In Destiny 2, subclasses have received many updates, and Arc is no exception. The update saw verbs, or ‘keywords,’ become core parts of how a subclass functions as they act as an effect for each element. Typically, a subclass has around 3–5 keywords that cause several different things. Some provide utility, some damage, and some make your Guardian a bit tankier.
In this article, we will discuss the Arc keywords by explaining what they do, the builds that complement them, and how to use them effectively. Arc has a whole host of possible powerful builds, especially on Hunter.
Amplified
Amplified is the core of Arc 3.0. It is an integral part of many Arc Aspects in every class and provides a couple of excellent buffs while being incredibly fun to use. Amplified is very simple to activate. All you have to do to become Amplified is get a few rapid Arc kills on a couple of enemies, and you will become Amplified. While you have this buff, you receive a number of benefits:
- Improved slide, sprint speed, and jump height
- +50 Mobility
- Improved weapon handling
Amplified is incredibly fun and can also boost DPS as your reload speed is faster, which is excellent if you use a hard-hitting Rocket Launcher. The main use of Amplified comes from its synergy with the Arc 3.0 kit as a whole, though. Each class has an Aspect that improves its effectiveness if you are Amplified, so make sure to use Arc weapons when playing Arc to take maximum advantage of this powerful buff.
Jolt
Jolt is an Arc debuff that causes a target to release chain lightning when damaged, which conveniently stuns Overload Champions. Functioning similarly to the now defunct ‘Arc Web’, Jolt is excellent for add clear and AoE damage. It also has its uses in boss damage; any weapon can trigger the Jolting explosion damage, which increases depending on how hard the target was hit to trigger the explosion. Jolt does have an internal cooldown however, the chain lightning effect can only be caused every around once per second.
Jolt is a key part of many builds. For example, Stormcallers look to utilize the Spark of Shock Fragment to Jolt as many targets as possible due to their high grenade uptime with the right build. Spark of Shock is the most common method of triggering Jolt, but the weapon perk ‘Voltshot‘ is incredibly powerful too, which is a perk similar to Kill Clip, but instead of providing damage after reloading, it loads Jolt-causing rounds into the magazine, making it an excellent add clear perk.
Overall, Jolt is the bread and butter of Arc and is how you can cause massive chains of lightning across the entire battlefield.
Blind
Blind is one of the more mundane keywords in Arc. However, this also means it is straightforward to use and understand. Blind does precisely what it says on the tin; it blinds enemies. A blinded enemy is disoriented, meaning they cannot attack, leaving them vulnerable. Blinding an Unstoppable Champ will also stun them, a handy addition to the Arc kit.
Unfortunately, there aren’t too many sources of Blind. Flashbang grenades can be blind enemies, and so can a Hunter’s Disorienting Blow melee attack, but there are plenty of other more powerful grenades and abilities in the Arc kit to warrant using them. This means that many players overlook Blind and skip it altogether.
Overall, Blind is strong, but there are so many different methods of either crowd-controlling enemies or just outright killing them that make Arc’s Blind quite pointless.