The Solstice event in Destiny 2 makes its much-anticipated return following the launch of the Edge of Fate expansion. As the inaugural seasonal event of the Fate saga, this marks a new chapter after the decade-long Light and Dark Saga.
This year’s festivities introduce significant changes including the new Gear Tier system and an updated gameplay loop, offering players fresh experiences. The event will run for two weeks, from August 5 to August 19, 2025.
Understanding How Solstice Works
At the core of this event lies the focus on obtaining Distorted Solstice Engrams, which can randomly drop from foes or serve as guaranteed rewards in specific Portal activities. Notably, the Bonfire Bash will not be the event’s primary activity this year. Instead, Solstice modifiers will enhance your Portal activities, allowing for a tailored farming experience for both gear and materials.
To identify guaranteed Distorted Solstice Engram drops, simply hover over the relevant activity. Much like previous events such as Arms Week and Heavy Metal, this Solstice includes an event page that features daily and weekly challenges. Completing these challenges will earn you not only XP and Bright Dust, but also Event Tokens that can be exchanged at the Reward Shop.
As a word of caution, this year’s Solstice lasts a bit shorter than typical, so ensure you collect all desired items and spend any unspent tokens before the event concludes, as they will expire.
Each Portal activity introduces two customizable Solstice modifiers, enhancing the gameplay dynamics. Here’s a table of the available modifiers alongside their effects:
| Solstice Modifier | Effects |
|---|---|
| Hot Potato | Solar Flares are dropped by defeated enemies. Passing them increases damage output. |
| Fired Up | Damage from Solar sources raises a heat meter, causing Solar explosions when full. |
| Class Healing | Self-healing upon using your class ability. |
| Igniter | Precision hits on scorched enemies ignite them. |
| Firesprite Fancy | Collecting Firesprites creates a Solar area that scorches nearby enemies. |
| Dreaming Brighter | Weapons with the “Dream Work”Origin Trait do increased damage. |
| Radiant Joy | Final blows while Radiant spawn Firesprites, which can heal you when collected. |
| Solar Slide | Sprinting and sliding creates a scorching Solar wave. |
| Solar Storms | Defeated enemies may trigger Solar fireballs that damage foes. |
Keep in mind that modifiers refresh daily for matchmade Portal activities. Completing these tasks with Solstice modifiers yields event XP that progresses your rewards, including coveted gear like the latest Ghost shell and Holofoil weapons with curated perks.
PVP enthusiasts can participate in the Scorched game mode, where players use scorch cannons in standard Crucible modes such as Clash and Control.
The Solstice Questline
To commence your journey, visit the Tower and speak with Eva Levante to initiate the “Celebrating Solstice”quest. This questline guides you through collecting Solstice gear, Solstice Alloys, and Event Tokens.
Be sure to follow the quest as it provides necessary insights on utilizing the Solstice Forge to create your armor and give it that desired glow. Although traditionally, I might suggest skipping some armor pieces, it’s crucial to acquire each armor piece for your loot pool. This ensures you do not dilute your chances of obtaining preferred weapon rewards.
On completion of the quest, you will also receive a Solstice memento.
The Essence of Solstice Armor
Eververse Offerings
This year’s luxurious Solstice armor arrives with a beach/pool-themed motif, perfectly suiting the summer heat. Each ornament set is priced at 1500 Silver. Spend wisely on what appeals to you, especially the adorable Warlock set and the amusing shark cloak for Hunters, ideal for making waves in pools.
Free Gear Options
For players seeking no-cost alternatives, crafting Lustrous armor through the Solstice Forge is available. Each armor piece requires 100 Solstice Alloy, which can be earned through any activity featuring Solstice modifiers.
This year’s Solstice introduces a popular armor set from 2019, which can be crafted at Tiers 3-5 while utilizing the new stat mechanics introduced in Edge of Fate. Beyond its impressive aesthetic glow, the set offers incredible bonuses, making it essential for avid Solar players.
The 2-Piece bonus, Photogalvanic, temporarily boosts Solar weapon stats upon receiving healing, impacting flinch resistance, handling, and reload speed. As for the 4-Piece bonus, Cauterize, it allows for healing from rapid Solar kills, enhancing survivability alongside existing healing methods.
