[GameSpot] - Destiny 2: Season Of The Witch Guides, Season Pass Gear, Exotics

343iBot · August 23, 2023

Destiny 2: Season of the Witch is now live and has introduced a number of Hive-influenced events to the game set against the backdrop of a spooky story. The final stand against Xivu Arath draws closer, the Witch Queen plots to rise from her grave, and you'll be spending this season tithing power to Eris Morn, who has undergone a shocking metamorphosis. This new season will run from August 22 through November 28, and is the penultimate season before Bungie retires this model for a new episodic approach.

Season 22 introduces a number of updates to Destiny 2, ranging from Exotic armor and Exotic weapon overhauls, a new Elemental Orb system to use in battle, and fine-tuning of several weapon archetypes. As usual, the season pass has some great rewards available on both its free and premium tiers, a new Exotic weapon to add to your collection, and resources to collect to help strengthen your Guardian.

Season of the Witch guides

A new season of Destiny 2 brings new challenges and mysteries, and in Season 22, one of the big new additions is an entire deck of powerful Arcana cards. Destiny 2's take on deckbuilding, the major tarot cards aren't just for show but can actually be used to enhance your Guardian in battle with a number of beneficial buffs or help you earn more rewards after an activity. There will likely be more secrets to uncover in Season 22, and we'll update this section with new guides as we dive deeper into the new seasonal activities.

Season of the Witch storyline

In the six months since the Lightfall expansion launched, things are looking bad. The Traveler has been cornered, The Witness has entered the Pale Heart of the entity, and the Guardians have no way of chasing after its greatest enemy. In Season of the Witch, Savathun’s ghost Immaru proposes a deal: the defeat of Savathun's sister Xivu Arath and the resurrection of the Witch Queen in exchange for the key to the portal through the Traveler where The Witness is preparing to enact The Final Shape. Guardians will need to harness arcane Hive magic as they help a newly transformed Eris Morn prepare for battle against the Hive god of war.

Seasonal activity

There are two matchmade activities in Season 22, which both support one another. Savathun's Spire is a showdown with the Lucent Hive, a fight against the custodians of this grim location in which you can defeat them to help you power up the Altars of Summoning. The main event activity, Altars of Summoning, has echoes of Prison of Elders and the Court of Oryx in its design, as you'll be breaking into Savathun's otherworldly jail to take on waves of increasingly difficult enemies.

Seasonal Challenges

Like in previous seasons, you'll be able to take on additional tasks and challenges that'll reward you with experience points, Bright Dust, and some great loot. You can usually expect around 10 weeks of objectives to pursue at your leisure, and if you complete them, you'll get a massive pile of extra Bright Dust for all your hard work.

Reprised raid: Crota's End

Hive! Bring a sword! Crota's End, which first debuted in Destiny's The Dark Below expansion, is making a comeback in Destiny 2. It'll be available on Friday September 1 from the daily reset at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET, and as with other raids, Contest Mode will be active for the first 48 hours.

Season of the Deep Exotic weapon: Ex Diris

At long last, you can give Hive Knights a taste of their own medicine with this season's Exotic weapon, Ex Diris. A grenade launcher that lobs balls of Arc energy at enemies and doesn't need to be reloaded, Ex Diris has some great perks. Corrupted Nucleosynthesis allows the weapon to enter an "enraged" state that increases it rate of fire whenever you take or deal damage, and Loyal Moths are generated from final blows. This effect creates explosive Hive moths that will seek out nearby targets and detonate, damaging and blinding them. If you own the premium season pass, you'll unlock this Exotic immediately and you can activate a quest with Banshee-44 to unlock its catalyst. Anyone on the free tier of the season pass will have to reach rank 35 to unlock the Exotic.

New Exotic armor pieces

Three new Exotic armor pieces are available this season, and the focus is all on protective gear for your arms: Titans get Pyrogale Gauntlets, Hunters can acquire Mothkeeper's Wraps, and Warlocks can add One with the Void to their collection. You'll be able to acquire these Exotics from completing Legend Lost Sectors on your own, when the lost sector for the day offers Exotic gauntlets as a potential reward.

Pyrogale Gauntlets (Exotic Titan gauntlets)

Percussive Flames

Modifies Burning Maul into a single high-damage slam of your hammer that creates five cyclones of flame. Consecration's second slam creates a cyclone of flame.

Mothkeeper's Wraps (Exotic Hunter gauntlets)

Winged Eclipse

Your grenade becomes a cage of loyal moths that release on impact and fly toward the nearest target or ally. If they reach a target, they detonate in a blinding explosion; if they reach an ally, the moths grant your ally a Void overshield.

Briarbrands (Exotic Warlock gauntlets)

One with the Void

Your Void Souls have a longer duration. They also gain escalating damage and durability as they defeat targets. You can retrieve your Void Souls by interacting with them, allowing them to be redeployed.