Destiny 2: Everything You Need To Know About Iron Banner

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Lord Saladin has made his way to the tower, signaling the start of another week filled with Iron Banner – Destiny 2’s intense 6v6 multiplayer competition. Over the next seven days, you can showcase your skills in a frenzied battlefield and stand a chance to acquire some top-tier loot, including some of the game’s finest weapons.

Entering Iron Banner for the first time can be quite daunting, as bullets are whizzing about and Guardians are jumping all over the arena. If you’re new to Destiny 2’s Player vs. Player (PvP) scene, you might find yourself out of your depth when stepping onto the battlefield, much like a fish struggling in water outside its element.

Don’t worry, this manual will provide you with comprehensive details to help you dive straight into your initial Iron Banner battles and experience Destiny’s Player versus Player action, particularly in its most entertaining Player versus Player mode.

Overview

What is Iron Banner?

The Iron Banner event is a weekly player-versus-player competition that occurs roughly every four weeks. In this contest, teams of six Guardians engage in intense battles to secure victory. Designed to cater to both casual and dedicated players, the Iron Banner offers an exhilarating yet somewhat chaotic experience. Compared to modes like Trials of Osiris, it is more forgiving.

In contrast to Trials of Osiris, the Power Level isn’t significant when engaging in Iron Banner. Essentially, this implies that you can dive right in and enjoy the gameplay as if it were a standard Crucible mode. You’ll be able to fight for rewards and advance your progress with Lord Saladin without worrying about your level.

After the ongoing Iron Banner phase ends, you won’t be able to earn rewards within this game mode until the next event begins. This includes any Iron Banner Vendor engrams in your inventory, so remember to purchase all desired rolls before Saladin departs at week’s end. Keep in mind that Iron Banner usually occurs once a month, but we don’t have information yet about when the next event will take place or what mode it will feature.

The Iron Banner event is happening from the 29th of April through the 6th of May, so this is your final opportunity to acquire those weapons before the launch of the Rite of the Nine event, scheduled for May 6th.

How Do I Unlock Iron Banner?

Anyone can participate in Iron Banner, regardless of the Downloadable Content (DLC) you own. However, there are some prerequisites you’ll need to meet before you can join the action.

First off, it’s essential that your character reaches Guardian Rank 4, because you’ll have to finish the “A Guardian Rises” quest and the “Light Reforged” quest prior to accessing the mode.

After completing the necessary steps, head over to Lord Saladin in the Tower, whereupon he’ll give you the “Forging Iron” mission. Follow this assignment to kick off your Iron Banner gameplay.

Who is Lord Saladin?

Just like other activities, Iron Banner features its unique vendor within the Tower – the formidable Iron Lord transformed into Cabal Valus, Saladin Forge. During Iron Banner availability, he can be found at the tower’s heart, where he grants opportunities to accomplish tasks, exchange Engrams, and even hone in on specific gear you desire.

In folklore, Saladin established the Iron Banner as a tribute and homage to the Iron Lords, who served a role similar to Guardians during The Dark Age. This battlefield was also designed to tutor Guardians in ancient combat techniques, readying them for potential threats. Moreover, the weapons and armor obtained from Iron Banner are remnants of the Dark Age, wielded by the Iron Lords themselves. Consequently, these artifacts possess a distinct feel compared to other weapons within the game.

Lord Saladin provides you with rewards when you advance in ranks and prestige him, so do watch for his gifts. Remember, he might offer a top-tier weapon or item as one of his rank rewards (as many Guardians discovered during Episode Heresy with Tinasha’s Mastery).

How Do I Level Up Lord Saladin’s Reputation?

Throughout your Iron Banner gaming sessions, your standing with Saladin will organically increase as you finish games and maintain a run of Iron Banner matchups.

There are a few ways that you can boost your reputation gains, however:

  • Win Matches: Winning matches will give you more reputation than losing them.
  • Equipping Iron Banner Emblem and Gear: By equipping an Iron Banner emblem and Iron Banner gear (weapons, armor, and even ornaments*), you’ll boost all reputation gained with Saladin. These will drop from games of Iron Banner, or you can focus for some of them once you’ve got enough reputation.
  • Weekly Challenges: There are weekly challenges available to do within Iron Banner. Completing these will give you a handful of reputation, and are relatively easy to complete while just playing the mode.

