Hi everyone,
I’m an average player who started his Destiny 2 journey during The Witch Queen DLC. Since then, I’ve racked up over 5000 hours in the game (yes, I know… no life). I’ve dabbled in everything Destiny 2 has to offer but stayed primarily for PvP.
I’m not a top-tier gamer—my highest rank in the competitive playlist was Adept, which I’ve reached twice. In Trials of Osiris, I’ve gone Flawless 19 times. It’s not groundbreaking, but it’s honest work! I enjoyed Trials because it felt less chaotic compared to 6v6 modes filled with supers and shared heavy ammo (seriously, why does the whole team get heavy?). The prestige of going Flawless kept me coming back almost every weekend.
The Current PvP Experience
Lately, though, I’ve had to let go of my Flawless aspirations. Whatever matchmaking system is active right now has me consistently facing much stronger opponents. For example, this past weekend, I played about 10 games of Trials—and didn’t win a single one. I understand the skill delta in Trials matchmaking is wide, but it feels too wide now.
So, I’ve embraced the chaos and shifted my focus to experimenting with fun, off-meta builds.
The Build Experiment
Seeing how Prismatic Titans are dominating with their one-hit melee kills and diamond lance combos, I wondered if there was something comparable for Warlocks—my main class. Winter’s Guile came to mind. For those unfamiliar, it grants a bonus that automatically shatters targets frozen by Penumbral Blast. My inner mad scientist was thrilled to try it out!
But to my disappointment, it doesn’t work in PvP. Neither on the Stasis nor Prismatic subclasses.
The Bigger Picture
Bungie, is there a reason for this? Warlocks are the least represented class in the game, and I can’t think of any PvP builds that are as strong as what Titans and Hunters currently have.
For example:
Titans: One-hit melee builds (e.g., Prismatic melee+diamond lance combos), overshields from Barricades and exotics like One-Eyed Mask etc.
Hunters: Invisibility spam, endless utility with builds like Young Ahamkara’s Spine for trap-heavy playstyles, or even the constant awareness and versatility of Knucklehead Radar.
Meanwhile, Warlocks are left with inconsistent or underwhelming options. The only standout is Lightning Surge, but let’s be honest—most Warlock mains will agree it’s inconsistent. You can occasionally get flashy kills, but it requires specific exotics and a high-risk kamikaze playstyle.
When it comes to PvP, Warlock exotic options feel lackluster. Ophidian Aspect and Transversive Steps are staples, but they don’t fundamentally change how you play. Sure, there are alternatives like Sanguine Alchemy, Briarbinds or Starfire Protocol, but they rarely pay off in PvP; especially in higher-skill lobbies.
The Question
When are Warlocks going to get an exotic that truly shakes up the PvP meta? Something impactful, something competitive. Titans and Hunters have multiple standout options—why can’t we?
I’d love to hear thoughts from fellow Guardians and, hopefully, get some insight from Bungie. Let’s bring Warlocks back into the PvP conversation!
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blink lock with [b]astrocyte[/b] is the fastest character from point A to B. solar icdash is the best neutral game with high skill ceiling that doesn't rely on an exotic. Game changing exotics: Sanguine alchemy - OHKO with erianas Rain of fire boots - watch those double GL crazy players abuse these; insane gameplay potential. Briars - always have a void buddy Ophid/Syntho electroslide boogaloo allows for consistent group kills.
