The Hunter is the agile and nimble class in Destiny 2. Discover in our class guide in English how you can dominate with the Hunter’s subclasses / focuses in PvE and PvP.
You have reached level 20 with your Hunter, unlocked all focuses and subclasses and are now wondering which build you can use to cause a stir in PvE or PvP? We present the Hunter’s abilities and with which focuses and super attacks you can get the most out of the Hunter.
[toc]
The Hunter’s Class Ability – The Dodge
The special class ability of the Hunter is the Dodge. You can choose from two different variations:
Sniper Dodge – You evade enemy attacks and automatically reload your weapon
Reckless Dodge – You evade enemy attacks and recharge your melee ability
In Destiny 1, only the Nightstalker mastered the Dodge and could access it permanently. Now, all of the Hunter’s focuses can try to dodge but must accept a cooldown period (standard cooldown time about 30 seconds).
The variant of the Dodge that is more useful in many situations is the Sniper Dodge, as your weapon is immediately reloaded. This is especially useful for high damage output weapons with slow reload times. You can deal high damage again right away, which can be invaluable for weapons like Storm or the shotgun Legend of Acrius.
The Hunter’s Jump – The Kangaroo
Destiny veterans will feel right at home with the Hunter Jump. It is easy to master and well controllable. You may choose from the following jump modes:
High Jump – Activates the jump in the air to reach great heights
Steering Jump – Eases maneuverability in the air
Triple Jump – Adds a third jump to the double jump
For many, the Hunter jump is considered the best in the game. It is agile and precise and allows for quick direction changes. Especially in the Crucible, the Hunter Jump encourages vertical gameplay, which can lead to many surprise moments. Just try out all the jump variants and choose the one that suits you best!
The Hunter’s Focuses at a Glance
We will take a closer look at the following focuses of the Hunter in the class guide:
The Arcstrider – a new focus in Destiny 2. The Arcstrider is an agile class specializing in fast melee combat and quick dodging. With the super Arc Staff, you quickly cut through enemy lines. The element of the Arcstrider is, surprise, Arc.
The Gunslinger – This class symbolizes the space cowboy. The focus centers on precision shots as well as your super ability, the Golden Gun. The element of the Gunslinger is Solar.
The Nightstalker – If a focus plays like a ninja, it’s the Nightstalker. With his smoke, he can become invisible or damage enemies. He also has good opportunities to keep an eye on his enemies – even around corners. His super, Shadowshot, traps enemies and weakens them. The element of the Nightstalker is Void.
The skills of each subclass are not completely unlocked upon acquisition. You receive upgrade points with each level up to level 20. Even after level 20, you can still earn upgrade points; an appropriate bar fills up when you earn experience points. A shiny Engram is added to it. Also, certain missions grant you skill upgrade points.
The Arcstrider is an offensive class specialized in delivering fast and hard hits and then cleverly evading opponents. The Arcstrider has no support skills. With the super Arc Staff, you can quickly and elegantly move through enemy lines and eliminate them.
The Grenades of the Arcstrider
The Arcstrider has access to the following grenades:
Flux Grenade – This grenade deals increased damage when stuck to an enemy (Sticky)
Arcbolt Grenade – Chains lightning to nearby enemies, slowing them down
Skip Grenade – The skip grenade splits on impact and launches several seeking projectiles across the battlefield
The Flux Grenade is suitable for single targets, while the Arcbolt Grenade can hit multiple enemies if they are close together. The Arcbolt Grenade is excellent for both PvE and PvP content.
The Flux Grenade can be used to gain an advantage in competitive multiplayer, whether at the beginning of a fight or to finish off fleeing enemies.
The Way of the Warrior – The Little Brother of the Punch Bros
The Way of the Warrior is one of two possible skill trees you must choose between. It focuses heavily on melee and dodge abilities. The combo punch is useful when your health is in critical condition, and subsequent melee attacks deal increased damage. Dodging increases your melee and jump range. The Deadly Charge resembles the Titan’s Aftershock.
