Highlights
- Silver Bundles or the Throne of Atheon Emote Bundle are purely cosmetic and not necessary for gameplay.
- The 30th Anniversary Pack is not essential for newcomers, as Dares of Eternity can be accessed for free and the dungeon loot isn't essential despite including Gjallarhorn.
- Consider purchasing Beyond Light for its new subclass, and The Witch Queen for its brilliant storytelling. Both contain a variety of new activities and an excellent patrol space to explore.
There has been a lot of talk about the prevalence of microtransactions in Destiny 2 with the release of Lightfall and a general sense of frustration in the community. Even players from other live service games have likely become all too familiar with Aztecross' famous video essay on the state of Destiny 2.
No matter what players think of the game's state, one thing can be agreed on: Destiny 2 isn't a very beginner-friendly game, and the abundance of DLCs found on Steam alone can be a daunting sight for new players who are careful about spending money on a brand-new title. Out of the many DLCs and bundles available, what does a new Destiny 2 players really need to get the most out of the game without entirely breaking their bank? This guide should help interested players in making educated decisions.
This list does not take into account Seasonal Passes, which give access to the seasonal story and activities. Generally speaking, it's recommended to purchase the current, ongoing Season Pass as a brand-new, and not an Annual Pass, even if the Annual Pass is better value. This way, players can get a feel for seasonal gameplay without making a one-year investment.
Don't Buy: The Bundles
On the Steam store page, there are three DLCs that beginners should never buy:
- Seasonal Silver Bundle
- Triumphant Silver Bundle
- Throne of Atheon Emote Bundle
Silver Bundles are basically packs that grant players in-game currency called Silver. This allows them to purchase various in-game cosmetic items from the game's store, called the Eververse. It's absolutely not required in order to have a great time in the game, and there are plenty of cool items that players can access without spending Silver in the Eververse.
The Throne of Atheon Emote Bundle also comes with Silver, as well as a special Vault of Glass themed emote. Again, it's a purely cosmetic pack that won't bring any real, tangible content into the game, and can be safely ignored by newcomers.
Don't Buy: 30th Anniversary Pack
The 30th Anniversary Pack was a mini-DLC that was released to celebrate 30 years of Bungie. A lot of the content comes in the form of fan service for Bungie fans, with a new dungeon and an Exotic quest to claim the famous Gjallarhorn rocket launcher. Neither of these are necessities for newcomers, especially since the activity Dares of Eternity is accessible for free to every player even if they don't have this pack.
The Grasp of Avarice dungeon is a cool and fun one, but its loot isn't that powerful right now in 2023, and most players can still survive as newcomers without having a Gjallarhorn in their inventory.
Maybe: Shadowkeep
As mentioned before, Shadowkeep on its own may not be of the best value today. It's easily the weakest campaign storyline available, comes with no new subclasses for players to experiment with, and is simply better value when bought together with the Forsaken Pack in the form of the Armory Collection. It comes with one raid, a strike, and one dungeon, as well as a storyline centered on the Moon.
Newcomers can safely ignore it on their first run of the game and can wait for a discount or a better offer if they truly feel motivated to experience Shadowkeep.
Maybe: The Forsaken Pack Or The Armory Collection
Forsaken was one of the first, bigger expansions to make it to Destiny 2. Unfortunately, the campaign is no longer available, so only limited content can be purchased when buying either the Forsaken Pack or the Armory Collection, which also comes with the Shadowkeep expansion. Out of these two, the Armory Collection is slightly better value, but considering Shadowkeep is one of the weakest campaigns available in the game, newcomers can quite safely ignore it.
Forsaken itself comes with a raid and a dungeon, as well as several Exotic weapons that may be of interest to new players. However, given the abundance of weapons in later expansions with story content that's still available, these two DLCs are more of a "maybe" than a must-have.
Maybe: Lightfall
Although Lightfall has some of the weakest storytelling in Destiny 2 seen since Shadowkeep, what really makes this expansion stand out is the new subclass, Strand. That alone bumps this expansion up from a Don't Buy to a Maybe, though players should absolutely wait for it to be discounted before investing in it. Look for the end of 2023 and early 2024 when Lightfall will go on sale, just before the next expansion is set to release and experience the campaign just weeks before The Final Shape's storyline.
Lightfall is a more action-packed expansion that puts emphasis on battles, mastering Strand, and exploring the new location, Neomuna. It comes with one new strike, several side and secret activities similar to Beyond Light's setup, and a very beginner-friendly raid, Root of Nightmares.
Must-Have: Beyond Light
A fairly good campaign storyline paired with a brand-new subclass, Stasis, for players to discover, Beyond Light comes with a ton for players to discover. The new location, Europa, is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, patrol areas in Destiny 2, and with all the different activities hidden within, Beyond Light is one of those packages that really has players earning the bang for their buck.
There's also a new raid and strike that comes paired with this DLC, and while there's no dungeon, the new subclass should keep players busy enough.
Must-Have: The Witch Queen
Hailed as among the best expansions for Destiny 2, The Witch Queen is a wonderful addition to a new player's repertoire if they would like to experience the pinnacle of storytelling in the game. Veterans may lament that it doesn't quite hold a candle to Forsaken's storyline, but with the Forsaken campaign vaulted, The Witch Queen's campaign easily ranks as the best available—especially since it comes with two different difficulty modes for players who love a challenge.
The new Throne World patrol location is full of dangers and features two new strikes and a challenging raid, Vow of the Disciple. If players know for certain they want to get their hands on The Witch Queen, they may as well invest in the Legacy Collection pack, which features not only this DLC but also Beyond Light and Shadowkeep.
Destiny 2 is available on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.