Destiny: 20 things you must do before House of Wolves

Think you've seen everything that Destiny has to offer? Maybe not. And you want to make sure you've done it all before House of Wolves drops next month.

In a few short weeks the second major expansion hits Destiny, heavily focused on player vs. player kudos and 3-man fireteam effort. Your role in all new activities will be more visible than ever before. So in preparation for the new proving grounds we’ve made a bucket list of 20 ideas to boost your confidence and set in stone your credibility before May 19 and the race to the next level cap.

FEAR NOT THE TRIALS OF OSIRIS

1. Crack your Crucible Kill/Death spread

The Trials of Osiris demand this, but don’t panic. Even if you’re more at home in player vs. enemy modes such as story, strikes and raids you’d be surprised at how much your gun-toting experience pays off in player vs. player. Go cautiously at first in Clash and Control where team mates have your back. Avoid Rumble unless you cut your teeth on Call of Duty. Never head off on your own, you’ll be easy pickings for guys that know about sticking together. With the right weapon (Vanquisher VIII auto or The Saterienne Rapier scout are solid buys) a positive K/D shall soon be yours in the Crucible. You will start to feel awesome. Don’t let it go to your head.

2. Reach Rank 5 in Iron Banner

This once-in-a-while hard-core PvP mode should be grasped in both hands. It only runs for a week, but this is more than enough time to attain the highest rank with one character. Benefits of pushing for Rank 5 are owing to the armour and weapons that are made available, their perks being tailor made for humiliating rival Guardians. Remember that Iron Banner Class Items, Shaders and Emblems each provide stacking 10 percent boosts to reputation. The latter two are transferrable between characters also, meaning that the next time the Iron Banner is raised you’ll have a head start on the Rank reset.

3. Know which points to hold in Control

Communication, which means listening and talking, is more likely to earn you the victory in Control. Decide before the countdown ends which two points are the main focus and stick to the plan. For example on Earths ‘Twilight Gap’ you may decide that points B and C are more manageable together than making the long run for point A. If you successfully hold two points and the score starts rising in your favour, the other team will get desperate and, after picking them off, you can wrap up all three. Remember the golden rule of most PvP: never head off on your own… unless you’re god tier, brah!

4. Learn how to work together in Skirmish

This is of huge relevance to the Trials of Osiris, which is also a 3v3 mode. We’ll cheekily suggest here that Brits have the upper hand in Skirmish owing to our knowledge of triangles in English football – always being aware of your mate’s position relevant to yours while moving with purpose as a team. If one person breaks the triangle you may as well wave the win goodbye right there and then. Keep talking to each other, pick a place to defend and know your best routes to launch an attack. Stay tight and even the most inexperienced teams can force more confident units to make mistakes.

5. Chain Supers and control the map in Clash

It’s less likely that you’ll head into Clash with a Fireteam comprising only your buddies, so aim to support those flying in with you by tactical use of Super Abilities. While Clash is not classed as an objective based game, Guardians empowered by each other’s Orbs of Light run together far more effectively. If your entire team has been Blade-Danced by a Void-shielded Hunter, or failed to hose down a Flame Shielded Warlock before being wiped out by a Titan’s Fist of Havoc, you’ve already been at the receiving end of this unique and very potent Destiny strategy.

CREATIVITY IN CROTA'S END

6. Be the sword carrier, because you can

You’ve assembled six guys to reach Crota by fair means or foul, but when it comes down to it the only way to kill the big guy is if someone does the chopping. There’s no reason why this shouldn’t be you! On normal mode the task is straightforward once you can trust your jumps on and off his dais, and smashing him with six good swipes for each sword is enough to play it safe and assured. Please don’t deny yourself the awesome experience of rushing through the thrall while the fanfare kicks in, soaring in for the kill and seeing colossal Crota crumble into smouldering ashes at your feet.

7. Solo Crota’s End… or at least a couple of sections

Your best chance at doing this is as a Hunter, especially with Don’t Touch Me gauntlets to sneak through the Pit Encounter (aka ‘the lamps’). Even the Deathsinger Encounter (aka ‘the witches’) is doable for anyone with practice and with all character classes. There are some tricks to learn in order to achieve any of this however, but we’re getting onto that now…

8. Sword swipe across the chasm in the Bridge Encounter on Crota’s End

We’re starting to wonder if Bungie has accepted this antic as a legit solution for Guardians in a hurry. It works in normal or hard mode, though it helps to have a Warlock in support. The sword bearer appears immediately after activating the plate for the bridge. Take him down, snatch the sword, run and jump as high as you can go off the edge of the unfinished bridge, then use the sword to swish over to rocks across facing you left or right. A few more swishes combined with a jump get you onto the other side of the divide. Nail this trick and your buddies will thank you time and time again.

9. Reach Rank 4 with Eris Morn, for Shards/Materials exchange

This is kind of obvious, and not at all difficult, but don’t neglect to take on all of Eris Morn’s bounties as many days of the week that you’re playing Destiny. In the process you’ll accumulate Black Wax Idols used in trade alongside Glimmer for Radiant Shards that replace unwanted Radiant Materials. This is only possible with Eris Morn reputation at Rank 4. It is a grind but it gets you to 32 faster.

