Destiny 2: A Beginner-Friendly Handbook
Choosing Your Guardian: Class and Race
The first step on your Destiny 2 journey is creating your Guardian. You’ll choose a class, race, and customize their appearance. While race is purely cosmetic, your class dramatically impacts your gameplay style. There are three classes: Titan, Hunter, and Warlock.
- Titan: The Titan is the resilient frontline fighter, excelling at defense and close-quarters combat. They often use barricades to provide cover and have powerful melee abilities. Subclasses include:
- Striker (Arc): Focuses on aggressive, super-powered punches and ground slams. Ideal for clearing waves of enemies quickly. Think explosive, electrifying devastation.
- Sentinel (Void): Specializes in providing protection and support to allies using Void energy shields. Can suppress enemies and create overshields for teammates. A crucial support role in challenging activities.
- Sunbreaker (Solar): Wields Solar hammers to devastate enemies with fiery explosions. Excellent for dealing sustained damage and clearing groups. Imagine a blacksmith’s fury unleashed.
- Hunter: The Hunter is agile and versatile, excelling at mobility and dealing precision damage. They are masters of stealth and long-range combat. Subclasses include:
- Gunslinger (Solar): Wields a Solar-powered hand cannon that can fire high-damage shots or fan the hammer for rapid fire. Ideal for single-target burst damage and precision aiming. Cowboy vibes with fiery projectiles.
- Nightstalker (Void): Specializes in stealth and weakening enemies with Void traps and invisibility. Excellent for controlling the battlefield and providing support. Imagine a shadowy ninja disrupting enemy formations.
- Arcstrider (Arc): Uses a powerful Arc staff to unleash devastating melee attacks and deflect projectiles. Ideal for clearing hordes of enemies with lightning-fast movements. A lightning-infused dancer of death.
- Warlock: The Warlock is a master of arcane energy, capable of both dealing immense damage and providing powerful support. They excel at controlling the flow of battle with their abilities. Subclasses include:
- Voidwalker (Void): Wields Void energy to unleash powerful explosions and teleport across the battlefield. Ideal for aggressive playstyles and devastating single-target damage. Embrace the dark side, Destiny-style.
- Dawnblade (Solar): Wields a flaming sword and soars through the air, raining down fire upon enemies. Excellent for aerial combat and sustained damage output. A fiery angel of vengeance.
- Stormcaller (Arc): Unleashes the power of Arc energy to chain lightning between enemies and devastate large groups. Ideal for clearing waves of enemies and dealing consistent damage. Become the embodiment of a lightning storm.
Understanding the World Map and Activities
Destiny 2’s world is vast and filled with various activities, accessible via the Director (your in-game map). Understanding these activities is crucial for progression.
- Campaign Missions: These are the core story missions that drive the narrative forward. Completing them unlocks new areas, activities, and gear. Start here to learn the basics and progress the main storyline.
- Strikes: Three-player cooperative missions that involve fighting through hordes of enemies and challenging bosses. They offer good rewards and are a great way to team up with friends or matchmake with other players.
- Crucible: Player-versus-player (PvP) arena where you can test your skills against other Guardians. Different game modes offer various challenges and rewards. A competitive outlet for your Guardian’s prowess.
- Gambit: A hybrid PvE/PvP mode where you fight enemies, collect motes, and invade the enemy team’s arena to disrupt their progress. Requires teamwork and strategic thinking. A unique blend of cooperation and competition.
- Raids: Six-player cooperative endgame activities that offer the most challenging encounters and the best rewards. Requires significant coordination and communication. The ultimate test of skill and teamwork.
- Dungeons: Three-player cooperative activities similar to Strikes but longer and more challenging, with intricate puzzles and unique mechanics. A stepping stone between Strikes and Raids.
- Lost Sectors: Short, repeatable dungeons hidden throughout the game world. They offer valuable resources and sometimes exclusive rewards. A great way to farm specific items.
- Public Events: Dynamic events that spawn randomly in open-world zones. They offer quick rewards and can be completed solo or with other players. A spontaneous opportunity for loot.
- Patrols: Simple missions given by NPCs in open-world zones. They involve killing enemies, collecting items, or scanning objects. A good way to earn experience and resources while exploring.
- Adventures: Short, story-driven missions that offer additional lore and rewards. A deeper dive into the world and its inhabitants.
- Nightfall Strikes: A more challenging version of regular Strikes with modifiers that increase difficulty and offer better rewards. A test of skill and strategy.
Gearing Up: Power Level and Stat Optimization
Power level is a crucial indicator of your Guardian’s strength. It determines the damage you deal and the damage you receive. Increasing your Power Level is essential for tackling challenging activities.
- Gear Drops: Weapons and armor drop from enemies, activities, and vendors. They all have a Power Level that contributes to your overall Power Level.
- Infusion: Allows you to increase the Power Level of your favorite gear by sacrificing higher-level items. A way to keep your preferred weapons and armor relevant.
- Mods: Customizable attachments for weapons and armor that provide various benefits, such as increased reload speed, damage resistance, or ability cooldown reduction. Enhance your gear to match your playstyle.
- Stats: Each piece of armor has stats that affect your Guardian’s abilities, such as Resilience (health), Recovery (health regeneration), and Mobility (movement speed). Optimizing your stats can significantly improve your performance.
Understanding Currencies and Resources
Destiny 2 has a complex economy with various currencies and resources used for different purposes. Understanding these is key to efficient progression.
- Glimmer: The primary currency used for purchasing basic items from vendors and upgrading gear.
- Legendary Shards: Used for purchasing powerful items from vendors like Xur and upgrading Masterworked gear.
- Enhancement Cores: Used for upgrading Masterworked gear and infusing high-level items.
- Enhancement Prisms: Used for upgrading Masterworked gear to higher levels.
- Ascendant Shards: The rarest resource, used for fully upgrading Masterworked gear.
- Destination Materials: Collected from specific planets and used for upgrading gear and purchasing items from vendors.
- Bright Dust: Earned by completing challenges and used to purchase cosmetic items from the Eververse store.
Joining a Clan and Finding Friends
Destiny 2 is best experienced with friends. Joining a clan provides access to a supportive community, coordinated fireteams, and additional rewards.
- Clan Benefits: Clans offer various benefits, such as shared experience boosts, access to exclusive rewards, and a built-in network of players to team up with.
- Finding a Clan: Use the in-game clan finder or search online communities dedicated to Destiny 2. Look for a clan that matches your playstyle and interests.
- Making Friends: Participate in activities, join voice chat, and be friendly. The Destiny 2 community is generally welcoming and helpful.
Essential Tips for Beginners
- Focus on the Campaign: Complete the campaign missions to unlock new areas and activities.
- Experiment with Different Classes and Subclasses: Find a playstyle that suits you.
- Complete Bounties: Daily and weekly bounties offer a great way to earn experience and rewards.
- Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help: The Destiny 2 community is generally helpful and willing to assist new players.
- Use Resources Wisely: Save your valuable resources for upgrading gear that you plan to use long-term.
- Master the Movement: Utilize jumping, sliding, and sprinting to navigate the environment effectively.
- Learn Weapon Archetypes: Understand the strengths and weaknesses of different weapon types to choose the right tool for the job.
- Pay Attention to Modifiers: Understand the modifiers active in different activities to adjust your loadout and strategy accordingly.
- Have Fun! Destiny 2 is a complex game, but it’s also incredibly rewarding. Don’t get discouraged by early challenges and enjoy the journey.
By understanding these fundamental aspects of Destiny 2, you’ll be well-equipped to embark on your Guardian’s journey and experience all that this expansive and engaging world has to offer. Good luck, Guardian!