Destiny: Iron Banner offers multiple buffs an Armour Shader

This week in Destiny marks the return of the fabled Iron Banner PvP playlist, which in turn brings with it a series of armour pieces and weapons that have Raid-level stats – a must-have for any player looking to expand their current inventory. What follows is a guide in order to avoid grinding your hours away, and tips on how to quickly reach Rank 5 to get the best gear.

Personal Destiny power leveling, plus some helpful tables from Reddit, suggest that the best way to complete the Iron Banner is to spread your hours of playtime evenly across the week in which it’s available. This piece of information is, of course, a no-brainer; but it’s the math behind it that’s interesting.

Destiny‘s Iron Banner offers multiple buffs – an Armour Shader, an Emblem, a Class-item, a purchasable ‘Tempered Buff’, and a multiplier for every day it’s available. Basically, if you equip all these and play later in the week, you’ll rack up experience faster than you will earlier. The trick is knowing when to play, and for how long.

Just as a start: The best method to achieve Rank 5 is to either play 1 hour per day for the whole week; or 2 hours per day over the last 4 days.

The following table, as provided by Reddit user GenericDeadHead, offers stats based on the following variables:

  • You play 6 matches per day
  • You have the Shader, Emblem, and Class-item equipped
  • You have the Tempered Buff
  • You win 50% of your matches
  • You turn in 3 Bounties per day

Although it may look confusing at first glance, the data shows that if you play roughly 6 games of Iron Banner per day, with all the buffs active while winning at least half of your games, you will achieve Rank 5 by the end of the week. The chart shows how much Rep you gain from handing in your Bounties and winning your games for each day, and shows how far along that gets you towards each rank.

If you aren’t available earlier in the week, or you need to catch up on lost time, there’s another chart to calculate how long you need for the last 4 days of the week.

The following table offers stats based on the following variables:

  • You play 10 matches per day
  • You have the Shader, Emblem Class-item equipped
  • You have the Tempered buff each day
  • You win 50% of your matches
  • You turn in 4 Bounties per day

 

This chart shows that, by starting on Friday, you only need to put in an extra 4 games per day on average, and you should be able to hit Rank 5 by the day before reset.

All of this information is based on the variables presented, and is certainly up for change depending on how many of the buffs you have, or how many games you win/lose. Ultimately, it provides a guide to how many games you should be playing per day, so as to avoid mindless grinding.

Bungie Has Been Doing What It Can To Prevent This Player’s Predictions From Destiny

The vendor’s name is Xûr, and if not for his paltry asking price-per-piece, many players wouldn’t have gotten their favorite guns yet — even now, half a year after the game released.

 Every week, the anticipation of Xûr’s stock creates high hopes, and — due simply to the limited shelf space available — dashes them to the ground. For the past month, one intrepid player has been data mining Destiny to reveal Xûr’s stock before it goes on sale.

The player, the Japanese-speaking Redditor Megamanexe4, has not revealed his specific system for data mining Destiny, but his results have been dead-on since he began revealing them around one month ago. Every week, he has been able to exactly predict not only what Xûr would sell, but the modifiers on the weekly events, as well as uncovered loads of info about the upcoming expansion House of Wolves. Aside from satiating the players’ curiosity, revealing Xûr’s stock has had huge implications on Bungie’s relationship with their game’s community.

By nature, a randomized list would mean Xûr’s stock often wouldn’t meet your desires, but the patterns the vendor has exhibited since release have frequently looked more like trolling than a random selection. He sold the worst exotic weapon in the game on Christmas, he has sold the exact same stock (three armor pieces, one weapon, and other assorted goodies) a handful of weeks apart, has sold a stock solely composed of items from the first DLC expansion more than once, and has had streaks of selling the same exact piece of gear over and over for weeks on end. These data points could all be coincidences, but that’s the point on which Destiny’s community sticks; Bungie has explicitly and repeatedly claimed that Xûr’s stock is both random and out of their control. Megamanexe4 seems to have proven otherwise.

