Destiny 2 is not the simplest game to get into as a beginner. There are so many features and mechanics, and years worth of lore and story, which can easily confuse and overwhelm anyone who's just starting out in the MMO shooter. It doesn't help that so much of the content is scattered across multiple different expansions, seasonal passes, and so forth, making it difficult for beginners to decide what they should even invest in.

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Part of Destiny 2 is learning the basics of the game. The basics include using abilities, weapons, what kind of enemies there are and what they might do, as well as getting a bit of background lore on the world itself here and there. To best get that, here's what activities are ideal for beginners and newcomers to Destiny 2.

7 Public Events

Get Some Glimmer And Basic Loot Quickly

Landing on a planet and just walking around in a patrol zone is probably one of the first things a beginner will end up doing. Looking at the map, there are various Public Events marked down, with a timer for when they will start. These are the perfect way for someone who has just launched the game to try their weapons and their abilities.

Public Events have very minimal mechanics, and usually just involve killing enemies, maybe moving from one location to another, and then getting a chest drop at the end. Completing the more hidden mechanics of an event will launch its Heroic mode, but this isn't always necessary, especially for those just starting the game.

6 Lost Sectors

Explore Deeper, For More Glimmer And Loot

Lost Sectors are marked with a special symbol: two white arcs, like a doorway, with a dot beneath them. Their entrances can sometimes be a little tricky to find, but inside is usually a very short dungeon with some enemies that can be killed, leading up to a small final boss. Once the boss is down, the chest at the end opens up for some loot.

Note that there are very difficult versions of these Lost Sectors available for players who have completed them. These can be accessed once the Lost Sector has been completed by interacting with a flag posted outside the entrance. Beginners should avoid the difficult versions for now, because they require proper loadouts and weapons for survival.

5 Expansion Campaigns

The Best Way To Discover The Story Of Destiny 2

Some of the best content Destiny 2 has to offer is its campaign missions. The downside is that players will need to purchase the expansion before being able to play through its campaign missions. Usually, the first mission is free, and to continue on players will need to actually buy the DLC from Steam or Epic Games.

Those who have some resources to spare should try The Witch Queen expansion, which undoubtedly has the best campaign the franchise has ever seen, rivaling Forsaken and even the Taken King's campaign from Destiny. Not only are the missions full of story and cool lore, but the encounters are interesting and teach newcomers some basic mechanics.

4 New Light Quests

Speak With NPCs To Start Quests For Exotic Gear And XP

Newcomers will be greeted by a myriad of quests when they first get into the game, many of them being New Light quests. Try not to ignore these, as many of them give players access to key features of the game, from subclasses to Exotic weapons and armor.

Speak with Shaw Han to pick up the Exotic weapon quest, and then head to The Tower to chat with Ikora, the Warlock Vanguard. She's the one NPC who will give out Exotic gear-related quests. Exotic gear is rare, so any chance for newcomers to earn some should be taken advantage of.

3 Dares of Eternity

A Lighthearted Game Show Activity With Great Loot

For something a bit different and challenging, new players can give Dares of Eternity a chance. The good thing about this game activity is that it comes with some nice, older loot that is still quite decent to this day. Play it weekly, as the loot will rotate regularly.

Moreover, the density of enemies in Dares of Eternity is a bit higher than in some of the other activities suggested here, so it's the perfect place to test how newbies might feel when under some real pressure. It's a six-man activity and matchmade, so players will also get a taste of what it feels like to fight alongside other players—both in good and bad.

2 Vanguard Strikes

A Perfect Mix Of Story With Combat And Mechanics

Vanguard strikes are part of the ritual playlist of Destiny 2. Alongside them are Crucible modes and Gambit, but those might feel more punishing and confusing for new players, as they include PVP. Strikes are purely PVE but are matchmade, meaning solo players will be joined by two other random players working towards a common goal.

Strikes often follow a story, so little glimpses of lore can be found here, too—though many of them are outdated. Depending on the strike, enemy density might be low, and the bosses are simple. Other strikes, like the Corrupted, require the completion of specific mechanics to get through it. These are just strikes, so it isn't the end of the world if newbies find themselves confused at first. Simply observe and try to stay alive, while experimenting with abilities and weapons.

1 Timeline Reflections Quests

Discover Key Story Moments From Destiny 2's Past

A new activity added in 2023 is the Timeline Reflections. These quests are key story beats from Destiny 2's past that are worth playing through as soon as possible to get new players up to speed about what exactly is going on. The quests go back all the way to the first major expansion, Forsaken.

These quests also come with some pretty nice rewards that might otherwise be difficult to earn. For example, the Cayde's Fate mission rewards the player with an Austringer, which is a decent hand cannon mainly used in PVP.

Destiny 2

Platform(s)

PS5 , PS4 , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S , Xbox One , PC , Stadia

Released

August 28, 2017

Developer(s)

Bungie

Genre(s)

FPS