Destiny: How to Get Started in the New Iron Banner
By Weston Albert 05 October 2016
Find out all the details about the newly updated Iron Banner PvP event, including where to find the new vendor, how to rank up, get reputation, and earn a lot of loot.
Destiny: Rise of Iron is themed after the Iron Lords, who before the expansion’s story missions, players only knew of from the gear that showed up once a month during the Iron Banner PvP event. So it is no surprise that Iron Banner is continuing in Destiny‘s fall expansion, and it has gotten a lot of changes. And those changes go deeper than just being the new Supremacy game mode. Here’s a primer to get you started in Iron Banner:
Find Efrideet
When players spawn into Felwinter Peak, they will be treated to a new cutscene that introduces Efrideet, the ninth Iron Lord who along with Saladin survived the fight with SIVA that took the lives of the rest of the Iron Lords. Efrideet has returned to be the custodian of the Iron Banner.
After the cutscene, visit Lord Saladin to receive a quest. A quest marker will lead across the bridge to the door (that has so far only been unlocked with Isenfyre Tokens), which will now be open. Take a left and find Efrideet atop a new Iron Banner platform.
New Gear and Bounties
Efrideet is offering gauntlets and class item armor pieces along with the new Iron Banner auto rifle and shotgun. There are two rolls available for each armor piece; one that is an Intellect/Discipline roll and the other that is a Discipline/Strength roll. Neither of the perk rolls on the auto rifle or shotgun from the vendor are that outstanding, but thankfully the drops appear pretty frequent this Iron Banner (more on that below).
Players should also collect the bounties Efrideet is offering. Gone are the daily bounties, replaced with the weekly bounties that are much different from the old three players have been used to. All four bounties can be completed by just playing Iron Banner. Points are awarded for doing different actions like killing players with weapons, killing players with abilities, completing matches, and racking up assists.
Two of these bounties will award a piece of Iron Banner armor and the other two will award Iron Banner weapons. These rewards pull from the entire Iron Banner loot pool, not just the items Efrideet has in her inventory. Protip: The pulse rifle is close to the Grasp of Malok archetype, which many players will want to get their hands on.
Reputation Changes
The Tempered buff is now gone, meaning reputation gains do not increase throughout the week. However, wins and redeemed Iron Medallions are now worth more: 250 per win and 150 per Medallion.
Also changed, equipping Iron Banner class items, emblems, and shaders no longer add to reputation gains. Players can now wear the class item they want and equip any shader or emblem they so choose.
Post-Match Rewards
The word is that the drop rate is high this Iron Banner. In the loot pool post-match, players can earn the current armor and weapons in Efrideet’s inventory (with random perk rolls), as well as pieces of armor from past Iron Banner events. Players can also earn Iron Banner Ghost shells, an Iron Banner Sparrow, and artifacts.
The drops will be based upon players’ Light level, coming in Light within a few digits of a player’s current level. That includes armor, weapons, and artifacts, which can drop up to (and beyond) 385 Light. This can be a very solid path for players looking for a 385 artifact.
Ranking Up
With the simplification to reputation, there aren’t many fast tracks to getting to Rank 5. Just play, and win as often as possible. With that said, that journey to Rank 5 should be considerably quicker. Fans are reporting that it is taking about a five hours to reach Rank 5.
How has your experience with Iron Banner been? How long has it taken you to rank up? Have you received a good amount of loot? Let us know in the comments!
Destiny: Rise of Iron is available now on PS4 and Xbox One.
