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Every Destiny 2 player is aware of the undisputable fact that Bungie's MMO shooter is a fashion game first and a sci-fi shooter after. After all, with so many cool and unique armor pieces, ornaments, and shaders available to customize characters with, there's no excuse not to spend excessive time trying to make the perfect outfit for every activity and occasion.
Shaders in particular are a powerful cosmetic tool. They can be applied to armor, sparrows, ships, and weapons. Good shaders can completely change the look of an average armor design and turn it into a brand-new set worth wearing. However, shaders are elusive and players will need to complete Triumphs, spend Bright Dust at the store, unlock rewards and sometimes even dismantle old gear to get access to their favorite shaders. So, which shaders are actually worth getting in Destiny 2?
Updated on February 1, 2023, by Anastasia Maillot: Good news for the guardians, as Bungie has recently announced the return of several older, retired shaders for Destiny 2 when Lightfall arrives. Ada-1 will be in charge of selling these returning shaders in exchange for a bit of glimmer, so players who never got their hands on those juicy Dead Orbit shaders or the infamous Bergusian Night will now finally have a chance to upgrade their fashion. But beyond that, there are some new shaders introduced in the last few seasons that have made some waves and deserve a spot on this still highly subjective list of the best Destiny 2 shaders. Here are which ones to try for that perfect Lightfall fashion upgrade.
Note that this list is purely subjective, though some community favorites have been taken into account.
15 Abyssinian Gold – For Near-Black Looks
With Dead Orbit shaders returning to Destiny 2, there's hope yet for players looking for a mostly black shader. In the meantime, Abyssinian Gold is one shader that's worth getting one's hands on because of how it interacts with certain armor pieces.
It almost appears black depending on the material of the armor or the texture, which is why it can be combined nicely into any full-black set. It does have a slight gray, almost green tint which can be annoying to deal with, but overall it's a fantastic backup option for desperate guardians.
14 Scarlet Semblance – Bloodstained Effect
Bungie would never include anything that's too gory in Destiny 2, which is understandable but can be a bit of a bummer for any edgy guardians who want to show everyone else just how much combat and bloodshed they've engaged in. Luckily, this very cool Crucible shader is a small acknowledgment from Bungie for such people.
The faded red markings of this shader almost make some pieces appear as though they've been splattered with blood. It looks equally fantastic on a handful of weapons, so it's an incredibly versatile shader to add to one's collection.
13 Jacarina – Clean Black & White
Back to simplicity, there's Jacarina. This basic shader is likely something most players have by now, but no one should underestimate just how powerful it can be. Jacarina can make some armor pieces look perfectly black and white, which is why it's a big favorite among the community.
In fact, just having a full armor set using Jacarina only looks good enough on its own, which is rare given how differently shaders tend to interact with some textures and armor designs. Don't dismiss this shader—it's more impressive thanks to its simplicity than one would think.
12 Iron Countershade – Chainmail Included
Making waves in the Season of the Seraph is this Iron Banner shader that makes certain armor pieces change into chainmail. As usual, any dramatic shaders like this one tend to become quick community favorites, and many players were scrambling to get this shader during the last Iron Banner run in season 19.
With Lightfall on the way and with Iron Banner's last week at hand (and with Lord Saladin's reputation gain boosted by Bungie), it's everyone's prime chance to get their hands on this shader—if they can deal with the immense PVP grind that comes hand in hand with it.
11 Sinking Feeling – Animated Lightning
Another brilliant shader that made its entrance in season 19 was Sinking Feeling. Like all animated shaders that dramatically change the way armor sets appear, this one became a hit among the community as soon as it hit the Bright Dust store.
Sinking Feeling is a blue, black, and turquoise shader, but most importantly it features an animated texture of lightning that looks fantastic on most armor pieces. Players looking for the perfect shader for an Arc 3.0 build won't need to look any further than this one.
10 Photo Finish – The RGB Shader
Whoever designed the Photo Finish shader had the right idea about Destiny 2 players and gamers in general. This shader, at first glance, looks like any old shader with a bit of black, white, and grey in it, but what's really special about it can't be shown in a simple still photo. This shader is actually an animated one and is one of a few in the game.
Photo Finish will slowly cycle through colors like an RGB keyboard when applied to an armor piece. Of course, this doesn't apply to the whole armor set, but rather to specific details. It will look particularly good on class items like the Warlock bond or the infamous Xur rock ship (earned by ranking up Xur through Dares of Eternity) that turns into a full-blown disco-rave ship.
