Bungie definitely wants The Final Shape expansion to be the craziest, biggest DLC in Destiny 2 history and they've made sure the Prismatic subclass breaks the minds of players during its reveal.
If you missed the April 9 The Final Shape livestream, Prismatic will be a brand-new subclass that will debut with the expansion. Unlike all five previous ones, which are aligned to either Light (Arc, Void, and Solar) or Darkness (Strand and Stasis) powers, this one will let players mix and match abilities from all five.
In a follow-up blog post, Bungie explained in more detail how the subclass will actually work. So if you're curious about it and think it might be worth checking The Final Shape just to test it out, then keep on reading.
Prismatic subclass in Destiny 2 explained
As mentioned, Prismatic will mix all subclasses into one, letting players pick from a selection of Super, melee, and grenade abilities, as well as Aspect slots. All available movement modes and class abilities will be at your disposal too.
Now, depending on which class you play (Hunter, Warlock, and Titan) a different selection of abilities you can mix. For your convenience, we'll be breaking the abilities you'll get access to per subclass.
Prismatic Hunter abilities
Arc
- Super: Storm’s Edge
- Melee: Combination Blow
- Grenade: Arcbolt
- Aspects: Ascension
- Movement mode: Blink
Solar
- Super: Golden Gun: Marksman
- Melee: Knife Trick
- Grenade: Swarm
- Aspects: Gunpowder Gamble
- Class abilities: Acrobat's Dodge
Statis
- Super: Silence and Squall
- Melee: Withering Blade
- Grenade: Duskfield
- Aspects: Winter's Shroud
Strand
- Super: Silkstrike
- Melee: Threaded Spike
- Grenade: Grapple
- Aspects: Threaded Specter
Void
- Super: Shadowshot: Deadfall
- Melee: Snare Bomb
- Grenade: Magnetic
- Aspects: Stylish Executioner
The Marksman's and Gambler's Dodge class abilities as well as the High Jump, Strafe Jump, and Triple Jump movement modes will also be options to select.
Prismatic Titan abilities
Arc
- Super: Thundercrash
- Melee: Thunderclap
- Grenade: Pulse
- Aspects: Knockout
- Class ability: Thruster
Solar
- Super: Hammer of Sol
- Melee: Hammer Strike
- Grenade: Thermite
- Aspects: Consecration
Statis
- Super: Glacial Quake
- Melee: Shiver Strike
- Grenade: Glacier
- Aspects: Diamond Lance
Strand
- Super: Bladefury
- Melee: Frenzied Blade
- Grenade: Shackle
- Aspects: Drengr's Lash
Void
- Super: Twilight Arsenal
- Melee: Shield Throw
- Grenade: Suppressor
- Aspects: Unbreakable
The Towering and Rally Barricade class abilities as well as the High Lift, Strafe Lift, and Catapult Lift movement options will also be available.
Prismatic Warlock abilities
Arc
- Super: Stormtrance
- Melee: Chain Lightning
- Grenade: Storm
- Aspects: Lightning Surge
Solar
- Super: Song of Flame
- Melee: Incinerator Snap
- Grenade: Healing
- Aspects: Hellion
- Class ability: Phoenix Dive
Statis
- Super: Winter's Wrath
- Melee: Penumbral Blast
- Grenade: Coldsnap
- Aspects: Bleak Watcher
Strand
- Super: Needlestorm
- Melee: Arcane Needle
- Grenade: Threadling
- Aspects: Weaver's Call
Void
- Super: Nova Bomb Cataclysm
- Melee: Pocket Singularity
- Grenade: Vortex
- Aspects: Feed the Void
- Movement mode: Blink
Both Healing and Empowering Rifts as well as Burst, Strafe, and Controlled Glides will be available too.
Prismatic Transcendence explained
When using a Prismatic subclass in Destiny 2, a secondary bar will appear below your Super meter, split into two. You'll have to fill both halves, one by doing Light (Arc, Void, and Solar) and Darkness (Strand, and Void) damage.
The source of that damage can be anything - weapons, grenades, melee, or Supers. Once it's filled, you'll be able to activate Transcendence. Transcendent instantly refreshes your melee and grenade energy, and they regenerate faster. Dealing damage with a grenade boosts melee regeneration and vice versa. You deal slightly more weapon damage and take less damage.
While Transcendent, each class gets access to a unique grenade. They are described by Bungie as follows:
- Hunters: Hailfire Spike - a device charged with Stasis matter and Solar energy that attaches to surfaces or targets and then erupts into a slowing storm. After a short duration, the device ignites, creating a scorching cyclone
- Warlocks: Freezing Singularity - a mass of Void energy and Stasis matter. On impact, it deploys a miniature black hole orbited by a halo of slowing ice. After a short duration, the black hole implodes, suppressing and dealing heavy damage to all nearby targets.
- Titans: Electrified Snare - an explosive device energized with Strand matter and Arc energy that detonates in a supercharged suspending burst. The suspended target takes heavy damage over time and chains jolting lightning to any nearby targets
Prismatic Fragments
This subclass also comes with 21 Fragments. At the time of writing, only 12 have been revealed. These are:
- Facet of Balance: Rapidly defeating targets with Light damage grants melee energy. Rapidly defeating targets with Dark damage grants grenade energy
- Facet of Bravery: Defeating targets with grenades grants Volatile Rounds to your Void weapons. Defeating targets with powered melee final blows grants Unraveling Rounds to your Strand weapons
- Facet of Dawn: Powered melee hits against targets make you Radiant. Powered melee final blows make both you and nearby allies Radiant
- Facet of Defiance: Finishers create a detonation that either Jolts, Scorches, Slows, Severs, or makes targets Volatile, based on the damage type of your equipped super
- Facet of Dominance: Your Void grenades Weaken, and Arc grenades Jolt targets
- Facet of Generosity: Defeating targets while Transcendent creates Orbs of Power for your allies
- Facet of Grace: Damaging targets with Kinetic weapons grants you bonus Transcendence energy. Defeating targets with your Super grants you and nearby allies bonus Transcendence energy
- Facet of Hope: While you have an elemental buff, your class ability regenerates more quickly
- Facet of Justice: While Transcendent, your ability final blows explode
- Facet of Protection: While surrounded by enemies, you are more resistant to incoming damage
- Facet of Purpose: Picking up an Orb of Power grants either Amplified, Restoration, Frost Armor, Woven Mail, or Overshield, based on the damage type of your equipped super
- Facet of Ruin: This increases the size and damage of the burst when you shatter a Stasis Crystal or Frozen target and increases the size of Solar Ignitions
Once more are revealed we'll be updating this article accordingly.
And that's about it! For more on Destiny 2, check out The Final Shape new enemy faction that includes a "bat with a gun."