Intro to Destiny Rising Best Kabr Build
Kabr is an Arc Defense character in Destiny: Rising who excels at protecting allies and holding the frontline. This guide covers the best Kabr builds, weapons, and Artifacts for both PvP and PvE, along with recommended alternatives and top teammates to maximize his potential.
PVP Defense
Recommended Weapons
Primary WeaponHeavy WeaponDEL2 Sweet Ears
Gallows
Recommended Artifacts
Slot 1Resolute NutationSlot 2
Healing NutationSlot 3
Bellicose PrecessionSlot 4
Rampaging Precession
Kabr’s barrier is less impactful in PvP, making him more reliant on his rapid-fire weapons. That said, it can still be worth building around his barrier when used under the right conditions, as it can turn the tide of certain engagements.
PVE Defense
Recommended Weapons
Primary WeaponHeavy WeaponDEL2 Sweet Ears
Heir Apparent
Recommended Artifacts
Slot 1Inverted GuardSlot 2
Bulwark PactSlot 3
Inverted FurySlot 4
Inverted Vengeance
Kabr’s core strength lies in using his barrier to shield himself and his team. To maximize this, you’ll want a build that enhances his defensive playstyle, paired with weapons that let him safely shred enemies from behind the barrier.
PvP Weapons
Primary HeavyRecommended
DEL2 Sweet EarsStrong Range and Stability make it easy to outrange opponents.
Increased minimum damage outside effective range punishes enemies trying to stay safe.
Culture Clash’s Perk Upgrade offers no value against other players.
Alternative
Furies IIIFire rate increases with sustained fire.
Hitting Criticality Points can be tricky, but rewarding.
Skilled opponents may play defensively to counter its strengths.
UltimatumWell-balanced weapon that’s easy to handle.
Free reloads from final blows on broken shields make chaining kills easier.
Relies on strong Traits to reach full potential.
Recommended
GallowsHoming Void grenades help secure guaranteed damage.
Faster reload speed compared to most Machine Guns.
Polarized Rifling has limited value unless targeting fleeing enemies.
Alternative
Scorched EarthLarge magazine reduces downtime from reloading.
Avoid reloading early to fully benefit from its Intrinsic Trait.
Strong Traits are needed to bring out its full potential.
In PvP, Kabr relies more heavily on his weapons, with Gallows being his best option thanks to its homing grenades—provided you can land your shots. That said, Furies III and Scorched Earth are also solid alternatives if you’d prefer not to use Gallows.
PvE Weapons
Primary HeavyRecommended
DEL2 Sweet EarsStrong Range and Stability make it easy to outrange opponents.
Increased minimum damage outside effective range punishes enemies trying to stay safe.
Culture Clash’s Perk Upgrade offers no value against other players.
Alternative
Furies IIIFire rate increases with sustained fire.
Hitting Criticality Points can be tricky, but rewarding.
Skilled opponents may play defensively to counter its strengths.
UltimatumWell-balanced weapon that’s easy to handle.
Free reloads from final blows on broken shields make chaining kills easier.
Relies on strong Traits to reach full potential.
Recommended
Heir ApparentExcellent for clearing waves of enemies.
Vulnerable to strong attacks that can break the shield.
Less effective on teams that prefer mobility over holding ground.
Alternative
GallowsGreat at mob clearing with its extra Void grenades.
Faster reload speed than most Machine Guns.
Polarized Rifling allows safer ranged play.
Scorched EarthLarge magazine reduces reload downtime.
Avoid reloading early to take full advantage of its Intrinsic Trait.
Strong Traits are needed to maximize its potential.
BVD4 AkutaakSlow fire rate with high damage makes landing hits easier.
Less effective on teams that prefer constant movement.
Culture Clash’s Perk Upgrade is especially strong against Fallen or Cabal enemies.
For Kabr’s PvE build, his Exotic choice is fairly flexible. Heir Apprent is often preferred since it can shred tougher enemies and bosses, but you can comfortably swap to another Exotic if it better suits your playstyle or team needs.
PvP Artifacts
Slot 1 Slot 2 Slot 3 Slot 4Best Artifact
Resolute NutationReliable way to gain damage reduction as long as you keep hitting enemies.
Play cautiously until the buff is fully stacked.
Riskier in PvP, where flanks and burst damage can catch you off guard.
Alternate Options
Inverted GuardStrong emergency lifeline to help Supports survive.
Generally useful for any character needing extra survivability.
Less effective in well-coordinated teams that can reliably sustain each other.
Best Artifact
Healing NutationServes as a strong emergency option when your HP drops too low.
Gives Supports more time and leeway to heal you.
Dropping below 38% HP is already dangerous, so it’s best not to rely on being in that range.
Alternate Options
Bulwark PactIncreases the durability of summons, keeping them in combat longer.
Indirectly boosts team survivability by forcing enemies to deal with summons first.
Less effective in PvP, where players can often just ignore the summons.
Best Artifact
Bellicose PrecessionIncreased Rate of Fire directly boosts overall DPS.
Scales better with weapons that have larger magazine sizes.
Keep an eye on Heavy Weapon ammo to avoid running out too quickly.
Alternate Options
Inverted FuryRequires multiple shield-generation methods to keep the buff active.
Consistent shielding lets Supports redirect healing to others.
