In this guide, you will learn how to get Ascendant Shards while playing Destiny 2.
Ascendant Shards are necessary to unlock Masterwork legendary weapons and Exotic gear. They require Guardians to complete pinnacle activities.
How to Get Ascendant Shards in Destiny 2
Complete Master and/or Grandmaster Nightfall Strikes
Master and Grandmaster Nightfall strikes yield a healthy amount of Ascendant Shards if they are completed in repetition. The key is to ensure that all champions die at the end to activate Platinum tier rewards.
During the week in which Nightfall rewards are doubled, players can earn multiple Ascendant Shards at the end of a single Grandmaster Nightfall strike.
Complete Trials of Osiris Games
By winning seven consecutive Trials of Osiris matches without a loss, players will receive an Ascendant Shard as a reward from the Lighthouse Chest.
Dismantle Masterwork Exotic Armor
Players who have old, useless Exotic gear in their Vault can dismantle them for several Ascendant Shards. They can also store their extra Ascendant Shards by Masterworking Armor, particularly now that the maximum number of Shards per account has been lowered.
Purchase Them From Ada-1, Banshee-44, and Rahool
In the Tower, players can approach various vendors including Ada-1 the armor specialist, Banshee-44 the gunsmith, and Rahool the cryptarch to regularly purchase Ascendant Shards. The price is quite high, typically requiring 10 Enhancement Prisms and 50,000 Glimmer.
Reset Reputation Rank With Vendors
Vendors like Commander Zavala, the Drifter, Lord Shaxx, and Saint-14 reward the player with a single Ascendant Shard on the first time the player resets their rank with them. Afterward, resetting the vendor rank yields an Exotic Engram instead of an Ascendant Shard.
At the start of each season, players should try to reach the first level on each Tower vendor to collect the rewards.
Unlock Them Via Season Pass
Purchasing the paid version of the Season Pass is the easiest way to earn Ascendant Shards. You can unlock as many as 3 shards this way.
How to Use Ascendant Shards in Destiny 2
Ascendant Shards can be used for several purposes.
- Masterworking Armor (a single Exotic armor piece requires 3 shards while a Legendary armor piece requires 1 shard)
- Purchase older Exotic weapons from the Monument to Lost Lights Exotic weapon kiosk in the Tower.
- Focus Exotic gear via Rahool in the Tower.
As of Season 22, players can only carry 30 Ascendant Shards on their account.
Destiny 2 is a first-person shooter developed by Bungie and initially released in 2017 for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.