Arc needs some big changes. It’s just not worth it anymore, easily worse than the other two light subclasses. As it stands, here are things that set it below the others:
All three classes have a completely useless super. Stormtrance for Warlock, Staff for Hunter, and Havoc for Titans. All utterly useless in all aspects of PvE content.
Arc is now the ONLY subclass with NO form of survivability.
Solar: Restoration, cure.
Strand: Woven Mail.
Stasis: Frost Armour.
Void: Overshield, Devour.
Prismatic: All of the above.
So, where is Arc’s survivability? And why has this not yet been addressed?
Next on my list is class debuffs.
Solar has ignitions; huge explosions capable of clearing rooms even in GM content, stunning champions, and all sorts.
Void has weakening, which is undeniably irreplaceable for killing champs and bosses. Also has volatile and suppress for their own suggested uses.
Stasis has freeze, which is THE way to lock down whole rooms regardless of difficulty, champions or not.
Strand has suspend, and similar to stasis, is an incredible way to buy time for survivability. On top of that, it has the ever-useful unravel, and sever. Sever is unique here, in that it provides defence through offence.
Arc has jolt, not even powerful enough to kill average red-bars in endgame content, blinding which is very limited, and may I say, useless if you have a concussion GL, and that’s about it. Additionally, why use blinding when you could use freeze or suspend which do exactly what blind does, AND keeps the enemy still? (And yes, those two also stun unstops just the same as blinding does).
Overall, yet to see anyone run Arc in any form of endgame content.
With these points in mind (Feel free to criticise or add, anyone who comments), please help this reach the balancing team.
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Arc Hunter was fun, but they're trying their best to fix that.
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Edited by Shad0w_Palad1n: 11/20/2024 5:20:15 AMArc Hunter and Titan “technically” have healing with combo blow/knockout, but Arc is a very close range focused class and as a result suffers in Endgame content where you don’t want to be kissing enemies. Also suffers against enemies resistant to or able to survive melees, such as Tormentors, Subjugators, Champs, Banes, and most bosses. I have never run arc in endgame content besides during Szn of the Deep with Titan and Heart of Inmost Light, and the only endgame I did was Devils Lair lmao. I’m not even gonna mention warlock. Arc feels bad. Thundercrash is on Prismatic as well as knockout so there goes that. Combo blow is on Hunter as well as Bladedancer (highest damage arc super). Arc Souls are gained via Getaway Artist on Warlock. Arc’s niche fun things were absorbed into Prismatic, so the subclass is now just the fun stuff minus the good parts (Prismatic).
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Literally just ran through a GM with pure Arc Titan with Fist of Havoc. I've used this build for over a year now and on this same GM ironically, so I know it works and the improvements to FoH make it even better now that I can kill champions and tougher enemies. Not to mention how often my super comes back. I literally wasn't playing it safe at all, I was constantly in the fray blinding everything, jolting everything, etc. I will say though Arc in general needs more healing or access to blind if they won't give us more health regeneration. Personally I wouldn't mind if class abilities got Arc Blind. Things like Thruster, Hunter Dodges, and something for Warlock could fulfill that up close fantasy. I also think Knockout needs to work with Fist of Havoc. It has no way to recover health once you're low.
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I agree with you that arc is awful right now but you have some mistakes 1. Thunderstrike is great for dps (especially with that one exotic that enhance thunderstrike) Hunter’s withering storm is fine for damage too 2.jolt pretty good for champions 3. Spark of resistance is constant damage reduction as long as you are surrounded which is kinda better than most other debuffs
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Bungie happened: they decided to make the game as simple and lame as possible so a small crew can maintain it.
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Knock Out. Thunder Crash.
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"stasis survivability: frost armour" even that is useless too lol, both stasis and arc need love
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I mainly will run my Geomag build for endgame content, and the two subclass verbs are phenomenal for dealing with packs of red bars or Champions that aren't Barrier. It is great if you build into it, as ability uptime is the main benefit. Running something like Coldheart or an Arc Machine Gun will build into chaining waves of Blinded enemies with the appropriate Fragment, and tossing the Jolting Fragment buffed Pulse Grenade will also clear most red bars with ease. A Flashbang Grenade does both verbs with both Fragments and very fast cooldowns as well! Both give Ionic Traces which further increases ability regeneration to help keep higher uptime and potentially give Armor Charges with the appropriate mod. I am really looking forward to the roaming Super buff later today and hoping Stormtrance gets that 55% damage buff to Champions.
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I don't run end game content but... >> spark of resistance, vesper of radius and 100 resil makes me feel offensively tanky :) will look for groups and drop the healing rift with arc buddy for the shock wave and blinding.. with max everything to get the healing rift back.. for future shock waves (distribution)..ionic traces (electrostatic mind).. paired with Ex Diris.. being amplified too.. lets you get away to cover.. I see it as the most fun playstyle in PVE for me but just can;t say how effective that would be raids/dungeons.. anyway I like the weapons to provide as well with attrition orbs healing...
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after using Arc-strider everything is dead, besides it's fun
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Or they have some sort of healing that's detrimental unless you build into it. The fragments are also pretty much useless except for a few as that rest are made for specific building, no neutral game