Essential Beginners Tips for Thriving in Destiny 2 (2024 Edition)

Welcome to the vibrant cosmos of Destiny 2, where Guardians forge their legend amidst the stars. Stepping into this expansive world can be as thrilling as it is daunting for newcomers. With this comprehensive beginner's guide, you'll learn the essential tips and tricks to navigate the battlegrounds effectively. From maximizing damage on diverse enemy types to managing your arsenal with ease, these pointers will elevate your gameplay and set you on the path to becoming a seasoned Guardian.

Maximize Your Damage Effectively

Seasoned players of first-person shooters are usually accustomed to aiming for the head for increased damage. This concept holds true in Destiny 2 for many of its foes. However, you'll find anomalies such as the Vex – enigmatic robots with a penchant for warping – which will not take additional harm from a typical headshot. Instead, aim for their glowing chest portion, affectionately termed the "juice box," to inflict critical damage. Similarly, for floating enemies and drones, their central eye or visor will usually be their weak spot. When in doubt, targeting glowing areas is often a wise choice. Successful critical hits are easily identified by their yellow damage numbers, while regular hits will show as white.

Utilizing Energy Weapons against Enemy Shields

Many adversaries come equipped with shields, discernible by a white bar atop their health meter. These shields can resist various forms of damage but are particularly vulnerable to energy weapons, which are found in both the second and heavy weapon slots. If the color of your weapon's element matches that of the enemy's shield – for example, a purple icon for a Void weapon against a Void shield – it will not only break more efficiently but also explode, causing damage to adjacent foes.

Balancing Main and Special Weapons

Players will notice that Destiny 2 has three types of ammunition: primary (shown with a white bullet icon), special (two green bullets), and the more elusive heavy ammo (three purple bullets). Weapons that use primary and special ammo can be equipped in the first two slots, allowing you to mix and match between "energy" or "kinetic" types. While there is the option to carry two primary or two special weapons, it's wise to balance one of each. Primary weapons provide a steady supply of ammo, and special weapons deliver substantial damage against tougher foes. Ideally, you'd use special weapons for high-value targets and switch to your primary when ammo runs low.

Thoughtful Inventory Management

In Destiny 2, your potential to find higher-level loot is influenced by the maximum power level you could achieve with the gear you own, even if it's stored in your vault. Resist the urge to dismantle items prematurely. While common items marked with white, green, or blue rarity are usually safe to scrap, those with purple and especially gold (exotic) rarity often warrant saving. These items can raise your overall power level, granting access to more elite missions and activities. The vault, located near the Tower's armorer, offers ample space to store your collection. To prevent any accidental deletions, you can lock an item in your inventory by pressing shift on a PC or pressing down the analog stick on a console.

Each week, the mysterious vendor Xur arrives at a random location within the game world, offering a selection of exotic equipment. Visiting Xur is a reliable method to expand your collection of exotic weapons and armor by spending Legendary Shards, which are easily obtained through gameplay, particularly from dismantling purple legendary gear.

Finding Companions via Discord

With the basics under your belt, it's time to venture into the more demanding parts of Destiny 2. However, these can be challenging to tackle solo. For Guardians in need of companions for raids or challenging missions, numerous Discord communities exist solely to connect players. No matter your platform or playstyle, you can find like-minded individuals ready to embark on raids and adventures.

Streamlining Inventory with Apps

For Guardians who amass a significant arsenal, especially those playing across multiple characters, managing inventory can get complex. Rather than frequently returning to the tower to organize your gear, take advantage of various available apps. Bungie's official smartphone app does the job nicely, but third-party offerings like Destiny Item Manager (DIM) and Ishtar Commander provide exceptional functionality for sorting your collection.

