Of all the classes in Destiny 2, the Titan feels like the one with the most substantial change. During the gameplay reveal, a new subclass was unveiled for the powerful Guardian called the Sentinel. We were able to get some information on the upcoming subclass as well as hands-on time with the new, upgraded Striker class which receives a large facelift, making the Titan the tank it was always supposed to be.
First the Sentinel, which turns the bulky Guardian into a space-faring Captain America that trades in the star shield for something a bit more mystical. When the Sentinel’s Super is triggered, it summons a large Void shield that can be used as a powerful melee weapon or thrown across battlefields as a ricocheting disk of destruction. Your defense is upped, allowing you to take the vanguard position and really push through strongholds that would otherwise require a lot of bullets to make your way through.
Available for play at the Destiny 2 event was the new Striker, which is a world apart from what we had in vanilla Destiny. While the subclass is still Arc burn and your mobility and attack abilities remain the same, the new class ability and the way the Fist of Havoc behaves will completely change how players use the Striker in both PvE and PvP. The Striker Titan in Destiny 2 is all about forcing enemies out of cover and using brute force to break down defenses. You have your flashbangs and pulse grenades, which are great for placing enemies exactly where you want them, and the melee attack still feels like getting hit by a truck if you’re on the business end of it.
What changes the Striker for the better is that it is also part Defender. No, you can’t summon a bubble in the middle of the field, completely shielding everyone. But what you can do is summon a wall of light that completely cuts off the enemy from doing harm to you from one side. This wall comes in two forms. Large, where it blocks a whole entry point and gives you a chance to recover, or small where you can use it as actual cover in the middle of an open space. On certain maps in Crucible, this will make a world of difference. For instance, in Countdown I was able to enter an open area where nobody was safe, summon cover, and deal with enemies as they scrambled to find protection within the world. I was able to use the giant version to save an ally from imminent death, turning the tide of the round and allowing for a victory. It definitely feels more in line with what the Titan was always meant to be.
The Fist of Havoc is the biggest change. It’s no longer just a wild slam that kills everyone (although it can be if you want it to). When triggered, you become an electrified juggernaut for a few seconds which allows you to use your powerful slams or charge at a single enemy to remove them from the map. It has much more control, immensely adding to the damage it proposes. It doesn’t hurt that your defense is increased as well, allowing you to charge into control points and control the situation.
The Titan is definitely more of the tank we always wanted it to be, and that’s something that really stands out. Of all the three classes, it feels like the most transformed, and will definitely change how players approach subclasses when Destiny 2 releases on Sep. 8.
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