Warlocks enter the Renegades expansion in a comfortable position. Across multiple subclasses—Void, Strand, Solar, Arc, and Prismatic—the class has access to strong ability loops, reliable survivability, and several Exotic armor pieces that received meaningful tuning. The result is a sandbox where you can push high-end survivability, grenade-centric playstyles, or pure damage depending on what the activity demands.

Why These Builds Stand Out

Every build below meets three criteria:

1. Does not rely on seasonal artifact perks.
2. Works with flexible weapon loadouts, so you can bring whatever the activity requires.
3. Provides reliable utility—survivability, crowd control, or burst damage—through subclass synergies and Exotics rather than narrow gimmicks.

These builds will comfortably carry you through the Renegades campaign on either difficulty and scale well into endgame content.

1. Void Warlock – Contraverse Hold Grenade Overload

Void returns as one of the easiest and safest playstyles for Warlocks, thanks to Contraverse Hold’s updated tuning. The Exotic now leans even harder into grenade-centric gameplay and provides a built-in Weaken effect, allowing your grenades to open combat, control space, and sustain ability energy.

Core Exotic

Contraverse Hold

• Improved damage resistance while charging a grenade.
• Built-in Weaken tied to grenade usage.
• Extra grenade charge on several Void grenades.

Recommended Grenades

• Axion Bolt (best tracking and consistency)
• Vortex Grenade (area denial)
• Scatter Grenade (burst AoE)
• Handheld Supernova (aggressive short-range option)

Key Gameplay Loop

1. Charge and throw your grenade to apply Weaken.
2. Secure kills to sustain grenade energy.
3. Re-enter Rift or Devour windows for safety.
4. Repeat while rotating grenades for continuous pressure.

This is one of the most reliable ad-clear builds in the expansion and works exceptionally well in tight indoor combat.

2. Prismatic Warlock – Getaway Artist Arc Soul Engine

This remains one of the most effortless builds for clearing large groups of enemies at high speed. When paired with Prismatic, Getaway Artist receives new buffs to Arc Soul-style companions and improved synergy with several Facets.

Core Exotic

Getaway Artist

• Consuming your Arc grenade creates a powerful Arc Soul that scales with grenade stat.
• Prismatic buffs companion behavior and allows them to jolt targets depending on your Facet setup.

Recommended Subclass Pieces

• Feed the Void for Devour and grenade uptime.
• Bleak Watcher or Hellion depending on whether you want crowd control (Stasis turret) or grenade-based Rift regeneration.
• Facets of Courage, Dominance, Hope, and Protection all support consistent damage and healing.

Gameplay Loop

1. Consume your grenade to spawn a charged Arc Soul.
2. Use ability kills to maintain Devour.
3. Generate Orbs with Firepower or weapon perks to feed Transcendence.
4. Keep Arc Soul active while your fragments enhance ability refunding.

This build performs extremely well in all mid-tier activities and campaign missions.

3. Strand / Prismatic Warlock – Mataiodoxía Needlestorm Burst Build

Mataiodoxía received one of the most meaningful upgrades entering Renegades, enhancing both Arcane Needle and Needlestorm. For pure damage, this is one of the strongest Warlock options available.

Why This Build Works

• Arcane Needle suspends enemies and refunds melee energy on suspended kills.
• Landing three Needles on a single target triggers a larger suspending detonation.
• Needlestorm receives increased damage, especially when all needles connect, making it a top-tier burst super.
• Threadling synergies amplify both ad-clear and boss DPS.

Recommended Setup

Super: Needlestorm
Melee: Arcane Needle
Grenade: Grapple (for reload synergy)
Aspects:

• Weaver’s Call: Deploy Threadlings on Rift use and regenerate class ability energy through Threadling damage.
• The Wanderer: Enhances Tangles and suspension triggers.

Fragments:

• Thread of Fury
• Thread of Ascent (instant reload on grenade activation)
• Thread of Generation
• Thread of Evolution (extra Threadling damage + super energy)

Gameplay Highlights

• Deal damage → generate grenade energy.
• Use Grapple → instantly reload → extend DPS phases.
• Suspend enemies with Arcane Needle → regain melee energy.
• Cast Rift → summon Threadlings that feed your abilities back.

This build is smooth, fast, and extremely strong for boss fights and ad-heavy activities.

4. Prismatic Warlock – Lightning Surge Melee Hybrid (Winter’s Guile / Solipsism)

Prismatic melee builds thrive on high-risk, close-range aggression, and Winter’s Guile helps make that approach more practical by giving your melee a stacking damage buff.

Exotic Options

Winter’s Guile – build damage stacks through melee and finisher kills.
Solipsism – higher consistency with Inmost Light/Synthoceps-style bonuses.

Recommended Subclass Pieces

• Lightning Surge for burst AoE melee.
• Cold Snap Grenade for crowd control and Transcendence setup.
• Feed the Void for sustain.
• Facets that provide survivability and melee refunding.

Gameplay Loop

1. Build stacks with melee and finishers.
2. Enter “berserk-style” state at maximum stacks for amplified melee damage.
3. Use Lightning Surge to burst through dense enemy groups.
4. Maintain Devour for health and ability sustain.

This option is incredibly strong in close-quarters encounters and excels during the Renegades campaign.

5. Solar Warlock – Starfire Protocol Fusion Rotation

Starfire Protocol returns as a stable, high-value Solar option. While it no longer creates the constant missile spam of previous metas, it delivers reliable damage and strong sustain through Radiant and Restoration.

Core Exotic

Starfire Protocol

• Grants two Fusion Grenade charges.
• Grenade kills replenish Rift energy.
• Synergizes extremely well with Radiant uptime.

Subclass Pieces

• Touch of Flame to enhance Fusion Grenades.
• Hellion for consistent Rift regeneration.
• Embers of Torches, Empyrean, Mercy, and Searing for Radiant uptime, healing, and grenade cycle speed.

Gameplay Loop

1. Become Radiant via powered melee (Ember of Torches).
2. Use boosted Fusion Grenades for sustained DPS or high-threat target removal.
3. Generate Orbs and rotate Rifts for Restoration.
4. Maintain Solar buffs through continuous ability usage.

This build delivers consistent performance in both single-target damage and wave-based encounters.

Warlocks have no shortage of strong setups in Destiny 2: Renegades. Whether you prefer the safety of Void grenades, the constant pressure of Arc Souls, or the raw damage potential of Needlestorm, the class has a build that fits every playstyle.

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Each of these builds functions without seasonal modifiers, scales well into endgame activities, and allows full flexibility in weapon choice—making them reliable options for both new players and seasoned Guardians. Play Now!