Elemental damage

From Destinypedia, the Destiny wiki

Destiny-ElementalDamageTypesChart.jpg

Elemental damage is a modifier that exists on certain attacks and weapons. Elemental damage is one of the manifestations of Light and Darkness, and can be used to a player's advantage to make their attacks more effective. It comes into play for both Guardians and enemies.

Elemental types

"A spark can give life...or take it."
— Grimoire Arc text.

"Sometimes the only answer is to burn it all away."
— Grimoire Solar text.

"It's fitting, then, that we have weaponized the unknown."
— Grimoire Void text.

"Darkness resides within, beckoning you. This is a truth we cannot hide from, so we must embrace it."
The Stranger

"Reach into the Darkness and pluck at the threads of consciousness."
— Bungie Lightfall page.

There are six damage types:

  • Kinetic—White—the default damage type on most weapons. Will cause basic damage to any enemy.
  • Solar—Orange—causes Solar damage.
  • Arc—Light Blue—causes Arc damage.
  • Void—Purple—causes Void damage.
  • Stasis—Dark Blue—causes Stasis damage.
  • Strand—Green—causes Strand damage.

Weapons

Weapons can be infused with elemental damage; by default, most weapons only do kinetic damage, but some may come with modifiers. The modifier is indicated not only on the weapon's stats but also in the weapon menu on the HUD. At the common level, only Fusion Rifles deal elemental damage, but at higher levels nearly all special and heavy weapons deal elemental damage. In Destiny, only a handful of primary weapons deal elemental damage, and most of those weapons are typically acquired in Raids.

The damage type on most weapons is random, though some weapons such as Exotics or Legendary Raid weapons have a set damage type.

In Destiny 2, all Energy slot weapons do Arc, Solar or Void damage, Kinetic slot weapons do Kinetic, Stasis, or Strand damage and Power weapons do all damage types except Kinetic. The perk Osmosis on a kinetic weapon turns weapon damage into the same as your subclass when a grenade is used, until the weapon is swapped.