The Redditor has not only predicted Xûr’s exact stock, the weekly event modifiers, and gear and maps from the upcoming expansion, but has also documented when Xûr’s stock has been manually changed, which again, is something Bungie vehemently claimed they could not do. Last week, Destiny received a tiny patch that installed tools to help Bungie better inspect and manage databases. Astute — or paranoid — members of the community immediately assumed it was to prevent gamers from being able to suss out upcoming content. Earlier today, Megamanexe4 posted an explainer on Reddit that seems to confirm those guesses of the astute and fears of the paranoid.

Since that tiny patch, the Redditor explains that there are now two versions of Xûr — an original copy that is still predictable, and a new, unpredictable copy that Bungie manually controls. If Megamanexe4’s observations are to be taken as true, then Bungie managed to fix their Xûr leak — though the weekly event and upcoming DLC data still seems to be running from a faucet. If Bungie does continually use what Megamenexe4 describes as a manually operated Xûr, then the developer figured out a way to beat dataminers. If Megamanexe4 is right and Bungie has been able to alter Xûr’s stock all along, then they’ve either been lying to Destiny’s community or at least intentionally misleading them.

You Need To Know About Xur Stock From Destiny

Over the last couple of months, Reddit user Megamanexe4 has managed to data-mine Destiny and successfully leak Xur’s stock over a number of weeks. This prediction fell flat a couple of times when Bungie changed Xur’s stock at the very last minute, right before he was due to arrive in the Tower. ‘How does this work?’, you may ask; Megaman has posted a Q&A to answer all your Xur-and-Destiny-related questions, revealing what really happens during those changeovers, and hinting at possible future stock.

In a previous post on Destiny‘s Xur, Megaman explained that the original stock he predicted for that weekend (15th of March) was altered, and that the weapon Red Death wasn’t present in the ‘original Xur’. He also suggests in this post, and his current Q&A, that Xur may sell Hard Light, Thunderlord, or MIDA Mult-Tool some time over the next few weeks, given that they’re the Exotics he is yet to offer – as a result, some of Destiny‘s rarest weapons.

To avoid explicitly stating the list, he remains cryptic, so as not to entice Bungie to change anything in Destiny this weekend.

“If this week’s Xur (3/20) is the Original Xur, then we can assume that everything I’ve leaked in the past is true. If you go through my past posts, you can see the Original Xur’s schedule for 3/20 and 3/27. Hint: you will probably be more excited about what he has to sell on 3/27 than 3/20.”

To avoid losing any information in translation, here is Megaman’s Q&A about Destiny, Xur, and Bungie, where he discusses exactly what happens when Bungie changes the stock and how this affects any future predictions.

Q: Were Xur’s goods changed on 3/15

A. Yes.

Q. Was Xur’s list changed?

A. This was a different Xur from the “normal” Xur, so I cannot confirm any changes at this point.

Q. What do you mean “different Xur?”

A. There are 2 types of Xur. One has a standard list of goods for sale that can only be changed by patches. The other is controlled by Bungie, who can upload his data directly to the game without patches. The Xur that appeared on 3/15 was the latter type, directly controlled by Bungie.

Q. Can you get the list of the Xur that is controlled by Bungie (the latter type of Xur as described above)?

A. No. This Xur has his data directly uploaded on the day of his appearance. It is impossible to obtain data about this Xur on any other day.

Q. How did you figure this out?

A. Because a very similar thing has happened before. On January 30, the “original” Xur was scheduled to sell No Land Beyond. However on that day the Xur ended up selling Dragon’s Breath.

I tried accessing Xur’s list that day, but all I could find was the goods actually sold on that day.

I then tried accessing the list using a different method, but my access was denied and I was unable to see anything. The following week I was successfully able to access the original list.

Also, the actual appearance of Xur is always directly controlled by Bungie.

From these facts I deduced that the Xur on January 30th was different from the original Xur, in other words a Xur whose goods are directly controlled by Bungie.

The Xur who brought Red Death on 3/15 responded the same way as the Xur on 1/30 when I tried to access his data. In other words, this Xur was directly controlled by Bungie.

