Destiny 2's selection of armor mods has grown extensively with each new season, and the introduction of Strand as an elemental affinity in the Season of Defiance has significantly changed the game's armor mod system. This new affinity has introduced new mod types that have impacted PvE and PvP gameplay.

Destiny 2: Lightfall has completely revamped build crafting. Alongside the introduction of Strand and the new Light subclass Fragments, the armor mod system has been streamlined to simplify the process. Understanding builds requires mastery of the new armor mods, including the Armor Charge system. Creating effective builds has become more viable with an ever-growing selection of mods each season. Here are some of the best mods currently available in the game:

10. Ammo Scavengers (Best for PvP)

Cost: 2 Energy

Slot: Leg Armor

Ammo scavenger is an excellent weapon mod that applies to leg armor. Players who utilize Ammo Finders will significantly benefit from these mods, effectively doubling or even tripling the amount of ammo received from spawned bricks. In PvP, these mods are essential. With just one mod, you can obtain two rounds per Special ammo brick. Considering that most Special weapons can eliminate Guardians in one shot, this enables you to rapidly accumulate ammo reserves until you have over a dozen rounds at your disposal.

9. Dexterity (Best for PvP)

Cost: 3 Energy

Slot: Leg Armor

Those who prefer shotguns and sniper rifles in Destiny 2 will find that dexterity mods are a great option. These mods improve weapon handling speed, making it easier for players to aim down sights and switch between guns quickly. Fitted onto gauntlets, they are designed to enhance the performance of certain weapon types, such as shotguns, sniper rifles, and hand cannons. Dexterity mods can be helpful in maintaining agility and responsiveness in different situations by catering to players who appreciate quick weapon swaps, quick aim, and fast reload times during combat. Since the quick draw perk was nerfed, the best strategy for PvP players is to use Dexterity mods.

8. Lucent Blade (Best for PvE)

Cost: 2 Energy

Slot: Chest Armor

Lucent Blade is a weapon mod made specifically for swords and glaives, which were recently added to Destiny 2's arsenal. Players can equip this mod on chest armor, and the copies of the mod stack the buff. This mod significantly boosts the effectiveness of swords, particularly against bosses, by increasing their energy recharge rate. Additionally, equipped glaives gain more energy from dealing damage with their ranged attacks. The secondary perk of this mod activates when at least one other Arc mod is socketed into the armor or when at least one other Arc Charged With Light mod is socketed into another piece of armor being worn. Swords with the Relentless Strike perk notably benefit from this mod's buffs.

7. Kickstart Mods( Best for PvE)

Cost: 1-3 Energy

Slot: Gauntlet

Kickstart is another exceptional weapon mod suitable for both PvP and PvE content. It was introduced in Season of the Lost as a gauntlet mod. Kickstart mods offer significant reductions in ability cooldowns. Each mod focuses on one type of ability—grenade, melee, or class ability—and grants a 15% energy refund when the respective energy is fully depleted. If two of the same mods are used, this refund increases to 30%. For instance, equipping two Grenade Kickstart mods on your arms allows for an immediate 30% recovery of grenade energy upon using the grenade ability. When combined with a high Discipline stat, this enables players to throw a substantially increased number of grenades compared to normal, which can work in both PvE and PvP. 

6. Taking Charge (Best for PvE)

Cost: 3 Energy

Slot: Leg Armor

Another excellent mod for high-end PvE content is Taking Charge. For three universal energy in any Year 3 piece of armor, Taking Charge grants one stack of the Charged With Light buff upon picking up an Orb of Power. This applies to both Masterwork Orbs and Super Orbs. Since this mod works in both PvE and PvP, it is one of the most powerful build-enabling mods in the game. If you want to use High-Energy Fire in PvP, equip yourself with a Masterworked gun and this mod. For a Super-oriented build, run Taking Charge alongside Energy Converter to gain even more Super energy from your Orbs of Power. Taking Charge is essential for every Charged with Light build.

5. Ammo Finders(Best for PvE)

Cost: 1-3 Energy

Slot: Leg Armor

Ammo Finder mods increase the likelihood of finding ammo for the specified weapon family when equipped with Primary weapons, particularly Exotic Primaries, enhancing this effect. When equipped, enemies drop an ammo brick after a set number of kills, typically 13 to 17 for Special weapons and 15 to 20 for Heavy weapons. Using a Primary weapon reduces this requirement by a few kills, and Exotic Primaries reduce it even further to around 6-8 kills, ensuring a steady ammo supply during extended PvE encounters.

4. Targeting (Best for PvP)

Cost: 1-3 Energy

Slot: Leg Armor

The targeting mod is arguably the best weapon mod in the game for PvP activities. These mods improve weapon targeting and aim to assist specific elemental types. When equipped with helmets, these mods improve target acquisition and precision aiming with weapons like hand cannons, auto rifles, sniper rifles, and more. Targeting mods help players maintain accuracy and land shots more effectively, especially in fast-paced combat situations like crucible activity. These mods are usually used in PvP activities, although they can be useful in both PvE and PvP activities, letting players adjust their load-outs for the greatest effectiveness with their favorite weapon types.

3. Protective Light (Best for PvE)

Cost: 2 Energy

Slot: Chest Armor

Protective Light mod was introduced in the season of the dawn and is still part of the meta of the game, especially for the players who want to complete the hard activities of the game like dungeons and nightfalls solo. Once Charged with Light, it grants significant damage resistance against combatants upon shield depletion, consuming all stacks of Charged with Light. The duration of this damage resistance increases with the number of stacks consumed. With just two Void energy in any armor piece, players can activate this mod. This grants a substantial 50% damage resistance buff when shields break, ensuring formidable survivability.

2. Damage Resistance Mods(Best for PvE)

Cost: 2 Energy

Slot: Chest Armor

Damage resistance mods are essential for any end-game activity in Destiny 2. These mods decrease incoming damage from a specific damage type by 25%, and stacking two mods increases the reduction to 40%. They can be equipped on chest pieces, allowing players to select from various damage types, including elemental, melee, splash, and sniper damage. Each damage resistance mod provides a significant 25% reduction against its specified damage type. Considering that many of Destiny 2's most dangerous attacks are area damage, the Concussive Dampener mod stands out as arguably the most effective option.

1. Special Finisher (Best for PvE)

Cost: 1 Energy

Slot: Class Item

Special Finisher is one of the best weapon mods available in the game for PvE content. When you finish a target, it spawns a Special ammo brick for you and your allies, using a third of your Super energy. If you don't have at least a third of your Super energy, you can't perform finishers. The spawned brick is a standard Special ammo brick, not an Ammo Finder brick, providing a significant amount of Special ammo. However, its impact is so substantial that Special Finisher becomes compulsory for high-level PvE activities. With at least one fireteam member using this mod, your team will never run out of Special ammo in Nightfalls or raids.

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