How to upgrade your new Destiny 2 Solstice armor

Features
By ,
published

Destiny 2 Solstice of Heroes is back as we usher in a new year of interstellar grinding.

destiny 2 solstice of heroes 2020 date
(Image credit: Bungie)

While it’s not the biggest content drop in Bungie's MMO calendar, Destiny 2 Solstice of Heroes 2020 is a significant event. Arriving ahead of each new Destiny 2 expansion, it's a celebration of the last year of updates and additions—even if they haven't all gone as planned.

For this year's event, the European Aerial Zone returns, along with a new set of Solstice of Heroes armor for each of the three classes. Read on to learn what the event brings, what rewards are available, and how to acquire and upgrade the new armour.

When does Solstice of Heroes 2020 end?

Solstice of Heroes kicked off with the Destiny 2 weekly reset of August 11, 2020 and runs for four weeks, until September 8th 2020. It also runs concurrently with the Destiny 2 Moments of Triumph 2020 event, so check back in with that if you've still got some objectives left to complete.

The Solstice of Heroes event is free for all Destiny 2 players whether they have the season pass or not. All you need to do is jump into the game to get started.

How to get Destiny 2 Solstice Packages and Key Fragments

This Solstice of Heroes brings a special three-player activity: the European Aerial Zone. The event, which takes place on a floating island above the EDZ, has three phases. In the first, time-limited stage, players rush around the map hunting and killing mini-bosses. Once the time limit expires, a boss will spawn. Take it out, and a number of chests will spawn around the map based on the number of minibosses your fireteam killed.

Inside the chests, you'll find both Solstice Packages and Key Fragments. You'll need 15 Key Fragments to unlock one Solstice Package, although you'll also earn them from Crucible, Strike and Gambit completion. The Packages tend to contain a variety of resources and gear—although usually just of rare quality.

What are Elemental Orbs?

Throughout the Solstice of Heroes event, defeated enemies will drop Elemental Orbs when killed with an elemental weapon, ability or super. Each day, a different elemental burn will be in effect. Collect 30 Orbs of a matching element, and you'll temporarily activate a powerful buff.

Solar Orbs: Collect 30 Solar Orbs and your character will start to pulse with Solar power, damaging any enemy that comes near.

Void Orbs: With 30 Void Orbs, players can crouch to become invisible and gain 'truesight'—aka, wallhacks. You'll also get enhanced ability regen.

Arc Orbs: 30 of these cause you to move faster, and do increased melee and sword damage.

(Image credit: Bungie)

How do you upgrade the Destiny 2 Solstice of Heroes 2020 armor?

Load in during the event and you'll be asked to visit Eva Levante—Destiny 2's resident grandma. You can find her in the Tower's Courtyard, standing next to a statue to mark the event. Talk to her and she'll give you a helmet. Equip it, and launch into the European Aerial Zone activity. Once that's done, talk to Eva again, and Meditate at the statue next to her to receive the full, basic armor set.

Initially, the Solstice armor will be rare quality, called Renewed, but can be upgraded by completing the listed objectives while it's equipped. Each armour piece has three objectives—slightly different depending on the class—and they'll all need to be complete before you can upgrade the full set.

Renewed armor upgrade objectives

Titan:

  • Helm: Land 50 precision final blows, complete one EAZ run, defeat 100 Hive
  • Gauntlets: Defeat 50 enemies in EAZ while using an Arc subclass, get 50 Super kills, defeat 50 enemies in EAZ
  • Plate: Defeat 25 opposing Guardians, collect 100 Solar orbs from Strikes, complete five Adventures
  • Greaves: Complete five public events on Nessus, collect 100 Void orbs in Crucible or Gambit, unlock 10 Solstice Packages
  • Mark: Complete five playlist Strikes, collect 400 Elemental Orbs, complete five Crucible or Gambit matches

Hunter:

  • Mask: Land 50 precision final blows, complete one EAZ run, defeat 100 Fallen
  • Grasps: Complete five playlist Strikes, collect 100 Solar Orbs in Crucible or Gambit, unlock 10 Solstice Packages
  • Vest: Defeat 50 enemies in EAZ, collect 400 Elemental Orbs, defeat 50 enemies in EAZ while using a Solar subclass
  • Strides: Complete five public events on Nessus, get 50 Super kills, defeat 25 opposing Guardians
  • Cloak: Complete five Adventures, collect 100 Arc Orbs from Strikes, complete five Crucible or Gambit matches

Warlock:

  • Hood: Land 50 precision final blows, complete one EAZ run, defeat 100 Cabal
  • Gloves: Complete five playlist Strikes, collect 400 Elemental Orbs, defeat 25 opposing Guardians
  • Robes: Complete five Adventures, collect 100 Arc Orbs from Crucible or Gambit, unlock 10 Solstice Packages
  • Boots: Defeat 50 enemies in EAZ, collect 100 Solar Orbs from Strikes, defeat 50 enemies in EAZ while using a Void subclass
  • Bond: Complete five public events on Nessus, get 50 Super kills, complete five Crucible or Gambit matches

