Destiny The Dark Below Guide: 5 Starter Tips

1. Go Introduce Yourself to Eris

Eris is the main NPC that facilitates the events and quests of The Dark Below. Before you do anything, go visit her in the tower and take all of the bounties that you can. As you’ll notice, she has a new reputation rank and lots of new items to buy. Be sure to visit her every day and slowly but surely you’ll be able to raise your reputation with her.

Side note: This is an informal tip because it doesn’t apply to most longtime Destiny players, BUT you should be at least level 26 or so before tackling The Dark Below content. The missions start at 24 but increase in difficulty each time. Check out this guide if you need help getting your light up.

2. There’s New Legendary Equipment For Sale… But There’s a Catch

So the good news is there are LOTS of new legendary items to buy from all of the vendors you have come to know and love, using the same vanguard and crucible marks that you have collected… The bad news is that in addition to marks, for many items you now need something called “commendations” to complete the purchase.

Commendations are earned by ranking up in a specific reputation. For example, once you move up in Vanguard rank, you’ll receive a commendation for purchasing new equipment. For most, this should come naturally as you play, as the time it takes you to get enough marks should at least put you close to getting a reputation rank up as well. However, just keep this change in mind if you’re looking forward to logging in and immediately buying up all the new gear.

3. Heroic and Nightfall Strikes Are a Higher Level Now

In a move that will likely be unpopular, the weekly heroic and weekly nightfall strikes have had their difficulty level increased to level 30. In addition, this week’s strikes are all about the expansion, meaning players who did not buy The Dark Below are locked out.

Luckily, getting to 30 isn’t too hard now, as the new faction equipment now has higher light levels. Still, it’s a dicey move, and I would be surprised if it isn’t addressed in a future post by Bungie Community Manager Deej.

4.There Are New Crucible Maps Too

In all the hubbub about the new storyline missions, strikes, and the raid, don’t forget that the crucible is still open for business and that there are three new maps that were added with The Dark Below.

Pantheon (Mars), The Cauldron (Moon) and Skyshock (Earth) are now all available in their own playlist. Each have their own flavor (favoring smaller/larger battles) and visual flare. Pantheon in particular stands out as having a distinct old school feel, as it is the first symmetrical crucible map in Destiny. If you find yourself struggling in the crucible also check out our guide for dominating PvP, getting wins and improving your KDR.

5. All the Little Things

There are a lot of new little changes that might surprise you when you first start up The Dark Below. For example, you may be afflicted by the negative effect “Dark Burden,” which prevents you from using your second jump ability. Also, swords (like the one from the Sword of Crota mission) appear and can be used to your advantage.

The new legendary/exotic items can be received through Nightfall, reputation rank up packages, and engram drops, so be on the look out for those as well. Some of the equipment is already more powerful than the best equipment pre-expansion. If you were struggling to get to level 30, The Dark Below is a great opportunity to catch up!