Weapon Class Solar Arc Void Stasis Strand Kinetic
Auto Rifle Abyss Defiant, Hard Light†, Tommy's Matchbook Necrochasm, Zhalo Supercell, Centrifuse, Hard Light Atheon's Epilogue, Hard Light Krait, Herod-C Quicksilver Storm (catalyst), Rufus's Fury Sweet Business, Monte Carlo, Cerberus+1, Suros Regime, Quicksilver Storm (base)
Submachine Gun Tarrabah, CALUS Mini-Tool Riskrunner, IKELOS SMG v1.0.1 The Recluse, Funnelweb, The Manticore Forensic Nightmare, Blood Feud The Immortal, Synchronic Roulette The Huckleberry, Osteo Striga
Pulse Rifle Outlast, BxR-55 Battler Oversoul Edict, Praedyth's Timepiece Graviton Lance, Collective Obligation Syncopation-53, Disparity Different Times No Time to Explain, Bad Juju, Outbreak Perfected, Vigilance Wing, Blast Furnace, Revision Zero
Scout Rifle Vision of Confluence, Conspirator, Oxygen SR3, Skyburner's Oath, Polaris Lance Fang of Ir Yût, Symmetry, Eternal Blazon Royal Chase, Aisha's Embrace Perses-D, Jararaca-3sr Taraxippos Jade Rabbit, MIDA Multi-Tool, Randy's Throwing Knife, Dead Man's Tale, Touch of Malice
Hand Cannon Sunshot, Eriana's Vow Fatebringer, Posterity Word of Crota, The Palindrome Vulpecula, Eyasluna (D2) Round Robin Midnight Coup, Sturm, The Last Word, Thorn, Lumina, Rose, Ace of Spades, Crimson, Malfeasance, D.F.A., Hawkmoon
Sniper Rifle Black Hammer, Ice Breaker, Black Spindle, Borealis†, Whisper of the Worm, Far Future Patience and Time, Hereafter, Borealis†, D.A.R.C.I., Cloudstrike, Adored Eye of Sol, Praedyth's Revenge, Borealis Thoughtless, Irukandji Volta Bracket Izanagi's Burden, Praedyth's Revenge
Bow Hush, Ticuu's Divination, Hierarchy of Needs Trinity Ghoul, Wolftone Draw Le Monarque, Leviathan's Breath, Imperial Needle Verglas Curve, Raconteur Wish-Ender, Fel Taradiddle
Fusion Rifle Murmur†, Praetorian Foil, Pocket Infinity, Vex Mythoclast, Sleeper Simulant (D1), One Thousand Voices, Jötunn, Merciless Murmur†, Light of the Abyss, Plan C, Queenbreakers' Bow, Loaded Question, Delicate Tomb Telesto, Null Composure Riptide, Deliverance Pressurized Precision Bastion
Shotgun Invective, Lord of Wolves, The Chaperone (D1), Felwinter's Lie, Duality, Conditional Finality Astral Horizon, Found Verdict, The 4th Horseman, Legend of Acrius Swordbreaker, Tractor Cannon, Python Fractethyst, Conditional Finality Until Its Return The Chaperone (D2), Perfect Paradox, Riiswalker
Sidearm Drang, Devil's Ruin Dreg's Promise, Trespasser, Vestian Dynasty Brass Attacks, Seventh Seraph SI-2 Cryosthesia 77K, Liminal Vigil Final Warning, Mykel's Reverence Rat King, Traveler's Chosen (Exotic)
Machine Gun Super Good Advice, Nemesis Star, Abbadon, Xenophage, Edgewise, Heir Apparent Song of Ir Yût, Thunderlord, 21% Delirium, THE SWARM Corrective Measure, Nova Mortis, Hammerhead, Shattered Cipher, Deterministic Chaos Recurrent Impact, Qullim's Terminus (D2) Circular Logic
Rocket Launcher Hezen Vengeance, Hunger of Crota, Gjallarhorn, Dragon's Breath, Two-Tailed Fox‡, Eyes of Tomorrow, Code Duello The Wardcliff Coil, The Hothead (D2), Two-Tailed Fox (catalyst) Tomorrow's Answer, Truth, Deathbringer, Two-Tailed Fox Bump in the Night, Palmyra-B
Sword Sol Edge, Solar Infinite Edge, Raze-Lighter, The Young Wolf's Howl, The Lament Arc Edge, Arc Infinite Edge, Bolt-Caster, Worldline Zero, Temptation's Hook Dreadfang, Void Edge, Void Infinite Edge, Dark-Drinker, Quickfang, Goldtusk, Black Talon, Falling Guillotine, Heartshadow Zephyr Thin Precipice
Grenade Launcher Love and Death, Dead Messenger The Prospector, Anarchy, Dead Messenger The Colony, Fighting Lion, Dead Messenger Salvation's Grip, Dimensional Hypotrochoid Koraxis's Distress Witherhoard, Pardon Our Dust
Linear Fusion Rifle Sleeper Simulant (D2), Man o' War, Komodo-4FR Tarantula, The Queenbreaker, Stormchaser Crooked Fang-4FR, Lorentz Driver Reed's Regret, Fire and Forget Laser Painter Arbalest
Trace Rifle Prometheus Lens, Acasia's Dejection Coldheart, Divinity, Path of Least Resistance Wavesplitter, Ruinous Effigy, Hollow Denial Ager's Scepter The Navigator
Glaive Edge of Intent, Lubrae's Ruin, Judgement of Kelgorath Edge of Concurrence, Nezarec's Whisper, Unexpected Resurgence Edge of Action, The Enigma, Vexcalibur Winterbite

Murmur is capable of switching between Arc and Solar damage whereas Hard Light, Borealis, and Dead Messenger can switch between Arc, Solar, and Void, and Conditional Finality can switch between Solar and Stasis damage.

Two-Tailed Fox fires a Solar Rocket and a Void Rocket, but its in-game element is void; it also fires an Arc Rocket if the catalyst is inserted.

Subclass elements in Destiny

Each Guardian subclass focuses on one type of elemental damage. This extends to melee attacks, grenades, and Supers.

Class Solar Arc Void
Hunter Gunslinger Bladedancer Nightstalker
Titan Sunbreaker Striker Defender
Warlock Sunsinger Stormcaller Voidwalker

Subclass elements in Destiny 2

Class Solar Arc Void Stasis Strand
Hunter Gunslinger Arcstrider Nightstalker Revenant[1] Threadrunner
Titan Sunbreaker Striker Sentinel Behemoth[1] Berserker
Warlock Dawnblade Stormcaller Voidwalker Shadebinder[1] Broodweaver

Enemies

Enemy weapons and abilities typically have their own elemental damage types as well. Normally this doesn't come into play unless players are playing a mission with damage modifiers on. For example, a Nightfall mission with a 300% boost to Arc damage applies to both Guardians and enemies, so enemies that do Arc damage are especially dangerous.

Most Taken versions of weapons will do a different type of elemental damage than the original, and the Devil Splicers' common ranged weapons inflict Solar damage, while their melee weapons are still Arc. Some powerful enemies may have unique weapons that do different damage than their common versions.

