Lightfall is bringing some neon to Destiny 2 by sending players into the cyberpunk-esque city of Neomuna and giving guardians the mysterious power of Strand. The game’s fifth subclass has its own unique fantasies and affinities, allowing players to summon minions, grapple, or use powerful blades to mow down the enemies of the Traveler.
With the release of Lightfall and Strand, players will also have to bump up their shiny new subclasses with the help of a few Exotic armor pieces. While several Exotics in Destiny 2 are tied to specific subclasses, the game also provides a host of picks that work with any subclass—and, in the absence of heavier synergies, they may be the key to unlocking the full potential of Strand.
Here are some of the best Exotics you can use with your Strand builds in Lightfall, whether they focus specifically on Strand or boost subclasses in different ways. We’ve listed these Exotics in no particular order.
Related: The best class and loadout for Destiny 2 Lightfall from Twinfinite
Best Exotics for Strand Warlocks in Lightfall
Warlocks have access to a multitude of neutral options players can use with Strand. Some, like Verity’s Brow, depend on having Strand-aligned weapons (and, if you’re a fashionista, an ornament doesn’t hurt either). Bungie has also confirmed some of them will have the proper synergies with Strand, which already gives players some Exotics to build around when they’re playing with Strand.
Verity’s Brow (Helmet)
Sure, Verity’s Brow is far from being the most fashionable Warlock Exotic in Destiny 2. If you can use it, though, this Exotic can bring some tremendous benefits for you and your fireteam. With Verity’s Brow, killing an enemy with a weapon that matches your subclass’ element grants you extra grenade regeneration and grenade damage per stack. Throwing a grenade vastly empowers your allies’ grenade regen rate as well. Get a good Strand weapon, put on Verity’s Brow, and you’re all set.
Swarmers (Boots)
The first Strand-focused Warlock Exotic creates Threadlings whenever players destroy a Strand Tangle, which circles back to the Strand keywords and Warlocks’ role as the summoner of the Strand classes. With potential synergies with Tangles and Strand weapons on the table, Swarmers can be a good choice for Strand-centric builds if you don’t want to dust off your neutral Exotics.
The Stag (Helmet)
The Stag can make your Warlock even sturdier due to it providing some damage reduction while you’re inside a Rift and being critically wounded with this Exotic will grant you around half of your Rift energy back. The Stag is a solid neutral option in general, but pair it with the Weaver’s Call Strand Aspect (which creates Threadlings on Rift cast) and you have even more reason to use it.
Necrotic Grips (Gauntlets)
If Strand is going to let Warlocks chain melee attacks quickly, then Necrotic Grips might be an even more solid choice. Necrotic Grips makes melee attacks spread poison to nearby enemies, and you can also use Osteo Striga to spread more poison due to their unique synergy. Osteo Striga is an add clear machine on its own, but pair it with Necrotic Grips and Strand and you may have even more to throw at the enemies of the Traveler.
Eye of Another World (Helmet)
One of the most versatile Warlock Exotics, Eye of Another World gives you a base bump to your cooldowns. It’s not flashy or over-the-top, but it’s reliable—and sometimes, that’s all you need. Eye of Another World seems to grant smaller benefits for higher stats, though, so if you have good enough armor, you might just skip this one. Your fashion may also thank you.
Felwinter’s Helm (Helmet)
Felwinter’s Helm will debuff and blind enemies on a powered melee kill or finisher, making it excellent for taking care of small groups of enemies. With Strand potentially giving you extra melee charges, you can use Felwinter’s Helm to have a debuff handy on most occasions. And if all else fails, finishers will also trigger its effect. Felwinter’s is a somewhat niche Exotic, but there may be room to use it with Strand depending on how Lightfall shapes up.
Mantle of Battle Harmony (Chest)
This is another potentially good Exotic that will officially work with Strand. While your Super isn’t full, Mantle of Battle Harmony grants you some Super energy on each kill, though it’s on a two-second cooldown. Mantle of Battle Harmony shines once you have your Super, though: each kill with a matching element gives you around 20 percent more damage to weapons matching your subclass. With Strand weapons possibly on the horizon and the possibility of some buildcrafting changes that make it easier to create Orbs of Power, Mantle of Battle Harmony might climb up the ranks in Lightfall. Keep in mind using your Super will make Mantle of Battle Harmony take a bit to regain the damage bonus, though, so use it sparingly.
Best Exotics for Strand Titans in Lightfall
Titans have a few neutral Exotics that can work with Strand. Most entries are familiar contenders that have been a staple of subclass-agnostic builds for some time, but Precious Scars can emerge as a contender for niche Strand builds depending on how the subclass pans out.
Heart of Inmost Light (Chest)
The undisputed king of neutral Exotics for any class in Destiny 2, Heart of Inmost Light will likely continue its primacy in Strand if Bungie doesn’t touch it with Lightfall. Using one ability vastly increases the regeneration and damage of the others, so you can throw a constant flurry of abilities at opponents. If you can use it, use it. If you can’t, it’s definitely one of the Exotics worth braving Legend Lost Sectors for, at least in the pre-Lightfall sandbox. It also beats out other ability-regenerating Exotics such as Mask of the Quiet One and Hallowfire Heart by a wide margin, making this one of your go-tos if you’re looking for an Exotic for your Strand build.
