Arc

Arc Symbol

“

Become a current of Light, moving with blinding speed and amplifying your capabilities.

”

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

Overview

"Arc energy's not just electricity. Lot more finicky than that. Fission."

— Banshee-44^[1]

Arc Light is related to electricity and electromagnetism, and can be wielded by Guardians to generate lightning bolts and other electromagnetic phenomena. As stated by Osiris, Arc is the element of motion and conduction, and is created when the electromagnetic forces of our universe struggle to achieve balance. According to Ikora, Arc teaches that change is a fundamental aspect of the universe, and that "to wield it is to ride the storm of the unguessable".^[2]

Arc energy more broadly seems to essentially be synonymous with electricity, although a statement by Banshee-44 seems to indicate that it may also encompass nuclear fission. Many of the technologies developed by Golden Age Humanity utilize circuitry and generators that run on Arc energy, including weapons and hologram projectors.^[3]^[4]^[5] Arc energy is also found within lightning storms and other energetic weather systems.^[6] Concentrated Arc energy can distort space, and enough of it can even hinder Transmat usage.^[7]^[8] The Vex are known to be hindered by Arc energy. ^[9]

Various enemies utilize Arc-based weaponry and attacks. The Fallen extensively use Arc-charged blades, pikes and daggers, and Scorn Abominations can shoot Arc blasts from their fists.

Gameplay

Guardians

Guardian subclasses that channel Arc energy use it to increase speed and close combat power.

Subclasses

Striker Titans use Arc Light to charge their fists with lightning to obliterate their foes with a deadly close-range ability known as Fist of Havoc. In Destiny 2 they can also gather Arc Light to transform into a electrified missile known as Thundercrash to deal massive impact damage.

Bladedancer Hunters use Arc Light to manifest a pair of daggers known as Arc Blades.

Arcstrider Hunters replaced Bladedancers in Destiny 2 and use Arc Light to create an electrified bo-staff known as an Arc Staff; wielding it with martial arts and able to deflect projectiles when blocking. They can also throw this Arc Staff to create a damaging electric field known as a Gathering Storm. Hunters can also use Storm's Edge, which allows them to summon a knife charged with Arc energy and toss it, Blinking to its impact point and unleashing a powerful swipe attack that deals heavy damage to enemies nearby. This super can be used up to three times in rapid succession, allowing for a total of 3 Blink attacks.

Stormcaller Warlocks use Arc Light to envelop themselves with the power of the storm known as Stormtrance as they roam the battlefield and unleash massive chain lighting at their enemies. By concentrating the Arc Light into their palms, they can unleash a long-range, electric beam known as Chaos Reach.

Verbs

Common effects of Arc subclasses, as defined in the Light 3.0 update, are:^[10]

Amplified - Your movement speed and weapon handling are greatly increased. After sprinting for a short time, you enter Speed Booster, further increasing your sprint speed and granting damage resistance against PvE combatants.
- By default, rapidly defeating multiple targets with Arc damage will amplify you. Your equipped Aspects and Fragments provide additional methods to become and benefit from being amplified.
Ionic Trace - A bolt of pure Arc energy that travels along the ground, seeking its creator. When picked up, Ionic Traces grant grenade, melee, and class ability energy.
Blind - Combatants are disoriented and cannot fire their weapons. Enemy players' HUD is removed and their vision is obscured. When blinded, Unstoppable Champions are stunned
Jolt - The target is energized with destructive Arc Light. They take additional damage while jolted and chain lightning to nearby targets. Jolt damage causes Overload Champions to be stunned.

Grenades

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

Skip Grenade: A grenade which splits on impact, creating multiple projectiles which seek targets.
Flux Grenade: An explosive grenade that attaches to targets.
Arcbolt Grenade: A grenade that chains bolts of lightning to nearby targets.
Pulse Grenade: A grenade that periodically damages targets within its explosion radius.
Storm Grenade: A grenade that calls down a focused lightning storm.
Flashbang Grenade: An explosive grenade that damages and blinds nearby targets.
Lightning Grenade: A grenade that sticks to any surface and emits bolts of lightning.

Fragments

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

Spark of Amplitude: Rapidly defeating targets while you are amplified creates an Orb of Power.
Spark of Beacons: While you are amplified, your Arc Special or Heavy ammo weapon final blows create a blinding explosion.
Spark of Brilliance: Defeating a blinded target with precision damage creates a blinding explosion. +10 Intellect.
Spark of Discharge: Arc weapon final blows have a chance to create an Ionic Trace. -10 Strength.
Spark of Feedback: Taking melee damage briefly increases your outgoing melee damage. +10 Resilience.
Spark of Focus: After sprinting for a short duration, your class ability regeneration is increased. -10 to the stat affecting class ability cooldowns.
Spark of Frequency: Melee hits greatly increase your reload speed for a short duration.
Spark of Haste: You have greatly increased mobility, resilience, and recovery while sprinting.
Spark of Instinct: When critically wounded, taking damage from nearby targets emits a burst of damaging Arc energy that jolts targets.
Spark of Ions: Defeating a jolted target creates an Ionic Trace.
Spark of Magnitude: Your lingering Arc grenades (Lightning Grenade, Pulse Grenade, and Storm Grenade) have extended duration.
Spark of Momentum: Sliding over ammo bricks reloads your equipped weapon and grants a small amount of melee energy.
Spark of Recharge: While critically wounded, your melee and grenade energy regenerate more quickly.
Spark of Resistance: While surrounded by combatants, you are more resistant to incoming damage. +10 Strength.
Spark of Shock: Your grenades jolt targets. -10 Discipline.
Spark of Volts: Finishers make you amplified. +10 Recovery.

Enemies

The Fallen are the main users of Arc weapons, with all their light, medium and melee weapons, as well as many Abilities, sporting this damage type. The Taken and Hive also use Arc damage across many of their weapons, most famously the Hive Boomer. The Scorn reserve Arc damage for the rare Scorn Mine Launchers and the attacks of Abominations. In Destiny, the Cabal had no Arc weapons, with Psion melees and shockwaves being the only source of the damage, but in Destiny 2 they started issuing the Cabal Slug Shotgun in large amounts to their basic units, and Cabal Slug Launchers to their Colossi, though Psions switched to Void abilities. Common Vex don't use Arc weapons, but the explosions of Fanatics, as well as the pools of Radiolaria commonly encountered in their territory deal Arc damage. There are no sources of Arc damage among The Dread.