Destiny 2 Into the Light introduces Onslaught, the new seasonal activity that will keep you busy until the launch of The Final Shape on June 4. If you’ve been waiting for Destiny to finally debut a horde-based mode, you’re in luck.
Onslaught asks you to survive waves of increasingly tougher enemies with a squad of three while defending a point of interest. As expected, there are quite a few quirks to learn and master, especially if you’re planning on doing 20, 30, or up to 50 waves in one run to complete Triumphs or brag to friends.
This guide focuses on everything you need to know about the Destiny 2 Onslaught activity, including how to get scraps and the best defenses to spend them on, as well as a few general tips that will come in handy.
How Onslaught Works in Destiny 2
As of April 9, you’ll get access to the Onslaught activity as you progress through the introductory quest of Into the Light, called Feats of Bravery. Lord Shaxx will task you with defending the Last City in the activity. To kickstart it, head over to the Director, select Into The Light from the Destinations tab, and launch a match. By default, it’ll pair you with two random players.
The structure is fairly straightforward. The main objective is to secure and protect the designated defense point, which is always marked on the map. Enemy groups will come at you in waves, and the idea is to try and take them down before they get too close to the defense point. If they do, you’ll get an alert on screen, in case you and your fireteam are far away from it.
On occasion, you’ll see bonus objectives, such as splinters to destroy. As waves progress and you kill enemies, you’ll have to make use of scraps to purchase defense devices in between waves. Tackling these optional tasks can make for a speedier process all around.
Once a portal opens, you’ll be taken into a different area, usually to complete a short objective and defeat a boss. This always happens on the 10th wave to finish the set. This can go on up to 50 waves. At the moment, there’s a weekly challenge that tasks you to survive at least 30 waves, which is a decent yet still challenging mid-point.
There are quite a few specifics to keep in mind, which can get lost in the heat of the moment. Here’s what you need to know about them and how to make the best use of each.
How to Get Scraps in Onslaught
One of the first things you’ll see in the Destiny 2 Onslaught activity is scraps. This currency is used to purchase defenses, which are an array of gadgets with designated places around the defense point. When you approach them, you’ll be given the name of the gadget as well as its cost.
Since scraps are shared amongst the fireteam, it’s key to try and cooperate with the people tagging alongside you. You get scraps simply by defeating enemies. Since Onslaught is wave-based, you’re likely to take down all enemies that appear solely to make progress.
That being said, tackling bonus objectives and taking the time to kill smaller mobs during boss fights can be good ways of obtaining extra scraps. From there, it’s a matter of thinking exactly how to spend them. Defenses can be upgraded, so depending on how your team is doing, it might be best to focus on what you already have, instead of trying to cover a ton of territory with all weak versions of each defense.
Best Defenses to Spend Scraps on During Onslaught
As of now, Onslaught has three defenses to purchase: Turrets, tripwires, and decoys. As mentioned above, these gadgets can be upgraded, so it’s important to coordinate with your team now whether you want to save on scraps for a future wave to get a better version, or to try and cover as much ground as possible from the get-go, spending all scraps whenever you have the chance.
I recommend focusing on turrets. Sure, at 2,000 scraps a pop, they’re costly. But if you can coordinate with the rest of your team, they can be pretty useful. As for upgrades, the first costs 4,000 scraps, while the second asks for a hefty 6,000 scraps. Yes, it’s a lot. The difference in firepower, however, is quite substantial, so going for at least one upgrade as early as possible will provide you with a huge advantage.
Tripwires are also quite useful, and cheaper at first, costing just 1,000 scraps each. If you don’t want to commit to a turret early on, placing a few tripwires can help with dealing damage to enemies that are marching toward the defense point. Upgrades are essentially mandatory to build a greater line of defense, especially if you want to face more than just 10 enemy waves.
Decoys can be useful too, but I wouldn’t prioritize them over turrets or tripwires. If you have spare scraps and good defenses in place already, give them a go. If not, keep on upgrading or expanding your current foundation. Just remember that defenses are a complement–your fireteam will be the one doing most of the job.
Destiny 2 Onslaught Tips
It’s still early days for the Destiny 2 Onslaught activity, yet there are a few pointers to keep in mind to ensure you survive in the short to long run.
- Don’t ignore bonus objectives: Tackling these optional tasks can make for a speedier process all around, and they don’t take too long
- You can heal the ADU from afar: On occasion, enemies will drop orbs that can be used to heal the ADU. You don’t need to be inside the defense point radius in order to use them. In fact, you can be quite far from the ADU itself, and they will fly on their own towards it. Remember that you get extra points for doing this, so try to grab and use orbs before they disappear.
- Don’t let Tormentors become a distraction: Spoilers: There are Tormentors in Onslaught, and they’re as annoying as ever. While you should focus firepower on them, don’t let them become a distraction from protecting the ADU. It’s very easy to try and chase them around, leaving the defense point unprotected. You don’t want to get a squad wipe while a group of enemies is destroying the device.
- Speed through portal sections: Whenever you need to tackle a different objective that takes you into the pyramid, focus on the task itself. For example, when asked to ignite the rift, have somebody rush toward the objective while the rest of the fireteam focuses on ad clear. The idea is to get in and out as soon as possible to continue doing waves.
- Don’t forget to claim the chest at the end of a set: It might sound silly, but don’t forget to claim your rewards from the chest after defeating the boss of a set. You’ll get materials, glimmer, Trophy of Bravery, and gear from doing so. Always make sure to wait until you have everything, which can take a few seconds, before you leave to orbit to tackle the next thing.
