Hunters can now float like a butterfly and sting like a bolt of lightning with the arrival of Arc 3.0 in Destiny 2: Season of Plunder. Arc 3.0 revamps how the Arcstrider class performs, although with slightly fewer changes than the Titans and Warlocks received.
Hunters do not receive a new Class Ability, but an additional Super called Gathering Storm gives a hefty AoE attack that can clear most rooms. They’ve also received a new Movement Ability, the Warlock’s Blink, and two new melee abilities. To determine how this all comes into a usable build, we look at melee abilities and the Gambler’s dodge.
Related: All Arc 3.0 Aspects and Fragments in Destiny 2 and how to get them
The melee-jolt Hunter build
This build focuses on getting Jolted to proc in order to proc Amplified. Once this happens, it refreshes dodge to recharge melee ability, which then heals the player and refills class energy. This all allows Jolted to proc, setting players up for another dodge.
Hunter Class Ability for Arc 3.0
Players can choose either Gambler’s or Markman’s Dodge, refreshing either melee ability or reloading ammo in the weapon, respectively. For this build, we’re going to use Gambler’s Dodge. This allows us to bypass the ~40 second cooldown on our Arc Melee.
Hunter Movement and Grenade Ability for Arc 3.0
The movement ability is up to the player — it’s rare when players will need to combo into, or out of, their melee strikes, so we recommend comfort over function for this. The Hunter class receiving the Blink Movement Skill from Warlocks is enjoyable enough to merit at least giving a swing, and can fulfill some of the more shallow functions from Void Hunter’s stealth abilities.
The same applies to the Hunter Arc Grenades: whichever grenade type appeals to the player in terms of comfort.
Hunter Melee Ability for Arc 3.0
For melee attacks, Combination Blow allows players to increase damage upon a melee kill up to three times, replenishes health, and fully refills Class Ability. This can proc every 40 seconds, but when added with the Gambler’s Dodge, Hunter’s can effectively strike multiple times to ensure Jolted will proc.
Hunter Aspects for Arc 3.0
This is the toughest part of a Hunter Arc 3.0, as two aspects can come into play with slight alterations of playstyle. Equipping Flow State means that every defeated target affected by Jolted then Amplifies the player, which recharges Dodge quickly. This is a must-pick for this build. Both Lethal Current and Tempest Strike have a place, but we recommend Lethal Current for its buff received after dodging.
Roughly, the gameplay loop in combat for this class should begin with a melee, into dodge, and back into melee, repeating as necessary. If your dodge and melee aren’t proccing, bring out a close-ranged weapon to help urge the enemies to depart this mortal coil.
Best Hunter Fragments for Arc 3.0
The fragments are going to help round out the Arc Hunter, and picking them with care is important to get the most from this build. Spark of Frequency increases reload speed after melee, which can be crucial if Hunter’s are bringing a shotgun into the fray and aren’t proccing as they need to. Spark of Volts gives players a second means of receiving the Amplified status, which recharges Gambler’s Dodge.
For the final two fragments, it’s currently players’ choice. Spark of Resistance increases strength by +10, which lowers the melee ability proc by a few seconds, and Spark of Momentum can temporarily increase your melee damage if you slide over ammo bricks. Once unlocked later in the season, Spark of Amplitude and Spark of Ions can both replace these two final choices.
