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Combat style mods are one of the best ways to spice things up in Destiny 2 when players are looking for powerful and interesting builds. Typically, these mods work the best in PVE gameplay, and as of the latest changes since the introduction of The Witch Queen expansion, Elemental Well mods seem to be the strongest option.
However, up until now, Elemental Well mods were sort of a niche in combat style mods and some players might not yet be entirely familiar with how powerful they are and how they work in Destiny 2. This in-depth guide will dive into what Elemental Well mods do, different types of mods, and a few general tips on how players can start building their very own Elemental Well build.
What Are Elemental Wells?
Elemental Wells are small consumable objects that spawn on the ground. When players walk on them, they get consumed. If the player has an Elemental Well mod equipped, consuming a Well might give them a powerful buff, restore their health, increase their ability recharge rate, and more.
To get access to Elemental Wells, players will first need to make them, although players can also benefit from other players creating Elemental Wells. A mod is required for players to be able to create Wells, and they can choose between several different methods, such as charged melee kills, grenade kills, and so on, depending on what type of build they're going for.
Many Elemental Well mods are dependent on the player's subclass and weapon damage type. This means that players with a Solar Elemental Well mod that allows them to pick up Solar Wells and regain health from Solar Wells won't be able to pick up Arc Elemental Wells for the same purpose. The Well type usually needs to match the mod or the subclass of the player. To avoid wasting mods, players should read the description of mods carefully and make any subclass and weapon adjustments before applying them.
Where To Get Elemental Well Mods
Previously, players were able to buy Elemental Well mods from the Splicer Servitor and from the Wayfinder's Compass. However, following the release of The Witch Queen expansion, these mods are now exclusively found over at Ada.
Make sure to check her inventory on a daily basis after reset to grab all the missing Elemental Well mods, since it's likely Elemental Wells will remain quite powerful for seasons to come following the nerf of Charged with Light mods. Players should especially prioritize neutral Elemental Well mods that can be applied to any armor piece regardless of the element it has.
Choosing Elemental Well Mods
There are a ton of Elemental Well mods in the game, so knowing which ones to use can be tricky. There's quite a bit of flexibility, but not as much as with Charged with Light mods. Many Elemental Well mods are subclass-dependent, so players first need to decide which subclass to run (Solar, Void, Arc, or Stasis).
The second step is to make sure the player has armor pieces with the correct element. For example, if players want to use an Elemental Well mod that's under the Solar element, they will need a Solar armor piece. This is the biggest cost of making Elemental Well builds, as players will need to be strategic about what element to put on their armor.
So, how does one decide which Elemental Well mods to use? The tables underneath showcase all mods available per element, as well as the range of neutral Elemental Well mods. These neutral mods are not subclass-dependent, and serve as a base of most Elemental Well builds, as they typically are the mods that allow players to create Elemental Wells that match their subclass in the first place.
Neutral Elemental Well Mods
To start using Elemental Wells, players will need to make them. Most of these mods provide different ways for players to create these Elemental Wells. The Wells will always match whichever subclass the player has equipped currently. Some of these mods also provide other benefits regardless of the player's subclass.
Mod | Purpose | Description | Energy Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
Elemental Charge | Become charged with light | Picking up an Elemental Well will provide one stack of charged with light. | 2 |
Melee Wellmaker | Create Elemental Wells | Using charged melee creates an Elemental Well matching the player's subclass. | 4 |
Shieldcrash Wellmaker | Create Elemental Wells | Breaking an enemy's shield creates an Elemental Well matching the player's subclass. | 4 |
Elemental Ordnance | Create Elemental Wells | Grenade kills create an Elemental Well matching the player's subclass. | 3 |
Elemental Armaments | Create Elemental Wells | Kills with weapons that match the player's subclass have a chance of creating an Elemental Well of the same element. | 2 |
Elemental Light | Create Elemental Wells | Super kills create Elemental Wells matching the player's subclass. | 1 |
Font of Might | Boost weapon damage temporarily | Picking up an Elemental Well that matches the player's subclass boosts the damage of weapons that also match the player's subclass element. | 4 |
Font of Wisdom | Boost Super charge rate temporarily | Picking up an Elemental Well that matches the player's subclass boosts the player's Intellect and therefore improves the charging rate of their Super. | 4 |
Solar Elemental Well Mods
These mods require the player to have a Solar armor piece. Moreover, some of them also require the player to pick up a Solar Elemental Well to work.
