Bungie's next big loot-shooter, Destiny 2, has finally arrived on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. If this is your first time playing a Destiny game, you might have some questions about what all you can do with your friends; fortunately, we've got a Co-Op FAQ.
What modes of co-op, i.e., local, LAN/system link, online, are supported by Destiny 2? How many players can play Destiny 2 online? Is a PSN Plus or Xbox Live Gold subscription required to play online? How do you begin a co-op session in Destiny 2? Can I join a game if the host is further along than me in Destiny 2? How does save game progress work for co-op play in Destiny 2? Is loot instanced or free-for-all? What co-op activities are there to do in Destiny 2? What does the Destiny 2 season pass get you? What are Clans? Do they do anything cool? Does Co-Optimus have one?! What is the new Guided Game feature?What modes of co-op, i.e., local, LAN/system link, online, are supported by Destiny 2?
Destiny 2 only supports online co-op.
How many players can play Destiny 2 online?
Destiny 2 supports up to three players online in a standard Fireteam for all story missions, Patrol zones, and Strikes. The Raid supports up to a total of six players.
Is a PSN Plus or Xbox Live Gold subscription required to play online?
Yes.
How do you begin a co-op session in Destiny 2?
After clearing the first few missions, you'll arrive at a social space called "The Farm." Once you're here, you'll see a message informing you that you can form a Fireteam and enjoy some jolly cooperation. In order to create a Fireteam and invite your friends to play, you'll need to open the "Director" and go to the "Roster" section. From there, you'll see a list of all your friends that are currently playing and can send them an invite to play. Alternatively, from this same screen/list, you can choose to join your friend's Fireteam and hop into their game.
Can I join a game if the host is further along than me in Destiny 2?
You can always join a friend to create a Fireteam, but you cannot join a host's mission if they are further along in the story than you. Each of the four planets that are available to explore are, essentially, "unlocked" by completing certain story missions. If you have not unlocked a particular planet by completing the appropriate mission, you cannot participate in any activities on that planet until you do. The host will receive a message informing them that members of the Fireteam are unable to join a particular activity. That being said, friends who are further along in the story than you can always join you and repeat those missions with you.
How does save game progress work for co-op play in Destiny 2? Is loot instanced or free-for-all?
All progress is saved individually to each player's character. You are allowed up to a max of three characters on your account. All Engrams that drop are instanced to a player and you cannot share weapons or armor with other players.
For each character you create, some things are shared. Any Exotic gear you unlock is available to all characters (though you may have to buy it again if you currently have it equipped on a different character), the Vault and any gear stored within is shared among all characters, and all consumable items/mods/shaders as well as Glimmer (in-game currency), Legendary Shards, Dust, and Silver (premium currency) is shared.
What co-op activities are there to do in Destiny 2?
For now, the co-op activities you can do include:
Story Missions - these are the main campaign missions that you need to complete in order to unlock additional activities, such as Destinations, Strikes, and Patrols. Destinations - these free-roam areas allow you to start Adventures or Patrols, explore Lost Sectors (mini-dungeons) for loot, participate in Public Events, and discover some of the lore of Destiny 2 by scanning certain environmental objects. Public Events - these are public activities available on a Destination where all players in that space can participate. Public Events task players with completing certain objectives, such as preventing enemies from reaching a certain point or holding a point against an enemy assault, within a set period of time. Completing the Public Event will reward all players that participate. There are also hidden objectives within Public Events that will turn it into a Heroic Public Event, which changes the objective players must complete and grant even greater rewards. Adventures - a new feature for Destiny 2, Adventures are self-contained stories that task you with completing a series of mini-quests, such as gathering certain items from defeated enemies and then scanning an object in an area and then fighting a boss. They are, essentially, a collection of tasks similar to what you do in Patrols with the key difference being there's a narrative surrounding them and you can earn specific rewards from them, such as gear or upgrade points to spend on your subclasses. Once you complete all Adventures for a given planet, a selection of them (which is reset weekly) can be repeated by talking to the primary quest giver on a planet. Patrols - after completing the Campaign, you'll be given a quest to engage Patrol missions on planets. Once that quest is completed, you'll be able to do Patrol missions on every planet. These missions are quick tasks that may entail killing a certain number of enemies, or defeating a kind of miniboss, or scouting an area, and completing them rewards you with tokens that can be turned into a planet's main quest provider in order to increase your faction and earn Legendary gear. Strikes - these are structured cooperative activities designed around a team of three people. The typical Strike will involve a navigating your way through a series of areas, fighting enemies along the way, until you reach the Strike boss. These bosses have more health than other named foes you may encounter and usually have some special mechanics. Nightfall Strikes - these are Strike missions with special modifiers, such as putting a time limit on the strike or increasing the damage done by certain energy types (i.e., Solar, Void, and Arc). One Nightfall is offered each week and completing the Nightfall for the first time will grant high tier rewards. Raids - these are Strikes on steroids. Unlike most activities in the game that only support up to three players, Raids support and are designed around a team of six. Raids are carefully constructed to emphasize teamwork and, in some cases, puzzle-solving. They typically include three boss encounters that have unique mechanics, such as only being vulnerable to damage from the group if certain conditions are met during the encounter, that require the group to employ specific strategies to overcome. Raids offer unique gear and challenges.What does the Destiny 2 season pass get you?
The Season Pass will automatically grant you access to the first two expansions when they are released over the course of the next year. The first expansion, "Curse of Osiris," has been revealed at this point, but nothing's known about the second expansion for now. Any expansions released in the future will need to be purchased separately.
What are Clans? Do they do anything cool? Does Co-Optimus have one?!
Per Bungie: "Clans are communities that can be accessed in-game and on Bungie.net that are created and managed by players. Clans provide many features that allow the community of players within the Clan to play and progress together, communicate, manage, and build their community."
While part of a clan completing certain activities, such as completing Public Events, Strikes, Adventures, Raids, Patrol missions, and Crucible matches, earns you Clan XP. Each member of a Clan has an individual amount of XP they can contribute each week (5,000 per character) to earn a reward, and Clan Perks can be unlocked by reaching certain XP goals. These perks include benefits like increased Engram drops from certain enemies or receiving more character experience. Once you're part of a Clan, you'll need to visit Hawthorne in a Social Space to pick up your Clan Banner so you can receive any perks the Clan has unlocked.
Co-Optimus does have a clan! We aim to be an inclusive, family-friendly gaming website that's focused on cooperative gaming, and those same ideas are at the core of our Clan. We are not a "hardcore PvP/raiding git gud scrub or GTFO" Clan. If you enjoy playing Destiny 2 and just want some friendly folks with which to play, then we may be right for you! You can apply here. We accept members on every platform, though at the moment, the bulk of us are on the PlayStation 4.
What is the new Guided Game feature?
Guided Games is currently in Beta testing within Destiny 2. The idea around this feature is that Clans help out solo players that are seeking to do endgame activities, like the Nightfall Strike or Raid. Members of a Clan that need a one more player to do the Nightfall, or a few more to do the Raid, can enter a Guided Game session and will be matched up with a player (or players) that queued up solo. Presumably, the Clan has experience with the ins-and-outs of the activity and act as guides to the solo player to get them through it. There will be a rating system for Clans within this feature so players will know if certain Clans are more helpful than others.
If you have any other co-op related questions, leave them in the comments below and we'll do our best to answer! Depending on the question, we may add it to the FAQ, too.