Strikes

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Strikes are 3-player PvE activities. They are missions that require players to complete a series of straightforward objectives, culminating in a boss battle.

Players on PS4 and PS5 require a PlayStation Plus subscription to access strikes.

Overview

Strikes can be launched directly from a destination if the player owns their associated expansion. The Vanguard icon in the Director contains three strike playlists.

The Vanguard Ops playlist loads the player into a random Strike or Battleground. All strikes that are currently available in-game can be played in the Vanguard Ops playlist without owning their associated expansion. When launching the playlist, if there are vacant spots in the fireteam, the matchmaking system will search for additional players before launching the activity. It is possible to join a strike that is already in progress, if there are less than 3 players in the activity. Strikes launched from this playlist are affected by three modifiers: one determines which element deals more damage, second provides an advantage to the players, and the third gives the team a disadvantage.

The Nightfall playlist features a single strike, which changes weekly in a specific order. Each Season features a different Nightfall rotation, with each strike having a specific weapon that is assigned to drop from it. Players can select the strike's difficulty, which affects its modifiers and recommended Power Level. These difficulties are Hero, Legend, and Master. Nightfalls of Legend difficulty and higher do not have matchmaking. Players' loadouts are also locked on difficulties above Hero, preventing them from changing their equipment and abilities mid-mission.

Most strikes released prior to Shadowkeep have rare strike-specific rewards which can be obtained only by completing their Nightfall versions. These are separate from the rewards that can normally be obtained from Nightfalls. Newer strikes do not feature strike-specific loot.

All Nightfalls feature Champion enemies. These enemies can be stunned using Seasonal Artifact perks, elemental keywords, or certain Exotic weapons and armor. A rating will be given at the end of a Nightfall based on the total Champions defeated, with a Platinum rating being awarded for defeating every Champion that spawns. Higher ratings offer greater rewards.

The Grandmaster Nightfall difficulty (often abbreviated by players as "GM") becomes available as a separate playlist around halfway into the season. The release date is shown when hovering over the icon. This difficulty features limited revives, with additional revive tokens being granted by killing Champions and certain powerful enemies, such as Lightbearer Hive. Completing a Grandmaster Nightfall with a Platinum rating will guarantee a drop of the Adept version of the weekly Nightfall weapon.[1] During weeks when the Double Nightfall Rewards modifier is active, two copies of the Adept weapon will drop. Adept weapons will usually have an additional Trait in one of the two columns.

Players with the Conqueror title can select any of the season's Grandmaster Nightfalls from a list, regardless of the current week's Nightfall. This offers a more convenient way to gild the Conqueror title, which requires completing each of a season's Grandmaster Nightfalls once each. Strikes can only be selected and completed using this method once per account per season. Completing a strike using this option will reward the current weekly Nightfall weapon, rather than the weapon that would drop if that strike was featured normally. Completing a strike using this method does not prevent the player from playing that strike when it is featured.

Vanguard Ops and Nightfall strikes use a score system, which determines the team's rewards, as well as the Vanguard reputation gained. Score is affected by the time spent in a strike and the active modifiers, with faster completions and higher difficulties increasing scores. Players gain score mostly by defeating enemies, but actions like collecting Orbs of Power also contribute to the team's score.

Modifiers

Vanguard Ops and Nightfall strikes feature modifiers that can affect player and enemy damage.

Surges increase the outgoing damage dealt by players. They increase a specific element's damage by 25%. For example, Void Surge increases Void damage from players' weapons and abilities. Each Season will have a featured Surge that is always active, as well as another Surge that rotates each week between a predetermined set.[2]

Overcharged weapon modifiers increase the damage of specific weapon types by 25% (for example, Overcharged Machine Gun). Aside from those listed as modifiers, Champion-stunning weapons from the Seasonal Artifact are also Overcharged if their associated perks are unlocked. Kinetic-damage weapons are also considered Overcharged when a subclass that matches a Surge modifier is equipped (e.g. using Voidwalker as a Warlock when Void Surge is active).[2]

Damage bonuses from Surges and Overcharges do not stack. For instance, with Overcharged Machine Gun and Void Surge active, a Void Machine Gun, a Solar Machine Gun, and a Void Rocket Launcher would all get the same 25% damage increase.[2]

Threats increase the damage dealt by enemies. Like Surges, they increase the damage of specific elements by 25% (for example, Arc Threat).[2]

Active Strikes

Free-to-Play

These strikes can be launched directly as missions by all players without needing to own a specific expansion. They can also be played in the Vanguard Ops playlist.