Combo Punch – Triggers health regeneration and temporarily increases melee damage by eliminating an enemy
Combat Flow – Melee kills automatically recharge your dodge ability
Deadly Reach – Dodging increases your melee range and jump distance
Deadly Charge – A combo of dodging and Arc Staff attack creates a damage-intensive lightning aftershock
If you like to get up close and personal with your enemies, this skill tree will make you happy. Unfortunately, melee attacks only deal damage to single enemies, but at least you can use the dodge ability more often.
The Way of the Wind – The “Dust Maker”
The melee of the Way of the Wind is useful for disorienting enemies, the faster sprint speed gets you out of desperate situations, and you take less damage while dodging. In addition, the Way of the Wind offers the following:
Disorienting Strike – Causes disorientation to your enemies with this attack
Focused Breathing – Your sprint speed is increased and dodging is recharged through sprints
Combat Meditation – When you are heavily wounded, the cooldown of melee and grenade abilities is reduced
Lightning Reflexes – You become harder to eliminate while dodging
Paired with the MIDA Multi-Tool, you will be very quick with this talent tree. If your health is in a critical condition, your melee and grenade abilities will recharge faster.
In general, the Hunter with the Arcstrider is designed to get close to enemies, kill them, and disappear quickly. However, if your enemies know what they are doing, you will have a hard time. The Arcstrider is not recommended for the PvP mode of Destiny 2.
The playstyle of the Gunslinger is heavily focused on its super and landing precision hits, which are particularly rewarded with this focus. The super of the Gunslinger is the Golden Gun, with which you can pulverize your enemies.
The Grenades of the Gunslinger
The Gunslinger also has three different grenades in tow, from which you can choose:
Incendiary Grenade – The hit enemy goes up in flames and takes damage
Swarm Grenade – Seeking projectiles are released after the explosive impact of the grenade
Light Sensor Mine – Light sensor mines stick to surfaces and explode as soon as an enemy triggers the sensor
A well-placed Light Sensor Mine is priceless, whether in PvE or PvP. The Incendiary Grenade unleashes its destructive potential if you manage to hit an enemy directly with it. The Swarm Grenade is well suited to place at spawn points of enemies – the seeking projectiles automatically target enemies!
The Way of the Outlaw – Six Shots for a Hallelujah
The Way of the Outlaw not only offers you bonuses but also for your allies with the Chains of Sorrow. Furthermore, you can fire six shots with the Golden Gun at the expense of range.
Chains of Sorrow – Precision shots increase reload speed for you and nearby allies
Explosive Knife – Throw an exploding knife that deals damage
Sixfold – Fire six rapid shots with the Golden Gun at the expense of range
Critical Hit – Increases your hit chance with the Golden Gun
The increased reload speed for precision shots is a great bonus and increases damage over time for all those near you. Additionally, you can fire six shots with the Golden Gun and the explosive knife is a nice addition.
The Way of the Sharpshooter – Who Can Aim Has the Advantage
If you know how to handle the Golden Gun, you will have fun with this build. Not only do precise kills with the throwing knife give you bonuses, but also precise kills with the Golden Gun provide significant advantages. You create orbs of light with precision kills and both increase damage and extend the duration of your super.
Knife Artist – Precision kills with the throwing knife recharge your melee abilities
Audience Favorite – Achieve precision hits with the Golden Gun to create orbs of light
Practice Makes Perfect – Precision hits reduce the cooldown of the Golden Gun
All Stacked Up – Precision hits with the Golden Gun increase damage and extend the duration of your super
Even though the build looks good, you do have the downside that it heavily relies on the super, which you won’t have very often. However, if you can activate your super, you can clear the field.
The Gunslinger is an offensively oriented class, unlike the Arcstrider, which specializes in range. The Chains of Sorrow is a big bonus for you and your team, and the sphere generation from the Way of the Sharpshooter is also noteworthy.
If you also use the exotic helm Celestial Nighthawk , you deal the highest single damage to a target in the entire game. You have just one shot left, but it deals massive damage, which is especially helpful against boss enemies.
