Destiny 2: Beyond Light might still be over two months away, but developer Bungie has slowly begun sharing details about the new expansion. Perhaps the most exciting component of this DLC is the Stasis subclasses, which are the first totally new element added to this franchise since it released. Revolving around ice and battlefield manipulation, the Stasis subclasses appear to be unlike anything we’ve used before.
Here’s everything we know so far about the three Stasis subclasses coming to Destiny 2: Beyond Light.
(Author’s Note: Keep in mind, all of the details about how Stasis works, how its obtained, and how customization works are still being revealed. I will be updating this guide leading up to Beyond Light’s release date in early November.)
Statis Subclass Abilities
Warlock – Shadebinder
As you may have gleaned from some of the early previews, Warlock’s new Shadebinder subclass wields a Stasis staff called Winter’s Wrath. The main combo involves firing Stasis projectiles which explode and freeze enemies on impact. You can then follow this up with a Shatter Shockwave which ends the ultimate, destroying the crystal atop the staff, and sending out a shockwave which shatters nearby frozen enemies. Warlock’s also have access to the Penumbral Blast melee which can also freeze opponents.
Honestly, the biggest news out of today’s Warlock Stasis reveal is the customization aspects returning to Destiny. Every Stasis subclass can not only choose the usual grenades, movement, class abilities, etc, but Bungie is also adding a deeper layer of decisions to make.
There are two new items which can help you customize your subclass: Aspects and Fragments. As Bungie explains, Aspects are physical items which offer new abilities. Take Frostpulse, for example. When this is slotted, casting your rift generates a shockwave that freezes nearby combatants. Helpful when you’re in a pinch and need healing when surrounded by a wave of thrall.
Then there are bonds which are Fragments which “are physical items you can discover in the world.” These are slotted into the aforementioned Aspects, further customizing them with better (or worse) stats and perks. The Whisper of Bonds fragment is provided as an example. With it, your Frostpulse is enhanced and defeating frozen targets with weapons grants you Super energy. It does come at the cost of ten Intellect and ten Discipline, however.
We’ll surely learn more about these new features in the future, but Bungie does point out that Aspects are not class exclusive, but Fragments are. So you’ll need to do some collecting on each of your characters.
Gameplay of the new Titan Super: Glacial Quake (Source: Destiny 2: Beyond Light Gamescom Press Kit) pic.twitter.com/gptSw9QHGd
— Mimi ✨ (@HoplitePlays) August 27, 2020
Titan – Behemoth
Thankfully, Bungie has released actual gameplay footage of the new Titan Super called Glacial Quake. Released in the Beyond Light press kit, this Titan Super is all about releasing a massive shockwave that causes giant ice formations to sprout from the ground. It only appears to impact a 180 degree area in front of the Titan, dealing heavy damage to anything caught in the blast radius. Enemies are also frozen in place, allowing the Glacial Quake Titan to shoulder charge into them. Unfortunately, no grenades or melee abilities have been revealed for this subclasses, however, we will learn more about these abilities on September 3rd.
Gameplay of the New Hunter Super: Silence & Squall (Source: Destiny 2: Beyond Light Gamescom Press Kit) pic.twitter.com/TkhMuZuods
— Mimi ✨ (@HoplitePlays) August 27, 2020
Hunter – Revenant
Similar to Titans, footage of the Hunter’s Super was available in the Beyond Light Gamescom press kit. Dubbed “Silence & Squall,” this Super revolves around controlling enemy movement, making them easier to kill. In the footage, we see the Hunter launch two ice picks at enemies causing decent area of effect (AoE) damage around the afflicted target. Additionally, each pick creates a massive ice storm that seems to freeze enemies while damaging them. We get a better look at this in the original Stasis trailer at the 24 second mark where the Hunter hurls these picks at a group of Fallen mechs.
We also know that the Hunter’s melee appears to be one of these picks, which richoettes off any surface it hits. It’s unclear how many times it bounces before stopping or if this melee allows us to hit multiple targets with a single throw. Hunter’s grenades also get a brief preview, with one of them creating platforms and walls that players can either use for cover or run on. Another creates a decent sized orb called a Stasis Field, which slows (and presumably damages) enemies trapped inside it. We will learn more about the Hunter Stasis subclass on September 8th.
Orbs of Power
Something only shown in the Gamescom press footage, whenever an enemy is killed with a Stasis Super that Guardian generates an Orb of Power, not Light. This is most likely due to the nature of The Darkness itself, as it wouldn’t make any sense for Guardians to create Orbs of Light using Stasis. How these function is unknown, but the droprate of these orbs appears to be consistent with other Supers and subclasses.
Destiny 2: Beyond Light is set to release on November 10 for PC, PS4, and Xbox One along with the PS5 and Xbox Series X.
