The latest Bungie ViDoc for Destiny 2 revealed more details about changes coming in the Destiny 2: Shadowkeep expansion. Bungie explained some upcoming Destiny 2: Shadowkeep Nightfall changes, revealed a new enemy type called Champions, teased the new Moon dungeon, and more. This guide covers the full rundown of everything revealed in the 10-minute Destiny 2: Shadowkeep Bungie ViDoc on Sept. 17.
Destiny 2: Shadowkeep | Nightmares and Lectern of Enchantment
On their return to the Moon destination, Guardians will face a new enemy type called Nightmares. These red-and-black, spectral enemies are “manifestations of trauma of Guardians who have come back to the Moon.” These enemies appear to be tied to a discovery made by Eris Morne, which Bungie indicated could have an impact on the game even beyond the Shadowkeep expansion’s story. Nightmares change from their spectral forms to physical, “real-again” versions of past enemies Guardians have faced. It’s not clear how Nightmares will shake up gameplay compared to the regular versions of these old enemies, but Bungie showed off a few weapons adorned with charms that glow red when Nightmares are near. It also seems as though these Nightmares will appear not just on the Moon but throughout the Solar System, as with past enemies like the Taken.
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At one point in the ViDoc, Bungie showed a brief clip of a new system Destiny 2 Game Director Luke Smith called “the rune table.” The table, labeled as the “Lectern of Enchantment” in-game, is a new system players can use to craft new equipment for their Guardians using “Nightmare Essences.” Smith mentioned that the rune table could be used to “make more” rewards if players receive rolls they don’t like.
Destiny 2: Shadowkeep | Endgame, Nightfall changes, Champions, & Artifacts
Destiny 2: Shadowkeep’s endgame will focus on character-building, mainly through upgrading the seasonal Artifact item. Meant to provide an “infinite power grind,” the Artifact allows players to equip additional mods beyond what would normally be allowed on other equipment alone in order to customize their Guardian’s playstyle. Upgrading the Artifact will apparently make Guardians strong enough to tackle the hardest challenges in the game, like the new Champion enemy type. Champions, the new hardest enemy type in the Nightfall, are found in a new mode called “Nightfall: The Ordeal.” Bungie said players will be able to adjust the difficulty of the Nightfall, with higher difficulties providing a higher chance of dropping sought-after rewards, though it’s not clear if The Ordeal’s difficulty will be adjustable or if it’s simply a new, highest difficulty mode for the Nightfall.
Destiny 2: Shadowkeep | Dungeons
One of Shadowkeep‘s new endgame challenges is a yet-unnamed dungeon found on the Moon. The Moon dungeon is located deep beneath the Moon’s surface, and is full of platforming challenges and other obstacles. According to design lead Brian Frank, the dungeon is meant for “people who want the raid experience, in terms of the mystery of the activity,” but with three-person fireteams rather than the raid’s six. Bungie previously unveiled the existence of dungeons in the Destiny 2 Season 8 roadmap.
Destiny 2: Shadowkeep | PvP
Destiny 2: Shadowkeep will bring back maps from Destiny 1 and introduce a new feature called Crucible Labs. This will put various gameplay modes, such as Elimination, on the expansion’s new maps, changing weekly and allowing Bungie to get feedback from players.
Destiny 2: Shadowkeep | Seasons 8 through 11
Luke Smith explained that, following Shadowkeep and subsequent, yearly expansions, there will be four seasons to build on the expansion’s story. Design lead Robbie Stevens said Bungie is putting a focus on creating a narrative thread that will bind together these seasons.
Season 8, known as Destiny 2: Season of the Undying, will focus on Vex invasions from the Black Garden. This will introduce the dungeon, Exotic quests, the raid, and other events to keep players engaged. Seasons 9 and 10 will build on Season 8’s story, and “everything’s gonna come together” in Season 11, which Brian Frank said would be “like no other time in Destiny.” Not much is known about the seasons beyond Season 8, but Bungie did show a brief clip of what looks like a Warmind facility while speaking about Seasons 9 and 10.
Destiny 2: Shadowkeep and the seasons that will follow it are the start of what Smith called the “five-year vision” for Destiny 2. Smith said Bungie is aiming to create an “awesome action MMO in a single, evolving world.” You can watch the full Bungie ViDoc below.
