Destiny 2 offers three different options for players to choose from when it comes to creating their first character, and since you’ll be spending at least 15-20 hours on this first character, it’s going to be important to make sure you start off with the best class for your playstyle. This will not only help make the game more enjoyable for you as a player, but it will also help you to be the most effective Fireteam member that you can be, which is going to be extremely important in the more difficult aspects of the game. We see a lot of people asking which class they should make first, so before you dive into Destiny 2, let’s take a look at the difference between the Warlock, Hunter, and Titan classes in Destiny 2, and we’ll help you figure out which one fits your playstyle best.
Warlock
The “healer” class of the Destiny series, the Warlock is easily the squishiest class within the game, and players who give this class a try will find themselves juggling their health points quite a bit as they take on stronger enemies in the game. The sometimes-lower health pool is more than made up for thanks to the Warlock’s “Healing Rift” ability, though, which allows them to heal themselves, and even other Guardians around them, making them extremely useful in Raids, Strikes, and even PVP.
The Warlock class offers the Dawnblade, Voidwalker, and Stormcaller subclasses, and each one of these classes offers a great Super that players will find extremely effective in their play sessions. As stated above, though, the real power in the Warlock class is the “Healing Rift” ability, and we’ve seen it save our Fireteam’s lives on more than one occasion. No matter whether you’re a PVE or PVP based player, the Warlock class has a bit to offer for both playstyles.
Learn how to get a new subclass to find out how to unlock all your subclasses in Destiny 2.
The Voidwalker subclass is the oldest of the subclasses that players will recognize from Destiny 1, and while it offers some very strong abilities, and it’s super—the Supernova—is very powerful, it isn’t new, and many fans have abandoned it for the other options available. That doesn’t mean it’s useless, though, and we’d suggest giving it a whirl if you haven’t before, as it is powerful enough to wipe up to four enemies out in one hit, granted that they are close enough together.
Dawnblade is a new subclass that premiered in Destiny 2, and it actually replaces the old Sunsinger subclass, which was available in the original Destiny game. Dawnblade still includes many of the same abilities as Sunsinger, however, it also includes a new Super move called Dawnblade, which summons a blade of Solar energy that the player can throw at their enemies. It’s a very powerful Super move, and it’s definitely one of our favorite subclasses to play on Warlock.
Perhaps the most popular subclass available for the Warlock, though, is the Stormcaller subclass, which features the Stormtrance Acr super, which allows the Warlock that casts it to skate around the world shooting bolts of lightning out of their hands. It’s a terrifying move that rips your HP and Shields to shreds when you get hit, and it’s a subclass that has easily become the most seen in the game, especially in PVP scenarios.
Hunter
The Hunter class is Destiny 2’s “DPS” class—that stands for damage per second if you aren’t familiar with MMO terms—and it’s definitely not a class that should be overlooked or ignored, even if you aren’t a fan of it. It features some very powerful subclasses—Gunslinger, Nightstalker, and Arcstrider are all great contenders in PVP—and some of the best subclasses in the game, in our opinion. If you enjoy rushing around the game world, and dealing as much damage as possible, then the Hunter class is definitely going to be something you want to try.
The big thing you’ll find in the Hunter class, though, is its class ability, which allows you to sidestep attacks and either reload your weapons or recharge your melee ability. It’s extremely useful when used correctly, and while it may take some time to master, once you do master it, you’ll be very well off in battle.
Those first picking up the Hunter class will find themselves working with the Gunslinger subclass, which comes with the Golden Gun Super, which evaporates your enemies in one hit, allowing you to rule the PVP battlefield. You’ll only have three rounds to shoot, though, so make them count as much as possible.
The second subclass you’ll find on the Hunter class is the Arcstrider. This is a new subclass exclusive to Destiny 2. This time around, however, players will have the Arc Staff Super, which is basically a water-down version of the Arc Blade from the first game. It’s considered by many within the community to be a clunky Super, though, and a lot of the mobility that the Hunter class relies on to stay alive is missing.
The third subclass is the Nightstalker. Originally introduced through DLC in the original Destiny game, this subclass offers a powerful bow-based Super attack—called Shadow Shot—which can trap enemies in a void-based attack that makes it much easier to damage multiple enemies at once, or just to keep them together. If you have a Warlock with the Voidwalker subclass on, you can double up and use this Super to keep multiple enemies together, while the Warlock hits them with their Super as well.
Titan
The final class in Destiny 2 is the Titan. This class is the “tank” of the game, and it easily offers the highest amount of armor out of any of the classes in the game. Of course, that tankiness comes at a great cost, and the Titan class is by far one of the least mobile classes in the game. The three subclasses available—Striker, Sentinel, and Sunbreaker—are heavy hitters that offer great resistance and crowd control options.
This classes special ability is the Barricade—Towering Barricade or Rally Barricade—which allows the user to physically draw down a piece of cover, which can then be used to block enemy attacks, allowing you to resist their attacks for a short while. It’s a very useful ability, and can be paired with the Warlock’s Healing Rift to keep teammates alive while healing them.
The Titan’s Sentinel subclass is new to Destiny 2, and it allows the user to summon the Sentinel Shield, which is a shield of Void light that allows users to block incoming damage, as well as melee enemies close to them. It’s a great Super that can prove extremely useful in both PVE and PVP environments.
The Sunbreaker subclass is one of our personal favorites, and Titan users running this subclass can make use of the Hammer of Sol Super ability, which allows them to throw flaming hammers at their enemies. It’s a great offensive Super that can be used to clean up ADS, as well as just to deal with multiple enemies in PVP.
The final Titan subclass is the Striker, and this one is well known from the first Destiny game. The Super ability included here—the Fists of Havoc—is a single-use ability that allows the Titan to slam their fists into the ground, damaging enemies around them. It’s a great Super that works well for very offensive players, and you’ll find a lot of players running this super in PVP matches.
Deciding which class you should play first is not an easy task, and you should definitely weigh all of the options before making your choice. That being said, if you already have two friends chosen that you plan to play with, then maybe think about playing the unused class, as a Fireteam with each of every class will be the most balanced around. For more help be sure to check out our Destiny 2 guide for even more in-depth and helpful articles.