Next page: valour in the Vault and the Prison of Elders prep.

VALOUR IN THE VAULT

10. Take the Relic to defeat the Templar in VoG

Whichever way your team chooses to run this part of the raid, either with a firing squad on the ledge overlooking the shrine, or on the ground huddled up for cleansing upon being marked, only one guy holds the life-saving, shield-dropping Relic… and this really should be you. It’s so satisfying to send a bolt of energy to drop the Templar’s barrier, exposing him to damage. You’ll get a confidence boost after carrying five other guys through this safely by calling out each cleanse, or staying on your feet to destroy the Oracles that are out of reach. As with the sword in Crota’s End, being ‘on Relic’ really isn’t that hard on normal, and you’ll be so glad to have made yourself indispensible.

11. Take the Relic to help with Oracles and kill Atheon

Clearing the final hurdle in the Vault of Glass depends very much on the Relic carrier’s confidence to clear Hobgoblins and solitary Praetorians in a flash after being zapped through the portals to Mars or Venus, cleansing their eyesight, and after that successfully creating a protective shield for the entire firing squad upon exit. Phew! It seems daunting, and you really don’t want to be the guy to mess this up. Trust us on this, after practicing a sneaky path down the right-hand stairs, and relying solely on the shield smash (R2/RT) to ensure the enemies’ demise, you’ll be running this like a pro.

12. Know the Gorgon’s Labyrinth like the back of your hand

Next time you’ve got a checkpoint for this area try to keep it and practice a route that you can rely on. We’ve settled on just walking around the right side of the map, sneaking past and then behind a couple of patrolling Gorgons before taking a sharp left to the exit. The amount of times we’ve followed uncertain guides through the rocks, struggling to make unnecessary jumps and very often getting spotted has been way too many. Lead others to safety without fail and you’ll be a hero.

13. Perfect your path across the vanishing platforms

You won’t get this first time, or even the second, third or fourth. But with clear instruction from somebody who knows how (or by watching YouTube!) you can breeze through this section. And you’re going to feel so much better for not suggesting that you can ‘leave and rejoin at the next checkpoint’. C’mon, don’t be that guy at all.

14. Superman across Vault as a Titan

Or, swish across as a Blade Dancer Hunter. The Titan trick is hilarious though, activating Fist of Havoc with the ability to aim at targets using Increased Control and Death from Above. Instead of hopping onto the vanishing platforms, head left into the cave that leads you out onto a ledge overlooking the landing spot across the mist and foreboding darkness. Your arrival will be greeted by a general ‘What the f*ck?!’ from those that hear your approaching thunder from below.

IN PREPERATION FOR PRISON OF ELDERS

15. Sherpa a team through one of the raids

Electing to be fireteam leader through Crota’s End or Vault of Glass raises an expectation that you know how it all works. And there is a lot of satisfaction in being the one that keeps things organised, panic free and blame free, eventually ensuring that all Guardians get their booty… or as close to this as the game will allow that day. There’s no substitute for experience, you’ll need to run these raids many times with Guardians that are patient enough to allow your own mistakes. But when you think there’s nothing else to learn, try teaching a bunch of newbies. This is the real test of your knowledge and nerve, and an ability to remain objectively polite at all times.

16. Flawless Raider

The only way to acquire this Trophy/Achievement is to run the raids as legitimately as possible. We’ve done this on the Vault of Glass inside of 40 minutes, thankfully without facing glitches. A lot of teams are leaning toward Crota’s End and no holding back on Heavy Ammo synthesis to clear the floor. The point is, everybody in a flawless attempt is experienced and focused. These qualities are what you’ll want to take with you into the Prison of Elders where all your actions count. According to Bungie, PoE is “a new cooperative end game activity focused on variety, replayability, and skill.”

17. Complete Hard Raid in the Vault of Glass

All of your Guardian faculties are put to the test in a hard run through the Vault of Glass. Even now, with many teams comprising experienced level 32 characters, the need to concentrate is paramount. Or maybe we’re just tired… Anyway, this is a true badge of honour. We’d say you’re ready for any PvE challenge after disintegrating Atheon with everyone still standing.

18. Complete a raid as a clan

As footnote to the above, this would be your cherry on the cake. All you need to do is join a clan or start your own. Come on, you know you want to! (See below)

19. Guardian Lord

Destiny is a comparatively easy game to max out all the Trophies/Achievements. Among other things it expects that you’ve levelled up all three character classes, scoured the universe for ghosts, and had the very good fortune of wiping out a Warlock, Titan and Hunter in the blink of an eye in the Crucible. That last one owes an awful lot to luck. The rest is dedication, and this is a given right?

20. Join a Clan or start your own

The element that keeps us coming back to Destiny is the community that holds everything together. If you’re fortunate to be playing regularly with the same guys, it really pays to have a clan organised that takes care of its own, ensuring that you’re more likely to get a raid team together or find help with a Nightfall strike whether it’s day or night (either your clan buddies hardly sleep, or you’ve fireteams in different time zones). Going into House of Wolves with an established group of friends is going to make the challenges so much easier and fun to tackle to the best of your capability.

Destiny Expansion II: House of Wolves launches May 19 for PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360 and Xbox One. Good luck out there Guardians.