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Destiny 2's Season of the Plunder launched with a major rework for all Arc subclasses. Following the Void and Solar reworks from past seasons, Arc has been retooled with new abilities, the Aspects and Fragments system, and new keywords. Described by Bungie as the "Hold W" spec, Arc is the ultimate choice for aggressive players and Guardians that thrive on speed.

Related: Destiny 2: A Complete Guide To Stasis

Hunters have gotten a new Super, Warlocks have a new slide melee attack, and Titans can make grounded dashes with a new class ability. Old favorites from the original Destiny are back, and Bungie has thrown in a few surprises that make Arc 3.0 one of the strongest elements in the game. This guide will cover how Arc works, its keywords, and we'll showcase all Aspects and Fragments.

Updated February 28, 2023, by Charles Burgar: Buildcrafting overhauls launched with Lightfall, complete with ability cooldown tweaks and new Fragments. Arc saw two new Fragments that behave similarly to Reactive Pulse and Striking Light back when Combat Style mods existed. We've updated this guide to include all current ability cooldowns, Fragment changes, and added all Arc Fragments introduced in Season of Defiance.

What Is Arc 3.0?

Destiny 2 Arc Warlock

Arc 3.0 is an overhaul of all Arc subclasses in Destiny 2, including the Hunter Arcstrider, Titan Striker, and Warlock Stormcaller. All Arc subclasses now use the Aspects and Fragments system introduced with Stasis in Beyond Light, allowing players to select two Aspects and various Fragments to create a build.

Most features from Arc 2.0 have been carried over to the new system. All classes have at least two melee abilities, two Supers, and access to all Arc grenades. This also means some classes got new abilities with Arc 3.0, such as Hunters getting the new Gathering Storm Super. Overall, this is a major buff to all Arc subclasses and makes them more viable in endgame PvE and PvP content.

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Unlocking Arc 3.0

Destiny 2 Season of the Splicer Ikora

Arc 3.0 is unlocked by default for veteran players. Newcomers to Destiny 2 will unlock Arc through the New Light experience. Not every Fragment will be unlocked for veterans, just as not all options for Arc will be available for New Lights right away.

To unlock all Arc 3.0's abilities, speak to Ikora Rey at the Tower. She sells Aspects, Fragments, and grenade abilities for all subclasses. Each item costs a small Glimmer fee.

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Related: Destiny 2: How To Farm Weapon XP Fast

Arc Keywords Explained

Destiny 2 Arc Subclasses

Unlike previous subclass reworks, Arc 3.0 doesn't have many keywords. This class highly revolves around the Amplified buff and Jolt debuff, although a few more keywords exist that might prove useful. Let's go over what each Arc keyword does.

Arc 3.0 Keywords

Buffs

Debuffs

Amplified


You move faster, slide further, and have increased weapon handling.

Blind


Combatants are disoriented and unable to shoot. Guardians temporarily lose their HUD and suffer from distorted audio.

Stuns Unstoppable Champions

Jolt


Jolted targets periodically release chain lightning to nearby targets when damaged.

Stuns Overload Champions

Subclass Pickup

Ionic Trace


A bolt of pure Arc energy that travels along the ground, seeking towards its creator. When picked up, Ionic Traces grant ability energy.

Amplified Explained

Destiny 2 Arc Staff Super Icon

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Blind Explained

Destiny 2 Seismic Strike Melee Icon

Blinding Unstoppable Champions will stun them.

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Jolt Explained

Destiny 2 Chain Lightning Melee Icon

Jolt chain lightning can stun Overload Champions.

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Ionic Traces Explained

Destiny 2 Arc Fragment Spark of Ions

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Arc Grenades

Destiny 2 Best Arc 3.0 Exotics Fallen Sunstar sparking on a Warlock

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Arc Melee Abilities

Destiny 2 Arc Titan Shoulder Charge

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Arc Supers

Destiny 2 Operation Archimedes Featured

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Hunter Arc Aspects

Destiny 2 Arc Hunter

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Titan Arc Aspects

Destiny 2 Arc Titan

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Warlock Arc Aspects

Destiny 2 Arc Warlock

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Related: Destiny 2: Every Way To Obtain High-Stat Armor

All Arc Fragments

Destiny 2 Hunter Arc Staff Super

As with all other subclasses, Arc has 16 Fragments for players to experiment with. All classes can use any Arc Fragment they wish, although your Fragment limit will be determined by which Aspects you have equipped. Remember, you can only have two Aspects equipped at a time. Fragments can also alter your Guardian's stats while equipped.

Spark Of Beacons

Destiny 2 Arc Fragment Spark of Beacons

Spark of Beacons: While you are amplified, your Arc Special weapon final blows create a blinding explosion.

Defeating a target with an Arc Special weapon will cause them to explode, inflicting Blind to nearby targets for a couple of seconds. The explosion is comparable to a Chain Reaction explosion, and this works on all Arc Special weapons—including GLs, Trace Rifles, Glaive projectiles, and even the chain lightning effect from Trinity Ghoul. This Fragment does not have a cooldown.

Spark Of Resistance

Destiny 2 Arc Fragment Spark of Resistance

Spark of Resistance: While surrounded by combatants, you are more resistant to incoming damage. +10 Strength.

Despite the description, Spark of Resistance works in PvP, the values for both modes being slightly different:

  • PvE: While 3+ enemies are within 15 meters of you, take 25% reduced damage.
  • PvP: While 3+ enemies are within 15 meters of you, take 10% reduced damage.

The DR provided by Spark of Resistance stacks multiplicatively with other DR sources. . This Fragment's buff persists for two seconds once you are no longer surrounded.