Q. Will you be able to get the data for future Xur’s?

A. Yes, as long as it’s the original Xur. But not if it’s the Xur that Bungie controls directly. As long as the original Xur does not appear, all leakers (myself included) will not be able to see his data in advance. Obviously, in that case all data that I leaked about Xur would basically become garbage.

Q. Can you make any predictions about future Xur’s based on the data you’ve already gotten?

A. Yes. As of the release of 1.1.1.0 I have gotten all of the original Xur’s data thru May 15. None of that data changed with 1.1.1.1, so I can predict only the original Xur’s goods, thru May 15.

Q. Can you get data other than Xur?

A. Yes. There were no signs of any changes to the data with the releases of 1.1.1.1. All Nightfall data remains accesible.

Conclusion:

I don’t know why Bungie chose this timing to manually control Xur. Was it to squash me, maimonguy, and other leakers? Was it a one-time-only thing? Was there some other reason? All I can say is that only Bungie knows the true plan for Xur.

If they only use the manually controlled Xur from now on, then there is the possibility that Thunderlord, Hard Light, MIDA Multi-Tool, Obsidian Mind, and other items will not get sold. On the other hand, that also would mean there is a chance he will sell Gjallarhorn, Mask of the Third Man, Red Death, and other items not in the Original Xur’s list.

Players Can Glitch Into Locked Areas Of The Game From Destiny

It’s no secret that Destiny players can glitch into locked areas of the game – they’ve been doing it since launch. Now, ahead of the House of Wolves expansion pack, a number of players have managed to get into the location of one of the new Strike missions on the Moon, and were kind enough to  give a small tour of their findings.

The first location featured is called ‘Dusk Warren’, located on the Moon. According to user ‘Rob85M’, the trick to getting to Dusk Warrens is in its ‘perilous’ out-of-map jumps. The location itself is through the Temple of Crota, and largely accessible through the World’s Grave.

After dropping between scenery, navigating a series of tricky out-of-map jumps and drops, then landing behind a locked door, it’s just a case of exploring and finding the new area. Interestingly enough, there’s a functioning teleported that transports players to the next location within the Strike, showing that the area itself is fully-functional, and just waiting on enemies to fill it.

The second area is on a Fallen Ketch, where the Strike’s boss fight takes place. The boss fight itself, as we know from previous House of Wolves leaks, will feature a Fallen Walker (potentially as its boss). The second video shows off a room with two Walkers stored in the wall, and a platform in the middle of the room that could potentially open up to reveal yet another.

Whether both of these Walkers will animate, or one will reveal itself from underground, is unknown. The latter seems more likely, given the Strike’s description of an ‘infamous Walker’.

While this method and location are nothing new, it’s interesting to watch after learning the context behind the new Strike mission in the upcoming expansion: Guardians must go to the Moon under the Queen’s bidding, fight a ‘Fallen wolfship’, and defeat an ‘infamous Walker’, according to the Strike description at the top of the article.

Destiny‘s House of Wolves expansion pack will allegedly release May 19th and feature new missions, new weapons, and a new social area.

Destiny: Player soloing the Raid in just 16 minutes

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We’ve seen impressive Destiny Raid runs that combine solo attempts, no weapons, speed, and other factors. Another entry makes a mockery of Crota’s End, with a player soloing the Raid in just 16 minutes.

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On a good run for a full group the Raid would take roughy double that time at least, but The Legend Himself–the biggest name in Destiny feats–did it in just 16 minutes and 7 seconds by himself.

He only dies one time, but that death has the effect of speeding up Crota’s spawn to improve the overall time. It’s not hard mode, but I don’t think it will fail to impress anyone regardless. The Legend Himself uses a bunch of tricks you may recgonize, and some you may not, to fly through the Raid on his own. Enjoy in the video below, and if you think you can better his accomplishment, feel free to record your own attempt.