The Nightstalker – The Ninja with Smoke Bombs
The Nightstalker is the stealth class of the Hunter and lives for the surprise effect. His super, the Shadowshot, binds enemies, makes them slow and more susceptible to damage. The Shadowshot is a great addition in both PvE and PvP of Destiny 2. Specifically, bound targets take 35% more damage!
The Grenades of the Nightstalker
The grenades are not killers by themselves. Their true potential is unleashed in combination with the Spike Grenade. Disoriented and slowed enemies fall quickly within the area of effect of a Spike Grenade or in the vortex of the eponymous grenade.
Spike Grenade – This surface-sticking grenade continuously damages with a flood of Void Light
Void Wall Grenade – A horizontal wall of Void Light damages all enemies passing through the grenade
Vortex Grenade – Enemies are trapped in a vortex and receive damage as long as they remain in it
Even a well-thrown Void Wall Grenade can deal devastating damage in tight corridors. All of the Nightstalker’s grenades are excellent for zone control, whether in PvE or PvP.
The Way of the Trapper – Fly Under the Enemy’s Radar
The Way of the Trapper has a lot of potential for sneaking up on opponents unnoticed. With the Smoke Bomb, you can slow and disorient your enemies. This skill set includes:
Smoke Bomb – The smoke bomb sticks to surfaces and slows and disorients enemies
Eager Scout – Increases sprint speed, and you can crouch faster. Bound enemies are marked and can be tracked for a while. Additionally, you gain an extended radar
Dead Fall – Void Anchors fired from the Shadowshot become traps and damage unsuspecting enemies. Furthermore, the Void Anchors have increased range and last longer
Vanishing Step – You become invisible for a brief period when dodging
The Way of the Trapper is a powerful build for the Crucible mode of Destiny 2. The eager scout is useful, even if the enemy marking is limited to bound foes. The Smoke Bomb is indeed a trap and when paired with a grenade can be deadly.
The longer duration of Shadowshot as well as the invisibility when dodging round off this skill set.
The Way of the Pathfinder – The Stealth Ninja
The Way of the Pathfinder allows you to become invisible by throwing the Smoke Bomb at your feet. The locking mechanism makes grenades and smoke last twice as long, facilitating zone control. With the Heart of the Pack, you can support your teammates, their stats increase when bound enemies are eliminated.
Disappear into the Smoke – Throw the smoke bomb at your feet to make yourself and nearby allies invisible
Lockdown – The effects of grenades and smoke last twice as long, enabling strong zone control
Heart of the Pack – Eliminating bound enemies creates orbs of light and increases mobility, resilience, and recovery for you and nearby allies
Mobius Quiver – Fire rapid shots with the Shadowshot and inflict significant damage on bound enemies
The Way of the Pathfinder is extremely useful for fighting computer-controlled enemies. The doubled grenade duration can be placed at an enemy spawn point and manage almost by itself; the Heart of the Pack is a nice support ability for your team.
The Nightstalker is the best focus of the Hunter in many situations. The Way of the Trapper is the perfect build for the Crucible, and the Way of the Pathfinder will smoothly guide you through the PvE content.
Summary: If you want to go offensive and face your enemies face to face, the Way of the Warrior of the Arcstrider is a good choice. For heavy content in endgame and in team play, the Nightstalker and the Way of the Pathfinder are recommended.
If you have the Celestial Nighthawk, you can deal fantastic damage with the Gunslinger. This combination is particularly popular against bosses.
In the Crucible, the Way of the Trapper of the Nightstalker is the best choice, as the eager scout justifies this alone. Paired with a combination of smoke bomb and grenade (the so-called Wombo Combo), you have a deadly tool in your hands.
When executing the Wombo Combo, make sure to throw the smoke grenade first and then immediately throw the grenade. The other way around does not work, as you have to wait about 1-2 seconds after throwing a grenade before you can throw the smoke bomb. Also, be aware that enemies hit by the Shadowshot only truly become bound after about a second.
Destiny 2 is a multiplayer online loot shooter with MMO elements developed by Bungie. It was released on September 6, 2017, for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, and ...
