Let’s start this list off by saying there are no bad classes in Destiny 2. But when we’re talking about the best PvP classes and PvP subclasses for the Crucible, some definitely shine higher than others. Updated for 2023 as of Lightfall and Season of the Witch, let’s go from what we feel is the “worst” to the best.
15. Solar Titan
Kicking off the list are Solar Titans.
When the Solar 3.0 changes were announced during Season of the Haunted, it was clear Solar Titans got the better buffs for PvE activities rather than PvP. That isn’t to say that they’re bad by any means, but compared to the rest of the 3.0 changes across all of the classes, it was clear Solar Titans got the short end of the stick.
However, they can still put in some solid work overall with Exotics like Peregrine Greaves, which can allow their Shoulder Charge ability to one-shot enemies. That said, Solar Titans could definitely use some more buffs as we head into The Final Shape DLC.
14. Strand Titan
Strand Titans are excellent for PvE activities, but they definitely got the short end of the stick regarding PvP abilities. They are keen on suspending enemies with their Shackle Grenade or Barricade wave. However, both abilities are very inconsistent, leaving the Titan vulnerable to incoming damage.
This doesn’t even include their Melee ability, arguably the most inconsistent Melee attack the Titan has available to them. The user would typically swipe forward at the enemy to slash at them, but because of how the camera works, sometimes the Melee would either whiff the enemy or lock on to something else. The one saving grace would be their Super, Berserker, a powerful roaming Super that is extremely difficult to kill and has high damage output. Hopefully, the upcoming season can bring some buffs to make Strand Titan more relevant in PvP.
13. Stasis Hunter
Stasis Hunters were once the most potent PvP class in the game. However, in the last year, they received some heavy nerfs to try and ring them in, and unfortunately, they have yet to recover from them fully.
That said, they still have plenty of use and are great for quick and decisive gameplay, and their super, Silence and Squall, has a fast charge time which is excellent for made modes like Trials of Osiris.
Overall, Stasis Hunters still have some use here and there, but they could use some buffs to be brought back into the meta once more again.
12. Arc Warlock
When the Arc 3.0 re-vamps went live, it was clear that Warlocks got the short end of the stick in terms of PvP changes.
Regardless, while their chaining abilities remain unchanged, they did receive a new top-tier melee called Lightning Surge. This melee allows them to teleport for a short distance and jolt everything around them. This works wonders when used against multiple enemies at once, as you could potentially kill all three at once.
When all is said and done, Arc Warlocks are pretty strong, but leave a lot to be desired compared to their other subclasses in competitive Crucible.
11. Stasis Titan
In terms of defensive warfare, Stasis Titans are easily the best choice to choose from.
With the ability to create walls of Stasis Crystals at will, turn them into their own ability energy, and then make another wall from it, Stasis Titans can hold down any fort with ease.
That said, while their defensive capabilities are second to none, their offensive abilities leave much to be desired. This is very apparent with their super, Behemoth, as it currently is the slowest charging super in the game, significantly hindering their offensive power. Hopefully Bungie will fix this in a future season.
10. Arc Hunter
Arc Hunters are tricky to judge.
By all accounts, the Arc 3.0 changes didn’t massively improve or change their overall abilities. However, their Super, Arc Strider, gained a massive buff, and when used while you are blocking, you essentially become unkillable as you can deflect and guard against anything in the game. This includes heavy ammo and Supers from opposing Guardians.
A prime example would be the ability to block an incoming Thundercrash Titan and take no damage from it whatsoever. You can also pair this with the Exotic Chest piece, Raiden Flux, which extends the duration of Arc Strider up to 45 seconds!
9. Strand Warlock
Strand Warlocks specialize in one thing; generating Threadlings.
Threadlings are the “little buddies” that Warlocks can create and use to attack opposing Guardians without direct input and commands. In the right conditions, a Strand Warlock can send up to ten at once to have them destroy any who stand in their way. The Threadlings can be shot and killed, but given the chaotic nature of PvP, it’s typically hard to do most of the time.
Strand Warlocks can be pretty oppressive to square off against in specific situations, but can’t maintain that pressure for most of the fight. However, in a fireteam of multiple Strand Warlocks, they still earn a solid spot in our rankings because they can essentially spam Threadlings against their foes to turn a battlefield into utter chaos.
8. Void Titan
Void Titans are arguably the most defensive class outside of Solar Warlock, as they can provide plenty of Barricades and Overshields to their allies.
Barricades allow them to block pathways and reduce incoming damage while also giving them an opportunity to revive their fallen allies easily if needed. On top of that, they have the fastest charging super in the game, Bubble, which gives all member of the team a damage buff and protects them from incoming damage.
This is incredibly potent with the recent changes to Trials of Osiris. Capturing the flag is now the priority, which means a team that can hunker down and defend the point until it is captured is ideal.
