How To Get Ascendant Shards: A Guide For Destiny 2 Players

Ascendant Shards, a form of in-game currency in Destiny 2, are highly sought after by players. These powerful items can be used to Masterwork armor, providing players with crucial stat boosts and enhancing their gameplay experience. Given their value and usefulness, obtaining Ascendant Shards can be a bit challenging. This guide offers step-by-step instructions and explores all possible methods on how to get Ascendant Shards in Destiny 2.

Understanding Ascendant Shards

In the vast universe of Destiny 2, Ascendant Shards are the pinnacle of upgrade materials, providing a significant boost to a Guardian’s power and performance. They are primarily used to Masterwork Legendary armor, an action that enhances the attributes of your armor and thus, your in-game abilities.

Here’s what you need to understand about Ascendant Shards:

1. Role in Masterworking: Masterworking is the final stage of upgrading Legendary armor. Each stage of upgrading an armor piece enhances its stats incrementally. Masterworking is the last of these stages, offering the most substantial stat boost and extra mod slots for further customization. Ascendant Shards are necessary for this final stage, which underscores their value and importance in the game.
2. Rarity and Acquisition: Ascendant Shards are a rare and hard-to-acquire resource in Destiny 2. They can be obtained through high-level activities such as Nightfall: The Ordeal, Trials of Osiris, and Dungeons, or purchased from The Gunsmith in exchange for a significant number of Enhancement Prisms, Enhancement Cores, and Glimmer.
3. Gameplay Implications: The possession of Ascendant Shards can greatly impact gameplay, primarily because they allow you to optimize your armor’s stats. This means that with Ascendant Shards, you can make your Guardian more resilient, stronger, or faster, depending on the stat bonuses of your Masterworked armor. This can significantly influence your performance in PvE and PvP activities.

In essence, Ascendant Shards are a critical resource in Destiny 2 for any player wishing to maximize their Guardian’s potential. Their rarity and the challenges associated with acquiring them reflect their game-changing potential and strategic importance.

Ways to Obtain Ascendant Shards

Method 1: Purchasing from The Gunsmith

1. Begin your journey in the Tower, the social hub in Destiny 2. Here, you’ll find Banshee-44, more commonly known as The Gunsmith.
2. Interact with The Gunsmith. Within his menu, you will find Ascendant Shards available for purchase. The cost, as of the latest update, stands at 10 Enhancement Prisms, 100 Enhancement Cores, and 50,000 Glimmer per Shard.
3. If your resources are insufficient for the purchase, you’ll need to engage in activities that reward Enhancement Cores and Prisms, such as Nightfall: The Ordeal. As you play, you’ll also naturally accumulate the in-game currency, Glimmer.

Method 2: Nightfall: The Ordeal

1. Participate in Nightfall: The Ordeal, a weekly strike activity with varying degrees of difficulty, each offering different reward levels.
2. The potential to earn Ascendant Shards increases with the difficulty of the strike. They can drop in both Master (1320 Power) and Grandmaster (1350 Power) Nightfall levels. Be prepared for a substantial challenge, as these levels often necessitate a well-coordinated and highly skilled team.
3. Upon successfully completing the activity, there is a chance for an Ascendant Shard to drop as a reward. It’s essential to note that these drops are not guaranteed but become more likely with higher difficulty levels.

Method 3: Season Pass Rewards

1. Destiny 2 operates on a seasonal model, which includes a Battle Pass system. This system provides rewards to players as they accrue experience and progress through levels over the course of the season.
2. Ascendant Shards are part of the rewards offered in the Season Pass. As you level up and hit certain milestones, you will unlock an Ascendant Shard.

Method 4: Trials of Osiris and Dungeons

1. The Trials of Osiris, a competitive PvP event that runs on weekends, offers top-tier rewards for exceptional performance. Achieving a flawless victory in this event earns you Ascendant Shards.
2. Dungeons, including activities like Prophecy and Pit of Heresy, also offer a chance to earn Ascendant Shards. Although the drop rates may be lower compared to other methods, they represent another avenue for Shard acquisition.

Conclusion

The journey to acquire Ascendant Shards in Destiny 2 can be challenging, requiring both strategic engagement and extensive gameplay. However, given their value and the substantial benefits they offer for your Guardian, the pursuit is undoubtedly worth it.

This detailed guide provides a clear roadmap, showcasing all the possible ways to obtain Ascendant Shards. Equip this knowledge and enhance your Guardian’s potential. Good luck, Guardian, and may the Light guide your path!