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A great recent run featured a player defeating Crota on his own without firing a single shot, which is ridiculous. He managed to figure out the perfect combination to succeed with a Warlock, and is well worth a watch. Prior to that a group had completed the whole Raid together with no weapons.

Xur’s Location And Exotic Goods For Weekend Of March 13 From Destiny

Destiny players who need to keep their health up should check out the wares being sold by Xûr, Agent of the Nine, this weekend. The mysterious vendor has returned to the Tower, and PlayStation and Xbox owners can grab the Red Death Exotic Pulse Rifle.

Those looking for Xûr should run straight ahead towards the Vanguard hall after spawning in the Tower. He is located to the right of the table that the three Vanguards are standing at, against the wall. Here’s where you can find him on the Tower map, just to be sure.

Xûr and his items will only be available in Destiny through the morning of Sunday, March 15. As soon as the clock strikes 5 a.m. ET / 2 a.m. PT, he will be gone.

The Red Death tops the interest charts this week, as it is one of the rare times the Pulse Rifle has been sold. The combination of its utility for the Crota’s End raid and the boost that all Pulse Rifles received in the recent Destiny 1.1.1 patch make this a can’t-miss purchase for those that don’t have one.

The upgrades are worth checking out this week as well. Mask of the Third Man, Helm of Saint-14, Light Beyond Nemesis, and Lucky Raspberry all have good to excellent stat rolls. Unfortunately, the stats on the armor items for sale are poor to average. The good news is that Xûr is selling an Exotic Helmet Engram for anyone that wants to take a chance there.

And, yes, Heavy Weapon Ammo Synthesis packs are available.

For those wondering what to get, here are a few helpful hints.

The Red Death perk is a crucial weapon in the toughest PVE encounters like Crota’s End simply because of the perk that carries the same name. This perks fully regenerates player health after each kill. The Unflinching perk also makes this a great weapon for PVP, as it helps you keep your aim steady while you’re being shot.

The Insurmountable Skullfort is the other helmet available for Striker Titans in Destiny. And by other, I mean you only want to pick it up if you don’t have the other Exotic Titan helmets or chest plates available. It is geared toward health regeneration with the Infusion perk that replenishes health when picking up Orbs. Meanwhile, the Improved Transfusion perk regenerates health when killing enemies with the Fist of Havoc. Not bad to have for the final encounter in the Crota’s End raid, but not as useful as other Exotics like Helm of Saint-14, Inmost Most, or Armamentarium.

The 108 Discipline stat roll is very average, making the Insurmountable Skullfort easier to pass on this week.

Knucklehead Radar is unique in Destiny, as it allows the radar to stay up when any Hunters sub-class uses any primary weapon. That’s something you’ll have to decide if it is worth it, as some players swear by it while others don’t feel the perk adds many benefits when there are already several weapons that come with the perk.

The 105 Strength stat is just as average as the stats on the Insurmountable Skullfort.

Claws of Ahamkara are the other Warlock Exotic gauntlets in Destiny, and can be used with either sub-class. The Whispers perk allows for two fully-powered melee attacks, and the Snap Discharge perk increases melee attack speed. If you want to build a melee-powered Warlock, these gauntlets are for you.

The split 55 Discipline and 60 Strength stat roll is above average for these gauntlets. Xûr has sold these at a higher stat roll only one other time, so they may be worth a look if you’re a Warlock who likes to punch.

Destiny: 2015’s British Academy Game Awards

The post-apocalyptic first-person shooter was developed by Bungie. It was the US studio’s first release after quitting the Halo series.

The title attracted mixed reviews, and its relatively bare-bones plot continues to divide gamers.

The award surprised many in the audience at the London ceremony as it had not won any of the other categories it had been nominated for.

However, Bungie’s skill at crafting alien-slaying gunfights appears to have helped it seize the top prize.

BBC Newsbeat’s Jonathan Blake tweeted the reaction to Destiny’s victory from the ceremony Accepting the award Bungie’s president thanked Destiny’s players.

“It’s always a labour of love that we do because of the passion of the fans,” said Harold Ryan.

