Destiny 2 has finally presented the content for the Season of the Drifter. The highlights are the two new modes Gambit Prime and Reckoning. They are meant to keep the Guardians entertained throughout the new season. We present these activities in detail.
On March 5, Season 6, the Season of the Drifter, starts in Destiny 2 the Season 6. The focus of the new season is on the Gambit mode and the story surrounding the Drifter himself, the host of Gambit.
Update: We have updated the article with fresh information about the new armor and their special perks.
These are the highlights of Season 6: The new seasonal content is designed to offer something for every Guardian – regardless of the additional content that you own for Destiny 2. However, to keep you entertained in the long term, especially two new activities will track you during Season 6 – Gambit Prime and Reckoning.
Who are the new modes aimed at? With these activities, Destiny 2 continues its line consistently and serves, as it does with the forges from the first premium DLC “The Black Armory”, especially core players looking for long-term engagement.
Accordingly, both new modes belong to the premium content of the new season and thus require the Annual Pass. This is intended to provide ambitious fans with additional content and rewards throughout Year 2. So if you want to enjoy Season 6 to the fullest, you have to pay.
Bungie itself emphasizes that the regular Gambit is just training. Gambit Prime, on the other hand, is the version for serious players – with higher risks but also better rewards.
Gambit Prime – The Evolution of Gambit
What is Gambit Prime? It is a development and a new mode of the PvEvP activity Gambit. The mode will be available to all owners of the Forsaken Annual Pass directly with the start of the new season on March 5 and brings two new maps: Neo-Arkadia and Overboard.
As with regular Gambit, there is matchmaking and power-level advantages are active in the PvP part.
How does Gambit Prime work? On the first day, Gambit Prime should still resemble the original version of this activity.
However, over time the mode will gradually develop through unlocking additional advantages and will become a different experience. You can loot numerous Gambit-specific weapons and armor pieces.
Gambit Prime is closely connected to the second new activity Reckoning. Reckoning becomes active after your first Prime match and will then be played in a kind of cycle alternating with Gambit Prime.
These are the biggest changes: In Prime, there is only one match round compared to regular Gambit, which should offer a short but very intense experience.
Additionally, the mode introduces new gameplay elements that focus more on group mechanics and role assignment during boss fights – similar to a raid.
The roles will be enhanced by special perks that have a strong influence on gameplay.
For example, it will be possible to reduce the amount of Motes handed over to the opposing team. Among other things, two simultaneously active blockers will drain the Motes given by the opponents.
This is how the new armor sets define the four roles: Gambit Prime brings brand new armor pieces into play.
These not only look cool but promote different roles with unique perks tailored to four playstyles and activated by increasing level and number of pieces of the respective sets:
- The Reaper: Responsible for clearing large groups of enemies and powerful foes
- The Collector: Responsible for collecting Motes and activating the blockers
- The Guardian: Protects the own bank and eliminates intruders
- The Invader: Hunts enemies in the opposing arena and steals their Motes
The (apparently a total of 4) special perks per role are not found on the armor themselves, but depend on the level of the armor or the activity in which they are obtained. The number of set pieces equipped at the same time also seems to play a role. Parts and thus the “lower” bonuses of different sets can be combined with each other.
The powerful “Top Bonus” can be unlocked when wearing multiple (presumably all) parts of a set. The colors of the individual sets give opponents and teammates insight into which role they are dealing with.
However, it is not necessary for every role to be represented. For example, you can also play with four Invaders, which provides entirely different tactical configurations and possibilities. Teamplay, however, remains the key to success.
The new armor pieces can be obtained through the second new mode Reckoning, which is played alternating with Gambit Prime. Week after week, you can earn more gear this way.
The Gambit armors will also feature regular armor perks including random rolls and can be switched during a match. The special bonuses will only be active in Gambit Prime.
Examples of special bonuses include:
- The Top Bonus for the Collector allows carrying 20 Motes at once and thus summoning a huge blocker
- The Top Bonus of the Invader turns you into a blocker and blocks the opposing bank when you are in the enemy arena. Additionally, you drain your enemies’ handed over Motes when you are near their bank
Reckoning – a new PvE pinnacle activity
What is Reckoning? It is also a new mode that, according to Bungie, represents an additional PvE pinnacle activity and is supposed to be extremely challenging.
Reckoning will become active as soon as you, as an owner of the Annual Pass, complete your first Prime match and will then be played alternating with the new Gambit mode. The mode will first go live on March 5 at Tier 1 and offers matchmaking.
How does Reckoning work? Through a portal in the thick sphere that has the Drifter’s ship in tow, you enter the Unknown space of the mysterious Nine.
There, you engage in intense battles against the clock and a massive wave of enemies attacking you from all sides. Huge bosses will also challenge you.
It is chaos like in the Crota raid, you must move quickly, quickly eliminate enemies, and try to stay alive. Each of the three stages is supposed to become increasingly chaotic.
This is how you obtain the new Gambit armors: By playing Gambit Prime, you receive so-called Prime Armor Synths. You can insert them into a kind of portable bank that you receive from the Drifter.
There, it serves as a kind of token. If you use it before the start of a round and then master the activity, you have the chance to get a specific armor part as a reward. For example, if you had a Synth of the Reaper set, pieces of this set could wait for you at the end as a reward.
The synths are supposed to drop unrestrictedly in Gambit Prime. They can also be used continuously in Reckoning, allowing you to farm as long as you have enough Motes.
Important: Note that not all details regarding the two new modes are known yet. More information is expected to follow soon.
Here you see when the different levels of Reckoning and Gambit Prime launch:
Clips from the two new modes and further explanations can be found in this ViDoc from Bungie:
What do you think of the currently known details about Gambit Prime and Reckoning? Are you excited to see how these new activities play out in practice? Or are these modes nothing for you?