Basically, Void Titans are fantastic for a more-defensive playstyle rather than the hyper-aggressive counterparts they have access to.
7. Solar Warlock
Just like in PvE, Solar Warlocks are a force to be reckoned with.
When the Solar 3.0 changes arrived in the Season of the Haunted, Solar Warlocks only became that much stronger. Plus, thanks to their amazing healing capabilities they previously had and the movement ability of Icarus Dash at the same time, Warlocks have become a dominant close-quarters fighter nearly on par with a Titan.
This, of course, doesn’t include the fact that their Super, Well of Radiance, essentially makes you unkillable. In order to kill a Warlock standing in a Well of Radiance, you would need to either headshot them with a Sniper or use a Super on them such as Nova Bomb or Thundercrash.
6. Void Hunter
When the word “obnoxious” comes to mind in Destiny 2, it’s usually referring to Void Hunters.
Going invisible, setting up traps, debuffing — you name it, Void Hunters have it. With the ability to throw a smoke bomb down and make you and your allies invisible, this class becomes extremely difficult to counter. Not to mention their super, Tether, can essentially immobilize an opposing team with little to no effort.
When encountering an entire team of Void Hunters that can spam their invisibility ability, it’s probably in your best interest to flee, as you won’t be able to see what they’re doing half of the match until they eventually kill you.
5. Arc Titan
Arc Titans saw a few nerfs going into Season of the Witch, but they still remain one of the most potent classes for close-range combat.
Their Exotic Leg armor, Antaeus Wards, were nerfed into the ground, but that left the door open for other Exotic armor like Synthoceps or One-Eyed Mask to return to the fray. The class’ Thundercrash super remains as one of the best “shut-down” supers in the game too, as it can quickly and easily kill anything the user points at.
Topping all this off is the fact that their Knockout aspect allows them to deal immense damage when punching an enemy, and it will even heal them if they kill someone via melee.
Even with the recent nerfs, Arc Titans are still a force to be reckoned with, especially when aggressive players make full use of it.
4. Strand Hunter
Climbing the tier list almost instantly, Strand Hunters have become a staple in the current sandbox thanks to their wide range of killing capabilities.
A key aspect of their dominance is their Grapple, which allows them to gain Woven Mail to earn a 40% reduction to incoming damage. Their aspects will enable them to continuously Grapple around too, letting them maintain their damage reduction with near-infinite uptime.
However, the icing on the cake is their ludicrous suspend dive, which suspends nearby enemies from insane ranges. Even if the player is out of the initial circle of the dive, the wave that stretches from the Hunter will more often than not connect with the enemy and suspend them.
All and all, Hunters have gained yet another powerful subclass to increase their potency in PvP.
3. Void Warlock
Void Warlocks grace the top three slots of our list because they have always excelled in one particular area: Debuffs.
Debuffing enemies has been one of the staples of endgame content since the beginning of the franchise, and it’s no different in PvP. Any form of Debuff is powerful in the Crucible, and Void Warlocks are the best at applying them.
In particular, thanks to their Void-buddy aspect, they can send it out and track players in their sight, weakening them and making them much more susceptible to incoming damage. Not just their Void-buddy, but all of their abilities can weaken opposing Guardians, making them far easier to pick off; especially in playlists like Trials of Osiris.
2. Stasis Warlock
Stasis Warlocks are easily the best among all of the darkness subclasses currently.
Shadebinder as a Super is easily one of the strongest in the game, as its freezing projectiles can travel far distances and track opponents. Not to mention it also has a long duration, making it a great choice for Trials of Osiris.
However, what truly sets this class apart from the other Stasis classes is the presence of the Stasis Turret. Warlocks can convert their grenade into an automatic Stasis Turret that will shoot projectiles at enemies and slow them. If hit multiple times, it has the potential to freeze them as well.
On top of that, the newly released Osmiomancy Exotic Gauntlets allow their Coldsnap Grenades to track and chain opposing Guardians, instantly freezing them and making them one-shot to any incoming damage for a short period of time.
This is an amazing asset to have in high-stakes competition like Trials of Osiris, and ensures this class won’t slip down the rankings anytime soon.
1. Solar Hunter
Claiming the number one spot once again is Solar Hunter.
Solar Hunters continue to dominate endgame PvP with an abundance of top-tier builds and utility that allow them to shred opposing Guardians with ease. One-shot Weighted Throwing Knives that can track opposing players with ease, Trip-mine Grenades that stick to walls and can cripple a player with their immense blast radius — the list goes on.
All of this, on top of their fast-charging supers, Golden Gun and Blade Barrage, the most forgiving supers in the game for PvP, this subclass was literally designed to dominate the Crucible.
With the recent nerf to Arc Titans, Solar Hunters can very comfortably reclaim the top-spot as the best subclass in the game for PvP. And it shows, as it was statistically shown as the most-used subclass in Trials of Osiris for multiple weeks this Season.
