Subclass

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"The focus is the thing that carries all your abilities. It allows you to take to take the Traveler's light and turn it into effects in the world. The focus defines how you're going to be playing the game right now, much more so than your class."

— Tyson Green

Subclasses (formerly called focuses) are the primary way Guardians improve and level up. Each subclass advances independently from level, although until level 15+ these upgrades synchronize with level. New abilities, passive bonuses, grenade types, and more unlock as the subclass gains experience, with each subclass containing twenty-eight upgrades. Subclass abilities are shaped as the player levels up, and each upgrade tree is distinct. In any given subclass, the player is offered a number of tiers that give the player a choice of attributes such as:

• Grenade type—i.e homing or proximity.
• Vertical movement—i.e short-range teleport or double jump.
• Melee bonus.
• Weapon specialty.
• Passive bonus.
• Upgrades to Super ability.

With the exception of the three "base" abilities (jump, Super, and melee), each column of three upgrades is mutually exclusive; only one can be active at a time.

Every class has two subclasses to acquire and develop, each with its own specialties. Subclass is effectively a piece of equipment that can be changed at will, much like selecting a new weapon. One subclass can be used as a competitive multiplayer loadout, while a second healing-oriented focus can be used for cooperative play. Subclasses are also meant to be synergistic with the gear the Guardian is wearing.

Upon mastering a subclass, the player is awarded an Exotic Weapon Bounty from his or her Vanguard, as well as an achievement/trophy.

In Destiny 2, subclasses were overhauled, with the implementation of level trees taking the former system's place. Guardians have the choice of selecting one of two different ability focuses for each subclass, being locked into that particular path.

With the release of the Beyond Light expansion for Destiny 2, the category of Darkness-based subclasses has been added, with the first and currently only Darkness subclass being Stasis. Unlike the Light subclasses of Destiny 2, Stasis requires the player to unlock abilities by progressing in Stasis-related quests.

List of Subclasses

Warlock

• Voidwalker—increases damage dealt but decreases defense. Super ability is the Nova Bomb, dealing Void damage.
• Sunsinger—super ability is Radiance which buffs and heals allies, and increases melee and grenade recharge.
• Stormcaller—direct manipulation of Arc energy, focusing body and mind to channel and chain the lightning.
• Dawnblade—manipulated Solar energy to forge a sword of fire and enhance lift, focusing their abilities within their Daybreak super ability.
• Shadebinder—manipulates Stasis to instantly freeze enemies with their Winter's Wrath super ability and detonate them to shatter on command.

Hunter

• Gunslinger—specializes in single target damage with precision and accuracy. Super ability is Golden Gun, which deals devastating Solar damage.
• Bladedancer—specializes in melee and close quarter combat with the Arc Blade super ability.
• Nightstalker—tethers a large group of foes to a Void Anchor, slowing and suppressing them for your fireteam.
• Arcstrider—specializes in a single strike melee with the Arc Staff Super ability, being able to clear large groups of enemies.
• Revenant—specializes in slowing and suppressing enemies for crowd control, utilizing the Silence and Squall super ability to freeze and damage large groups of enemies over time.

Titan

• Striker—specializes in close quarters damage. Super ability is Fist of Havoc, and deals Arc damage.
• Defender—creates a protective Void bubble shield known as the Ward of Dawn for any member of the fireteam to hide out in.
• Sunbreaker—summons a flaming Solar hammer that wreaks destruction upon enemies.
• Sentinel—summons a glowing Void shield, that can bash large groups of enemies, being able to be thrown as a projectile and used as a melee weapon. Can also utilize the Defender's Ward of Dawn.
• Behemoth—forms an icy gauntlet of Stasis that can spawn crystals to shatter for massive AOE damage.

List of appearances

• Destiny (First appearance)
• Destiny 2