Majestic armor upgrade objectives

Titan:

  • Helm: Complete 10 Gambit matches, collect 1,000 Orbs using a matching Elemental subclass, defeat 100 opposing Guardians using Arc weapons as a team
  • Gauntlets: Complete 10 Heroic public events, defeat 100 enemies with abilities, defeat 20 bosses
  • Plate: Defeat 600 enemies in Strike playlists using a subclass that matches the day, defeat 200 enemies in EAZ, defeat 300 Fallen using a subclass that matches the day
  • Greaves: Defeat 2,000 enemies with Elemental damage, collect 300 Void Orbs in Strikes, defeat 100 enemies with Solar melee abilities
  • Mark: Complete five patrols on Io, collect 200 Elemental Orbs in EAZ, defeat 300 enemies with Solar weapons

Hunter:

  • Mask: Defeat 2,000 enemies with Elemental damage, defeat 300 enemies with Arc weapons, defeat 200 enemies in EAZ
  • Grasps: Complete 10 Heroic public events, collect 300 Arc Orbs in Strikes, defeat 300 Cabal using a subclass that matches the day
  • Vest: Complete 10 Gambit matches, collect 1,000 Orbs using a matching Elemental subclass, defeat 100 enemies with Void grenades
  • Strides: Defeat 600 enemies in Strike playlists using a subclass that matches the day, defeat 100 opposing Guardians using Void weapons as a team, defeat 100 enemies with abilities
  • Cloak: Complete five patrols on EDZ, collect 200 Elemental Orbs in EAZ, defeat 20 bosses

Warlock:

  • Hood: Defeat 20 bosses, defeat 600 enemies in Strike playlists using a subclass that matches the day, collect 200 Elemental Orbs in EAZ
  • Gloves: Defeat 2,000 enemies with Elemental damage, defeat 100 opposing Guardians using Solar weapons as a team, collect 1,000 Orbs using a matching Elemental subclass
  • Robes: Defeat 300 enemies with Void weapons, defeat 100 enemies with abilities, complete 10 Gambit matches
  • Boots: collect 300 Solar Orbs in Strikes, defeat 300 Hive using a subclass that matches the day, complete 10 Heroic public events
  • Bond: Complete 10 patrols on Titan, defeat , defeat 150 enemies with Arc Super, defeat 200 enemies in EAZ

Note that the text for the Warlock bond objective is currently bugged. Despite saying that you need to defeat 150 opposing Guardians with your Arc Super, it actually works on PvE enemies as well. In fact, killing a Guardian in Crucible with an Arc Super counts as five kills towards this objective.

Magnificent armour upgrade objectives

These are the same for each class, but require you to take on some of the more challenging end game content from the previous year. Your reward is a white armor glow for that piece of gear.

  • Helmet: Complete a Nightfall Ordeal on Master difficulty
  • Guantlets: Complete a Nightmare Hunt
  • Chest: Complete a run of the Destiny 2 Pit of Heresy
  • Leg: Win seven Trials of Osiris matches (not in a single passage)
  • Class: Complete a Tier 5 Altar of Sorrow three times

Bungie has explained that this armor will remain relevant until the next year's Solstice of Heroes event, meaning they can be infused up until the end of the Destiny Year 4.

Destiny 2 Solstice of Heroes 2020 Triumphs

You can earn two Triumphs from the Solstice of Heroes event, both of them found in the 2020 Moments of Triumph seal. Here's what you need to do:

The Majesty of It: Obtain Magnificent Legendary Solstice Armor.

Above and Beyond: Earn Glow on any Solstice of Heroes Armor.

You'll finish them both by following the armor objectives listed above, although you only need to earn one Magnificent upgrade for a single glow. In terms of the easiest to complete, jumping into a Nightmare Hunt will do the trick.

Grumble grumble, Eververse, grumble grumble

Yes, there are exclusive items available through Tess for the event. Yes, you can purchase the unique Elemental glows as universal ornaments. Yes, they are purchasable with either Silver or Bright Dust—either 1,500 Silver or 6,000 Bright Dust.

And, most importantly, no, you don’t need to buy them.

Phil Savage
Phil Savage
Editor-in-Chief

Phil has been writing for PC Gamer for nearly a decade, starting out as a freelance writer covering everything from free games to MMOs. He eventually joined full-time as a news writer, before moving to the magazine to review immersive sims, RPGs and Hitman games. Now he leads PC Gamer's UK team, but still sometimes finds the time to write about his ongoing obsessions with Destiny 2, GTA Online and Apex Legends. When he's not levelling up battle passes, he's checking out the latest tactics game or dipping back into Guild Wars 2. He's largely responsible for the whole Tub Geralt thing, but still isn't sorry.

See comments