[Top 5] The Destiny 2 Best AoE Class Builds

Updated:

24 Sep 2020

Area of Effect, abbreviated as AoE, is damage (usually in the form of shockwaves or explosions) that spreads out a certain range. This is effective against groups of enemies and some abilities’ damage lingers, dealing damage over time. With this in mind, we’ve curated our top 5 best AoE class builds in Destiny 2.

How this list works:

We’ll list what mods, armor, and weapons you’ll need to make each build work. There are usually just one or two recommended weapons and armor pieces so you will have plenty of room to mix and match your other equipment slots and make tweaks as you go.

Top 5 AoE Builds:

Chain Lightning Build (Titan)
Raiden Flux Build (Hunter)
Lord of the Void Build (Warlock)
Hammertime Build (Titan)
Stormslapper Build (Warlock)

1. Chain Lighting Build (Titan)

An upside to this build is that you can pretty much use any striker tree with it. I found middle tree striker works best. You’ll use the intrinsic perk of the exotic leg armor Dunemarchers, which chains melee damage. Then you pair that up with the Striker class middle tree Code of the Missile Ballistic Slam melee. To top it off, you’ll use the exotic bow Trinity Ghoul which grants you chain lighting after precision kills.

Skill Tree: Code of the Missile (Middle Tree)

Ability: Pulse or Lightning Grenade

Armor: Dunemarchers (Exotic leg armors)

Weapons: Trinity Ghoul (exotic bow)

Armor Mods to Use: Momentum Transfer, Distribution, Strength Mod

Build Strengths:

Chain multiple targets together
Focusing on melee mods allow for frequent chain damage
Can work with any subclass
Really cool

Build video by Arctic_Phoenix:

2. Raiden Flux Build (Hunter)

This build has been around for a long while but still holds up even now. By combining the powerful, large sweeping strikes of the hunter’s arc staff with the Raiden Flux exotic chest piece you become stronger as you chain kills.

Skill Tree: Way of the Wind (Bottom Tree)

Ability: Marksman’s Dodge, Skip Grenade, Triple Jump

Armor: Raiden Flux (Exotic chest armor)

Weapons: Traveler’s Judgement (sidearm), Mountaintop (grenade launcher)

Armor Mods to Use: Special Ammo Finder, Grenade launcher scavenger, Intellect mod, Discipline Mod

Build Strengths:

Simple but effective
Weapons loadout can easily be swapped with some mod tweaks
Higher damage and longer super

Build video by Dychronic:

3. Lord of the Void (Warlock)

This build focuses on being able to dump as many grenades on your enemies as frequently as possible. The key is to focus on getting to 100 on the Discipline stat. So get out there and have fun, you crazy space wizard you.

Skill Tree: Attunement of Chaos (Top Tree)

Ability: Burst glide, Healing rift, Vortex Grenade

Armor: Contraverse Hold (Exotic gauntlets)

Weapons: Mountaintop, Gnawing Hunger, or Weapons with Demolitionist perk spec,

Armor Mods to Use: Discipline Mod, Momentum Transfer, Special Ammo Finder, Grenade launcher scavenger,

Build Strengths:

Stronger charged grenades
Fast grenades, seriously
Good at mob clearing and fighting bosses

Build video by Dychronic:

4. Hammertime (Titan)

This is a Solar based build that can work for any of the Sunbreaker Titan’s skill trees. While it leans towards the middle tree Code of the Devastator, I recommend you try giving it a shot with the bottom tree Code of the Siegebreaker for its melee that creates explosions and sunspot ability which does damage to anything that walks through it. This one is very simple so play around with it until it feels just right.

Skill Tree: [Recommended] Code of the Devastator (Middle Tree) or Code of the Siegebreaker (Bottom Tree)

Ability: Thermite Grenade, your choice of Lift and Barricade abilities

Armor: Hallowfire Heart (Exotic chest armor)

Weapons: Weapons with Demolitionist perk,

Armor Mods to Use: Discipline Mod, Intellect Mod, Hands-On, Strength Mod,

Build Strengths:

Can be used with any Sunbreaker tree
Faster charging abilities
Frequent ability use = buffs from those abilities are active more often

Build video by Marcusbgaming:

5. Stormslapper (Warlock)

A not-so-serious name for a build with some serious power. You’ll use Stormcaller bottom tree Attunement of the Elements to take advantage of its melee attack which charges all your other abilities. Along with that, you’ll use the Monte Carlo exotic auto rifle which also helps charge your melee. All of them will feed into the exotic helmet Crown of Tempests which grants faster ability recharge and a longer super when you get Arc ability kills.

Skill Tree: Attunement of the Elements (Bottom Tree)

Ability: Your choice of Glide, Healing Rift, Pulse or Storm Grenade

Armor: Crown of Tempests (Exotic helmet)

Weapons: Monte Carlo,

Armor Mods to Use: Discipline Mod, Recovery Mod, Distribution, Innervation