Red War
The arms dealer banner labeled.png Name: The Arms Dealer
Location: EDZ
Boss: Bracus Zahn (Legionary)
Enemies: Cabal, Fallen
Nightfall loot: Tilt Fuse (Sparrow)
Lake of shadows banner labeled.png Name: Lake of Shadows
Location: EDZ
Boss: Grask, the Consumed (Taken Phalanx)
Enemies: Taken, Cabal, Fallen
Nightfall loot: The Militia's Birthright (Grenade Launcher)
Exodus crash strike banner labeled.png Name: Exodus Crash
Location: Nessus
Boss: Thaviks, the Depraved (Marauder)
Enemies: Fallen, Vex
Nightfall loot: Impact Velocity (Sparrow)
The inverted spire banner labeled.png Name: The Inverted Spire
Location: Nessus
Boss: Protheon, Modular Mind (Minotaur)
Enemies: Vex, Cabal
Nightfall loot: Trichromatica (Ghost Shell)
Warmind
The Insight Terminus Strike banner.png Name: The Insight Terminus
Location: Nessus
Boss: Kargen the Technocrat (Psion)
Enemies: Cabal, Vex
Nightfall loot: The Long Goodbye (Sniper Rifle)
Season of the Hunt
The Disgraced Strike banner.png Name: The Disgraced
Location: Cosmodrome
Boss: Navôta, Eir Spawn (Wizard)
Enemies: Fallen, Hive
Season of the Chosen
The Devils' Lair Strike banner.png Name: The Devils' Lair
Location: Cosmodrome
Boss: Sepiks Prime (Servitor)
Enemies: Fallen, Hive
Fallen S.A.B.E.R. Strike banner.png Name: Fallen S.A.B.E.R.
Location: Cosmodrome
Boss: S.A.B.E.R.-2 (Heavy Shank)
Enemies: Fallen
Proving Ground Strike banner.png Name: Proving Grounds
Location: Nessus
Boss: Ignovun, Chosen of Caiatl (Centurion)
Enemies: Cabal

Battlegrounds

These strikes do not require the player to own an expansion, but can only be played in the Vanguard Ops playlist. They were moved into the playlist after their associated seasonal content was vaulted:

During their respective seasons, these missions had direct launch icons on the Destinations map. These icons were removed when the seasonal content was vaulted. Some of these strikes may be available as Nightfall strikes.

Season of the Chosen
Battleground Behemoth Strike banner.jpg Name: Battleground: Behemoth
Location: Nessus
Boss: Commander Dracus (Legionary)
Enemies: Cabal, Vex
Battleground Hailstone Strike banner.jpg Name: Battleground: Hailstone
Location: Europa
Boss: Basilius the Golem (Colossus)
Enemies: Cabal, Vex
Battleground Foothold Strike banner.jpg Name: Battleground: Foothold
Location: Cosmodrome
Boss: Val Ma'rag (Incendior)
Enemies: Cabal, Hive
Battleground Oracle Strike banner.jpg Name: Battleground: Oracle
Location: Nessus
Boss: Ixel, the Far-Reaching (Psion)
Enemies: Cabal, Vex
Season of the Risen
PsiOps Battleground EDZ banner.jpg Name: PsiOps Battleground: EDZ
Location: EDZ
Boss: Mor'ak, Lightstealer (Lightbearer Acolyte)
Enemies: Hive
PsiOps Battleground Cosmodrome banner.jpg Name: PsiOps Battleground: Cosmodrome
Location: Cosmodrome
Boss: Uul'nath, Lightcleanser (Lightbearer Knight)
Enemies: Hive, Fallen
PsiOps Battleground Moon banner.jpg Name: PsiOps Battleground: Moon
Location: Moon
Boss: Korosek, Thronebringer (Lightbearer Wizard)
Enemies: Hive
Season of the Seraph
Heist Battleground Europa banner.jpg Name: Heist Battleground: Europa
Location: Europa
Boss: Warwatcher, Eye of Xivu Arath (Shrieker)
Enemies: Hive, Fallen
Heist Battleground Moon banner.jpg Name: Heist Battleground: Moon
Location: Moon
Boss: Once-Phyris, the Exhumed Tether (Raider)
Enemies: Hive, Scorn
Heist Battleground Mars banner.jpg Name: Heist Battleground: Mars
Location: Mars
Boss: Darkblade Kelgorath, Risen from Bones (Darkblade Knight)
Enemies: Hive, Taken

Forsaken Pack

These strikes require ownership of the Forsaken Pack in order to launch them as missions. They can be played for free in the Vanguard Ops playlist.

Forsaken
Warden of Nothing Strike banner.png Name: Warden of Nothing
Location: Prison of Elders (Dreaming City[3])
Boss: The Mad Warden (Servitor)
Enemies: Vex, Cabal
Nightfall loot: Warden's Law (Hand Cannon)
The Corrupted Strike banner.png Name: The Corrupted
Location: Dreaming City
Boss: Sedia, the Corrupted (Taken Wizard)
Enemies: Taken, Hive, Scorn
Nightfall loot: Horror's Least (Pulse Rifle)

Shadowkeep

This strike requires ownership of the Shadowkeep expansion in order to launch it as a mission. It can be played for free in the Vanguard Ops playlist.

