Editor’s note: this is a republished work from our days as Zam/ReadySet. Some images may have changed.
Daily and weekly bounties are back in Destiny 2’s major expansion, Forsaken. These mini-quests were one of the best ways to earn experience and reputation in the first game. Now they’re just as good for grinding XP, but also offer scads of loot and other… more interesting goodies later in the game. So let’s break down what each style of bounty does, where to get them, and how to beat them.
Zavala (Vanguard Bounties)
These are some of the most straightforward bounties in the game. They function almost exactly like they did in the first Destiny, and similar to Vanguard challenges in early Destiny 2. Each gives you a specific challenge (like killing a number of enemies with your Guardian Super) and costs glimmer to purchase.
The catch is that Vanguard bounties have to be performed during Strikes. You can access random strikes for more rewards via the playlist on Destiny 2’s “director” (the solar system map). These Strike also come with combat modifiers that make some bounties easier—or harder. So it might take a few tries to complete each challenge. Luckily, Forsaken allows you to access any of these three-player dungeons directly from the map. Completing them this way still counts toward Vanguard bounty progress, too.
You can find Zavala and his bounties directly ahead of where you spawn in the Tower.
Shaxx (Crucible Bounties)
These function almost identically to Vanguard bounties. The difference is that you have to perform them in The Crucible—Destiny 2’s player-versus-player suite. The requirements are generally lower than in Vanguard bounties, but you’re playing against human beings. So be prepared to die. A lot.
Shaxx, the Crucible master, is just past the gunsmith in the spawn area of the Tower.
Suraya (Clan Bounties)
Clan bounties are like a mix of the Vanguard and Crucible flavors. They might ask you to kill A.I. enemies, or other players in a variety of modes. Here’s the major difference: you must complete Clan bounties while teamed up with a member of the same Clan as you.
Clans are social groups in Destiny 2 designed to help like-minded fellows team up to tackle activities. You can make or search for one here if you’re not already a member. There are all kinds of benefits to joining—not the least of which is a weekly pieces of Powerful Gear, if your Clan reaches certain milestones.
Clan bounties are slightly different. They allow you and a friend (or friends) to earn XP for the whole group. If you reach certain thresholds you won’t just earn bonuses, like extra glimmer, for yourself. You’ll earn them for every member of your Clan at once.
Suraya is on a high, easily visible outcrop in the western wing of the Tower.
The Drifter (Gambit Bounties)
These are, once again, pretty straightforward. They function just like Crucible bounties, except Gambit bounties only apply to… Gambit. The “competitive co-op” mode also has its own set of rewards separate from the Crucible. To earn them, you need to raise your “infamy” rank by completing matches in the Drifter’s arena. Gambit bounties are worth more infamy. That’s about the size of it!
The Drifter is in an alcove to the right of where you enter the western wing of the Tower. He’s behind a metal gate you’ll need to duck under to pass.
The Spider (Wanted and Tangled Shore Bounties)
Nearly everything in Forsaken flows through The Spider. This NPC vendor lets you buy everything from Alkane Dust to Masterwork Cores. If you want it, he’s probably got it. That includes bounties that will take you across the solar system to hunt special targets.
That’s not all, though. The Spider assigns two classes of missions: Wanted bounties and Tangled Shore bounties. Wanted targets are the ones scattered throughout the game. Just go where each bounty dictates and look for an enemy with a yellow health bar, as well as a name that matches the mission’s description. Kill them to complete the bounty.
That’s not as easy as it sounds, unfortunately. The Spider’s directions aren’t always very descriptive—not to mention wanted targets are public. So there’s a chance whoever you’re searching for will be dead by someone else’s hand when you get there. You can wait for a respawn, if you’re patient, or just exit whatever planet you’re on and load back in. That might reload the target.
(Side note: the Queenbreaker, a Fallen Servitor found in Trostland, seems particularly elusive. They supposedly spawn either to the west or north of the region’s church. We’ve had no lucking getting them to spawn, though.)
It’s worth noting that, unlike most bounties, Wanted assignments don’t cost glimmer. You purchase them with Ghost Fragments instead. It’s easy to find this special currency in the Tangled Shore. Just complete Patrols, Public Events, and Tangled Shore bounties to snag some.
Speaking of which, Tangled Shore bounties ask you to complete various tasks across the titular region. If you’re already completing missions there anyway—such as part of the Forsaken story campaign—you might as well stock up on bounties. The glimmer they provide can buy upgrade materials and more mini-missions from other NPCs.
Find The Spider and his goods in Thieves’ Landing on the Tangled Shore. His lair is one of the few landmarks you can set as a waypoint.
Tess Everis (Eververse Bounties)
Tess is your friendly, talkative cosmetics vendor found in the Tower. She doesn’t often give you anything for free—preferring that you spend real money currency on her wares. Once you reach Forsaken’s new level cap, though, every subsequent level will earn you a Bright Engram. Tess can decode these into otherwise paid cosmetics. It’s just like it was in base Destiny 2.
However, Bright Engrams now drop Eververse bounty notes. You can exchange these beauties for Eververse bounties—which drop Bright Dust used to purchase Eververse cosmetics. The challenges aren’t terribly difficult, but feature a wide array of random challenges. Since the notes are so rare, avoid cashing them in for bounties you can’t (or don’t want to) complete. Just wait a day for Tess’s bounties to refresh, instead.
Tess is in the main area of the Tower; right next to the mailbox.
Miscellaneous Bounties
There are now tons of planet-specific bounties scattered throughout Destiny 2. You can accept them by talking to the NPC vendors of any given region. Devrim Kay, found in the Trostland of the EDZ, for instance, gives Earth-specific bounties that drop Dusklight Shards. The same goes for every other world: complete a bounty, get that planet’s upgrade material as a reward.
Scrapper Bounties aren’t as easy to find. Every time you dismantle equipment for parts, there’s a chance it will spawn a Scrapper Bounty in your inventory. Their objectives vary considerable. One might ask you to play a specific Crucible mode. Another might demand that you perform Arc damage kills. The rewards are usually worth it, though.
SPOILER WARNING FOR THE FORSAKEN CAMPAIGN!!!
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Petra judges you for not heeding the spoiler warning.
SPOILER WARNING FOR THE FORSAKEN CAMPAIGN!!!
Petra Venj (Dreaming City Bounties)
You won’t unlock Petra’s bounties until deep into Forsaken’s campaign. Once you do, though, you need to complete a few to progress the story anyway. Specifically, you must beat eight of her daily bounties. Thankfully these are easier (though they offer less interesting rewards) than her suite of much harder weekly bounties.
The daily bounties cycle in and out every day, as the name suggests, and offer a resource called Dark Fragments. You can trade those to Petra for keys to the Dreaming City’s Blind Well activity. Which is essential to unlocking more of Forsaken’s new character abilities. Completing a tier two Blind Well activity, using a tier two key from Petra, has a small chance to drop a Seed of Light that unlocks the new skills. So, the daily missions are well worth doing
Just make sure you’re a high enough level for the new zone. The Dreaming City is much harder than any other public area in Destiny 2: Forsaken. The Blind Well gets especially nasty. You should be at least a hair over level 500 before you try to brave it.
