Destiny 2 has a complex universe that often engulfs new players as they try to understand the world of the space shooter. Those seeking help in the LFG system often find disappointment. Game knowledge and weapons are usually prerequisites for activities. But with the Destiny Sherpas, it’s different. They love to use their own strength to help others in the game. MeinMMO spoke to one of them.
As a Guardian in Destiny 2, it is your duty to save humanity from many threats. For this, the ominous Traveler has forged its Guardians from strength and sacrifice.
Carried by the wind of ambition, Guardians are wandering souls searching for their purpose in a war-torn and complex world. They sacrifice their immortal life in the game for the service of the Traveler and especially the protection of the Last City. Unless you just escaped from the Cosmodrome and have no idea what to do next.
This has happened to many new Guardians in Destiny, and fortunately, some have come across a “Sherpa” seeking explanations.
Ilias Gaming belongs to the German Sherpa community in Destiny 2 and not only streams on Twitch and YouTube. He also regularly offers his help to Destiny 2 players.
MeinMMO spoke with him and asked why he enjoys supporting other Guardians and also has no problem explaining things in detail.
MeinMMO: Can you please introduce yourself to our readers? Who are you, what do you do for a living and in your free time?
Ilias Gaming: Sure! I am Roland, 34, married, father of 4 children, and I come from Allgäu. I studied business law and am a tax assistant by profession, so it’s pretty boring actually. I feel like I have too little free time, but when I do, I regularly go running to prepare for a marathon. Otherwise, I really enjoy going to the movies, and well, I’m a gamer, so I also invest a lot of time in this.
MeinMMO: How did you get into gaming and specifically into Destiny? Tell us a bit about your journey.
Gaming has played a role for me since I was very young. When I was 3 years old, my siblings got an NES with Super Mario Bros, and from then on, it was all over for me. I have been playing Destiny specifically since the beta of Destiny 1.
I really got into Destiny when I decided to create content for Destiny 2 on my YouTube channel and focus on it.
MeinMMO: Can you explain to our readers what “Sherpa” means in Destiny? Why do people do it?
“Sherpa” is actually a term that we primarily know from mountaineering. “Sherpas” are those (usually locals) who have assisted climbers in reaching the summits. They carried the equipment and guided the climbers along safe paths through the mountains.
And that’s what you do as a Sherpa in Destiny too. You help other players complete a raid, a dungeon, or a nightfall. In these activities, there is no matchmaking, and for many, it would not be possible to play these activities otherwise.
The Sherpa culture in Destiny has existed for a long time
In Destiny 1, Sherpas were an integral part of the community. Experienced Guardians looking for new challenges and goals actively began to support less experienced players.
Now one might say: but Sherpas aren’t needed in Destiny 2 anymore since there’s an LFG system (Looking-for-Group). However, this system is unfortunately full of players who require not only experience from interested players but also a certain level or specific weapons. This can be discouraging for new players since all they are taught there is the bare minimum.
However, this doesn’t matter for a Sherpa. They want to help other Guardians, and they won’t hold it against you if you haven’t acquired a certain weapon yet. You can catch up on that together. By the way, friendships are formed along the way too.
MeinMMO: Why did you start being a Sherpa?
There are many reasons why I currently do Sherpa work in Destiny 2.
Primarily, it is a very satisfying feeling for an experienced Destiny player like me when I can help someone complete their first raid or finish their “Conqueror” title and then see their gratitude.
On the other hand, it is also a personal challenge. You never know how much experience a player has who you bring along. Especially in a nightfall at the highest difficulty (Grandmaster), it can be a lot more challenging when two players have to do most of the “work” while explaining things at the same time.
Another reason is that, and I have to be honest, Sherpa streams are well-received regardless of whether in PVE or PVP, and it is reflected in the viewer numbers. I like to help, and it’s a win-win situation for both sides: the viewer, the streamer, and the player whom you help.
MeinMMO: How complex do you find it to explain the content and mechanics of Destiny 2 to new players currently?
Most of it is actually not complex. But there is just so damn much to explain. New players are essentially not guided through Destiny. They have to learn everything on their own. When I think about how often I get asked in the comments of my build videos on YouTube where to find mod XY. It shows that even such basic things as collecting all mods and where to obtain them can be a “challenge” for a new player.
MeinMMO: Destiny 2 caters more and more to players who only have two hours a week to play and complete activities. What impact has this had on your endgame activities and the Sherpa?
Actually, I have to say that it doesn’t have much impact. Sure, it happens again and again, especially in the Grandmaster Nightfall, that someone cannot join because their power level isn’t high enough, but there are so many interested players that there’s actually always enough to do. You can really tell that Bungie has made leveling up significantly easier in recent years.
MeinMMO: What special events or stories have happened to you during raids?
It’s often situational comedy, which is hard to explain here. But thinking back to my last stream, there are situations where a teammate places a Stasis turret just in the moment when you want to shoot a champion with the rocket launcher and end up taking yourself out.
Or you want to be cool and step out because the shield of the anti-barrier champion has just broken, only to misjudge the height of the railing while trying to finish him off with the rocket launcher, and boom, you’re dead again. But at least you’ll get all the laughs.
For one, many Sherpas are active on YouTube and Twitch. However, it’s not always easy to find someone. This often happens only by chance or through recommendations from other players. Better options are the Sherpa reddit or the unofficial Destiny2 LFG Discord. There’s a specific text channel just for Sherpa. Additionally, some clans also offer active Sherpa support, though you will also rely on recommendations here.
MeinMMO: I believe other players can relate to such situations too. What tips would you give to someone wanting to step into the endgame of Destiny?
Watch videos and streams from others, running Grandmaster Nightfalls, familiarize yourself thoroughly with the mechanics of mods/exotic armors, etc., and get to know build crafting.
Once you theoretically know what equipment is needed for activity XY and understand the mechanics/particularities, it’s all about practice, practice, and practice.
Here I also recommend doing activities that may currently be significantly too challenging. For instance, trying to solo a dungeon or play a nightfall strike at a higher difficulty solo. It’s not about completing it alone but competing against yourself to progress bit by bit and learn more about how to navigate and survive in the endgame.
Because you wouldn’t believe it, but movement and knowing when to peek out from cover, which enemy to attack first and which one later is critical for the PVE endgame. If you only run seasonal content and normal strikes, never challenging yourself, you won’t get better at Destiny 2.
I also have a lot to learn, and I constantly watch videos/streams from speedrunners and other PVE pros to pick up tips. And ideally, I can pass on what I’ve learned to the viewers.
MeinMMO: Finally, one last question. If you had one wish with Bungie that would be granted immediately, what would you wish for?
More content! Destiny has a large and loyal player base, and they are often disappointed by Destiny because there is nothing more to do after at least half a season (if not earlier). They would love to play more often, but there’s simply nothing new or rewarding left for them to do. And I also believe that a large part of the players would be willing to pay more for good content.
Of course, there are also many other things that could be better, but I believe that more rewarding content would be one of the most important factors.
We sincerely thank Roland from Ilias Gaming for the interview and wish him continued fun and success in Destiny 2 as well as on Twitch and YouTube.