Shadowkeep
The Scarlet Keep Strike banner.png Name: The Scarlet Keep
Location: Moon
Boss: Hashladûn, Daughter of Crota (Wizard)
Enemies: Hive

Beyond Light

This strike requires ownership of the Beyond Light expansion in order to launch it as a mission. It can be played for free in the Vanguard Ops playlist.

Beyond Light
The Glassway Strike banner.jpg Name: The Glassway
Location: Europa
Bosses: Transcendent Hydra (Hydra)
Belmon, Transcendent Mind (Hydra)
Enemies: Fallen, Vex

The Witch Queen

These strikes require ownership of The Witch Queen expansion in order to launch them as missions. They can be played for free in the Vanguard Ops playlist.

The Witch Queen
The Lightblade Strike banner.png Name: The Lightblade
Location: Savathûn's Throne World
Boss: Alak-Hul, the Lightblade (Darkblade Knight)
Enemies: Hive, Scorn
Birthplace of the Vile Strike banner.png Name: Birthplace of the Vile
Location: Savathûn's Throne World
Boss: Heimiks, Warden of the Harvest (Raider)
Enemies: Scorn

Lightfall

This strike requires ownership of the Lightfall expansion in order to launch it as a mission. It can be played for free in the Vanguard Ops playlist.

Lightfall
HyperNet Current banner.jpg Name: HyperNet Current
Location: Neomuna
Bosses: Parthenios, Drifting Mind (Taken Hydra)
Enemies: Cabal, Taken, Vex, Tormentor

Vaulted Strikes

These strikes were added to the Destiny Content Vault, and are no longer available to play.

Red War
Savathuns song banner labeled.png Name: Savathûn's Song
Location: Titan
Boss: Savathûn's Song (Shrieker)
Enemies: Hive, Fallen
Nightfall loot: Duty Bound (Auto Rifle)
The pyramidion banner labeled.png Name: The Pyramidion
Location: Io
Boss: Brakion, Genesis Mind (Hobgoblin)
Enemies: Vex, Taken
Nightfall loot: Silicon Neuroma (Sniper Rifle)
Curse of Osiris
Tree of probabilities banner labeled.png Name: Tree of Probabilities
Location: Mercury
Boss: Valus Thuun (Centurion)
Enemies: Cabal, Vex
Nightfall loot: D.F.A. (Hand Cannon)
A garden world banner labeled.png Name: A Garden World
Location: Mercury
Boss: Dendron, Root Mind (Cyclops)
Enemies: Vex
Nightfall loot: Universal Wavefunction (Ship)
Warmind
Strange Terrain Strike banner.png Name: Strange Terrain
Location: Mars
Boss: Nokris, Herald of Xol (Wizard)
Enemies: Hive
Nightfall loot: BrayTech Osprey (Rocket Launcher)
Will of the Thousands Strike banner.png Name: Will of the Thousands
Location: Mars
Boss: Xol, Will of the Thousands
Enemies: Hive
Nightfall loot: Worm God Incarnation (Transmat Effect)
Forsaken
Broodhold Strike banner.png Name: Broodhold
Location: Tangled Shore
Boss: In Anânh, Brood Queen (Wizard)
Enemies: Hive, Fallen
The Hollowed Lair Strike banner.png Name: The Hollowed Lair
Location: Tangled Shore
Boss: The Fanatic (Chieftain)
Enemies: Scorn
Nightfall loot: Mindbender's Ambition (Shotgun)
Shadowkeep
The Festering Core Strike banner.png Name: The Festering Core
Location: Io
Boss: Baurisk, Envoy of Savathûn (Taken Incendior)
Enemies: Taken, Vex

See Also

Notes

  • Prior to Beyond Light, Nightfall Strikes used to have their own playlist separate from the Ordeal. It consisted of three Strikes which updated weekly. These Nightfalls had lower power requirement and allowed the fireteam leader to select Strike modifiers using the Five of Swords Challenge Card. There was no ordinary matchmaking in Nightfalls, but Clans or Seekers could queue up for a Guided Game.

References

  1. "Destiny 2 Update 3.3.1" Bungie, posted by Destiny Dev Team, 12 Oct. 2021, https://www.bungie.net/en/Explore/Detail/News/50771. wikipage
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "Bringing Challenge Back to Destiny" Bungie, posted by Destiny Dev Team, 21 Feb. 2023, https://www.bungie.net/7/en/News/article/bringing_challenge_back. Accessed 13 Mar. 2023.
  3. Warden of Nothing was originally launched from the Tangled Shore map. Upon the release of The Witch Queen, the Tangled Shore was Vaulted. As a result, the launch icon for Warden of Nothing now appears on the Dreaming City map in the Director.