It took Bungie quite a while to regain popularity after its second main installment, Destiny 2, initially failed to live up to the standards set by Destiny 1 but it looks to be just about there, although the complaints about weapons, nerfs, buffs, and what have you will probably never go away.
A cool feature that was around pretty early came in the form of each class having three subclasses - and we're going to take a look at the Nightstalker subclass in this guide.
What Is Nightstalker And Why Is It So Popular?
This subclass belongs to the Hunter and was brought back from The Taken King expansion; it's the last of the three you can unlock. The Void-based subclass gives your Guardian multiple cool abilities that hone in on the specific traits Hunters are known for.
Generally considered the worst of the three classes, Hunters aren't as bad as some Destiny fans (mostly Titan players) will have you believe and, if you spend enough time playing as one, you'll probably find it pretty enjoyable, as they're the most agile of the three classes.
Of the three Hunter subclasses - Gunslinger and Arcstrider being the other two - the Nightstalker seems to be the most popular. The reason for this is likely the diversity the perks enable.
Abilities such as invisibility and increased movement speed suit Hunters quite well, while an inventory that boasts smoke bombs with triggers and other grenades toting lethal and lingering effects makes the Nightstalker a go-to.
We'll get into those specifics shortly. Let's look at how to go about unlocking the subclass.
How To Unlock Nightstalker
In order to unlock Nightstalker, you have to reach level 15, which isn't that hard of a task. Just play the story and you'll get there rather quickly. Of course, you should also take part in Public Events - you're going to need the Fractured Arrow relic, which you get from completing these events or recovering high-value targets.
The relic charges up as you generate kills and participate in various PvE activities and once it's done, you'll unlock a mission at the Shard of the Traveler, North of Earth's European Dead Zone (EDZ). Simply load it up from the director, shoot your way to completion, and interact with the Shard to unlock Nightstalker.
Nightstalker's (Super) Abilities
You'll be able to do with it as you please and you'd do well to take advantage of the super abilities. The subclass improves your jumping, as you can reach greater heights with a second jump while in midair. You'll also be able to Strafe jump, i.e., change direction whilst airborne, and extend your leap even higher with a third jump before hitting the ground again.
Your grenades will include the Vortex Grenade, the Spike Grenade, and the Voidwall Grenade. The first is an explosive that traps enemies in a vortex that keeps damaging them, while the second attaches to any surface and expells a field of Void Light that inflicts damage. The third sets up a horizontal wall of burning Void Light.
The abilities include the Marksman dodge, which allows you to quickly dodge attacks while your weapon is automatically reloaded, and the Gambler's Dodge, a crafty tumble that avoids oncoming attacks while recharging your melee ability.
The Shadowshot is the Nightstalker's Super Ability. When triggered, an arrow is shot at enemies and tethers them to a Void Anchor that weakens their defenses, slows them down and suppresses them so you and/or your Fireteam could deal extra damage.
Nightstalker's Ability Trees
You could also choose from three Ability Trees as part of the Forsaken expansion. They're listed below:
Way of the Trapper
- Snare Bomb: Throw a smoke bomb trap from a distance with this Melee Ability. The smoke bomb sticks to surfaces and detonates when enemies are near, slowing and disorienting them.
- Keen Scout: Sprint and sneak faster, and gain an enhanced tracker. Tethered enemies are marked for easy tracking.
- Deadfall: The Void Anchors fired from Shadowshot become traps and wait for prey. Void Anchors have increased range and last longer.
- Vanishing Step: Dodging makes you vanish from sight for a short time.
Way of the Pathfinder
- Vanish in Smoke: Throw a smoke bomb explosive from a distance with this Melee Ability. The smoke bomb creates a cloud that makes you and nearby allies invisible.
- Lockdown: Grenade and smoke effects last twice as long, allowing for strong territorial control and increased damage potential.
- Heart of the Pack: Killing tethered enemies creates Orbs of Light and increases Mobility, Recovery, and Resilience for you and nearby allies.
- Moebius Quiver: Fire Shadowshot multiple times in rapid succession. Shadowshot deals massive damage against tethered enemies.
Way of the Wraith
- Flawless Execution: When your health is full, precision kills grant invisibility, truesight, and increased melee range.
- Shattering Strike: After performing a Flawless Execution, your melee attacks weaken enemies.
- Corrosive Smoke: Throw a smoke bomb from a distance with this melee ability. The smoke bomb slows enemies and damages them over time.
- Spectral Blades: Summon a pair of deadly void blades and stalk the battlefield in a veil of shadows. You can either perform quick melee attacks or perform heavy attacks and once again vanish from sight.
All of those sound pretty great, right? So, if you're new to Destiny 2 and are playing as a hunter, you should be excited to unlock this subclass and all of its abilities. Also, who knows? Maybe you're a seasoned player who prefers one of the other subclasses for personal reasons and had no idea you could have all of this greatness at your fingertips even after trying all three. It seems like it's time to give it a go.