Synthoceps Strand Titan Build
Last Updated:February 9, 2025|Changelog
Synthoceps Strand Titan at this point in time is the top of the top for builds. Access to insane healing and melee damage means you’ll be crushing through endgame content with ease. This likely is the main build most Titans want to use for day 1 Final Shape. Even with a multitude of nerfs to Strand Titan this build still stands above the rest. Below is the breakdown for this meta setup including some changes based on your preference.
Just like any melee build with Titan the key to the build is the exotic arms armor, Synthoceps. The armor perk Biotic Enhancements gives a massive damage boost to your melee and super while surrounded. On top of this your weapon handling and reload speed are increased as well. This is also a great option for those looking to use Glaives since they add a +100% increase to their melee damage.
Gameplay Loop
The gameplay loop of Synthoceps Strand Titan is very simple: punch everything. It’s the most Titan core build in the entire game because everything is based on your fists. Using your charged or uncharged melee helps start up the Banner of War aspect. Once you have this going your melee damage increases as well as your healing. Feel free to jump into groups of enemies and start swinging since most targets are rendered one-shot. The more melee damage you do the more your damage and healing increase. Eventually your super bar fills up and I implore you to use it on as many targets as possible. Now it’s obviously best for bosses, but you’ll get this roaming super back fast with simple melee hits.
How do weapons work into this build though? Let’s start first with any One-Two Punch shotgun. This is best for yellow bar or mini-boss targets since it increases the damage of your next melee hit. Please note though this only works for one melee hit per shot. Above we recommend any Into the Light weapons since its Origin Trait Indomitability reads “Final blows grant grenade when playing a Light subclass or melee energy when playing a Darkness subclass.”
Obviously this is great for getting those melee charges back fast. Finally Tractor Cannon is perfect since it’s consistent debuff ability only benefits your high melee damage.
Ability Breakdown
Super
- Bladefury
- When you activate this roaming super your Titan creates two woven blades that allow you to constantly slash targets. Your light attack allows you to Severs targets on hit dealing bonus damage to those affected by Suspend. Each hit briefly increases your attack speed and grants energy to your heavy attack. The heavy attack shoots out two projectiles that Suspend targets while seeking them out. This is a versatile super that only gets stronger using Synthoceps.
Abilities
- Rally Barricade, You likely won't need any use for this, but this is the best option for its shorter cooldown.
- Strafe Lift, Jump of your choice!
- Frenzied Blade, an incredibly strong Melee that Severs. Having three charges of this as well is incredibly powerful!
- Grapple, a great option for mobility that includes a powerful Melee strike that Unravels foes.
Aspects
- Into the Fray, A great aspect for Synthocep Strand Titan to consistently keep up damage reduction with Woven Mail and melee energy for your Frenzied Blade.
- Banner of War, Easily the strongest Titan aspect if not in the entire game. Simply doing melee, finisher, or sword damage increases your damage while healing you. Additionally, your entire team gets to benefit from both the healing and the damage buffs as well if they're nearby!
To make the build work efficently, you should keep up Banner of War as much as possible. Just keep punching!
Fragments
- Thread of Generation, a no-brainer Fragment that gives you Grenade Ability energy for simply doing damage.
- Thread of Fury, Spawning Tangle everywhere helps you gain extra melee energy.
- Thread of Warding, An easy way to ensure that you always have Woven Mail available.
- Thread of Continuity, You should be consistently activating suspend, unravel, and severe effects so this ensures they last longer.
Gearing
Required Gear and Weapons
Required: Synthoceps.
Substitution: Wormgod Caress.
How to acquire:
- Purchase from Xur (his loot rotates weekly).
- Decrypting exotic engrams at Rahool.
- Note: these exotics are not locked behind a DLC.
- Completing the Exalting The Flame New Light quest from Ikora Rey grants Synthoceps.
Recommend Weapons
- Kinetic Weapon: Breachlight - with Pugilist and Desperate Measures pair with this Episode's synergistic Artifact Perks to make an already high-powered Primary Ammo Weapon even stronger. This Weapon drops from Episode Echoes activities, though feel free to use any Strand Primary Ammo Weapon you already have.
- Energy Weapon: Retold Tale - This Shotgun is freely obtainable from the Dreaming City, though all that matters is having a Shotgun with One-Two Punch to increase melee damage.
- Power Weapon: Tractor Cannon - This inflicts a 30% Weaken onto targets, supporting your melee damage and your team. Also it has the ability to stun Overload champions with Suppression. This Exotic is among the first you obtain as a New Light.
Stat Priorities
- Resilience > Discipline > Recovery.
- Resilience is the amount of damage you can take before dying, as well as your shield capacity.
- Discipline is how fast you get your grenade back.
- Recovery is how fast you begin to regenerate health after taking damage.
Learn more about the Stats available to you in Destiny 2 with our dedicated guide.
Armor Mods
Item | Slot | Mandatory Mods | Supporting Mods |
---|---|---|---|
Deep Explorer Helmet | Helmet | Special Ammo Finder Heavy Ammo Finder | Hands-On |
Synthoceps | Gloves | Heavy Handed x3 | |
Deep Explorer Plate | Chest | Solar Resistance Arc Resistance Void Resistance | |
[d2-item id=2351264197]Deep Explorer GreavesExplorer Strides[/d2-item] | Legs | Invigoration Recuperation | Invigoration |
Deep Explorer Mark | Class Item | One-Two Finisher Reaper Outreach |
- Optional Mods:
- On your Helmet, add Hands-On for additional Super energy generation.
- On your Legs, add an additional Invigoration for greater melee energy generation when picking up an Orb of Power.
Armor Mods are unlocked by progressing your Guardian Rank. Check out the Guardian Ranks Guide for more information.
Artifact Mods
- Piercing Sidearms
- Gives your Primary and Special Ammo Sidearms Anti Barrier capabilities, allowing them to break the invulnerable shields of Barrier Champions.
- Volatile Marksman
- Scoring rapid precision hits or kills with Void Weapons grants them Volatile Rounds, additionally giving them Anti Barrier capabilities.
- Unraveling Orbs
- Picking up an Orb of Power or a Tangle grants your Strand Weapons Unraveling Rounds, additionally giving them Anti Barrier capabilities.
- Dreadful Finisher
- Finishing powerful combatants creates Special Ammo for you and your fireteam. More Ammo is generated when Finishing Subjugators, Tormentors, and Champions.
- Disruptor Spike
- Increases the potency of your Sever and Exhaustion debuffs, further lowering enemy damage (Overloading effects Exhaust enemies, lowering their damage).
- Horde Shuttle
- Unraveled enemies occasionally release Threadlings when they take Weapon damage.
- Elemental Supercharger
- Defeating Severed and Exhausted enemies with an Elemental Weapon with the same affinity as your equipped Super Ability grants you additional Super Energy (Overloading effects Exhaust enemies, lowering their damage).
- Void Flux
- Defeating Weakened enemies with a Void Weapon creates an explosion, enemies damaged by it become Volatile. Stronger enemies create a larger explosion.
Summary
If you want the most Titan core build in Destiny 2 this is the perfect option! Synthoceps Strand Titan is a perfect setup for Legend Campaigns and any endgame content in the game. If you want to run around punching everything while staying at high health, Strand is the best option. Bungie's numerous attempts to nerf Banner of War haven’t slowed this build down whatsoever.
Credits
Written by: Byrdman
Reviewed by: Chunky, Dredscythe