Phoenix Protocol Solar Warlock Build
Last Updated:October 10, 2024|Change Log
Welcome to the Phoenix Protocol Solar Warlock Build Guide! This build harnesses the power of the Exotic chest armor Phoenix Protocol, which dramatically accelerates your Super regeneration through kills and assists while you are within your Well of Radiance. The primary objective of this build is to provide exceptional team support. By casting your Super ability frequently, you can continuously support your team and even have the potential to lay down a second Super before the first one expires!
Another key feature of this Warlock build is its ability to spread Scorch and trigger Ignitions from a distance, primarily through the use of Polaris Lance and your Fusion Grenade. These Ignitions provide substantial ad-clear capabilities and can effectively deal with Unstoppable Champions. With its high damage output, your primary weapon can function as a pseudo-special weapon, offering unlimited ammo as long as you land precision shots.
WARNING: Deliverance requires access to the Witch Queen DLC pack to unlock from the Vow of the Disciple raid.
- Fast Super Regen.
- Frequent Ignitions.
- Ultimate support build.
- Best played in a team setting.
- Requires medium to high ad density.
Gameplay Loop
Using Phoenix Protocol, the gameplay loop for a Solar Warlock is straightforward: generate your Well of Radiance as quickly as possible.
- Begin by consuming your Fusion Grenade to activate Heat Rises, allowing you to glide freely in the air while firing weapons or throwing grenades. Airborne final blows rapidly regenerate your melee ability and extend the duration of Heat Rises.
- Capitalize on this with Impact Induction to gain grenade energy on melee hits, and Ashes to Assets to boost your Super energy from grenade kills.
- When you're airborne, use Phoenix Dive immediately after Heat Rises to gain stacks of Restoration, keeping you healed and in the action.
- Once your Super energy is full, cast Well of Radiance. While inside the Well, kills and assists rapidly refund Super energy, up to 50%. Grenade kills and Ignitions further accelerate Super regeneration, enabling you to potentially cast a second Well before the first expires.
- Use Phoenix Dive to collect nearby Orbs of Power, topping off your Super and activating Solar Weapon Surge. With Phoenix Protocol, you maximize your support role by keeping your fireteam empowered and protected.
Ability Breakdown
Super
- Well of Radiance
- Use your Well of Radiance as a gathering point for your fireteam. While inside the Well, allies receive constant healing, increased damage resistance, and 25% increased damage while Radiant. Upon leaving the Well, allies retain the Radiant buff for 8 seconds. Paired with Phoenix Protocol, this Solar Warlock Super is cast frequently, ensuring continuous support for your team.
WARNING: Being in a Well of Radiance removes any active Restoration effect, so it needs to be reapplied after the Well has ended.
Abilities
- Phoenix Dive - Jump in the air and activate your class ability. You and surrounding allies gain 2 stacks of Cure. This class ability works in conjunction with Heat Rises, to give you Restoration.
- Burst Glide - Your jump ability is up to you, but the example setup uses Burst Glide.
- Celestial Fire - Send out a spiral of three explosive Solar bolts, Scorching targets on hit.
- Fusion Grenade - An explosive grenade that sticks to enemies and detonates after a short time. Spreads Scorch on detonation.
Aspects
- Touch of Flame - Causes your Fusion Grenade to explode a second time.
- Heat Rises - Gives the ability to glide without being interrupted by shooting, using your melee ability and throwing grenades. Any kills while airborne feed into your melee energy regeneration and extend the aspect's buff duration.
Fragments
- Ember of Ashes - All sources of Scorch apply more stacks.
- Ember of Benevolence - Restoration, Cure and Radiant applied to a teammate grants increased ability regeneration for a short time.
- Ember of Torches - Powered melee hits grant Radiant to you and your allies.
- Ember of Empyrean - All Solar weapon and ability final blows extend the duration of active Radiant and Restoration buffs.
Gearing
Required Gear and Weapons
Phoenix Protocol - Kills and assists you get while standing in your Well of Radiance return Super energy. This return is capped at 50%. Have your teammates stand in your Well while they get kills to reach this cap faster.
How to acquire:
- Purchase from Xur if available.