The quickest approach to earning the Iron Lord title and accruing more XP is to secure Iron Banner armor ornaments swiftly and wear them during Iron Banner matches. For optimal results, acquire an Iron Banner Class Item and an Iron Banner Class Item ornament. Apply the ornament to the Class Item; this will be recorded as two items, yet it will still qualify towards your five slots, allowing you to equip a piece of exotic armor simultaneously.

Modes

In the gaming world, I always look forward to Iron Banner events because they’ve got a variety of game modes up their sleeve. Each time, one specific mode takes center stage, making it the primary experience to dive into.

In addition to the primary gameplay option, Iron Banner also offers a variety of alternative game modes that can be selected if you prefer something different or simply wish for a change from the main mode.

Control

As a devoted player, I can’t help but express my affection for the 6v6 Zone Control mode we’ve come to cherish. In this thrilling battle, Guardians strive to maintain dominance over three strategic zones on the field. Some games might label it Domination or Conquest, but essentially, it boils down to seizing and holding two flags concurrently to rack up points faster than the opposition. This is achieved by controlling the flags and outmaneuvering your enemies in combat.

What makes this intriguing is the inclusion of “The Hunt”. This special aspect works such that when a group manages to grab all three flags, these flags become inaccessible for thirty seconds. During this period, each kill contributes significantly more points to the team that has secured all three flags. Afterward, all the flags return to their neutral state.

Control Tips

  • Abilities Win Engagements: Making sure to leverage every ability you have during key fights and engagements will lead to you causing a far bigger impact than ignoring them. Even a well-timed grenade can turn into a capture, so always look at how you can be using your utility to your advantage.
  • Play The F****** Objective (PTFO): A common phrase if you’ve ever played other objective-shooters like Battlefield, this essentially boils down to being aware that you can just play towards capturing and defending flags rather than running around and chasing kills. While the latter is fun to do — and if you feel confident enough to do so, then you should definitely try it — the objective is going to be the thing that wins you the game, so don’t be afraid to just play around objectives while learning the mode.
  • Don’t Play Solo: On the contrary, in a 6v6 gamemode, isolating yourself will almost certainly lead to your demise. Especially in Destiny, where the time-to-kill (TTK) is so high compared to other shooters, the maths of a 1v4 isn’t in your favour. Stick with your team and push objectives together, unless you really think you can go alone and make a difference.
  • 2 out of 3 Ain’t Bad: You don’t need to push to try to get locks if it means that you’re going to lose your current majority. Keeping a steady hold on two objectives will set you ahead anyway, so keep your majority up, and you should be poised to win. Of course, though, once again, if you think you can do it, then go for it — just don’t try and force it in situations where it could lose you the game.

Fortress

As a devoted gamer, I’d say Fortress shares some similarities with Control in terms of competing for control over specific areas within a map. Yet, there are distinctive elements that set it apart. To start, controlling objectives is what earns you points, not the number of enemies defeated. Secondly, throughout the game, each point gets locked twice, prompting the appearance of a Cabal fortress to be conquered and captured. After the ensuing battle, known as the Hunt, these points are reset.

Capturing the Fortress will propel your team significantly forward, giving you a substantial advantage over the opposing team, especially if you manage to seize one or both Fortresses during a single match.

Fortress Tips

  • See Control: A lot of the Control tips carry over here, and so keeping those in mind will help you succeed.
  • Use the Cabal to Your Advantage: You don’t have to go and fight for the Fortress instantly. Playing tactically and letting your opponents kill the Cabal while you get ready and swoop in to take the Fortress once the moment is right can completely define games.

Eruption

In this game mode, called “Eruption,” the objective is to maintain a long sequence of kills to sustain your special abilities and survive longer. Teams score points by killing each other, aiming for a total of 150 points as their goal.

In this game variant, there’s a unique twist on Clash where if you eliminate two opponents consecutively, you’ll earn the ‘Surging’ boost, granting additional skills and super energy with kills. Achieving five consecutive eliminations triggers the ‘Hunt’ mode for your team, providing everyone with extra skills, super energy, and increased rewards per kill.

Instead, let me rephrase that for you: You receive a permanent marker on the map, but if you don’t eliminate an opponent every 15 seconds, you’ll be eliminated yourself, losing your advantage. In other words, you must maintain your winning streak as other players attempt to disrupt it throughout the game.

