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How to play 3v3 Survival in Destiny 2

Get the lowdown on 3v3 Survival, Destiny 2's newest competitive Crucible mode.

Sam Chandler

November 4, 2019 5:30 AM

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For those players looking to rise through the ranks of Glory, knowing how to play 3v3 Survival in Destiny 2 is going to be important. This mode is extremely competitive, has its own set of rules, and even various metas. If you’re chasing the Fabled rank, you’ll need to come prepared for Lord Shaxx’ most competitive mode.

How to play 3v3 Survival

Survival is a game mode that’s been in Destiny 2 for a while now, but the 3v3 version is new as of Shadowkeep. Instead of requiring a fireteam of 4, the 3v3 mode perfectly fits into the Destiny style of three players in a fireteam. This is also the only mode where you can level up your Glory ranks.

Survival is a round-based mode that has a shared-pool of respawns for each team. Players are given 4 respawns which are used up whenever a player dies. When the pool reaches zero, any deaths thereafter result in being knocked out of the round.

This shared life pool means that one player could soak up all the respawns. Do not be this player. Obviously, the best bet is to avoid dying altogether, but sometimes it’s inevitable. In fact, some bold plays may result in you wiping a team and dying in the process. This is still a net-positive, as the first team to run out of lives is backed into a corner. Trading one life for three opponents’ is definitely a win.

When a team runs out of lives, and then everyone dies, they lose the round. In order to win a game of 3v3 Survival, you must win four rounds. This means a match could stretch out to seven rounds as the teams trade wins.

Competitive Crucible meta and tips

Competitive Crucible in Destiny 2 will always have its own meta. Each season brings with it a host of changes, so keeping up with the meta can prove to be a challenge. However, there seem to be some constants that can always be relied upon.

First and foremost, you should be playing a class you are most comfortable playing. While Striker Titans dominated the Crucible for a time there, if you weren’t comfortable using one, you would not have been as effective. In saying this, it’s definitely worth using the ruling Super for your class.

To elaborate on this further, a Ward of Dawn Titan is not very useful in Survival. The only time it shines is if the tiebreaker zone spawns and you must hold it down. Because of this, it’s better to use one of the other trees within the Sentinel subclass or one of the other subclasses altogether.

In terms of weaponry, much like classes, using the weapons you’re most comfortable with is the best way to succeed. The only time this isn’t the case is when one weapon is absolutely the king of the Crucible, such as the time when Lord of Wolves was overpowered. A skilled player with a bow can be just as dangerous as another with a sniper rifle. Play to your strengths.

Destiny 2’s new 3v3 Survival mode is the pinnacle of competitive Crucible. With the option to go in solo in Freelance or as a pre-made squad in normal, the fight to Fabled is going to be intense either way. Take a moment to check out the Shacknews Destiny 2 complete strategy guide for even more meta breakdowns.

Sam Chandler

Head of Guides

Hailing from the land down under, Sam Chandler brings a bit of the southern hemisphere flair to his work. After bouncing round a few universities, securing a bachelor degree, and entering the video game industry, he's found his new family here at Shacknews as Head of Guides. There's nothing he loves more than crafting a guide that will help someone. If you need help with a guide, or notice something not quite right, you can message him on X: @SamuelChandler