Contest of Elders has arrived in Destiny 2 as the latest Episodic experience following Onslaught: Salvation. While Onslaught felt familiar to many, this new arena mode is a fresh challenge, bringing back memories for Destiny veterans but presenting a whole new puzzle for the broader Guardian community. It's not quite endgame, but don't let that fool you—its unique mechanics and persistent modifiers can trip up even seasoned players. Let's break down how to master the arena, maximize your loot, and earn the Warden's favor.
🔍 Know Your Arena: Permanent Modifiers Are Key
First things first, you gotta understand the rules of the game. Like many Destiny activities, Contest of Elders operates with a set of permanent weekly modifiers. These aren't just suggestions; they're the law of the land.
-
Elemental Surges: These buffs increase your damage output with specific damage types (Solar, Arc, Void, etc.)... but they also increase the damage you take from those same elements. Pay attention!
-
Limited Revives: This is a big one. The activity has a shared pool of revive tokens. Too many deaths, and it's a total wipe. Teamwork and staying alive are non-negotiable.
Memorizing these at the weekly reset will dictate your entire strategy, from your subclass choice to your weapon loadout. Don't go in blind!
⚙️ Build Crafting 101: Synergy is Everything
Coming off that last point, you can't just throw on random gear. A cohesive, synergistic build is mandatory for smooth runs. Whether you're a space-magic Warlock, a wall-building Titan, or a nimble Hunter, your build needs to work for you and against the modifiers.
💡 Pro Tip: Don't forget the Episode: Revenant artifact mods! While there are no Champions here, using weapons boosted by the artifact (like grenade launchers this season) gives you a free power boost. It's all about stacking advantages.
🌀 Encounter Modifiers: The Room-Specific Twist
Each combat room has its own randomized modifier on top of the permanent ones. These can be game-changers:
-
Grounded: Taking extra damage while airborne. Sorry, Warlock floaters!
-
Counterfeit: Enemy shields are highly resistant. Match your damage type!
A huge notification pops up at the start of each encounter. READ IT. Adapting your playstyle on the fly is the mark of a true arena champion and saves those precious revive tokens.
🧪 Tonics: Your Secret Power-Up
Tonics are a core part of Episode: Revenant, and they're your best friend in the Elders' arena. There are two main types:
| Tonic Type | Primary Effect | Why Use It in Elders? |
|---|---|---|
| Artifact Enhancement | Boosts the power of your seasonal artifact mods. | Free damage or ability buffs. Makes your build hit harder. |
| Loot Focus | Increases drop chances for specific weapons or gear. | Target-farm your god roll! Activate this before a run. |
Always have a Tonic active. It's essentially free power and better loot. No brainer! 🧠
🎯 Secondary Objectives: Don't Ignore the Pop-Ups!
Mid-encounter, you'll get a challenge objective. These might be:
-
Dismantling Eliksni mines.
-
Getting kills with a specific weapon type.
-
Using a certain ability.
It's easy to ignore these in the chaos, but DON'T. Completing them grants Tonic crafting materials and, most importantly, Warden's Favor. Failing them disappoints the Warden and hurts your final loot. They have a timer, so coordinate with your team!
💀 Model Prisoners: Kill the Blue-Text Boss!
Keep an eye out for tanky minibosses marked with blue text—these are Model Prisoners. They hit hard and are durable, but taking them down is crucial. Their defeat rewards the team with extra revive tokens. In a matchmade activity where communication is limited, these tokens are a lifesaver (literally). Prioritize them!
🏃♂️ Parkour Corridors: It's Not Just a Transition
The paths between main arenas are parkour corridors with their own mini-challenges. They might ask you to:
-
Speedrun through to the end.
-
Clear out all powerful enemies.
Don't just blast through! Pause, see what the challenge is, and complete it. It offers more Tonic materials and, you guessed it, more Warden's Favor. Free loot is never on the main path.
👑 The Ultimate Goal: Maximize Warden's Favor
This is the golden rule. Warden's Favor is a score that tracks how well you complete objectives (both main and secondary).
-
Succeed = Favor goes up. 👍
-
Fail = Favor goes down, potentially into "Warden's Punishment." 👎
Why does this matter? If you finish a full circuit with high Favor (ideally Favor x3), you get the maximum reward: THREE loot chests. Even better, the Warden is so impressed he lets you SKIP the first encounter of your next loop. This dramatically cuts down total run time. Efficiency is key!
🐢 Final Verdict: Slow is Smooth, Smooth is Fast
Contest of Elders can be a time investment. Rushing leads to missed objectives, lost Favor, and fewer rewards. The real speedrun strategy is methodical play.
-
Prepare: Check modifiers, equip a synergistic build, activate Tonics.
-
Execute: Read encounter modifiers, complete secondary challenges, kill Model Prisoners.
-
Profit: Maintain max Warden's Favor to skip encounters and earn triple chests.
By playing smart and respecting the arena's unique rules, you'll not only clear it faster but walk away with a mountain of loot. Now get out there, Guardian, and show the Elders what you're made of! ✨