Understanding Stormcaller
The Stormcaller Warlock in Destiny 2 harnesses Arc energy, excelling in area-of-effect (AoE) damage, enemy control through chain lightning, and potent single-target burst via its Super abilities. Mastery involves understanding ability synergy and the Amplified buff.
Core Super Abilities
- Stormtrance: A roaming Super that unleashes chain lightning from your hands. Effective for clearing groups of enemies. Can be enhanced with Landfall (creates a damaging shockwave on cast) and Ionic Blink (allows short-range teleports during Super).
- Chaos Reach: A concentrated beam of Arc energy, dealing significant single-target damage. Can be deactivated early to conserve Super energy, making it versatile for damaging high-value targets or finishing off bosses.
Key Abilities & Mechanics
Effective Stormcaller play revolves around leveraging its unique abilities and the Arc 3.0 mechanics.
- Melee:
- Ball Lightning: Launches a slow-moving Arc projectile that zaps nearby targets. Excellent for applying Jolt or priming enemies.
- Chain Lightning: A standard melee hit that also chains lightning to a nearby secondary target.
- Grenades: Stormcallers have access to standard Arc grenades like Pulse, Storm, and Flashbang, each suited for different zoning or crowd control scenarios. Other options include Skip Grenades for tracking multiple targets.
- Ionic Traces: These Arc energy remnants are generated by defeating Jalted targets or through specific Aspects/Fragments. Collecting them grants ability energy.
- Amplified: Become Amplified by rapidly defeating targets with Arc damage or collecting Ionic Traces (especially with the Electrostatic Mind Aspect). While Amplified, movement speed and weapon handling are increased. After sprinting for a short time, Speed Booster activates, further increasing sprint speed and granting damage resistance.
- Jolt: Targets affected by Jolt periodically send out damaging chain lightning to nearby enemies when damaged.
Essential Aspects
- Electrostatic Mind: Defeating targets with Arc abilities or Jolt/Blind effects creates Ionic Traces. Collecting an Ionic Trace makes you Amplified. This is crucial for ability uptime.
- Arc Soul: Casting your Rift grants an Arc Soul to you and nearby allies. The Arc Soul fires at nearby targets, providing additional passive damage. While Amplified, the Arc Soul fires faster.
- Lightning Surge: While sliding, activating your charged melee unleashes a wave of lightning that Jolts targets. Provides excellent mobility and AoE damage.
Synergistic Exotics
Certain Exotic armor pieces significantly enhance the Stormcaller's potential:
- Crown of Tempests: Arc ability kills and Jolt final blows increase the regeneration rate of your Arc abilities and extend the duration of Stormtrance.
- Geomag Stabilizers: Sprinting tops off Chaos Reach Super energy when it's close to full. Damaging targets with Chaos Reach extends its duration.
- Fallen Sunstar: Ionic Traces you create move faster and grant additional ability energy. Nearby allies also gain ability energy when you collect an Ionic Trace.
- Getaway Artist: Consume your grenade to convert it into a supercharged Arc Soul (Sentient Arc Soul) that lasts longer and fires more aggressively. While Amplified, it deals more damage.
Taming the Storm: Playstyle
General PvE:
- Prioritize generating Ionic Traces through Electrostatic Mind and Jolt application for near-constant ability uptime.
- Maintain the Amplified buff as much as possible for enhanced mobility, faster ability regeneration with certain setups, and empowered Arc Souls.
- Utilize Arc Souls for consistent supplemental damage, especially in group content.
- Choose Super based on the situation: Stormtrance for add-clear, Chaos Reach for high-priority targets or boss damage phases.
PvP Considerations:
- The mobility from Ionic Blink during Stormtrance can be highly effective for aggressive plays and disengaging.
- Chaos Reach serves as a potent shutdown Super or long-range elimination tool, capable of surprising opponents.
- Arc Souls provide an advantage in duels by adding consistent chip damage.
- Utilize grenades for zoning and area denial. The Amplified state enhances movement speed, crucial for engagements and map control.
