Published , by Sam Chandler
Published , by Sam Chandler
Iron Banner has been a staple in Destiny since the first game, and now it’s changing shape in Season 17. Bungie recently unveiled a host of changes coming to the popular PVP mode that seek to bring it more in-line with other activities and make it more rewarding for players. Let’s check out what’s changing with Iron Banner in Season 17 of Destiny 2.
On May 12, 2022 Bungie revealed that some massive changes are coming to Iron Banner with Destiny 2 Season 17. Not only are Iron Banner tokens leaving, but Iron Banner now has a rep system more in-line with other PVP vendors, players can get a rep bonus by using gear, the event will only be available twice per season, and Rift is going to be featured in Iron Banner!
Firstly, Power level will be disabled in Iron Banner moving forwards. This removes the barrier that many new players face when joining in on the fun, which also opens up players to more diverse weapons now that you don’t need to use something at a high Power level. Keep in mind you will still want to get to the new max Power level for end-game PVE content and Trials.
Another element being removed from Iron Banner is Iron Banner tokens. Players will now be able to earn reputation in Iron Banner like they would for Crucible or Trials of Osiris. Earn reputation to increase your Iron Banner rank and earn Iron Engrams.
On top of this, players can also boost their reputation gains by equipping Iron Banner armor, ornaments, weapons, and emblems. The total boost players receive is shown in-game when in the Iron Banner launch screen, right down where modifiers are usuall shown. Here is how players can increase the rep gains with boosts:
With the addition of Iron Engrams, players will be able to use Bracus Forge (Lord Saladin) to focus engrams into weapons and armor that they have received previously. This will cost materials and resources but will allow players to chase the specific Iron Banner weapon god rolls they want.
Bungie also plans to add legacy gear and cosmetics to the Iron Engram loot pool at some point in the future. Keep an eye out for those excellent legacy weapons from previous Destiny 2 seasons.
As of Season 17, Iron Banner will no longer be limited to Control, in fact, it will be Rift every event. Veteran players will recall Rift from back in the day, but for newcomers, think of it like you would a basketball match. Players fight over a Spark that must be dunked in the opposing team’s goal.
For Season 17, Iron Banner will also take place on the new map, Disjunction, which is specifically designed for Rift.
It won’t just be Rift all the time forevermore, Bungie plans to swap the mode in and out each season. Some seasons players will see new modes while other seasons will see old favorites return.
To bring Iron Banner in-line with the other end-game PVP modes, it will now have its own Seal and Title for players to earn. Bungie estimates it will take 15-20 hours to unlock the Seal. The team notes that some hardcore players may be able to acquire it in a single week. From Season 18, players will be able to Gild the Title.
One of the major elements being removed from Iron Banner is the seasonal quest. Previously, Lord Saladin would offer a quest with roughly five steps that would require players to get kills using specific weapons, captures zones, and otherwise play his special mode. This will be replaced by a single Iron Banner introductory quest for all players.
When players login when Iron Banner starts in Season 17, they will need to complete this quest at least once. It will run all players, new and old, through the changes, including explaining the new challenge system.
This new challenge system sounds similar to bounties, albeit on a daily schedule and likely a bit more involved. Each day a new challenge will unlock, totalling four challenges. Even if you haven’t completed the previous day’s challenge, you’ll still find each one unlocked, meaning you can jump in after four days and smash them all out.
Finally, to ensure Iron Banner feels like the major event it is, the frequency of Iron Banner events is being reduced to two per season. This change will ensure multiple events aren’t occurring at the same time, like Guardian Games and Iron Banner was during Season of the Risen.
And for those wanting to put it into their calendar, Iron Banner will be running the week of May 31 and July 12 in Season 17.
There are a lot of changes coming to Iron Banner in Season 17 of Destiny 2. It all sounds like a positive step in the right direction to ensure the event feels rewarding and something worth players’ attention. Be sure to keep it locked to Shacknews as we bring you more information on Iron Banner’s new engram system, reputation levels, and the challenges. Find all this information in time over on our Destiny 2 Strategy Guide.