Destiny 2’snew season is set to launch on May 11, and while not a lot of information has been given about what the season will focus on, players can look forward to the return of the Vault of Glass. The vex-oriented raid launched all the way back in the firstDestinygame. At the time, it provided challenging puzzles and boss encounters for players to overcome before they could engage Atheon, Time’s Conflux. For the raid’s reintroduction, it does not sound like a lot has changed about the story behind the activity, but there will be some alterations to how it works.
The original Vault of Glass wasDestiny’sfirst raid and led to the race for a World’s First completion. Since then, fireteams inDestinyandDestiny 2have raced one another to see which team can come out on top as the first to finish new raids. This has been broken down even more as some players have truly gone on to challenge themselves and complete different raids in the series solo. The World’s First title for the reintroduced Vault of Glass, however, will require a little more than the original run of the raid did.
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Race to World’s First
So far, it sounds like the Vault of Glass raid will function very similarly to the original with some slight differences. These differences could be key to how fireteams approach theDestiny 2raid, especially those looking to claim the title of World’s First. It has been confirmed that from the start theVault of Glasswill be an entirely isolated experience, and the starting area will be its own location from the rest of the game. Team members will be unable to leave and explore the planet of Venus, and there will be no random players that pass by and help.
While this might not change how players approach the raid in any major ways, it does set the tone for how the activity will be presented to players. With the focus on a new fireteam claiming theWorld’s First title for the Vault of Glass, the raid will also have a challenge mode. The challenge mode idea is something that was introduced with the Crown of Sorrow, and it will be what determines which fireteam will win the race.
The Vault of Glass’s Challenge Mode will require that players complete the raid and then do another run that has certain challenges to be completed at each raid encounter. These challenges will lead to Guardians completing the Tempo’s Edge Triumph. Each one of the triumphs that need to be done at the raid encounters will have to be completed to move on, and failure to do so will wipe the whole fireteam. The triumph will all also have a time limit of 24 hours as the Challenge Mode challenges will be unavailable afterward, not coming back until later inDestiny 2Season 14.
While these extra steps may seem like a difficult addition to the raid, it is important to remember that the Vault of Glass is going to be largely the same when it comes out of theDestinyContent Vault. There will likely be teams that are able to clear the raid in only a couple of hours on their initial run and the raid’s Challenge Mode is what will help set them apart from everyone else. As an extra incentive, there is a reward for the title of World’s First that looks worthy of the time that will be put in.
Vault of Glass Rewards
The fireteam that can win the race to World’s First will be able to receive a championship belt that celebrates them and their clan. This belt will also honor the original fireteam that first cleared theVault of Glass raidwhen it launched inDestiny. The belt will feature both clan’s names, the raid symbol, the player’s name, the Vault of Glass title, as well as an image of Atheon stamped with the 2021 date. The awesome championship-style belt will have a silver colorway, something that symbolizes the fact that this is the second world first to be done for the Vault of Glass, while also still celebrating the achievement.
On top of this, it seems like there will be other physical rewards for players to receive. The Bungie Rewards program allows players that are signed up to purchase special merchandise for completing certain tasks and activities inDestiny 2. It sounds like there will be some extra gear available through the program once the Raid is live. Players will also be able to earn in-game loot from the Vault of Glass as well.
Like other raids in the series, the Vault of Glass had a loot table full of armor and weapons. Both will be slightly different from their originals, but the weapons sound like they will have perks updated to fit intoDestiny 2better. The aim seems to be to make them feel as similar as possible to how they were at Vault of Glass’s launch while still viable. Legendary weapons such as Fatebringer and Praedyth’s Revenge will likely return, but there is at least oneexotic that should be brought intoDestiny 2when the raid launches, the Vex Mythoclast.
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Vault of Glass Master Difficulty
While it does not sound like the Vault of Glass will be able to launch with it, the Master version of the raid is something that does seem to be planned. This will play into the longevity of the raid inDestiny 2and is a welcome addition. The Master andGrandmaster Nightfall Strikesare difficult but rewarding activities. Their high-level rewards and materials make them feel worthwhile as their gameplay forces players to be strategic and communicate.
These aspects are the foundation of a good raid experience as well, so the addition of a Master mode for the Vault of Glass makes sense. Seeing what changes come with the Master version of the raid will be interesting as well. With the Challenge Mode already available as a blueprint, the Master mode could lean heavily on the triumphs needed for Tempo’s Edge or introduce whole new concepts to the classic raid as well. The longevity of the Vault of Glass will become more and more important as the game decides what old content will come back when currentstories like theForsakenare vaulted.
Other Raids in Destiny 2
Everything that changes for the raid and its Master version is still up to speculation but this is an exciting time forDestiny 2. It is the first time that such a large activity from the firstDestinygame is being introduced to the sequel and it is happening just after the highly anticipated launch of the rumoredSeason of the Splicer. While the addition of the Moon and Cosmodrome areas were incredible too, the Vault of Glass raid is in a league of its own.
Hopefully, this will all set the groundwork for how other endgameDestinyactivities are brought intoDestiny 2. If all goes well, Guardians could look forward to a revitalized version of other classics in the future. Until then, though, it is time to prepare for Atheon and complete Season of the Chosen challenges as quickly as possible.
Destiny 2: Beyond Lightis available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