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Lich
There's no skill in team shooting! - 오래됨
The problem is bungie has no idea what they want to do with warlock! Except for keeping it the poster child of Dawnblade and Well of Radiance for years now. Like i actually want to play other classes! But it doesn't stop there. Warlocks are supposed to be the grenade class, and yet they fail at that miserably due to nerfs, poor execution, making grenades universal, and forcing warlocks to rift exotics and rift gameplay. When it's hunter, that is the class ability class. When hunters and titans get something new or a buff, it adds a new way to play the game when it's warlocks. it's only to improve a subpar ability that most likely still sucks! Necrotic grips are the only exotic in years that actually add and / or expand on a new way to play warlock. Except it sucks in pvp and isn't any good in high-end content. It's the closest thing we've ever gotten to the name warlock, too. -
Here's the thing: you have to be an absolute sweat to make Warlock work. When one can it really dominates. That's one issue. A Warlock player either really shines or falls flat on their face, there is no In-between. Bungie needs to bridge the gap. Another issue? Let me tell you about Controverse Hold and Handheld Supernova. This exotic, paired with this OHK ability, was an absolute menace in the Crucible. I don't remember how long it was around but EVERYONE lost their marbles about it. Despite having obvious counters to it. The biggest complaints you'll find when it comes to PvP is those who play Hunter almost exclusively. They have an obvious movement edge in PvP and they hate it when things challenge this. Another reason that Bungie remains silent here is that they would prefer Warlocks to be PvE-focused. "At least you have that" people say, despite Titans having an edge in both PvP [i]and[/i] PvE. TL;DR: Warlocks could be better but Bungie keeps our robes nailed to the floor
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작성자: Magiscene 12/21/2024 7:51:35 AMTrials population is at an all time low that’s why matchmaking is so bad lol. Warlocks did have quite a few options at one point but each one got a huge nail in the coffin due to nerfs. Problem with warlocks is two fold1) is their class ability recharges ALOT slower when compared to barricade and dodge. 2) they don’t have an insta recharge ability (sure they got devour but that requires a lot of kills) titans have knockout and hunters have gamblers dodge. OGs remember the geo mag super spam. Rain of fire with vex mythoclast might still be viable but I have not seen that build in years. Osmiomancy got a hefty nerf to the grenade speed. Speakers insight with khovostov got neutered. I’m sure there’s more builds but these are the meta ones I remember over the years. PvP in its current state isn’t warlock friendly due to the special ammo and ability uptime nerfs. Warlocks do need some love. You could try electric slide with necrotic grips or astrocyte verse with graviton, nothing manacles, controversy hold, or chromatic fire could be usable. Warlocks need some love or else ophidians or transversive steps will be the meta.
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Warlocks have some of the best middle ground in the game. They have the best movement, rifts, and great melee/grenades. The stasis class is also busted on warlock. The class has a high skill ceiling, reach it.
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Your results and stats are more than impressive. Congrats. Warlocks are the strongest class, period. Hardest to master (not me), but highest skill ceiling. No reason to even more buff them.
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작성자: Ghostfire239 12/20/2024 9:51:38 PMI get what you’re saying and I’m not disagreeing with you, but things like Hunter invisibility or utility builds like Young Ahamkara Spine have been nerfed into the ground in PvP. Same goes for a lot of Titan stuff. I’d honestly prefer the way Warlocks got things. Stuff that is strong, but not crazy or wild enough to get nerfed that hard (most of the time). A great example is Stasis. Revenant and Behemoth were flashy and broken, and they have both got completely gutted in PvP, meanwhile Shadebinder is the only one that is actually still good. Sure it’s doesn’t have a lot of flare but it performs. That’s just my personal view on it.