More effective in PvE where it’s easier to stay safe and maintain shields.
Best Artifact
Rampaging PrecessionReliable damage buff that’s always valuable.
If you don’t have the buff yet, land 10 hits and reload immediately to activate it.
Keep landing shots to maintain the buff between reloads.
Alternate Options
Inverted VengeanceStrong offensive buff that boosts the damage of defense-oriented builds.
Becomes more effective when you have multiple ways to generate shields.
Works best with at least a 130–100 current-to-initial shield ratio.
Kabr’s signature barrier isn’t particularly strong in PvP since opponents can easily maneuver around it. For this reason, his PvP build should primarily focus on his rapid-fire weapons.
That said, if you can secure a strong position or face enemies with slow, telegraphed projectiles, a barrier-focused build can still be worthwhile.
PvE Artifacts
Slot 1 Slot 2 Slot 3 Slot 4Best Artifact
Inverted GuardExcellent emergency lifeline to keep Supports alive.
Useful on any character needing extra survivability.
Slightly less effective in coordinated teams that can reliably sustain each other.
Alternate Options
Resolute NutationProvides reliable damage reduction when continuously hitting enemies.
Play cautiously until the buff is fully stacked.
Risky in PvP, as flanks and burst damage can quickly overcome you.
Best Artifact
Bulwark PactIncreases the durability of summons, keeping them in combat longer.
Indirectly boosts team survivability by forcing enemies to deal with summons first.
Less effective in PvP, where players can often just ignore the summons.
Alternate Options
Healing NutationSimple way to sustain HP during combat.
Requires good ammo management and aim to be effective.
Less valuable in teams or situations where staying safe is easy.
Best Artifact
Inverted FuryNeeds multiple shield-generation methods to keep the buff active.
Consistent shield generation allows Supports to redirect healing elsewhere.
More effective in PvE, where it’s easier to stay safe and maintain shields.
Alternate Options
Bellicose PrecessionHigher Rate of Fire directly increases DPS.
Scales better with larger magazine sizes.
Keep track of Heavy Weapon ammo to avoid running out.
Best Artifact
Inverted VengeanceStrong offensive buff that boosts the damage of defense-oriented builds.
Becomes more effective when you have multiple ways to generate shields.
Works best with at least a 130–100 current-to-initial shield ratio.
Alternate Options
Rampaging PrecessionReliable damage buff that’s always useful.
If the buff isn’t active, land 10 hits and reload immediately to trigger it.
Keep landing hits to maintain the buff between reloads.
In PvE, Kabr’s primary role is to use his Signature 2 to deploy his barrier. To maximize its effectiveness, run an Artifact set that enhances his survivability and strengthens the barrier. Alternatively, you can opt for a rapid-fire build to help him quickly take down tougher enemies and bosses.
Recommended Teammates
PVP
Tan-2Stationary buffs work well with Kabr’s barrier.
Lets Tan-2 safely hold position and pick off enemies with a sniper.
Less effective if enemies bypass or destroy the barrier.
IkoraKabr’s barrier lets Ikora safely unleash AoE attacks on enemies.
He can finish off any foes that survive her AoE with his rapid-fire weapons.
Less effective if she’s running an airborne-focused build.
These characters synergize well with Kabr in PvP, though their effectiveness depends on your overall team composition and may vary with other teammates.
PvE
Tan-2Stationary buffs complement Kabr’s barrier.
Allows Tan-2 to safely stay back, healing allies and dealing damage.
Kabr provides sustained weapon damage, while Tan-2 focuses on burst damage.
IkoraKabr’s barrier lets Ikora safely cast AoE attacks on enemies.
He can finish off any foes that survive her AoE with rapid-fire weapons.
Less effective if she’s running an airborne-focused build.
These characters pair well with Kabr in PvE, though their effectiveness can vary depending on the mission. Be sure to confirm they’re a solid pick before using them.
Conclusion
Kabr is a versatile Arc Defense character who excels at protecting allies with his barrier while dealing sustained damage with rapid-fire weapons. In PvE, his build can focus on survivability and barrier utility or on shredding tougher enemies and bosses. In PvP, Kabr is generally more effective when relying on his weapons, though his barrier can still be useful in the right positions or against predictable projectiles. With the right teammates and build, Kabr can be a reliable frontline protector and damage dealer across multiple game modes.
Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Q)
❓ Is Kabr good in PvP?
Kabr is more weapon-focused in PvP since his barrier can be easily bypassed. Positioning and rapid-fire weapons are key to his effectiveness.
❓ What’s Kabr’s main role in PvE?
He excels at deploying his barrier to protect allies while dealing sustained damage with rapid-fire weapons.
❓ Which weapon should Kabr use?
Gallows is the best PvP choice for homing grenades, while Heir Apprent is excellent for shredding tougher enemies in PvE. Alternatives like Furies III or Scorched Earth are viable if you prefer.
❓ Which Artifact sets work best for Kabr?
In PvE, a defensive set enhances his barrier, while a rapid-fire set helps him deal with bosses and tough mobs. In PvP, focus on builds that boost weapon performance and survivability.
❓ Who are the best teammates for Kabr?
Teammates who can hold position, provide buffs, or deal burst damage complement his barrier and sustained DPS, like Tan-2 or Ikora in PvE.
