This Destiny 2 tier list ranks every major option by overall effectiveness. Rankings factor in damage output, survivability, versatility, gear requirements, and how well each option scales.
Tier definitions: S = best in class, always a strong pick. A = strong and competitive, minor weaknesses. B = solid but clearly outperformed in most situations. C = viable only for players who enjoy the playstyle.
Characters Rankings
| Tier | Role | Rating | Playstyle |
|---|---|---|---|
| S | Titan | 9.5/10 | Tank damage, provide team buffs, control areas with barricades and supers. |
| A | Hunter | 8.5/10 | Stay mobile, dodge to reload/go invisible, burst bosses with Super damage. |
| S | Warlock | 9.5/10 | Place Wells for team healing, cast grenades and rifts constantly, support the fireteam. |
| S | Prismatic Build | 9.5/10 | Alternate between Light and Dark abilities to charge Transcendence, unleash combined power. |
| A | Strand Build | 8.5/10 | Grapple for mobility, suspend enemies for control, generate tangles for damage. |
Detailed Characters Analysis
Titan (S-Tier)
The tank/support class with Barricade (deployable cover), high resilience, and devastating Supers. Void Titan with Ward of Dawn (bubble) provides the best team buff in raids (+25% damage). Solar Titan with Loreley Splendor is nearly unkillable. Strand Titan grapples and suspends enemies.
Best with: Heart of Inmost Light (versatile) or Loreley Splendor (Solar survivability) Stat focus: Resilience 100 > Discipline > Recovery > Strength
Hunter (A-Tier)
The agility class with Dodge (class ability), invisibility (Void), and the highest burst DPS Supers. Blade Barrage (Solar) and Gathering Storm (Arc) deal massive boss damage. Void Hunter provides team invisibility for revives and repositioning.
Best with: Star-Eater Scales (super damage), Omnioculus (team invisibility) Stat focus: Mobility 100 > Resilience > Recovery > Discipline
Warlock (S-Tier)
The support/caster class with Rift (healing or damage empowering pool). Well of Radiance (Solar) is the most important raid Super — a healing/damage zone. Void Warlock with Devour heals on every kill. Strand Warlock suspends enemies for crowd control.
Best with: Phoenix Protocol (Well refund) or Osmiomancy Gloves (Stasis grenades) Stat focus: Recovery 100 > Resilience > Discipline > Intellect
Prismatic Build (S-Tier)
The newest subclass combining Light and Dark abilities. Prismatic unlocks a unique Transcendence super-charged state by using both Light and Dark abilities. Allows mixing Aspects and Fragments from different subclasses for unique combinations.
Best with: Exotics that synergize with mixed ability types Stat focus: Varies by Light/Dark ability selection
Strand Build (A-Tier)
The newest Dark subclass using psychic threads to grapple, suspend enemies, and create tangles (damage objects). Strand provides the best crowd control with Suspend (enemies frozen in air). Warlock Strand suspends groups, Titan Strand grapples aggressively, Hunter Strand creates severing clones.
Best with: Swarmers (Warlock), Abeyant Leap (Titan), Cyrtarachne's Facade (Hunter) Stat focus: Resilience > Strand weapon > Discipline > Recovery
Weapons Rankings
| Weapon | Best With | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Gjallarhorn | All classes — team DPS heavy weapon | The iconic rocket launcher returning from Destiny 1. |
| Witherhoard | All classes — boss DPS combo weapon | An exotic grenade launcher that creates a persistent Taken blight pool dealing damage over time. |
| Izanagi's Burden | All classes — burst DPS in boss phases | An exotic sniper that loads all 4 rounds into one Honed Edge shot dealing 4x+ damage. |
| Arbalest | All classes — Match Game content, Anti-Barrier | An exotic linear fusion rifle that breaks all shield types regardless of element. |
| Outbreak Perfected | All classes — sustained primary DPS | An exotic pulse rifle that creates SIVA nanites on precision hits, dealing increasing damage as more nanites attach. |
Weapons Analysis
Gjallarhorn: The iconic rocket launcher returning from Destiny 1. Wolfpack Rounds (tracking cluster missiles) deal massive damage. Its exotic perk Pack Hunter gives nearby allies' legendary rockets Wolfpack Rounds too. The best team DPS heavy weapon for most encounters.
Witherhoard: An exotic grenade launcher that creates a persistent Taken blight pool dealing damage over time. Stick it to a boss for constant damage while you shoot with your primary. The best passive DPS exotic — fire and forget. Obtainable from the Exotic Kiosk.
Izanagi's Burden: An exotic sniper that loads all 4 rounds into one Honed Edge shot dealing 4x+ damage. The highest burst damage special weapon in the game. Combo: Izanagi shot → weapon swap → rocket for massive burst windows.
Arbalest: An exotic linear fusion rifle that breaks all shield types regardless of element. Essential for Match Game activities where specific elements are needed. Also deals excellent precision damage against Champions. A utility king.
Outbreak Perfected: An exotic pulse rifle that creates SIVA nanites on precision hits, dealing increasing damage as more nanites attach. Multiple teammates using Outbreak stack damage multiplicatively. The best primary DPS for sustained encounters.
Meta Analysis
The current meta in Destiny 2 centers on light subclasses and exotic armor synergy. Builds that leverage both systems outperform those that focus on only one.
What's strong right now:
- Titan with Gjallarhorn is the benchmark. Everything else is measured against it.
- raid mechanics builds are gaining ground as players find new synergies.
- Warlock remains essential for learning hard content.
What's underrated:
- Hunter is consistently overlooked despite being the most flexible option.
- Izanagi's Burden offers excellent performance for its investment level.
What's overhyped:
- Pure Strand Build builds. High ceiling but the consistency isn't there for most players.
Quick Picks by Situation
| Situation | Best Role | Best Weapon | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall best | Titan | Gjallarhorn | Highest consistent performance |
| New player | Hunter | Witherhoard | Most forgiving, teaches mechanics |
| Hard content | Warlock | Izanagi's Burden | Survivability when you need it |
| Group play | Prismatic Build | Arbalest | Utility and team support |
| Experienced player | Strand Build | Outbreak Perfected | Unique challenge and high ceiling |
For full build guides, see Destiny 2 builds. For progression help, check the walkthrough.
