Yes, Dawnblade is exceptionally good; it is widely considered the best Warlock subclass in Destiny 2, offering unparalleled utility and power across various activities. Its strength comes from its robust Aspects and the indispensable Super ability, Well of Radiance.
Why Dawnblade Excels in Destiny 2
Dawnblade's effectiveness stems from a combination of powerful abilities that provide both offensive and defensive benefits, making it a cornerstone for high-level content and team play.
The Unmatched Power of Well of Radiance
The centerpiece of the Dawnblade kit is Well of Radiance, a Super ability that creates a healing and empowering rift. This ability is a must-have for challenging PvE content, including raids, dungeons, and Grandmaster Nightfalls, due to its:
- Sustained Healing: Provides continuous healing to all allies within its radius, allowing fireteams to safely withstand heavy damage.
- Significant Damage Buff: Grants a substantial weapon damage buff to allies standing in the Well, crucial for melting bosses and quickly clearing high-health targets.
- Team Survivability: Transforms dangerous encounters into manageable ones by ensuring fireteam members can remain aggressive while maintaining health.
Potent Aspects and Synergistic Builds
Dawnblade's Aspects complement its Super, providing excellent mobility, survivability, and offensive potential. These Aspects are considered strong and adaptable for various playstyles.
Here's a look at key abilities and their benefits:
| Ability/Aspect | Description | Primary Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Well of Radiance | Super ability that creates a large healing and empowering rift. | Essential for team survivability and significant damage output in PvE. |
| Heat Rises | Consume your grenade to gain a buff that allows for aerial combat and healing on airborne final blows. | Enhanced airborne effectiveness, self-healing, sustained aerial pressure. |
| Icarus Dash | Perform an aerial dodge, useful for quick evasion or traversing gaps. | Superior mobility, allows for rapid repositioning and avoiding damage. |
| Touch of Flame | Enhances your grenades, making them more potent (e.g., Solar Grenades burn longer, Fusion Grenades explode twice). | Increased grenade damage and utility, allowing for powerful offensive builds. |
These abilities, combined with the right Exotic armor pieces, create devastating synergies:
- Starfire Protocol: This Exotic Chest armor allows for two Fusion Grenade charges and grants grenade energy on empowered weapon hits (e.g., from Well of Radiance or an empowering rift). Paired with Touch of Flame, this leads to immense grenade spam and boss damage.
- Phoenix Protocol: An Exotic Helmet that grants Super energy for kills and assists while standing in your Well of Radiance, significantly reducing Well cooldown and allowing for frequent Super deployment in activity areas with many enemies.
Versatility Across Activities
Dawnblade's toolkit makes it incredibly versatile:
- High-End PvE: It is the go-to subclass for most raid encounters, Grandmaster Nightfalls, and other challenging activities where survivability and burst damage are paramount.
- General PvE: Excellent for clearing standard content like strikes, public events, and lost sectors due to its strong healing, mobility, and grenade capabilities.
- PvP (Skirmish Potential): While not as dominant in PvP as in PvE, Icarus Dash provides exceptional mobility for competitive play, and Heat Rises can enable aggressive airborne engagements.
In essence, Dawnblade offers a complete package of support, offense, and mobility, solidifying its reputation as a top-tier subclass for Warlocks.