Abeyant Leap (Boots)
With Abeyant Leap, Titans can spawn seeking projectiles that will lift enemies into the air, using the Suspend Strand keyword. Its wielder will also gain some armor. This Exotic allows the Titan to use their Barricades somewhat offensively, casting them to disable enemies and get back into the action more quickly. While Heart of Inmost Light has the potential to continue being a strong contender (especially if left unchecked), Abeyant Leap being the first Strand-focused Titan Exotic is bound to make it a more than ideal choice.
Synthoceps or Wormgod Caress (Gauntlets)
With Strand Titans getting some more emphasis on their melee abilities, Synthoceps might shine even more in Lightfall. With it, you’ll get extra lunge range passively and more melee damage while you’re surrounded by three or more enemies, which makes your melee attacks even more deadly. Sure, you may not spam the Strand melee like the Solar Titans’ Hammer Throw, but it will still do some damage. Alternatively, you can go with Wormgod’s Caress if you’re looking to stack damage by getting melee kills without needing to worry about how many enemies are around you.
Armamentarium (Chest)
Whether you’re planning to use grapples or Strand grenades, Armamentarium will give you an extra grenade charge to use as you see fit. it’s still vastly outpowered by Heart of Inmost Light, at least in the pre-Lightfall sandbox, but it serves as a possible backup option if you don’t have access to it.
Precious Scars (Helmet)
Precious Scars is among the neutral Exotics that require a weapon that matches your subclass’ damage type, but it can be a good (albeit niche) Exotic if you and your team are in need of some survivability. When you get a matching kill, Precious Scars creates a burst of healing around you, healing you and nearby allies. This Exotic can potentially let Strand Titans be even closer to the front lines, especially with Strand’s upcoming Woven Mail buff. Precious Scars is usually outgunned by Exotics that improve abilities, but while Strand is in its infancy, this might be a decent way to top up your health on kills, though you could also just use a weapon with Unrelenting. It’s not the most Exotic-feeling piece (or the most popular), but it can do in a pinch.
Best Exotics for Strand Hunters in Lightfall
Hunters have a cornucopia of good options when it comes to Exotics to pair with Strand. Established workhorse Exotics like the Sixth Coyote and Wormhusk Crown are familiar contenders, but Hunters also have a few other good choices for their Strand builds.
The Sixth Coyote (Chest)
Dodges can help (re)start a Hunter’s gameplay loop by reloading their weapons (Marksman Dodge) or outright refunding their melee when used near enemies (Gambler’s Dodge). As long as Strand doesn’t have flashy synergies with class-specific Exotics, the Sixth Coyote is easily among the best Exotics you can use with the Lightfall subclass.
Fr0st-EE5
Fr0st-EE5 brings some extra ability regen whenever you’re sprinting, which shouldn’t be a rare occasion. Just put these boots on and run to get a quicker melee, grenade, and dodge. Its trigger isn’t too convoluted, and the fact that it works with any class (including Strand) definitely gives it some more utility. The downside is it only works when your character is on a full-on sprint, so stopping to shoot or slide can break that ability regen. Sixth Coyote may be easier and more natural to slot in the loop, but Fr0st-EE5 will more than do the trick—with the bonus of regenerating multiple abilities at once.
Wormhusk Crown
A true classic never goes out of fashion. Wormhusk Crown heals you whenever you use your dodge, and it can come in handy in a pinch. You’ll get more use out of Wormhusk depending on the state of the Lightfall ability sandbox and on your dodge cooldown, but it’s also one of the most consistent and reliable Hunter Exotics you can get your hands on. It doesn’t transform your shift into a horizontal blink or lets you ignite opponents with your throwing knife, but it can serve as a good panic button if needed.
Cyrtharachne’s Façade
Completing the trifecta of Strand-aligned Exotics coming in with Lightfall, Hunters’ Cyrtharachne’s Façade will grant them Woven Mail after they grapple. This can be used as a powerful initiation tool, especially when paired with grapple melees, allowing the Hunter to dive into the action with some extra armor, then hit enemies with Strand and dodge away. Cyrtharachne’s Façade may not feel like the flashiest Exotic in the list, but its Strand synergy could also help its effectiveness depending on how players slot that in their loop.
Assassin’s Cowl
If you’ve completed Shadowkeep, you’ll have access to Assassin’s Cowl, which heals you and gives you invisibility whenever you get a powered melee kill or a finisher. With the potential for some melee synergies within Strand and even with Gambler’s Dodge, Assassin’s Cowl can be a great subclass-neutral option if you’re looking for utility or just some extra flavor.
Dragon’s Shadow (Chest)
With Hunters’ attributes spread thin, Dragon’s Shadow is a decent neutral Exotic to use even in PvE (though it really shines in the Crucible). Dodging reloads your equipped weapons and gives you 50 points in Mobility for 10 seconds (and, consequently, to dodge cooldown). This lets you bump up your Resilience and Recovery while keeping up your dodge cooldown. It also gives you a tremendous boost to handling and reload speed while it’s active, making your weapons feel even more comfortable. It’s not world-changing, but it can still be effective.
St0mp-EE5
Strand Hunters are more adept at grappling than their Titan and Warlock counterparts, so St0mp-EE5 could be a decent contender. The upside is that these boots increase your sprint speed, slide distance, and jump height. The downside, though, is it greatly reduces your airborne effectiveness. It has the potential to be a good option for grapple melee attacks or just general mobility, but it may not be the best fit if you’re looking to actually fire your weapons while you’re in the air—or, more importantly, if you want to get more usage out of your Strand abilities.
