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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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