Welcome to the Celestial Nighthawk Prismatic Hunter Build Guide! This build dominates the leaderboard as the ultimate boss killer, thanks to the synergy between Celestial Nighthawk and Still Hunt. It also excels at ad clear by using Slow, Freeze, and Sever to control enemies. The Celestial Nighthawk Hunter Build is easy to learn and execute, making it the perfect build for Raids, Dungeons and even Legendary Lost Sectors.
The first thing to learn about this build is how Still Hunt works. Picking up Orbs of Power or landing Precision Hits with this sniper charges Cayde's Retribution. When the weapon's super bar is full, activating it lets you fire multiple Golden Gun shots. The exotic helmet Celestial Nighthawk combines these shots into a single, high-damage shot, similar to how it enhances Golden Gun: Marksman. This reduces the time spent in your super and increases your damage output.
This Prismatic Hunter Build also offers various ways to boost your damage and debuff enemies. Melee a target with Threaded Spike to Sever them for 10 seconds. This immediately activates Radiant with Facet of Dawn, which increases weapon damage by 25%. Threaded Spike, Duskfield Grenade, and Winter's Shroud apply Darkness debuffs, adding another 10% increased damage to your Golden Gun with Facet of Courage.
Activating Transcendence refreshes your melee and grenade abilities and provides 5% increased weapon damage for 10 seconds, making the Prismatic Subclass a perfect fit for this build! Mastering this build requires understanding how the Fragments, Abilities, and Aspects work together, as well as perfecting the damage rotation.
WARNING: Still Hunt requires The Final Shape DLC.
- Easy gameplay loop.
- Top tier boss damage.
- High ability uptime and increased damage.
- Survivability is average.
- Ammo economy can be weak.
Gameplay Loop
As a Prismatic Hunter, your gameplay loop consists of using your abilities on cooldown to apply buffs and debuffs. With one Marksman's Dodge you can Slow targets, reload your equipped weapon, and generate Orbs of Power with Reaper. Use Threaded Spike to Sever enemies and become Radiant with Facet of Dawn. Throw your Duskfield Grenade to Slow, then Freeze enemies, providing amazing crowd control while also increasing Light ability damage by 10% with Facet of Courage.
For Ad Clear:
- Start off by using your Threaded Spike to eliminate any red bar enemies. This melee hits up to 9 enemies before returning to you. Catching it reduces the cooldown dramatically. Dodging near enemies Slows them with Winter's Shroud. Defeating these enemies with Bold Endings or any Stasis weapon, triggers Creeping Chill.
- For Elites and Mini-Bosses, use the Duskfield Grenade to Freeze them in place.
- Use Marksman's Dodge off cooldown to trigger Reaper for Orbs of Power. Collecting Orbs gives you Armor Charges, and fills Cayde's Retribution in your Sniper Rifle. Using your dodge again triggers Utility Kickstart for more cooldown and Powerful Attraction to pick up Orbs in range.
Boss DPS Rotation:
- Right before Boss DPS phase starts, activate Cayde's Retribution, followed by Transcendence, and then Golden Gun: Marksman. Triggering these abilities a bit early lets you fire back-to-back shots, skipping the animations and minimizing down time during the DPS Phase.
- Before you shoot the boss, throw your Threaded Spike and Hailfire Spike (the Hunter's Transcendence Grenade) to activate Facet of Courage and become Radiant.
- Avoid standing in Well of Radiance, as it overrides Radiant and prevents your Golden Gun from receiving the 25% damage boost.
- Now shoot your Golden Gun: Marksman, then your Cayde's Retribution shot.
- Next, swap to Apex Predator and fire two rockets. This gives Solar Holster time to reload Still Hunt for you.
- Swap back to your Still Hunt, which now has six shots. If all are Precision Hits, gain another Cayde's Retribution Golden Gun shot. Alternatively, you can fill the meter by collecting Orbs of Power with Powerful Attraction or use Marksman's Dodge to reload for another Precision Shot.
- When the meter is full, hold your reload button to activate Cayde's Retribution and repeat!
Ability Breakdown
Super
- Golden Gun: Marksman - Golden Gun is the epitome of precision damage in end game content. This Super is the top choice for bosses with easy-to-hit precision spots. Celestial Nighthawk transforms Golden Gun into a single, high-damage shot that deals 650% more damage than the default version. It’s also faster than firing three standard shots, allowing you to return quickly to the rest of your damage rotation.
Abilities
- Marksman's Dodge - Dodge during your damage rotation to immediately reload your equipped weapon and gather Orbs of Power with Powerful Attraction.
