Destiny 2: Season of the Haunted Begins
The Leviathan has returned. For some of you, this may be your introduction to the iconic planet-devouring personal pleasure craft of the exiled Cabal emperor, Calus. For the rest of you who have been aboard before, we hope you have fond memories of its gleaming gold-plated halls, because this ship has come back… wrong. Very wrong.
Season of the Haunted kicks off with the Derelict Leviathan entering our solar system and heading directly for Earth’s moon. As it grows near, the dormant Pyramid ship on the Moon’s surface begins to react to its presence.
Getting worried? We hope so, because this is where you come in, Guardian.
Find out why the Leviathan is back and what Calus wants with the Pyramid ship, all while facing off against Nightmares from our past. We highly advise staying close to your fireteam, not getting lost in the ship’s Underbelly, and focusing on positive thoughts about god-rolls and gleaming Opulent Chests.
While this might be one of the spookier Seasons in Destiny 2’s history, Guardians have faced off against literal gods before, so this shouldn’t be anything you can’t handle.
All Aboard
Everyone is invited to explore the Derelict Leviathan, which contains multiple areas filled with Loyalist Cabal, Scorn, Nightmares, loot and collectibles. Additionally, there are two new activities in Season of the Haunted—also aboard the Leviathan. One is named Nightmare Containment and can be played for free all Season long, and another named Sever which is unlocked (with a bunch of other cool stuff) by picking up the Season Pass. Regardless of which activity you play, expect to find yourself severing Nightmares and looting new Seasonal rewards.
Nightmare Containment
In a departure from previous Seasonal activities, Nightmare Containment is a completely free public event that everyone can play. It’s also special in that it scales based on the number of people who participate. Players will be able to initiate a new event within the public space or join a Nightmare Containment if they see one already in progress. Since it scales in difficulty, the enemies and summoned Nightmare bosses should always feel appropriately challenging.
Sever
Sever is what we’re calling the weekly mission in Season of the Haunted. This is where players will uncover more and more about Calus’s plan as the Season unfolds. The activity also takes place aboard the Leviathan, but within a dark labyrinth known as the Underbelly. Anyone familiar with this area of the ship will likely remember the navigation skills it demanded, now imagine that there’s also something in the dark with you.
The activity isn’t matchmade, but we don’t blame anyone who would rather bring a friend… or two.
Opulence
Now, despite the Leviathan losing some of its luster, the rewards in Season of the Haunted are just as fancy as you’d expect. Possibly even fancier!
- New Exotic – Destiny 1’s Exotic Sidearm, Trespasser, known for its ability to fire Unrepentant rounds has been upgraded for Destiny 2 and has a new catalyst to attach. As with previous Seasonal Exotics, you can acquire this by playing or pick up the Season Pass and be one of the first people to introduce the Derelict Leviathan to the concept of lightning.
- Opulent weapons – Some of the most coveted weapons from Calus’s collection return and can be found in the Opulent Chests aboard the Leviathan. When in Rome.
- New Seasonal weapons and armor – New Nightmare-themed weapons and Seasonal armor sets for Guardians brave enough to go exploring on a mysterious planet-devouring vessel.
- New universal ornaments – If you want to wear something that might scare your fireteam more than the enemies you’re fighting, it’s this. This is how you become a reaper of Nightmares.
Solar 3.0
Solar is the latest subclass to be completely redesigned to use the ultra-customizable Aspects and Fragments system. This is the system that was first introduced with Stasis in Beyond Light and was added to Void last Season. It’s perfect timing as well, since my guess is that setting Nightmares on fire might actually be the best way to handle the situation.
This is a free upgrade to all players, and each class carries its own specific fantasy with a bunch of buildcrafting options waiting for you when you log in. I’m a Hunter for life personally, but I’d be lying if I said that Solar Warlock didn’t sound really cool. Which of these sparks your curiosity?
- Titan: Siege engines powered by the fury of undying suns. To confront them is to cede ground and ignite the maelstrom that ends all things.
- Hunter: Radiant duelists who live within blinding displays of dexterity and skill. Beware the truth of their aim and the molten edge of their blade.
- Warlock: Befriend these incandescent priests and find restoration. Oppose them and glimpse annihilation within the rain of a shattered dawn.
Scary Good Timing
Boarding the Leviathan (one of my favorite places in Destiny 2) to fight Nightmares using a fiery scythe and a new Solar 3.0 build might be the most perfect way I’ve ever thought to start playing Destiny 2.
Download the game and start playing for free or grab the Season Pass and get everything you just read about and more. How ever you decide to play Season of the Haunted, thanks for filling out my fireteam and helping me feel a little less spooked in space.
I’ll see you starside, Guardian.
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