Hunters have a number of interesting perk choices when it comes to their Exotic class item in Destiny 2, and some of them have excellent synergies that players can take advantage of in both PvE and PvP.

Getting an Exotic class item by completing Destiny 2's Dual Destiny quest is no easy task, but it'll be well worth it for those who want to explore a new dimension of buildcrafting. Here's some strong perk combinations for the Hunter Exotic class item Essentialism that players should keep their eyes on.

Related

Destiny 2: Salvation's Edge - Verity Guide

The fourth encounter of Salvation's Edge in Destiny 2 is a long and complex encounter that will push a raid team to their limits.

5 Spirit of the Assassin + Spirit of the Gyrfalcon

Explosions, Invisibility, Versatility

• Spirit of the Assassin: Defeating targets with finishers or melee attacks grant you invisibility.
• Spirit of the Gyrfalcon: Void weapons gain Volatile Rounds after emerging from invisibility.

This Exotic class item combo may seem like it leads to a watered down Destiny 2 Void Hunter build using Gyrfalcon's Hauberk, but it's much more than that. Essentialism with these two perks allows players to enjoy unlimited invisibility and Volatile Rounds without having to use Stylish Executioner, opening up an Aspect slot for something like Gunpowder Gamble or Ascension. This isn't the strongest combo on this list, but it has incredible buildcrafting potential for PvE and PvP.

All this combo asks is that players use either a Void Primary or Heavy weapon like Ros Arago and Commemoration. Hunters also don't need to worry much about staying in melee range as Spirit of the Assassin triggers off abilities like Knife Trick, Withering Blade, and Threaded Spike.

4 Spirit of the Dragon + Spirit of the Wormhusk

Excellent Combo For Crucible Gladiators

• Spirit of the Dragon: Reload all weapons and gain increased weapon handling for a short duration after using your Dodge ability.
• Spirit of the Wormhusk: Regain a small amount of health and shields after using your Dodge ability.

Unlike the rest of the combos in this list, this one leans heavily toward PvP. The Hunter's Dodge ability makes them very slippery when fighting other Guardians in the Crucible, and if players tack on Spirit of the Dragon's handling buff and Spirit of the Wormhusk's heal, Hunters can bounce back from a bad engagement with snappier guns and more health than their enemies expect.

Those who prefer a stronger neutral game should try getting a class item with Spirit of the Ophidian instead of Spirit of the Dragon. It will passively boost the swap speeds of weapons, giving players that extra edge for when the situation calls for a Special weapon. Players who are not particularly interested in Wormhusk's heal can opt for Spirit of the Coyote instead, which is a great alternative for that extra Dodge charge.

Related

Destiny 2: Salvation's Edge - How to Beat the Witness

The Witness is the final encounter of the Salvation's Edge raid in Destiny 2, and here is how you can defeat it.

3 Spirit of Renewal + Spirit of the Cyrtarachne

Stacks Upon Stacks Of Damage Resistance

• Spirit of Renewal: Allies inside Duskfield grenades take less damage, and enemies inside deal reduced damage.
• Spirit of the Cyrtarachne: Throwing a grenade grants Woven Mail.

If Hunters are looking for a tanky and support-oriented Hunter setup, then this combo should give them a glimpse of what Renewal Grasps was like before it got nerfed. Throw a grenade to get Woven Mail and create a Duskfield that either boosts ally damage resistance even more or reduces the damage output of enemies inside the field. Pair this Exotic perk combo with Facets of Protection and Purpose to gain even more survivability when surrounded by enemies and picking up Orbs of Power.

Damage resistance is great, but it's even better when combined with Aspects or Fragments that can heal. Players can use Golden Gun or Deadfall with the Facet of Purpose Fragment to gain either Restoration or Overshields when picking up an Orb of Power. For those who prefer using Stasis or Strand Supers, don't forget to at least get the Recuperation mod for Leg armor.

2 Spirit of Galanor + Spirit of the Star-Eater

For Overcharged Super Spammers

• Spirit of Galanor: Once your Super ends, regenerate Super energy based on the number of Super hits or final blows.
• Spirit of the Star-Eater: While your Super energy is full, picking up Orbs of Power grants you bonus Super damage.

Spamming Supers is fun, but using it over and over again while having the bonus damage from Star-Eater Scales is even better. This Exotic perk combo is for Hunters who want to constantly fire Golden Gun shots, place Deadfall anchors, throw Stasis tornadoes, or zip around the map using Storm's Edge or Silkstrike. There isn't much else to say here except that this combo is particularly great for high-density combat scenarios and boss fights.

Keep in mind that Galanor's energy regeneration only kicks in after the Super ends, which means players won't be able to extend the duration of Silkstrike as they run around and lash enemies.

Related

Destiny 2: Overthrow Activity Guide

Here's a short guide covering the quickest ways to complete Overthrow, a new activity set in Destiny 2's Pale Heart destination.

1 Spirit of Caliban + Spirit of the Liar

Best Perk Combo For Melee Fans

• Spirit of Caliban: Powered melee final blows trigger Solar Ignitions.
• Spirit of the Liar: Getting hit by a melee attack or dealing powered melee damage allows you to follow up with an extremely powerful melee counter-punch.

This combination exists for fans of Destiny 2 Arc Hunter builds using Combination Blow and Liar's Handshake. Using an Exotic class item with Spirit of Caliban and the Liar is basically the same as using a Combination Blow/Handshake build, but the heal-on-kill effect is replaced with Solar Ignitions. Every other melee attack Hunters perform will deal significantly more damage than usual, and if the target dies, it's going to take a lot of nearby weaker enemies down with it.

Since Spirit of the Liar doesn't come with the healing effect, players will need to find other ways to survive in melee. The Facets of Protection and Purpose are excellent Fragments for survivability; the former grants damage resistance while the latter gives a bonus based on the equipped Super. Meanwhile, Stylish Executioner can be a great get-out-of-jail-free card if players can inflict elemental debuffs before delivering their counter-punch.

Destiny 2

Released

August 28, 2017

Developer(s)

Bungie

Genre(s)

FPS

ESRB

T For TEEN for Blood, Language, and Violence