Eruption Tips

  • Speed is Key: Making sure that you remain agile and keep your speed up will help you stay alive. Your life is the most important thing; try and run away from death as much as you can.
  • Don’t Feel The Pressure: Keeping a high streak can feel like a lot of pressure, so just don’t worry about it and have a good time if you feel like the pressure is going to bubble up and get too much to handle. After all, it’s just a game!
  • Force Close Quarters Combat: By forcing close quarters combat, you can get a lot of kills with a close-range weapon like an SMG while keeping mobile all along.

Rift

From The Taken King, Rift is Bungie’s rendition of the timeless game, Capture the Flag. A focal point pulses at the map’s core, and both sides must battle for control over it before carrying it to their opponent’s fortress to secure a point.

In essence, Rift stands out because it adapts one of the most cherished game modes across various games into an exclusive feature of Crucible – and you’ll find it familiar but the enjoyment lies in employing Destiny’s gameplay mechanics to attain victory under well-recognized rules.

Significantly, eliminating an opponent temporarily removes them from play for a full ten seconds, implying that battles will typically determine the results in the majority of your matches.

Rift Tips

  • Don’t Go Alone: In Rift, if you have the spark, you’ll be marked to all enemies. Going alone will not only guarantee you get killed, but will also gift your enemies the spark. Play with your team and move together for victory.
  • Offence is the Best Defence: Sometimes, playing too defensively will lead to one gunfight deciding the whole outcome of the game. Play to put pressure on the other team, and you’ll not only have way more success but you’ll also have way more fun while doing so.
  • Movement: Movement techniques are key in running with the spark, so use what you’ve got. Icarus Dash, Blink, Snap Skating, if you know how. Take advantage of your movement kit and keep a step ahead of the other team.

Tribute

In a twist similar to the well-known ‘Kill Confirmed’ mode from Call of Duty, the game Tribute requires you to gather the emblems of defeated Guardians and place them at designated beacons to score points. However, if you are eliminated from the game, you drop all the emblems that you were carrying.

During the game, a protected deposit area equipped with turrets will become available at certain points. This offers an opportunity to reach a more strategic deposit spot, but it comes with additional danger. Mainly though, your objective should be to eliminate Guardians and collect crests until the required score is achieved.

Tribute Tips

  • Remember to Deposit: Sometimes, in the chaos of battle, it can be easy to forget to prioritise depositing the crests you have. So, make sure you’re never holding random crests if you can help it.
  • Control the Deposit Zones: By taking control of the areas around the deposit beacons, you’ll be able to limit your enemies’ capabilities to deposit. This is massive, as it lets your team take control of the game.

Weapons

You can acquire a variety of weapons in different ways, either by deciphering engrams or concentrating them with Lord Saladin.

There are two groups of weapons to get: 

  • Iron Banner weapons, which can be focused using 1 Iron Banner engram and 25,000 glimmer, or can drop from decrypted engrams or game completions.
  • Legacy Iron Banner weapons, which can only be obtained by focusing using 3 Iron Banner Engrams and 25,000 glimmer.

Even if you’re primarily a Player versus Environment (PvE) player, don’t underestimate these weapons. Some of them are among the best in the game, and acquiring the optimal builds for them can significantly enhance your PvE weapon setups.

To acquire one of these weapons, be sure to snatch it during Iron Banner week; if not, you’ll need to wait an entire month before having another opportunity to obtain it.

Let’s take a look at some of the best rolls you can get from Iron Banner right now!

Current Iron Banner Weapons

Archon’s Thunder

Ammo Type: Heavy

Weapon Type: Machine Gun

Element: Stasis

PvE

PvE God Roll: Rimestealer + Headstone

PvE Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

In PvE gameplay, although other Light Machine Guns (LMGs) generally perform better, Archon’s Thunder stands out as the top Stasis LMG currently available, with no other comparable option existing. If you appreciate High-Impact LMGs or can handle a slower rate of fire, this weapon can come equipped with Rimestealer and Headstone, a beneficial pairing of perks for survival. While it’s not the best LMG overall, if you’re searching for a solid choice and aim to obtain it through Iron Banner, it definitely won’t disappoint.

You could also opt for additional ammo perks such as Envious Assassin or Fourth Time’s The Charm, which would still provide an enjoyable experience, but it’s worth noting that Rimestealer is what truly sets this weapon apart from others.

