Destiny 2 Beginner Guide 2025: What Order Should You Play?

Table of contents

Intro

Destiny 2 offers an expansive world filled with thrilling activities, deep lore, and a complex leveling system. If you’re new to the game or returning after a long break, figuring out where to start can be overwhelming. This guide will walk you through the best order to experience Destiny 2 in 2025, ensuring you maximize rewards, level up efficiently, and enjoy the best content the game has to offer.

Understanding Destiny 2's Gameplay Structure

Destiny 2 is a first-person shooter with MMORPG elements, offering both PvE and PvP content. The game features story-driven campaigns, raids, dungeons, world events, and competitive multiplayer modes. Your Guardian will level up through gear progression, unlocking powerful weapons and armor to tackle endgame activities.

Here’s a breakdown of the main activities in Destiny 2:

Story Campaigns

Before diving into raids, strikes, or PvP, it’s best to complete the story campaigns to understand Destiny’s lore and unlock key locations, weapons, and activities.

Campaign Release Year Recommended Order Power Level (PL) Requirement
Shadowkeep 2019 Start Here 1100+
Beyond Light 2020 Next 1250+
The Witch Queen 2022 Then 1350+
Lightfall 2023 After WQ 1600+
The Final Shape 2024 Latest 1750+

 

🔹 Tip: If you’re completely new, start with New Light, Destiny 2’s free-to-play introduction, before tackling expansions.

Essential Activities and What They Offer

Vanguard Strikes

Given By: Commander Zavala (The Tower)

Vanguard Strikes are PvE missions where you battle through enemy forces and defeat a final boss. They are a great way to earn powerful gear and upgrade materials.

🔹 Best For: Quick gear progression, leveling up, and weekly powerful/pinnacle rewards.

Lost Sectors

What They Are: Mini-dungeons hidden across various planets.

Lost Sectors provide a great opportunity to farm for Exotic armor, particularly Legendary and Master Lost Sectors which rotate daily.

🔹 Best For: Solo players farming Exotic gear.

Raids

Recommended: Complete at least one campaign before attempting a raid.

Raids are six-player, high-difficulty PvE activities that offer Destiny 2’s best rewards. Each raid features mechanics-driven encounters requiring teamwork and strategy.

Raid Recommended PL Main Reward
Vault of Glass (VoG) 1600+ Time-lost Weapons
Vow of the Disciple 1650+ Collective Obligation
King’s Fall 1675+ Touch of Malice
Root of Nightmares 1750+ Conditional Finality
Crota’s End 1780+ Necrochasm

 

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The Crucible (PvP)

Given By: Lord Shaxx (The Tower)

PvP activities include:

  • Quickplay: Casual 6v6 matches
  • Competitive: Ranked 3v3 battles (Glory Points)
  • Trials of Osiris: Endgame PvP mode with powerful Adept weapons

🔹 Best For: PvP-exclusive gear, high-tier rewards from Trials of Osiris.

Gambit (PvPvE)

Given By: The Drifter (The Tower)

Gambit is a hybrid mode combining PvE and PvP elements. Two teams compete to defeat enemies, collect motes, and summon a boss first.

🔹 Best For: Unique weapons and Infamy rank rewards.

Best Gear Progression for Beginners

To level up quickly and efficiently, follow this gear progression path:

Stage Activity Power Gain
Soft Cap (1750) World Drops, Blue Engrams Up to 1750
Hard Cap (1800) Powerful Gear Sources +5 per item
Pinnacle Cap (1810) Pinnacle Gear (Raids, Nightfalls) +2 per item

Powerful Gear Sources

  • Strikes, Gambit, Crucible: Complete weekly milestones
  • Seasonal Activities: Weekly challenges
  • Exotic Quests: Weekly and campaign rewards
  • Vendor Rank-ups: Lord Shaxx, Zavala, Drifter, Fynch

Pinnacle Gear Sources

  • Raids & Dungeons
  • Grandmaster Nightfalls
  • Trials of Osiris (7 Wins)
  • Iron Banner (Weekly Event)

How to Get the Best Weapons in Destiny 2

Some of the best weapons in Destiny 2 are obtained through specific quests, raids, and seasonal content.

Weapon Name Type How to Get
The Recluse SMG Nightfall Reward
Fatebringer Hand Cannon Vault of Glass Raid
The Chaperone Shotgun PvP Questline
Gjallarhorn Rocket Launcher Bungie 30th Anniversary Pack
Ace of Spades Hand Cannon Cayde-6’s Questline
Thorn Hand Cannon Exotic Quest
Whisper of the Worm Sniper Rifle The Whisper Mission

 

🔹 Tip: Crafting at the Enclave allows you to fine-tune perks on specific weapons!

Final Tips for Destiny 2 Beginners

Use Destiny Item Manager (DIM) – Organize inventory easily.
Join a Clan – Earn weekly engrams for PvE/PvP rewards.
Complete Seasonal Challenges – Huge XP boosts & Artifact leveling.
Don’t Dismantle Gear Too Soon – You might need it later!
Find a Fireteam – Many activities require teamwork.
Visit Onlyfarms.gg for professional help – Get through endgame content faster!

Conclusion

Destiny 2 is an ever-evolving game with tons of content to explore. Whether you’re focusing on story campaigns, PvE activities, or PvP battles, this guide ensures you’re leveling up efficiently while experiencing the best of what the game has to offer.

Need help mastering the game? Onlyfarms.gg provides expert boosting services to help you conquer Destiny 2 faster and easier.

🎯 Jump in, Guardian! Your journey starts now. 🚀