Bungie and Activision's Destiny 2, the follow-up to its massively popular 2014 online FPS, was a hit when it launched, bringing much of the elements that fans loved from the first game into a new and improved format. There's been a ton of post-launch content for players to enjoy as well, including major expansions like Forsaken and The Witch Queen that have added to the base game and provided more hours of enjoyment. However, Destiny 2's latest offering Lightfall hasn't managed to impress gamers the same way some of its other expansions have, despite adding new exciting subclasses like Strand.
Lightfall might have been met with mixed reviews due in part to a narrative that suffers in comparison to previous expansions like The Witch Queen, but it still has some interesting elements. The introduction of Destiny 2's new Darkness subclass Strand has given players a few unique tricks up their sleeves when it comes to approaching combat, and the reality-bending class even has some intriguing parallels to another fan-favorite franchise. The Elder Scrolls Online's seventh class, the Arcanist, has some definite crossover with Destiny 2's Strand, which might come as a surprise to some due to the stark contrast in genre between the two titles.
Destiny 2's Strand And Elder Scrolls Online's Arcanist
Following in the footsteps of Destiny 2's first Darkness subclass Stasis introduced in Beyond Light, Strand aims to bring something a little different to the table. Before Lightfall's release, there were already rumors of another Darkness subclass, but Strand has surprised more than a few fans with its focus on reality manipulation and entangling. Every main character class also gained a new Strand-based ability, like missiles for Warlocks, blades for Titans, and a rope dart for Hunters, which all aim to shake things up and give gamers more options during combat.
The Elder Scrolls Online's newest class, the Arcanist, has similar aspirations. After years without the introduction of a new class to ZeniMax Online Studios' MMORPG, the reveal that the Arcanist was on the way as part of the upcoming Necrom expansion was met with much excitement. In addition to new locations, original storylines spread over three DLCs, and fresh companion characters, the next Chapter will let gamers channel the magic of Apocrypha to defend, destroy, or even traverse the landscapes in new ways.
Comparing Strand And The Arcanist
On the surface, there are some obvious points of comparison and some obvious disparities between the two. Both the Strand subclass and the Arcanist utilize powers that are tinged with green, giving them an otherworldly and almost ominous look. However, it might also seem strange to compare two playable classes between an online shooter that is firmly rooted in sci-fi and space like Destiny 2 with a fantasy title like The Elder Scrolls Online which contains all the classic tropes of that genre. But it's undeniable that both Strand and the Arcanist seem based in the same camp when it comes to what they can do.
The Arcanist wields powerful magic to manipulate the things around the player, just as the Strand subclasses allows gamers to mess with the extra-dimensional matrix called the Weave and effect their environments as well. One of the most interesting aspects of both Strand and the Arcanist's skillsets is their traversal abilities, with Strand's new movement-based skills and the Arcanist's power to create temporary portals which should really help to open up the map. Although some fans felt that Destiny 2's handling of Strand didn't quite meet expectations, many players are hopeful that the Arcanist will be a formidable new tool in their arsenal.
Destiny 2 is currently available for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.