As the second Iron Banner of Season of Dawn comes to a close with this week's reset, it is clearer than ever that the monthly PvP event needs some attention, especially if Trials returns in a future season. Destiny 2 is in another mid-season timeframe, and in the second iteration of its new Year 3 seasonal model, the weaknesses are starting to show. One of those is definitely the current state of Iron Banner.
Iron Banner is meant to be a monthly competitive PvP event in Destiny 2 where Power level matters. Level advantages are turned on in the mode. and there is a damage curve that makes more powerful players deal more damage and take less of it when they go up against players of lower levels. Weapons and armor exclusive to Iron Banner have always been the prize to chase.
Destiny 2's Power Doesn't Matter
Unfortunately, the current state of Iron Banner is lacking in both these fundamentals that define the playlist. First, Power level has lost much of its meaning in the current season. With only a 10-level increase in Season of Dawn (which is extremely easy to reach with just casual play) and the seasonal artifact giving a Power bonus, many players are within the same levels of each other than ever before. There's very little reason to try to climb to a higher level because the difference between high- and low-level players is barely noticeable. And, with that being the case, Iron Banner, which sprouted the catchphrase "Power Matters" has lost one of the main characteristics that make it different from the rest of PvP. Unfortunately, power matters very little right now in Iron Banner.
The Same Old Gear
Next, the loot pool of Iron Banner has become stagnant. This season, Iron Banner is offering an Armor 2.0 version of the Iron Truage set, which was the same set that persisted through the entire first year of the game but it was also already reprised in Season of Opulence, just two seasons ago. It is great to have an Armor 2.0 version of this classic set, yet it feels much more unnecessary to collect (especially for veteran players) when compared to last season's new Iron Will set.
Then there's the Iron Banner weapon set, which is also a collection of old weapons that have appeared in previous seasons. This lack of new Destiny 2 weapons was especially noticed last season with the beginning of Year 3 and the launch of the Shadowkeep expansion. Many players expected a weapon refresh along with the Iron Will armor refresh, and that has continued into Season of Dawn. Making matters worse this season, a special Iron Banner ritual weapon, the Point of the Stag bow, was supposed to be available this season but it was pushed back until next season.
Pinnacle Activity?
Iron Banner is one of Destiny 2's pinnacle activity, which can drop gear past the 960 softcap. However, players have noticed that Iron Banner rarely drops armor with stat rolls above 60, which is what most players consider to be the minimum requirement for armor that is worth keeping. Raids, the Pit of Heresy dungeon, and other pinnacle activities give 60+ stat rolled armor regularly, so Iron Banner seems like a serious outlier due to the rarity of what most players consider an acceptable stat roll for pinnacle armor. Again, it adds up to make the mode feel less endgame, competitive, or worth playing at all.
The Return of Trials
There have been so many leaks and rumors, it is almost certain that Destiny 2's Trials will return. Unfortunately, it does not seem like Trials alone is going to fix the problems of PvP nor will it help Iron Banner. Iron Banner needs a fresh loot pool to incentivize players more. Destiny 2 as a whole needs some attention to its level progression to make Power actually matter. And the rewards need to feel like endgame rewards.
The same will need to be true of Trials as well. Players are not likely to be impressed with the same Year 1 Trials of the Nine armor returning as Armor 2.0 versions along with the Trials weapons. A new Trials might get away with the same weapon pool for about a season if random rolls are implemented considering the last time those weapons were available it was during Destiny 2's fixed-roll system. But judging by how the first two seasons of Year 3 have gone and players' reactions to Iron Banner, Trials will quickly need a refreshed batch of loot.
Hopefully, developer Bungie can resolve some of these issues in the coming seasons. Unfortunately, Iron Banner seems to be one more thing being piled on as unsatisfactory during a time in Destiny 2 where many players are growing fatigued of the seasonal model and the repetitive grind it has introduced. That will be even more important if the game does bring back the much-anticipated and beloved Trials mode.
Destiny 2: Shadowkeep is available now for PC, PS4, Stadia, and Xbox One.