Destiny 2 Forsaken: Where & How Players Should Start

Warning: Minor SPOILERS for Destiny 2: Forsaken

At last, Destiny 2: Forsaken has finally arrived - but players may not know where to head first, which missions to pursue, or how to navigate the new weapons systems and inventory. Fear not, Guardians. We're here to help players who have stepped away for months (years?) or who are finally diving into Destiny 2 get back on track in no time.

Whether it's unfinished missions from previous expansions, or simply rusty reflexes, players heading back into Destiny 2 for the latest update may find themselves lost. There are serious changes to learn over time, as the developers have promised that Destiny 2: Forsaken would change shooters yet again. But for those just looking to meet up with Cayde and get into the story... look no further.

Follow these simple tips and pointers to start, and new player or returning, you'll pick up momentum from the start.

This Page: Which Destiny 2 Changes You Can Ignore, For Now
Page 2: Starting Destiny 2's Story & Campaign

1. Don't Worry About The Inventory System Changes (Yet)

The new Destiny 2 updates make some significant changes to the way weapons, gear, and mods are all inventoried, and players will notice it the moment they drop into the game. The feeling of disarray or panic is natural, but trust us: everything has been tweaked in favor of the players, and nothing misplaced has been lost for good.

The biggest change is the weapon slot reshuffle, re-categorizing the old system of Primary, Secondary, and Heavy Weapons. Since some weapons have now changed classes, one or more may be maxed out - but fear not, those items pushed out to get below the maximum will be waiting at the Postmaster on The Tower.

But if you're looking to get into the campaign, the real hook of Forsaken, just make sure you have your old reliable weapons handy (or a good variety). And make sure your Guardian meets the requirements to advance.

2. Make Sure Your Guardian is Level 30

The sudden flood of incompleted Quests, Challenges, and Waypoint markers is going to be a bit jarring (that's what happens when you take a few months off), and finding out that buying the extra content doesn't mean you can play it right away is any fun. But keep your eyes on the prize: the real goal to kick off the campaign is to head to The Reef - but to do it, a Guardian must have reached Level 30 to access the Last Call quest.

If your chosen Guardian is a little short of that benchmark, some good old fashioned grinding is what's called for in the meantime. And a Level 28 or 29 Guardian should make quick work of most challenges in the accessible game world. The developers want players to access the new content, so it shouldn't take too long to make up the difference (Public Events in the EDZ and Regional Chests along the Forgotten Shore are always plentiful).

Just remember: the key here is to farm XP only, not new loot. There will be plenty of time to grind for the additional materials needed to infuse higher-level gear, but for now, that Level 30 mark is the finish line. Once you've crossed that magic number, prepare yourself, and answer Cayde's call for backup.

3. Cayde is Waiting. Get. To. The. Reef.

No point in waiting any longer to dive into the new characters, storyline, and locations introduced with Forsaken. Plot a course for The Reef-- sorry, plot a course for the Tangled Shore, the subsection of the collection of space rocks that will act as backdrop to much of the new story. We'll get there soon enough, but for now, hurry up and assist Cayde-6 and Petra Vej in quelling a riot in the Prison of Elders.

The mission itself is straightforward enough, with Cayde, Petra, and the Guardian splitting up to basically murder wave after wave of Prison dwellers. We're about to go into early story spoilers, so if you've made it this far without realizing what happens to Cayde-6 in Destiny 2: Forsaken... consider yourself lucky. And stop reading right about now.

Page 2 of 2: Starting Forsaken's Heartbreaking New Story

4. Forsaken Begins... as Cayde-6 Ends

It's hard to know exactly where to start explaining any given expansion or story in the Destiny universe, since most narratives are millennia in the making. Thankfully, the key players in the Prison of Elders are from far more recent days. The blue-skinned baddie with the glowing eyes, who has a bullet with Cayde's name on it? That's Uldren Sov, brother to the now-deceased Queen Mara Sov of The Reef.

We'll let the rest of the story play out as Bungie's writers intend, but once the final cutscene fades to black players can enjoy a return to the Tower - somber as it may be. Cayde's vengeance can wait, however, as Guardians prepare to get acquainted with the new changes, new multiplayer modes... and the old grind of Milestones and Challenges.

And yes, that is Nolan North doing a Nathan Fillion impression as Cayde-6.

5. Collect New Tower Bounties & Tess Everis Gifts

The intricacies of the new weapon systems and inventory management are too lengthy to explain here, so we'll steer players back to the part of the game they already know and love. Before diving into the grind of Public Events (and the challenge of unlocking Heroics), Adventures, Weekly, and Daily Challenges, be sure to make the rounds on The Tower. The Clan Bounties are marked across the directory with some new elements, but trust that all is as it was, on a broad level.

And don't forget to claim your gifts from Tess Everis, too. Sadly, she won't be dishing out any of the Alkane Dust required to start infusing the higher gear into old favorites. But one thing players should do immediately is head into their inventory, and experience the simultaneously torturous and cathartic dismantling of Mods. Deprecated Mods, specifically, which are no longer of use in the new system. So sit back, mash that Dismantle button, and enjoy the rain of Components and Legendary Shards.

6. Play The New Gambit Multiplayer - Immediately

There are sure to be plenty of Destiny 2 players who are more eager to dive into the twisting, turning story of Forsaken than the Crucible, but with the new Gambit multiplayer mode (accessible from the Directory) the developers have delivered a stark reminder that they were the masterminds of the Halo series. And as a result, shapers of the modern multiplayer shooter architecture.

Trust us, Gambit is entirely approachable no matter how much time has been spent away from Destiny 2, or how little players may look forward to PvP. We've gone into greater detail in our guide to how to play Destiny 2's new Gambit, but the basic structure sells the experience all on its own. Instead of competing head-to-head, two teams each compete to mow down Creeps, eliminate bosses, and deposit the resulting Motes into a central hub in a race against the opposing team.

The game mode may soon be the talk of your Destiny clan, so it's probably not a question of if, merely when you will get your feet wet.

Follow these simple tips and you'll be headed towards unlocking the Dreaming City Raid location before you know it. The larger meta game and quirks of the new systems will take some time to flesh out, so in the meantime, the standard practices - experiment with each new weapon, and infuse/dismantle sparingly - still apply. Dismantled weapons and armor can still be reacquired through the Collections tab in the Directory (phew!), but the cost is higher than ever before.

We'll keep players updated with more Destiny 2: Forsaken tips and guides as more players shift into the new modes and challenges. Until then, let the Scorn feel your wrath.

Destiny 2: Forsaken is available now.