Introducing Solstice Weapons
This event features three new Solstice weapons, each crafted with care and balanced for optimum performance. Reports from industry experts like Aztecross and Datto highlight that engaging in Portal activities consistently yields Tier 5 Solstice weapon drops for players with a power level between 300-400. Even those with lower levels can expect frequent Tier 3 and 4 drops.
All new weapons include the renowned Dream Work origin trait, which enhances reloading efficiency after assists or final blows. Furthermore, Tier 3 or above versions boast multiple perks in the same column, making strategic selections critical. Notable recommended perks are emphasized in bold.
Festival Flight Grenade Launcher
| Third Column | Fourth Column |
|---|---|
| Blast Distributor | Binary Orbit |
| Demolitionist | Frenzy |
| Recycled Energy | One For All |
| Transcendent Moment | Vorpal Weapon |
| Envious Arsenal | Attrition Orbs |
| Ambitious Assassin | Hatchling |
| Slice | Elemental Honing |
The Festival Flight is a Strand area denial frame grenade launcher, best recognized for its utility rather than raw damage output. This weapon excels in providing support and synergy, especially with recommended perks enhancing orb generation.
Yeartide Apex SMG
| Third Column | Fourth Column |
|---|---|
| Transcendent Moment | Burning Ambition |
| Recycled Energy | Binary Orbit |
| Heal Clip | Incandescent |
| Feeding Frenzy | Harmony |
| Lone Wolf | Chaos Reshaped |
| Attrition Orbs | Target Lock |
| Demolitionist | N/A |
This solar lightweight frame SMG is exceptionally versatile, catering to various subclass builds, particularly benefiting from its standout perks, Heal Clip and Incandescent. Its efficiency in eliminating armies of minor enemies elevates its status among players, similar to popular weapons in past content expansions.
Fortunate Star Bow
| Third Column | Fourth Column |
|---|---|
| Impromptu Ammunition | Explosive Head |
| Dragonfly | Precision Instrument |
| Repulsor Brace | Destabilizing Rounds |
| Transcendent Moment | Sword Logic |
| Killing Wind | Eye of the Storm |
| Archer’s Tempo | Archer’s Gambit |
| Successful Warm-Up | Demoralize |
The Fortunate Star is a precision frame void bow that merges perfectly with Void-oriented builds, featuring synergetic perks such as Repulsor Brace and Destabilizing Rounds.
Efficient Farming for Solstice 2025 Gear
Farming for Solstice gear is straightforward: identify activities that guarantee a Distorted Solstice Engram drop, which can yield at least one weapon or armor piece. The amount of Solstice Alloy obtained corresponds with the activity’s difficulty and completion time. Below are the drop rates:
- Solo Ops: 25 Solstice Alloy
- Fireteam Ops: 32 Solstice Alloy
- Pinnacle Ops: 51 Solstice Alloy
- Crucible: 15 Solstice Alloy
- Raids/Dungeons: 28 Solstice Alloy (per encounter)
If your focus is primarily on grinding for loot and XP, then Solo Ops are the ideal choice. These missions are designed for completion in around 5-10 minutes while providing a satisfactory amount of Solstice Alloy.
Opting for Solo Ops over Pinnacle Ops—typical runs taking about 30 minutes and often requiring a coordinated fireteam—is beneficial. Adjust your Solo Ops modifiers to aim for a B+ or A rank to maximize loot. Activating the Restricted Loadout modifier strikes a balance between increasing your rank and maintaining a manageable difficulty, especially on Master levels.
Evaluating the Grind: Is Solstice Worth Your Time?
In conclusion, participating in the Solstice event is indeed worthwhile. Even though the Portal activities can sometimes feel repetitive, the quality of armor and weapons available makes the grind rewarding.
Players at higher power levels can anticipate attractive drops including Tier 4-5 gear with minimal effort. Furthermore, as confirmed through the official Destiny 2 X account, every piece of Solstice gear acquired during the event boasts a +1 Gear Tier compared to standard drops, underscoring the advantage of joining in on the fun.
Leave a Reply