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Destiny 2 is a lot of things. It's arguably one of the most popular online multiplayer games of this generation. It is a shifting, morphing entity with consistent content releases, seasonal updates, and rich lore. With the release of its fifth expansion, Witch Queen, Bungie has further augmented and enhanced the experience with additions, including Savathun's Throne World and the Enclave.
Destiny's long history makes it a daunting game to try and jump into. As a result, new players usually have questions like, "What do I do first?" or "Where do I go next?" throughout their initial experience. Understanding how overwhelming this can be for those looking to play Destiny, we have constructed a guide to help get up to speed! Are you ready, Guardian?
10 Getting Started: The Basics
First things first, you must create a character. At this stage, players should choose the class that best suits their style of play. Titans have extraordinary defensive abilities, allowing them to protect themselves and their teammates. Warlocks have exceptional utility-based abilities providing healing and damage-boosting capabilities to their teammates. Last but not least, Hunters have incredible tactical and movement-based abilities that will provide guardians stealth and evasiveness. Furthermore, the game lets players create up to three characters, allowing you to have one of each if one desires.
9 Progressing Through The Story So Far
Destiny's lore spans thousands of years across space and time. Players known as "Guardians" are caught in the middle of an interplanetary war between the powers of Light and Darkness. The Light embodies a massive spherical entity known as the Traveler.
The Darkness is a mysterious and malevolent force threatening to overtake all the Light inhabits and is currently closing in on the galaxy the Traveler resides in. Guardians are empowered with Light by fragments of the Traveler known as Ghosts. This fragment resurrects its respective Guardian each time they die.
8 The Expanded Tutorial: New Light
Destiny 2's original tutorial is notorious for being too short and failing to providing new players with enough information to confidently move forward. With Beyond Light, the last major expansion before Witch Queen, Bungie created a new tutorial, New Light. This quest properly introduces what the game offers. Along the way, players will unlock activities and destinations while the game explains how everything works on a fundamental level. You begin this quest by either starting a new character or acquiring it from the Quest Archive located in the central hub of the game, the Tower.
7 It's Over 9000!
In Destiny, the player's equipped gear determines their Power Level. With the addition of the Witch Queen, the base Power Level is a minimum of 1350 for every starting character. This allows players to jump into the core activities of Destiny as soon as they load into the game. As you progress towards more challenging undertakings, you'll need a higher Power Level. You can increase it by replacing your current gear or infusing it with something more powerful. Additionally, there are tiers of level caps that require the completion of complex missions to progress further. These tiers include the "Soft Cap," "Powerful Gear," and "Pinnacle Gear."
6 Gimme the Loot!
One of the most fascinating aspects of the game is the journey for more loot. Bungie has this covered and Destiny 2 has a ton of weapons and armor to discover. Gear is separated into different rarity levels, including Rare, Legendary, and Exotic. Like other looter shooters or MMO games, rarity levels play varying roles at different stages of the game. In the beginning, players must rely on rare items to make progress.
Once replaced with legendary and exotic gear, rare items are used to upgrade equipped items using infusion. Furthermore, you're only allowed to have one exotic weapon and armor equipped at a time. Exotics are among the most significant focal points of a loadout and are usually the building block. With mods and master working, players can enhance gear and optimize their playstyle further.
5 So... Now What?
So you're done with the tutorial and the introductory quest; now what? The New Light quest is only the tip of the iceberg. However, this is when the game's community begins to segment into two groups:
- Experiencing as much free-to-play content as possible and later deciding if spending money on Destiny 2's expansions would be worth it.
- You have the Witch Queen and/or the 30th Anniversary expansions installed and ready to go!
If you're a part of the first group, you currently have the following activities available to complete in this preferred order:
- New Light
- Vanguard Playlist Strikes
- Powerful/Pinnacle Gear Weekly Missions
- Nightfalls and Ordeals
- The Prophecy Dungeon
Slowly working through this list will allow New Light players to reach the endgame without spending a dime.
4 Making Your Way To The Endgame
Once adequately leveled up and equipped with good gear, it's time to attempt the most challenging missions in the game. Some of these activities even offer weekly bonuses in Pinnacle gear. The following activities give you the highest chance of coming across solid gear: raids, dungeons, nightfalls, and lost sectors.
Raids are challenging, puzzling, complex, and rewarding. Occurring in some of the most remarkable destinations, they require a squad of six to rely on coordination, communication, and skill — making them particularly difficult.
Dungeons are essentially smaller versions of Raids, only requiring a three-person Fireteam, however they require the same degree of teamwork. Nightfalls and Ordeals are more difficult versions of strikes with additional modifiers and conditions. Legend and Master Lost Sectors are recent additions rewarding exclusive exotic armor pieces.
3 Step Up And Enter The Crucible
This is preferably the last bastion for those who've already acquired the best setup possible. PVP in Destiny is very competitive and can be grueling for those who haven't fully optimized their build for the challenge. PVP Activities in Destiny 2 vary depending on the current rotation and include modes like Survival, Elimination, and Control. Specific modes are linked to a PVP leveling system known as Glory. Winning games grants points that go towards earning rewards with Lord Shaxx. The Crucible offers even more challenges, such as Iron Banner and Trials of Osiris. These activities are the pinnacle of Destiny 2's PVP experience and offer some of the best rewards in the entire game.
2 Destiny 2 Tips & Tricks for Beginners
Before heading off into Orbit, here are some last-minute tips and tricks:
- Always be aware of the weekly reset that occurs on Tuesday. This is when Powerful/Pinnacle activities reset for the week to be once again completed.
- Make sure to visit Xur every weekend. Who is Xur? Only the humble traveling merchant of the Nine that brings unique Exotic gifts every weekend. Xur's services are especially beneficial for newer players looking to add to their collection of exotic gear.
Xur is also the vendor for the 30th-anniversary destination known as "Eternity." However, this is not where you will be able to access his weekly cache of exotic inventory. He can usually be spotted in various places around the solar system, so it is wise to find him using third-party services such as the Find Xur app, or you can visit a website like WhereisXur.com.
1 Third-Party Resources
Destiny 2 is a different game when players utilize the various third-party services created to optimize the experience. These services include the officially supported Destiny 2 app, Destiny Inventory Manager (destinyitemmanager.com), and Light.gg (another handy website). These resources help players keep up with and organize their gear with additional tools, including rating systems and saved loadouts. The official Destiny 2 app also offers the convenience of transferring weapons back and forth without ever going back to the Tower, saving players an abundance of time.