How to Get Ascendant Shards in Destiny 2? Players may have had the luck to come across Ascendant Shards in the wild, the most coveted material in Destiny 2. Players will need to stock up on these shards if they want to buy Exotics from the tower or Masterwork their armor. Regardless of the player’s present objective, it’s never too early to start hoarding Ascendant Shards.
There are several methods for gathering shards. Players can buy them from the beloved, but oh-so-forgetful Banshee-44 at the tower, or, if the player is more prone to enjoy fighting other Guardians, completing a flawless run in The Trials of Osiris will award shards and high-end loot. Regardless of the player’s proclivities, there’s a strategy for acquiring shards suitable for all playstyles in the Season of the Chosen.
Destiny 2 Ascendant Shards: What Are Ascendant Shards?
Destiny 2 ascendant shards are, as mentioned, essential to the late game. That is because they are required if you want to stock up on exotic weapons or gear. Amongst other materials such as the Exotic Ciphers and Glimmer, the ascent shard is crucial to purchasing exotic weapons from the vault.
However, this isn’t its only function, as Destiny 2 ascendant shards are needed to upgrade some weapons and gear to masterwork level. You’ll also need a bunch of Destiny 2 legendary shards and enhancement cores, so be sure you are stocked up on them before attempting to masterwork your gear.
Where to get Ascendant Shards in Destiny 2
Tower Vendors
Master Rahool and Ada-1 deal with Ascendant Shards at the Tower in Destiny 2. To buy an Ascendant Shard from them, you will have to exchange it for the following items:
- 10 Enhancement Prisms
- 100 Planetary Materials (rotating every day)
- 50,000 Glimmer
Playlist Vendors
Playlist vendors, like Commander Zavala, Lord Shaxx, and The Drifter, present Ascendant Shards as rank-up rewards. You will have to reach Rank 16 with each of these vendors to be capable to claim one Ascendant Shard from them.
Master and Grandmaster Nightfalls
On Master and Grandmaster Nightfalls in Destiny 2, Ascendant Shards will be offered as rewards for platinum completions. On Master, Ascendant Shards have a drop rate of 33%.However, you can reach at least one Ascendant Shard for every platinum completion on Grandmaster difficulty.
Season Pass
You will be able to acquire Ascendant Shards from the Season Pass as well. These shards are available at levels 85, 90, and 94. However, you will only be able to claim these items once per account.
Now that you know how to obtain these Ascendant Shards, spend them wisely because they’re very rare. Masterwork weapons and armor with this only if you’re convinced of its utility. Good luck, Guardian.
How To Get Ascendant Shards In Destiny 2
Simply put, there are six surefire methods for consistently acquiring Ascendant Shards. Shards are definitely some of the most challenging materials to come by, given their drastic benefits. Their abnormality is reiterated through the types of missions that award these elusive gems. Ascendant Shards can be obtained through any of these techniques:
Flawless Completion in the Trials of Osiris
This will likely present players with the most significant challenge, requiring seven consecutive wins against other Guardians competing for the same prizes.
A single loss will void the player’s present Trials Passage. Only the first flawless completion will award Ascendant Shards, with any subsequent victories awarding Enhancement Prisms until the weekly reset.
Banshee-44
Though purchasing shards from Banshee-44 is incredibly expensive, it’s by far the easiest method (without owning the season pass) for acquiring shards. The player will require to bring 10 Enhancement Prisms, 100 Planetary Materials, and 50,000 Glimmer to purchase an Ascendant Shard. The planetary materials needed will change daily, so keep all of them stocked up!
The Season Pass
If the player holds the season pass, they can acquire shards by leveling the pass to rank 80, 85, and 94. Each rank will only deliver one Ascendant Shard. This isn’t the most lucrative way, but for players regularly logging on, this is a great way to gain three shards passively.
Completing The Nightfall Strike In Destiny 2
This is by far the most sure-fire technique to farm shards without dismantling Masterwork’darmor or weapons. Queue up for Nightfall on Master or Grandmaster problem. Complete the Nightfall. Collect the goodies from the final boss chest and repeat until the expected number of shards is met.
Again, these shards are rare, and it’s likely to go several strikes without having them rewarded. The Destiny community has found that there’s around a 33% chance for a drop with a platinum completion of the strike. Raids deliver a better chance for the beloved “Golf Balls.”
The Augmented Obsession Triumph
This is by far the most tedious technique, rewarding only one Ascendant Shard taking eight weeks minimum from start to finish. This is a perfect method for players looking for a weekly challenge and something to do. The player will need to finish all eight of the Augment Triumphs connected to the Braytech Transponders provided by Variks.
Only one of these transponders can be assembled in a week, so the player will have to be patient in completing this challenge. Once all eight Triumphs are complete, the player will have earned the Augmented Obsession Triumph.
The Best Ascendant Shard Farm
Unfortunately, there’s only one worthwhile Ascendant Shard farm in Destiny 2: Grandmaster Nightfalls. Each Platinum clear is assured to drop one Ascendant Shard with a chance of a second one. A good team can clear an easy GM in around 15 minutes, give or take, letting you to earn about four Ascendant Shards per hour.
That is still quite low, so it is recommended that you wait until a double loot week is active before farming GMs. The “Next Week in Destiny” post that pops up on log-in will notify you of any upcoming double loot weeks. When one is active, you can make eight to ten Ascendant Shards an hour, making it fairly easy to Masterwork a set of gear.
