Destiny 2 New and Returning Player Guide
Lots of new content just came to Destiny 2 and The Final Shape is right around the corner. With that, there are many reasons for players to return to the game or for new players to enter into the game.
Destiny 2 has been around for almost 7 years and can be very daunting for a new player. Even a player who has sat out for just a few months can be overwhelmed by the changes.
This guide will go over what activities and loot to focus on, as well as what purchases to potentially make to get the most out of the game.
Dive into our Prismatic Hunter guides, Prismatic Warlock guides, and Prismatic Titan guides for the newly released expansion, The Final Shape.
Leveling Up
Two main mechanics are considered as “leveling up” in Destiny. The first is Power Level which is the level of a player’s gear. The second is Guardian Ranks which is an achievement-based system that gives the player rewards and unlocks based on levels achieved in the system.
Power Level
The mechanic in the game that dictates damage given and taken is Power Level. Power Level is on all 3 weapon slots and all 5 armor slots. The average of these 8 pieces dictates your overall Power Level. With Power Level, there are a few key numbers to know:
- Base Level (1600) – This is the lowest power level at which all players start.
- Soft Cap (1750) – This is the level up to which all reward sources increase Power Level. Doing any activity will level a player towards the Soft Cap.
- Powerful Cap (1800) – This is the maximum level that can be achieved with Powerful Rewards. Particular activities reward various tiers of powerful rewards. Be sure to check the reward type in the directory when selecting an activity.
- Pinnacle Cap (1810) – This is the max Power Level. Various activities give Pinnacle Level gear and are the only means of increasing your Power Level from 1800 to 1810.
These Power Level thresholds are current as of Into the Light. These values will change, but remain the same conceptually, with the release of The Final Shape. If playing during Into the Light, the main quest line will give gear of 1810 Power Level.
Guardian Ranks
Find Guardian Ranks under the Journey tab. This system is progressed through completing milestones and achievements. There are 11 ranks in total, and each rank has completable achievements. Completing all of the achievements at a rank will progress you to the next rank. This system is not just a vanity number that you have on your character, but getting to new ranks unlocks mods and loadout slots.
Mods are an integral part of the game as these fuel builds. Playing with a good build versus without is night and day in Destiny 2. If you are looking for the best builds, click here. Playing through the initial ranks is a must-do due to the power having mods gives you.
Which Activities to Play
There are a lot of things to do in this game. It can be overwhelming, especially for someone new to the game. There are a few factors players can go on for what activities to play. Here are some considerations for what activities to get into:
- Do you need to get your Power Level up?
- If so, look at performing the Into the Light quest to get to the current max. If reading this and that quest is no longer available, play activities that indicate giving Powerful and Pinnacle rewards to level up.
- Is there particular loot you want/need?
- Getting good weapons is a tricky thing. There are plenty of end-game activities that do not have the best weapons in the game. Check out our weapon list for the best weapons in class and god rolls. A good way of deciding what to play is to look for certain weapons you need, then research the activity where that weapon comes from. Into the Light has top-tier rewards and is very well worth the time to unlock some of the best legendary weapons in the game. If there are certain exotics you want, check out Lost Sector Farming. Each day there is a rotating Lost Sector that can give exotic armor of a certain slot.
- Are you willing to play with a group, or only play solo?
- This alone can limit your options. There are plenty of activities that can be played solo or have matchmaking that give great rewards. Some of the best weapons, exotics, and materials are from Raid, Dungeons, and Nightfalls, so having a group or utilizing looking for group sites opens up more opportunities for loot.
- Are there particular activities you like or dislike?
- At the end of the day, this is still a game designed to have fun with. There aren’t any irreplaceable items in the game where there isn’t an alternative piece of loot in a different activity. If you don’t enjoy certain activities, there are plenty of others that give similar rewards.
Which DLCs to Buy
There are a lot of purchasable DLCs and packs the game has to offer. Ultimately what you spend money on is up to you, but some DLCs give more value and access to more rewarding activities. It is also important to know that Silver is the currency in the game to buy cosmetics.
If you care about the story of the game there are two main ways to go about it. You can buy DLC to play most of the game’s story or you can watch playthroughs on YouTube. Note the use of the word “most” when it comes to playing the game’s story. Some of the locations are gone from the game and some DLCs have the story cut from there. When purchasing packs be sure to check this if you have an interest in playing the story.
The other thing to consider when purchasing DLC is the activities they contain. Raids and Dungeons are some of the best content the game has to offer and some are tied directly to the purchase of a DLC. Not only are these activities enjoyable, but some offer great weapons, exotics, and exclusive armor.
There are some specific things to take note of as extra bonuses for purchases. The first is for Lightfall which gives access to the Strand subclass. Strand is both meta and very fun to play. It was introduced with Lightfall. Just as Strand is tied to Lightfall, Stasis is tied to Beyond Light. Strand is the better subclass of the two, but Stasis is enjoyable in its own right. Lastly, with Forsaken there are over 20 exotics that were released with this DLC, exotic access is tied to owning a DLC.
The last thing to note is that there are plenty of times in which DLC goes on sale. Be sure to routinely check the store for sales. DLC is on sale at the start of Into the Light and will most likely go on sale once again around the release of The Final Shape.
In Conclusion
Good luck with returning to the game. The game’s difficulty at a baseline has increased, so collecting quality loot and making good builds is more important than ever. Living the power fantasy Destiny has to offer will immensely increase your enjoyment of the game.