9 Bitterpearl – A Popular White Option
The thing about shaders is that finding one that sticks mostly to a specific color is quite difficult. Full white and full black shaders are a rarity in the game, and Bungie always has a way to spice up even the most full-white or full-black-looking shader. Bitterpearl, however, is a pretty solid white shader option for those who like the snow-guardian look and can be unlocked from the Vault of Glass raid.
Granted, it does have a variety of shades of white and some are even tinted more toward blue, but overall it's a fantastic white shader. The catch is, the surface of Bitterpearl is lightly animated with small, white particles that look like bubbles, but this isn't too apparent from afar.
8 Bergusian Night – A Classy Purple
Now a retired shader from the first years of Destiny 2, Bergusian Night is one of the nicest shaders out there for players who enjoy a delicious, full purple. It's not just one shade of purple either, but combines multiple shades thanks to its textured surface, with some tinting more toward red and others toward blue, giving it a nice depth.
While there are some purple shaders that have come after Bergusian Night, this is one of those old shaders that players are likely to miss as it's no longer available in the game. Those lucky enough to have it should play around with it again, as it sticks really well on a variety of armor pieces.
7 Amethyst Veil – An Option For Black
This is an interesting shader, and initially a misleading one. The shader thumbnail doesn't really do its justice, because the shader does include some deep, navy blue in it as well that some players might not expect when applying it on their gear. That said, this is a community favorite for one important reason: the black.
Amethyst Veil, and some other shaders that deserve an honorable mention like Jacarina, can be incredibly useful when combined with certain armor pieces. Mixing and matching them successfully can lead to players actually achieving a somewhat full-black armor set, and Amethyst Veil is one of such shaders that many players tend to fall back to.
6 Carminica – Menacing Red
Speaking of black, the combination of black and red is a classic, cool, and slightly edgy choice – no judgment here, though. It's hard to judge when shaders like Carminica exist and look so good on a variety of armor pieces. It's one of the few shaders where there's just an immense abundance of very dark black.
Combine that with red and players can come up with a very evil-looking armor set which is ideal for any Crucible try-harders.
5 Mystophosphor – The Regal Green
Now, back to more animated shaders. Green isn't a typical choice for many players because a lot of the greens in Destiny 2 just seem a little excessive or too bright. However, players who would like a royal green with some cool, magical, and animated texture, should try Mystophosphor from the 30th Anniversary Update.
This shader won't turn a guardian into a bright watermelon or a lime-green jungle frog. Instead, it's just tone-down enough to look perfect on a variety of sets and styles. The shifting texture is almost mist-like and features lighter shades of green and almost tints toward blue, which provides a nice depth of color.
4 Tidesmoke – Silvery Charcoal
One of the newer shaders on this list, Tidesmoke is still a shader that most players may not even know about. And yet, it's showing a lot of promise. It may not be the full-black shader that players have been wishing for all this time, but it does look incredibly cool.
It doesn't have a particularly shiny surface, and the matte grey, almost greenish appearance with a faded silver or metal tinge makes this wonderful for any dark sci-fi lovers. Players who don't care for bright colors and RGB space magic will definitely enjoy something more hard sci-fi-themed like Tidesmoke.
3 Descendant Vex Chrome – The Rusted Look
Still on the topic of sci-fi, but leaning more into post-apocalyptic perhaps, is the Descendant Vex Chrome shader in Destiny 2. This shader has something that most other shaders don't, and it's the unique rust effect that it comes with, which is most definitely a tip of the hat to rusted Vex units lying 'dead' and forgotten.
The shader comes with a surprisingly nice dark, almost black base which can tint into coppery rust or more greenish rust. Either way, those who miss the old, hard sci-fi look of the original Destiny game might enjoy this one.
2 Irradiant Charoite – Cracked Pastels
Back to more colorful shaders of Destiny 2: the Irradiant Charoite. This shader is one of those combinations that players will either hate or love, but what's certain is that this is one of those shaders players should have in their collection to play with given the texture and tints it has.
It's a fantastic shader for any pastel color lovers out there, but it isn't one of those super clean, plasticky pastel shaders that make guardians look like walking packs of bubblegum. This one actually has a cracked texture which breaks the overly bright colors into something more manageable.
1 Monochromatic – A Combo Of Black And White
Black and white, what a nice combination. Monochromatic is a shader that proves this marriage well by just how good it looks overall. It features pure white and fairly dark, almost black pieces, as well as variants of grey.
For a clean, futuristic sci-fi look in Destiny 2, Monochromatic will look fantastic on a variety of armor sets. Whether one enjoys the more true-to-science designs or the space fantasy designs, Monochromatic will easily look good on both thanks to how simple it is.
Destiny 2 is available on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Stadia.