being Amplified in Destiny 2 is an incredibly fun experience, and luckily there are several ways to acquire the buff. Here are all the major ways to become Amplified:

• Defeating targets: The in-game description of Amplified states that “rapidly defeating targets with Arc damage makes you amplified.” Using a good ad-clear weapon that can rapidly defeat enemies with ease (like a wave-frame Grenade Launcher or any SMG), is a great way to go about it.
• Spark of Volts: This fragment is incredibly simple. All it does is allow finishers to make you amplified. It’s one of the simplest, quickest ways to acquire the buff.
• Knockout (Titan Aspect): Titans get a really great amplification method with the Knockout aspect. With this aspect, they can become Amplified by simply killing targets with melee kills (which also starts health regeneration).
• Electrostatic Mind (Warlock Aspect): This Warlock aspect allows Warlocks to become Amplified by picking up an Ionic Trace, which can be made quite easily.
• Flow State (Hunter Aspect): With Flow State, Hunters can become Amplified by defeating Jolted targets.

What is Jolt?

Jolt is effectively a way to make enemies chain lightning damage to one another when damaged. It’s an extremely effective method of ad-clear, and it’s not too hard to activate. The easiest way to jolt an enemy right now is the fragment Spark of Shock, which makes your arc grenades jolt enemies.

What are Ionic Traces?

Ionic Traces are traces of arc light that track to you after being created and grant ability energy. Spawning them can be done through interactions with fragments and aspects, and each class has their own methods of doing so. Ionic Traces will certainly be a core aspect of many peoples’ Arc builds, and with so many methods of creating them, we’ll just have to wait and see which turns out the best.

Arc 3.0 Aspects

In this section, we’re going to take a look at the different Aspects introduced with Arc 3.0. Each class has three unique aspects. We’ll mostly include just the in-game descriptions here, with further explanations as needed.

Hunter Arc Aspects

• Flow State: Defeating a jolted target makes you amplified. While you are amplified, your dodge recharges more quickly, you are more resilient while dodging, and your reload speed is greatly increased. 2 Fragment Slots.
• Lethal Current: After dodging, your next melee attack has increased lunge range, jolts the target, and creates a damaging aftershock. Damaging any jolted target with melee attacks also blinds them. 2 Fragment Slots.
• Tempest Strike: While sliding, activate your charged melee ability to unleash a devastating uppercut attack that travels along the ground in front of you, damaging and jolting targets it hits.” 2 Fragment Slots.

Warlock Arc Aspects

• Arc Soul: Casting a rift grants you and anyone who walks through it an Arc Soul. Rift charges faster when allies are near. While amplified, your Arc Souls are supercharged and gain increased fire rate. 2 Fragment Slots.
• Electrostatic Mind: Defeating targets with Arc abilities or defeating jolted or blinded targets creates an Ionic Trace. Collecting an Ionic Trace makes you amplified. 2 Fragment Slots.
• Lightning Surge: While sliding, activate your charged melee ability to blink forward, calling down lightning strikes that jolt targets as you rematerialize. 2 Fragment Slots.

Titan Arc Aspects

• Knockout: Critically wounding a target or breaking their shield infuses your melee attacks with Arc energy and increases your melee range and damage for a short time. Defeating targets with melee attacks starts health regeneration and makes you amplified. 2 Fragment Slots.
• Touch of Thunder: Improves Flashbang, Pulse, Lightning, and Storm Grenade. Each gets enhanced features.
• Juggernaut: Gain a shield that blocks incoming damage when you spring for a short time with full class ability energy. When the shield breaks, you class ability energy is depleted. The shield is improved if you are amplified. 1 Fragment Slot.

All Arc 3.0 Fragments

Fragments are a key part of Arc builds, and there are a total of fourteen to choose from. We’re just going to do a simple rundown of each so you can get a look at them before crafting your own builds.

Best Exotics for Arc 3.0

Choosing the right Exotic armor piece for your Arc 3.0 build is incredibly important. Some Exotics have the potential to change your entire experience with Arc 3.0, so we’ll take a look at three for each class.

Hunter Arc Exotics

• Star-Eater Scales: SES is a simple Exotic to explain. All you have to do is pick up orbs of power while your super is already charged to “empower” it. This allows for ridiculously high DPS numbers, especially with the new Arc super, Gathering Storm.
• Liar’s Handshake: Handshake allows you to heal from melee attacking enemies after either using your Arc melee ability or being hit by an enemy’s melee. Since melee abilities are so prominent on Arc builds now, Liar’s Handshake is finally allowed to shine.
• Assassin’s Cowl: Cowl makes your powered melee final blows and finishers grant invisibility and healing. It’s a really strong Exotic for survivability, and it can be used in almost any build.

Warlock Arc Exotics

• Crown of Tempests: Allows your arc ability or jolt final blows to increase your ability energy and Stormtrance duration. Even without Stormtrance, this Exotic is excellent. You can use it on any Warlock Arc build to great effect.
• Geomag Stabilizers: Increases the duration of Chaos Reach. This Exotic is only usable on Chaos Reach builds, but it’s perfect for that purpose.
• Getaway Artist: Allows you to consume your Arc grenade in exchange for an Arc Soul and becoming amplified. This could be really useful for builds that prioritize being amplified, and an Arc Soul is always nice to have.

Titan Arc Exotics

• Cuirass of the Fallen Star: Improves Thundercrash damage. This is easily the most important Titan Arc Exotic, because it increases Thundercrash damage by 100%. If you’re on a Thundercrash build, this is a necessity.
• An Insurmountable Skullfort: If you’re not using Cuirass, you could use Skullfort for survivability. It makes your Arc melee kills grant health and melee energy, which is really nice. While not as good as Cuirass, it’s a very solid alternative option.
• Crest of Alpha Luphi: Crest makes you generate an extra orb when you super, so it can be useful under certain circumstances. It also allows you to heal when casting Barricade, so it’s another good survivability option.

Join the High Ground

That wraps up our guide on Destiny 2: Arc 3.0 — thanks for reading! If you have comments or questions, be sure to drop a comment below and subscribe to our newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best content from HGG.

Happy gaming!

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