- Decrypt Exotic engrams at Rahool.
- Farm the expert lost sector on Chest armor days.
- Complete the Vex Strike Force Public Event on Neomuna.
- This Exotic armor piece is not locked behind the purchase of any DLC.
Stat Priorities
- Resilience > Discipline > Recovery
- 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.
- Discipline decreases the cooldown on your grenade ability, allowing it to charge faster.
- Recovery governs the cooldown on the Warlocks class ability and decreases the time it takes to regenerate your health and shields.
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 Hood | Helmet | Harmonic Siphon Ashes to Assets | Heavy Ammo Finder |
| Deep Explorer Gloves | Gloves | Impact Induction Firepower | Fastball |
| Phoenix Protocol | Chest | Charged Up | Harmonic Resistance Harmonic Reserves |
| Deep Explorer Boots | Legs | Solar Weapon Surge Solar Weapon Surge | Recuperation |
| Deep Explorer Bond | Class Item | Powerful Attraction Time Dilation | Bomber |
- Optional Mods:
- On your Chest, replace Harmonic Resistance with the appropriate resistance for the activity.
- On your Class Item, replace Bomber with Outreach for reduced melee cooldown.
Armor Mods are unlocked by progressing your Guardian Rank. Check out the Guardian Ranks Guide for more information.
Artifact Perks
- Fell the Revenant - Deal increased weapon damage to Scorn which are plentiful in Episode: Revenant.
- Rapid Impacts - Dealing damage with a Grenade Launcher temporarily increases the reload speed of Grenade Launchers.
- Total Carnage - Finishing enemies grants damage resistance!
- Concussive Reload - Using a Grenade Launcher to damage a boss, damage a Champion, or break a combatant's shield weakens them.
- Kinetic Impacts - Sustained damage with a Power Grenade Launcher causes the combatant to emit a shockwave that damages nearby combatants. This shockwave can stun Unstoppable Champions.
Recommend Weapons
Kinetic Weapon: Deliverance - A Fusion Rifle capable of stunning both Overload and Unstoppable Champions when rolled with Chill Clip. WARNING: Acquired from the Vow of the Disciple raid and requires the Witch Queen DLC.
Energy Weapon: Polaris Lance - An amazing long range weapon choice when paired with the Solar subclass. Able to prime Ignitions by spreading Scorch with its intrinsic effect, The Perfect Fifth.
Power Weapon: Marsilion-C - A Legendary world drop Solar weapon to take advantage of all the Grenade Launcher Artifact Perks in Episode: Revenant. Look for the perks Envious Assassin and Cascade Point.
Variants
Gear Swaps
- Equip the recommended Armor Mods you see on the right if you haven't masterworked your armor yet. These only require 4-5 energy and help with the gameplay loop of this Phoenix Protocol Warlock Build.
- Swap Polaris Lance to Sunshot or a legendary primary weapon with Incandescent.
- Sunshot and weapons with Incandescent mimic the Scorch effect from The Perfect Fifth. Use during shorter range engagements and activities.
- Swap Deliverance for The Mountaintop to use another powerful Special weapon. This grenade launcher, acquired from Onslaught in the Vanguard Playlist, provides exceptional burst damage and crowd control.
Ability Swaps
- Swap Heat Rises and Ember of Empyrean with Icarus Dash and Ember of Eruption.
- While removing some of the self healing and ability regeneration, this swap offers some movement tech and increases the range of your Ignitions. This makes for an equally offensive but different playstyle.
Gear Swaps
- Use Witherhoard during boss damage to apply a damage-over-time effect before swapping to your Heavy weapon.
- Swap Polaris Lance for Aberrant Action, a high-damage Rocket Sidearm that excels at quickly dealing with tougher enemies.
Summary
If you want to play a support, the Phoenix Protocol Solar Warlock is the build for you. Your Well of Radiance buffs your allies damage and defenses while ensuring they remain healthy. In return, they help you generate more Super Energy to drop another Well of Radiance. Become the legendary Phoenix and empower your team with Solar Light and immortality!
Credits
Written by: AbbyHour
Reviewed by: Tenkiei