Destiny 2 guides: How to go from hour one to raid-ready

Destiny 2 is finally here on PC, looking and playing very much like the definitive version. But as we missed out on the original,  there are plenty of idiosyncrasies to explore. Our guides are intended to ensure you get the most from your time (and grind) in the game. 

Destiny 2 is a strange, modular game that plays like Halo, but progresses like Diablo, features a floaty CS:GO-lite multiplayer mode, and has an endgame that borrows complex raids from MMOs. It's a sparkling quilt of genres, which we're looking forward to exploring with you. Let's get start at the start...

Beginner's guide

We've prepared a smooth landing strip for anyone that missed the first game, which is probably most of you. This guide explains Destiny 2's planetary destination activities, co-op strike missions, how the PvP crucible mode works, details the strange character progression system, endgame activities, and more. 

Power leveling guide

Destiny 2's progression is a bit difficult to parse at first, and once you finish the campaign, you might find a new mode or quest a bit too above your power level to handle. Our leveling guide will help you understand how gear affects your power level and what activities to prioritize in order to level up most efficiently.

The best Destiny 2 PvE weapons

The sheer amount of weapons you'll burn through in Destiny 2 makes telling the difference between a stinker and a keeper at a glance nearly impossible. Our PvE weapons guide will teach you what guns to keep on you at all times and which can be safely dumped in your vault or discarded entirely.

The best weapons to use in Destiny 2's PvP modes

In a blasphemous turn, one of PC Gamer's editors was among the top 50 Destiny Deathmatch players on PS4. Now he's back with his recommendations for the best weapons to use in Destiny 2's PvP modes. Together, we must swallow our pride and trust in Austin. 

Infusion guide

In order to keep your favorite gear with you throughout Destiny 2, you'll need to get familiar with the infusion system. You essentially feed more powerful gear to the gear you want to keep, increasing it's power level in the process, but things can get pretty complicated near the endgame. We clear up the weirdness for you.

Exotic quest guides

Once you finish the campaign, three new quests will become available, each leading to an exotic weapon reward. Thing is, they're not simple fetch quests. This is the beginning of Destiny 2's endgame, and it starts to get truly challenging. We can help. 

How to get the Sturm exotic hand cannon

How to get the Mida Multi-Tool exotic scout rifle

How to get the Rat King exotic sidearm

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Easter eggs

Destiny 2's hub areas aren't purely for decrypting engrams and handing in tokens for more engrams to decrypt into legendary shards to—you get the point. They're also designed for exploration and play, tucking away jokes, buffs, and minigames in every corner. Here are a few of our favorites.

Leviathan raid guide

Congratulations, and welcome to Destiny 2's true endgame challenge. The Leviathan raid will launch for PC on Wednesday 1 November. It's a six-player PvE multi-hour (first time, anyway) challenge, tasking your team with overcoming a series of cryptic puzzles, difficult combat scenarios, and labyrinthine exploration. We recommend going in fresh as a group at least once, but if you get stuck on a particular encounter, we've got everything you need to know, from boss mechanics to optimal gear.  

Performance Analysis

Maybe before you want to shoot aliens, you want to know if you can shoot aliens at 60fps in 4K resolution. We don't blame you. Check out our complete performance analysis to see if your PC has what it takes. 

Join our clan!

Destiny 2 is a much better game when you play it with friends (and hey, you're going to want to play the raid with people you can stand). If you're short on people, look no further. All PC Gamer Club members have access to the official PC Gamer Destiny 2 clan. Head to our sign-up page for more information.

PC Gamer

The collective PC Gamer editorial team worked together to write this article. PC Gamer is the global authority on PC games—starting in 1993 with the magazine, and then in 2010 with this website you're currently reading. We have writers across the US, UK and Australia, who you can read about here.