There are nine different subclasses to choose from inDestiny 2, they play all very different from the others. The window dressing on the Warlock subclasses is similar, but they get where they’re going in drastically different ways. For this list, let’s take a look at the Dawnblade subclass and how to get the most out of it in Crucible:
RELATED:Destiny 2: The 5 Best Weapons For Crucible(& 5 Worst)
10DAYBREAK
Unless you’re using the Attunement of Grace, your Dawnblade super is going to be Daybreak. Daybreak creates a solar-energy sword that can one-shot enemies it hits, including with a ranged attack. This is a decent roaming super and can come with some perks that help ranged accuracy if you choose the Attunement of Flame.
9GRENADE
The three grenades available to the Dawnblade subclass are the Solar Grenade, Firebolt Grenade, and the Fusion Grenade. All of these are viable in Crucible, but one is the definite best option in just about any scenario.
The Solar Grenade explodes on contact with a surface, leaving a sphere of damaging solar energy in its wake. This can be nice for closing off certain lanes for a short while, or tossing onto an objective in Control.
The Firebolt Grenade explodes on contact with a surface, firing out solar energy at nearby enemies. This is most effective when thrown into a group of multiple enemies, evening the playing field a bit and giving you a chance in an outnumbered engagement.
The best choice for most players is going to be the Fusion Grenade (especially with a certain exotic armor piece, which we’ll get to later on). The Fusion Grenade attaches to enemies and explodes for a hefty amount of damage. It isn’t likely to kill an enemy on its own, but one or two shots on an enemy as it explodes, and it’s certainly going to.
8MELEE
The melee ability for the Dawnblade is pretty similar for both the Attunement of Flame and the Attunement of Grace; it inflicts burning. The only difference between the two is that one inflicts burning and explodes the enemy, while the other inflicts burning but also applies a buff to you. Plus, as with all Warlock melee’s, it has a pretty surprising range.
7RIFT
All Warlocks have the same two Rifts to choose from: Healing Rift or Empowering Rift. The Healing Rift heals you and allies inside of it, which is perfect for throwing down on an objective in Control.
RELATED:Destiny 2: The 10 Best Weapons For Crucible In Shadowkeep
The Empowering Rift increases the weapon damage of you and allies inside of it. Most of the time you’ll be better served to have that extra healing, but this Rift can certainly have a time and place.
6GLIDE
A Warlock’s weakness in Crucible is absolutely their movement abilities. Dawnblades can choose between Strafe Glide, Burst Glide, and Balanced Glide. Strafe Glide gives some extra control in the air, but you’ll be moving pretty slow.
Burst Glide gives you some extra speed in the air, but it’s tough to change direction once you’re on the move.
The Balanced Glide gives a bit of both extra speed and extra control, making it the middle ground between the other two.
5ATTUNEMENT OF FLAME
The Attunement of Flame comes with the abilities: Igniting Touch, Fated For The Flame, Phoenix Dive, and Everlasting Fire. Igniting Touch causes enemies to burn and explode when hit with your melee ability. The burn causes a small amount of extra damage, but it’s nothing to write home about.
Fated For The Flame allows your Daybreak projectiles to seek targets while traveling, making it measurably easier to hit your targets. The projectiles will also leave a streak of flames upon impact, leaving some nice AoE damage in its wake.
Pheonix Dive allows you to quickly descend while in the air, restoring your health. This can help offset the whole “sitting duck” problem Warlocks can have while gliding, and enemies aren’t often expecting it.
Everlasting Fire extends the duration of Daybreak each time you get a kill, helping get you that last kill right before the super runs out that you wouldn’t have otherwise got.
4ATTUNEMENT OF GRACE
Attunement of Grace comes with the abilities: Well Of Radiance, Guiding Flame, Benevolent Dawn, and Divine Protection. Well Of Radiance replaces Daybreak as your super, instead thrusting a solar sword into the ground that continuously heals and empowers nearby allies, much like a buffed version of both of the Warlock Rifts. This can have a place in Crucible, but obviously doesn’t have the kill potential that Daybreak has.
Guiding Flame burns your enemies upon landing a melee attack, and also empowers you and nearby allies. This is, again, a bit of an underwhelming melee ability.
Benevolent Dawn recharges your grenade, melee, and Rift energy upon healing or empowering an ally. Since every ability this Attunement has does at least one of these effects, this means you may basically have a rotating stock of abilities at your disposal and just about any given time.
Divine Protection allows you to convert your grenade into an effect that heals ally targets and drops overshields that they can pick up. For players that play a support role this can be nice; throw your team’s top fragger an overshield and let them go to work.
3ATTUNEMENT OF SKY
The Attunement of Sky comes with the abilities: Celestial Fire, Winged Sun, Icarus Dash, and Heat Rises. Celestial Fire is a melee ability that has some truly nutty range, firing projectiles that do thirty-five damage each, coming in at a total of one-hundred and five damage if you land all three of them.
Winged Sun allows you to fire weapons, use Celestial Fire, and throw grenades while gliding. This is, generally, not advisable in Crucible for reasons explained above, but because of the next ability present in this Attunement, it can definitely have a time and place.
RELATED:Destiny 2: The 5 Best Weapon Quests (and 5 Worst)
Icarus Dash is, essentially, a Hunter dodge that you can activate while you’re in the air. It isn’t quite as flashy as a Hunter dodge, but it gets the job done.
Heat Rises allows you to consume grenade energy to extend your glide time and improve your in-air accuracy. This sounds like a broken record, but again, gliding around in Crucible makes you a pretty easy target unless you’re making judicious use of your Icarus Dodge.
2STARFIRE PROTOCOL
An exotic armor piece that is a great fit for the Dawnblade subclass is the Starfire Protocol. For those that love using Fusion Grenades, rejoice, because Starfire Protocol gives you two Fusion Grenades to use at a time as opposed to just one. Plus, getting a kill with your grenade recharges your Rift energy, so if you happen to be an Ace with Fusion Grenades, you’ll be able to have that Rift active more often than not.
1SUPPORT
A lot of the Dawnblade subclass revolves around giving your teammates (or yourself) that little bit of extra pep in order to win that next fight. This can definitely make all the difference in a match with two teams that are pretty evenly matched, but in most cases, this subclass is not going to be a good fit for those that are generally the top fraggers. Instead, this is a support players' dream job, especially when using the Attunement of Grace.
For tips on using the Voidwalker subclass, click here. For tips on using the Stormcaller subclass,click here.
NEXT:Destiny 2: 10 Tips For Using The Gunslinger Subclass In Crucible