Mod | Description | Requires Solar Wells To Work | Energy Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
Explosive Wellmaker | Defeating enemies rapidly with explosive damage creates Solar Wells. | No | 3 |
Well of Life | Picking up a Solar Well temporarily grants the player increased health regeneration. | Yes | 2 |
Bountiful Wells | Elemental Well mods that create Wells can now stack, allowing players to make even more Wells. | No | 2 |
Well of Ordnance | Picking up a Solar Well grants the player grenade energy. | Yes | 1 |
Arc Elemental Well Mods
These mods require the player to have Arc as the element of their armor piece before application. Note that some of them also require the player to pick up an Arc Well to work.
Mod | Description | Requires Arc Wells To Work | Energy Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
Overcharge Wellmaker | Using a finisher spawns two Arc Wells. | No | 4 |
Well of Ions | Picking up an Arc Well boosts melee damage temporarily. | Yes | 2 |
Seeking Wells | Wells created by the player will move towards players. | No | 2 |
Well of Striking | Picking up an Arc Well grants the player melee energy. | Yes | 1 |
Void Elemental Well Mods
To use these mods, players should ensure they have Void armor pieces. Some mods will also require players to pick up Void Wells to activate.
Mod | Description | Requires Void Wells To Work | Energy Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
Reaping Wellmaker | When players use their class ability, their next weapon final blow spawns a Void Well. | No | 2 |
Well of Tenacity | Provides 10% damage resistance when picking up a Void Well. | Yes | 2 |
Enduring Wells | Increases the lifespan of Elemental Well effects. | No | 2 |
Well of Utility | Picking up a Void Well grants the player class ability energy. | Yes | 1 |
Stasis Elemental Well Mods
Stasis armor pieces are a must-have if players wish to use these mods on their build. Players will also need to create Stasis shards or Stasis wells to activate some of these mods.
Mod | Description | Requires Stasis Wells/Shards To Work | Energy Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
Elemental Shards | Stasis shards now count as Stasis Elemental Wells. | Yes | 2 |
Elemental Time Dilation | Elemental Well mods with time limits can stack, extending their duration. | No | 3 |
Supreme Wellmaker | Using a Super creates three Stasis Wells. | No | 3 |
Well of Restoration | Picking up a Stasis Well grants energy to the ability with the lowest charge. | Yes | 4 |
Mixing And Using Elemental Well Mods
Although Elemental Well mods have certain requirements in terms of subclass, armor type, and even weapon damage type, it's perfectly possible to mix and match Elemental Well mods of several subclass types. Players just need to check whether or not activating them requires them to consume an Elemental Well that matches the mod's type.
To start using Elemental Well mods, players can follow this extremely rough guideline below:
- Choose the way to create Elemental Wells: Creating them should be easy, and preferably tied to an ability that they can regenerate on-demand in order to continuously create Wells. For example, if players choose Elemental Ordnance and create Wells with their grenades, they should pair this up with mods and Exotic armor that helps them regenerate grenade energy fast.
- Choose subclass: This will determine which Elemental Wells will primarily be available for the player whenever creating Wells. For example, if players choose the Arc subclass, and use Elemental Ordnance to create Wells, all of their created Wells will be Arc Wells.
- Apply Elemental Well Mods of the chosen subclass: Once the subclass has been decided, and players know what type of Wells they will be making, they can apply specialized Elemental Well mods. For example, if the player knows they will be making Void Wells, they should consider using the Well of Utility mod, which lets them recharge their class ability faster.
- Apply other Elemental Well Mods: Players don't need to stick to just one Element. For example, if they choose to go for a Void build and make Void wells, they can keep one armor piece as a Solar armor piece and apply a Solar Well mod such as Bountiful Wells (which doesn't require Solar Wells to use), which will let them make even more Void wells.
To give an exact guide on how to make the perfect Elemental Well build is difficult, as every player's needs are different. However, this guide should have shown that these mods are quite flexible and are Bungie's way of encouraging buildcrafting among players. The best way to learn is by trial and error.
Destiny 2 is available on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.