- Triple Jump - Triple jump is effective but use the jump that feels best for you.
- Threaded Spike - Bounces towards up to 9 enemies within range. Melee attack again when it returns to catch it. Grants melee energy based on the amount of hits scored upon returning. Sever enemies hit for 10 seconds.
- Duskfield Grenade - This grenade Slows targets on impact and Freezes any enemy that is unable to escape the field.
Aspects
- Winter's Shroud - Dodging Slows nearby targets and boosts the regeneration of your Dodge ability.
- Stylish Executioner - Killing enemies affected by any Elemental Debuff grants Invisibility for 8 seconds. Once invisible, melee attacks deal 200% increased damage and Weaken enemies for five seconds.
If enemies are slowed by the Duskfield Grenade but manage to leave the field, Dodge near them to apply more slow stacks to freeze them.
Fragments
- Facet of Courage - Your Light abilities deal 10% increased damage when enemies are afflicted with Darkness Debuffs. In this build, your Darkness Debuffs are Slow, Freeze, and Sever.
- Facet of Protection - While surrounded by enemies, you are more resistant to damage.
- Facet of Dawn - Using your Threaded Spike on an enemy grants you Radiant, providing 25% increased damage for your Super and Solar weapon.
- Facet of Hope - While you have an Elemental Buff, your Dodge regenerates more quickly.
- Facet of Purpose - Picking up an Orb of Power grants you Restoration.
Gearing
Required Gear
Energy Weapon - Still Hunt
- Still Hunt is a brand-new Exotic Sniper Rifle that has the option to mimic a Golden Gun shot. Charge up the Intrinsic perk Cayde's Retribution by hitting precision shots and collecting Orbs of Power. Hold your reload button to activate Cayde's Retribution and deal extra damage with the Sniper Rifle. This weapon also works in conjunction with Celestial Nighthawk, turning the 3 sniper shots into 1 high-damage shot.
How to acquire:
- Complete the "Wild Card" mission from Cayde-6 inside the Pale Heart.
- Note: this exotic is locked behind The Final Shape DLC.
Substitution: Sunshot - If you are not finding the ammo or simply want an easier weapon to use, this hand cannon has infinite ammo and can clear rooms in seconds thanks to Sun Blast.
How to acquire:
- Purchase from Xur (his loot rotates weekly).
- Buy Solar New Light Kit from Ikora Rey and complete the given quest.
- Random drop from an Exotic Engram.
Helmet Slot - Celestial Nighthawk
- For this Celestial Nighthawk Prismatic Hunter Build, you specifically equip this Exotic Helmet to modify your Golden Gun to fire a single, high-damage shot. This also works for the Sniper Rifle, Still Hunt that mimics a Golden Gun by way of Cayde's Retribution.
How to acquire:
- Purchase from Xur (his loot rotates weekly).
- Decrypting exotic engrams at Rahool (it is a random exotic drop, but prioritizes exotics you currently do not have, known as the knockout system).
- Farm the expert lost sector on Helmet Armor days.
- Note: this exotic is not locked behind a DLC.
Stat Priorities
- Resilience > Mobility > Discipline.
- In PvE, Resilience is the most crucial stat to focus on. Aim for 100 Resilience to maximize your damage resistance and shield capacity, ensuring better survivability in challenging encounters.
- Mobility governs your movement speed and jump. This also governs the cooldown on the Hunter's class ability, the Dodge.
- Discipline governs the cooldown on your grenades.
Learn more about the Stats available to you in Destiny 2 with our dedicated guide.
Armor Mods
| Item | Slot | Mandatory Mods | Supporting Mods |
|---|---|---|---|
| Celestial Nighthawk | Helmet | Special Ammo Finder | Stasis Siphon |
| Deep Explorer Grasps | Gloves | Heavy Handed Momentum Transfer Impact Induction | |
| Deep Explorer Vest | Chest | Harmonic Reserves | Harmonic Resistance |
| Deep Explorer Strides | Legs | Stacks on Stacks Harmonic Holster | Recuperation |
| Deep Explorer Cloak | Class Item | Powerful Attraction Reaper Utility Kickstart |
- Optional Mods:
- On your Helmet, replace Stasis Siphon to match the damage type of your Kinetic weapon.
- On your Chest, replace Harmonic Resistance with the appropriate resistance for the activity.
Armor Mods are unlocked by progressing your Guardian Rank. Check out the Guardian Ranks Guide for more information.
