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Strand is an elemental manifestation of the Darkness, in the same manner as Stasis. It allows one to manipulate the Weave, a matrix of psychic energy that connects all things and minds in the universe.[1] It was introduced in the expansion Lightfall as the second of the Darkness-based subclasses.
History
Strand was first encountered by the Guardians in the Neptunian city of Neomuna during the Witness' assault on the Sol System. Strands of the Weave were visible to the Guardians in many parts of the city, speculated by Osiris to be a by-product of the paracausal influence of the nearby Veil. As the Neomuni themselves lacked a connection with the Light or Darkness, they were unable to perceive the threads of Strand permeating their city.
The Weave
The Weave is an extra dimension of psychic energy underneath reality that is a web of "threads" that connects all living beings and all minds together. Using the power of Strand, The Guardian learns to perceive, pull at, and manipulate the strings of this web to pull forth matter, sever connections to enemies, or traverse the environment around them.
Gameplay
Subclasses
Berserker Titans use Strand to manifest large claws to slash enemies as a light attack, then charging it up to then perform a powerful double-handed uppercut that suspends targets as a heavy attack. Its Super is called Bladefury.
Threadrunner Hunters use Strand to create a rope dart, allowing for extended use of the Grapple, quick, long-ranged straight jabs, and a powerful, long-ranged, rapidly hitting, spinning attack. Its Super is called Silkstrike.
Broodweaver Warlocks manipulate Strand using their minds to telekinetically pull matter out and form it into a barrage of projectiles that unravel upon impact, becoming threadlings that aggressively home in on targets and explode. Its Super is called Needlestorm.
Verbs
- Woven Mail - Your body is encased in a protective mesh of tightly woven Strand matter, greatly reducing any incoming non-precision damage. (60% damage resistance in PvE, 20% in PvP)
- Tangle - A knot of Strand matter, swirling with potential. Tangles can be shot and destroyed, or picked up and thrown, dealing damage. Defeating targets afflicted by any Strand debuff will unwind them and create a Tangle.
- Weaving - An object created through defeating enemies using Strand abilities, similar to Stasis shards in Stasis.
- Suspend - The target is immobilized by a web of Strand matter, lifting them in the air. While suspended, Guardians are unable to move freely, combatants are unable to move or fire their weapons, and Unstoppable Champions are stunned.
- Sever - The target's connections to the world are cut, and their outgoing damage is significantly reduced. (30% damage debuff in PvE)
- Unravel - The target is permeated in destructive Strand matter. As they take additional damage, they create unraveled projectiles that seek out nearby targets. Unraveling Rounds from your Strand weapons pierce the shields of Barrier Champions and stun them.
- Threadling - A creature woven from pure Strand matter that seeks and attacks, dealing damage.
Grenades
Grapple - Creates a thread to swing over wide gaps or to quickly traverse the battlefield. It can also grab onto enemies to pull you closer to them, objects in the environment, tangles, and even other Guardians. Attaching your grapple onto an enemy will enable you to perform a grapple melee, dealing bonus damage and unraveling them.
Threadling Grenade - Summons 3 threadlings to fight for you when thrown.
Shackle Grenade - Creates a bola that then suspends nearby targets and creates secondary suspending explosions when thrown.
Fragments
- Thread of Ascent: Activating your grenade ability reloads your equipped weapons and grants bonus airborne effectiveness and handling for a short duration. +10 Mobility.
- Thread of Binding: Super final blows emit a suspending burst from the target. +10 Resilience.
- Thread of Continuity: Suspend, unravel, and sever effects applied to targets have increased duration. +10 Strength.
- Thread of Evolution: Threadlings travel farther and deal additional damage. +10 Intellect.
- Thread of Finality: Finisher final blows create Threadlings. +10 Recovery.
- Thread of Fury: Damaging targets with a Tangle grants melee energy. -10 Strengh.
- Thread of Generation: Dealing damage generates grenade energy. -10 Discipline.
- Thread of Isolation: Landing rapid precision hits emits a severing burst from the target.
- Thread of Mind: Defeating suspended targets grants class ability energy.
- Thread of Propagation: Powered melee final blows grant your Strand weapons Unraveling Rounds.
- Thread of Rebirth: Strand weapon final blows have a chance to create a Threadling.
- Thread of Transmutation: While you have Woven Mail, weapon final blows create a Tangle. +10 Strength.
- Thread of Warding: Picking up an Orb of Power generates Woven Mail. -10 Resilience.
- Thread of Wisdom: Defeating suspended targets with precision final blows generates an Orb of Power.
Gallery
A Broodweaver, Threadrunner, and Berserker wielding Strand
A Hunter Threadrunner
Trivia
- In keeping with the theme of the Light and Darkness' elemental manifestations being connected to real-world physical phenomena (e.g. Arc, Solar, Void and Stasis with electricity, heat, gravity and cold, respectively), Strand may be derived from String Theory, which posits that all matter is fundamentally composed of subatomic vibrating "strings". It also may allude to Panpsychism, the idea that all things in the universe exhibit consciousness on some level.
- The Guardian is the first known user of Strand.
- However, it is possible that the Hive and Eris Morn are able to see the "strings" of the Weave.[2]
- During Season of Arrivals, Drifter also mentioned in a conversation with Eris that after eating an Acolyte's eyes he was able to see "Lights. Like streaks— Lines. Through the world". Whether or not the strings described are truly from the Weave is yet to be confirmed.
- During the Epilogue cutscene of Season of Plunder, the mention of ‘threads’, led to theories that Nezarec or his relics may have some sort of connection to Strand.
- Before 10th January 2023, Broodweaver was known as Architect and Berserker was known as Tyrant.
- The Grapple Grenade was originally only going to be for Threadrunners, however, the development team thought that this ability was too fun to limit to one class, so they gave it to Berserkers and Broodweavers as well.
- Nevertheless, with their Widow's Silk Aspect, Threadrunners possess by far the best Grapple abilities, having two Grapple charges instead of one and creating a new Grapple Tangle with each Grapple they use.
List of appearances
References
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