Spark Of Momentum

Destiny 2 Arc Fragment Spark of Momentum

Spark of Momentum: Sliding over ammo bricks reloads your equipped weapon and grants a small amount of melee energy.

There's not much to explain here. Sliding over any ammo brick will reload your current weapon from reserves and grant about 10% melee energy.

Spark Of Shock

Destiny 2 Arc Fragment Spark of Shock

Spark of Shock: Your Arc grenades jolt targets. -10 Discipline.

Damaging targets with your Arc grenades will inflict the Jolt debuff on them, causing subsequent damage to chain lightning to nearby targets. This Jolt is unaffected by ability-enhancing Exotics like Heart of Inmost Light and Verity's Brow.

Spark Of Ions

Destiny 2 Arc Fragment Spark of Ions

Spark of Ions: Defeating a jolted target creates an Ionic Trace.

Defeating any target affected by the Jolt debuff will spawn an Ionic Trace for yourself, granting 12.5% ability energy when grabbed. The source of the Jolt debuff doesn't matter, making this a fantastic pairing with the Voltshot perk and Spark of Shock. This Fragment has a short cooldown.

Spark Of Discharge

Destiny 2 Arc Fragment Spark of Discharge

Spark of Discharge: Arc weapon final blows have a chance to create an Ionic Trace.

This Fragment's description is misleading. Defeating three PvE combatants or two Guardians will spawn an Ionic Trace; the spawn rate isn't random. Any Arc weapon can trigger this Fragment, even Osmosis weapons. Spark of Discharge does not have a cooldown.

Spark Of Frequency

Destiny 2 Arc Fragment Spark of Frequency

Spark of Frequency: Melee hits greatly increase your reload speed for a short duration.

Hitting a target with your melee grants the Lightning Weave buff for the next five seconds, granting +100 reload speed stat with a 0.8x scalar. Both uncharged and charged melee hits can trigger this Fragment, and this effect may be refreshed at any time.

Spark Of Focus

Destiny 2 Arc Fragment Spark of Focus

Spark of Focus: After sprinting for a short time, your class ability regeneration is increased. -10 to the stat that governs your class ability cooldown.

Sprinting for over a second will grant the Focused Breathing buff, causing your class ability to recharge 150% faster. This effect is halved in PvP and stacks with cooldown reduction effects.

Spark Of Recharge

Destiny 2 Arc Fragment Spark of Recharge

Spark of Recharge: While critically wounded, your melee and grenade energy regenerate more quickly.

While your shields are broken, your melee and grenade abilities will recharge substantially faster, about 400% faster than usual. This effect persists until your shields start to regenerate or recover shields.

Spark Of Magnitude

Destiny 2 Arc Fragment Spark of Magnitude

Spark of Magnitude: Your lingering Arc grenades (Lightning Grenade, Pulse Grenade, and Storm Grenade) have extended duration.

Persisting Arc grenades last roughly 33% longer with Spark of Magnitude, similar to Void's Echo of Remnants Fragment. Affected grenades include Lightning Grenade, Pulse Grenade, and Storm Grenade.

Spark Of Amplitude

Destiny 2 Arc Fragment Spark of Amplitude

Spark of Amplitude: Rapidly defeating targets while you are amplified creates an Orb of Power.

Similar to Solar's Ember of Wonder Fragment, Spark of Amplitude spawns an Orb of Power on a double kill while Amplified, granting the same Super energy as a Siphon mod. This Fragment has a ten-second cooldown.

Spark Of Feedback

Destiny 2 Arc Fragment Spark of Feedback

Spark of Feedback: Taking melee damage briefly increases your outgoing melee damage.

Taking melee damage from an enemy grants the Feedback buff for the next four seconds, increasing the damage of your next melee hit by 75%. Melee damage must be from a physical punch or swipe from the enemy; boss stomps do not count. This effect stacks with other melee damage buffs and does not have a cooldown.

Spark Of Volts

Destiny 2 Arc Fragment Spark of Volts

Spark of Volts: Finishers make you amplified. +10 Recovery.

Finishing a combatant grants a 15-second Amplified buff. Performing another finisher before Amplified expires will reset your timer. There's no cooldown to this Fragment. Since it only procs on Finishers, this Fragment only grants +10 Recovery in PvP.

Spark Of Brilliance

Destiny 2 Arc Fragment Spark of Brilliance

Spark of Brilliance: Defeating a blinded target with precision damage creates a blinding explosion. +10 Intellect.

The blinding explosion from Spark of Brilliance is the same as Spark of Beacons, effectively the same as Chain Reaction. Since this Fragment doesn't have a cooldown, it's possible to chain Spark of Brilliance across multiple targets if they're in close proximity. All weapon precision kills can trigger Spark of Brilliance, not just Arc weapons.

Spark Of Instinct

Destiny 2 Spark Of Instinct Fragment

Spark of Instinct: While critically wounded, taking damage emits a burst of damaging Arc energy that Jolts targets.

When your shields break, you release a wave of Arc energy that inflicts Jolt on all nearby targets. This Jolt effect is the same as Spark of Shock, inflicting a base Jolt value that's fantastic for clearing out fodder units in PvE.

Spark Of Haste

Destiny 2 Spark Of Haste Fragment

Spark of Haste: You have greatly increased Resilience, Recovery, and Mobility while sprinting.

While sprinting, you gain roughly +30 to your Mobility, Resilience, and Recovery stats. This bonus drops the second you stop sprinting, although you can trigger this buff even when you aren't Amplified.

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Next: Destiny 2: A Complete Guide To Solar 3.0