Destiny 2 guide: How to unlock subclasses

When you first start Destiny 2, you will have access to one subclass: Striker Titan, Voidwalker Warlock and Gunslinger Hunter. However, after the first story mission, you will lose this subclass and have to gather another in the next mission. For the first several levels of the game you will be forced to play as the Sentinel Titan, Dawnblade Warlock or Arcstrider Hunter.

If these are not your favorite subclasses, don’t worry: You can reclaim the light that you lost as well as the abilities that come with it. In this guide, we’ll show you how to unlock your subclasses.

How to find subclass relic items

Bungie/Activision

For both your second and third subclasses, you will have to reclaim a relic. To rediscover the Gunslinger Hunter, for example, you will need to find the Melted Handcannon relic.

• Battered Gauntlet Titan Relic: Striker subclass
• Melted Hammer Titan Relic: Sunbreaker subclass
• Warped Armlet Warlock Relic: Voidwalker subclass
• Cracked Talisman Warlock Relic: Stormcaller subclass
• Melted Hand Cannon Hunter Relic: Gunslinger subclass
• Fractured Arrow Hunter Relic: Nightstalker subclass

Locating these relics is fairly easy but requires a bit of luck. You’ll find them in a wide variety of chests during activities. In our experience, doing Lost Sectors and Public Events seems to be a reliable way of picking them up with relatively little grinding required.

Relics come in a specific order, and you cannot get the third subclass before you get the second. In other words, Titans will reclaim Striker second and Sunbreaker third, with Warlocks reclaiming Voidwalker then Stormcaller and Hunters getting Gunslinger and then Nightstalker. It seems that the second relic will start showing up for players between levels five and 10, whereas we were not able to find the third relic until level 14.

Once you find these relics, they will pop into your subclass inventory. But before you can regain your abilities, you will need to “remember the light.” While you have these relics in your inventory, complete Public Events and defeat enemies. Once you have done this (there is a little progress bar on the relic that will tell you how close you are), you will unlock a new mission to reclaim your powers.

Reclaim your light

Bungie/Activision

Once you have a fully charged relic, jump out to the Destinations menu and select the EDZ on Earth. At the top of the map there will be a big, glowing triangle for you to click on. Launching this mission will land you in the European Dead Zone around the Shard of the Traveler.

Make your way through the mission, killing enemies and listening to the origin of your subclass. After going through some portals, you will find your way to the Shard of the Traveler.

With your renewed strength, you will be asked to decimate all the enemies in the area. Large glowing beacons of light will provide you with limitless amounts of Super energy, so jump in the beacons and activate your new ability over and over again. After you kill all the enemies and the final boss of the mission, you will be returned back to Orbit, able to equip and upgrade your new subclass.