Destiny 2: Beyond Light has radically changed the franchise's combat loop thanks to the introduction of Stasis, a new damage type that is focused on freezing enemies and creating crystals. The new Stasis Subclasses that have been released have already changed the PvE and PvP environments radically.
Not only does the expansion have a few activities and tricks some players aren't aware of, but Stasis itself has a steep learning curve that many players are still trying to master. From farming Europa gear to countering pesky Coldsnap Grenades, here are ten things most players don't know they can do in Destiny 2: Beyond Light.
10 Talk To Variks Faster
Anyone grinding Empire Hunts or Variks bounties might find it annoying how he is inside of a building and not outside. It turns out that Guardians can talk to him without needing to enter the Charon's Crossing building.
Right after spawning at Charon's Crossing, head up to Variks' window and get off the Sparrow. Stand right in front of Variks then crouch. This will display the interaction window and display bounties and Empire Hunts as normal. It saves a few seconds talking to him this way.
9 Legend And Master Lost Sectors
Lost Sectors from Europa and the Cosmodrome have Legend and Master difficulty variants that can be farmed for Enhancement Cores and Exotic armor. There are two Lost Sectors available each day that have a higher difficulty variant, each granting a high chance of Exotic armor in a certain armor slot when completed solo. For example, completing the Concealed Void Lost Sector solo grants a high chance at Exotic chest armor. These difficulty variants unlock after a Guardian reaches 1,200 Power Level and has completed that Lost Sector at least once.
8 Glacier Grenade Uses
Glacier Grenades offer an unprecedented amount of utility in Destiny 2. They are arguably one of the strongest grenades in the franchise due to how versatile they are. These Stasis crystals can be used to block sightlines, freeze enemies that are near the blast radius, and can be shattered to deal damage in a small area.
However, these grenades have even more uses than one would expect. These grenades can be thrown on a vertical surface to create horizontal platforms a Guardian can stand on. This allows creative players to create vantage points with their grenade and take opponents out from different positions. Glacier Grenades can also be used as a free jump if thrown at the player's feet, flinging them into the air to throw opponents off.
7 Combat Mod Synergies
Combat Mods, previously known as seasonal Mods, have seen a few small changes in Destiny 2: Beyond Light. One of the largest changes involves Arc Combat Mods and their secondary bonus.
Previously, these Mods would only activate their secondary effect if that same piece of armor had a secondary Arc Mod installed. While this is still true, these Mods can now have their secondary Mod effect activated by a second Arc Combat Mod. This can allow for some truly incredible Mod synergies such as using Powerful Friends and Radiant Light to obtain +20 mobility and strength with only two Mods.
Some other previous Mod synergies involve using Warmind Cell Mods. The Rage of the Warmind Mod can be combined with Wrath of Rasputin to cause Warmind Cells to spawn additional Warmind Cells, causing a near-infinite chain of Warmind Cells spawning and detonating.
6 Farm Open World Gear From Brigs
For those that need the Europa armor or are bored of Empire Hunts, the Fallen Brigs that wander the patrol space drop Europa gear when killed. These enemies have a much higher Power Level than other foes on the planet. Should the player take one down, it will drop a chest that is guaranteed to have some piece of Europa gear, ranging from armor to guns. Farm these enemies for new rolls of the Europa armor.
5 Shiver Strike's Mobility
Titan's new Stasis Subclass, the Behemoth, is a force to be reckoned with inside the Crucible. This Subclass has a degree of mobility that is typically reserved for Dawnblade Warlocks or Hunters.
Most of their mobility comes from their melee ability. Holding the melee key down will cause the player to fly in the air. When the key is released, the Titan will do a shoulder charge that has a solid amount of momentum. This can be used to throw players off of maps or traverse chokepoints at blazing speeds. Combine this with the Glacier Grenade bounce trick to cover some serious ground.
4 Resilience Counters Stasis Breakout Damage
If Stasis breakout damage is too taxing inside of PvP environments or Empire Hunts, consider increasing the resilience stat through armor Mods. Every ten points of resilience reduces the damage Stasis breakouts deal. The first few tiers slightly reduce this damage, but the last three tiers of resilience are exponentially stronger. Running 100 resilience on a Guardian will cause Stasis breakouts to deal virtually no damage.
3 Antaeus Ward Reflect Stasis Projectiles
Yet another mechanic tied to Titans, their Antaeus Ward Exotic can reflect Stasis projectiles. If a Shadebinder Warlock is about to release its freezing projectiles, slide before impact to reflect the projectiles and freeze the opposing Warlock. That said, there's still a chance the player will be frozen while doing this if they slide too early or too late. This reflection also works against the Revenant's Stasis Shurikens.
2 Hunter Dodge Stops Coldsnap Tracking
Hunter dodges are one of the strongest abilities in Destiny 2. They make Hunters harder to hit, grant free reloads or melee charges, all while becoming temporarily immune to aim assist.
It seems that aim assist dictates how Coldsnap Grenades track the player, as Hunter dodges can stop Coldsnap Grenades from tracking altogether. Right as the grenade fissure begins to move, dodge away from it and the projectile will continue on its current trajectory and will stop tracking the player. Note that if an ally gets frozen, the secondary Coldsnap fissure is more than capable of tracking the player again.
1 Titan Barricades Block Stasis Grenades
Image from CammyCakes Gaming (YouTube)
Towering Barricades have become even stronger than ever in Beyond Light. A Titan's Towering Barricade is capable of countering Duskfield and Coldsnap Grenades if placed properly.
Barricades placed directly facing a Coldsnap Grenade will cause it to track onto the wall, rush vertically along the wall, then dissipate after a second. Should the player be near a Barricade when a Coldsnap spawns, run around the Barricade and the Coldsnap fissure will run directly into it, causing the fissure to despawn entirely.
Duskfield Grenades can also have their slow effect mitigated if a Towering Barricade is placed near the edge of the slow field facing the center. For whatever reason, the slow dome will stop applying slow stacks to whoever is behind the wall.