How to get better at raids and dungeons in Destiny 2

It could be easy enough to level yourself up with all the new ways of gaining experience and gear that Destiny 2 introduced but once we’ve reached the end game the real challenge begins. As with most MMOs, it’s not until the level cap that the most engaging parts of the game begin. These are high-tier dungeons and raids that are supposed to test our skill, equipment, and cooperation. The knowledge on how to approach these instances is very important for those seeking to farm them or accomplish quests tied to them, so let’s take a deeper look at what you need to get better at doing them.

Having a good loadout

This is a bit of general advice, loot and gear are key aspects of Destiny 2. One could argue it’s even more important than it is in other MMOs due to the overall design approach the game has. Having a good loadout is the most important part about beating dungeons and raids. This doesn’t even necessarily mean having a strong one but rather a loadout that compliments itself.

The meta builds constantly change so it’s a given that there’ll be some rotation going on when it comes to the best items to use for your class. With the addition of different paths your class can take and the ability to switch up entire roles, knowing how to equip yourself can be tough.

Once you’ve figured it out you can start building yourself up for the big league stuff. On one hand, you could do these by yourself and grind out the easier instances to get the right gear. On the other hand, you could get a boosting service to do it for you. Some gear may be tied to some less interesting locations so it’s understandable if you’d rather skip them. In case a boosting service interests you, make sure to read more here.

Reading up on boss/instance mechanics

Dungeons and raids aren’t just a great change of scenery, they also alter a lot of mechanics or at least alter which mechanics are prioritized within them. For example, one dungeon could be heavy on shield enemies while another has you fighting a ton of melee opponents.

Specific mechanics are what makes some instances beloved, or hated, and preparing for them is the key to success. For the sake of being prepared, make sure to read up on specific guides that will cover how mechanics work and how to counter them. Sometimes, it could be as simple as moving out of the Area of Effect ability currently being channeled by the boss while at other times it could involve doing mini-games with certain spawned items. Regardless, your preparation process is the same. Knowing is half the battle, using the knowledge during the fight is the rest.

Apart from knowing the mechanics, it’s useful to learn the resistances and vulnerabilities of the whole area. In Destiny 2, the most common way these manifest is through shields. Shields can come in four different colors corresponding to different damage types. These colors are: Orange (Solar damage), Blue (Arc damage), Purple (Void damage), and White.

Shields get taken down quickly if you shoot them with the corresponding damage type, color, so make a loadout that fits the overall shield setup of the dungeon or raid you are about to go into.

Use and abuse fusion rifles

Speaking on the current meta, fusion rifles are definitely the way to go. With the Particle Deconstruction, you’ll be able to stack a debuff that increases the damage fusion rifles do. This can go up to an insane 40% damage boost. Even those fusion rifles that are on the mediocre side can be brought up to snuff by utilizing Particle Deconstruction.

Drop a burst on the enemy with a regular fusion rifle and then get linear fusion rifle shots going to maximize damage across the board. It can help out with tougher enemies but where this tactic shines is during DPS parts of the raid boss fights. Dropping all you got into a boss will speed up the clearing time and increase your chances of finishing the raid.

Focusing Lens shouldn’t be underestimated

To make your abilities have that extra punch you should really look into equipping the Focusing Lens artifact mod. It will boost the damage of Light abilities when used on targets affected by Stasis. This mod has proven its potency over and over again. Its return signified more boss melting, which is the greatest use of this mod.

Of course, if you will be using it make sure your team has the correct composition. You should aim to have as many Light ability damage sources as possible for the sake of maximizing the use of a Focusing Lens.

Communication above all else

In the end, the key way to beat the bosses is through communication. No amount of preparation is enough when playing with a full party. It’s not only you that has to excel and properly follow the mechanics, it’s the entire team. Some people may not be familiar with the mechanics too, informing them about those before the actual fights is very fruitful.

Make sure everybody knows their role and damage types that will be used. This further enhances the usefulness of Focusing Lens builds because your teammates will be informed on how to maximize damage.

If you notice something going badly during the raid and feel like it could be done better make sure to inform the team. It also isn’t worth being rude so avoid turning the instance toxic, resort to direct and helpful advice instead.

Conclusion

In the end, the best you can do is prepare. Sometimes you’ll have things go wrong but that’s no reason to give up. Give it another run and learn from your mistakes. If the gear is an issue, check what can be improved in that department. Your party members could assist you too if they are more experienced. It also saves up time that you’d otherwise spend googling specific builds instead of playing the game.