PvP

PvP God Roll: Dynamic Sway Reduction + Headstone

PvP Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

As a fellow enthusiast, I can confidently say that this heavy weapon should serve you satisfactorily in Player versus Player (PvP) encounters within the Crucible. However, unlike some other weapons with perks like Thresh or Strategist, it doesn’t have an actively beneficial trait. Its ability to create Stasis crystals with Headstone is intriguing, but it doesn’t quite set it apart as a top-tier PvP weapon due to the lack of a standout perk that elevates its performance above average.

Claws of the Wolf

Ammo Type: Primary

Weapon Type: Pulse Rifle

Element: Void

PvE

PvE God Roll: Repulsor Brace + Destabilising Rounds

PvE Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

In terms of PvE primary weapons, the “Claws of the Wolf” stands out as an exceptional choice, boasting some of the most potent perk combinations in the game. The duo of Repulsor Brace and Destabilizing Rounds is well-known for its power, but the recent enhancements, effectively turning it into Incandescent for Void, have made carrying at least one weapon with this pair of perks a necessity.

In other words, the main disadvantage is that the starting ability, Skulking Wolf, doesn’t offer much benefit in PvE gameplay at all, and Gridskipper’s recent update can potentially have the same perks with a more fitting origin ability.

PvP

PvP God Roll: Headseeker + Zen Moment

PvP Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

In the current battlefield scenario of the Crucible, pulse rifles are exceptionally powerful. Now, I wouldn’t go as far as saying they rival a lightweight or Redrix’s Estox, but given that they can be equipped with Headseeker and Zen Moment, they become a solid choice if you’re searching for a rapid-fire pulse rifle in the secondary slot.

Crimil’s Dagger

Ammo Type: Primary

Weapon Type: Hand Cannon

Element: Kinetic

PvE

PvE God Roll: Enlightened Action + Explosive Payload

PvE Rating: ⭐

Crimil’s Dagger isn’t particularly suited for Player vs Environment (PvE). Its most beneficial feature in PvE, Explosive Payload, is noteworthy, but beyond that, it falls short compared to many other alternatives available.

PvP

PvP God Roll: Slideways + Precision Instrument

PvP Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

120rpm Hand Cannons may no longer rule supreme in PvP as they once did, but Crimil’s Dagger stands out due to its ability to roll with Slideways and Precision Instrument. This makes it one of the top PvP Hand Cannons currently available in the game. If you’re a fan of Hand Cannons in PvP, don’t forget to add this one to your collection.

Multimach CCX

Ammo Type: Primary

Weapon Type: Submachine Gun

Element: Kinetic

PvE

PvE God Roll: Attrition Orbs + Kinetic Tremors/Frenzy

PvE Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

In the current PvE scenario, Submachine Guns generally don’t seem to be very effective, but surprisingly, the Multimach CCX stands out as quite useful. This is partly due to its ability to effortlessly generate orbs in the Kinetic slot when equipped with Attrition Orbs. In addition, it offers both healing and ability generation in the first slot, a combination that’s rather scarce.

In this game, there are superior options for both orb printers and SMGs compared to the Multimach. However, due to its distinct role, it’s still a valuable weapon to obtain if you don’t already have one (and can’t acquire the Banshee-44 roll with your preferred attributes).

PvP

PvP God Roll: Dynamic Sway Reduction + Target Lock/Iron Reach

PvP Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

SMGs aren’t currently dominating PvP scenarios, and Multimach remains a viable choice in such situations. However, it may not perform exceptionally well against Redrix or Radiant Dance Machines. But don’t disregard it completely for the long term.

Peacebond

Ammo Type: Primary

Weapon Type: Sidearm

Element: Stasis

PvE

PvE God Roll: Headstone + Rimestealer

PvE Rating: ⭐⭐

Peacebond, much like Archon’s Thunder, offers a captivating role in Headstone and Rimestealer, granting you on-demand survivability and crowd control. Yet, it doesn’t offer many additional benefits compared to other weapons in the same slot. Instead, these other guns can provide significantly more utility when equipped with Stasis.

