Solar

Solar Symbol

“

Feel the blessed heat, scorching foes and rising above the fray.

”

Solar is one of several known manifestations of the Light, along with Void and Arc. It is a class of elemental damage.

Overview

"Solar requires us to both exploit and rely on the power of our sun. But to master it is to understand the star's duality. The nuclear force that scorches anyone foolish enough to draw near...is the same force we harness to heal."

— Osiris

Solar Light is related to combustion, heat and nuclear fusion, and can be wielded by Guardians to generate flames and other heat-related phenomena. Solar Light is also associated with healing. As stated by Osiris, Solar requires an understanding of the dual nature of the stars in general and their contribution to the cycle of destruction and creation.

Solar energy more broadly seems to refer to heat, flames and nuclear fusion, and can be integrated into vehicles, from small sparrows to the mighty war machines of the Cabal. There are places that can refine items from solar energy, and some locations that harness energy from the Sun and convert it into Solar Light. Some Guardians use Solar Light to create cooking fires. Certain armor can enhance the use of Solar Light.

Gameplay

Guardians

Guardians employ Solar powers for two main aspects: burning and healing. The abilities of their Solar subclasses reflect these.

Subclasses

Sunbreakers are a mercenary order of Titans that are exceptionally skilled at wielding Solar Light, manifesting it as the weapon known as the Hammer of Sol. In Destiny 2, they can also create a Burning Maul in order to deal close-range damage.

Gunslinger Hunters use Solar Light to draw out a flaming pistol known as Golden Gun. In Destiny 2, they gain the ability to instead unleash a volley of Solar-charged knives as a Blade Barrage.

Sunsinger Warlocks buff themselves using Solar Light to rapidly increase their grenade recharge rate and to gain other various benefits, including reviving themselves instantly.

Dawnblade Warlocks replaced Sunsingers in Destiny 2 and use Solar Light to create a sword that can either be used to produce damage dealing Projectiles, or planted in the ground for the empowering Well of Radiance. Warlocks can also harness Song of Flame, which similar to the Sunsinger's Radiance, but with no self resurrection, with their grenade becomes sentient and seeking enemies, melees shooting more projectiles, and nearby allies gaining Scorch on their solar weapons.

Verbs

Common effects of Solar subclasses, as defined in the Light 3.0 update, are:

• Cure - You are healed in a burst of mending Solar Light.
• Restoration - You continuously regenerate health and shields over time. Cannot be interrupted by taking damage.
  • Restoration can be stacked twice, increasing the regeneration speed.
• Radiant - Your weapons are enhanced by the power of the Traveler and deal increased damage to foes. While you are radiant, your weapons pierce the shield of Barrier Champions and stuns them.
• Firesprite - A luminous concentration of Solar energy. When picked up, Firesprites grants grenade energy.
• Scorch - The target is singed by destructive Solar Light, taking damage over time. Scorch damage increases as the target accumulate more Scorch stacks. After 100 Scorch stacks are applied to the target, they ignite.
  • Different effects inflict different amounts of scorch stacks.
• Ignition - A large Solar explosion which deals damage in an area around the target and stuns Unstoppable Champions.

Grenades

As of the Solar 3.0 update, all grenades are accessible to all classes

• Solar Grenade: A grenade that creates a flare of Solar Light which continually damages and scorches targets trapped inside.
• Firebolt Grenade: A grenade that unleashes bolts of damaging Solar Light at nearby targets and slightly scorches them.
• Fusion Grenade: An explosive grenade that attaches to its targets, damaging and moderately scorching them on detonation.
• Incendiary Grenade: A grenade that explodes in a fiery burst and heavily scorches nearby targets.
• Thermite Grenade: A grenade that sends forth a line of fire, dealing damage and scorching targets in its path.
• Swarm Grenade: A grenade that detonates on impact, releasing multiple drones that seek nearby enemies. Each drone slightly scorches affected targets.
• Tripmine Grenade: An explosive grenade that sticks to surfaces and detonates when enemies pass through its laser trigger, dealing damage and moderately scorching them.
• Healing Grenade: A grenade that cures allies on impact and creates an Orb of benevolent Solar Light, granting restoration to allies when picked up.

Fragments

Shared effects that can be exchanged to customize the powers of a subclass.

• Ember of Ashes: You apply more scorch stacks to targets.
• Ember of Beams: Your Solar Super projectiles have stronger target acquisition. +10 Intellect.
• Ember of Benevolence: Applying restoration, cure or radiant to allies grants increased grenade, melee, and class ability regeneration for a short duration. -10 Discipline.
• Ember of Blistering: Defeating targets with Solar ignitions grant grenade energy.
• Ember of Char: Your Solar ignitions spread scorch to affected targets. +10 Discipline.
• Ember of Combustion: Final blows with your Solar Super cause targets to ignite and create a Firesprite. +10 Strength.
• Ember of Eruption: Your Solar ignitions have increased area of effect. +10 Strength.
• Ember of Empyrean: Solar weapon or ability final blows extend the duration of restoration and radiant effects applied to you. -10 Resilience.
• Ember of Mercy: When you revive an ally, you and other nearby allies gain restoration. Picking up a Firesprite grants restoration. +10 Resilience.
• Ember of Resolve: Solar grenade final blows cure you.
• Ember of Searing: Defeating scorched targets grants melee energy and creates a Firesprite. +10 Recovery.
• Ember of Singeing: Your class ability recharges faster when you scorch targets.
• Ember of Solace: Radiant and restoration effects applied to you have increased duration.
• Ember of Tempering: Solar weapon final blows grant you and your allies increased recovery for a short duration and creates a Firesprite. Stacks 3 times. While Ember of Tempering is active, your weapons have increased airborne effectiveness. -10 Recovery.
• Ember of Torches: Powered melee attacks against combatants make you and nearby allies radiant. -10 Discipline.
• Ember of Wonder: Rapidly defeating multiple targets with Solar ignitions generates an Orb of Power. +10 Resilience.

Enemies

Cabal and Devil Splicers are the main users of Solar weapons, with light, heavy and melee weapons found across all their ranks, especially in Destiny 1. Low ranking Vex use Solar ranged weapons, while Solar melee mostly comes from Scorn. Low ranking Dread wield Solar melee or ranged weapons, an element shared with a few of their common abilities. Fallen and Scorn heavier weaponry is commonly Solar powered. A few Taken have Solar melee attacks, with only Wire Rifles and Torch Hammers as ranged weapons, and Taken Knights and Taken Wizards can use Solar abilities. The Hive only gained Solar attacks in Destiny 2, with the Splinter crossbow and the Acolyte Grenade. Solar Burn effects are also common environmental hazards, as well as as additional effects added to the attacks of Ultra combatants.

Solar Absorption Shields are employed by Cabal Centurions, Hive Wizards, Taken Captains, and Scorn Chieftains, and added to Shanks and Taken Knights in higher difficulty activities, such as Legend Nightfalls. The end of a Nightmare Hunt features enemies of the Nightmare's faction equipped with Solar shields.

Solar damage is also used to represent SIVA and Resonance damage sources purely for the sake of gameplay.

Non-canon appearances

Rising Timeline

Main article: Solar/Rising

Gallery

Solar Keywords

• 

  Cure

• 

  Restoration

• 

  Radiant

• 

  Firesprite

• 

  Scorch

• 

  Ignition

List of appearances

• Destiny (First appearance)
• Destiny 2
• Destiny: Warmind (comic)
• Bitter (Mentioned only)