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작성자: Zodleon 12/20/2024 12:43:24 PM[quote]I’ve dabbled in everything Destiny 2 has to offer but stayed primarily for PvP.[/quote] Huh, that's rare, I'm mostly here for pvp now, too, so I'll try to add some useful feedback. [quote]I’m not a top-tier gamer—my highest rank in the competitive playlist was Adept, which I’ve reached twice. In Trials of Osiris, I’ve gone Flawless 19 times. It’s not groundbreaking, but it’s honest work![/quote] Honestly be proud of those, a lot of players struggle to get a single Flawless and adept isn't anything to scoff at, especially with the low pop of comp. [quote]Whatever matchmaking system is active right now has me consistently facing much stronger opponents. I understand the skill delta in Trials matchmaking is wide, but it feels too wide now.[/quote] Trials matchmaking is pure cbmm, so there is no skill factor and your opponents and team distribution is random. The population is just low making the odds of facing higher end skill players higher. We can get into why it's that way if you want, but that's what it is rn. [quote]Ophidian Aspect and Transversive Steps are staples, but they don’t fundamentally change how you play.[/quote] I'm biased. I like exotics that make me better at shooting guns. [quote]The Question When are Warlocks going to get an exotic that truly shakes up the PvP meta? Something impactful, something competitive. Titans and Hunters have multiple standout options—why can’t we? I’d love to hear thoughts from fellow Guardians and, hopefully, get some insight from Bungie. Let’s bring Warlocks back into the PvP conversation![/quote] I think Warlocks are quietly consistent. They don't tend to get standouts like hunter, or broken exotics like titan. But I put some work in on my Warlock last week, and it's not flashy, but it was fun. It was prismatic warlock -with the devour aspect -radiant arcane needle -exotic class item that gives devour on empowering rift cast - and I used kill clip bxr The goal was to get kill clip going drop the empowering rift to get devour and start two tapping with bxr healing on every kill. Using arcane needle to proc radiant occasionally to pair with kill clip. Warlocks have a high skill floor so a lot of the really strong stuff they can do is tough to pull off. Also, there's a fragment on prismatic warlock that applies sever, which generates a tangle, I've been meaning to try with one of the strand lock exotics. Edit: I wanted to add that osmiomancy gloves tmk are still a potential menace.
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DragonSlayer86
Christ is King - 오래됨
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You should think of yourself more highly! You reaching above ranks in competitive like that is impressive! I do think Warlocks have great Exotics, like Rain of Fire, Getaway Artist, Osmiomancy, and Astrocyte. Some are not as flashy and wouldn't mind a cool flashy effect for Warlocks! I've been on Prismatic with Solipsism - Necrotic + Claws using Pocket Singularity! It is fun and helpful to have blasts of volatile poison. Stasis is also nice.
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Warlock Maine here I don’t know why anybody uses prismatic except to kill the nine people in exorcism or whatever that thing called there’s no use for prismatic except in the very few designated things you’re going to do they buffed roaming Soopers, which still suck so what does everybody do with that plays this game no matter what they are look for the best as a warlock Maine Geomax then they nerve the running around to build your super as far as PVP there’s no point in playing unless you do mayhem I’ve been saying the same thing for 10 years and so as other people most of the devs that play this game or hunters That’s why they get the good -blam!-. The next group is Titans warlocks are left in the dust, and if they do decide to help them, they give supportive roles. In other words sit back and watch and help everybody else do stuff I get to trifecta, but personally, I think the only Thing that does any good which I’m afraid to say so they don’t know if it is Geo mags there’s no other point for being a warlock especially if you wanna complete a super bounty or anything warlocks are completely mistreated and forgotten about. I played three characters only for XP points. I’m a warlock Trueblood forever.
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I’ve seen several videos on Sanguine being slept on. I’m going to try it at one point.
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작성자: DarthWolfric 12/19/2024 7:23:42 PM[quote]I’ve racked up over 5000 hours in the game[/quote] [quote]I’ve gone Flawless 19 times.[/quote] I feel so unaccomplished. Played for 7-8 years and only have about 1500 hours and have never gone flawless.
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Warlocks have top tree dawnblade which has been the best PvP subclass consistently since the game first came out. No reason to use anything else.
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I'm bad to average on PvP depending on which way the wind is blowing, but Chromatic Fire has been the more beneficial exotic for me.
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For PC, i would say we had seasons of top tree dawn blade in PvP. When Cross play came they nuked in air play for MnK players, removed double Icarus dash, and ophidians just basically came a +30 handling/reload exotic. I warlock main and still use top tree, but I refuse to use the slide that is broken. But I would agree warlocks are kinda under whelming anymore and we deal with broken titans on PC. Then you nuke titans a little and then hunters look broken. I think they should let use use class exotic items on any subclass and I think warlocks might have a meta exotic with oph/claw with double celst fire.
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You missed the best warlock PvP era… when stasis released they were good for a week then bungo nerfed them hard… I wish they would revert the stasis nerfs it was so much fun
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I'm pretty happy with Astrocyte Verse with Nova Warp. Works great once you figure out how to use it right.