Race Solar weapon Arc weapon Void weapon Stasis weapon Kinetic Weapon
Fallen Shrapnel Launcher, Fallen Walker's main cannon, Molten Welder, Scorch Cannon, Exploder Shank explosion, Trip Mine, Brig Annihilation Blaster, Brig Fiery Burst Shock Pistol, Shock Rifle, Wire Rifle, Shock Grenade, Shock Dagger, Shock Blade, Pike, Skiff, Fallen Walker's secondary armaments, Repeater Shank Repeater, Arc Spear, Brig Electrocution Bolts, Security Turret Auto-Turret Heavy Shank's turrets, Servitor's blasts, Brig Death Cannon Duskfield Grenade, Coldsnap Grenade, Stasis Blasts, Stasis Slam Melee
Hive Acolyte Grenade, Splinter, Swarm Grenade, Blade Barrage Boomer, Thrall's melee attack, Cursed Thrall explosion, Wizard's Darkness Blast, Lucent Moth explosion, Pulse Grenade, Stormtrance Shredder, Ogre's Eye Blast attack, Shrieker's Shrieker Bolts, Tombship's Armaments, Suppressor Grenade, Sentinel Shields Cleaver, Wizard's Poison Cloud, Melee
Vex Slap Rifle, Line Rifle, Fanatic explosion, Hobgoblin's Shield, Hydra explosion Radiolaria pools, Supplicant explosion Torch Hammer, Slap Grenade, Goblin's melee attack, Aeon Maul, Cyclops Blast, Vex Laser Rifle, Warp Lance Melee
Cabal Slug Rifle, Projection Rifle, Heavy Slug Thrower, Cabal Headhunter, Cabal Severus, Cabal Magma Launcher, Cabal warship Missile Fire, Harvester Missile Fire, Thresher Missile Fire, Interceptor's weapons, Goliath Tank's weapons, Legionary Melee, Incendior Malfunction, Colossus Cluster Missiles Destiny, Scorpius Turret Psion Melee Destiny, Psionic Blast Destiny, Cabal Slug Launcher, Cabal Slug Shotgun, Colossus Cluster Missiles Destiny 2 Psion Melee Destiny 2, Psionic Blast Destiny 2, Cabal Bronto Cannon, Centurion Melee, Tormentor Abilities War Beast Claws, Phalanx Energy Shield, Melee
Taken Taken Acolyte melee, Taken Thrall melee, Taken Wizard Necromantic Gaze, Taken Knight Flame Bolts, Torch Hammer, Wire Rifle, Heavy Slug Thrower, Taken Incendior Magma Flame Shredder, Acolyte's Eye, Shrapnel Launcher, Slug Rifle, Taken Ogre Eye Blast, Taken Phalanx Shield Blast, Taken Captain Darkness Bolt, Shock Blade Boomer, Line Rifle, Slap Rifle, Projection Rifle, Chimera Eversion, Taken Hobgoblin Retaliation Swarm, Taken Centurion Axion Dart, Taken Incendior Void Fireball Stasis Boomer Melee, Blight, Defensive Ward
Splicers SIVA-infused ranged weapons, SIVA Charge, Splicer Walker weapons (except Shock Grenades) Shock Cannon, Splicer Exploder Shank explosion, Splicer Repeater Shank Repeater Null Cannon, Wretched Gaze Melee
Scorn Chieftain's Ether Torch, Lurker's Scorn Pistol, Scorn Walker's Armaments, Wraith's Flame Torches, Ravager's Flame Cauldron, Scorn Cannon, Scorn Blaster Chieftain's Ether Bind, Fanatic's Staff, Scorn Mine Launcher, Abomination Overcharged Ether, Screeb explosion Scorn Rifle, Scorn Repeater Pistol, Scorn Crossbow, Stalker's Scorn Grenade Ravager's Stasis Censer Stalker's Fallen Mace, Melee

Trivia

  • It is unclear whether there is necessarily a distinction between the elemental damage done by weapons and the corresponding manifestation of the Light or Darkness associated with a given element; for example, a weapon which does Arc damage may not necessarily be imbued with the power of Arc Light, but rather merely fire electrified ammunition. In contrast, some weapons clearly do derive their power from the Light or Darkness, such as Salvation's Grip (which fires Stasis projectiles).
    • This is backed up by Ikora's and Drifter's notes on the elements, Ikora states we do not know what came first, the Light or the Elements, but they are fundamentally linked like Twins[2], and Drifter states the Pyramid's energies are getting the Elements all twisted up[3]
  • Osiris states that the Elements are a means to communicate with the Light, but recently, now with the Darkness.[4]
  • There are several types of planetary materials that responds to the Elements, Relic Crystals inside Relic Iron for Void on Mars, Zeptocyte Cores inside Spinmetal Leaves for Arc in the Cosmodrome, and Soliton Flares inside Helium Filaments for Solar on the Moon.[5][6][7][8]

Gallery

List of appearances

References