Artifact Perks
- Creeping Chill - Useful only if you have a Stasis weapon equipped.
- Void Hegemony - Defeat a Weakened target, get a Void Overshield. Weaken targets with Stylish Executioner.
- Radiant Orbs - Provides an easy way to become Radiant when your Threaded Spike is on cooldown.
- Shieldcrush - Accelerates the recharge rate and increases damage for your melee and grenade abilities.
- Solar Fulmination - Increased the damage of Ignitions created by your abilities and weapons.
- Sniper's Meditation - Sniper Rifle hits grant a stacking damage, stability, and reload bonus. This does not apply to your Cayde's Retribution shot, but it does apply to the rest of your sniper shots.
Recommended Weapons
Kinetic Weapon: Bold Endings - This new Hand Cannon deals Stasis damage and is one of the only two Heavy Burst Hand Cannons in the Kinetic slot. It excels at quickly eliminating enemies and dealing with Overload Hand Cannon Overload Champions. It synergizes perfectly with this build, especially with Desperate Measures, which provides a stacking weapon damage bonus of up to 30%.
Power Weapon: Apex Predator - This Rocket Launcher is the go-to choice for boss DPS, with enhanced Reconstruction and Explosive Light. Being Solar, it benefits from all Harmonic mods on this build. Collect Orbs of Power to activate Explosive Light and maximize boss damage! Apex Predator requires access to the Forsaken DLC pack to unlock from the Last Wish Raid.
Variants
Use this Variant of the Celestial Nighthawk Hunter Build before you finish The Final Shape campaign and acquire Still Hunt from the "Destined Heroes" quest.
Gear Swaps
- Equip the recommended Armor Mods you see on the right if you haven't masterworked your armor yet. These help with the Celestial Nighthawk Hunter gameplay loop.
- Swap Bold Endings for an auto-loading Sniper Rifle like Succession with Reconstruction. Include this weapon in your Boss DPS Rotation. Acquire Successions from the Onslaught activity in the Vanguard Playlist.
- Swap Still Hunt for Sunshot.
- This Hand Cannon spreads Scorch to enemies, adding to your Ignition explosions.
- Swap Apex Predator for Crux Termination IV, a world drop weapon.
- Non-Solar weapons don't benefit from Harmonic mods but they still output good damage.
- Look for a Rocket Launcher or Grenade Launcher with Auto-Loading Holster or Reconstruction to fit into your damage rotation.
Gear Swaps
- Swap Bold Endings for any Stasis weapon.
- Or use a kinetic weapon to charge Transcendence faster.
- Swap Apex Predator for other damage types to match the endgame activity's Surge. Make sure your Rocket Launcher or Grenade Launcher has either Reconstruction or Auto-Loading Holster.
- Arc Surge - Crux Termination IV
- Void Surge - Edge Transit
- Stasis Surge - Cold Comfort
- Strand Surge - Crowning Duologue
- Enhance both perks on all Crafted weapons.
Ability Swaps
- Swap Stylish Executioner for a second Aspect to suit different endgame activities.
- Threaded Specter is great for distracting enemies and adding another Darkness ability to your toolkit.
- Gunpowder Gamble builds on Scorch applied by your Solar weapons and Knife Trick.
Gear Swaps
For the ultimate Boss DPS Rotation during Raids and Dungeons, create a second in-game loadout that has 2x Solar Weapon Surge and 2x Time Dilation Armor Mods. Make sure all your Aspects, Fragments, Abilities, and Weapons remain the same to keep your Super charged full.
- Right before Boss DPS begins, swap to your Surge loadout and pick up a few Orbs of Power. Enjoy 17% increased weapon damage with 18 seconds decay duration for each Armor Charge.
- This Variant is viable as your main loadout, however it does lack ability regeneration for your Marksman's Dodge, which can result in less Orbs of Power and less activations of Cayde's Retribution.
- Swapping loadouts to gain a 17% damage boost is generally unnecessary for most Destiny 2 activities, except for Contest Raids or underleveled challenges.
Summary
This build excels in maintaining control and killing enemies quickly with the Duskfield Grenade and Bold Endings. Your abilities work in tandem with each other to build up your Dodge, which then allows you to deal more damage and manage a whole new group of enemies. Top your fireteam's DPS leaderboard with the lethal combination of Golden Gun, Still Hunt, and Celestial Nighthawk. Easily take down any Raid boss and watch the Sun set on a grateful universe!
Credits
Written by: AbbyHour
Reviewed by: Chadly, Tenkiei