“They really are the ones who drive you to put the energy and time into putting the game together.”

Several other biggest-budget nominees – including Assassin’s Creed Unity, Mario Kart 8 and Call Of Duty: Advanced Warfare – walked away without a prize.

Seeking Xur Location on March 13 From Destiny

How many times is Xur going to offer the Ice breaker? That’s the question that many Destiny players are scratching their heads about now, as we approach the Xur location on March 13 this week.

 The Agent of the Nine is a random chap and once again he has completely surprised everyone with the third appearance of the Icebreaker in recent weeks. Hopefully this week Xur will have something which is actually a surprise, by that we mean weapons such as the Hard Light, Thunderlord, Suros Regime or dare we say it – the Gjallarhorn. Either way, we’ll be one of the first to tell you where Xur spawns on March 13 and his full inventory once he appears.

What you need to know is that Xur will be in the tower at 9am UK time, 1am Pacific Time and 4am Eastern Time on Friday. It’s another new week for Destiny players, so hopefully Bungie’s RNG system will come up with the goods this time around. What exotic are you looking for, as we can imagine that most of you have tons of strange coins saved up right now – what figure are you currently on?

 Simply put – what does Xur need to offer to keep you happy?

Destiny: The players 16 minutes finish the Crota Raid

Bungie’s Destiny is notorious for its ridiculous player-driven challenges, such as soloing Raids or taking a Sparrow where no Sparrow should be allowed to go. With this in mind, a player undertook Destiny‘s latest Raid, Crota’s End, solo. While this is nothing new, the player managed to do it in an astonishing 16 minutes and 7 seconds.

With any challenge comes a horde of players vying to be the best; not for any particular reward, but just because they can. Many players decided to take on Destiny‘s Raids with increasingly ridiculous requirements – completing it in 16 minutes, however, is equally impressive and insane.

Crota’s End has five main sections: The Abyss, The Bridge, The Hallway, The DeathSinger, and finally Crota himself. While each section is capable of a solo run, using multiple ‘cheeses’ and shortcuts, it doesn’t always make them any less difficult (especially during the latter sections).

The player in question, known on Reddit as Slayerage, used a Bladedancer Hunter to great effect, taking advantage of its Blink and Super abilities. Check out the full video below.

Allegedly, Slayerage practiced for a good 10 hours straight before recording his fastest run. While it is on Normal, the run’s time is incredibly impressive, especially considering there are a number of occasions where Slayerage could have improved the time by a few seconds per encounter (such as Blinking off the rock during the opening section).

There are a few techniques in here that I hadn’t seen used before, such as using Blink while swinging the Sword in order to cross The Bridge without even activating it, or using Blink to skip a whole section of The Abyss at the start. I’ll be taking advantage of both those tricks next time I take on Crota’s End – not speed running, of course.

Slayerage is responsible for most of the ridiculous Destiny feats you see across the internet, such as running Vault of Glass with two people, or soloing Crota’s End on Hard Mode.

Destiny Share Nightfall Features Triple Burn, Returns to Winter’s Run

Daylight savings time or not, Bungie’s Destiny has seen its latest weekly refresh. This means another chance to run the raids this week along with new Weekly Heroic and Nightfall Strikes. As revealed by Reddit data-miner and leaker megamanexe4, this week sees players return to Winter’s Run on Venus to battle the Archon Priest.

There’s plenty of reason to celebrate though as Triple Burn is active. This means of the five modifiers for the Nightfall Strike, three consist of Void Burn, Arc Burn and Solar Burn so unless you’re rocking a Shingen-C, every single elemental weapon will deal greatly increased damage (just be warned that this works the other way around as well).

Other modifiers include Epic with heavily shielded enemies appearing in greater numbers and Nightfall which returns your team to orbit if everyone dies in a Darkness Zone.

The Weekly Heroic Strikes only have Heroic and Void Burn active so they’ll be relatively easier. You won’t get Exotics that way though. What are your thoughts on this week’s Nightfall and Heroic? Let us know in the comments.