PvP

PvP God Roll: Rangefinder/Lone Wolf/Zen Moment + Headseeker

PvP Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

It’s quite straightforward – if you enjoy using Peacebond for shooting, Headseeker is an exceptional perk in PvP, and perks like Rangefinder, Lone Wolf, and Zen Moment work well alongside it. Personally, I find Peacebond enjoyable to fire and think its Time-to-Kill (TTK) is reasonable, so I believe it’s more than capable for use in the Crucible, provided the map and meta are suitable.

Tinasha’s Mastery

Ammo Type: Special

Weapon Type: Rocket Sidearm

Element: Stasis

PvE

PvE God Roll: Air Trigger + Chill Clip

PvE Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

If you’re looking for a weapon to grind in Iron Banner at the moment, Tinasha’s Mastery is the one. It’s versatile, capable of stunning all types of champions in the current artifact. Plus, it boasts the best ammunition economy among all rocket sidearms in the game.

Using a roll containing both Air Triggers and High Explosive Ammunition significantly transforms Tinasha’s into a primary weapon for me, making it my go-to choice in nearly all the content I create.

PvP

PvP God Roll: Impulse Amplifier + Chill Clip

PvP Rating: ⭐

In Player versus Player (PvP) encounters, Rocket Sidearms perform poorly. Their ammo supply is disappointing and their Time to Kill (TTK) exceeds that of other special weapons. Additionally, there’s no exceptional roll for PvP, but Tinasha’s is exclusively beneficial in Player versus Environment (PvE).

Tusk of the Boar

Ammo Type: Special

Weapon Type: Breech-Loaded Grenade Launcher

Element: Strand

PvE

PvE God Roll: Slideways + Chain Reaction

PvE Rating: ⭐⭐

In comparison to area denial-frame BGLs, the Tusk of the Boar – being a wave-frame BGL – generally offers less effectiveness in various scenarios due to its specific design.

As a devoted player, I can’t help but express my frustration with Tusk of the Boar, one of the least effective wave-frame BGLs in the game, lagging behind Deafening Whisper. The perks it offers seem rather insignificant when compared to Forbearance and Martyr’s Retribution, both of which boast far more pertinent abilities.

Besides opting for Tusk of the Boar, which strips away its superior bonus, and since it’s unrelated to the Strand, you may want to consider other alternatives as it offers little advantage compared to them.

PvP

PvP God Roll: Slice + Hatchling 

PvP Rating: ⭐⭐

As a gamer, I’ve found that this weapon isn’t ideal for Player versus Player (PvP) combat. It simply doesn’t perform as well as I’d like it to in these situations. If you’re aiming for a wave-frame in the Crucible, there are numerous alternatives with more suitable and engaging perks that might serve you better.

Warlord’s Spear

Ammo Type: Special

Weapon Type: Trace Rifle

Element: Arc

PvE

PvE God Roll: Rewind Rounds + Detonator Beam/Jolting Feedback

PvE Rating: ⭐⭐

If you’re not seeking Shoot to Loot or lack the Keraunios from Guardian Games, the Warlord’s Spear is a satisfactory Trace Rifle that delivers well in clearing enemies and offers significant potential for crowd control.

Frankly speaking, what sets this Trace apart is that it doesn’t possess the Shoot to Loot ability, which puts it at a disadvantage compared to other Traces. You see, the primary function of these items is to capitalize on the Shoot to Loot feature.

PvP

PvP God Roll: Dynamic Sway Reduction + Target Lock

PvP Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

As a dedicated gamer in the Crucible, I’ve always found Trace Rifles lacking in their performance. However, things have changed this season with the introduction of the Harsh Refraction perk on the seasonal artifact. Now, you can inflict an Arc debuff and skyrocket the damage of your Warlord’s Spear! Granted, it’s easier to pull off with other elements, but there’s no denying its usefulness in this current battlefield.

Closing Time

Give Iron Banner a try, it’s an excellent game mode that you shouldn’t miss out on, especially if you’re just starting out.

If you’re seeking an enjoyable experience with minimal risk and top-notch equipment, Iron Banner is definitely worth checking out. Whether you’re aiming for a thrilling PvP weekend or just want to grab Tinasha’s Mastery roll, jump in now!

As we move closer to Rite of the Nine and onward to Edge of Fate, there’s no update yet regarding Iron Banner. Rest assured, we’ll keep you posted as soon as Bungie shares any information with us.

Otherwise, have fun, and I’ll see you out there in the Hunt.

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2025-05-01 02:41