The first Destiny 2 Iron Banner has just begun, here's how to get started
If you played the first Destiny, you'll remember the Iron Banner: a Crucible event where Light advantages were enabled. Unlike many other modes, better gear made you, well, better in Iron Banner matches, so there was always a fight to have the best gear on top of being better than your opponents skill-wise. The Iron Banner is coming back for Destiny 2, but there's some big changes this time, as reported by Polygon.
Run by Lord Saladin and coming straight after the weekly reset, Iron Banner has two teams of four players face off in a Control match. Unlike Iron Banner matches in the first Destiny, power levels don't affect your strength, "your fighting abilities, not your power levels, will decide the outcome." Bounties and Ranks have also now been replaced by an Iron Banner Engram.
To take part, you must have access to The Tower (meaning you must have completed the Destiny 2 campaign), then you just need to speak to Lord Saladin, unlocking the Iron Banner playlist. For playing in Iron Banner matches, you'll receive Iron Banner tokens and milestones, with special armour made by the Iron Lords up for grabs.
The first Iron Banner event is live right now, running for a week, ending on October 17 at 10am BST. As you're playing Control matches, and as power levels aren't as important, it's not best to pick your best weapon in terms of power level, but in terms of what you're comfortable with.
There's also a new map coming with this Iron Banner event, Distant Shore. When the event ends, it will be available in all playlists.
Aimed at those who prefer Destiny 2's PvE experience, there's also a new raid difficulty out now: Prestige. With a recommended power level of 300+, it's one of the most difficult challenges in Destiny 2. "New mechanics" from enemies are there to make things more difficult, on top of what looks like some numbers changes.
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Bungie are being coy about what exactly you'll receive for completing this Prestige raid. "Powerful Gear" is listed in the rewards, and the announcement states that their "goal is not to provide a boon to your character progression, but there are unique rewards to help you shine." Perhaps shine is quite literally used here? On top of that, "world first will be counted," implying there may be some sort of leaderboard for competitive Prestige raiding.