There’s a whole lot of things in this game, but don’t worry, we got you!
There’s a moment almost every new Destiny 2 player experiences. You spawn into the Tower for the first time, jog past a Warlock wearing some glowing, impossible armor set, open the map, and-boom. Objectives everywhere. Icons you’ve never seen before. Vendors with long tabs of items you can’t afford. A whole galaxy full of planets, playlists, and seasons staring back at you.
You should remember that this game doesn’t need to be played in a hurry! It’s important to remember this game is not subscription based, so when you see all those menus, systems and subsystems, remember, you can take it slow! The game becomes surprisingly chill. Even cozy. And of course, in an article about helping you have fun, we would be remiss not to mention that you could get a trials carry if the game’s PvP is proving maybe too intense for you!
Start With What Feels Good, Even If It’s Not “Meta”
One of the sneaky traps new players fall into is trying to chase whatever the internet says is the “best” weapon or subclass. Don’t worry about any of that right now. There’s something oddly freeing about letting the game hand you random loot and discovering what clicks based on gut feeling instead of spreadsheets.
Maybe a certain pulse rifle just feels snappy. Maybe you love the rhythm of a bow. Maybe you like punching things (Titans get it). The early game is the perfect playground for experimentation.
Destiny 2’s gunplay is famously smooth for a reason-just use what feels satisfying in your hands.
Ignore Half the Map (For Now)
The Director-the big galaxy map-isn’t a checklist. When you open the map, you will be attacked by a parade of icons that you won’t know what even half of them do! The truth? You can skip most of it without missing anything important.
A stress-free starting loop might look like this:
- Do the New Light quests.
- Pick one core playlist (Strikes are easiest).
- Wander into open-world patrols on whatever planet you like the look of.
- Knock out the weekly bounties from Zavala, Ikora, or the Gunsmith-only if you feel like it.
That’s it. The rest will make sense later. It always does.
Don’t Worry About Power Level Every Second
Destiny 2 is weird about its numbers. Every piece of armor and every gun has a Power value, and the game keeps throwing higher numbers at you. It’s easy to get caught in the trap of constantly swapping your gear just because it’s one point higher.
Here’s a little secret: your actual power spikes come later, once you understand your build. Early on? Use whatever’s fun. Equip higher-level stuff occasionally so you don’t fall behind too far, but don’t turn it into a chore.
If you’re having a good time, you’re already playing the game correctly.
Stick to One Subclass Until It Feels Like an Old Friend
In its current state, Destiny 2 has a pretty overwhelming amount of subclasses to try out, especially if you own every expansion! There’s Solar, Arc, Void, Strand, and Stasis. Each of them has its own abilities, fragments, and upgrade paths. If you try to give them all a go, you will have 50 hours in the game before you even level up for the first time! So pick one. Just one.
Stick with it until you know how to survive a hectic firefight with it. This helps you build instinct: when to pop your super, when to back off, when to rush, how your grenades behave, and how your melee flows.
Once that muscle memory sets in, switching to other subclasses becomes way easier-and more fun.
Let the Seasonal Stuff Come to You (Don’t Chase It)
A lot of players panic when they hear “season.” It sounds like a timed event you must binge, or you’ll miss everything forever. But seasonal content in Destiny 2 isn’t that dramatic. Most seasonal paths are linear stories with simple activities and rewards.
If the idea of a season stresses you out, skip the grind. Just enjoy the story, grab a couple of seasonal guns for the collection, and move on. Nobody’s ranking your participation.
Take Breaks From the Main Activities and Explore
Destiny 2 has some surprisingly peaceful nooks. Not everything is an intense firefight or timed encounter. Sometimes wandering around the EDZ, listening to the wind rustle through trees, and stumbling onto a Lost Sector is a nice reset between missions.
Explore a bit. Follow random lights. The game encourages your curiosity. The best way to stop seeing this game as a series of tasks is finding out it’s a living, breathing world.
Don’t Be Afraid of the Social Side-even if You’re Shy
A lot of new Guardians think they need to play completely alone until they “get good.” Nope. A huge chunk of Destiny players are friendly by default. They remember being confused. They remember wiping in Strikes because they used their super on the wrong enemy. They remember the panic of their first dungeon.
You don’t need a clan right away, but joining up with random players for simple stuff helps more than you’d expect.
Even with activities like PvP, you can get a Trials Of Osiris flawless carry easily if you know where to look.
Focus on Activities That Make You Smile
Different players enjoy different slices of Destiny. Some adore PvP. Some never touch it. Some grind exotic quests. Others prefer Gambit (yes, these people exist). The key to not burning out early is paying attention to what sparks joy.
Here’s how to find your vibe:
- Love quick, low-stress action? Stick with Strikes.
- Want loot and chaos? Try seasonal activities.
- Like exploring? Patrol zones and Lost Sectors are perfect.
- Prefer solo challenges? Legend Lost Sectors later on.
- Into competitive modes? Crucible is your playground.
No one’s grading your choices.
Buildcrafting Sounds Scary, but It’s Just Matching Puzzle Pieces
Eventually, Destiny 2 introduces you to the wild world of “builds.” The term might make you picture spreadsheets or high-level guides, but at its core, a build is just:
- a subclass
- an exotic armor piece
- and a set of mods
…that all shine brighter when paired together.
It’s not as complicated as a lot of other popular ARPGs. It’s kind of like LEGO pieces together. When in doubt, just pick up the rarest weapons or ones that directly boost a part of your character you like!
Before long you’ll understand why people obsess over Void invisibility, Solar explosions, Arc speed buffs, Strand grapple shenanigans… it all just clicks.
Skip the Fear of Missing Out
FOMO is real in live-service games, but Destiny doesn’t demand your entire life. Even when a season ends, most weapons stay accessible in the future through vendors, activities, or legacy systems. Missing a weekly challenge isn’t tragic. Skipping a quest isn’t a permanent failure.
Play at your pace. Destiny is a marathon disguised as a space magic parkour game.
FAQs
What’s the best activity to start with?
Strikes, hands down. They’re simple, forgiving, and give you a feel for the game without throwing you into the deep end.
How do I avoid getting overwhelmed by all the quests?
Ignore most of them early on. Stick to one or two main quests and let everything else sit until you’re comfortable.
Is Destiny 2 fun if I mainly play solo?
Yep. Tons of content is solo-friendly; however, you might end up needing help if you’re chasing PvP content. Consider getting a Trials Of Osiris flawless carry.
When should I worry about builds?
Much later. Just enjoy your subclass and favorite weapons first. Buildcrafting becomes fun once you know what you like.
Final Thoughts
It boils down to this: Play the game your way. Slowly. With curiosity instead of urgency.
If you try to do everything at once while playing Destiny 2, you’ll end up transforming the game into a checklist, and you will leave any possibility of having fun behind you. Try things. Drop things. Wander off. Come back later. Laugh at the chaos. Celebrate the wins. Ignore the pressure to “keep up.”
You will see that just by playing the game, all of its systems and meta will become second nature to you thanks to the game’s very well-made onboarding system! So don’t worry, kick back, and enjoy the ride!