Smart Power Level Optimization

When embarking on the pursuit of increased power levels, a strategic approach to unlocking Pinnacle Gear is advisable. This is especially useful when the power rating across your gear is uniform. Embarking on challenges that yield Pinnacle Gear can lead to a significant boost in one particular gear slot, which in turn can elevate the potential power level of subsequent gear acquisitions. Commitment to completing weekly bounties is also vital, as the experience gained from these tasks substantially enhances the level of your Artifact, which contributes to your overall power level.

For those Guardians who manage multiple characters, it is beneficial to begin your leveling efforts with the character that garners the least of your playing time. Once this character's power level has been maximized, transfer their high-power weapons to your next character, and then repeat the process with your main character while tackling weekly milestones. Employing this method can set you on the fast track to reaching the hard cap within the first week of a new season.

For Guardians aiming for a swift ascent to the hard cap, engaging in the competitive streaks of the Crucible Glory playlist can bear fruit. A dominant performance across multiple games often results in rank promotions, bringing with you the gift of Powerful Gear. A committed plunge into a few hours of Crucible play can equip you with a substantial upsurge in power.

Swift Ascendancy to 1320 Power

To kickstart your journey toward obtaining powerful gear, it’s essential to first hit the soft cap of 1270. You can achieve this by immersing yourself in your preferred activities until you consistently obtain items at the 1270 mark. This initial phase can be crossed relatively swiftly.

Once at the soft cap, your next move should be to hunt down Powerful Gear rewards, which can provide considerable leaps in your power level. If you're new to a season and haven’t yet earned any Pinnacle Gear, collecting one or two Pinnacle items can provide a substantial boost, potentially offering you a +5 item. The Override event is another notable source for acquiring gear at higher power levels.

Subsequently, focus your efforts on completing weekly missions that reward you with gear slightly above your current level. These will typically fill out the other slots in your arsenal, contributing to a more uniform distribution of power across your equipment. When securing a +2 item begins to yield diminishing returns, migrating to another rewarding activity is the next strategic step.

An ideal leveling rhythm could involve the following sequence:

- Secure a Pinnacle Gear reward
- Accomplish a trio or quartet of Powerful Gear weekly tasks
- Garner a +2 or +4 Powerful Gear reward
- Further, complete a few more weekly Powerful Gear activities
- Acquire another round of Powerful Gear rewards
- Finish all remaining Powerful Gear-earning activities
- Compete in Crucible Glory PvP to even out gear levels
- Obtain Pinnacle rewards to finish

Should you be considerably behind on the power level scale, contemplate interchanging T2 and T3 Powerful Gear rewards with sources of Pinnacle Gear. Engage in the content of your choice for Pinnacle and Powerful rewards, but adhere to a systematic approach. A significant power boost followed by leveling play in Crucible Glory can optimize your gear swiftly, setting the stage for reaching the hard cap within the opening weeks of the season. Participating in the Vault of Glass raid places you in an excellent position to start this process due to its generous +4 drops during encounters.

Accomplishing 1330 Power with Finesse

Reaching maximum Pinnacle can be a matter of luck, potentially achievable within a three-week time frame for the fortunate Guardians.

For those playing Season of the Lost, while there is no strict sequence for filling weekly slots, a few pointers can guide your rapid progress:

- Your alternate characters are the priority; level them first before passing on weapons to the next character in line. Complete their weekly Pinnacle activities, and then transfer weapons to your primary character for another round of Pinnacle ventures.
- Prioritize collecting +2 rewards as certain Pinnacle sources offer a more significant boost of +2 rather than +1. These actions should be at the top of your list.
- The Vault of Glass is a promising avenue, with each of its five encounters dishing out +2 Pinnacle Gear, making it an optimal choice for power elevation.
- Don't forget Seasonal Challenges. They award an impressive sum of experience that contributes directly to your Artifact's power, potentially allowing you to surpass 1330 without weeks of grinding. Although this won't be applicable for Trials or the Iron Banner, this strategy is ideal for those aiming for 1330 Power to complete Nightfalls or Master Lost Sectors.