How To Build Your Strand Subclass In Destiny 2: Lightfall

The Destiny 2: Lightfall campaign familiarizes you with the base Strand subclass, but you can unlock it after you complete the final Lightfall mission. Strand swings in with new debuffs, buffs, and Strand-specific currency to fully upgrade the subclass.

You need Strand Meditations to purchase the two grenades, two Aspects, and 14 Fragments to fully unlock the Strand subclass from the Pouka Pond on Neomuna. Currently, Strand Meditations do not go to the Postmaster, so you will need to pick up any lying around–they drop as green motes, but you can get them from doing certain activities–we have a detailed guide on how to farm for Strand Meditations, and how to get the Final Warning Exotic sidearm after you get all Strand abilities.

Strand introduces new features into the game, and this guide will break down each ability and how to trigger debuffs to make the most of your subclass.

Creating Tangles, Grapples, And Threadlings

Tangles are like a ball of yarn made of Strand threads that spawn after enemies affected by Strand debuffs are killed. You can pick up Tangles and throw them at enemies or shoot Tangles to deal damage. You can also toss a Tangle in the distance to grapple onto it and follow its trajectory. After you create a Tangle, you’ll have a cooldown where you can’t create additional Tangles.

Strand also has Grapple Tangles. These stable anchor points don’t deal damage or move out of place when grappled. You’ll find Grapple Tangles scattered around Neomuna, but one of the Hunter Widow’s Silk Aspect creates Grapple Tangles anywhere–which only last for a few seconds–and teammates can grapple onto it too. Remember, using Grapple Tangles immediately resets your grapple cooldown.

Although the grapple doesn’t function like a grenade, it uses the grenade cooldown. It lets you grapple onto surfaces, moving objects, enemies, opponents, teammates, Tangles, and Grapple Tangles. However, you can still deal damage by using your melee on enemies at the end of your grapple swing.

The Fragments called Thread of Ascent and Thread of Generation–which you should use if you want the grenade to recharge quickly–tie to the grenade ability. The Thread of Fury Fragment grants melee energy when you damage targets with a Tangle. Also, the Quicksilver Storm Exotic catalyst has a trait called Nano-entanglement, where the weapon damage type becomes Strand, and when using the grenade mode on this weapon, final blows create Tangles.

How to make Threadlings

Threadlings are like little waves made of Strand that seek nearby enemies and deal damage–if you want to make your subclass around Threadlings, the more the merrier. Although Threadlings are a big part of the Warlock subclass and Super ability, all classes can create Threadlings. The easiest way to make Threadlings is by using the Threadling grenade, which creates three Threadlings on impact. Also, Strand weapon types can have a perk called Hatchling, where precision final blows or defeating opponents quickly in succession can create a Threadling.

Fragments of the Hunter and Titan subclasses activate Threadlings–like using a Finisher–but the Warlock Aspects Weaver’s Call and Mindspun Invocation can create them by casting a Rift or doing a Grapple melee. Consuming the Threadling grenade as a Warlock generates five Threadlings perched around your character. Warlocks also have the Swarmers Exotic leg armor that generates Threadlings when you destroy a Tangle. Additionally, if a Threadling doesn’t find an enemy, it returns to the Warlock.

The Fragments called Thread of Evolution, Thread of Rebirth, and Thread of Finality work with Threadlings.

Building Strand subclass with Unravel, Suspend, Sever, and Woven Mail

Like other subclasses, Strand brings a new set of debuffs and buffs to learn. Although the Thread of Continuity Fragment grants extended durations for all debuffs, this guide tells you which Fragment is tailored for the debuffs.

How to Unravel

One of the most common debuffs is Unravel. Unravel afflicts an enemy with Strand matter, and when they take damage, Unraveled projectiles seek out nearby enemies and deal damage–they look like green bugs swarming around. As you or your teammates deal additional damage to an enemy with the Unravel debuff, you’ll keep creating projectiles.

This is great when dealing with multiple enemies at once since you can use a single Unravel debuff and target that enemy to create numerous projectiles that slowly damage other nearby enemies, and it can spread its Unraveling effect onto others. Also, when an enemy is Unraveled–when they’re defeated–they leave behind a Tangle. You can tell that an enemy has the Unravel debuff because it gives them a greenish glow.

Any class can Unravel targets using the Grapple melee or the Warlock’s Arcane Needle melee; the Swarmers Exotic Unravels targets when Threadlings deal damage too. The Thread of Propogation Fragment gives your Strand weapon Unraveling Rounds for powered melee final blows.

As an added bonus, Unraveling Rounds–from Strand weapons–can pierce the shield of Barrier Champions and stun them. Using Season 20’s artifact mod called Allied Unraveling also gives you Unraveling Rounds after you get rapid final blows with a Strand weapon.

How to Suspend

This debuff Suspends targets into the air and immobilizes them into a web of Strand matter. Combatants can’t fire weapons or use their abilities when Suspended, either. In PvP, opponents can still hip-fire weapons and move slowly when Suspended. As with other debuffs, opponents defeated while Suspended will create a Tangle.

The Hunter’s Aspect, called Ensnaring Slam, Suspends nearby enemies after your air move, and the Titan’s Drengr’s Lash Aspect Suspends nearby enemies when you activate your class ability. The Titan barricade sends out waves of Strand energy to damage enemies, and this can be used with the Abeyant Leap Exotic leg armor to spawn additional lashes–consequently Suspending more enemies. Additionally, the Titan’s ranged Super attack damages and Suspends enemies.

Warlocks, with their Mindspun Invocation Aspect, can consume the Shackle grenade to get Weaver’s Trance–where final blows can create a Suspending detonation. The Shackle grenade throws weighted ropes at enemies that detonate on impact and Suspend them, creating more Suspending projectiles. You can use the Thread of Mind, Thread of Wisdom, and Thread of Binding Fragments to pair with the Suspend debuff.

Suspend stuns Unstoppable Champions too. Keep in mind that not every yellow-bar boss can be Suspended.

How to Sever

Sever places a debuff on targets that temporarily reduces their outgoing damage and can create a Tangle when those enemies are defeated. Sever works well with the Woven Mail buff because it drastically reduces the amount of damage you take.

The Hunter’s Threaded Spike melee damages and Severs each target it comes in contact with. Similarly, the Titan melee Frenzied Blade Severs slashed targets. Use the Thread of Isolation Fragment to emit a Severing burst after landing rapid precision hits.

Getting the Woven Mail buff

Woven Mail is a buff available to all classes to make you somewhat impervious to incoming non-precision damage for a short duration in PvE. It also applies to PvP, but Woven Mail doesn’t shield you from head and melee damage. The bottom left of your screen will let you know when the buff is activated and your character will get a green overshield.

The Titan Aspect called Into The Fray gives you and nearby allies Woven Mail if you destroy a Tangle or cast a Super; the Abeyant Leap Exotic grants Woven Mail when you suspend an enemy too. Also, the Hunter Exotic helmet called Cyrtarachne’s Facade gives Woven Mail when you grapple and increases flinch resistance. The Thread of Warding Fragment grants Woven Mail when you pick up an Orb of Power too. Thread of Transmutation generates a Tangle when you get final blows while Woven Mail is active.