This is my Solo PVE activities build, good for running around doing regular content in the open world, seasonal activities, and vanguard playlist strikes. It's not particularly strong in groups for more difficult content because it's kill dependent to maintain its high uptime.

My playstyle is generally a lot of sprinting, using cover for precision shots, opportunistically using grenades and close burst DPS on the move, and using Healing Rift to hold positions for sustained DPS. I'm on PC using low-sensitivity mouse+keyboard.

The Loop

Trigger actions:

• Target groups of red bars, applying status effects Blind and Jolted using your Flashback Grenades and weapons.
• Cast your Healing Rift for durability and Arc Buddy bonus damage.

Chaining actions:

• Keep getting rapid kills with grenades, special weapons, and abilities to generate Orbs and Ionic Traces.
• Blinded or Jolted kills create Ionic Traces that restores Ability energy and grants Amplified (buff to weapon handling, mobility).
• Maintain Armor Charge for damage buff to arc (17%) and strand (10%)
• Stay Amplified by picking up Ionic Traces to keep buffs to handling (+40), mobility (+50), and damage resistance.

The Loadout

Exotic Armor Piece

The increase in Ability energy is double the normal amount: +25% grenade/mele energy, +30% class energy. Allies also receive +10% ability energy. Note that Super energy is not increased.

Weapon Loadout

The workhorse weapons help create Ionic Traces (e.g. weapons with Voltshot that are optimized for fast reload). I have base main weapon loadouts:

For Undemanding PVE

For Anti-Barrier and Overload Champions

Subclass: Arc Stormcaller

ABILITIES

• Super - Chaos Reach will Jolt target, chaining lightning.
• Charged Melee - Ball Lightning strikes target and calls down lightning.
• Grenade - Flashbang Grenade damages and Blinds targets.

I'm using Ball Lightning because of its powered range over Chain Lightning which is a bit better for keeping enemies at a distance. Likewise, using Flashbang grenades help with keeping distance and apply Blind to setup for Ionic Trace generation on kill. With short cooldown, Flashbang grenades are also up more frequently despite their lower damage.

ASPECTS

• Arc Soul - Your rift creates an Arc Buddy. When Amplified, the Arc Buddy is stronger. Your rift also recharges faster when Allies are near.
• Electrostatic Mind - Kills by any Ability or Jolted/Blinded status will generate an Ionic Trace which will Amplify you and grant more Ability energy.

FRAGMENTS

• Spark of Shock - Your grenades will also apply Jolt
• Spark of Amplitude - When Amplified, rapid kills create Orbs
• Spark of Ions - Jolted Kill create an Ionic Trace (stack w/ Electrostatic Mind)
• Spark of Beacons - When Amplified, Kill by special weapon procs Blinding Explosion

For more survivability, I can swap out Ions and/or Beacons with:

• Spark of Haste - Increase resiliance, recovery, mobility by +30 when sprinting.
• Spark of Resistance - Increases damage resistance when Surrounded (-40% damage)

Armor and Seasonal Artifact Mods

SELECTED ARMOR MODS

• Helmet: Arc Siphon x2 (rapid kills generate Orbs)
• Arms: Arc Loader (faster arc weapon reloads), Firepower x2 (grenade kills generate Orbs)
• Chest: Charged Up (increase max Armor Charge by 1), Melee Damage Resistance (15% dmg reduction from nearby enemies)
• Legs: Weapon Surge x2 (increase weapon damage based on armor charge), Absolution (gain Ability energy when picking up an Orb)
• Class: Distribution (gain Ability energy when casting Rift near targets), Time Dilation (increases duration of Armor Charges)

For personal playstyle preferences:

• Helmet: Special Ammo Finder (trace rifle ammo)
• Chest: Concussive Dampener (15% AOE dmg reduction)

SELECTED SEASON 21 ARTIFACT MODS

These are bonus Season of the Deep Artifact mods that further enhance this arc build, but are not listed in THE LOOP details.

• Authorized Mods: Arc - The armor energy costs of all armor mods affecting your Arc weapons are significantly discounted.
• Technicolor Siphon - Combines Strand Siphon and Arc Siphon into a single mod.
• Electric Armor - Stay Amplified longer while your Arc subclass is equipped.
• Amped Up - Being Amplified grants you damage resistance.

Additionally, these Season of the Deep Artifact mods are for general utility:

• Anti-Barrier Auto Rifle - allows Quicksilver Storm to shoot through shields!
• Overload Trace Rifle - allows Path of Least Resistance to stun!
• Counter Charge - grants armor charge when stunning a champion!